about
midnight
Thus holding to the spar and swimming , sometimes with one hand and sometimes with the other , I kept my head above water until my feet touched ground , when I waded upon the shore of an island , where I fell down exhausted , and for the time lost consciousness . When I came to myself it was almost dark . I had fortunately been carried by a current upon the leeside of the island , so that I was protected from the wind and sea , but my limbs felt numb and cold , while the blood coursed feebly in my veins . I felt too weary to move , and presently I fell asleep , from which I awoke , as I judged , about midnight , much refreshed . I was now once more haunted by the thought of being marooned in a strange country , so that I remained awake , bemoaning my fate and blaming myself for not having taken better precautions against such a mishap . These reflections led me so far that I began to form a project against my life , but the dawn dissipated my gloomy ideas , when I made up my mind to trust to Providence , which had protected me through so many perils . I then mounted the high land to scan the horizon , but no sign of the ship could I see , so I knew myself to be again a castaway .