Myprincipalterrorwasnowonaccountofthesharks，whichI

　　knewtobeinmyvicinity。Inordertodeterthese，ifpossible，fromapproachingme，IsplashedthewatervigorouslywithbothhandsandfeetasIswamtowardsthehulk，creatingabodyoffoam。Ihavenodoubtthattothisexpedient，simpleasitwas，Iwasindebtedformypreservation；fortheseaallroundthebrig，justbeforeherrollingover，wassocrowdedwiththesemonsters，thatImusthavebeen，andreallywas，inactualcontactwithsomeofthemduringmyprogress。

　　Bygreatgoodfortune，however，Ireachedthesideofthevesselinsafety，althoughsoutterlyweakenedbytheviolentexertionIhadusedthatIshouldneverhavebeenabletogetuponitbutforthetimelyassistanceofPeters，who，now，tomygreatjoy，madehisappearancehavingscrambleduptothekeelfromtheoppositesideofthehull，andthrewmetheendofaropeoneofthosewhichhadbeenattachedtothespikes。

　　Havingbarelyescapedthisdanger，ourattentionwasnowdirectedtothedreadfulimminencyofanotherthatofabsolutestarvation。

　　Ourwholestockofprovisionhadbeensweptoverboardinspiteofallourcareinsecuringit；andseeingnolongertheremotestpossibilityofobtainingmore，wegavewaybothofustodespair，weepingaloudlikechildren，andneitherofusattemptingtoofferconsolationtotheother。Suchweaknesscanscarcelybeconceived，andtothosewhohaveneverbeensimilarlysituatedwill，nodoubt，appearunnatural；butitmustberememberedthatourintellectsweresoentirelydisorderedbythelongcourseofprivationandterrortowhichwehadbeensubjected，thatwecouldnotjustlybeconsidered，atthatperiod，inthelightofrationalbeings。Insubsequentperils，nearlyasgreat，ifnotgreater，Iboreupwithfortitudeagainstalltheevilsofmysituation，andPeters，itwillbeseen，evincedastoicalphilosophynearlyasincredibleashispresentchildlikesupinenessandimbecilitythementalconditionmadethedifference。

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