The Swiss Family Robinson [antikvár]

Chapter 1 The Shipwreck Many years ago my family and I left our beloved Switzerland to found a settlement on a small island in the Pacific Ocean, not far from New Guinea. After several weeks at sea we were caught in a raging storm that lasted for six days. The ship was blown far off course and the captain was unable to fix our position. At : dawn, on the seventh day of the storm, the winds grew more violent, snapping the masts and hurling them into the sea. The ship ; began to leak dreadfully and the terrified sailors gave themselves up for lost and fell on their knees in prayer, asking God to save them from their desperate plight. My wife, Elizabeth, and our four young sons, Fritz, fifteen years old, Jack, thirteen, Ernest, eleven, and Francis, six, gathered at my side, trembling with fear. I spoke as calmly as I could, "Do not be afraid. Have faith in God. He will save us." My dear wife dried her tears and encouraged our sons to be brave as we all knelt down and prayed together. Suddenly, above the howling of the storm, I heard a sailor cry, "Land! Land Ahoy!" At that very moment the ship shook violently and there was a fearful sound of 5