First, I had observed that the same day that I broke away from my father and friends and ran away to Hull, in order to go to sea, the same day afterwards I was taken by the Sallee man-of-war, and made a slave; the same day of the year that I escaped out of the wreck of that ship in Yarmouth Roads, that same day-year afterwards I made my escape from Sallee in a boat; the same day of the year I was born on—viz. the 30th of September, that same day I had my life so miraculously saved twenty-six years after, when I was cast on shore in this island; so that my wicked life and my solitary life began both on a day.
In de eerste plaats vond ik, dat op denzelfden dag van het jaar, dat ik mijn vaders huis verliet en naar Hull ging, om in zee te gaan, op dienzelfden dag werd ik door een Saleschen kaper genomen en tot slaaf gemaakt. Ik ontkwam aan de schipbreuk op de reede van Yarraouth op denzelfden dag, dat ik naderhand van Salé in de boot vlugtte.