fast that it
cracked.

I had a small Ovid, printed by Elzevir, which fortunately I had put in
my pocket as I was going up the ladder of ropes. This was a great
solace, for I could entertain myself with it under a bush till I fell
asleep. Moreover, I had good health, though at first I was troubled with
headache for want of my hat, which I had lost in the water. But I made
myself a wooden cap of green sprigs, and lined it with one of the
sleeves of my shirt.

The island I was upon seemed about two miles round, and perfectly
deserted. Often did I wish to have companions in my misfortune, and
even--Heaven forgive me!--hoped for a wreck. I fancied that if I stayed
there long alone I should lose the power of speech, so I talked aloud,
asked myself questions, and answered them. If anybody had been by to
hear they would certainly have thought me bewitched, I used to ask
myself such odd questions!

But one morning a violent storm arose, which continued till noon, when I
caught sight of a ship labouring with the waves. At last, with the fury
of the tempest, it was completely thrown out of the water upon the
shore, a quarter of a mile from the place where I was watching. I ran to
see if there was anyone I could help, and found four men, all who were
in the vessel, trying to save what they could out of her. When I came up
and hailed them in English they were mightily surprised, and asked me
how I came there. I told them my story, and they were greatly distressed
for themselves as well as for me, since they found there was no hope of
getting their vessel off the sands; so we began to bemoan each other's
misfortunes. But I must confess that I was never more rejoiced in my
whole life, for they had on board plenty of everything for a
twelvemonth, and nothing spoiled. We worked as hard as we could, and got
out whatever would be useful to us before night. Then, taking off the
sails, we built a tent big enough to hold twenty men, and now I thought
myself in a palace.

The names of my four companions were Thomas Randal, Richard White,
William Musgrave, and Ralph Middleton. When we had been together some
time we began to be very easy, and to wait contentedly till we should
get out of this strait. But at last it came into our minds that a
determined effort might free us, and at once we set to work to clear the
sand from the ship. We laboured at the task for sixteen days, resting
only on Sundays, and by that time we had thrown up the sa