As to the east side of the island, which I had gone round, I knew well enough there was no venturing that way; my very heart would shrink, and my very blood run chill, but to think of it; and as to the other side of the island, I did not know how it might be there; but supposing the current ran with the same force against the shore at the east as it passed by it on the other, I might run the same risk of being driven down the stream, and carried by the island, as I had been before of being carried away from it: so with these thoughts, I contented myself to be without any boat, though it had been the product of so many months’ labour to make it, and of so many more to get it into the sea.
Feltehető volt, hogy az áramlat, akárcsak a másik irányból, innen is megkerüli a szigetet, akkor pedig éppúgy kockáztatom, hogy magával sodor. Belenyugodtam tehát a gondolatba, hogy meg kell lennem csónak nélkül, holott hosszú hónapok munkájával sikerült azt előállítanom, majd vízre bocsátanom.