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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
a

I was born of a good family in the city of York, where my
father, who was a native of Bremen, had settled, after having
got a handsome estate by merchandise. My brain was early
filled with rambling thoughts ; but my father often persuaded
me to settle to some business, and my mother used the ten-
derest entreaties, yet nothing could prevail upon me to lay aside
my desire of going to sea, notwithstanding the extreme uneasi-
ness which my father and mother always showed at the thoughts
of my leaving them. I hardened myself against the prudent
and kind advice of my most indulgent parents, and being one
day at Hull, I met with one of my companions, who was going
to sea in his father’s ship, and he easily persuaded me to go with
him. On the 1st of September, 1651, I went on board the
ship, which was bound for London, and without letting my
father know the rash and disobedient step I had taken, set sail ;
but no sooner was the ship out of the Humber, than the wind
began to blow, and the sea to rise in a most terrible manner.
Having never been at sea before, I was sick, and my mind was
filled with terror. The next day the wind abated, and the sea
grew calm; I was no longer sea-sick, and my companion
Jaughed at my fears. The weather continued calm for several
days, and we at length came into Yarmouth Roads, where we
cast anchor to wait for a wind. On the eighth day in the morn-
ing, the wind increased: I now began to see terror in the faces
even of the seamen themselves; and as the master passed by
me, I could hear him say softly to himself, “ Lord be merciful
to us, we shall belost.” When I heard this, 1 was terribly
frightened : such a dismal sight I had never seen before ; the
sea ran mountains high, and broke upon us every three or four