(Continuing from Part 09)
After climbing aboard the wrecked ship, I began thinking about how to carry supplies back to shore.
I had found food, drink, and many useful objects, but I could not swim while carrying heavy things.
I needed a raft.
Fortunately, the ship contained plenty of wood, ropes, and tools.
I found several spare wooden masts and strong pieces of timber. I tied four of them together with ropes, making a rough floating platform.
Then I placed shorter pieces of wood across them.
The work was difficult because I had no one to help me.
I had to move the heavy pieces by myself, often stopping to rest.
After several hours, I had made a raft large enough to carry supplies.
It was not beautiful, but it floated.
Now I needed to decide what to take.
Food was my first concern.
I searched the ship carefully and found biscuits, rice, cheese, dried goat meat, and some grain.
I also found several bottles of drink.
Some supplies had been damaged by seawater, but much remained useful.
I gathered everything I could and placed it on the raft.
Next, I looked for weapons.
I knew nothing about the land where I had arrived.
There might be dangerous animals, and I needed a way to protect myself.
I found two hunting guns and two pistols.
I also discovered powder, bullets, and several bags of ammunition.
These were extremely valuable.
Without weapons, I would have difficulty hunting animals for food.
I carefully placed the guns and ammunition in dry containers to protect them from water.
Then I searched for tools.
I found saws, axes, hammers, and other equipment used by the ship’s carpenter.
I also discovered nails, ropes, and pieces of iron.
I understood that these objects might become more important than money.
On this lonely shore, a simple axe could help me build a house, while a saw could allow me to make furniture and other useful things.
I gathered as many tools as possible.
When I had finished loading the raft, it was quite heavy.
I worried that it might sink.
But I could not bear to leave the supplies behind.
I had no idea how long I would remain on this land, and I wanted to prepare for the worst.
At last, I decided to return to shore.
The tide was beginning to rise, and a gentle wind was blowing toward land.
I hoped that the wind and current would help carry the raft.
I stood carefully on the wooden platform and used a long piece of timber to guide it.
At first, everything went well.
The raft floated steadily, and I moved slowly toward the beach.
But as I approached the shore, I discovered a problem.
The coastline was not as simple as it had appeared from the ship.
There were shallow areas, sandbanks, and small channels.
If the raft struck the bottom, it might overturn.
I tried to guide it toward a place where the water was deeper.
Then I noticed a narrow opening in the land.
It appeared to be the mouth of a small creek.
The tide was flowing into it, carrying water inland.
I decided to follow the current.
This proved to be a fortunate choice.
The water carried my raft into the creek, where the waves were much smaller.
But suddenly, one side of the raft struck the bottom.
The other side remained in deeper water.
The platform tilted dangerously.
My supplies began sliding toward the edge.
I was terrified that everything would fall into the water.
I quickly moved to the lower side and pushed against the bottom with my pole.
For some time, I struggled to keep the raft steady.
Fortunately, the rising tide gradually lifted it.
The raft floated again.
I guided it farther into the creek until I found a flat area near the bank.
There, I waited for the water to rise high enough to carry the raft close to land.
When the tide reached its highest point, I pushed the raft onto a shallow place.
Then I secured it with pieces of wood so that it would not move away.
As the tide went out, the raft settled onto the ground.
My supplies were safe.
I felt enormous relief.
I had brought food, weapons, and tools from the ship without losing them.
For the first time, I believed that I might survive on this unfamiliar land.
But I still needed a safe place to keep everything.
I climbed a nearby hill to examine the country.
From the top, I could see the sea stretching in every direction.
There was no mainland in sight.
I realized that I was on an island.
It appeared to be uninhabited.
I saw no houses, roads, fields, or signs of human activity.
The land contained hills, trees, and thick vegetation.
In the distance, I could see two smaller islands.
I also noticed many birds, although I did not recognize their kinds.
I had brought a gun with me, and I decided to shoot one.
After walking a short distance, I saw a large bird sitting in a tree.
I aimed and fired.
The sound of the gun frightened many other birds, which flew away in great numbers.
When I examined the bird I had killed, I discovered that it was not suitable for eating.
I was disappointed, but the experience taught me that I needed to learn more about the animals on the island.
I returned to my supplies.
The sun was beginning to set, and I had no proper shelter.
I decided to make a temporary camp.
I carried some food, weapons, and ammunition to a dry place near the shore.
Then I arranged several boxes and wooden boards around myself.
They formed a rough barrier that might protect me from animals during the night.
I kept my guns close beside me.
I ate some biscuits and dried meat, then lay down to rest.
I was tired from swimming, building the raft, and moving heavy supplies.
Yet my mind remained busy.
I thought about the wrecked ship.
There were still many useful things aboard.
If the weather remained calm, I might be able to return and collect more supplies.
I also thought about finding a permanent home.
I would need shelter from rain, heat, and possible dangers.
For now, however, I had achieved something important.
I was no longer completely helpless.
I had food to eat, fresh water to drink, weapons for protection, and tools for building.
My situation was still frightening, but I had taken the first steps toward survival.
As darkness covered the island, I lay beside my supplies and prepared to spend another night alone.