but the chairs, cabinet, and bedstead, being screwed to
the floor, were much damaged by the ignorance of the seamen, who tore
them up by force. Then they knocked off some of the boards for the use
of the ship, and when they had got all they had a mind for, let the hull
drop into the sea, which by reason of many breaches made in the bottom
and sides, sunk to rights. And, indeed, I was glad not to have been a
spectator of the havoc they made, because I am confident it would have
sensibly touched me, by bringing former passages into my mind, which I
would rather have forgot.

I slept some hours, but perpetually disturbed with dreams of the place I
had left, and the dangers I had escaped. However, upon waking, I found
myself much recovered. It was now about eight o'clock at night, and the
captain ordered supper immediately, thinking I had already fasted too
long. He entertained me with great kindness, observing me not to look
wildly, or talk inconsistently: and, when we were left alone, desired I
would give him a relation of my travels, and by what accident I came to
be set adrift, in that monstrous wooden chest. He said "that about
twelve o'clock at noon, as he was looking through his glass, he spied it
at a distance, and thought it was a sail, which he had a mind to make,
being not much out of his course, in hopes of buying some biscuit, his
own beginning to fall short. That upon coming nearer, and finding his
error, he sent out his long-boat to discover what it was; that his men
came back in a fright, swearing they had seen a swimming house. That he
laughed at their folly, and went himself in the boat, ordering his men to
take a strong cable along with them. That the weather being calm, he
rowed round me several times, observed my windows and wire lattices that
defended them. That he discovered two staples upon one side, which was
all of boards, without any passage for light. He then commanded his men
to row up to that side, and fastening a cable to one of the staples,
ordered them to tow my chest, as they called it, toward the ship. When
it was there, he gave directions to fasten another cable to the ring
fixed in the cover, and to raise up my chest with pulleys, which all the
sailors were not able to do above two or three feet." He said, "they saw
my stick and handkerchief thrust out of the hole, and concluded that some
unhappy man must be shut up in the cavity." I asked, "whether he or the
crew had seen a