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VII
THE FIRST NIGHT ON LAND
"Where are my companions?" That was his first thought. He began to
call and halloo: "Where are you?" "Come here!" But no one answered.
Then he wished to see if anyone lived on the land, and he cried, "Is
there no one here? Hello!" but all remained still.
All at once he drew himself together and shrank back. He heard a bush
rustle and the thought came like a flash, "That is a wild animal that
will pounce upon me and tear my flesh with his teeth and claws. How
shall I save myself? Where shall I fly for safety? Where shall I turn?
I have nothing but my clothes and my life saved from the water. All
that I had the waves have swallowed up."
And then hunger and thirst began to trouble him. He had eaten nothing
the whole day and the salt water had made him sick.
In the meantime the night had come on. Robinson was very tired.
Everything was new and strange. He did not know which way to move.
He was in the greatest terror.
He expected to hear the roar of wild beasts from every secluded spot.
Lions and tigers and dreadful serpents filled his thoughts. He must
find shelter from them. But where should he pass the night? Not a
house, a hut or a cave was to be seen. He stood a long time hesitating
and did not know what to do. Finally he thought, "I will do as the
birds do and get into a tree." He very soon found a tree which had
such thick branches that it would hold him up.
Robinson climbed up into the tree, made himself as comfortable as
possible, said his prayers, and as he was thoroughly exhausted, he
soon fell asleep. When he awoke the sun was high in the sky. At first
he could not remember where he was. Then the truth burst upon him.
He tried to move. He was stiff and sore. His flesh was bruised from
being thrown against the rocks and beaten by the waves.
He was dreadfully thirsty. His mouth and throat were dry and parched
from the salt water. His tongue was thick and swollen. He said, "I
must find some water to drink or I shall die!"
It was hard work to get down from the tree. His limbs and back ached
from sitting in the tree all night At last he slipped down and fell
on the ground. He clasped his hands in prayer and thanked God for keeping
him through the night.
[Illustration]
Then he got up and tried to walk. He was so weak he could not stand.
He threw himself down on the ground and began to sob and cry, "O Lord,
do not let me die! Do not let me die!" As he lay there he heard a
queer sound. He listened. It sounded like water running over rocks.
He tried to get to the place from which the sound came. He tried to
walk. When he fell he crawled on his hands and knees. At last the sound
was close by. He dragged himself up on the rocks. Yes, there was a
spring of clear, cool, sparkling water bubbling up and trickling over
the stones. Robinson was so thirsty he put his face into the water
and drank and drank.
Then he sat down, and after a while he drank again and again.
After Robinson had satisfied his thirst and rested awhile, he felt
much better. He said, "I must try to walk and see whether I can find
something to eat." He found many kinds of fruits and berries all
around him, but he was afraid to eat them, as they were strange to
him and he feared they might be poisonous.
As he was walking along, all at once he spied a tall plant in the
distance which had a familiar look. It looked like corn. He said to
himself, "I wonder if it can be corn." At last he came near enough
to recognize it. Yes, it was corn. It did not look exactly like the
corn that he saw at home, but still he knew it would be safe to eat
it. He broke off an ear and eagerly ate the kernels raw. Oh, how good
it was! Robinson could not remember anything that tasted half so good.
He ate as much as he wanted and then filled his pockets with ears of
corn for his supper. Then he went back to the spring to get another
drink.
[Illustration]
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Babbitt by Sinclair Lewis
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