If I had had hands to have refitted her, and to have launched her into the water, the boat would have done well enough, and I might have gone back into the Brazils with her easily enough; but I might have foreseen that I could no more turn her and set her upright upon her bottom than I could remove the island; however, I went to the woods, and cut levers and rollers, and brought them to the boat resolving to try what I could do; suggesting to myself that if I could but turn her down, I might repair the damage she had received, and she would be a very good boat, and I might go to sea in her very easily.
Pure avrei dovuto prevedere che tanto mi era possibile il rimetterla così capovolta nel suo primo stato, quanto il movere di là l’intera isola; nondimeno andato ai boschi e tagliatine legni per leve e arganelli, condussi meco queste cose alla scialuppa, risoluto di provare che cosa sarei stato buono a fare. Non mi abbandonava la persuasione che se mi fosse riuscito raddirizzarla e riparare i danni cui era soggiaciuta, sarebbe stata tuttavia una buona scialuppa e tale da potermi avventurare nel mare sovr’essa.