re being no need
to put them into the chests, nor any room for them. While I was doing
this, I found the tide began to flow, though very calm; and I had the
mortification to see my coat, shirt, and waistcoat, which I had left on
shore, upon the sand, swim away; as for my breeches, which were only
linen, and open-knee'd, I swam on board in them, and my stockings.
However, this put me upon rummaging for clothes, of which I found
enough, but took no more than I wanted for present use, for I had other
things which my eye was more upon; as, first, tools to work with on
shore and it was after long searching that I found the carpenter's
chest, which was indeed a very useful prize to me, and much more
valuable than a ship-lading of gold would have been at that time. I got
it down to my raft, even whole as it was, without losing time to look
into it, for I knew in general what it contained.

My next care was for some ammunition and arms. There were two very good
fowling-pieces in the great cabin, and two pistols; these I secured
first, with some powder-horns and a small bag of shot, and two old rusty
swords. I knew there were three barrels of powder in the ship, but knew
not where our gunner had stowed them; but with much search I found them,
two of them dry and good, the third had taken water. Those two I got to
my raft, with the arms. And now I thought myself pretty well freighted,
and began to think how I should get to shore with them, having neither
sail, oar, nor rudder; and the least cap-full of wind would have overset
all my navigation.

I had three encouragements: 1st, A smooth, calm sea: 2dly, The tide
rising, and setting in to the shore: 3dly, What little wind there was,
blew me towards the land. And thus, having found two or three broken
oars belonging to the boat, and besides the tools which were in the
chest, I found two saws, an axe, and a hammer; and with this cargo I put
to sea. For a mile, or thereabouts, my raft went very well, only that I
found it drive a little distant from the place where I had landed
before; by which I perceived that there was some indraft of the water,
and consequently I hoped to find some creek or river there, which I
might make use of as a port to get to land with my cargo.

As I imagined, so it was: there appeared before me a little opening of
the land, and I found a strong current of the tide set into it; so I
guided my raft, as well as I could, to get into the middle of the
stream.