s,
concluded I was raving: however (I suppose to pacify me), he promised
to give orders as I desired, and going upon deck, sent some of his men
down into my closet, from whence (as I afterwards found) they drew up
all my goods, and stripped off the quilting; 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 so many breaches made in the bottom and sides, sunk to
rights.[88] 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 had rather
forgotten.

I slept some hours, but was 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[89], 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 defenced 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)
towards 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 p