Робинзон Крузо / Robinson Crusoe

This was the only voyage which I may say was successful in all my adventures, which I owe to the honesty of my friend the captain; under whom also I got a competent knowledge of the mathematics and the rules of navigation, learned how to keep an account of the ship’s course,[48 - to keep an account of the ship’s course – рассчитывать направление судна] take an observation, and, in short, to understand some things that were needful to be understood by a sailor; for, as he took delight to instruct me, I took delight to learn; and, in a word, this voyage made me both a sailor and a merchant.

Our trading in Guinea was upon the coast line. I had my misfortunes even in this voyage. I was continually sick, being thrown into a violet calenture[49 - a violet calenture – тропическая лихорадка (болезнь жаркого климата, которой подвержены уроженцы более холодных стран, европейцы).

] by the excessive heat of the climate.

Chapter II

Slavery and Escape

Recovering, I went to London with all the crew and our master. This voyage was very successful to us, all the crew members returned home grown rich. Even my 40 pounds turned into 300 pounds sterling. This first success elated me and I resolved to go to the same voyage again.

However, one event overshadowed[50 - overshadow – омрачать] those days: to my great misfortune, my friend, the master of our ship, was dying soon after the arrival, though I was deprived of the faithful and honest comrade.

When I decided for the second time to set the sail, I found the widow of my deceased friend, captain, and left her 200 pounds for safekeeping, and I must say, she preserved this money very faithfully.

So, I did not carry quite 100 pounds of my new-gained wealth with me to the new voyage.

That was the unhappiest trip that ever man made. Our ship, making her course towards the Canary Islands, or rather between those islands and the African shore, was surprised in the grey of the morning by a Turkish rover[51 - rover – пират] of Sallee, who gave chase to us with all the sail he could make.