The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe
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.—I 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 the 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
seek 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.
_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 to 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 of 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 than 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 on one side; so much that, in short, it frighted
me, and not without reason, too, for if I had been under it, I had
never wanted a gravedigger. 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 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.—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.
_N.B._—This wall being described before, I purposely omit what was said
in the journal; it is sufficient to observe, that I was no less time
than from the 2nd of January to the 14th of April working, finishing,
and perfecting this wall, though it was no more than about twenty-four
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 centre behind it.
All this time I worked 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 finished; and it is scarce credible
what inexpressible labour everything 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 needed to have done.
When this wall was finished, and the outside double fenced, with a turf
wall raised up close to it, I perceived myself that if any people were
to come on shore there, they would not perceive anything like a
habitation; and it was very well I did so, as may be observed
hereafter, upon a very remarkable occasion.
During this time I made my rounds in the woods for game every day when
the rain permitted me, and made frequent discoveries in these walks of
something or other to my advantage; particularly, I found a kind of
wild pigeons, which build, not as wood-pigeons in a tree, but rather as
house-pigeons, in the holes of the rocks; and taking some young ones, I
endeavoured to breed them up tame, and did so; but when they grew older
they flew away, which perhaps was at first for want of feeding them,
for I had nothing to give them; however, 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