Page:Life and adventures of Robinson Crusoe (3).pdf/9

9 prevailed on me to make a voyage for that purpose. We fitted out a ship of about 120 tons burden, which carried six guns and fourteen men, besides the master, his boy, and myself. In this vessel I set sail. We had very good weather for about twelve days ; but soon after we had crossed the line, a violent hurricane drove us quite out of our reckoning, and for many days together not any in the ship expected to save their lives. In this distress, one of our men early one morning cried out, “ Land ! ” and we had no sooner run out of the cabin, in hopes of seeing where we were, but the ship struck upon a shoal. It is not easy to conceive our consternation ; for as

the rage of the sea was great, we supposed that the ship would, in a few minutes, break to pieces. We had a boat on board, which the mate laid hold of, and with the help of the rest of the men flung her over the ship’s side, and getting all into her, committed ourselves to God’s mercy. We steered towards land,