LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. remainder of European corn, which had been laid by for some fowls which we brought to sea with us, but the fowls were killed. There had been some barley and wheat together; but, to my great disappointment, I found afterwards that the rats had eaten or spoiled it all. As for liquors, I found several cases of bottles belonging to our skipper, in which were some cordial waters; and, in all, about five or six gallons of rack. These I stowed by themselves, there being no need to put them into the chest, nor any room for them. While I was doing this, I found the tide began to flow, though very calm; and I had the mortification to see my coat, shirt, and waistcoat, which I had left on the shore, upon the sand, swim away. As for my breeches, which were only linen, and open-knee'd, I swam on board in them and my stockings. However, this set me on rummaging for clothes, of which I found enough, but took no more than I wanted for present use, for I had other things which my eye was more upon-as, first, tools to work with on shore. And it was after long searching that I found out the carpenter's chest, which was, indeed, a very useful prize to me, and much more valuable than a ship-load of gold would have been at that time. I got it down to my raft, whole as it was, without losing time to look into it, for I knew in general what it contained. My next care was for some amunition and arms. of the tide set into it; so I guided my raft, as well as I But here I had like to have suffered a second ship- one of the fowling-pieces, and one of the pistols, and a which lay as in a ridge from it, northward. I took out horn of powder; and thus armed, I travelled for discovery up to the top of that hill, where, after I had with great labour and difficulty got to the top, I saw my fate, to my great affliction, viz. that I was in an island environed every way with the sea: no land to be seen except some rocks, which lay a great way off; and two small islands, less than this, which lay about three leagues to the west. I found also that the island I was in was barren, and, Yet I saw as I saw good reason to believe, uninhabited except by wild beasts, of whom, however, I saw none. abundance of fowls, but knew not their kinds; neither when I killed them could I tell what was fit for food, and what not. At my coming back, I shot at a great bird which I saw sitting upon a tree on the side of a great wood. I believe it was the first gun that had been fired there since the creation of the world. I had no sooner fired, than from all parts of the wood there arose an innumerable number of fowls, of many sorts, making a confused screaming and crying, and every one according to his usual note, but not one of them of any it to be a kind of hawk, its colour and beak resembling kind that I knew. As for the creature I killed, I took it, but it had no talons or claws more than common. Its flesh was carrion, and fit for nothing. There were two very good fowling-pieces in the great cabin, and two pistols. These I secured first, with some powder-horns and a small bag of shot, and two old rusty swords. I knew there were three barrels of powder in the ship, but knew not where our gunner had stowed them; but with much search I found them, two of them dry and good, the third had taken water. Those two I And now I thought got to my raft, with the arms. myself pretty well freighted, and began to think how I should get to shore with them, having neither sail, oar, nor rudder; and the least cap-full of wind would have overset all my navigation. I had three encouragements: 1st, a smooth, calm sea; 2ndly, the tide rising, and setting in to the shore; 3rdly, what little wind there was blew me towards the land. And thus, having found two or three broken oars belonging to the boat-and, besides the tools which were in the chest, I found two saws, an axe, and a hammer: with this cargo I put to sea. For a mile, or thereabouts, my raft went very well, only that I found it drive a little distant from the place where I had landed before; by which I perceived that there was some indraft of the water, and consequently, I hoped to find some creek or river there, which I might make use of as a port to get to land with my cargo. As I imagined, so it was. There appeared before me a little opening of the land, and I found a strong current CRUSOE'S RAFT IS NEARLY UPSET. guided my raft, and at last got so near, that, reaching My next work was to view the country, and seek a Contented with this discovery, I came back to my raft, and fell to work to bring my cargo on shore, which took me up the rest of that day. What to do with myself at night I knew not, nor indeed where to rest, for I was afraid to lie down on the ground, not knowing but some wild beast might devour me, though, as I fears. afterwards found, there was really no need for those However, as well as I could, I barricaded myself round with the chests and boards that I had brought on shore, and made a kind of hut for that night's lodging. As for food, I yet saw not which way to supply myself, except that I had seen two or three creatures, like hares, run out of the wood where I shot the fowl. I now began to consider that I might yet get a great many things out of the ship which would be useful to me, and particularly some of the rigging and sails, and to make another voyage on board the vessel, if possible. such other things as might come to land; and I resolved And as I knew that the first storm that blew must necessarily break her all in pieces, I resolved to set all other things apart till I had got everything out of the ship that I could get. Then I called a council-that is raft; but this appeared impracticable: so I resolved to to say, in my thoughts-whether I should take back the go as before, when the tide was down; and I did so, only that I stripped before I went from my hut, having nothing on but a chequered shirt, a pair of linen drawers, and a pair of pumps on my feet. I got on board the ship as before, and prepared a second raft; and, having had experience of the first, I neither made this so unwieldy, nor loaded it so hard, but yet I brought away several things very useful to me; as, first, in the carpenter's stores, I found two or three bags full of nails and spikes, a great screw-jack, a dozen or two of hatchets, and, above all, that most useful thing called a grindstone. All these I secured, together with several things belonging to the gunner, particularly two or three iron crows, and two barrels of musket bullets, seven muskets, another fowling-piece, with some small quantity of powder more; a large bagful of small shot, and a great roll of sheet-lead; but this last was so heavy, I could not hoist it up to get it over the ship's side. Besides these things, I took all the men's clothes that I could find, and a spare fore-top sail, a hammock, and some bedding; and with this I loaded my second raft, and brought them all safe on shore, to my very great comfort. I was under some apprehension, during my absence from the land, that at least my provisions might be devoured on shore: but when I came back, I found no sign of any visitor; only there sat a creature like a wild cat, upon one of the chests, which, when I came towards it, ran away a little distance, and then stood still. She sat very composed and unconcerned, and looked full in my face, as if she had a mind to be acquainted with me. I presented my gun at her, but, as she did not understand it, she was perfectly unconcerned at it, nor did she offer to stir away; upon which I tossed her a bit of biscuit, though, by the way, I was not very free of it, for my store was not great: however, I spared her a bit, I say, and she went to it, smelled at it, and ate it, and looked (as if pleased) for more; but I thanked her, and could spare no more: so she marched Having got my second cargo on shore, though I was fain to open the barrels of powder, and bring them by parcels, for they were too heavy, being large casks,-I went to work to make me a little tent, with the sail, and some poles which I cut for that purpose: and into this tent I brought everything that I knew would spoil ither with rain or sun; and I piled all the empty hests and casks up in a circle round the tent, to ortify it from any sudden attempt, either from man r beast. off. When I had done this, I blocked up the door of the nt with some boards within, and an empty chest set p on end without; and spreading one of the beds upon he ground, laying my two pistols just at my head, and ny gun at length by me, I went to bed for the first time, and slept very quietly all night, for I was very weary and heavy; for the night before I had slept little, and had laboured very hard all day, to fetch all those things from the ship, and to get them on shore. I had the biggest magazine of all kinds now that ever was laid up, I believe, for one man: but I was not satisfied still, for while the ship sat upright in that posture, I thought I ought to get everything out of her that I could: so every day at low water I went on board, and brought away something or other; but particularly the third time I went, I brought away as much of the rigging as I could, as also all the small ropes and rope-twine I could get, with a piece of spare canvas, which was to mend the sails upon occasion, and the barrel of wet gunpowder. In a word, I brought away all the sails first and last; only that I was fain to cut them in pieces, and bring as much at a time as I could, for they were no more useful to be sails, but as mere canvas only. But that which comforted me more still, was, that last of all, after I had made five or six such voyages as these, and thought I had nothing more to expect from the ship that was worth my meddling with;-I say, after all this, I found a great hogshead of bread, three large ruulets of rum, or spirits, and a box of sugar, and a barrel of fine flour: this was surprising to me, because I had given over expecting any more provisions, except what was spoiled by the water. I soon emptied the hogshead of the bread, and wrapped it up, parcel by parcel, in pieces of the sails, which I cut out; and, in a word, I got all this safe on shore also. The next day I made another voyage, and now, having plundered the ship of what was portable and fit to hand out, I began with the cables. Cutting the great cable into pieces, such as I could move, I got two cables and a hawser on shore, with all the iron-work I could get; and having cut down the spritsail-yard, and the mizen-yard, and everything I could, to make a large raft, I loaded it with all these heavy goods, and came away. But my good luck began now to leave me; for this raft was so unwieldy, and so overladen, that, after had entered the little cove where I had landed the rest of my goods, not being able to guide it so handily as I did the other, it overset, and threw me and all my cargo into the water. As for myself, it was no great harm, for I was near the shore; but as to my cargo, it was a great part of it lost, especially the iron, which I expected would have been of great use to ine: however, when the tide was out, I got most of the pieces of cable ashore, and some of the iron, though with infinite labour; for I was fain to dip for it into the water, a work which fatigued me very much. After this, I went every day on board, and brought away what I could get. I had been now thirteen days on shore, and had been eleven times on board the ship, in which time I had brought away all that one pair of hands could well be supposed capable to bring; though I believe verily, had the calm weather held, I should have brought away the whole ship, piece by piece. But preparing the twelfth time to go on board, I found the wind began to rise: however, at low water I went on board, and though I thought I had rummaged the cabin so effectually, that nothing more could be found, yet I discovered a locker with drawers in it, in one of which I found two or three razors, and one pair of large scissors, with some ten or a dozen of good knives and forks: in another I found about thirty-six pounds value in money-some European coin, some Brazil, some pieces of eight, some gold, and some silver. Before I set up my tent I drew a half-circle before the hollow place, which took in about ten yards in its semi-diameter, from the rock, and twenty yards in its diameter, from its beginning and ending. In this half-circle I pitched two rows of strong stakes, driving them into the ground till they stood very firm like piles, the biggest end being out of the ground above five feet and a half, and sharpened on the top. The two rows did not stand above six inches from one another. Then I tock the pieces of cable which I had cut in the ship, and laid them in rows, one upon another, within the circle, between these two rows of stakes, up to the top, placing other stakes in the inside, leaning against them, about two feet and a half high, like a spur to a post; and this fence was so strong, that neither man nor beast could get into it or over it. This cost me a great deal of time and labour, especially to cut the piles in the woods, bring them to the place, and drive them into the earth. The entrance into this place I made to be, not by a door, but by a short ladder to go over the top; which ladder, when I was in, I lifted over after me; and so I was completely fenced in and fortified, as I thought, from all the world, and consequently slept secure in the night, which otherwise I could not have done; though, as it appeared afterwards, there was no need of all this caution from the enemies that I apprehended danger from. I smiled to myself at the sight of this money: "O drug!" said I, aloud," what art thou good for? Thou art not worth to me-no, not the taking off the ground: one of those knives is worth all this heap: I have no Into this fence, or fortress, with infinite labour, I manner of use for thee-e'en remain where thou art, carried all my riches, all my provisions, ammunition, and go to the bottom, as a creature whose life is not and stores, of which you have the account above; and worth saving." However, upon second thoughts, II made a large tent, which, to preserve me from the took it away; and, wrapping all this in a piece of can- rains, that in one part of the year are very violent there, vas, I began to think of making another raft; but I made double, one smaller tent within, and one larger while I was preparing this, found the sky overcast, tent above it; and covered the uppermost with a large and the wind began to rise, and in a quarter of an hour tarpaulin, which I had saved among the sails. it blew a fresh gale from the shore. It presently occurred to me, that it was in vain to pretend to make a raft with the wind off shore; and that it was my business to be gone before the tide of flood began, otherwise I might not be able to reach the shore at all. Accordingly, I let myself down into the water, and swam across the channel which lay between the ship and the sands, and even that with difficulty enough, partly with the weight of the things I had about me, and partly the roughness of the water; for the wind rose very hastily, and before it was quite high water it blew a storm. And now I lay no more for a while in the bed which I had brought on shore, but in a hammock, which was indeed a very good one, and belonged to the mate of the ship. Into this tent I brought all my provisions, and everything that would spoil by the wet; and having thus inclosed all my goods, I made up the entrance, which till now I had left open, and so passed and repassed, as I said, by a short ladder. When I had done this, I began to work my way into the rock, and bringing all the earth and stones that I But I had got home to my little tent, where I lay, dug down out through my tent, I laid them up within with all my wealth about me, very secure. It blew very my fence, in the nature of a terrace, so that it raised hard all night, and in the morning, when I looked out, the ground within about a foot and a half; and thus I behold no more ship was to be seen! I was a little sur-made me a cave, just behind my tent, which served me prised, but recovered myself with the satisfactory reflec- like a cellar to my house. tion, that I had lost no time, nor abated any diligence, to get everything out of her that could be useful to me; and that, indeed, there was little left in her that I was able to bring away, if I had had more time. I now gave over any more thoughts of the ship, or of anything out of her, except what might drive on shore from her wreck; as, indeed, divers pieces of her afterwards did; but those things were of small use to me. It cost me much labour and many days before all these things were brought to perfection; and, therefore, I must go back to some other things which took up some of my thoughts. At the same time it happened, after I had laid my scheme for the setting up my tent, and making the cave, that a storm of rain falling from a thick, dark cloud, a sudden flash of lightning happened, and after that, a great clap of thunder, as is naturally the effect of it. I was not so much surprised with the My thoughts were now wholly employed about lightning, as I was with a thought which darted into my securing myself against either savages, if any should mind as swift as the lightning itself-O my powder! appear, or wild beasts, if any were in the island; and My very heart sank within me when I thought that, at I had many thoughts of the method how to do this, one blast, all my powder might be destroyed; on which, and what kind of dwelling to make-whether I should not my defence only, but the providing my food, as I make me a cave in the earth, or a tent upon the earth; thought, entirely depended. I was nothing near so and, in short, I resolved upon both; the manner and anxious about my own danger, though, had the powder description of which, it may not be improper to give an took fire, I should never have known who had hurt account of. I soon found the place I was in was not fit for my settlement, because it was upon a low, moorish ground, near the sea, and I believed it would not be wholesome, and more particularly because there was no fresh water near it; so I resolved to find a more healthy and more convenient spot of ground. me. Such impression did this make upon me, that after the storm was over, I laid aside all my works, my building and fortifying, and applied myself to make bags and boxes, to separate the powder, and to keep it a little and a little in a parcel, in the hope that whatever might come, it might not all take fire at once; and to keep it I consulted several things in my situation, which I so apart, that it should not be possible to make one part found would be proper for me: 1st, health and fresh fire another. I finished this work in about a fortnight; water, I just now mentioned; 2ndly, shelter from the and I think my powder, which in all was about two heat of the sun; 3rdly, security from ravenous creatures, hundred and forty pounds weight, was divided into not whether man or beast; 4thly, a view to the sea, that if less than a hundred parcels. As to the barrel that had God sent any ship in sight, I might not lose any advant- been wet, I did not apprehend any danger from that; age for my deliverance, of which I was not willing to so I placed it in my new cave, which, in my fancy, I banish all my expectation yet. called my kitchen; and the rest I hid up and down in holes among the rocks, so that no wet might come to it, marking very carefully where I laid it. In search of a place proper for this, I found a little plain on the side of a rising hill, whose front towards this little plain was steep as a house-side, so that nothing could come down upon me from the top. On the side of the rock there was a hollow place, worn a little way in, like the entrance or door of a cave; but there was not really any cave, or way into the rock at all. On the flat of the green, just before this hollow place, I resolved to pitch my tent. This plain was not above a hundred yards broad, and about twice as long, and lay like a green before my door; and, at the end of it, descended irregularly every way down into the low ground by the sea-side. It was on the N.N.W. side of the hill; so that it was sheltered from the heat every day, till it came to a W. and by S. sun, or thereabouts, which, in those countries, is near the setting. In the interval of time while this was doing, I went out once at least every day with my gun, as well to divert myself, as to see if I could kill anything fit for food; and, as near as I could, to acquaint myself with what the island produced. The first time I went out, I presently discovered that there were goats in the island, which was a great satisfaction to me; but then it was attended with this misfortune to me, viz. that they were so shy, so subtle, and so swift of foot, that it was the most difficult thing in the world to come at them; but I was not discouraged at this, not doubting but I might now and then shoot one, as it soon happened; for after I had found their haunts a little, I laid wait in this manner for them: I observed if they saw me in the making it into a great cross, I set up on the shore where valleys, though they were upon the rocks, they would The first shot I made among these creatures, I killed a she-goat, which had a little kid by her, which she gave suck to, which grieved me heartily; for, when the old one fell, the kid stood stock still by her, till I came and took her up; and not only so, but when I carried the old one with me, upon my shoulders, the kid followed me quite to my inclosure; upon which, I laid down the dam, and took the kid in my arms, and carried it over my pale, in hopes to have bred it up tame; but it would not eat; so I was forced to kill it, and eat it myself. These two supplied me with flesh a great while, for I ate sparingly, and saved my provisions, my bread especially, as much as I possibly could. Having now fixed my habitation, I found it absolutely necessary to provide a place to make a fire in, and fuel to burn; and what I did for that, and also how I enlarged my cave, and what conveniences I made, I shall give a full account of in its place; but I must now give some little account of myself, and of my thoughts about living, which, it may well be supposed, were not a few. I had a dismal prospect of my condition for, as I was not cast away upon that island without being driven, as is said, by a violent storm, quite out of the course of our intended voyage, and a great way, viz. some hundreds of leagues, out of the ordinary course of the trade of mankind, I had great reason to consider it as a determination of Heaven, that in this desolate place, and in this desolate manner, I should end my life. The tears would run plentifully down my face when I made these reflections; and sometimes I would expostulate with myself why Providence should thus completely ruin His creatures, and render them so absolutely miserable; so without help, abandoned, so entirely depressed, that it could hardly be rational to be thankful for such a life. time. I am without any defence, or means to resist any violence of man or beast. I have no soul to speak to or relieve me. But I am cast on an island where I see no wild beasts to hurt me, as I saw on the coast of Africa: and what if I had been shipwrecked there? But God wonderfully sent the ship in near enough to the shore, that I have got out as many necessary things as will either supply my wants or enable me to supply myself, even as long as I live. In the next place, we are to observe that among the many things which I brought out of the ship, in the several voyages, which, as above mentioned, I made to it, I got several things of less value, but not at all less useful to me, which I omitted setting down before; as, in particular, pens, ink, and paper; several parcels in the captain's, mate's, gunner's, and carpenter's keeping; three or four compasses, some mathematical instruments, dials, perspectives, charts, and books of naviga- Upon the whole, here was an undoubted testimony, tion; all which I huddled together, whether I might that there was scarce any condition in the world so want them or no: also, I found three very good Bibles, miserable but there was something negative or somewhich came to me in my cargo from England, and which thing positive to be thankful for in it; and let this I had packed up among my things; some Portuguese stand as a direction, from the experience of the most books also; and, among them, two or three Popish miserable of all conditions in this world: that we may prayer-books, and several other books, all which I care- always find in it something to comfort ourselves from, fully secured. And I must not forget, that we had in and to set, in the description of good and evil, on the the ship a dog, and two cats, of whose eminent history credit side of the account. I may have occasion to say something in its place; for I carried both the cats with me; and as for the dog, he jumped out of the ship of himself, and swam on shore to me the day after I went on shore with my first cargo, and was a trusty servant to me many years; I wanted nothing that he could fetch me, nor any company that he could make up to me; I only wanted to have him talk to me, but that would not do. As I observed before, I found pens, ink, and paper, and I husbanded them to the utmost; and I shall show that while my ink lasted, I kept things very exact, but after that was gone I could not, for I could not make any ink by any means that I could devise. And this put me in mind that I wanted many things, notwithstanding all that I had amassed together; and of these, ink was one; as also a spade, pick-axe, and shovel, to dig or remove the earth; needles, pins, and thread: as for linen, I soon learned to want that without much difficulty. But something always returned swift upon me to check these thoughts, and to reprove me; and parti- This want of tools made every work I did go on cularly one day, walking with my gun in my hand by heavily; and it was near a whole year before I had the sea-side, I was very pensive upon the subject of my entirely finished my little pale, or surrounded my habipresent condition, when reason, as it were, expostulated tation. The piles or stakes, which were as heavy as I with me the other way, thus: "Well, you are in a deso- could well lift, were a long time in cutting and prelate condition, it is true; but, pray remember, where paring in the woods, and more, by far, in bringing home; are the rest of you? Did not you come eleven of you so that I spent sometimes two days in cutting and in the boat? Where are the ten? Why were not they bringing home one of those posts, and a third day in saved, and you lost? Why were you singled out? Is driving it into the ground; for which purpose, I got a it better to be here or there?" And then I pointed to heavy piece of wood at first, but at last bethought the sea. All evils are to be considered with the good myself of one of the iron crows; which, however, that is in them, and with what worse attends them. though I found it, made driving those posts or piles Then it occurred to me again, how well I was furnished very laborious and tedious work. But what need I have for my subsistence, and what would have been my case been concerned at the tediousness of anything I had to if it had not happened (which was a hundred thousand do, seeing I had time enough to do it in? nor had I any to one) that the ship floated from the place where she other employment, if that had been over, at least that first struck, and was driven so near to the shore, that II could foresee, except the ranging the island to seek for had time to get all these things out of her; what would food, which I did, more or less, every day. have been my case, if I had been forced to have lived in I now began to consider seriously my condition, and the condition in which I at first came on shore, without necessaries of life, or necessaries to supply and procure them? "Particularly," said I aloud (though to myself), "what should I have done without a gun, without ammunition, without any tools to make anything, or to work with, without clothes, bedding, a tent, or any manner of covering?" and that now I had all these in sufficient quantity, and was in a fair way to provide myself in such a manner as to live without my gun, when my ammunition was spent: so that I had a tolerable view of subsisting, without any want, as long as I lived; for I considered from the beginning, how I would provide for the accidents that might happen, and for the time that was to come, even not only after my ammunition should be spent, but even after my health and strength should decay. the circumstances I was reduced to; and I drew up the EVIL. I am cast upon a horof all hope of recovery. rible, desolate island, void I confess, I had not entertained any notion of my ammunition being destroyed at one blast-I mean my powder being blown up by lightning; and this made I am singled out and the thoughts of it so surprising to me, when it lightened separated, as it were, from and thundered, as I observed just now. And now being to enter into a melancholy relation of all the world, to be miser able. a scene of silent life, such, perhaps, as was never heard two minutes north of the line. I am divided from man GOOD. But I am alive; and not drowned, as all my ship's company were. But I am singled out, death; and He that mirac- Having now brought my mind a little to relish my condition, and given over looking out to sea, to see if I could spy a ship-I say, giving over these things, I began to apply myself to arrange my way of living, and to make things as easy to me as I could. I have already described my habitation, which was a tent under the side of a rock, surrounded with a strong pale of posts and cables; but I might now rather call it a wall, for I raised a kind of wall up against it of turfs, about two feet thick on the outside; and after some time (I think it was a year and a half) I raised rafters from it, leaning to the rock, and thatched or covered it with boughs of trees, and such things as I could get, to keep out the rain; which I found at some times of the year very violent. I have already observed how I brought all my good into this pale, and into the cave which I had made L hind me. But I must observe, too, that at first this wa a confused heap of goods, which, as they lay in no order, so they took up all my place; I had no room to turn myself: so I set myself to enlarge my cave, and work farther into the earth; for it was a loose sandy rock, which yielded easily to the labour I bestowed on it: and so when I found I was pretty safe as to beasts of prey, I worked sideways, to the right hand, into the rock; and then, turning to the right again, worked quite out, and made me a door to come out on the outside of my pale or fortification. This gave me not only egress and regress, as it was a back way to my tent and to my storehouse, but gave me room to store my goods. such And now I began to apply myself to ma necessary things as I found I most wanted, particularly a chair and a table; for without these I was not able to enjoy the few comforts I had in the world; I could not write or eat, or do several things, with so much pleasure without a table: so I went to work. And here I must needs observe, that as reason is the substance and origin of the mathematics, so by stating and squaring everything by reason, and by making the most rational judgment of things, every man may be, in time, master of every mechanic art. I had never handled a tool in my life; and yet, in time, by labour, application, and contrivance, I found, at last, that I wanted nothing but I could have made it, especially if I had had tools. However, I made abundance of things, even without tools; and some with no more tools than an adze and a hatchet, which perhaps were never made that way before, and that with infinite labour. For example, if I wanted a board, I had no other way but to cut down a tree, set it on an edge before me, and hew it flat on either side with my axe, till I had brought it to be thin as a plank, and then dub it smooth with my adze. It is true, by this method I could make but one board out of a whole tree; but this I had no remedy for but patience, any more than I had for the prodigious deal of time and labour which it took me up to make a plank or board: but my time or labour was little worth, and so it was as well employed one way as another. However, I made me a table and a chair, as I observed above, in the first place; and this I did out of the short pieces of boards that I brought on my raft from the ship. But when I had wrought out some boards as above, I made large shelves, of the breadth of a foot and a half, one over another all along one side of my cave, to lay all my tools, nails, and iron-work on; and, in a word, to But I am not starved, separate everything at large into their places, that I and perishing on a barren might come easily at them. I knocked pieces into the place, affording no susten-wall of the rock to hang my guns and all things that would hang up: so that, had my cave been to be seen, it looked like a general magazine of all necessary things; But I am in a hot cli- and I had everything so ready at my hand, that it was a mate, where, if I had great pleasure to me to see all my goods in such order, clothes, I could hardly and especially to find my stock of all necessaries so wear them. great. ance. And now it was that I began to keep a journal of every day's employment; for, indeed, at first, I was in too much hurry, and not only hurry as to labour, but in too much discomposure of mind; and my journal would have been full of many dull things; for example, I must have said thus: "Sept. 30th.-After I had got to shore, and had escaped drowning, instead of being thankful to God for my deliverance, having first vomited, with the great quantity of salt water which had got into my stomach, and recovering myself a little, I ran about the shore wringing my hands and beating my head and face, exclaiming at my misery, and crying out, I was undone, undone!' till, tired and faint, I was forced to lie down on the ground to repose, but durst not sleep, for fear of being devoured." Some days after this, and after I had been on board the ship, and got all that I could out of her, yet I could not forbear getting up to the top of a little mountain, and looking out to sea, in hopes of seeing a ship; then fancy, at a vast distance, I spied a sail, please myself with the hopes of it, and then after looking steadily, till I was almost blind, lose it quite, and sit down and weep like a child, and thus increase my misery by my folly. But having gotten over these things in some measure, and having settled my household stuff and habitation, made me a table and a chair, and all as handsome about me as I could, I began to keep my journal; of which I shall here give you the copy (though in it will be told all these particulars over again) as long as it lasted; for having no more ink, I was forced to leave it off. THE JOURNAL. September 30, 1659.-I, poor, miserable Robinson Crusoe, being shipwrecked, during a dreadful storm, in the offing, came on shore on this dismal, unfortunate got upon it; but, being in shoal water, and the things being chiefly heavy, I recovered many of them when the tide was out. Oct 25.-It rained all night and all day, with some gusts of wind; during which time the ship broke in pieces, the wind blowing a little harder than before, and was no more to be seen, except the wreck of her, and that only at low water. I spent this day in covering and securing the goods which I had saved, that the rain might not spoil them. Oct. 26.-1 walked about the shore almost all day, to find out a place to fix my habitation, greatly concerned to secure myself from any attack in the night, either from wild beasts or men. Towards night, I fixed upon a proper place, under a rock, and marked out a semicircle for my encampment; which I resolved to strengthen with a work, wall, or fortification, made of double piles, lined within with cables, and without with turf. From the 26th to 30th, I worked very hard in carrying all my goods to my new habitation, though some part of the time it rained exceedingly hard. The 31st, in the morning, I went out into the island with my gun, to see for some food, and discover the country; when I killed a she-goat, and her kid followed me home, which I afterwards killed also, because it would not feed. November 1.-I set up my tent under a rock, and lay there for the first night; making it as large as I could, with stakes driven in to swing my hammock upon. Nov. 2.-I set up all my chests and boards, and the pieces of timber which made my rafts, and with them formed a fence round me, a little within the place I had marked out for my fortification. Nov. 3.-I went out with my gun, and killed two fowls like ducks, which were very good food. In the afternoon went to work to make me a table. CRUSOE SETS UP A POST. island, which I called "The Island of Despair;" all the rest of the ship's company being drowned, and myself almost dead. All the rest of the day I spent in afflicting myself at the dismal circumstances I was brought to; viz. I had neither food, house, clothes, weapon, nor place to fly to; and, in despair of any relief, saw nothing but death before me either that I should be devoured by wild beasts, murdered by savages, or starved to death for want of food. At the approrch of night I slept in a tree, for fear of wild creatures; but slept soundly, though it rained all night. October 1.-In the morning I saw, to my great surprise, the ship had floated with the high tide, and was driven on shore again much nearer the island; which, as it was some comfort, on one hand-for, seeing her set upright, and not broken to pieces, I hoped, if the wind abated, I might get on board, and get some food and necessaries out of her for my relief-so, on the other hand, it renewed my grief at the loss of my comrades, who, I imagined, if we had all stayed on board, might have saved the ship, or, at least, that they would not have been all drowned, as they were; and that, had the men been saved, we might perhaps have built us a boat, out of the ruins of the ship, to have carried us to some other part of the world. I spent great part of this day in perplexing myself on these things; but, at length, seeing the ship almost dry, I went upon the sand as near as I could, and then swam on board. This day also it continued raining, though with no wind at all. From the 1st of October to the 24th.-All these days entirely spent in many several voyages to get all I could out of the ship, which I brought on shore every tide of flood upon rafts. Much rain also in the days, though with some intervals of fair weather; but it seems this was the rainy season. Oct. 20.-I overset my raft, and all the goods I had Nov. 4.-This morning I began to order my times of work, of going out with my gun, time of sleep, and time of diversion; viz. every morning I walked out with my gun for two or three hours, if it did not rain; then employed myself to work till about eleven o'clock; then eat what I had to live on; and from twelve till two I lay down to sleep, the weather being excessively hot; and then, in the evening, to work again. The working part of this day and of the next were wholly employed in making my table, for I was yet but a very sorry workman, though time and necessity made me a complete natural mechanic soon after, as I believe they would do any one else. Nov. 5.-This day, went abroad with my gun and my dog, and killed a wild cat; her skin pretty soft, but her flesh good for nothing; every creature that I killed I took off the skins and preserved them. Coming back by the sea-shore, I saw many sorts of sea-fowls, which I did not understand; but was surprised, and almost frightened, with two or three seals, which, while I was gazing at, not well knowing what they were, got into the sea, and escaped me for that time. Nov. 6.-After my morning walk, I went to work with my table again, and finished it, though not to my liking; nor was it long before I learned to mend it. Nov. 7.-Now it began to be settled fair weather. The 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and part of the 12th (for the 11th was Sunday), I took wholly up to make me a chair, and with much ado brought it to a tolerable shape, but never to please me; and even in the making I pulled it in pieces several times. Note. I soon neglected my keeping Sundays; for, omitting my mark for them on my post, I forgot which was which. Nov. 13.-This day it rained, which refreshed me exceedingly, and cooled the earth; but it was accompanied with terrible thunder and lightning, which frightened me dreadfully, for fear of my powder. As soon as it was over, I resolved to separate my stock of powder into as many little parcels as possible, that it might not be in danger. Nov, 14, 15, 16.-These three days I spent in making little square chests, or boxes, which might hold about a pound, or two pounds at most, of powder; and so, putting the powder in, I stowed it in places as secure and remote from one another as possible. On one of these three days, I killed a large bird that was good to eat, but I knew not what to call it. Nov. 17.-This day I began to dig behind my tent into the rock, to make room for my further conveniency. Note.-Three things I wanted exceedingly for this work; viz. a pickaxe, a shovel, and a wheelbarrow, or basket; so I desisted from my work, and began to consider how to supply that want, and make me some tools. As for the pickaxe, I made use of the iron crows, which were proper enough, though heavy; but the next thing was a shovel, or spade; this was so absolutely necessary, that, indeed, I could do nothing effectually without it; but what kind of one to make I knew not. Nov. 18.-The next day, in searching the woods, I found a tree of that wood, or like it, which, in the Brazils, they call the iron-tree, for its exceeding hardness. Of this, with great labour, and almost spoiling my axe, I cut a piece, and brought it home, too, with difficulty enough, for it was exceeding heavy. The excessive hardness of the wood, and my having no other way, made me a long while upon this machine, for I worked it effectually by little and little into the form of a shovel or spade; the handle exactly shaped like ours in England, only that the board part having no iron shod upon it at bottom, it would not last me so long; however, it served well enough for the uses which I had occasion to put it to; but never was a shovel, I believe, made after that fashion, or so long in making. I was still deficient, for I wanted a basket, or a wheelbarrow. A basket I could not make by any means, having no such things as twigs that would bend to make wicker-ware-at least, none yet found out; and as to a wheelbarrow, I fancied I could make all but the wheel; but that I had no notion of; neither did I know how to go about it; besides I had no possible way to make the iron gudgeons 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 hod 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 that four days-I mean always excepting my morning walk with my gun, which I seldom failed, and very seldom failed also bringing home something fit to eat. Nov. 23.-My other work having now stood still, because of my making these tools, when they were finished I went on, and working every day, as my strength and time allowed, I spent eighteen days entirely in widening and deepening my cave, that it might hold my goods commodiously. Note.-During all this time, I worked 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 season of the year, it rained so hard that I could not keep myself dry, which caused 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 meand not without reason, too, for if I had been under it, I had never have wanted a grave-digger. I had now 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 ceiling to prop up, so that I might be sure no more would come down. Dec. 11.-This day I went to work with it accordingly, and got two shores or posts pitched upright to the top, with two pieces of boards across over each post; this I finished the next day; and setting more posts up with boards, in a about a week more I had the roof secured, and the posts, standing in rows, served me for partitions to part off the house. Dec. 17.-From this day to the 20th I placed shelves, and knocked up nails on the posts, to hang everything up that could be hung up; and now I began to be in some order within doors. Dec. 20.-Now I carried everything into the cave, and began to furnish my house, and set up some pieces of boards like a dresser, to order my victuals upon; but boards began to be very scarce with me; also, 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.-Killed a young goat, and lamed another so that I caught it and led it home in a string; when I had it at home, I bound and splintered up its leg, which was broke. N.B.-I took such care of it that it lived, and the leg grew well and as strong as ever; but, by my nursing 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 entertained a thought of breeding up some tame creatures, that I might have food when my powder and shot was all spent. Dec. 28, 29, 30, 31.-Great heats, and no breeze, so 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 centre of the island, I found there were plenty of goats, though exceedingly shy, and hard to come at; however, I resolved 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 set him upon the goats; but I was mistaken, for they all faced about upon the dog, and he knew his danger too well, for he would not come near them. Jan. 3.-I began my fence, or wall; which, being still jealous of my being attacked by somebody, I resolved to make very thick and strong. tioned that I threw this stuff away, taking no notice, than I plainly saw it was a terrible earthquake; for the It is impossible to express the astonishment and confusion of my thoughts on this occasion. I had hitherto acted upon no religious foundation at all; indeed, I had very few notions of religion in my head, nor had entertained any sense of anything that had befallen me, otherwise than as chance, or, as we lightly say, what pleases God, without so much as inquiring into the end of Providence in these things, or His order in governing events for the world. But after I saw barley grow there, in a climate which I knew was not proper for corn, and especially that I knew not how it came there, it startled me strangely, and I began to suggest that God had miraculously caused His grain to grow without any help of seed sown, and that it was so directed purely for my sustenance on that wild, miserable place. This touched my heart a little, and brought tears out of my eyes, and I began to bless myself that such a prodigy of nature should happen upon my account; and this was the more strange to me, because I saw near it still, all along by the side of the rock, some other straggling stalks, which proved to be stalks of rice, and which I knew, because I had seen it grow in Africa; when I was ashore there. N.B.-This wall being described before, I purposely I not only thought these the pure productions of omit what was said in the journal; it is sufficient to Providence for my support, but, not doubting that there observe, that I was no less time than from the 3rd of was more in the place, I went all over that part of the January to the 14th of April working, finishing, and island where I had been before, peering in every corner, perfecting this wall, though it was no more than about and under every rock, to see for more of it, but I could twenty-four yards in length, being a half-circle, from not find any. At last it occurred to my thoughts, that one place in the rock to another place, about eight I shook a bag of chickens' meat out in that place; and yards from it, the door of the cave being in the centre then the wonder began to cease; and I must confess, bebind it. my religious thankfulness to God's providence began All this time I worked very hard, the rains hindering to abate, too, upon the discovering that all this was me many days, nay, sometimes weeks together; but I nothing but what was common: though I ought to have thought I should never be perfectly secure till this wall been as thankful for so strange and unforeseen a proviwas finished; and it is scarce credible what inexpressi-dence, as if it had been miraculous; for it was really ble labour everything was done with, especially the the work of Providence to me, that should order or bringing piles out of the woods, and driving them into appoint that ten or twelve grains of corn should remain the ground; for I made them much bigger than I unspoiled, when the rats had destroyed all the rest, as need to have done. if it had been dropped from heaven; as also that I should When this wall was finished, and the outside double-throw it out in that particular place, where, it being in fenced, with a turf wall raised up close to it, I persuaded the shade of a high rock, it sprang up immediately; myself that if any people were to come on shore there, whereas, if I had thrown it anywhere else, at that time, they would not perceive anything like a habitation; and it had been burnt up and destroyed. it was very well I did so, as may be observed hereafter, upon a very remarkable occasion. Besides this barley, there were, as above, twenty or thirty stalks of rice, which I preserved with the same care and for the same use, or to the same purpose-to make me bread, or rather food; for I found ways to cook it without baking, though I did that also after some time. But to return to my Journal: I worked excessively hard these three or four months, to get my wall done; and the 14th of April I closed it up, contriving to go into it, not by a door, but over the wall, by a ladder, that there might be no sign on the outside of my habitation. I carefully saved the ears of this corn, you may be sure, in their season, which was about the end of June; During this time I made my rounds in the woods for and, laying up every corn, I resolved to sow them all game every day when the rain permitted me, and made again, hoping, in time, to have some quantity, sufficient frequent discoveries in these walks of something or to supply me with bread. But it was not till the fourth other to my advantage; particularly, I found a kind of year that I could allow myself the least grain of this wild pigeons, which build, not as wood-pigeons in a tree, corn to eat, and even then but sparingly, as I shall say but rather as house-pigeons, in the holes of the rocks; afterwards, in its order; for I lost all that I sowed the and taking some young ones, I endeavoured to breed first season, by not observing the proper time; for I them up tame, and did so; but when they grew older sowed it just before the dry season, so that it never they flew away, which perhaps was at first for want of came up at all, at least not as it would have done; of feeding them, for I had nothing to give them; however, which in its place. I frequently found their nests, and got their young ones, which were very good meat. And now, in the managing my household affairs, I found myself wanting in many things, which I thought at first it was impossible for me to make; as, indeed, with some of them it was: for instance, I could never make a cask to be hooped. I had a small runlet or two, as I observed before; but I could never arrive at the capacity of making one by them, though I spent many weeks about it; I could neither put in the heads, nor join 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 loss for candles; so that as soon as ever it was dark, which was generally by seven o'clock, I was obliged to go to bed. I remembered 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 killed a goat I saved the tallow, and with a little dish made of clay, which I baked in the sun, to which I added a wick of some oakum, I made me a lamp; and this gave me light, though not a clear steady light like a candle. In the middle of all my labours it happened that, rummaging my things, I found a little bag, which, as I hinted before, had been filled with corn for the feeding of poultry-not for this voyage, but before, as I suppose, when the ship came from Lisbon. The little remainder of corn that had been in the bag was all devoured by the rats, and I saw nothing in the bag but husks and dust; and being willing to have the bag for some other use (I think it was to put powder in, when I divided it for fear of the lightning, or some such use), I shook 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 men April 16-I finished the ladder; so I went up the ladder to the top, and then pulled it up after me, and let it down in the inside. This was a complete inclosure to me; for within I had room enough, and nothing could come at me from without, unless it could first mount my wall. The very next day after this wall was finished, I had almost had all my labour overthrown at once, and myself killed. The case was thus:-As I was busy in the inside, behind my tent, just at the entrance into my cave, I was terribly frighted with a most dreadful surprising thing indeed; for, all on a sudden, I found the earth come crumbling down from the roof of my cave, and from the edge of the hill over my head, and two of the posts I had set up in the cave cracked in a frightful manner. I was heartily scared; but thought nothing of what was really the cause, only thinking that the top of my cave was fallen in, as some of it had done before: and for fear I should be buried in it, I ran forward to my ladder, and not thinking myself safe there neither, I got over my wall for fear of the pieces of the hill, which I expected might roll down upon me. I had no sooner stepped down upon the firm ground, After the third shock was over, and I felt no more for some time, I began to take courage; and yet I had not heart enough to go over my wall again, for fear of being buried alive, but sat still upon the ground greatly cast down and disconsolate, not knowing what to do. All this while, I had not the least serious religious thought; nothing but the common "Lord, have mercy upon me!" and when it was over, that went away too. the While I sat thus, I found the air overcast, and grow cloudy, as if it would rain. Soon after that, the wind arose by little and little, so that in less than half an hour it blew a most dreadful hurricane, the sea was all on a sudden covered over with foam and froth; shore was covered with the breach of the water; the trees were torn up by the roots; and a terrible storm it was. This held about three hours, and then began to abate: and in two hours more it was quite calm, and began to rain very hard. All this while I sat upon the ground, very much terrified and dejected; when on a sudden it came into my thoughts, that these winds and rain being the consequences of the earthquake, the earthquake itself was spent and over, and I might venture into my cave again. With this thought, my spirits began to revive; and the rain also helping to persuade me, I went in and sat down in my tent. But the rain was so violent, that my tent was ready to be beaten down with it; and I was forced to go into my cave, though very much afraid and uneasy, for fear it should fall on my head. This violent rain forced me to a new work, viz. to cut a hole through my new fortification, like a sink, to let the water go out, which would else have flooded my cave. After I had been in my cave for some time, and found still no more shocks of the earthquake follow, I began to be more composed. And now, to support my spirits, which indeed wanted it very much, I went to my little store, and took a small sup of rum; which, however, I did then and always very sparingly, knowing I could have no more when that was gone. It continued raining all that night, and great part of the next day, so that I could not stir abroad: but my mind being more composed, I began to think of what I had best do; concluding, that if the island was subject to these earthquakes, there would be no living for me in a cave, but I must consider of building a little hut in an open place, which I might surround with a wall, as I had done here, and so make myself secure from wild beasts or men; for I concluded if I stayed where I was, I should certainly, one time or other, be buried alive. With these thoughts, I resolved to remove my tent from the place where it stood, which was just under the hanging precipice of the hill; and which, if it should be shaken again, would certainly fall upon my tent; and I spent the two next days, being the 19th and 20th of April, in contriving where and how to remove my habitation. The fear of being swallowed up alive made me that I never slept in quiet; and yet the apprehension of lying abroad without any fence was almost equal to it; but still, when I looked about, and saw how everything was put in order, how pleasantly concealed I was, and how safe from danger, it made me very loath to remove. In the mean time, it occurred to me that it would require a vast deal of time for me to do this, and that I must be contented to venture where I was, till I had formed a camp for myself, and had secured it so as to remove to it. So with this resolution I composed myself for a time, and resolved that I would go to work with all speed to build me a wall with piles and cables, &c., in a circle, as before, and set up my tent in it, when it was finished; but that I would venture to stay where I was till it was finished, and fit to remove. This was the 21st. April 22.-The next morning I began to consider of means to put this resolve into execution; but I was at a great loss about my tools. I had three large axes, and abundance of hatchets (for we carried the hatchets for traffic with the Indians); but with much chopping and cutting knotty hard wood, they were all full of notches and dull; and though I had a grindstone, I could not turn it and grind my tools too. This cost me as much thought as a statesman would have bestowed upon a grand point of politics, or a judge upon the life |