The dog and myself

It was in 1901. I had been in the Philippines for some time and was coming home. I missed my boat and decided to travel on an old ship.

I knew that it would not be a comfortable journey but I had no time to wait for another boat.

Hardly had we left the port when I saw the dog for the first time. His name was Gulliver, and he was the captain's favourite dog. What a big dog it was! I had never seen one that could frighten me so much. But we were in the open sea and there was no turning back. I was sorry not to have taken a gun with me. But soon I managed to borrow one from a sailor and always had it about me, even when I went to bed.

On the third day I heard a terrible noise and saw that the ship had caught fire. She was dry and burned fast.

Nobody tried to put out the fire. The ship began sinking and all the men rushed to the boats.

I saw no chance of getting away in a boat. Suddenly I remembered that there was a life-raft on the ship. I had no time to lose so I immediately rushed towards the raft and pushed it overboard.

In jumping down onto the raft I hurt myself badly and was unconscious for some time. When I came to myself, I looked about me. The sea was calm. There was no sign of a life-boat. Every man who had been on board the ship at the time must have gone down with her. I was the only one who was saved. Then I saw something that frightened me very much. The big head of Gulliver was coming fast towards me through the water. The dog must have jumped from the ship before she sank I was glad not to have forgotten my gun and I drew it at once. But it was wet and I could not use it.

Soon Gulliver reached the raft. He struggled a long time before he managed to get onto it. I wanted to push him back into the water but did not dare to move. The dog shook himself, went to the other end of the raft and lay down.

I did not dare to sleep that night. I did not understand dogs and felt that I must watch him. In the moonlight I could see that his eyes were open. Gulliver was watching, too.

I spent a night that I'd never forget. I must have fallen asleep towards morning, for when I woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. As I was having my breakfast, I could see that the eyes of the dog were fixed on the bread I was eating. "He must be hungry", I thought 1 had better give him some". And I threw him a piece of bread. At first he would not touch it. He only lay there and watched me.

(After W. Dyer)

Don't beat me

That morning when I got up after a long and sleepless night, I was immediately called downstairs. When I went into the sitting-room with my books I found there my mother, Mr Murdstone with a cane in his hand, and his sister. My mother looked anxious. I understood they had spoken about me. I was terribly frightened. I was to answer my lesson. But I left the words of my lesson slipping off. I tried to stop them, but they seemed to have put skates on and slip away from me.

We began badly and went on worse. I had come in, thinking that I was very well prepared, but it turned out to be quite a mistake.

Mr Murdstone took me out and accompanied me upstairs. When we got to my room, he suddenly put my head under his arm.

"Don't beat me!" I cried, "I have tried to learn, sir, but I can't learn while you and Miss Murdstone are near me, I can't indeed!"

Seizing the sleeve of his coat I stopped him for a moment, begging him not to beat me. It was only for a moment that I stopped him, for he cut me heavily an instant afterwards and at the same instant I caught his hand between my teeth and bit it.

He beat me then as if he would have beaten me to death. Above all the noise we made, I heard my mother running up the stairs and crying out.-Then he was gone, and the door was locked outside, and I was lying, hot and torn, upon the floor.

When I became quiet, what an unnatural stillness there seemed to be in the whole house.

It had begun to grow dark and. I was lying with my head upon the window-sill weeping bitterly, when the key was turned and Miss Murdstone appeared with some bread and milk. These she put down upon the table, without a word and then disappeared locking the door after her.

I sat there for a long time, wondering whether anybody else would come. Nobody came, I undressed and went to bed and there I began to wonder what would be done to me.

( After Ch. Dickens)