September30, 1659.—I, poormiserableRobinsonCrusoe, beingshipwreckedduringadreadfulstormintheoffing, cameonshoreonthisdismal, unfortunateisland, whichIcalled "TheIslandofDespair"; alltherestoftheship'scompanybeingdrowned, andmyselfalmostdead.
AlltherestofthedayIspentinafflictingmyselfatthedismalcircumstancesIwasbroughtto—, house, clothes, weapon, norplacetoflyto; andindespairofanyrelief, sawnothingbutdeathbeforeme—eitherthatIshouldbedevouredbywildbeasts, murderedbysavages, , forfearofwildcreatures; butsleptsoundly, thoughitrainedallnight.
October1.—InthemorningIsaw, tomygreatsurprise, theshiphadfloatedwiththehightide, andwasdrivenonshoreagainmuchnearertheisland; which, asitwassomecomfort, ononehand—for, seeinghersetupright, andnotbrokentopieces, Ihoped, ifthewindabated, Imightgetonboard, andgetsomefoodandnecessariesoutofherformyrelief—so, ontheotherhand, itrenewedmygriefatthelossofmycomrades, who, Iimagined, ifwehadallstayedonboard, mighthavesavedtheship, or, atleast, thattheywouldnothavebeenalldrownedastheywere; andthat, hadthemenbeensaved, ; butatlength, seeingtheshipalmostdry, IwentuponthesandasnearasIcould, , thoughwithnowindatall.
Fromthe1stofOctobertothe24th.—AllthesedaysentirelyspentinmanyseveralvoyagestogetallIcouldoutoftheship, , thoughwithsomeintervalsoffairweather; butitseemsthiswastherainyseason.
Oct.20.—Ioversetmyraft, andallthegoodsIhadgotuponit; but, beinginshoalwater, andthethingsbeingchieflyheavy, Irecoveredmanyofthemwhenthetidewasout.