by Daniel Defoe
walked about the shore almost all day, to find out a placeto fix my habitation; greatly concerned to secure myself from any attackin the night, either from wild beasts or men. Towards night I fixed upona proper place, under a rock, and marked out a semi-circle for myencampment; which I resolved to strengthen with a work, wall, orfortification, made of double piles, lined within with cables, andwithout with turf.
From the 26th to the 30th, I worked very hard in carrying all my goodsto my new habitation, though some part of the time it rainedexceedingly hard.
The 31st, in the morning, I went out into the island with my gun, to seefor some food, and discover the country; when I killed a she-goat, andher kid followed me home, which I afterwards killed also, because itwould not feed.
_November_ 1. I set up my tent under a rock, and lay there for the firstnight; making it as large as I could, with stakes driven in to swing myhammock upon.
_Nov_. 2. I set up all my chests and boards, and the pieces of timberwhich made my rafts; and with them formed a fence round me, a littlewithin the place I had marked out for my fortification.
_Nov_. 3. I went out with my gun, and killed two fowls like ducks, whichwere very good food. In the afternoon I went to work to make me a table.
_Nov_. 4. This morning I began to order my times of work, of going outwith my gun, time of sleep, and time of diversion; viz. every morning Iwalked out with my gun for two or three hours, if it did not rain; thenemployed myself to work till about eleven o'clock; then ate what I hadto live on; and from twelve to two I lay down to sleep, the weatherbeing excessive hot; and then, in the evening, to work again. Theworking part of this day and the next was wholly employed in making mytable, for I was yet but a very sorry workman: though time and necessitymade me a complete natural mechanic soon after, as I believe they wouldany one else.
_Nov. 5._ This day went abroad with my gun and dog, and killed a wildcat; her skin pretty soft, but her flesh good for nothing: of everycreature that I killed I took off the skins, and preserved them. Comingback by the sea-shore, I saw many sorts of sea-fowl which I did notunderstand: but was surprised, and almost frightened, with two or threeseals; which, while I was gazing at them (not well knowing what theywere) got into the sea, and escaped me for that time.
_Nov. 6._ After my morning walk, I went to work with my table again, andfinished it, though not to my liking: nor was it long before I learnedto 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, according to myreckoning) 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 inthe making, I pulled it in pieces several times.
_Note._ I soon neglected my keeping Sundays; for, omitting my mark forthem on my post, I forgot which was which.
_Nov. 13._ This day it rained; which refreshed me exceedingly, andcooled the earth: but it was accompanied with terrible thunder andlightning, which frightened me dreadfully, for fear of my powder. Assoon as it was over, I resolved to separate my stock of powder into asmany little parcels as possible, that it might not be in danger.
_Nov. 14, 15, 16._ These three days I spent in making little squarechests 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 assecure and as remote from one another as possible. On one of these threedays I killed a large bird that was good to eat; but I knew not whatto call it.
_Nov. 17._ This day I began to dig behind my tent, into the rock, tomake room for my farther convenience.
_Note._ Three things I wanted exceedingly for this work, viz. apick-axe, a shovel, and a wheel-barrow, or basket; so I desisted from mywork, and began to consider how to supply these wants, and make me sometools. As for a pick-axe, I made use of the iron crows, which wereproper enough, though heavy: but, the next thing was a shovel or spade;this was so absolutely necessary, that, indeed, I could do nothingeffectually 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 thatwood, or like it, which, in the Brazils, they call the iron tree, fromits exceeding hardness: of this, with great labour, and almost spoilingmy 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 myhaving no other way, made me a long while upon this machine; for Iworked it effectually, by little and little, into the form of a shovelor spade; the handle exactly shaped like ours in England, only that thebroad part having no iron shod upon it at bottom, it would not last meso long: however, it served well enough for the uses which I hadoccasion to put it to; but never was a shovel, I believe, made afterthat fashion, or so long a-making.
I was still deficient: for I wanted a basket, or a wheel-barrow. Abasket I could not make by any means, having no such things as twigsthat would bend to make wicker-ware; at least, none yet found out: andas to the wheel-barrow, I fancied I could make all but the wheel, butthat I had no notion of; neither did I know how to go about it: besides,I had no possible way to make iron gudgeons for the spindle or axis ofthe wheel to run in; so I gave it over: and, for carrying away the earthwhich I dug out of the cave, I made me a thing like a hod, which thelabourers carry mortar in for the brick-layers. This was not sodifficult to me as the making the shovel: and yet this and the shovel,and the attempt which I made in vain to make a wheel-barrow, took me upno less than four days; I mean, always excepting my morning walk with mygun, which I seldom omitted, and very seldom failed also bringing homesomething fit to eat.
_Nov. 23._ My other work having now stood still, because of my makingthese tools, when they were finished I went on; and working every day,as my strength and time allowed, I spent eighteen days entirely inwidening and deepening my cave, that it might hold my goodscommodiously.
_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 a lodging, I kept to the tent;except that sometimes, in the wet season of the year, it rained so hardthat I could not keep myself dry; which caused me afterwards to coverall 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 oftrees, like a thatch.
_December 10._ I began now to think my cave or vault finished; when on asudden (it seems I had made it too large) a great quantity of earth felldown from the top and one side: so much, that, in short, it frightenedme, and not without reason too; for if I had been under it, I shouldnever have wanted a grave-digger. Upon this disaster, I had a great dealof 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 Imight be sure no more would come down.
_Dec. 11._ This day I went to work with it accordingly; and got twoshores or posts pitched upright to the top, with two pieces of boardacross over each post; this I finished the next day; and setting moreposts up with boards, in about a week more I had the roof secured; andthe posts, standing in rows, served me for partitions to part offmy house.
_Dec. 17._ From this day to the 30th, I placed shelves, and knocked upnails on the posts, to hang every thing up that could be hung up: andnow I began to be in some order within doors.
_Dec. 20._ I carried every thing into the cave, and began to furnish myhouse, and set up some pieces of boards, like a dresser, to order myvictuals upon; but boards began to be very scarce with me: also I mademe 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, andpleasanter.
_Dec. 27._ Killed a young goat; and lamed another, so that I catched it,and led it home in a string: when I had it home, I bound and splinteredup its leg, which was broke.
_N.B._ I took such care of it that it lived; and the leg grew well, andas strong as ever: but, by nursing i
t so long, it grew tame, and fedupon the little green at my door, and would not go away. This was thefirst time that I entertained a thought of breeding up some tamecreatures, 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 nostirring abroad, except in the evening, for food: this time I spent inputting all my things in order within doors.
_January 1._ Very hot still; but I went abroad early and late with mygun, and lay still in the middle of the day. This evening, going fartherinto the vallies which lay towards the centre of the island, I foundthere was plenty of goats, though exceeding shy, and hard to come at;however, I resolved to try if I could not bring my dog to hunt themdown. Accordingly, the next day, I went out with my dog, and set himupon the goats: but I was mistaken, for they all faced about upon thedog: 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 mybeing attacked by somebody, I resolved to make very thick and strong.
_N.B._ This wall being described before, I purposely omit what was saidin the journal: it is sufficient to observe, that I was no less timethan from the 3d of January to the 14th of April, working, finishing,and perfecting this wall; though it was no more than about 25 yards inlength, being a half-circle, from one place in the rock to anotherplace, about twelve yards from it, the door of the cave being in thecentre, 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 perfectlysecure till this wall was finished; and it is scarce credible whatinexpressible labour every thing was done with, especially the bringingpiles out of the woods, and driving them into the ground; for I madethem much bigger than I needed to have done.
When this wall was finished, and the outside double-fenced, with aturf-wall raised up close to it, I persuaded myself that if any peoplewere to come on shore there they would not perceive any thing like ahabitation: 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 thesewalks, of something or other to my advantage; particularly, I found akind of wild pigeons, who build, not as wood-pigeons, in a tree, butrather as house-pigeons, in the holes of the rocks: and, taking someyoung ones, I endeavoured to breed them up tame, and did so; but whenthey grew older, they flew all away; which, perhaps, was at first forwant of feeding them, for I had nothing to give them: however, Ifrequently found their nests, and got their young ones, which were verygood meat. And now, in the managing my household affairs, I found myselfwanting in many things, which I thought at first it was impossible forme to make; as indeed, as to some of them, it was: for instance, I couldnever make a cask to be hooped. I had a small runlet or two, as Iobserved before; but I could never arrive to the capacity of making oneby them, though I spent many weeks about it: I could neither put in theheads, nor join the staves so true to one another as to make them holdwater; so I gave that also over. In the next place, I was at a greatloss for candle; so that as soon as it was dark, which was generally byseven o'clock, I was obliged to go to bed. I remember the lump ofbees-wax with which I made candles in my African adventure; but I hadnone of that now; the only remedy I had was, that when I had killed agoat, I saved the tallow; and with a little dish made of clay, which Ibaked in the sun, to which I added a wick of some oakum, I made me alamp; and this gave me light, though not a clear steady light like acandle. In the middle of all my labours it happened, that in rummagingmy things, I found a little bag; which, as I hinted before, had beenfilled with corn, for the feeding of poultry; not for this voyage, butbefore, as I suppose, when the ship came from Lisbon. What littleremainder of corn had been in the bag was all devoured with the rats,and I saw nothing in the bag but husks and dust; and being willing tohave the bag for some other use (I think, it was to put powder in, whenI divided it for fear of the lightning, or some such use,) I shook thehusks of corn out of it, on one side of my fortification, underthe rock.
It was a little before the great rain just now mentioned, that I threwthis stuff away; taking no notice of any thing, and not so much asremembering that I had thrown any thing there: when about a month after,I saw some few stalks of something green, shooting out of the ground,which I fancied might be some plant I had not seen; but I was surprised,and perfectly astonished, when, after a little longer time, I saw aboutten or twelve ears come out, which were perfect green barley of the samekind as our European, nay, as our English barley.
It is impossible to express the astonishment and confusion of mythoughts on this occasion: I had hitherto acted upon no religiousfoundation at all; indeed, I had very few notions of religion in myhead, nor had entertained any sense of any thing 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 in the world. But after I saw barleygrow there, in a climate which I knew was not proper for corn, andespecially as I knew not how it came there, it startled me strangely;and I began to suggest, that God had miraculously caused this grain togrow without any help of seed sown, and that it was so directed purelyfor my sustenance, on that wild miserable place.
This touched my heart a little, and brought tears out of my eyes; and Ibegan to bless myself that such a prodigy of nature should happen uponmy account: and this was the more strange to me, because I saw near itstill, 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 seenit grow in Africa, when I was ashore there.
I not only thought these the pure productions of Providence for mysupport, but, not doubting that there was more in the place, I went overall that part of the island where I had been before, searching in everycorner, and under every rock, for more of it; but I could not find any.At last it occurred to my thoughts, that I had shook out a bag ofchicken's-meat in that place, and then the wonder began to cease: and Imust confess, my religious thankfulness to God's providence began toabate too, upon the discovering that all this was nothing but what wascommon; though I ought to have been as thankful for so strange andunforeseen a providence, as if it had been miraculous: for it was reallythe work of Providence, as to me, that should order or appoint that tenor twelve grains of corn should remain unspoiled, when the rats haddestroyed all the rest, as if it had been dropt from heaven; as also,that I should throw it out in that particular place, where, it being inthe shade of a high rock, it sprang up immediately; whereas, if I hadthrown it any where else, at that time, it would have been burnt up anddestroyed.
I carefully saved the ears of this corn, you may be sure, in theirseason, which was about the end of June; and, laying up every corn, Iresolved to sow them all again; hoping, in time, to have some quantitysufficient to supply me with bread. But it was not till the fourth yearthat I could allow myself the least grain of this corn to eat, and eventhen but sparingly, as I shall show afterwards, in its order; for I lostall that I sowed the first season, by not observing the proper time; asI sowed just before the dry season, so that it never came up at all, atleast not as it would have done; of which in its place.
Besides this barley, there were, as above, twenty or thirty stalks ofrice, which I preserved with the same care; and whose use was of thesame kind, or to the same purpose, viz. to make me bread, or ratherfood; for I found ways to cook it up without baking, though I did thatalso after some time.--But to return to my Journal.
I worked excessively hard these three or four months, to get my walldone; and the 14th of April I closed it up; contriving to get into it,not by a door, but over the wall, by a ladder, that there might be nosign on the outside of my habitation.
_April 16._ I finished the ladder; so I went up with the ladder to thetop, and then pulled it up after me, and let it down in the inside: thiswas a co
mplete enclosure to me; for within I had room enough, andnothing could come at me from without, unless it could first mountmy wall.
The very next day after this wall was finished, I had almost all mylabour overthrown at once, and myself killed; the case was thus:--As Iwas busy in the inside of it, behind my tent, just at the entrance intomy cave, I was terribly frightened with a most dreadful surprising thingindeed; for, all on a sudden, I found the earth come crumbling down fromthe roof of my cave, and from the edge of the hill over my head, and twoof the posts I had set up in the cave cracked in a frightful manner. Iwas heartily scared; but thought nothing of what really was the cause,only thinking that the top of my cave was falling in, as some of it haddone before: and for fear I should be buried in it, I ran forward to myladder, and not thinking myself safe there neither, I got over my wallfor fear of the pieces of the hill which I expected might roll down uponme. I had no sooner stepped down upon the firm ground, than I plainlysaw it was a terrible earthquake; for the ground I stood on shook threetimes at about eight minutes distance, with three such shocks as wouldhave overturned the strongest building that could be supposed to havestood on the earth; and a great piece of the top of a rock, which stoodabout half a mile from me, next the sea, fell down, with such a terriblenoise as I never heard in all my life. I perceived also that the verysea was put into a violent motion by it; and I believe the shocks werestronger under the water than on the island.
I was so much amazed with the thing itself (having never felt the like,nor discoursed with any one that had) that I was like one dead orstupified; and the motion of the earth made my stomach sick, like onethat was tossed at sea: but the noise of the falling of the rock awakedme, as it were; and rousing me from the stupified condition I was in,filled me with horror, and I thought of nothing but the hill fallingupon my tent and my household goods, and burying all at once; this sunkmy very soul within me a second time.
After the third shock was over, and I felt no more for some time, Ibegan to take
