Page 335 - robinson-crusoe

CHAPTER XVIII - THE

SHIP RECOVERED

WHILE we were thus preparing our designs, and had first,
by main strength, heaved the boat upon the beach, so high
that the tide would not float her off at high-water mark, and
besides, had broke a hole in her bottom too big to be quick-
ly stopped, and were set down musing what we should do,
we heard the ship fire a gun, and make a waft with her en-
sign as a signal for the boat to come on board - but no boat
stirred; and they fired several times, making other signals
for the boat. At last, when all their signals and firing proved
fruitless, and they found the boat did not stir, we saw them,
by the help of my glasses, hoist another boat out and row
towards the shore; and we found, as they approached, that
there were no less than ten men in her, and that they had
firearms with them.
As the ship lay almost two leagues from the shore, we
had a full view of them as the came, and a plain sight even
of their faces; because the tide having set them a little to the
east of the other boat, they rowed up under shore, to come
to the same place where the other had landed, and where
the boat lay; by this means, I say, we had a full view of them,
and the captain knew the persons and characters of all the
men in the boat, of whom, he said, there were three very

Robinson Crusoe