These thoughts, and my solitude drew tears from my eyes, though all in vain.  So resolving to get to the ship, I stripped and leapt into the water, when swimming round her, I was afraid I should not get any thing to lay hold of; but it was my good fortune to espy a small piece of rope hang down by the fore chains, so low that, by the help of it, though with great difficulty, I got into the forecastle of the ship.  Here I found that the ship was bulged, and had a great deal of water in her hold:  her stern was lifted up against a bank, and her head almost to the water.  All her quarter and what was there, was free and dry.  The provisions I found in good order, with which I crammed my pockets, and losing no time, ate while I was doing other things:  I also found some rum, of which I took a hearty dram:  and now I wanted for nothing except a boat, which indeed was all, to carry away what was needful for me.

Necessity occasions quickness of thought.  We had several spare yards, a spare topmast or two, and two or three large spars of wood.  With these I fell to work, and flung as many of them overboard as I could manage, tying every one of them with a rope, that they might not drive away.  This done, I went down to the ship’s side, and tyed four of them fast together at both ends, in form of a raft, and laying two or three short pieces of plank upon them crosswise, I found it would bear me, but not any considerable weight.  Upon which I went to work again, cutting a spare topmast into three lengths, adding them to my raft with a great deal of labour and pains.  I then considered what I should load it with, it being not able to bear a ponderous burden.  And this I soon thought of, first laying upon it all the planks and boards I could get; next I lowered down three of the seamen’s chests, after I had filled them with bread, rice, three Dutch cheeses, five pieces of dried goat’s flesh, and some European corn, what little the rats had spared:  and for liquors, I found several cases of bottles belonging to our skipper, in which were some cordial waters, and four or five gallons of rack, which I stowed by themselves.  By this time the tide beginning to flow, I perceived my coat, waistcoat, and shirt, swim away, which I had left on the shore; as for my linen breeches and stockings, I swam with them to the ship; but I soon found clothes enough, though I took no more than I wanted for the present.  My eyes were chiefly on tools to work with; and after a long search, I found out the carpenter’s chest, which I got safe down on my raft.  I then looked for arms and ammunition, and in the great cabin found two good fowling pieces, two pistols, several powder horns filled, a small bag of shot, and two old rusty swords.  I likewise found three barrels of powder, two of which were good, but the third had taken water, also two or three broken oars, two saws, an ax, and a hammer.  I then put to sea, and in getting to shore had three encouragements. 1.  A smooth calm