t was a piece of the head, but too heavy for me to bring away.

_May_ 24.--Every day, to this day, I worked on the wreck; and with hard
labour I loosened some things so much with the crow, that the first
flowing tide several casks floated out, and two of the seamen's chests;
but the wind blowing from the shore, nothing came to land that day but
pieces of timber, and a hogshead, which had some Brazil pork in it; but
the salt water and the sand had spoiled it. I continued this work every
day to the 15th of June, except the time necessary to get food, which I
always appointed, during this part of my employment, to be when the tide
was up, that I might be ready when it was ebbed out; and by this time I
had got timber and plank and ironwork enough to have built a good boat,
if I had known how; and also I got, at several times and in several
pieces, near one hundredweight of the sheet lead.

_June_ 16.--Going down to the seaside, I found a large tortoise or
turtle. This was the first I had seen, which, it seems, was only my
misfortune, not any defect of the place, or scarcity; for had I happened
to be on the other side of the island, I might have had hundreds of them
every day, as I found afterwards; but perhaps had paid dear enough for
them.

_June_ 17.--I spent in cooking the turtle. I found in her three-score
eggs; and her flesh was to me, at that time, the most savoury and
pleasant that ever I tasted in my life, having had no flesh, but of goats
and fowls, since I landed in this horrid place.

_June_ 18.--Rained all day, and I stayed within. I thought at this time
the rain felt cold, and I was something chilly; which I knew was not
usual in that latitude.

_June_ 19.--Very ill, and shivering, as if the weather had been cold.

_June_ 20.--No rest all night; violent pains in my head, and feverish.

_June_ 21.--Very ill; frighted almost to death with the apprehensions of
my sad condition--to be sick, and no help. Prayed to God, for the first
time since the storm off Hull, but scarce knew what I said, or why, my
thoughts being all confused.

_June_ 22.--A little better; but under dreadful apprehensions of
sickness.

_June_ 23.--Very bad again; cold and shivering, and then a violent
headache.

_June_ 24.--Much better.

_June_ 25.--An ague very violent; the fit held me seven hours; cold fit
and hot, with faint sweats after it.

_June_ 26.--Better; and having no victuals to eat, took my gun, but found
myself