About four o'clock in the evening
This eddy carried me about a league in my way back again , directly towards the island , but about two leagues more to the northward than the current which carried me away at first : so that when I came near the island , I found myself open to the northern shore of it , that is to say , the other end of the island , opposite to that which I went out from . When I had made something more than a league of way by the help of this current or eddy , I found it was spent , and served me no farther . However , I found that being between two great currents , viz. that on the south side , which had hurried me away , and that on the north , which lay about a league on the other side ; I say , between these two , in the wake of the island , I found the water at least still , and running no way ; and having still a breeze of wind fair for me , I kept on steering directly for the island , though not making such fresh way as I did before . About four o'clock in the evening , being then within a league of the island , I found the point of the rocks which occasioned this disaster , stretching out , as is described before , to the southward , and casting off the current more southerly , had , of course , made another eddy to the north , and this I found very strong , but not directly setting the way my course lay , which was due west , but almost full north . However , having a fresh gale , I stretched across this eddy , slanting north-west : and , in about an hour , came within about a mile of the shore , where , it being smooth water , I soon got to land . When I was on shore , I fell on my knees , and gave God thanks for my deliverance , resolving to lay aside all thoughts of my deliverance by my boat ; and refreshing myself with such things as I had , I brought my boat close to the shore , in a little cove that I had spied under some trees , and laid me down to sleep , being quite spent with the labour and fatigue of the voyage . I was now at a great loss which way to get home with my boat : I had run so much hazard , and knew too much of the case , to think of attempting it by the way I went out ; and what might be at the other side -LRB- I mean the west side -RRB- I knew not , nor had I any mind to run any more ventures ; so I only resolved in the morning to make my way westward along the shore , and to see if there was no creek where I might lay up my frigate in safety , so as to have her again , if I wanted her .