Travel Reference
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and pliable. It twisted with the pressure of the waves but did not
split. Yet its passengers expected every moment to see it disinteg-
rate:
The sea was already roaring in a white foam about us; a dark
night coming on, and no land in sight to shelter us, and our little ark
in danger to be swallowed by every wave; and, what was worst of all,
none of us thought ourselves prepared for another world. The reader
may better guess than I can express, the confusion that we were all in. I
had been in many imminent dangers before now, some of which I have
already related, but the worst of them all was but a play-game in com-
parison with this. I must confess that I was in great conflicts of mind at
this time. Other dangers came not upon me with such a leisurely and
dreadful solemnity. A sudden skirmish or engagement, or so, was noth-
ing when one's blood was up, and pushed forwards with eager expect-
ations. But here I had a lingering view of approaching death, and little
or no hopes of escaping it; and I must confess that my courage, which
I had hitherto kept up, failed me here; and I made very sad reflections
on my former life, and looked back with horror and detestation on ac-
tions which before I disliked, but now I trembled at the remembrance
of. I had long before this repented me of that roving course of life, but
never with such concern as now. I did also call to mind the many mira-
culous acts of God's providence towards me in the whole course of my
life, of which kind I believe few men have met with the like. For all these
I returned thanks in a peculiar manner, and thus once more desired
God's assistance, and composed my mind as well as I could in the hopes
of it, and as the event showed, I was not disappointed of my hopes.
21
In fact, the storm may well have saved them. It provided them
with fresh drinking water and it carried them fast in the general
direction of their destination. As the wind abated Dampier adjusted
the steering in the hope of bringing them back on course. On the
