Page:Unparalleled sufferings and surprising adventures of Philip Quarle.pdf/4

 ship; and as the main-yard could not lower, the ship’s tackling being disorded by the violence of the storm; Quarle, being bold and active, took a hatchet which tumbled about the deck, and ran up the shrouds, in order to cut down what stopt the working of the main-yard, but by that time he was got up, there came a sea which dashed the ship to shatters against the rock; and with the violence of the shock, flung Quarle, who was astride upon the main-yard, on the top of the rock, where, having the good fortune to fall in a clift, he was hindered from being washed back again into the sea and drowned, as every body were that belonged to the ship.

Quarle, in a dismal condition, remained the succeeding night in the clift, being continually beaten with the dashing back of the sea, and being both bruised and numbed, pulled off his clothes, which were dripping wet, and spread them in the sun; and being over-fatigued, lays himself down on the smoothest place of the rock he could find, being quite spent with the hardships he had undergone, and slept while his clothes were drying.

When he awoke, he stared about him in a frightful manner, expecting every minute some creature to devour him; but, taking a little courage, put on his clothes, which by this time were quite dry; he then looks about him, but, alas! could see nothing but the dreadful effects of the late tempest, dead corpses, broken planks, and battered chests floating, and such aspects, which at once filled him with terror and grief.

Being come to the other side of the rock, he finds at the bottom of it a narrow lake, which