when, as I was musing,
I could perceive that the tide was turned, and the flood come on; upon
which my going was impracticable for so many hours. Upon this, presently
it occurred to me that I should go up to the highest piece of ground I
could find, and observe, if I could, how the sets of the tide or currents
lay when the flood came in, that I might judge whether, if I was driven
one way out, I might not expect to be driven another way home, with the
same rapidity of the currents. This thought was no sooner in my head
than I cast my eye upon a little hill which sufficiently overlooked the
sea both ways, and from whence I had a clear view of the currents or sets
of the tide, and which way I was to guide myself in my return. Here I
found, that as the current of ebb set out close by the south point of the
island, so the current of the flood set in close by the shore of the
north side; and that I had nothing to do but to keep to the north side of
the island in my return, and I should do well enough.

Encouraged by this observation, I resolved the next morning to set out
with the first of the tide; and reposing myself for the night in my
canoe, under the watch-coat I mentioned, I launched out. I first made a
little out to sea, full north, till I began to feel the benefit of the
current, which set eastward, and which carried me at a great rate; and
yet did not so hurry me as the current on the south side had done before,
so as to take from me all government of the boat; but having a strong
steerage with my paddle, I went at a great rate directly for the wreck,
and in less than two hours I came up to it. It was a dismal sight to
look at; the ship, which by its building was Spanish, stuck fast, jammed
in between two rocks. All the stern and quarter of her were beaten to
pieces by the sea; and as her forecastle, which stuck in the rocks, had
run on with great violence, her mainmast and foremast were brought by the
board--that is to say, broken short off; but her bowsprit was sound, and
the head and bow appeared firm. When I came close to her, a dog appeared
upon her, who, seeing me coming, yelped and cried; and as soon as I
called him, jumped into the sea to come to me. I took him into the boat,
but found him almost dead with hunger and thirst. I gave him a cake of
my bread, and he devoured it like a ravenous wolf that had been starving
a fortnight in the snow; I then gave the poor creature some fresh water,
with which