Robinson was so excited that he scarcely knew what he was doing. He ran
up and down the shore calling wildly, but the awful roar of the sea and
wind drowned his cries. Suddenly his thoughts came to him. "Quick,
Friday, get some fire in a pot. We will run to the point, gather grass
and wood, and make a fire there. Maybe we can guide them into the
harbor."
They soon had a great beacon light sending its welcome greeting far over
the sea. The pilot of the ship saw it and steered his ship nearer and
nearer. Robinson was ready to shout for joy as the ship seemed about to
make the harbor. The ship had her sails torn in shreds and her rudder
broken. It was hard to steer her in such a gale. On rounding the point,
she was blown on the rocks. With a frightful crash which could be heard
above the din of the storm she struck and held fast. Robinson could hear
the cries of the men and the orders of the officers. They were trying to
get boats ready to put off, but such was the confusion of the storm and
the enormous waves breaking over the deck that it could not be done
quickly. Before the men could get a boat into the sea, and get into it,
the ship gave a lurch to one side as though about to sink. All the men
jumped for one boat. It was overburdened. The wind tossed it about. The
sea soon filled it and it went down and all were lost.
Robinson and Friday remained on the shore all night. They watched to see
if they could not help some poor sailor that might cling to a plank and
be blown on shore. They saw no one.
At last they lay down, but they could not sleep. Many times they sprang
up and ran about for fear that some poor fellow would need their help.
At last morning came. The storm ceased. Robinson and Friday searched
everywhere for the bodies of the sailors, but could find none. But the
wind had blown the ship in plain view, and into shallow waters. It was
lying on the bottom with more than half its bulk out of the water. The
masts were gone. It was a sad sight. No human being could be seen on it.
They were now rejoiced that they had their boat ready. "Let us take it,"
said Robinson "and go out to the ship. It may be some person is still on
the unfortunate ship." They were soon by the ship's side. They rowed
around it until they saw a rope hanging down from the deck. Robinson
seized this and clambered up. Friday tied the boat fast, and followed.
Robinson opened the door leading from the deck into the ship and went
down. He searched in all the cabins, and knocked at all the doors. He
called, but all was still. When he was satisfied that every person on
board had been drowned he wept bitterly.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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