CAPUT PRĪMUM.

1. Nātus sum ego Eborācī, ex bonā familiā, sed peregrīnā: quippe pater meus Germānus fuit ē Brēmā, ubi appellābātur Kreutznaer. Cēterum per mercātūram dīves factus, Eborācī cōnsēdit, unde recēpit in connūbium mātrem meam. Ex hujus agnātīs praenōmen mihi Rebilius, ex patre nōmen Kreutznaer inditum est. Sed vulgus hominum, facilī corruptēlā, Crūsōnem mē Rebilium appellābat. Tertius eram fīlius familiae. Frāter maximus, tribūnus mīlitum, cum Hispānīs proeliō congressus, ad Dunquercam occubuit. Frāter proximus, sīcut ego quoque posteā, incertum quōmodo, ēvānuit. Mē quidem pater, dīligenter īnstitūtum, jūris lēgumque studiīs dēstinābat: sed, fātālī quōdam mōtū, nihil mihi arrīdēbat, nisi ut marī oberrārem.

2. Prīmā in juventā clam patrem ēvāsī nauta. Cursū mox fēlīcī cum magistrō nāvis hūmānissimō ad Guineam Āfricae nāvigāvī. Alterō in cursū ā Maurīs pīrātīs captus sum, et per quattuor ferē annōs dūram servīvī servitūtem. Inde mīrāculō audāciae ēlāpsus, in Lūsitānā quādam nāve ad Brazīliam sum dēvectus, ubi colōnō cuidam trēs amplius annōs strēnuam operam nāvāvī, praefectus servōrum agrestium. Mox per hunc amīcōsque hujus adductus sum, ut ad Guineam nāvigārem, hominēs nigrītās conquīsītūrus, quōs ipsī inter sē per sua praedia servitūtis causā dīviderent. Equidem magnam lucrī partem eram dērīvātūrus.

3. Sed longē aliter ōrdināvit Deus, nē impūnē caecae cupiditātī obsequerer. Nempe ventīs abrepta nāvis Ōceanum trānsīre nequībat, sed longē ad Caurum dēvehitur, circā Orinocōnis ōstia, ut crēdēbāmus. Altera mox superveniēns procella magnō impetū nōs in Occidentem prōpulit, ubi, sī ē marī effugerēmus, per ferōs hominēs foret pereundum.

4. Gravī impendente perīculō, nocte intempestā et saeviente adhūc ventō, nauta quī erat in vigiliā “terram adesse” exclāmāvit; atque, anteā quam cēterī experrēctī superne congregāmur, nāvis in arēnīs haeret. Statim cum strepitū tremendō corruunt mālī eōrumque armāmenta. Flūctūs magnā vī forōs prōluēbant, neque ipsae nāvis compāgēs diū tolerātūrae vidēbantur. 5. Magister scapham dēmittī jubet. Dēmittitur: nec facile id quidem. Rēs, quae maximē ad vītam sunt necessāriae, raptim ingeruntur; tum nōs ipsī, tredecim virī, in eandem dēscendimus. Montōsum lītus inter sublūstrem cālīginem furvum appārēbat: eō rēmigāmus, sī quā forte in sinū terrae reductō tranquilliōre marī ūtāmur. Jam, violenter undante salō et circum nōs sē frangente, rēs nōn nauticae perītiae sed dīvīnae opis vidēbātur: quārē inter rēmigandum sē quisque Deō Suprēmō, pius impiusve, commendābat, salūte paene dēspērātā. 6. Ventus, ad terram prōpellēns, cursum scaphae accelerābat, terram faciēbat formīdolōsiōrem; metū autem maris, spē lītoris, ipsī nōsmet quasi in certissimum exitium dētrūdēbāmus. Tandem, vadōsiōre marī, flūctūs perniciōsius circumfringī et dējectārī scapha. Mox, ecce crista undae ingēns, quae nōs persequitur; et vix Deī effāmur nōmen, quum cūnctī sumus absorptī.

7. Quae sequēbantur, longa fortasse ēnārrātū, factū erant brevissima. Profundius sēnsī mē verbere flūctūs illīus dēprimī, sed, animā fortiter compressā, ad summās aquās ēmersī tandem. Alterō in flūctū spūmante implicātus atque violenter circumtortus, immēnsum anhēlāns ēluctor; tum conversus, humerōs meōs succēdentī oppōnō cristae. Ea mē magnā vī cautem versus prōjēcit, aquā exstantem: hanc ego amplexus, adhaereō, dum dēcurrit unda; tunc, priusquam novus superveniat flūctus, per vada exsiliēns scandō, iterumque amplector cautem; simul, aestū paulisper obruor. Ictus ejus mē asperē quassābat, sed extemplō āera animamque recēpī, et rūrsus per vada supergredior. Citrā saxa undās longē minus ingentēs sēnsī, inter quās poteram natāre, aegrē profectō. Mox lītore ipsō prōjectus, uncīs pedibus in sabulōnem lapillōsque inculcātīs, prōnus dēcidō, ut nē mē flūctus retrahat. Ūnō post temporis mōmentō in terrā firmā astō. Conversus, videō praeter lītus cautium seriem, inter albicantēs aquās nigrārum; nihil aliud per tenebrās in marī dispiciō, neque scapham neque quemquam ē sodālibus.

8. Tamen haud valdē cālīginōsa erat nox. Ingentēs aliquot nūbēs, et plūrimae nūbēculae, sībilante ventō raptābantur: inter hās clārissima lūcēbant sīdera ē nigerrimō caelō. Respiciēns ad terram, collium dumtaxat cernō līneāmenta ac rūpium. Tum vestīmenta raptim dētracta manibus contorqueō, et, quoad possum, aquam marīnam exprimō. Eadem rūrsus induor, (quid aliud facerem?) et rūpem proximam per algās ēnīsus ascendō; frūstrā: nam nē inde quidem in marī quidquam discernī potest.

9. Attamen arboris fōrma super colle exstat. Hanc sequor, et, ut potissimum in cālīgine, arborem illam scandō et rāmōs amplexus interfūsusque mē repōnō. Vestīmentōrum in loculīs nihil habuī, praeter cultellum, tabācī aliquantum et tubulum fūmārium. Post brevem requiem assurgēns, virgam grandiusculam amputō, quā prōtegam mē aliquātenus. Aquā marīnā largius īnsorptā, tamen neque sitis neque famis aderat mihi levāmen. Sed, locō cibī, tabācī folium in ōs meum compōnō, implicātāque rāmīs virgā, membra mea ita dispōnō, ut nē dēcidam, sī somnō capiar. Vespertīliōnēs, et maximī illī quidem, strīdōribus ac volātū, somnum aliquamdiū discutiunt.

10. Item quoad concitātō opus erat corpore, mēns mea tranquilla fuerat ac praesēns: nunc, quandō quiēscit corpus, maximē sē mēns agitāre coepit. Imprīmīs grātiās Deō optimō maximō sincērissimās profūdī, admīrāns praesertim, sī ego sōlus ex tantō naufragiō servor. Mox id ipsum crūdēlissimē mē pungit; etenim hīc sōlitārius, madidus, famēlicus, paene nūdus, pejus ēnecor quam in marī, nisi vērō ferī hominēs sīve bēstiae mē dēvorābunt. Sānē ego id temporis pius nōn eram, minimē religiōsus. Igitur tantā in calamitāte magnus mē aestus animī conquassābat, inter grātēs querēlāsque, cōnsilium ac dēspērātiōnem. Tandem agitātiōne victus profundō somnō conquiēvī, labōris ac maestitiae oblītus.

11. Māne expergīscor, multum recreātus, sed algēns; nec mīrum. Cēterum ibi maris temperiēs hūmānae cutis calōrem aequat: etiam nox ipsa tepet: porrō arboris illīus dēnsa folia fuerant mihi prō tegumentō, nē calor in apertum aethera effugeret. Sciūrī, psittacī, macacī sīve cercopithēcī circum garriēbant continenter. Ēvigilāns incipiō dēscendere: ecce autem canis noster ad rādīcēs arboris meae, quasi cūstōdiēns. Id mē tenerō quōdam ita affēcit gaudiō, ut lacrimae oculīs oborīrentur. Ergō nōn sum prōrsus sōlitārius; ūnum saltem retineō amīcum! Hunc dēmulceō, plaudō armōs, paene amplector. Mox festīnanter dēambulāns, nāvem nostram ex adversō cōnspicor, longiusculē ultrā eās cautēs, ubi ipse prōjectus fuī. Sine dubiō aestus intumēscēns, ex arēnīs lēvātam, hūc dētrūsit. Jam autem paene sōpītō ventō, inānis tantum supererat undārum jactātiō. At ego in margine rūpis incēdēns, dēspectō circā lītus: mox, interjectīs vix mīlle passibus, scapham nostram discernō in arēnā, subter caeruleā quādam rūpe. Adīre eam voluī; sed quasi lingua quaedam maris interfūsa impediēbat; et quoniam famē urgēbar, in nāvem potius, sī possem, regrediendum cēnsuī.

12. Dēgressus rūpe, redeō praeter lītus: ibi pilleum nauticum videō, summō cum maerōre. Jam aliquantum recesserat aestus, atque, ut aestimābam, vix trecentī aquārum passūs ā nāve mē distinēbant. Exūtīs pallā bracchiīsque, intrepidē mare ingressus sum, inter grallātōriās avēs, quae plūrimae aquā exsurgēbant; et facile nāvem natandō assequor. Puppis ejus valdē ēlevāta est, dēpressa prōra; ex quā catēnae dēpendentēs aquam tangēbant. Hās ego prehēnsās ascendō, et supervādō lōrīcam tabulātōrum. Ō trīstem ruīnam, ubi mālī, vēla, fūnēs strāge conturbātissimā complicantur. Sed ego ad cellam penuāriam dēcurrō, ibique arreptō pāne nauticō (quī bis coctus appellātur) vēscor libenter. Mox, ex arcā meā ipsīus extractās, vestēs induor atque hōrologium meum resūmō. (Profectō resurgente aestū vesperī, ille meus in lītore vestītus natāns asportātus est.) Simul ut aquam pōtulentam inveniō, sinūs vestium pāne complēvī, ut quotiēs libēret, vēscerer: tum meditābar, quid facerem potissimum.

13. Illud mē angēbat, quod manifēstē, sī in nāve mānsissēmus, omnēs fuissēmus salvī. Super prōrā quidem saepius īnsultantēs undae plūrimās rēs corrūperant; sed altera pars, puppim versus, altē sublāta, sicca erat atque incolumis. Quippe, ut crēdō, quia in arēnā, nōn in cautibus haeserat, carīnae soliditās perdūrāvit. Quam plūrimās rēs jam cupiēbam asportāre; sed id erat difficile. Scapha major, ut dīxī, in lītore prōjecta erat longē. Illa quīndecim virōs facile portābat, et in magnīs Āfricae fluviīs ad invehendōs vēnālēs magnō ūsuī erat futūra. Alteram comportāverāmus longē minōrem, cymbam potius quam scapham dīxerim; quae duōs hominēs cum rēmige posset ad scapham dēvehere, sī quā jūxtā rīpās aquae forent breviōrēs. Haec in nāve remānsit: dēmittere eam in mare erat in facilī; sed parum capiēbat, nec vidēbātur nimiō sub onere aestum lītoris tolerātūra. Postquam arcās ac dōlia multō cum suspīrātū aliquamdiū aspexī, contemplor mālōs, ac ratem compōnendam dēcernō.

14. Subitō exsultāns, ex fabrī nostrī repositōriō serrā dēreptā, mālōs dissecō, ut trabēs longitūdine ferē parēs efficiam. Hās in mare prōvolvō, fūnibus quibusdam mālōrum suprā inhibitās. Ligna grandiōra cujuscumque generis colligō, ingerō, omnia fūniculīs dēligāta. Posteā ipse sēminūdus, cum malleō et cōnfībulārum sacculō circum collum suspēnsō, dēgressus equitō super trabe. Undātiō maris jam dēminūta est: raptim ego ligna atque trabēs, vēlīs fūnibusque cōnfūsās, conjungō, dēstinō, dēpangō; vī meā maximā, quantumvīs rudī, ratis fundāmenta jaciēns. Redeō suprā; videō quanta sint portanda onera, ratemque nōndum sufficere. Tum alia ligna plūrima et tabulās ex omnī parte nāvis conquīrō. Hās dissecāre ex suō locō, nimiī labōris erat atque temporis. Sed saepta animadvertō lignea, quae ad dīvidenda nigrītārum cubīlia comparāveram. Utrumque bīnīs hāmīs ē tergō, bīnīs spīcātīs clāvīs ē fundō, erat īnstrūctum; ānulīs laterī nāvis īnfīxīs, per quōs hāmī īnserī dēbēbant. Haec saepta plūrimam atque optimam mihi sufficiēbant māteriem. Quibus rēbus superadditīs, mōlem ratis et soliditātem multum adaugeō; tum fūnibus astringō cūncta. Longum id erat et sānē difficile: necnōn sōl mē admonēbat hōrārum: hōrologium substiterat. Dēnique postquam, graviter īnsultāns ratī, firmitātī ejus cōnfīdō, maximō cum dolōre sentiō, vix minimam partem eōrum, quae vellem, posse mē asportāre; jam autem dēligendum esse. 15. Ab operā paulisper requiēscō; vīnī ārdentis saccharīnī hauriō pōcillum, meditorque maestissimē. Ea quae ad vītam maximē sunt necessāria, dēcernō sūmere imprīmīs; tum, arma ad vītam dēfendendam. Quattuor nautārum arcās commodē vehī posse super ratī meā crēdēbam. Totidem exināniō, et, per tollēnōnem[A] sūculīs īnstrūctum, dēmittō in ratem: hanc mox scālās versus trahō. Sacculōs impleō plūrēs bis coctō pāne, orȳzā, fabīs, mīliāriā atque hordeāceā farīnā; et facile in arcās dējiciō. Fabīs atque mīliō praesertim erāmus nigrītās cibātūrī, et sānē multum hujus cibī portābāmus, sed īnfrā in alveō. Jam trēs cāseōs Batavicōs arripiō, caprīnae carnis siccātae massās quīnque, (quā carne vel maximē vēscēbāmur,) et frūmentī Eurōpaeī reliquiās quāsdam, quod ad gallīnās alendās convēxerāmus. Gallīnae vī procellārum perierant omnēs. Cēterum trīticum fuit id, cum hordeō: posteā invēnī corruptum esse per sōricēs.

16. Dein latice ārdentī anquīsītō, vīnī palmāris congiōs ferē sex, cum plūrimīs dēlicātiōrum pōtuum lagēnīs, seorsum conclūsī. Hae lagēnae partim magistrī fuerant, partim meae ipsīus. Lacernam meam et lectī opertōrium corripiō, porrō serram, secūrim, malleum clāvōsque: sed haec in cymbā dēstinō portanda. Plūrēs fuisse in nāve nitrātī pulveris cadōs majōrēs sciēbam; sed ubinam artillātor noster eōs habuisset conditōs, eram nescius. Tandem multum anquīsītōs duo invēnī siccōs sānōsque, tertium aquā marīnā corruptum. Cistās trēs, hōc pulvere complētās, cūrātissimē intrā arcam super ratī ita conclūdō, ut, sī flūctus alluat, minimō sit dētrīmentō. Jam dē igne fovendō subit cūra. Coquī nostrī recēnseō supellectilem. Inde dēripiō foculum cum forcipe, batillō et rutābulō, crāticulam ferream, ahēnum, ollamque coculam. Satis oneris jam vidēbar imposuisse. 17. Cymbam prōtinus per eāsdem sūculās marī committō; id quod difficillimum fuisset, nisi requiēssent undae. Hūc impōnō ignipultam aucupāriam optimam, pār pistolārum cum balteō, mulctram stanneam, igniāria, sīnum ligneum, pōculum ex albō plumbō, item corneum; cum vestibus ac fabrīlī supellectile, quam nōmināvī. Addō pilulārum plumbeārum sacculum ac gladiōs duo. Ūnus hōrum falcātus erat Maurūsiī meī dominī gladius. Sōlem videō dēclīnāre; itaque properē fūnem tractōrium ratī adjungō, fūniculōs plūrēs in cymbam prōjiciō, jamque dēscendō cum rēmīs, ratem ad lītus tractūrus.

18. Tria mē cōnfirmābant,—mare tranquillum; aestus placidē allābēns; aurae quoque, quantum erat, terram versus spīrāns. Parvam ancoram in cymbā portābam. Jam rēmigō, atque contus animum subit. Redeō, efferō contum: dēmum lītus petō, sed dīrēctam viam cautēs prohibēbant. Avēs multae in ratem cōnsēdērunt, ut piscārentur commodē. Hās aegrē abigō. Mox sēnsī mē praetervehī, ipsō marī clam trahente: inde spērābam posse mē in fluviī alicujus ōstium dēportārī, ubi bona mea tūtius expōnerem. Id quod ēvenit: nam rūpēs mox subeō, ubi in convallem sinus maris intrat. 19. Sed dum rēmīs, quantum possum, medium in flūmen cymbam dīrigō, paene alterō naufragiō cōnflīctor, rate vadō illīsā. Dēclīvī prōtinus ratī dēlābēbantur ejus onera, nisi properē succurrissem. Circumāctā cymbā, ligna aliquot dē rate in interstitia ejusdem intrūdō, quasi paxillīs ēnormibus sustinēns arcās. Hīc alligātus necessāriō commoror, ānxius sānē animī, dōnec aestus īnsurgēns ratem allevāvit. Tum in parvum quendam sinum dēvertō, juxtā plānitiem, cui mare dēbēbat superfundī. Eō mox dēlātus metuēbam ancoram dējicere, nē tanta mōlēs fūnem abrumperet, nisi aquās stāgnāre intellegerem. Tandem recēdēns aestus in terrā firmā relinquit et cymbam et ratem.

20. Onera mea expōnere inūtile erat, nocte appropinquante. In arbore aliquā iterum dormīre dēcrēvī; itaque suffertā ignipultā armātus, item gladiō serrāque, per ulvās ūberrimās prōcēdō, anquīsītūrus idōneum cubīle. Nemus haud longē videō. Ibi dēlectā majōre quādam arbore, curvīs trānsversīsque rāmīs, gradūs prō scālīs in cortice serrā incīdō; tum scandēns cum serrā amputō rāmōrum quidquid sit obfutūrum, et cubandī faciō perīculum. Macacōs videō plūrēs in arboribus, sed parvōs mītēsque.

21. Redeuntī canis occurrit, lepusculum ōre ferēns, quem ante pedēs meōs prōjēcit. Intellēxī eum magnam partem dēvorāsse; etenim plēnus saturque appārēbat. Sānē ego dōnum ejus nōn contempsī, quamvīs laniātum. Accēpī; sed subit cūra, nē sōlō meō amīcō prīver, nisi sēdulō pāscam. Magnō erat corpore, multōque egēbat cibātū; dē quō incēpī meditārī.—Dulcem aquam juxtā cōnspicor, in flūmen marīnum dēcurrentem. Mox frondibus foliīsque siccīs igne factō, lepusculī reliquiās super vīvīs prūnīs ope gladiī ac serrae torreō, gustātūque ejus quam maximē fruor. Prīmam illam in īnsulā sōlitāriā cēnam cum voluptāte trīstitiāque mīrē commistā meminī. Jamque cālīgābat. Ego autem tabulam quandam reportātam clāvīs dēstināvī ad rāmōs arboris meae, ibique lacernā obvolūtus somnō mē dabam. Ignipultam inter rāmōs apposueram: canis jacēbat subtus. Pistolīs quoque succingor, nē sīmia aliqua major mē incessat.

22. Et profundē equidem dormīvī, dēfessus labōribus; tamen ante lūcem sum experrēctus: (etenim illā in regiōne aestātis ipsīus nox proximē ante dīlūculum tenebrās obtendit:) atque ego meditāns cōnsilia mea compōnō. Ut prīmum dīlūcēscit, dēscendō. Ligna aliquot exacuō secūrī; tum prō sublicīs in arēnam ita adigō, ut ratem, quamvīs crēscentibus aquīs, inhibeant. Nitrātī pulveris cistās lacernā prōtegō, sī forte pluat. Serram,—malleum,—clāvōs,—tabulās duās, rōbustam tenuemque,—argillam mollem, cum vetere fūne prō stuppā,—in cymbam collocō. Aquam mulctrā haustam sūmō mēcum, item pōculum ac pānem. Lepusculī, quod restat, cum cane dīvidō, ipsōque in cymbam adsūmptō flūmen ingredior, scapham nostram invīsūrus.

23. Plēnō maris aestū, tardius dēscendō flūmen; mox intrā cautēs lītus lēgō, nē quid undārum mē incommodet. Magis magisque admīror avium abundantiam, quā marīnārum, quā silvestrium. Inter cautēs ac lītus grallātōriae abundābant. Ad scapham tandem pertingō; perfrāctam inveniō, velut animō praecēperam; crēdideram posse mē dētrīmenta ejus resarcīre. Sed vīgintī passūs ā marī jacēbat, procellā aestūque illīus noctis longē ēvecta; neque summā meā vī potuit movērī. Porrō, rēmōs idōneōs neque habēbam, neque, sī habērem, adhibēre possem, onustā certē scaphā. Aeger animī hanc relinquō, rēmigōque nāvem versus. Cōgitāns autem statuō mālum vēlumque scaphae anquīrere, sī forte posteā hōrum ūsus vēnerit.

24. Ad scālās nāvis accēdō. Hās natāns nōn potueram manū attingere: etenim puppis nimium erat ēlāta. Sed astāns in cymbā, facile eās apprehendō. Cane prīmum superpositō, alligātāque cymbā, ipse ascendī; mox dēsideō inops cōnsiliī. Ōllam offendō frūctuum condītōrum: cum pāne vēscor, dum cōgitō. Videō alteram ratem nōn posse mē cōnstruere; spatium diēī nōn sufficere, sī trabēs ipsā ex nāve sint dissecandae; lōrīcam tabulātōrum discindere, labōriōsum fore, nec valdē ūtile. 25. Maurōrum memineram ratēs utribus suffultās. Utrēs nōn habēbam. Arcās aquae impenetrābilēs volēbam prō utribus adhibēre; sciēbam autem nostrās solidō esse rōbore et astrīctā fabricā. Ūnaquaeque hārum ligneō pessulō rudīque serā obdēbātur; cūncta comparī erant modulō. Diē superiōre, dissectō serrā pessulō, facile aperueram quattuor illās; īdem nunc faciō in cēterīs, atque exinānītārum explōrō commissūrās. Artissimae vidēbantur; id gaudeō: sed fūnibus properē in mare dēmīsī quattuor hārum, ut commissūrae aquā intumēscerent; meam ipsīus, quae optimē fabrēfacta est, pice ac stuppā circā operculum incēpī oblinere, perīculum faciēns, num aquam exclūdere possem. Postquam operuī, cuneōs tenuēs ligneōs juxtā pessulum īnferciēbam, quō astrīctissimē conclūderem. Hanc in mare dēmīsī, fundō sūrsum sustentātam; atque ibi religātam relīquī, ut operam meam aqua explōrāret.

26. Jam videō diem prōcēdere, metusque subitō mē incessit, nē quis thēsaurōs meōs ē rate compīlāret, nēve bēstia corrumperet cibum. Īnsula foret an continēns terra, culta an inculta, ferōcibus bēstiīs īnfēsta necne,—nōndum sciēbam. Ratis autem dīlēctissima oculīs sōlīque exposita manet, dum ego novās hīc rēs conquīrō! Crēdēbam nōn posse mē illō ipsō diē novae ratis onus asportāre; satius esse, redīre quam citissimē. Illud succurrit: “Heri, quae ad vītam maximē erant necessāria, āvēxī; hodiē, quae pondere levissima sunt, nūndinātiōne pretiōsissima, āveham in cymbā; ut sī forte nāvis aliqua mē servābit, nē prōrsus sim pecūniae inops.” Duo gladiōs pulchrōs ē caeruleō chalybe inveniō; hōs avidē sūmō. In sēcrētō magistrī scrīniō aureōs nummōs Hispānōrum (doblounōs vocant) certō sciēbam continērī; quōs ille comportābat, nē, ventōrum vī aliquō dēvectus, pecūniā ad reficiendam nāvem egēret. Dolābrā prōtinus forēs scrīniī perfringō: inveniō autem nōn aurī sōlum crumēnās, sed īnstrūmentum astrologicum, pretiōsum illud quidem, ac duo optima hōrologia; item furcillam mēnsālem et cochlear, utrumque ex argentō; mox duās acūs magnēticās, utramque suā in capsulā: tertiam vīderam ipsum juxtā gubernāculum, propter ūsum gubernandī. In mēnsulā offendō supellectilem geōgraphicam ac scrīptōriam, cum librīs quattuor. Cūncta arripiō, et quasi vōtum Deō concipiō, numquam, quantum in mē est, cognātōs magistrī optimī quidquam lātūrōs damnī, sī forte in hominum gregem restituar.

27. Dum meōs ipsīus perscrūtor loculōs, unde argentum, arculās optimās clāvēsque avēbam, illud “sī forte” animum aurēsque meās pertentat. Immō tōtum hunc diem quasi rhythmus quīdam “sī forte” tinnit in auribus, dum rēmigō, dum incēdō. Jam rēs pretiōsissimās in arculīs conclūseram, quum scaphae meminī armāmenta. Haec facile reperiō. Mālum ejus ad terram attrahendum dēcernō, pōne cymbam alligātum. Quamvīs properāns, temperāre mihi nequīvī, quīn lārdī asportārem succīdiam, cum bulbōrum majōrum marsūpiō ac capide duōbusque cultrīs. Dein, quidquid vidēbam corbium, fiscōrum, riscōrum, quod natāre poterat, restibus cōnstringō, et pōne trahō, in cymbā portāns mē ipsum ac canem cum novīs thēsaurīs. Ecce autem, dum in eō sum, ut nāvem relinquam, duae fēlēs cymbae īnsiliunt, quās quidem neque ego neque canis aspernātur.

28. In rēmigandō, vereor nē agmen meum, pōne tractum, vadō flūminis illīdātur; in lītus potius prōjicere volō. Dein locum putō exquīrendum, ubi ratis mea posterō diē tūtissimē appellat: nam sī arcae in fundō ratis aliquō afflīgerentur, maximum fore perīculum nē cūnctae rēs disperīrent. Dīxī linguā quādam maris prīmō illō māne mē ā scaphā intersaeptum. Hanc videō ad dextram cautium, eōque dīrigō cursum. Corbēs, mālum scaphae, cētera, facile in lītus sūrsum trahō; dein sinum illum maris properō intrāre.

29. Circā quīngentōs passūs penetrābat terram, rūpe praecipitī undique circumclūsus. Ōstium angustius erat, quia aspera saxa utrimque exsurgēbant postium īnstar. Lītus intimum ē mollissimā ac plānissimā erat arēnā; id quod facile perspexī, quia nōndum altius pertinuerat aestus. Ultrā arēnam videō algās cactōsque. Hūc certum est ratem illam crās dēdūcere. Quae quum summā celeritāte lūstrāssem, contentīs bracchiīs domum rēmigō: nempe domum īre, erat, ad opēs meās. Intrā cautēs mare invēnī tunc quidem sānē tranquillum.

30. Ad coquendum prōtinus accingor, praesertim (sī crēdere possīs) propter canem; immō, propter fēlēs item; namque ad quidvīs, quod posset mē amāre, mīrē allectābar. Quattuor intrā lapidēs ignem accendō. Trēs stīpitēs, īnfrā arēnae īnfīxōs, suprā fūne colligō; inde suā catēnā suspendō ahēnum coculum. Aquam in capide apportātam īnfundō; addō fabās, farīnam hordeāceam, lārdī segmen cum bulbō. Māteriā ignī largius injectā, ignipultam arripiō pārōque collem ascendere quī haud longē aberat. Canem mēcum adsūmō, fēlēs crēdō propter fervōrem ignis nihil nocitūrās cibō. 31. Mīlle quīngentōs passūs ad summum aestimābam iter illud; sed quia propter rīvulum quendam atque ūvidum solum circuīvī, longius erat aliquantō. Dēmum ēnīsus per praecipitia, mare undique circumfūsum cōnspicor, aliam nūllā ex regiōne terram, praeter scopulōs aliquot duāsque pusillās īnsulās novem ferē mīllia occīdentem versus. Ūnus in postīcō mōns mare exsuperābat; sed tamen eram in īnsulā. Hoc mē magnopere angēbat.

32. Magnā ex parte sterilior vidēbātur īnsula, saxōsīs collibus abundāns, nōn sine arboribus; quae quidem in cavīs locīs dēnsābantur. Nisi numerārem fēlem quandam feram, carnivorās nōn offenderam bēstiās; sed praeter macacōs ac sciūrōs in convalle, leporēs et exiguōs porcillōs vīderam; avēs autem nōtās ignōtāsque ubīque quam plūrimās. Ālitem majōrem, arborī īnsidentem, glandibus olōrīnīs trānsverberō rediēns. Plūma ejus rōstrumque accipitris erat, unguēs modicae, carō piscibus foetida. Tum vērō mēmet increpābam quod jaculandī suppetiās perderem. Ālitēs autem rapācēs, quamquam plūrimōs, nōn magnōs illōs vīderam. Porrō ferās hujus īnsulae cōram homine plērāsque intrepidās esse repperī. Ā collis jugō ingentēs prōspiciō arborēs, quās aestus in flūmine resurgēns dēbeat alluere. Hae suprā ratem erant, neque procul ab arbore in quā proximā nocte dormīveram. Subter hās statuō ratem attrahere, succēdente aestū. Sed properē reversus, ignem exstīnctum inveniō, cibum nōn male coctum. Fēlēs, valdē famēlicae, magnā vōce querēbantur. Hās et canem largiter pāscō; et mēcum statuō, plūrēs etiam mē fabās, sī possim, nāve extractūrum.

33. At ferae vīsiō fēlis mē commōverat aliquantum. Verēbar nē majōrēs ejusmodī bēstiae hīc dēgerent, ut pardus, ut panthēra, quae arborēs facile ēscendunt. Circumvallāre mē certus sum. Ūtēnsilibus arreptīs fabrīlibus cum māteriā ac fūne, petō arborem meam; ubi, incīsūrīs secūrī impressīs, pālōs īnfīgō, brevēs tabulās suprā dēstinō, tum quattuor dēsuper pālīs contrā ictūs īnfernōs corrōborō. Quippe intellēxī fēlem quamcumque ab ipsā stirpe arboris tamquam incurrere sūrsum; et sī quid praeruptē ēmineat, arcērī. Restim autem quasi in ānulōs duōs sīve āmenta complicō, quem rāmīs alligātum, ipse possim prehendere ascendēns. Tālī tum podiō arborem, ut poteram, praetexuī: posteā cōnfirmāvī, plēniōre adjūtus supellectile. 34. Jam videō noctem aestumque approperāre. Sublicīs ēvulsīs, pōne cymbam trahō ratem, appōnōque sub arbore ingentī incolumem; ubi latēre posse crēdēns, sublicīs iterum dēpangō. Deonerātā cymbā, compōnō rēs omnēs accūrātē. Tum, crāstinīs cōnsiliīs aestuāns, tamen somnō celeriter corripior, ālātīs blattīs atque vespertīliōnibus contemptīs.

35. Ēvigilō ante dīlūculum. Dēproperō ad cymbam dētrūdōque in fluvium; canis quasi suō jūre īnsilit. Subter stēllīs rēmigō, adversō aestū. In nāvem invādō, etiam ante sōlem ortum; sed dīlūcēscēbat. Īnspiciō arcam meam; optimē aquam exclūserat. Cēterās item ē marī subtractās stuppā ac pice pariter ac meam ipsīus conclūdō. Omnia fūnibus contentissimīs astringō. Mox quattuor sufficere videntur; immō sīc tūtius fore ad prīmum experīmentum. Hīs in mare dēlātīs, et firmissimē cōnstrictīs superpōnō dōlium pulveris nitrātī, alterum pānis, mox tōtum fabrī repositōrium. Adjungō sēriam oleī, ōllam picis, arma missilia aliquot, aliās rēs minōrēs. Vēla quotquot invēnī, quae supervacānea portābāmus, cum scaphae vēlō, collocāvī suprā; superque hīs rūrsus carbasum quendam pice liquidā oblitum. Tantum onus facillimē vidēbantur arcae tolerāre.

36. Postquam restibus omnia cōnsolidāvī, paulō ante merīdiem, strēnuō nīsū ratem ad lītus trahō, paene īnfimō in aestūs recessū. Sed inter postēs saxeōs in sinum illum prōcēdō, neque in flūmen adversum volō mē committere. Mare intrā mox quiētissimum inveniō, et quasi in stāgnō religō ratem. Maximē gāvīsus, prōjiciō mē sub rūpe et paulisper sub umbrā requiēscō: dein cibō recreātus, ad operam redeō. 37. Quidquid erat in rate, in algōsum siccae arēnae acervum expōnō; sed labōriōsē, propter humilēs aquās. Videō mare adhūc tranquillum; crās posse coorīrī procellās. Spēs et cupiditās, quamvīs lassō, dedit vīrēs. Cum carbasō illō (sī forte sit ūsuī) atque cūnctīs fūnibus retrahō ratem ad nāvem. Quīntam illam properē adjungō arcam, et aliquot rēs ponderōsās impōnō; inter quās hīc nōmināre libet molam ferrāmentīs acuendīs, glandium majōrum cadulōs duo: in cymbā autem meās vestēs, et pulveris nitrātī aliquantum. Cūncta dēportō intrā postēs marīnōs incolumia paulō ante tenebrās. Valdē dēfessus inde redībam: sed aestus cymbam subvēxit sine meā vī. Vix poteram cēnāre; igitur pāstō cane fēlibusque, somnō mē commīsī.