Myprincipalterrorwasnowonaccountofthesharks，whichI
knewtobeinmyvicinity。Inordertodeterthese，ifpossible，fromapproachingme，IsplashedthewatervigorouslywithbothhandsandfeetasIswamtowardsthehulk，creatingabodyoffoam。Ihavenodoubtthattothisexpedient，simpleasitwas，Iwasindebtedformypreservation；fortheseaallroundthebrig，justbeforeherrollingover，wassocrowdedwiththesemonsters，thatImusthavebeen，andreallywas，inactualcontactwithsomeofthemduringmyprogress。
Bygreatgoodfortune，however，Ireachedthesideofthevesselinsafety，althoughsoutterlyweakenedbytheviolentexertionIhadusedthatIshouldneverhavebeenabletogetuponitbutforthetimelyassistanceofPeters，who，now，tomygreatjoy，madehisappearancehavingscrambleduptothekeelfromtheoppositesideofthehull，andthrewmetheendofaropeoneofthosewhichhadbeenattachedtothespikes。
Havingbarelyescapedthisdanger，ourattentionwasnowdirectedtothedreadfulimminencyofanotherthatofabsolutestarvation。
Ourwholestockofprovisionhadbeensweptoverboardinspiteofallourcareinsecuringit；andseeingnolongertheremotestpossibilityofobtainingmore，wegavewaybothofustodespair，weepingaloudlikechildren，andneitherofusattemptingtoofferconsolationtotheother。Suchweaknesscanscarcelybeconceived，andtothosewhohaveneverbeensimilarlysituatedwill，nodoubt，appearunnatural；butitmustberememberedthatourintellectsweresoentirelydisorderedbythelongcourseofprivationandterrortowhichwehadbeensubjected，thatwecouldnotjustlybeconsidered，atthatperiod，inthelightofrationalbeings。Insubsequentperils，nearlyasgreat，ifnotgreater，Iboreupwithfortitudeagainstalltheevilsofmysituation，andPeters，itwillbeseen，evincedastoicalphilosophynearlyasincredibleashispresentchildlikesupinenessandimbecilitythementalconditionmadethedifference。