Читать «Робинзон Крузо / Robinson Crusoe» онлайн - страница 4

The light ship, who had rid it out just ahead of us, sent a boat to help us. But it was impossible for us to get on board, or for the boat to lie near the ship’s side. All the men in the boat were rowing very heartily, and venturing their lives to save ours. Finally, we extended them a rope so they managed to swim very close to the board of our ship, and we got all into their boat. It was no purpose for them or us, after we were in the boat, to think of reaching their own ship; so all agreed to let the boat drive on it’s own, and only to pull it in towards shore as much as we could.

We were not much more than a quarter of an hour out of our ship, till we saw its sink. Only then I understood for the first time what was meant by a ship foundering in the sea.

When our boat was mounting the waves, we were able to see the shore. A huge number of people gathered on the beach to help us as soon as we moored to the bank. But we made a very slow way towards the shore. Only when we past the lighthouse at Winterton, we found ourselves in a small bay near the Cromer, where the wind was a little quieter. Here we got in, and though not without much difficulty, got all safe on shore, and walked afterwards on foot to Yarmouth.

As unfortunate men been in the shipwreck, we were used with great humanity there. The townspeople gave us houses to leave, and by the particular merchants and owners of ships we had enough money to carry either to London or back to Hull as we wanted.

My comrade, who was the master’s son, and who prompted me to go with him on his father’s ship to London, was now less forward then I. At Yarmouth we were separated in the town to several quarters, so the first time he spoke to me after the shipwreck was not till two or three days, of our staying in town. He asked me how I did, looking very melancholy and shaking his head. He told his father who I was, and how I had come to this voyage only for a trial, in order to go further abroad.

His father turned to me with a very grave and concerned tone: “Young man,” said he, “you ought never to go to sea anymore; you ought to take this for a plain and visible token that you are not to be a seafaring man.”

“Why, sir,” said I, “will you go to sea no more?”

“That is another case,” said he; “it is my calling, and therefore my duty; but as you made this voyage on trial, you see what a taste Heaven has given”, continues he, “what are you; and on what account did you go to sea?” Upon that I told him some of my story; at the end of which he burst out into a strange kind of passion: “What had I done,” said he, “that such an unhappy wretch should come into my ship? I would not set my foot in the same ship even for a thousand pounds!”