Робинзон Крузо
The Ship Recovered
Thentheycameallcloseinaring,andfiredavolleyoftheirsmall-arms,which,indeed,weheard,andtheechoesmadethewoodsring. Butitwasallone; thoseinthecaveweweresurecouldnothear,andthoseinourkeeping,thoughtheyhearditwellenough,yetdurstgivenoanswertothem.
Theyweresoastonishedatthesurpriseofthis,that,astheytoldusafterwards,theyresolvedtogoallonboardagain,totheirship,andletthemknowtherethatthemenwereallmurdered,andthelongboatstaved. Accordingly,theyimmediatelylaunchedtheirboatagain,andgotallofthemonboard.
Thecaptainwasterriblyamazed,andevenconfoundedatthis,believingtheywouldgoonboardtheshipagain,andsetsail,givingtheircomradesforlost,andsoheshouldstilllosetheship,whichhewasinhopesweshouldhaverecovered; buthewasquicklyasmuchfrightedtheotherway.
Theyhadnotbeenlongputoffwiththeboatbutweperceivedthemallcomingonshoreagain; butwiththisnewmeasureintheirconduct,whichitseemstheyconsultedtogetherupon,viz.,toleavethreemenintheboat,andtheresttogoonshore,andgoupintothecountrytolookfortheirfellows.
Thiswasagreatdisappointmenttous,fornowwewereatalosswhattodo; forourseizingthosesevenmenonshorewouldbenoadvantagetousifwelettheboatescape,becausetheywouldthenrowawaytotheship,andthentherestofthemwouldbesuretoweighandsetsail,andsoourrecoveringtheshipwouldbelost. However,wehadnoremedybuttowaitandseewhattheissueofthingsmightpresent.
