for the Spindle or Axis of the Wheel to run in, so I gave it over; and so for carrying away the Earth which I dug out of the Cave, I made me a Thing like a Hodd which the Labourers carry Mortar in, when they serve the Bricklayers. This was not so difficult to me as the making the Shovel; and yet this, and the Shovel, and the Attempt, which I made in vain, to make a Wheelbarrow, took me up no less than four Days, I mean always, excepting my Morning Walk with my Gun, which I feldom fail'd; and very feldom fail'd alfo of bringing home something fit to eat. Nov. 23. My other Work having now ftood still, because of my making these Tools; when they were finish'd, I went on, and working every Day, as my Strength and Time allow'd, I fpent eighteen Days entirely in widening and deepning my Cave, that it might hold my Goods commodioufy. Note, During all this Time, I work'd to make this Room or Cave spacious enough to accommodate me as a Warehouse or Magazine, a Kitchen, a Dining-room, and a Cellar; as for my Lodging, I kept to the Tent, except that sometimes in the wet Seafon of the Year, it rain'd fo hard that I could not keep my self dry, which caus'd me afterwards to cover all my Place within my Pale with long Poles in the Form of Rafters, leaning against the Rock, and load them with Flags, and large Leaves of Trees like a Thatch. December 10. I began now to think my Cave or Vault finished, when on a sudden (it seems I had made it too large) a great Quantity of Earth fell down from the Top and one Side, so much, that in short it frighted me, and not without Reafon too; for if I had been under it, I had never wanted a Grave digger: Upon this Disafter I had a great a great deal of Work to do over again; for I had the loose Earth to carry out, and which was of more Importance, I had the Cieling to prop up, fo that Imight be sure no more would come down. Dec. 11. This Day I went to work with it accordingly, and got two Shoars or Posts pitch'd upright to the Top, with two Pieces of Boards a-cross over each Post; this I finish'd the next Day; and setting more Posts up with Boards, in about a Week more I had the Roof secur'd; and the Posts standing in Rows, serv'd me for Partitions to part of my House. Dec. 17. From this Day to the Twentieth I plac'd Shelves, and knock'd up Nails on the Posts to hang every Thing up that could be hung up, and now I began to be in some Order within Doors. Dec. 20. Now I carry'd every Thing into the Cave, and began to furnish my House and fet up some Pieces of Boards, like a Dreffer, to order my Victuals upon, but Boards began to be very scarce with me; alfo I made me another Table. Dec. 24. Much Rain all Night and all Day; no stirring out. Dec. 25. Rain all Day. Dec. 26. No Rain, and the Earth much cooler than before, and pleasanter. Dec. 27. Kill'd a young Goat, and lam'd another so that I catch'd it, and led it Home in a String; when I had it Home, I bound and splinter'd up its Leg which was broke. N. В. І took such care of it, that it liv'd, and the Leg grew well and as strong as ever; but by nurfing it so long it grew tame, and fed upon the little Green at my Door, and would not go away: This was the first Time that I entertain'd a Thought of breeding up fome tame Creatures, that G4 that I might have Food when my Powder and Shot was all spent. Dec. 28, 29, 30. Great Heats and no Breeze; fo that there was no stirring abroad, except in the Evening for Food; this Time I spent in putting all my Things in Order within Doors. January 1. Very hot still, but I went abroad early and late with my Gun, and lay still in the middle of the Day; this Evening going farther into the Valleys, which lay towards the Center of the Island, I found there was plenty of Goats, tho' exceeding shy and hard to come at, however I refolv'd to try if I could not bring my Dog to hunt them down. Jan. 2. Accordingly, the next Day, I went out with my Dog, and fat him upon the Goats; but I was mistaken, for they all fac'd about upon the Dog, and he knew his Danger too well, for he would not come near them, Jan. 3.11 began my Fence or Wall; which, being still jealous of my being attack'd by fome Body, I refolv'd to make very thick and strong. N. B. This Wall being describ'd before, I purposely omit what was said in the Fournal; it is fufficient to observe, that I was no less Time than from the 3d of January to the 14th of April, working, finishing and perfecting this Wall, the it was no more than about 24 Yards in Length, being a half Circle from one Place in the Rock to another Place about eight Yards from it, the Door of the Cave being in the Center behind it. All this Time I work'd very hard, the Rains hindering me many Days, nay sometimes Weeks together; but I thought I should never be perfectly secure 'till this Wall was finish'd; and it is scarce searce credible what inexpressible Labour every Thing was done with, especially the bringing Piles out of the Woods, and driving them into the Ground; for I made them much bigger than I need to have done... : When this Wall was finish'd, and the Out-fide double fenc'd with a Turf-Wall rais'd up close to it, I perfuaded myself, that if any People were to come on Shore there, they would not perceive any Thing like a Habitation; and it was very well I did fo, as may be observ'd hereafter upon a ver ry remarkable Occasion. the During this Time, I made my Rounds in the Woods for Game every Day when Rain admitted me, and made frequent Discoveries in these Walks of fomething or other to my Advantage; particularly I found a kind of wild Pidgeons, who built not as Wood Pidgeons in a Tree, but rather as House Pidgeons, in the Holes of the Rocks; and taking some young ones, I endeavour'd to breed them up tame, and did fo; but when they grew older, they flew all away, which perhaps was at first for want of feeding them, for I had nothing to give them; however I frequently found, their Nefts, and got their young ones, which was very good Meat. And now in the managing my Houshold Affairs, I found my felf wanting in many Things, which I thought at first it was impdssible for me to make, as indeed as to some of them it was; for Instance, I could never make a Cask to be hoop'd, I had a fmall Runlet or two, as I observ'd before, but I cou'd never arrive to the Capacity of making one by them, tho I spent many Weeks about it; I could neither put in the Heads, or joint the Staves so true to one another, as to make them hold Water, so I gave that also over. In the next Place, I was at a great Lofs for Candle; so that as soon as ever it was dark, which was generally by Seven a Clock, I was oblig'd to go to Bed: I remember the Lump of Bees-wax with which I made Candles in my African Adventure, but I had none of that now; the only Remedy I had, was, that when I had kill'd a Goat, I sav'd the Tallow, and with a little Dish made of Clay, which I bak'd in the Sun, to which I added a Wick of some Oakum, I made me a Lamp; and this gave me Light, tho' not a clear steady Light like a Candle; in the middle of all my Labours it happen'd, that rummaging my Things, I found a little Bag, which, as I hinted before, had been fill'd with Corn for the feeding of Poultry, not for this Voyage, but before, as I suppose, when the Ship came from Lisbon; what little Remainder of Corn had been in the Bag, was all devour'd with the Rats, and I saw nothing in the Bag but Husks and Dust; and being willing to have the Bag for fome other Ufe, I think it was to put Powder in, when I divided it for fear of the Lightning, or some such Ufe, I thook the Husks of Corn out of it on one Side of my Fortification under the Rock. It was a little before the great Rains, just now mention'd, that I threw this Stuff away, taking no Notice of any Thing, and not so much as remembring that I had thrown any Thing there; when about a Month after, or thereabout, I saw fome few Stalks of fomething Green shooting out of the Ground, which I fancy'd might be some Plant I had not seen, but I was furpriz'd and perfectly aftonish'd, when after a little longer time I faw about ten or twelve Ears come out, which were perfect green Barley of the fame Kind as our Eu ropean, nay, as our English Barley. |