Light went first, and out of his abundant
Complaisance, my Friend, the Officer, would have me follow the Light:
But I was no sooner stept upon the Plank after my Guide, but Rope and
Plank gave way, and Guide and I tumbled both together into the Water.

The Tide was then running in pretty strong: However, my Feet in the Fall
touching Ground, gave me an opportunity to recover my self a little; at
which Time I catch'd fast hold of a Buoy, which was plac'd over an
Anchor on one of the Ships there riding: I held fast, till the Tide
rising stronger and stronger threw me off my Feet; which gave an
Opportunity to the poor Fellow, our Lanthorn-bearer, to lay hold of one
of my Legs, by which he held as fast as I by the Buoy. We had lain thus
lovingly at Hull together, strugling with the increasing Tide, which,
well for us, did not break my hold (for if it had, the Ships which lay
breast a breast had certainly sucked us under) when several on the
Bridge, who saw us fall, brought others with Ropes and Lights to our
Assistance; and especially my Brother Officer, who had been Accessary as
well as Spectator of our Calamity; tho' at last a very small Portion of
our Deliverance fell to his share.

As soon as I could feel a Rope, I quitted my hold of the Buoy; but my
poor Drag at my Heels would not on any account quit his hold of my Leg.
And as it was next to an Impossibility, in that Posture to draw us up
the Bridge to save both, if either of us, we must still have perished,
had not the Alarm brought off a Boat or two to our Succour, who took us
in.

I was carry'd as fast as possible, to a neighbouring House hard by,
where they took immediate care to make a good Fire; and where I had not
been long before our intended Host, the Master of the Ship, came in very
much concern'd, and blaming us for not hailing the Vessel, before we
made an Attempt to enter. For, says he, the very Night before, my Vessel
was robb'd; and that Plank and Rope were a Trap design'd for the
Thieves, if they came again; not imagining that Men in an honest way
would have come on board without asking Questions. Like the wise Men of
this World, I hereupon began to form Resolutions against a Thing, which
was never again likely to happen; and to draw inferences of Instruction
from an Accident, that had not so much as a Moral for its Foundation.

One Day after this, partly out of Business, and partly out of Curiosity,
I went to see the Mint here, and having taken noti