Robinson Crusoe-第5章

Any one may judge what a Condition I must be in at all his；who was but a young Sailor，and who had been in such Fright before at but a little. But if I can express at this Distance the Thoughts I had about me at that time，I was in tenfold more Horror of Mind upon Account of my former Convictions，and the having returned from them to the Resolutions I had wickedly taken at first，than I was at Death it self；and these added to the Terror of the Storm，put me into such a Condition，that I can by no Words describe it. But the worst was not come yet，the Storm continued with such Fury，that the Seamen themselves acknowledged they had never known a worse. We had a good Ship，but she was deep loaden，and wallowed in the Sea，that the Seamen every now and then cried out，she would founder. It was my Advantage in one respect，that I did not know what they meant by Founder，till I enquir'd. However，the Storm was so violent，that I saw what is not often seen，the Master，the Boat-Swain，and some others more sensible than the rest，at their Prayers，and expecting every Moment when the Ship would go to the Bottom. In the Middle of the Night，and under all the rest of our Distresses，one of the Men that had been down on Purpose to see，cried out we had sprung a Leak；another said there was four Foot Water in the Hold. Then all Hands were called to the Pump. At that very Word my Heart，as I thought，died within me，and I fell backwards upon the Side of my Bed where I sat，into the Cabbin. However，the Men roused me，and told me，that I that was able to do nothing before，was as well able to pump as another；at which I stirr'd up，and went to the Pump and work'd very heartily. While this was doing，the Master seeing some light Colliers，who not able to ride out the Storm，were oblig'd to slip and run away to Sea，and would come near us，ordered to fire a Gun as a Signal of Distress. I who knew nothing what that meant，was so surprised，that I thought the Ship had broke，or some dreadful thing had happen'd. In a word，I was so surprised，that I fell down in a Swoon. As this was a time when every Body had his own Life to think of，no body minded me，or what was become of me；but another Man stept up the Pump，and thrusting me aside with his Foot，let me lye，thinking I had been dead；and it was a great while before I came to my self.