Besides these things, I took all the men's cloathes I could find, and a spare fore-top sail, a hammock, and some bedding. With this I loaded my second raft and brought them all safe on shore, to my very great comfort.
Having got my second cargo on shore I went to work to make me a little tent with the sail, and some poles which I cut for that purpose. Into this tent I brought every thing I knew would spoil either with rain or sun. I piled all the empty chests and casks up in a circle round the tent, to fortify it from any sudden attempt either from man or animal.
When I had done this, I blocked up the door of the tent with some boards within and an empty chest set up on end without. Spreading one of the beds upon the ground, laying my two pistols just at my head, and my gun at length by me, I went to bed for the first time since the shipwreck and slept very quietly all night, for I was very weary and heavy. The night before the beast had run long and hard, and I had laboured very hard all day, as well, to fetch all those things from the ship and to get them on shore.
I had the biggest magazine of all kinds now that ever was laid up, I believe, for one man. But I was not satisfied, still. While the ship sat upright in that posture, I thought I ought to get every thing out of her I could. So every day, at low water, I went on board, and brought away something or other. The third time I went, I brought away as much of the rigging as I could, as also all the small ropes and rope-twine I could get, along with a piece of spare canvas which was to mend the sails upon occasion, and the barrel of wet gunpowder. In a word, I brought away all the sails first and last, only I was fain to cut them in pieces and bring as much at a time as I could. They were no more useful to be sails but as mere canvas only.
But that which comforted me still more was that, last of all, after I had made five or six such voyages as these, and thought I had nothing more to expect from the ship that was worth my meddling with, I found a great hogshead of bread, three large runlets of rum or spirits, a box of sugar, and a barrel of fine flour. This was surprising to me because I had given over expecting any more provisions, except what was spoiled by the water. I soon emptied the hogshead of that bread and wrapt it up, parcel by parcel, in pieces of the sails which I cut out, and got all this safe on shore also.
The next day I made another voyage, and now having plundered the ship of what was portable and fit to hand out, I began cutting the great cable into pieces, such as I could move. This was most unpleasant, for on deck was the dark stain where the mate had fallen to the beast, which had not been entirely washed away by the sea, and now lay in my sight all the time while I worked. I got two cables and a hawser on shore, with all the iron-work I could get, including a set of manakles from the brig were it ever needed to contain the beast on this island. Having cut down the spritsail-yard and the mizen-yard and every thing I could to make a large raft, I loaded it with all those heavy goods and came away. But my good luck began now to leave me. This raft was so unwieldy and so overladen, after I entered the little cove where I had landed the rest of my goods, not being able to guide it so handily as I did the other, it overset and threw me and all my cargo into the water. For myself, it was no great harm, for I was near the shore, but as to my cargo, it was a great part of it lost, especially the iron, which I expected would have been of great use to me. However, when the tyde was out, I got most of the pieces of cable ashore and some of the iron, tho’ with infinite labour for I was fain to dip for it into the water, a work which fatigued me very much. After this I went every day on board, and brought away whatever was left I could get.
My new home, goats,
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