PART 1/3
Robinson's Adventures at Sea
The sailors began to cry out that the ship would founder*. Fortunnately, I did not know what the word ´founder´ meant. I saw the captain and some others praying to God. At last we were rescued* by a boat from another ship. As we escaped, we saw our ship go down. It was only then that I understood the word ´founder´.
When we reached the shore, the people were very kind to us. They gave us money to return to Hull or continue to London. as we pleased. If I had returned home, I would have been happy. My father, like the father in Christ's story of the prodigal son, would have welcomed me. But I was foolish* an I did not go home.
The captain, who was my friend's father, said to me, Ýoung man, you should never go to sea again.´
´Why, sir?´ said I. ´Will you never go to sea again?´
´That is different´ Said the captain. ´The sea is my profession. It is my duty to go to sea, but you made this voyage to see if you liked it. God has show you that the sea is not for you. Perhaps that is why my ship foundered. You are like Jonah of the Bible story. I am sorry I ever allowed you on my ship!´
I went to London by land.How unwise* young people are!*
They are not afraid to sin*, but they are afraid to seem foolish!
I signed up* for a voyage to Africa. I should signed up as a sailor. I could have learned the sailor's profession. In time, I might even have become a captain. However, I always made the worst choice, and I chose to go to sea as a gentelman.
Therefore I had no duties on the ship, and no chance of learning to be a sailor.
I met the captain of a ship that had been on the coast of Africa. He had made good profits from the voyage and was eager* to go again. He asked me to go with him as his companion. He said, that i need not pay for the voyage. If I had any money, he said, he would show me how to make a profit in trade*
*founder: sink, go down to the sea bottom.
*rescued: saved, got out of a dangerous situation.
*foolish: stupid.
*unwise: irresponsible, not reliable.
*sin: a religious or moral law.
*signed up: enrolled, enlisted (past of the verb ´to sing up´)
*eager: enthusiastic, wanting very much to do something.
*trade: buying and selling.
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