I smiled to myself at the sight of this money:  “O drug!” said I aloud, “what art thou good for?  Thou art not worth to me, no, not the taking off the ground; one of those knives is worth all this heap:  I have no manner of use for thee; e’en remain where thou art, and go to the bottom, as a creature whose life is not worth saving.”  However, upon second thoughts, I took it away; and wrapping all this in a piece of canvass, I began to think of making another raft; but while I was preparing this, I found the sky over-cast, and the wind began to rise, and in a quarter of an hour it blew a fresh gale from the shore.  It presently occurred to me, that it was in vain to pretend to make a raft with the wind off shore; and that it was my business to be gone before the tide of flood began, or otherwise I might not be able to reach the shore at all.  Accordingly I let myself down into the water, and swam across the channel which lay between the ship and the sands, and even that with difficulty enough, partly with the weight of the things I had about me, and partly the roughness of the water; for the wind rose very hastily, and before it was quite high water it blew a storm.

But I was got home to my little tent, where I lay, with all my wealth about me very secure.  It blew very hard all that night, and in the morning, when I looked out, behold, no more ship was to be seen!  I was a little surprised, but recovered myself with this satisfactory reflection, viz. that I had lost no time, nor abated no diligence, to get every thing out of her that could be useful to me, and that, indeed, there was little left in her that I was able to bring away, if I had had more time.

I now gave over any more thoughts of the ship, or of any thing out of her, except what might drive on shore, from her wreck; as, indeed, divers pieces of her afterwards did; but those things were of small use to me.

My thoughts were now wholly employed about securing myself against either savages, if any should appear, or wild beasts, if any were in the island; and I had many thoughts of the method how to do this, and what kind of dwelling to make, whether I should make me a cave in the earth, or a tent upon the earth:  and in short, I resolved upon both; the manner and description of which, it may not be improper to give an account of.

I soon found the place I was in was not for my settlement, particularly because it was upon a low, moorish ground, near the sea, and I believed it would not be wholesome; and more particularly because there was no fresh water near it:  so I resolved to find a more healthy and more convenient spot of ground.

I consulted several things in my situation, which I found would be proper for me:  1st, Health and fresh water, I just now mentioned:  2dly, Shelter from the heat of the sun:  3dly, Security from ravenous creatures, whether men or beasts:  4thly, A view to the sea, that if God sent any ship in sight, I might not lose any advantage for my deliverance, of which I was not willing to banish all my expectation yet.