Robinson Crusoe | Page 6

day the wind was abated, and
the sea calmer, and I began to be a little inured to it; however, I was
very grave for all that day, being also a little sea-sick still; but towards
night the weather cleared up, the wind was quite over, and a charming
fine evening followed; the sun went down perfectly clear, and rose so
the next morning; and having little or no wind, and a smooth sea, the
sun shining upon it, the sight was, as I thought, the most delightful that
ever I saw.

I had slept well in the night, and was now no more sea-sick, but very
cheerful, looking with wonder upon the sea that was so rough and
terrible the day before, and could be so calm and so pleasant in so little
a time after. And now, lest my good resolutions should continue, my
companion, who had enticed me away, comes to me; "Well, Bob," says
he, clapping me upon the shoulder, "how do you do after it? I warrant
you were frighted, wer'n't you, last night, when it blew but a capful of
wind?" "A capful d'you call it?" said I; "'twas a terrible storm." "A
storm, you fool you," replies he; "do you call that a storm? why, it was
nothing at all; give us but a good ship and sea-room, and we think
nothing of such a squall of wind as that; but you're but a fresh-water
sailor, Bob. Come, let us make a bowl of punch, and we'll forget all that;
d'ye see what charming weather 'tis now?" To make short this sad part
of my story, we went the way of all sailors; the punch was made and I
was made half drunk with it: and in that one night's wickedness I
drowned all my repentance, all my reflections upon my past conduct,
all my resolutions for the future. In a word, as the sea was returned to
its smoothness of surface and settled calmness by the abatement of that
storm, so the hurry of my thoughts being over, my fears and
apprehensions of being swallowed up by the sea being forgotten, and
the current of my former desires returned, I entirely forgot the vows
and promises that I made in my distress. I found, indeed, some intervals
of reflection; and the serious thoughts did, as it were, endeavour to
return again sometimes; but I shook them off, and roused myself from
them as it were from a distemper, and applying myself to drinking and
company, soon mastered the return of those fits - for so I called them;
and I had in five or six days got as complete a victory over conscience
as any young fellow that resolved not to be troubled with it could desire.
But I was to have another trial for it still; and Providence, as in such
cases generally it does, resolved to leave me entirely without excuse;
for if I would not take this for a deliverance, the next was to be such a
one as the worst and most hardened wretch among us would confess
both the danger and the mercy of.
The sixth day of our being at sea we came into Yarmouth Roads; the
wind having been contrary and the weather calm, we had made but
little way since the storm. Here we were obliged to come to an anchor,

and here we lay, the wind continuing contrary - viz. at south-west - for
seven or eight days, during which time a great many ships from
Newcastle came into the same Roads, as the common harbour where
the ships might wait for a wind for the river.
We had not, however, rid here so long but we should have tided it up
the river, but that the wind blew too fresh, and after we had lain four or
five days, blew very hard. However, the Roads being reckoned as good
as a harbour, the anchorage good, and our ground- tackle very strong,
our men were unconcerned, and not in the least apprehensive of danger,
but spent the time in rest and mirth, after the manner of the sea; but the
eighth day, in the morning, the wind increased, and we had all hands at
work to strike our topmasts, and make everything snug and close, that
the ship might ride as easy as possible. By noon the sea went very high
indeed, and our ship rode forecastle in, shipped several seas, and we
thought once or twice our anchor had come home; upon which our
master ordered out the sheet-anchor, so that we rode with two anchors
ahead, and the cables veered out to the bitter end.
By this time it blew a terrible storm indeed; and now I began to see
terror and amazement