The Junior Classics, Volume 5: Stories that never grow old
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The Junior Classics, Volume 5: Stories that never grow old
Children's literature
But that which comforted me more still 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 say, after all this, 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 the bread, and
wrapped it up, parcel by parcel, in pieces of the sails, which I
cut out; and, in a word, I 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 with the
cables. Cutting the great cable into pieces, such as I could move,
I got two cables and a hawser on shore, with all the ironwork I
could get; and having cut down the spritsail-yard, and the mizzen-
yard, and everything I could, to make a large raft, I loaded it
with all these heavy goods, and came away. But my good luck began
now to leave me; for this raft was so unwieldy, and so overladen,
that, after I had 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. As 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 tide was out, I got most of the pieces of
the cable ashore, and some of the iron, though with infinite
labor; 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 what I could get.
I had been now thirteen days on shore, and had been eleven times
on board the ship, in which time I had brought away all that one
pair of hands could well be supposed capable to bring; though I
believe verily, had the calm weather held, I should have brought
away the whole ship, piece by piece. But preparing the twelfth
time to go on board, I found the wind began to rise; however, at
low water I went on board, and, though I thought I had rummaged
the cabin so effectually that nothing more could be found, yet I
discovered a locker with drawers in it, in one of which I found
two or three razors, and one pair of large scissors, with some ten
or a dozen of good knives and forks: in another I found about
thirty-six pounds value in money--some European coin, some Brazil,
some pieces of eight, some gold, and some silver.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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