The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe (1808)

I had a great jar offresh water, that is to say, one of my earthen pots; but what was allthis to being driven into the vast ocean, where, to be sure, there wasno shore, no main land or island, for a thousand leagues at least?

  And now I saw how easy it was for the providence of God to make the mostmiserable condition that mankind could be in, worse. Now I looked backupon my desolate solitary island, as the most pleasant place in theworld, and all the happiness my heart could wish for, was to be thereagain: I stretched out my hands to it with eager wishes; "O happydesert!" said I, "I shall never see thee more! O miserable creature!"said I, "whither am I going!" Then I reproached myself with myunthankful temper, and how I had repined at my solitary condition; andnow what would I give to be on shore there again? Thus we never see thetrue state of our condition, till it is illustrated to us by itscontraries; nor know how to value what we enjoy, but by the want of it.It is scarce possible to imagine the consternation I was now in, beingdriven from my beloved island (for so it appeared to me now to be) intothe wide ocean, almost two leagues, and in the utmost despair of everrecovering it again: however, I worked hard, till indeed my strength wasalmost exhausted; and kept my boat as much to the northward, that is,towards the side of the current which the eddy lay on, as possibly Icould; when about noon, as the sun passed the meridian, I thought I felta little breeze of wind in my face, springing up from the S.S.E. Thischeered my heart a little, and especially when in about half an hourmore it blew a pretty small gentle gale. By this time I was gotten at afrightful distance from the island; and, had the least cloud or hazyweather intervened, I had been undone another way too; for I had nocompass on board, and should never have known how to have steeredtowards the island, if I had but once lost sight of it; but the weathercontinuing clear, I applied myself to get up my mast again, and spreadmy sail, standing away to the north as much as possible, to get out ofthe current.

  Just as I had set my mast and sail, and the boat began to stretch away,I saw even by the clearness of the water, some alteration of the currentwas near; where the current was so strong, the water was foul; butperceiving the water clear, I found the current abate, and presently Ifound to the east, at about half a mile, a breach of the sea upon somerocks: these rocks I found caused the current to part again; and as themain stress of it ran away more southerly, leaving the rocks to thenorth-east, so the other returned by the repulse of the rock, and made astrong eddy, which ran back again to the north-west with a verysharp stream.

  They who know what it is to have a reprieve brought to them upon theladder, or to be rescued from thieves just going to murder them, or whohave been in such like extremities, may guess what my present surpriseof joy was, and how gladly I put my boat into the stream of this eddy;and the wind also freshening, how gladly I spread my sail to it, runningcheerfully before the wind, and with a strong tide or eddy under foot.

  This eddy carried me about a league in my way back again directlytowards the island, but about two leagues more towards the northwardthan the current lay, which carried me away at first; so that when Icame near the island, I found myself open to the northern shore of it,that is to say, the other end of the island, opposite to that which Iwent out from.

  When I had made something more than a league of way by the help of thiscurrent or eddy, I found it was spent, and served me no farther. HoweverI found, that being between the two great currents, viz. that on thesouth side which had hurried me away, and that on the north which layabout two leagues on the other side; I say, between these two, in thewest of the island, I found the water at least still, and running noway; and having still a breeze of wind fair for me, I kept on steeringdirectly for the island, though not making such fresh way as Idid before.

  About four o'clock in the evening, being then within about a league ofthe island, I found the point of the rocks which occasioned thisdistance stretching out as is described before, to the southward, andcasting off the current more southwardly, had of course made anothereddy to the north; and this I found very strong, but directly settingthe way my course lay, which was due west, but almost full north.However, having a fresh gale, I stretched across this eddy slantingnorth-west, and in about an hour came within about a mile of the shore,where, it being smooth water, I soon got to land.

  When I was on shore, I fell on my knees, and gave God thanks for mydeliverance, resolving to lay aside all thoughts of my deliverance by myboat; and refreshing myself with such things as I had, I brought my boatclose to the shore, in a little cove that I had espied under some trees,and laid me down to sleep, being quite spent with the labour and fatigueof the voyage.

  I was now at a great loss which way to get home with my boat; I had runso much hazard, and knew too much the case to think of attempting it bythe way I went out; and what might be at the other side (I mean the westside) I knew not, nor had I any mind to run any more ventures; so I onlyresolved in the morning to make my way westward along the shore, and tosee if there was no creek where I might lay up my frigate in safety, soas to have her again if I wanted her. In about three miles, orthereabouts, coasting the shore, I came to a very good inlet, or bay,about a mile over, which narrowed till it came to a very little rivulet,or brook, where I found a convenient harbour for my boat, and where shelay as if she had been in a little dock made on purpose for her: here Iput in, and having stowed my boat very safe, I went on shore to lookabout me, and see where I was.

  I soon found I had but a little passed by the place where I had beenbefore when I travelled on foot to that shore; so taking nothing out ofmy boat but my gun and my umbrella, for it was exceeding hot, I began mymarch: the way was comfortable enough after such a voyage as I had beenupon, and I reached my old bower in the evening, where I found everything standing as I left it; for I always kept it in good order, being,as I said before, my country-house.

  I got over the fence, and laid me down in the shade to rest my limbs,for I was very weary, and fell asleep: but judge you if you can, thatread my story, what a surprise I must be in when I was awaked out of mysleep by a voice calling me by my name several times, "Robin, Robin,Robin Crusoe, poor Robin Crusoe! Where are you, Robin Crusoe? Where areyou? Where have you been?"

  I was so dead asleep at first, being fatigued with rowing, or paddling,as it is called, the first part of the day, and walking the latter part,that I did not awake thoroughly; and dozing between sleeping and waking,thought I dreamed that somebody spoke to me: but as the voice continuedto repeat Robin Crusoe, Robin Crusoe; at last I began to awake moreperfectly, and was at first dreadfully frighted, and started up in theutmost consternation: but no sooner were my eyes open, but I saw my Polsitting on the top of the hedge, and immediately knew that this was hethat spoke to me; for just in such bemoaning language I had used to talkto him, and teach him; and he had learnt it so perfectly, that he wouldsit upon my finger, and lay his bill close to my face, and cry, "PoorRobin Crusoe, where are you? Where have you been? How came you here?"and such things as I had taught him.

  However, even though I knew it was the parrot, and that indeed it couldbe nobody else, it was a good while before I could compose myself.First, I was amazed how the creature got thither, and then how he shouldjust keep about the place, and no where else: but as I was wellsatisfied it could be nobody but honest Poll, I got it over; andholding out my Hand, and calling him by his Name Poll, the sociableCreature came to me, and sat upon my Thumb, as he used to do, andcontinued talking to me, Poor Robin Crusoe, and how did I come here? andwhere had I been? just as if he had been overjoyed to see me again; andso I carried him Home along with me.

  I had now had enough of rambling to sea for some time, and had enough todo for many days to sit still, and reflect upon the danger I had beenin: I would have been very glad to have had my boat again on my side ofthe island; but I knew not how it was practicable to get it about as tothe east side of the island, which I had gone round; I knew well enoughthere was no venturing that way; my very heart would shrink, and my veryblood run chill but to think of it: and as to the other s
ide of theisland, I did not know how it might be there; but supposing the currentran with the same force against the shore at the east as it passed by iton the other, I might run the same risk of being driven down the stream,and carried by the island, as I had been before, of being carried awayfrom it; so with these thoughts I contented my self to be without anyboat, though it had been the product of so many months labour to makeit, and of so many more to get it unto the sea.

  In this government of my temper, I remained near a year, lived a verysedate retired life, as you may well suppose; and my thoughts being verymuch composed as to my condition, and fully comforted in resigning myself to the dispositions of Providence, I thought I lived really veryhappily in all things, except that of society.

  I improved my self in this time in all the mechanic exercises which mynecessities put me upon applying my self to, and I believe could, uponoccasion, make a very good carpenter, especially