Page:Life and adventures of Robinson Crusoe (1).pdf/3



I born of a good family in the city of York, where my father, who was a native of Bremen, had settled after his having got a handsome estate by merchandise. My brain was early filled with rambling thoughts, and when I grew up, my father often persuaded me to settle to some business, and my mother used the tenderest entreaties; yet nothing could prevail on me to lay aside my desire of going to sea, notwithstanding the extreme uneasiness which my father and mother always showed at the thoughts of my leaving them. I hardened myself against the prudent and kind advice of my indulgent parents: and being one day at Hull, I met with one of my companions, who was going to sea in his father's ship, he easily persuaded me to go with him.

On the 1st of September, 1651, I went on board this ship, which was bound for London, and without letting my father know the rash and disobedient step I had taken, set sail; but no sooner was the ship out of the Humber, than the wind began to blow, and the sea to rise in a most terrible manner. Having never been at sea before, I was extremely sick, and my mind was filled with terror. I then began to grow sensible of my wiekedness, in disobeying the best of parents.

The next day the wind abated, and the sea grew calm; I was no longer sick, and my companion laughed at my fears. The weather continued calm for several days, and we at length came into Yarmouth Roads, where we cast anchor to wait for a wind. On the eighth day, in the morning, the wind inereasedincreased [sic], and we had all hands at work to strike our top-masts, and to cast our sheet-anchor. I now began to see terror and amazement in the faces even of the seamen themselves; and as the master passed by me, I could hear him say softly to himself, "Lord be merciful to us, we shall be lost." When I heard this I was terribly frightened; such a dismal sight I never before saw, the sea ran mountains high, and broke upon us every three or four minutes. The storm still increased, and I saw (what is but too seldom seen) the master, the boatswain, and several others at prayers, expecting that every moment the ship