• TABLE OF CONTENTS
HIDE
 Frontispiece
 Title Page
 About the author
 My birth and parentage
 Make a trading voyage to Guinea...
 Make for the southward, in hopes...
 Appearance of the wreck and country...
 I begin to keep a journal
 Observe the ship driven farther...
 I begin to take a survey of my...
 Make a second tour through the...
 I attempt to mould my earthenware,...
 I succeed in getting a canoe afloat,...
 Description of my figure
 I observe a canoe at sea
 Description of my situation in...
 Reflections
 I am at great pains to instruct...
 I determine to go over to...
 I learn from the Spaniard that...
 The ship makes signals for her...
 I take leave fo the island, and...
 Strange battle betwixt Friday and...
 Advertising






Group Title: Robinson Crusoe
Title: The Life and adventures of Robinson Crusoe
CITATION THUMBNAILS PAGE TURNER PAGE IMAGE ZOOMABLE
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STANDARD VIEW MARC VIEW
Permanent Link: http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00073599/00001
 Material Information
Title: The Life and adventures of Robinson Crusoe
Uniform Title: Robinson Crusoe
Physical Description: 247, 2 p., 1 leaf of plates : 1 ill. ; 16 cm.
Language: English
Creator: Defoe, Daniel, 1661?-1731
Oliver and Boyd
Publisher: Oliver and Boyd
Place of Publication: Edinburgh
Manufacturer: Oliver and Boyd
Publication Date: 188-?
 Subjects
Subject: Castaways -- Juvenile fiction   ( lcsh )
Shipwrecks -- Juvenile fiction   ( lcsh )
Survival after airplane accidents, shipwrecks, etc -- Juvenile fiction   ( lcsh )
Imaginary voyages -- 1885   ( rbgenr )
Publishers' advertisements -- 1885   ( rbgenr )
Genre: Imaginary voyages   ( rbgenr )
Publishers' advertisements   ( rbgenr )
fiction   ( marcgt )
Spatial Coverage: Scotland -- Edinburgh
 Notes
General Note: Date from a similar edition described in Lovett, R.W. Robinson Crusoe, 604.
General Note: Publisher's advertisements (2 p.) at end.
General Note: Part I of Robinson Crusoe.
 Record Information
Bibliographic ID: UF00073599
Volume ID: VID00001
Source Institution: University of Florida
Rights Management: All rights reserved by the source institution and holding location.
Resource Identifier: oclc - 27966248

Table of Contents
    Frontispiece
        Frontispiece
    Title Page
        Page 1
    About the author
        Page 2
    My birth and parentage
        Page 3
        Page 4
        Page 5
        Page 6
        Page 7
        Page 8
        Page 9
        Page 10
        Page 11
        Page 12
        Page 13
    Make a trading voyage to Guinea very successfully
        Page 14
        Page 15
        Page 16
        Page 17
        Page 18
        Page 19
        Page 20
        Page 21
        Page 22
        Page 23
        Page 24
    Make for the southward, in hopes of meeting with some European vessel
        Page 25
        Page 26
        Page 27
        Page 28
        Page 29
        Page 30
        Page 31
        Page 32
        Page 33
        Page 34
        Page 35
        Page 36
        Page 37
        Page 38
        Page 39
        Page 40
    Appearance of the wreck and country next day
        Page 41
        Page 42
        Page 43
        Page 44
        Page 45
        Page 46
        Page 47
        Page 48
        Page 49
        Page 50
        Page 51
        Page 52
        Page 53
        Page 54
        Page 55
        Page 56
        Page 57
    I begin to keep a journal
        Page 58
        Page 59
        Page 60
        Page 61
        Page 62
        Page 63
        Page 64
        Page 65
        Page 66
        Page 67
        Page 68
    Observe the ship driven farther aground by the late storm
        Page 69
        Page 70
        Page 71
        Page 72
        Page 73
        Page 74
        Page 75
        Page 76
        Page 77
        Page 78
        Page 79
        Page 80
    I begin to take a survey of my island
        Page 81
        Page 82
        Page 83
        Page 84
        Page 85
        Page 86
        Page 87
    Make a second tour through the island
        Page 88
        Page 89
        Page 90
        Page 91
        Page 92
        Page 93
        Page 94
        Page 95
        Page 96
    I attempt to mould my earthenware, and succeed
        Page 97
        Page 98
        Page 99
        Page 100
        Page 101
        Page 102
        Page 103
        Page 104
        Page 105
        Page 106
        Page 107
        Page 108
        Page 109
    I succeed in getting a canoe afloat, and set out on a voyage in the sixth year of my reign or captivity
        Page 110
        Page 111
        Page 112
        Page 113
        Page 114
        Page 115
        Page 116
        Page 117
        Page 118
        Page 119
    Description of my figure
        Page 120
        Page 121
        Page 122
        Page 123
        Page 124
        Page 125
        Page 126
        Page 127
        Page 128
        Page 129
        Page 130
    I observe a canoe at sea
        Page 131
        Page 132
        Page 133
        Page 134
        Page 135
        Page 136
        Page 137
        Page 138
        Page 139
        Page 140
        Page 141
        Page 142
        Page 143
    Description of my situation in the twenty-third year of my residence
        Page 144
        Page 145
        Page 146
        Page 147
        Page 148
        Page 149
        Page 150
        Page 151
        Page 152
        Page 153
        Page 154
        Page 155
    Reflections
        Page 156
        Page 157
        Page 158
        Page 159
        Page 160
        Page 161
        Page 162
        Page 163
        Page 164
        Page 165
        Page 166
        Page 167
    I am at great pains to instruct Friday respecting my abhorance of the cannibal practices of the savages
        Page 168
        Page 169
        Page 170
        Page 171
        Page 172
        Page 173
        Page 174
        Page 175
        Page 176
        Page 177
        Page 178
        Page 179
        Page 180
    I determine to go over to the continent
        Page 181
        Page 182
        Page 183
        Page 184
        Page 185
        Page 186
        Page 187
        Page 188
        Page 189
        Page 190
        Page 191
        Page 192
        Page 193
        Page 194
        Page 195
    I learn from the Spaniard that there were sixteen more of his countrymen among the savages
        Page 196
        Page 197
        Page 198
        Page 199
        Page 200
        Page 201
        Page 202
        Page 203
        Page 204
        Page 205
        Page 206
        Page 207
        Page 208
    The ship makes signals for her boat
        Page 209
        Page 210
        Page 211
        Page 212
        Page 213
        Page 214
        Page 215
        Page 216
        Page 217
        Page 218
        Page 219
        Page 220
        Page 221
        Page 222
    I take leave fo the island, and after a long voyage, arrive in England
        Page 223
        Page 224
        Page 225
        Page 226
        Page 227
        Page 228
        Page 229
        Page 230
        Page 231
        Page 232
        Page 233
        Page 234
        Page 235
    Strange battle betwixt Friday and a bear
        Page 236
        Page 237
        Page 238
        Page 239
        Page 240
        Page 241
        Page 242
        Page 243
        Page 244
        Page 245
        Page 246
        Page 247
    Advertising
        Page 248
        Page 249
Full Text


























































ROBINSON CRUSOE AND HIS FAMILY.



































OLIVER AND BOYD, EDINBURGH.
~JL I__E___ A N D_--JL























DANIEL DEFOE, the author of this book, was born
in London in the year 1663, and died there in
1731. "Robinson Crusoe" was published in
April 1719.















ROBINSON CRUSOE.




CHAPTER I.
My birth and parentage-At nineteen years of age I deter-
mine to go to sea-Dissuaded by my parents- Elope with
a school-fellow, and go on board ship-A storm arises,
during which I am dreadfully frightened-Ship founders
-Myself and crew saved by a boat from another vessel,
and landed near Yarmouth-Meet my companion's father,
who advises me never to go to sea more, but all in vain.
I WAs born in the year 1632, in the city of York, of a good
family, though not of that country, my father being a foreigner
of Bremen, who settled first at Hull. He got a good estate by
merchandise, and, leaving off his trade, lived afterwards at
York; from whence he had married my mother, whose rela-
tions were named Robinson, a very good family in that country,
and from whom I was called Robinson Kreutznaer; but, by
the usual corruption of words in England,we are now called,
nay, we call ourselves and write our name, Crusoe; and so my
companions,always called me.
I had two elder brothers: one of whom was lieutenant-colonel
to an English regiment of foot in Flanders, formerly command-
ed by the famous Colonel Lockhart, and was killed at the battle
near Dunkirk against the Spaniards. What became of my
second brother I never knew, any more than'my father or
mother did know what became of me.
Being the third son of the family, and not bred to any trade,
my head began to be filled very early with rambling thoughts.:
My father, who was very ancient, had given me a competent
share of learning, as far as house-education and a country free-







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


school generally go, and designed me for the law; but I would
be satisfied with nothing but going to sea; and my inclination
to this led me so strongly against the will, nay, the commands
of my father, and against all the entreaties and persuasions of
my mother and other friends, that there seemed to be something
fatal in that propension of nature, tending directly to that life
of misery which was to befall me.
My father, a wise and grave man, gave me serious and ex-
cellent counsel against what he foresaw was my design. He
called me one morning into his chamber, where he was confined
by the gout, and expostulated very warmly with me upon this
subject. He asked me what reasons, more than a mere wan-
dering inclination, I had for leaving my father's house, and my
native country, where I might be well introduced, and had a
prospect of raising my fortune by application and industry, with
a life of ease and pleasure. He told me it was men of desper-
ate fortunes on one hand, or of aspiring superior fortunes on
the other, who went abroad upon adventures, to rise by enter-
prise, and make themselves famous in undertakings of a nature
out of the common road ; that these things were all either too
far above me, or too far below me; that mine was the middle
state, or what might be called the upper station of low life,
which he had found, by long experience, was the best state in
the world, the most suited to human happiness, not exposed to
the miseries and hardships, the labour and sufferings of the
mechanic part of mankind, and not embarrassed with the pride,
luxury, ambition, and envy of the upper part of mankind. He
told me I might judge of the happiness of this state by this one
thing, viz., that this was the state of life which all other people
envied; that kings have frequently lamented the miserable
consequences of being born to great things, and wished they
had been placed in the middle of the two extremes, between
the mean and the great ; that the Wise Man gave his testimony
to this, as the just standard of true felicity, when he prayed to
have neither poverty nor riches.
He bade me observe it, and I should always find that the ca-
lamities of life were shared among the upper and lower part
of mankind; but that the middle station had the fewest
disasters, and was not exposed to so many vicissitudes as the
higher or lower part of mankind ; nay, they were not subjected
to so many distempers and uneasinesses, either of body or mind,
as those were, who, by vicious living, luxury, and extravagances,
on one hand, or by hard labour, want of necessaries, and mean






ROBINSON CRUSOE.


or insufficient diet, on the other hand, bring distempers upon
themselves by the natural consequences of their way of living ;
that the middle station of life was calculated for all kind of
virtues, and all kind of enjoyments; that peace and plenty
were the handmaids of a middle fortune; that temperance,
moderation, quietness, health, society, all agreeable diversions,
and all desirable pleasures, were the blessings attending the
middle station of life ; that this way men went silently
and smoothly through the world, and comfortably out of it;
not embarrassed with the labours of the hands, or of the head ;
not sold to a life of slavery for daily bread, or harassed with
perplexed circumstances, which rob the soul of peace, and the
body of rest; not enraged with the passion of envy, or the secret
burning lust of ambition for great things ; but in easy circum-
stances sliding gently through the world, and sensibly tasting
the sweets of living, without the bitter ; feeling that they are
happy, and learning by every day's experience to know it more
sensibly.
After this he pressed me earnestly, and in the most affection-
ate manner, not to play the young man, nor to precipitate my-
self into miseries, which nature, and the station of life I was
born in, seemed to have provided against; that I was under no
necessity of seeking my bread ; that he would do well for me,
and endeavour to enter me fairly into the station of life which
he had just been recommending to me; and that if I was not
very easy and happy in the world, it must be my mere fate, or
fault, that must hinder it; and that he should have nothing
whatever to answer for, having thus discharged his duty in warn-
ing me against measures which heknew would betomyhurt. In
a word, that as he would do very kind things for me, if I would
stay and settle at home as he directed, so he would not have so
much hand in my misfortunes, as to give me any encouragement
to go away; and to close all, he told me I had an elder brother
for an example, to whom he used the same earnest persuasions
to keep him from going into the Low Country wars, but could
not prevail, his young desires prompting him to run into the
army, where he was killed ; and though he said he would not
cease to pray for me, yet he would venture to say to me, that
if I did take that foolish step, God would not bless me;
and I would have leisure hereafter to reflect upon having
neglected his counsel, when there might be none to assist in my
recovery.
I observed in this last part of his discourse, which was truly







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


prophetic, though I suppose my father did not know it to be so
himself, I say, I observed the tears run down his face very
plentifully, especially when he spoke of my brother who was
killed ; and that when he spoke of my having leisure to repent,
and none to assist me, he was so moved that he broke off the
discourse, and told me his heart was so full he could say no
more to me.
I was sincerely afflicted with this discourse, as indeed who
could be otherwise ? And I resolved not to think of going abroad
any more, but to settle at home according to my father's desire.
But alas a few days wore it all off; and in short, to prevent
any of my father's farther importunities, in a few weeks after
I resolved to run quite away from him. However, I did not
act so hastily neither, as the first heat of my resolution prompted ;
but I took my mother at a time when I thought her a little
pleasanter than ordinary, and told her, that my thoughts were
so entirely bent upon seeing the world, that I should never
settle to any thing with resolution enough to go through with
it ; and my father had better give me his consent, than force
me to go without it ; that I was now eighteen years old, which
was too late to go apprentice to a trade, or clerk to an attorney;
that I was sure, if I did, I should never serve out my time, but
I should certainly run away from my master before my time
was out, and go to sea; and if she would speak to my father
to let me go one voyage abroad, if I came home again, and did
not like it, I would go no more, and I would promise by a
double diligence to recover the time I had lost.
This put my mother into a great passion. She told me she
knew it would be to no purpose to speak to my father upon
such a subject; that he knew too well what was my interest
to give his consent to anything so much for my hurt, and that
she wondered how I could think of any such thing, after the
discourse I had had with my father, and such kind and tender
expressions as, she knew, my father had used to me, and that,
in short, if I would ruin myself, there was no help for me;
but I might depend I should never have their consent to it,
that, for her part, she would not have so much hand in my
destruction, and I should never have it to say that my mother
was willing when my father was not.
Though my mother refused to move it to my father, yet I
heard afterwards that she reported all the discourse to him,
and that my father, after shewing a great concern at it,
said to her, with a sigh-" That boy might be happy if he








ROBINSON CRUSOE.


would stay at home, but if he goes abroad he will be the most
miserable wretch that ever was born : I can give no consent to
it."
It was not till almost a year after this that I broke loose,
though in the meantime I continued obstinately deaf -to all
proposals of settling to business, and frequently expostulating
with my father and mother about their being so positively
determined against what they knew my inclination prompted
me to. But being one day at Hull, whither I went casually,
and without any purpose of making an elopement at that time;
but, I say, being there, and one of my companions being going
by sea to London in his father's ship, and prompting me to go
with them, with the common allurement of a seafaring man,
that it should cost me nothing for my passage, I consulted
neither father nor mother any more, nor so much as sent them
word of it, but leaving them to hear of it as they might, with-
out asking God's blessing, or my father's, without any conside-
ration of circumstances or consequences, and in an ill hour,
God knows, on the 1st of September 1651, I went on board a
ship bound for London. Never any young adventurer's mis-
fortunes, I believe, began sooner, or continued longer, than
mine. The ship was no sooner got out of the Humber but
the wind began to blow, and the sea to rise, in a most frightful
manner; and, as I had never been at sea before, I was most in-
expressibly sick in body, and terrified in mind. I began now
seriously to reflect upon what I had done, and how justly I was
overtaken by the judgment of Heaven for my wickedly leaving
my father's house and abandoning my duty. All the good
counsel of my parents, my father's tears, and my mother's
entreaties, came now fresh into my mind, and my conscience,
which was not yet come to the pitch of hardness to which it
has been since, reproached me with the contempt of advice,
and the breach of my duty to God and my father.
All this while the storm increased, and the sea went very
high, though nothing like what I have seen many times since,
no, nor what I saw a few days after. But it was enough to
affect me then, who was but a young sailor, and had never
known anything of the matter. I expected every wave would
have swallowed us up, and that every time the ship fell down,
as I thought it did, in the trough or hollow of the sea, we
should never rise more. In this agony of mind, I made many
vows and resolutions, that if it pleased God to spare my life in
this one voyage, if ever I got once my foot upon dry land








ROBINSON CRUSOE.


again, I would go directly home to my father, and never set it
into a ship again while I lived ; that I would take his advice,
and never run myself into such miseries as these any more.
Now I saw plainly the goodness of his observations about the
middle station of life, how easy, how comfortable he had
lived all his days, and never had been exposed to tempests at
sea, or troubles on shore; and, in short, I resolved that I
would, like a true repenting prodigal, go home to my father.
These wise and sober thoughts continued all the while the
storm continued, and, indeed, some time after; but the next
day the wind was abated, and the sea calmer, and I began to
be a little inured to it. However, I was very grave for all
that day, being also a little sea-sick still; but towards night
the weather cleared up, the wind was quite over, and a charm-
ing fine evening followed : the sun went down perfectly clear,
and rose so the next morning, and having little or no wind,
and a smooth sea, the sun shining upon it, the sight was, as I
thought, the most delightful that ever I saw.
I had slept well in the night, and was now no more sea-sick,
but very cheerful; looking with wonder upon the sea, that
was so rough and terrible the day before, and could be so calm
and so pleasant in so little a time after. And now, lest my
good resolutions should continue, my companion, who had in-
deed enticed me away, comes to me-"Well, Bob," said he,
clapping me upon the shoulder, how do you do after it ? I
warrant you were frightened, weren't you, last night, when it
blew but a capful of wind "-" A capful, d'you call it ?" said
I, "'twas a terrible storm."-"A storm, you fool you,"
replies he, do you call that a storm ? Why, it was nothing
at all; give us but a good ship and sea room, and we think
nothing of such a squall of wind as that; but you're but a
fresh-water sailor, Bob. Come, let us make a bowl of punch,
and we'll forget all that. D' you see what charming weather
'tis now ?" To make short this sad part of my story, we went
the way-of all sailors; the punch was made, and I was made
half drunk with it, and in that one night's wickedness I
drowned all my repentance, all my reflections upon my past
conduct, and all my resolutions for the future. In a word, as
the sea was returned to its smoothness of surface and settled
calmness, by the abatement of that storm, so the hurry of my
thoughts being over, my fears and apprehensions of my being
swallowed up by the sea being forgotten, and the current of my
former desires returned, I entirely forgot the vows and pro-







ROBINSON ORUSOE.


mises that I made in my distress. I found, indeed, some in-
tervals of reflection; and the serious thoughts did, as it were,
endeavour to return again sometimes; but I shook them off,
and roused myself from them, as it were from a distemper;
and applying myself to drinking and company, soon mastered
the return of those fits (for so I called them); and I had, in
five or six days, got as complete a victory over conscience as
any young fellow that resolved not to be troubled with it could
desire. But I was to have another trial for it still, and Provi-
dence, as in such cases it generally does, resolved to leave me
entirely without excuse ; for if I would not take this for
a deliverance, the next was to be such a one as the worst and
most hardened wretch among us would confess both the danger
and the mercy.
The sixth day of our being at sea, we came into the Yar-
mouth roads ; the wind having been contrary, and the weather
calm, we had made but little way since the- storm. Here we
were obliged to come to an anchor, and here we lay, the wind
continuing contrary-viz., at south-west-for seven or eight
days, during which time a great many ships from Newcastle
came into the same roads, as the common harbour, where the
ships might wait for a wind for the river.
We had not, however, rid here so long, but we should have
tided it up the river, but that the wind blew too fresh, and,
after we had lain four or five days, blew very hard. However,
the roads being reckoned as good as a harbour, the anchorage
good, and our ground-tackle very strong, our men were uncon-
cerned, and not in the least apprehensive of danger, but spent
the time in rest and mirth, after the manner of seamen; but
the eighth day, in the morning, the wind increased, and we
had all hands at work to strike our topmasts, and make every-
thing snug and close, that the ship might ride as easy as pos-
sible. By noon the sea went very high indeed, and our ship
rid forecastle in, shipped several seas, and we thought once or
twice our anchor had come home; upon which our master
ordered out the sheet anchor, so that we rode with two anchors
a-head, and the cables veered out to the better end.
By this time it blew a terrible storm indeed, and now I
began to see terror and amazement in the faces even of the
seamen themselves. The master, though vigilant in the busi-
ness of preserving the ship, yet, as he went in and out of his
cabin by me, I could hear him, softly to himself, say several
times, Lord, be merciful to us we shall be all lost, we shall







ROBINSON ORUSOE.


be undone," and the like. During these first hurries I was
stupid, lying still in my cabin, which was in the steerage, and
cannot describe my temper. I could ill resume the first peni-
tence, which I had so apparently trampled upon, and hardened
myself against. I thought the bitterness of death had been
past, and that this would be nothing too, like the first. But
when the master himself came by me, as I said just now, and
said we should be all lost, I was dreadfully frightened. I got
up out of my cabin, and looked out; but such a dismal sight
I never saw: the sea went mountains high, and broke upon
us every three or four minutes. When I could look about, I
could see nothing but distress around us. Two ships that rid
near us, we found, had cut their masts by the board, being
deep laden, and our men cried out that a ship, which rid about
a mile a-head of us, was foundered. Two more ships, being
driven from their anchors, were run out of the roads to sea, at
all adventures, and that with not a mast standing. The light
ships fared the best, as not so much labouring in the sea; but
two or three of them drove, and came close by us, running
away with only their sprit-sail out, before the wind.
Towards the evening the mate and boatswain begged the
master of our ship to let them cut away the fore-mast, which
he was very unwilling to do; but the boatswain protesting to
him, that if he did not, the ship would founder, he consented;
and when they had cut away the fore-mast, the main-mast
stood so loose, and shook the ship so much, they were obliged
to cut it away also, and make a clear deck.
Any one may judge what a condition I must be in at all this,
who was but a young sailor, and who had been in such a fright
before at but a little. But, if I can express at this distance
the thoughts I had about me at that time, I was in tenfold
more horror of mind upon account of my former convictions,
and the having returned from them to the resolutions I had
wickedly taken at first, than I was at death itself; and these,
added to the terrors of the storm, put me into such a condi-
tion, that I can by no words describe it. But the worst was
not come yet; the storm continued with such fury, that the
seamen themselves acknowledged they had never seen a worse.
We had a good ship, but she was deeply laden, and so wallowed
in the sea, that the seamen every now and then cried
out she would founder. It was my advantage, in one
respect, that I did not know what they meant by
founder, till I inquired. However, the storm was so vio.







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


lent, that I saw what is not often seen, the master, the boat-
swain, and some others, more sensible than the rest, at their
prayers, and expecting every moment that the ship would
go to the bottom. In the middle of the night, and under all
the rest of our distresses, one of the men that had been down
on purpose to see, cried out we had sprung a leak; another
said there was four feet water in the hold. Then all hands
were called to the pump. At that very word my heart, as I
thought, died within me, and I fell backwards upon the side of
the bed where I sat, into the cabin. However, the men roused
me, and told me, that I that was able to do nothing before,
was as well able to pump as another, at which I stirred up, and
went to the pump, and worked very heartily. While this was
doing, the master, seeing some light colliers, who, not able to
ride out the storm, were obliged to slip and run away to sea,
and would come near us, ordered a gun to be fired as a signal
of distress. I, who knew nothing what that meant, was so
surprised that I thought the ship had broke, or some dreadful
thing happened. In a word, I was so surprised, that I fell
down in a swoon. As this was a time when everybody had his
own life to think of, nobody minded me, or what was become
of me; but another man stepped up to the pump, and thrust-
ing me aside with his foot, let me lie, thinking I had been
dead; and it was a great while before I came to myself.
We worked on, but the water increasing in the hold, it was
apparent that the ship would founder, and though the storm
began to abate a little, yet as it was not possible she could
swim till we might run into any port, so the master continued
firing guns for help; and a light ship, which had rid it out just
ahead of us, ventured a boat out to help us. It was with the
utmost hazard that the boat came near us, but it was impossi-
ble for us to get on board, or for the boat to lie near the ship-
side, till at last the men rowing very heartily, and venturing
their lives to save ours, our men cast them a rope over the
stern with a buoy to it, and then veered it out a great
length, which they, after much labour and hazard, took hold
of, and we hauled them close under our stern, and got all into
their boat. It was to no purpose for them or us, after we were
in the boat, to think of reaching to their own ship; so all agreed
to let her drive, and onlv to pull her in towards the shore aa
much as we could; and our master promised them, that if the
boat was staved upon shore, he would make it good to their
master. So partly rowing and partly driving, our boat went







ROBINSON CRUSOR.


away to the northward, sloping towards the shore, almost as
far as Wintertonness.
We were not much more than a quarter of an hour out of oui
ship, before we saw her sink; and then I understood, for the
first time, what was meant by a ship foundering in the sea.
I must acknowledge I had hardly eyes to look up, when the
seamen told me she was sinking; for, from that moment they
rather put me into the boat, than that I might be said to go in,
my heart was as it were dead within me, partly with fright,
partly with horror of mind, and the thought of what was yet
before me.
While we were in this condition, the men yet laboring at
the oar to bring the boat near the shore, we could see (when
our boat mounted the waves, we were able to see the shore) a
great many people running along the strand to assist us when-
we should come near. But we made but slow way towards the
shore; nor were we able to reach the shore, till being past the
light-house at Winterton, the shore falls off to the westward
towards Cromer, and so the land broke off a little the violence
of the wind. .Here we got in; and, though not without much
difficulty, got all safe on shore, and walked afterward on foot
to Yarmouth, where, as unfortunate men, we were used with
great humanity, as well by the magistrates of the town, who
assigned us good quarters, as by particular merchants and
owners of ships, and had money given us sufficient to carry us
either to London, or back to Hull, as we thought fit.
Had I now had the sense to have gone back to Hull, and
have gone home, I had been happy, and my father, an emblem
of our blessed Saviour's parable, had even killed the fatted
calf for me, for hearing the ship I went away in was cast away
in Yarmouth roads, it was a great while before he had any
assurance that I was not drowned.
But my ill fate pushed me on now with an obstinacy that
nothing could resist; and though I had several times loud calls
from my reason and my more composed judgment, to go home,
yet I had no power to do it. I know not what to call this;
nor will I urge, that it is a secret overruling decree, that
hurries us on to be the instruments of our own destruction,
even though it be before us, and that we push upon it with
our eyes open. Certainly, nothing but some such decreed un-
avoidable misery attending, and which it was impossible for me
to escape, could have pushed me forward against the calm
reasoning and persuasions of my most retired thoughts, and







ROBINSON CRUSOL


against two such visible instructions as I had met with in my
first escape.
My comrade, who had helped to harden me before, and who
was the master's son, was now less forward than I. The first
time he spoke to me after we were at Yarmouth, which was
not till two or three days, for we were separated in the town
to several quarters; I say, the first time he saw me, it appeared
his tone was altered; and, looking very melancholy, and shak-
ing his head, asked me how I did: and telling his father who
I was, and how I had come this voyage only for a trial, in
order to go further abroad, his father turned to me with a
very grave and concerned tone, "Young man," says he, you
ought never to go to sea any more; you ought to take this for
a plain and visible token, that you are not to be a seafaring
man."-' Why, sir," said I, will you go to sea no more ? "-
"That is another case," said he, "it is my calling, and
therefore my duty; but as you made this voyage for a trial,
you see what a taste Heaven has given you of what you are to
expect if you persist; perhaps all this has befallen us on your
account, like Jonah in the ship of Tarshish. Pray," con-
tinued he, what are you ? and on what account did you go
to sea ?" Upon that I told him some of my story; at the end
of which he burst out with a strange kind of passion, "What
had I done," says he, "that such an unhappy wretch should
come into my ship ? I would not set my foot in the same ship
with thee again for a thousand pounds !" This, indeed, was,
as I said, an excursion of his spirits, which were yet agitated
by the sense of his loss, and was farther than he could have
authority to go. However, he afterwards talked very gravely
to me, exhorting me to go back to my father, and not tempt
Providence to my ruin; told me I might see a visible hand of
SHeaven against me: "and, young man," said he, "depend
upon it, if you do not go back, wherever you go, you will meet
with nothing but disasters and disappointments till your
father's words are fulfilled upon you."
We parted soon after; for I made him little answer, and I
saw him no more: which way he went I know not. As for ISe,
having some money in my pocket, I travelled to London by
land, and there, as well as on the road, had many struggles
with myself what course of life I should take, and whether I
should go home, or go to sea. As to going home, shame
Supposed the best motions that offered to my thoughts; and
it immediately occurred to me how I should be laughed at







ROIBINSON CRUSOE.


among the neighbours, and should be ashamed to see, not my
father and mother only, but even everybody else.
In this state of life, however, I remained some time, uncer-
tain what measures to take, and what course of life to lead.
An irresistible reluctance continued to going home; and, as I
stayed awhile, the remembrance of the distress I had been in
wore off; and as that abated, the little notion I had in my
desires to return wore off with it, till at last I quite laid aside
the thoughts of it, and looked out for a voyage.
That evil influence which carried me first away from my
father's house, which hurried me into the wild and indigested
notion of raising my fortune; and that impressed those conceits
so forcibly upon me as to make me deaf to all good advice, and
to the entreaties and even the commands of my father; I say,
the same influence, whatever it was, presented the most unfor-
tunate of all enterprises to my view; and I went on board a
vessel bound to the coast of Africa, or as our sailors vulgarly
call it, a voyage to Guinea.
It was my great misfortune, that, in all these adventures, I
did not ship myself as a sailor; whereby, though I might indeed
have worked a little harder than ordinary, yet at the same
time I had learned the duty and office of a foremast man, and
in time might have qualified myself for a mate or lieutenant,
if not for a master. But as it was always my fate to choose
for the worst, so I did here; for having money in my pocket,
and good clothes on my back, I would always go on board in
the habit of a gentleman, and so I neither had any business in
the ship, nor learned to do any.


CHAPTER II.
Make a trading voyage to Guinea very successfully-Death of
my captain-Sail another trip with his mate-The ven-
geance of Providence for disobedience to parents now
overtakes me-Taken by a Sallee rover, and all sold as
slaves-My master frequently sends me a-fishing, which
suggests an idea of escape-Make my escape in an open
boat, with a Morocco boy.
IT was my lot first of all to fall into pretty good company in
London, which does not always happen to such loose and un-
guided young fellows as I then was-the devil, generally, not
omitting to lay some snare for them very early; but it was not







ROBINSON ORUSOB.


so with me. I first fell acquainted with the master of a ship
who had been on the coast of Guinea, and who, having had
very good success there, was resolved to go again. This cap-
tain, taking a fancy to my conversation, which was not dis-
agreeable at that time, hearing me say I had a mind to see the
world, told me, if I would go the voyage with him, I should be
at no expense; I should be his messmate, and his companion;
and if I could carry anything with me, I should have all the
advantage of it that the trade would admit; and perhaps I
might meet with some encouragement.
I embraced the offer, and, entering into a strict friendship
with this captain, who was an honest, plain-dealing man, went
the voyage with him, and carried a small adventure with me,
which, by the disinterested honesty of my friend the captain, I
increased very considerably; for I carried about L.40 in such
toys and trifles as the captain directed me to buy. This L.40
I had mustered together by the assistance of some of my rela-
tions whom I corresponded with, and who, I believe, got my
father, or at least my mother, to contribute so much as that to
my first adventure.
This was the only voyage which I may say was successful in
all my adventures, and which I owe to the integrity and honesty
of my friend the captain, under whom also I got a competent
knowledge of the mathematics, and the rules of navigation:
learned how to keep an account of the ship's course, take an
observation, and, in short, to understand some things that were
needful to be understood by a sailor ; for, as he took delight
to instruct me, I took delight to learn; and, in a word, this
voyage made me both a sailor and a merchant; for I brought
home five pounds nine ounces of gold dust for my adventure,
which yielded me in London, at my return, almost L. 300, and
this filled me with those aspiring thoughts which have since so
completed my ruin.
Yet, even in this voyage, I had my misfortunes too; parti-
cularly that I was continually sick, being thrown into a violent
calenture by the excessive heat of the climate, our principal
trading being upon the coast, from the latitude of 15 deg. N.
even to the Line itself.
I was now set up for a Guinea trader; and my friend, to my
great misfortune, dying soon after his arrival, I resolved to go
the same voyage again; and I embarked in the same vessel, with
one who was his mate in the former voyage, and had now got
the command of the ship. This was the unhappiest voyage that







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


ever man made; for though I did not carry off quite L.100 of
my newly-gained wealth, so that I had L.'200 left, and which I
lodged with my friend's widow, who was very just to me, yet I
fell into terrible misfortunes in this voyage ; and the first was
this, viz., our ship, making her course towards the Canary
Islands, or rather between those islands and the African shore,
was surprised in the grey of the morning by a Moorish rover
of Sallee,which gave chaseto us with all the sail she could make.
We crowded also as much canvas as our yards would spread, or
our masts carry, to have got clear; but finding the pirate gain-
ed upon us, and would certainly come up with us in a few
hours, we prepared to fight, our ship having twelve guns, and
the rover eighteen. About three in the afternoon he came up
with us, and bringing to, by mistake, just athwart our quarter,
instead of athwart our stern, as he intended, we brought eight
of our guns to bear on that side, and poured in a broadside
upon him, which made him sheer off again, after returning our
fire, and pouring in also his small shot from near two hundred
men, which he had on board. However, we had not a man
touched, all our men keeping close. He prepared to attack us
again, and we to defend ourselves ; but, laying us on board the
next time upon our other quarter, he entered sixty men upon
our decks, who immediately fell to cutting and hacking the
decks and rigging. We plied them with small shot, half-pikes,
powder chests, and such like, and cleared our deck of them
twice. However, to cut short this melancholy part of our story,
our ship being disabled, and three of our men killed and eight
wounded, we were obliged to yield, and were carried prisoners
into Sallee, a. port belonging to the Moors.
The usage I had there was not so dreadful as at first I ap-
prehended ; nor was I carried up the country, to the emperor's
court, as the rest of our men were, but was kept by the captain
of the rover, as his proper prize, and made his slave, being
young and nimble, and fit for business. At this surprising
change of my circumstances, from a merchant to a miserable
slave, I was perfectly overwhelmed; and now I looked back
upon my father's prophetic discourse to me, that I should be
miserable, and have none to relieve me, which I thought was
now so effectually brought to pass, that I could not be worse;
that now the hand of Heaven had overtaken me, and I was un-
done without redemption. But, alas this was but a taste of
the misery I was to go through, as will appear in the sequel of
this story







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


As my new patron or master had taken me home to his house,
so I was in hopes that he would take me with him when he
went to sea again, believing that it would be some time or
otherhis fate to betaken by a Spanish or Portuguese man-of-war,
and that then I should be set at liberty. But this hope of
mine was soon taken away; for when he went to sea, he left
me on shore to look after his little garden, and do the common
drudgery of slaves about his house ; and when he came home
again from his cruise, he ordered me to lie in the cabin to look
after the ship.
Here I meditated nothing but my escape, and what method
I might take to effect it, but found no way that had the least
probability in it. Nothing presented to make the supposition
of it rational, for I had nobody to communicate it to that would
embark with me, no fellow slave, no Englishman, Irishman, or
Scotsman there, but myself ; so that for two years, though I
often pleased myself with the imagination, yet I never had
the least encouraging prospect of putting it in practice.
After about two years, an odd circumstance presented itself,
which put the old thought of making some attempt for my
liberty again in my head. My patron lying at home longer
than usual, without fitting out his ship, which, as I heard,
was for want of money, he used constantly once or twice a-
week, sometimes oftener, if the weather was fair, to take the
ship's pinnace, and go out into the roads a-fishing; and as he
always took me and a young Moresco with him to row the
boat, we made him very merry, and I proved very dexterous
in catching fish, insomuch that sometimes he would send me
with a Moor, one of his kinsmen, and the youth, the Moresco,
as they called him, to catch a dish of fish for him.
It happened one time, that going a-fishing with him in a
calm morning, a fog rose so thick, that though we were not
half a league from the shore, we lost sight of it, and, rowing
we knew not whither, or which way, we laboured all day, and
all the next night, and when the morning came, we found we
had pulled off to sea instead of pulling in for the shore, and
that we were at least two leagues from the land. However,
we got well in again, though with a great deal of labour and
some danger, for the wind began to blow pretty fresh in the
morning; but particularly we were all very hungry.
But our patron, warned by this disaster, resolved to take
more care of himself for the future, and having lying by him
the long-boat of our English ship which he had taken, he re-







ROB1NSON CRUSOE.


solved he would not go a-fishing any more without a compass,
and some provisions; so he ordered the carpenter of his ship,
who was also an English slave, to build a little state-room or
cabin in the middle of the long-boat, like that of a barge, with
a place to stand behind it to steer and haul home the main-
sheet, and room before for a hand or two to stand and work
the sails. She sailed with what we call a shoulder-of-mutton
sail, and the boom jibbed over the top of the cabin, which lay
very snug and low, and had in it room for him to lie, with a
slave or two, and a table to eat on, with some small lockers to
put in some battles of such liquor as he thought fit to drink-
particularly his bread, rice, and coffee.
We were frequently out with this boat a-fishing ; and as I
was most dexterous in catching fish for him, he never went with-
out me. It happened one day that he had appointed to go out
in this boat, either for pleasure or fish, with two or three
Moors of some distinction, and for whom he had provided ex-
traordinarily, and had therefore sent on board the boat over
night a larger store of provisions than usual, and had ordered
me to get ready three fusils with powder and shot, which were
on board his ship, for that they designed some sport of fowling
as well as fishing.
I got all things ready as he had directed, and waited next
morning with the boat washed clean, her ancient and pendants
out, and everything to accommodate his guests, when, by and
by, my patron came on board alone, and told me his guests had
put off going, upon some business that fell out, and ordered
me with the man and boy, as usual, to go out with the boat
and catch them some fish, for that his friends were to sup at
his house. He commanded me, too, that as soon as I had got
some fish I should bring them home to his house-all which I
prepared to do.
This moment my former notions of deliverance darted into
my thoughts-for now I found I was like to have a little ship
at my command ; and my master being gone, I prepared to
furnish myself, not for fishing business, but for a voyage,
though I knew not, neither did I consider, whither I would
steer ; for anywhere to get out of that place was my way.
My first contrivance was to make a pretence to speak to this
Moor to get something for our subsistence on board-for I told
him we must not presume to eat of our patron's bread. He
said that was true; so he brought a large basket of rusk or
biscuit, of their kind, and three jars with fresh water, into







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


the boat. I knew where my patron's case of bottles stood,
which, it was evident by the make, were taken out of some
English prize, and I conveyed them into the boat while the
Moor was on shore, as if they had been there before for our
master. I conveyed also a great lump of bees'-wax into the
boat, which weighed about half a hundred weight, with a par-
cel of twine or thread, a hatchet, a saw, and a hammer,-all of
which were of great use to us afterwards, especially the wax to
make candles. Another trick I tried upon him, which he in-
nocently came into also. His name was Ismael, whom they
call Muley, or Moley; so I called to him, Moley," said I,
''our patron's guns are on board the boat; can you not get a
little powder and shot ? It may be we may kill some alcamies
(a fowl like our curlews) for ourselves, for I know he keeps
the gunner's stores in the ship."-" Yes," says he, I'll bring
some;" and accordingly he brought a great leather pouch, which
held about a pound and a half of powder, or rather more,
and another with shot, that had five or six pounds, with some
bullets, and put all into the boat. At the same time I had
found some powder of my master's in the great cabin, with
which I filled one of the large bottles in the case, which was
almost empty, pouring what was in it into another ; and thus
furnished with everything needful, we sailed out of the port to
fish. The castle, which is at the entrance of the port, knew
who we were, and took no notice of us; and we were not above
a mile out of the port before we hauled in our sail, and set us
down to fish. The wind blew from the north-north-east, which
was contrary to my desire ; for had it blown southerly, I had
been sure to have made the coast of Spain, and at least reached
to the bay of Cadiz ; but my resolutions were, blow which way
it would, I would be gone from that horrid place where I was,
and leave the rest to fate.
After we had fished some time and catched nothing (for when
I had fish on my hook I would not pull them up, that he
might not see them), I said to the Moor, "This will not do;
our master will not be thus served. We must stand farther
off." He, thinking no harm, agreed, and being in the head of
the boat, set the sails; and, as I had the helm, I run the boat
out near a league farther, and then brought her to, as if I
would fish, when, giving the boy the helm, I stepped forward
to where the Moor was, and making as if I stooped for some-
thing behind him, I took him by surprise with my arm under
his waist, and tossed him clear overboard into the sea. He







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


rose immediately-for he swam like a cork-and called to me,
begged to be taken in, told me he would go all over the world
with me. He swam so strong after the boat, that he would
have reached me very quickly, there being but little wind;
upon which I stepped into the cabin, and fetching one of the
fowling-pieces, I presented it at him, and told him I had done
him no hurt, and, if he would be quiet, I would do him none.
"But," said I, "you swim well enough to reach the shore,
and the sea is calm; make the best of your way to shore, and
I will do you no harm; but if you come near the boat, I'll
shoot you through the head, for I am resolved to have my
liberty." So he turned himself about, and swam for the
shore ; and I make no doubt but he reached it with ease, for
he was an excellent swimmer.
I could have been content to have taken this Moor with me,
and have drowned the boy, but there was no venturing to trust
him. When he was gone, I turned to the boy, whom they
called Xury, and said to him, Xury, if you will be faithful
to me, I'll make you a great man ; but if you will not stroke
your face to be true to me"-that is, swear by Mahomet and
his father's beard-" I must throw you into the sea too."
The boy smiled in my face, and spoke so innocently, that I
could not mistrust him ; and swore to be faithful to me, and
go all over the world with me.
While I was in view of the Moor that was swimming, I
stood out directly to sea with the boat, rather stretching to
windward, that they might think me gone towards the Strait's
mouth-as, indeed, any one who had been in their wits must
have been supposed to do-for who would have thought we
were sailed on to the southward, to the truly barbarian coast,
where whole nations of negroes were sure to surround us with
their canoes, and destroy us; where we could never go once on
shore, but we should be devoured by savage beasts, or more
merciless savages of human kind ?
But as soon as it grew dusk in the evening I changed my
course, and steered directly south and by east, bending my
course a little towards the east, that I might keep in with the
shore, and having a fair fresh gale of wind, and a smooth, quiet
sea, I made such sail, that I believe by the next day at three
o'clock in the afternoon, when I first made the land, I could
not be less than 150 miles south of Sallee, quite beyond the
Emperor of Morocco's dominions, or indeed of any other king
thereabouts; for we saw no people.







ROBINSON CRUSOM.


Yet such was the fright I had taken at the Moors, and the
dreadful apprehensions I had of falling into their hands, that
I would not stop or go on shore, or come to an anchor, the
wind continuing fair till I had sailed in that manner five days,
and then the wind shifting to the southward, I concluded, also,
that if any of our vessels were in chase of me, they also would
now give over; so I ventured to make to the coast, and came
to an anchor in the mouth of a little river, I knew not what
or where, neither what latitude, what country, what nation,
or what river. I neither saw nor desired to see any people -
the principal thing I wanted was fresh water. We came into
this creek in the evening, resolving to swim on shore as soon
as it was dark, and discover the country; but as soon as it was
quite dark, we heard such dreadful noises of the barking, roar-
ing, and howling of wild creatures-of we knew not what
kinds-that the poor boy was ready to die with fear, and
begged of me not to go on shore till day. Well, Xury," said
I, "then I won't; but it may be we may see men by day who
will be as bad to us as those lions." "Then we may give
them the shoot gun," says Xury, laughing, make them run
away." Such English Xury spoke by conversing among us
slaves. However, I was glad to see the boy so cheerful, and I
gave him a dram (out of our patron's case of bottles) to cheer
him up. After all, Xury's advice was good, and I took it.
We dropped our little anchor, and lay still all night; I say
still, for we slept none-for in two or three hours we saw vast
great creatures (we knew not what to call them) of many sorts come
down to the sea-shore, and run into the water, wallowing and
washing themselves for the pleasure of cooling themselves; and
they made such hideous howlings and yelling, that I never
indeed heard the like.
Xury was dreadfully frightened, and indeed so was I too;
but we were both more frightened when we heard one of those
mighty creatures come swimming towards our boat; we could
not see him, but we might hear him by his blowing to be a
monstrous huge and furious beast. Xury said it was a lion,
and it might be so for aught I know. Poor Xury cried out to
me to weigh anchor and row away. "No," says I, "Xury,
we can slip our cable with a buoy to it, and go to sea; they
cannot follow us far." I had no sooner said so, but I per-
ceived the creature (whatever it was) within two oars' length,
which something surprised me; however, I immediately
stepped to the cabin door, and taking up my gun, fired at him,







ROBINSON ORUSOE.


upon which he immediately turned about, and swam towards
the shore again.
But it was not possible to describe the horrible noises, and
hideous cries and howling, that were raised, as well upon the
edge of the shore as higher within the country, upon the noise
or report of a gun, a thing I have some reason to believe those
creatures never had heard before. This convinced me that there
was no going on shore for us in the night upon that coast, and
how to venture on shore in the day was another question too;
for, to have fallen into the hands of any of the savages, had
been as bad as to have fallen into the paws of lions and tigers;
at least we were equally apprehensive of the danger of it.
Be that as it would, we were obliged to go on shore some-
where or other for water, for we had not a pint in the boat;
when or where to get it was the point. Xury said if I would
let him go on shore with one of the jars, he would find if there
was any water, and bring some to me. I asked him why he
would go, why I should not go, and he stay in the boat. The
boy answered with so much affection, that made me love him
ever after. Says he, If wild mans come, they eat me up,
you go away." "Well, Xury," said I, we will both go, and
if the wild mans come, we will kill them, they shall eat neither
of us." So I gave Xury a piece of rusk-bread to eat, and a
dram out of our patron's case of bottles, which I mentioned
before, and we hauled the boat in as near the shore as we
thought was proper, and waded on shore, carrying nothing
but our arms, and two jars for water.
I did not care to go out of sight of the boat, fearing the
coming of canoes with savages down the river, but the boy see-
ing a low place, about a mile up the country, rambled to it,
and by and by I saw him come running towards me. I
thought he was pursued by some savage, or frighted with some
wild beast, and I ran forward towards him to help him; but
when I came nearer to him, I saw something hanging over his
shoulders, which was a creature thathe had shot, like a hare, but
different in colour, and longer legs. However, we were very
glad of it, and it was very good meat ; but the great joy that
poor Xury came with, was to tell me he had found good water,
and seen no wild mans.
But we found afterwards that we need not take such pains
for water, for a little higher up the creek where we were, we
found the water fresh when the tide was out, which flows but a
little way up ; so we filled our jars, and feasted on the hare we







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


'had killed, and prepared to go on our way, having seen no foot-
steps of any human creature in that part of the country.
As I had been one voyage to this coast before, I knew very
well that the islands of the Canaries, and the Cape de Verd
islands also, lay not far off from the coast. But I had no
instruments to take an observation to know what latitude we
were in, and did not exactly know, or at least not remember,
what latitude they were in, and knew not where to look for
them, or when to stand off to sea towards them, otherwise I
might easily have found some of these islands. But my hope
was, that if I stood along this coast till I came to that part
where the English traded, I should find some of their vessels
upon their usual design of trade, that would relieve and take
us in.
By the best of my calculation, that place where I now was,
must be that country which, lying between the Emperor of
Morocco's dominions and the negroes, lies waste and uninhabited,
except by wild beasts ; the negroes having abandoned it, and
gone farther south, for fear of the Moors ; and the Moors not
thinking it worth inhabiting, by reason of its barrenness ; and
indeed both forsaking it because of the prodigious number of
tigers, lions, leopards, and other furious creatures which har-
bour there; so that the Moors use it for their hunting only,
where they go like an army, two or three thousand men at a
time; and indeed for near a hundred miles together upon this
coast, we saw nothing but a waste, uninhabited country by day,
and heard nothing but howling and roaring of wild beasts by
night.
Once or twice in the day time, I thought I saw the Pico of
Teneriffe, being the high top of the mountain Teneriffe in the
Canaries, and had a great mind to venture out in hopes of
reaching thither ; but, having tried twice, I was forced in again
by contrary winds, the sea also going too high for my little ves-
sel ; so I resolved to pursue my first design, and keep along the
shore.
Several times we were obliged to land for fresh water, after
we had left this place; and once in particular, being early in
the morning, we came to an anchor under a little point .of
lad, which was pretty high; and the tide beginning to flow,
we lay still to go farther in. Xury, whose eyes were more
about him than, it seems, mine were, calls softly to me, and
tells me that we had best go farther off the shore, for," says
he, "look, yonder lies a dreadful monster on the side of that







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


hillock, fast asleep." 1 looked where he pointed, and saw a
dreadful monster indeed, for it was a terrible great lion, that
lay on the side of the shore, under the shade of a piece of the
hill, that hung, as it were, a little over him. Xury," said
I, "you shall go on shore and kill him." Xury looked frighted,
and said, "Me kill! He eat me at one mouth"-one mouth-
ful he meant. However, I said no more to the boy, but bade
him be still, and took our biggest gun, which was almost mus-
ket bore, and loaded it with a good charge of powder, and
with two slugs, and laid it down; then I loaded another gun
with two bullets, and the third (for we had three pieces) I
loaded with five smaller bullets. I took the best aim I could
with the first piece, to have shot him into the head; but he
lay s with his leg raised a little above his nose, that the slugs
hit his leg about the knee, and broke the bone. He started
up, growling at first, but finding his leg broke, fell down aga.",
and then got upon three legs, and gave the most hideous roar
that ever I heard. I was a little surprised that I had not hit
him on the head; however, I took up the second piece imme-
diately, and, though he began to move off, fired again, and
shot him into the head, and had the pleasure to see him drop,
and make but little noise, but lay struggling for life. Then
Xury took heart, and would let me have him go ashore. Well,
go," said I. So the boy jumped into the water, and taking a
little gun in one hand, swam to shore with the other hand, and
coming close to the creature, put the muzzle of the piece to his
ear, and shot him into the head again, which despatched him quite.
This was game ii deed to us; but this was no food, and I
was very sorry to lose three charges of powder and shot upon a
creature that was good for nothing to us. However, Xury
said he would have some of him; so he comes on board, and
asked me to give him the hatchet. For what, Xury ?" said
I. "Me cut off his head," said he. However, Xury could
not cut off his head ; but he cut off a foot, and brought it with
him, and it was a monstrous great one.
I bethought myself, however, that perhaps the skin of him
might one way or other be of some value to us; and I resolved
to take off his skin if I could. So Xury and I went to work
with him ; but Xury was much the better workman at it, for
I knew very ill how to do it. Indeed it took us both up
the whole day, but at last we got off the hide of him, and
spreading it on the top of our cabin, the sun effectually dried
it in two days' time, and it afterwards served me to lie upon.







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


CHAPTER III.

Make for the southward, in hopes of meeting with some Euro-
pean vessel-See savages along shore-Shot a large leo-
pard-Am taken up by a merchantman-Arrive at the
Brazils, and buy a settlement there-Cannot be quiet,
but sail on a voyage of adventure to Guinea -Ship strikes
on a sandbank in unknown land-All lost but myself,
who ant driven ashore half dead.
AFTER this stop, we made on to the southward continually for
ten or twelve days, living very sparingly on our provisions,
which began to abate very much, and going no oftener into the
shore than we were obliged to for fresh water. My design in
this was to make the river Gambia or Senegal-that is to say,
any where about the Cape de Verd-where I was in hopes to
meet with some European ship; and if I did not, I knew not
what course to take, but to seek for the islands, or perish there
among the negroes. I knew that all the ships from Europe,
which sailed either to the coast of Guinea or to Brazil, or to
the East Indies, made this cape or those islands; and, in a
word, I put the whole of my fortune upon this single point,
either that I must meet with some ship or perish.
When I had pursued this resolution about ten days longer,
as I have said, I began to see that the land was inhabited, and
in two or three places, as we sailed by, we saw people stand
upon the shore to look at us; we could also perceive they were
quite black, and stark naked. I was once inclined to have
gone on shore to them, but Xury was my better counsellor, and
said to me, "No go, no go." However, I hauled in nearer
the shore, that I might talk to them, and I found they ran
along the shore by me a good way. I observed they had no
weapons in their hands, except one, who had a long slender
stick, which Xury said was a lance, and that they would throw
them a great way with good aim; so I kept at a distance, but
talked with them by signs as well as I could, and particularly
made signs for something to eat. They beckoned to me to
stop my boat, and they would fetch me some meat. Upon
this I lowered the top of my sail, and lay by, and two of them
ran up into the country, and in less than half an hour came
back, and brought with them two pieces of dry flesh and some
corn, such as is the produce of their country; but we neither







ROBINSON CRUSOlE.


knew what the one nor the other was; however, we were will-
ing to accept it. But how to come at it was our next dispute,
for I was not for venturing on shore to them, and they were as
much afraid of us; but they took a safe way for us all, for
they brought it to the shore, and laid it down, and went, and
stood a great way off, till we fetched it on board, and then
came close to us again.
We made signs to thank them, for we had nothing to make
them amends ; but an opportunity offered that very instant to
oblige them wonderfully ; for while we were lying by the shore
came two mighty creatures, one pursuing the other (as we took
it) with great fury, from the mountains towards the sea;
whether it was the male pursuing the female, or whether they
were in sport or in rage, we could not tell any more than we
could tell whether it was usual or strange; but I believe it was
the latter, because, in the first place, those ravenous creatures
seldom appear but in the night, and, in the second.place, we
found the people terribly frightened, especially the women.
The man that had the lance or dart did not fly from them,
but the rest did. However, as the two creatures ran directly
into the water, they did not seem to offer to fall upon the
negroes, but plunged themselves into the sea, and swam about
as if they had come for their diversion ; and at last one of them
began to come nearer our boat than I at first expected ; but I
lay ready for him, for I had loaded my gun with all possible
expedition, and bade Xury load both the others. As soon as
he came fairly within my reach, I fired, and shot him directly
into the head. Immediately he sunk down into the water, but
he rose instantly, and plunged up and down as if he was strug-
gling for life ; and so indeed he was. He immediately made
to the shore, but, between the wound, which was his mortal
hurt, and the strangling of the water, he died just before he
reached the shore.
It is impossible to express the astonishment of these poor
creatures at the noise and fire of my gun; some of them were
ready even to die of fear, and fell down as dead with the very
terror. But when they saw the creature dead, and sunk in the
water, and that I made signs to them to come to the shore,
they took heart and came to the shore, and began to search for
the creature. I found him by his blood staining the water,
and by the help of a rope, which I flung round him, and gave
the negroes to haul, they dragged him on shore, and found it
was a most curious leopard, spotted and fine to an admirable







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


degree ; and the negroes held up their hands with admiration,
to think what it was I had killed him with.
The other creature, frighted with the flash of fire, and the
noise of the gun, swam on shore, and ran up directly to the
mountains from whence they came, nor could I at that distance
know what it was. I found quickly the negroes were for eat-
ing the flesh of this creature, so I was willing to have them take
it as a favour from me, which when I made signs to them that
they might take him, they were very thankful for. Imme-
diately they fell to work with him, and though they had no
knife, yet with a sharpened piece of wood they took off his skin
as readily and much more readily than we could have done with
a knife. They offered me some of the flesh, which I declined,
making as if I would give it them, but made signs for the skin,
which they gave me very freely, and brought me a great deal
more of their provisions, which, though I did not understand,
yet I accepted. Then I made signs to them for some water,
and held out one of my jars to them, turning its bottom up-
ward, to shew that it was empty, and that I wanted to have it
filled. They called immediately to some of their friends, and
there came two women, and brought a great vessel made of
earth, and burnt, as I suppose, in the sun: this they set down
for me, as before, and I sent Xury on shore with my jars, and
filled them all three. The women were as stark naked as tho
men.
I was now furnished with roots and corn, such as it was, and
water ; and, leaving my friendly negroes, I made forward for
about eleven days more, without offering to go near the shore,
till I saw the land run out a great length into the sea, at about
the distance of four or five leagues before me, and, the sea
being very calm, I kept a large offing to make this point; at
length, doubling the point at about two leagues from the land,
I saw plainly land on the other side to seaward; then I con-
cluded, as it was most certain indeed, that this was the Cape
de Verd, and those the islands, called from thence Cape do
Verd islands. However, they were at a great distance, and I
could not well tell what I had best to do ; for if I should be
taken with a fresh wind, I might neither reach one nor the
other.
In this dilemma, as I was very pensive, I stepped into the
cabin, and sat me down, Xury having the helm, when on a
sudden the boy cried out, Master, master, a ship with a sail !'
and the foolish boy was frighted out of his wits, thinking it







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


must needs be some of his master's ships sent to pursue us,
when I knew we were gotten far enough out of their reach. I
jumped out of the cabin, and immediately saw not only the
ship, but what she was-viz., that she was a Portuguese ship,
and, as I thought, was bound to the coast of Guinea for
negroes. But when I observed the course she steered, I was
soon convinced they were bound some other way, and did not
design to come any nearer to the shore, upon which I stretched
out to sea as much as I could, resolving to speak with them if
possible.
With all the sail I could make, I found I should not be able
to come in their way, but that they would be gone by before
I could make any signal to them; but after I had crowded to
the utmost, and began to despair, they, it seems, saw me by
the help of their perspective glasses, and that it was some
European boat, which they supposed must belong to some
ship that was lost; so they shortened sail to let me come
up. I was encouraged with this, and as I had my patron's
ancient on board, I made a waft of it to them as a
signal of distress, and fired a gun, both of which they saw, for
they told me they saw the smoke, though they did not hear
the gun. Upon these signals they very kindly brought to, and
lay by for me, and in about three hours' time I came up with
them.
They asked me what I.was in Portuguese, and in Spanish,
and in French, but I understood none of them; but at last a
Scotch sailor, who was on board, called to me, and I answered
him, and told him I was an Englishman, that I had made my
escape out of slavery from the Moors at Sallee. Then they
bade me come or board, and very kindly took me in, and all
my goods.
It was an inexpressible joy to me, as any one will believe,
that I was thus delivered, as I esteemed it, from such a miser-
able and almost hopeless condition as I was in. I immediately
offered all I had to the captain of the ship, as a return for my
deliverance; but he generously told me, he would take nothing
from me, but that all I had should be delivered safe to me when
I came to the Brazils; "for," says he, I have saved your life
on no other terms than as I would be glad to be saved myself,
and it may one time or other be my lot to be taken up in
the same condition; besides," said he, "when I carry you
to the Brazils, so great a way from your own country, if I should
take from you what you have, you will be starved there, and







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


then I only take away that life I have given. No, no," says
he, Signor Inglese (Mr Englishman), I will carry you thither
in charity, and these things will help you to buy your subsist-
ence there, and your passage home again."
As he was charitable in this proposal, so he was just in the
performance to a tittle; for he ordered the seamen that none
should offer to touch anything I had; then he took everything
into his own possession, and gave me back an inventory of them,
that I might have them again, even so much as my three
earthen jars.
As to my boat, it was a very good one, and that he saw, and
told me he would buy it of me for the ship's use, and asked me
what I would have for it. I told him he had been so generous to
me in everything, that I could not offer to make any price of
the boat, but left it entirely to him; upon which he told me he
would give me a note of hand to pay me 80 pieces of eight for
it in Brazil, and when it came there, if any one offered to give
more, he would make it up. He offered me also 60 pieces of
eight for my boy, Xury, which I was loath to take; not that I
was not willing to let the captain have him, but I was very
loath to sell the poor boy's liberty, who had assisted me so
faithfully in procuring my own. However, when I let him
know my reason, he owned it to be just, and offered me this
medium, that he would give the boy an obligation to set him
free in ten years, if he turned Christian. Upon this, Xury
saying he was willing to go to him, I let the captain have him.
We had a very good voyage to the Brazils, and arrived in the
Bay de Todos los Santos, or All Saints Bay, in about twenty-two
days after. And now I was once more delivered from the most
miserable of all conditions of life, and what to do next with
myself, I was now to consider.
The generous treatment the captain gave me I can never
enough remember; he would take nothing of me for my passage,
gave me 20 ducats for the leopard's skin, and 40 for the lion's
skin, which I had in the boat, and caused everything I had in
the ship to be punctually delivered to me; and what I was will-
ing to sell he bought, such as the case of bottles, two of my
guns, and a piece of the lump of bees' wax, for I had made
candles of the rest; in a word, I made about 220 pieces of eight
of all my cargo, and with this stock I went on shore in the
Brazils.
I had not been long here before I was recommended to the
house of a good honest man like himself, who had an ingenio







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


as they call it, that is, a plantation and a sugar-house. I lived
with him some time, and acquainted myself by that means
with the manner of their planting and making of sugar; and
seeing how well the planters lived, and how they grew rich sud-
denly, I resolved, if I could get license to settle there, I would
turn planter among them; resolving, in the meantime, to find
out some way to get my money which I had left in London, re-
mitted to me. To this purpose, getting a kind of letter of
naturalization, I purchased as much land that was uncured as
my money would reach, and formed a plan for my plantation
and settlement, and such a one as might be suitable to the
stock which I proposed to myself to receive from England.
I had a neighbour, a Portuguese of Lisbon, but born of
English parents, whose name was Wells, and in much such cir-
cumstances as I was. I call him neighbour, because his plan-
tation lay next to mine, and we went on sociably together; my
stock was but low as well as his, and we rather planted for
food than anything else for about two years. However, we
began to increase, and our land began to come into order, so
that the third year we planted some tobacco, and made each of
us a large piece of ground ready for planting canes in the year
to come, but we both wanted help; and now I found, more
than before, I had done wrong in parting with my boy, Xury.
But, alas! for me to do wrong that never did right, was no
great wonder. I had no remedy but to go on. I was gotten
into an employment quite remote to my genius, and directly
contrary to the life I delighted in, and for which I forsook my
father's house, and broke through all his good advice; nay, I
was coming into the very middle station, or upper degree of
low life, which my father advised me to before, and which, if
I resolved to go on with, I might as well have staid at home,
and never have fatigued myself in the world, as I had done;
and I used often to say to myself, I could have done this as
well in England among my friends, as have gone five thousand
miles off to do it among strangers and savages in a wilderness,
and at such a distance asnever to hear from any partof the world
that had the least knowledge of me.
In this manner I used to look upon my condition with the
utmost regret. I had nobody to converse with but now and
then this neighbour; no work to be done but by the labour of
my hands; and I used to say, I lived just like a man cast
away upon some desolate island, that had nobody there but
him~sf. Bat how jast has it been, and how should all men







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


reflect, that when they compare their present condition with
others that are worse, Heaven may oblige them to make the
exchange, and be convinced of their former felicity, by their
experience : I say, how just has it been, that the truly soli-
tary life I reflected on in an island of mere desolation should
be my lot, who had so often unjustly compared it with the life
I then led, in which, had I continued, I had, in all probability,
been exceedingly prosperous and rich.
I was in some degree settled in my measures for carrying on
the plantation, before my kind friend, the captain of the ship
that took me up at sea, went back; for the ship remained there
in providing her loading, and preparing for her voyage, near
three months; when, telling him what little stock I had left
behind me in London, he gave me this friendly and sincere ad-
vice: Signor Inglese," says he (for so he always called me),
"if you will give me letters, and a procuration in form to
me, with orders to the person who has your money in London, to
send your effects to Lisbon, to such persons as I shall direct,
and in such goods as are proper for this country, I will bring
you the produce, God willing, at my return; but, since human
affairs are all subject to changes and disasters, I would have
you give orders but for L.100 sterling, which you say is half
your stock, and let the hazard be run for the first, so that if it
come safe, you may order the rest the same way, and if it mis-
carry, you may have the other half to have recourse to for your
supply."
This was such wholesome advice, and looked so friendly,
that I could not but be convinced it was the best course I could
take; so I accordingly prepared letters to the gentlewoman
with whom I had left my money, and a procuration to the Por-
tuguese captain, as he desired.
I wrote the English captain's widow a full account of all my
adventures, my slavery, escape, and how I had met with the
Portuguese captain at sea, the humanity of his behaviour, and
what condition I was now in, with all other necessary direc-
tions for my supply; and when this honest captain came to
Lisbon, he found means, by some of the English merchants
there, to send over not the order only, but a full account of
my story, to a merchant at London, who represented it effectu-
ally to her; whereupon she not only delivered the money, but
out of her own pocket sent the Portuguese captain a very hand-
some present for his humanity and charity to me.
The merchant in London vested the L.100 in English goods,







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


such as the captain had written for, and sent them directly to
him at Lisbon, and he brought them safe to me to the Brazils ;
among which, without my direction (for I was too young in my
business to think of them), he had taken care to have all sorts
of tools, iron-work, and utensils necessary for my plantation,
and which were of great use to me.
When this cargo arrived, I thought my fortune made, for I
was surprised with joy of it; and my good steward, the cap-
tain, had laid out the L.5 which my friend had sent him for a
present for himself, to purchase, and bring me over a servant,
under bond for six years' service, and would not accept of any
consideration, except a little tobacco, which I would have him
accept, being of my own produce.
Neither was this all; but my goods being all English manu-
factures, such as cloth stuffs, baize, and things particularly
valuable and desirable in the country, I found means to sell
them to a very great advantage; so that, I may say, I had
more than four times the value of my first cargo, and was now
infinitely beyond my poor neighbour-I mean in the advance-
ment of my plantation; for the first thing I did, I bought me
a negro slave and an European servant also-I mean another
besides that which the captain brought me from Lisbon.
But as abused prosperity is oftentimes made the very means
of our greatest adversity, so was it with me. I went on the
next year with great success in my plantation; I raised fifty
great rolls of tobacco on my own ground, more than I had dis-
posed of for necessaries among my neighbours, and these fifty
rolls being each of above a hundred weight, were well cured
and laid by against the return of the fleet from Lisbon. And
now, increasing in business and wealth, my head began to be
full of projects and undertakings beyond my reach, such as
are indeed often the ruin of the best heads in business.
Had I continued in the station I was now in, I had room
for all the happy things to have yet befallen me, for which my
father so earnestly recommended a quiet retired life, and which
he had so sensibly described the middle station of life to be
full of ; but other things attended me, and I was still to be the
wilful agent of all my own miseries; and particularly to in-
crease my fault, and double the reflections upon myself, which
in my future sorrows I should have leisure to make, all these
miscarriages were procured by my apparent obstinate adhering
to my foolish inclination of wandering abroad, and pursuing
that inclination in contradiction to the clearest views of doing







ROBINSON ORiS02.


myself good in a fair and plain pursuit of those prospects, and
those measures of life, which nature and providence concurred
to present me with, and to make my duty.
As I had once done thus in breaking away from my parents,
so I could not be content now; but I must go and leave the
happy view I had of being a rich and thriving man in my new
plantation, only to pursue a rash and immoderate desire of
rising faster than the nature of the thing admitted; and thus
I cast myself down again into the deepest gulf of human
misery that any man fell into, or, perhaps, could be consistent
with life and a state of health in the world.
To come, then, by just degrees to the particulars of this
part of my story:-You may suppose that, having now lived
almost four years in the Brazils, and beginning to thrive and
prosper very well upon my plantation, I had not only learned
the language, but had contracted acquaintance and friendship
among my fellow-planters, as well as among the merchants of
St Salvador, which was our port; and that, in my discourse
among them, I had frequently given them an account of my
two voyages to the coast of Guinea, the manner of trading with
the negroes there, and how easy it was to purchase upon the
coast, for trifles, such as beads, toys, knives, scissors, hatchets,
bits of glass, and the like, not only gold-dust, Guinea grains,
elephants' teeth, &c., but negroes for the service of the Brazils
in great numbers.
They listened always very attentively to my discourses on
these heads, but especially to that part which related to the
buying of negroes, which was a trade at that time not only
net far entered into, but, as far as it was, had been carried on
by the assientos, or permission of the Kings of Spain and Por-
tugal, and engrossed in the public stock, so that few negroes
were bought, and those excessive dear.
It happened, being in company one day with some merchants
and planters of my acquaintance, and talking of those things
very earnestly, three of them came to me the next morning,
and told me they had been musing very much upon what I had
discoursed of with them the last night, and they came to make
% secret proposal to me; and, after enjoining my secresy, they
told me they had a mind to fit out a ship to Guinea; that they
had all plantations as well as I, and were straitened for nothing
so much as servants; that as it was a trade that could not be
carried on, because they could not publicly sell the negroes
when they came home, so they desired to make but one voyage,







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


to bring the negroes on shore privately, and divide them among
their own plantations; and, in a word, the question was,
whether I would go their supercargo in the ship, to manage the
trading part upon the coast of Guinea; and they offered me
that I should have an equal share of the negroes, without pro-
viding any part of the stock.
This was a fair proposal, it must be confessed, had it been
made to any one that had not had a settlement and planta-
tion of his own to look after, which was in a fair way of coming
to be very considerable, and with a good stock upon it. But
for me, that was thus established, and had nothing to do but
go on as I had begun for three or four years more, and to have
sent for the other L. 100 from England, and who, in that time,
and with that little addition, could scarce have failed of being
worth three or four thousand pounds sterling, and that increas-
ing too-for me to think of such a voyage was the most prepos-
terous thing that ever man, in such circumstances, could be
guilty of.
But I, that was born to be my own destroyer, could no more
resist the offer than I could refrain my first rambling designs,
when my father's good counsel was lost upon me. In a word,
I told them I would go with all my heart, if they would under-
take to look after my plantation in my absence, and would dis-
pose of it to such as I should direct if I miscarried. This they
all engaged to do, and entered into writings or covenants to do
so; and I made a formal will, disposing of my plantation and
effects, in case of my death, making the captain of the ship
that had saved my life, as before, my universal heir, but oblig-
ing him to dispose of my effects as I had directed in my will ;
one half of the produce being to himself, and the other to be
shipped to England.
In short, I took all possible caution to preserve my effects,
and keep up my plantation. Had -I used half as much pru-
dence to have looked into my own interest, and have made a
judgment of what I ought to have done, and not to have done,
I had certainly never gone away from so prosperous an under-
taking, leaving all the probable views of a thriving circumstance,
and gone upon a voyage to sea, attended with all its common
hazards, to say nothing of the reasons I had to expect particu-
lar misfortunes to myself.
But I was hurried on, and obeyed blindly the dictates of my
fancy, rather than my reason; and, accordingly, the ship being
fitted out, and the cargo furnished, and all things done as by







ROBINSON ROUSOE.


agreement, bymy partners in the voyage, I went on board in an
evil hour again, the 1st of September, 1659, being the same
day eight years that I went from my father and mother at Hull,
in order to act the rebel to their authority and the fool to my
own interest.
Our ship was about 120 tons burden, carried six guns, and
fourteen men, besides the master, his boy, and myself. We had
on board no large cargo of goods except such toys as were fit for
our trade with the negroes; such as beads, bits of glass, shells,
and odd trifles, especially little looking-glasses, knives, scissors,
hatchets, and the like.
The same day I went on board we set sail, standing away to
the northward upon our own coast, with design to stretch ovei
for the African coast, when we came into about ten or twelve
degrees of northern latitude, which it seems was the manner of
their course in those days. We had very good weather, only
excessive hot all the way upon our own coast, till we came to
the height of Cape St Augustino, from whence keeping farther
off at sea, we lost sight of land, and steered as if we were bound
for the isle Fernando de Noronha, holding our course north-east
by north, and leaving those isles on the east. In this course we
passed the Line in about twelve days' time, and were, by our
last observation, in 7 degrees 22 minutes northern latitude,
when a violent tornado or hurricane took us quite out of our
knowledge; it began from the south-east, came about to the
north-west, and then settled into the north-east, from whence
it blew in such a terrible manner, that for twelve days together
we could do nothing but drive ; and scudding away before it,
let it carry us wherever fate and the fury of the winds directed;
and during these twelve days, I need not say that I expected
every day to be swallowed up, nor did any in the ship expect
to save their lives.
In this distress we had, besides the terror of the storm, one
of our men died of the calenture, and one man and the boy
washed overboard. About the twelfth day, the weather abating
a little, the master made an observation as well as he could,
and found that he was in about 11 degrees north latitude, but
that he was 22 degrees of longitude difference west from Cape
St Augastino, so that he found he was gotten upon the coast
of Guyana, or the north part of Brazil, beyond the river
Amazons, towards the river Orinoco, commonly called the
Great River ; and now he began to consult with me what course
he should take, for the ship was leaky, and very much dis-







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


abled, and he was for going directly back to the coast of
Brazil.
I was positively against that; and, looking over the charts
of the sea-coast of America with him, we concluded there was
no inhabited country for us to have recourse to, till we came
within the circle of the Caribbee Islands, and therefore resolved
to stand away for Barbadoes, which, by keeping off at sea, to
avoid the indraught of the bay or gulf of Mexico, we might
easily perform, as we hoped, in about fifteen days' sail; whereas
we could not possibly make our voyage to the coast of Africa,
without some assistance both to our ship and to ourselves.
With this design we changed our course, and steered away
N.W. by W., in order to reach some of our English islands,
where I hoped for relief; but our voyage was otherwise deter-
mined; for, being in the latitude of 12 degrees 18 minutes, a
second storm came upon us, which carried us away with the
same impetuosity westward, and drove us so out of the way of
all human commerce, that had our lives been saved, as to the
sea, we were rather in danger of being devoured by savages,
than ever returning to our own country.
In this distress, the wind still blowing very hard, one of out
men, early one morning, cried out, Land! and we had no
sooner run out of the cabin to look out, in hopes of seeing
whereabouts in the world we were, but the ship struck upon a
sand, and, in a moment, her motion being so stopped, the sea
broke over her in such a manner that we expected we should
all have perished immediately; and we were immediately driven
into our close quarters, to shelter us from the very foam and
spray of the sea.
It is not easy for any one, who has not been in the like con-
dition, to describe or conceive the consternation of men in such
circumstances. We knew nothing where we were, or upon
what land it was we were driven, whether an island or the
main, whether inhabited or not inhabited; and as the rage of
the wind was still great, though rather less than at first, we
could not so much as hope to have the ship hold many minutes
without breaking in pieces, unless the wind, by a kind of
miracle, should turn immediately about. In a word, we sat
looking upon one another, and expecting death every moment,
and every man acting accordingly, as preparing for another
world, for there was little or nothing more for us to do in
this; that which was our present comfort, and all the comfort
we had, was, that contrary to our expectation the ship did







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


not break yet, and that the master said the wind began to
abate.
Now, though we 2aought that the wind did a little abate, yet
the ship having thus struck upon the sand and sticking too
fast for us to expect her getting off, we were in a dreadfulcon-
dition indeed, and had nothing to do but to think of saving
our lives as well as we could. We had a boat at our stern just
before the storm, but she was first staved by dashing against
the ship's rudder, and in the next place she broke away, and
either sunk or was driven off to sea, so there was no hope from
her. We had another boat on board, but how to get her off
into the sea, was a doubtful thing. However there was no
room for debate, for we fancied the ship would break in pieces
every minute; and some said she had broken already.
In this distress, the mate of our vessel lays hold of the boat,
and with the help of the rest of the men, they got her flung
over the ship's side, and getting all into her, let go, and come
mitted ourselves, being eleven in number, to God's mercy, and
the wild sea; for though the storm was abated considerably,
yet the sea went dreadfully high upon the shore, and might
well be called Der wild sea, as the Dutch call the sea in a
storm.
And now our case was very dismal indeed, for we all saw
plainly that the sea went so high, that the boat could not
escape, and that we should be inevitably drowned. As to mak-
ing sail, we had none; nor, if we had, could we have done any-
thing with it; so we worked at the oar towards the land,
though with heavy hearts, like men going to execution; for we
all knew, that when the boat came near the shore, she wonld
be dashed in a thousand pieces by the breach of the sea.
However, we committed our souls to God in the most earnest
manner, and the wind driving us towards the shore, we
hastened our destruction with our own hands, pulling, as well
as we could, towards land.
What the shore was, whether rock or sand, whether steep or
shoal, we knew not; the only hope that could rationally give
us the least shadow of expectation was, if we might get into
some bay or gulf, or the mouth of some river, where, by great
chance, we might have run our boat in, or got under the lee of
the land, and perhaps made smooth water. But there was
nothing of this appeared; but as we made nearer and nearer
the shore, the land looked more frightful than the sea.
After we had rowed, or rather driven, about a league and a







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


half, as we reckoned it, a raging wave, mountain-like, came
rolling astern of us, and plainly bade us expect the coup de
grace. In a word, it took us with such a fury, that it overset
the boat at once, and separating us as well from the boat as
from one another, gave us not time hardly to say, 0 God !"
for we were all swallowed up in a moment.
Nothing can describe the confusion of thought which I felt
when I sunk into the water; for though I swam very well, yet
I could not deliver myself from the waves so as to draw my
breath, till that wave had driven me, or rather carried me, a
vast way on towards the shore, and having spent itself, went
back, and left me upon the land almost dry, but half dead
with the water I took in. I had so much presence of mind,
as well as breath left, that seeing myself nearer the main land
than I expected, I got upon my feet, and endeavoured to make
on towards the land, as fast as I could, before another wave
should return and take me up again. But I soon found it was
impossible to avoid it ; for I saw the sea come after me as high
as a great hill, and as furious as an enemy, which I had no
means or strength to contend with; my business was to hold
my breath, and raise myself upon the water, if I could, and so
by swimming to preserve my breathing, and pilot myself to-
wards the shore, if possible; my greatest concern now being
that the wave, as it would carry me a great way towards the
shore when it came on, might not carry me back again with it
when it gave back towards the sea.
The wave that came upon me again buried me at once twenty
or thirty feet deep in its own body, and I could feel myself
carried with a mighty force and swiftness towards the shore a
very great way; but I held my breath, and assisted myself to
swim still forward with all my might. I was ready to burst
with holding my breath, when, as I felt myself rising up, so,
to my immediate relief, I found my head and hands shoot out
above the surface of the water; and though it was not two
seconds of time that I could keep myself so, yet it relieved me
greatly, gave me breath and new courage. I was covered again
with water a good while, but not so long but I held it out, and
finding the water had spent itself, and began to return, I
struck forward against the return of the waves, and felt ground
again with my feet. I stood still a few moments to recover
breath, an I till the water went from me, and then took to my
heels, and ran with what strength I had farther towards the
shore. But neither would this deliver me from the fury of the







ROBINSON CRUSOI1


sea, which came pouring in after me again, and twice more
was I lifted up by the waves, and carried forward as before,
the shore being very flat.
The last time of these two had well near been fatal to me;
for the sea having hurried me along as before, landed me, or
rather dashed me, against a piece of rock, and that with such
force, as it left me senseless, and indeed helpless, as to my own
deliverance; for the blow taking my side and breast, beat the
breath, as it were, quite out of my body, and, had it returned
again immediately, I must have been strangled in the water;
but I recovered a little before the return of the waves, and
seeing I should be covered again with the water, I resolved to
hold fast by a piece of the rock, and so to hold my breath, if
possible, till the wave went back. Now, as the waves were
not so high as at first, being near land, I held my hold till the
wave abated, and then fetched another run, which brought me
so near the shore, that the next wave, though it went over me.
yet did not so swallow me up as to carry me away; and the
next run I took I got to the mainland, where, to my great com-
fort, I clambered up the cliffs of the shore, and sat me down
upon the grass, free from danger, and quite out of the reach of
the water.
I was now landed, and safe on shore, and began to look up
and thank God that my life was saved, in a case wherein there
was, some minutes before, scarce any room to hope. I believe
it is impossible to express, to the life, what the ecstasies and
transports of the soul are when it is so saved, as I may say,
out of the very grave ; and I do not wonder now at that cus-
tom-viz., when a malefactor, who has the halter about his
neck, is tied up, and just going to be turned off, and has a re-
prieve brought to him-I say, I do not wonder that they bring
a surgeon with it, to let him blood that very moment they tell
him of it, that the surprise may not drive the animal spirits
from the heart, and overwhelm him-

For sudden joys, like griefs, confound at first.

I walked about on the shore, lifting up my hands, and my
whole being, as I may say, wrapt up in the contemplation of
my deliverance, making a thousand gestures and motions which
I cannot describe, reflecting upon all my comrades that were
drowned, and that there should not be one soul saved but my-
self; for, as for them, I never saw them afterwards, or any







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


signs of them, except three of their hats, one cap, and two
shoes that were not fellows.
I cast my eyes to the stranded vessel, when the breach and
froth of the sea being so big, I could hardly see it, it lay so far
off; and considered, Lord! how was it possible I could get
on shore.
After I had solaced my mind with the comfortable part of
my condition, I began to look round me, to see what kind of
place I was in, and what was next to be done, and I soon
found my comforts abate, and that, in a word, I had a dread-
ful deliverance; for I was wet, had no clothes to shift me, nor
anything either to eat or drink to comfort me, neither did I
see any prospect before me but that of perishing with hunger,
or being devoured by wild beasts; and that which was particu-
larly afflicting to me was, that I had no weapon either to hunt
and kill any creature for my sustenance, or to defend myself
against the attacks of any creature that might desire to kill me
for theirs. In a word, 1 had nothing about me but a knife, a
tobacco-pipe, and a little tobacco in a box; this was all my pro-
vision, and this threw me into terrible agonies of mind,
that for a while I ran about like a madman. Night coming
upon me, I began with a heavy heart to consider what would
be my lot if there were any ravenous beasts in that country,
seeing at night they always come abroad for their prey.
All the remedy that offered to my thoughts at that time was,
to get up into a thick bushy tree, like a fir, but thorny, which
grew near me, and where I resolved to sit all night, and con-
sider the next day what death I should die; for as yet I sawno
prospect of life. I walked about a furlong from the shore, to
see if I could find any fresh water to drink, which I did to my
great joy; and having drank, and put a little tobacco in my
mouth to prevent hunger, I went to the tree, and getting up
into it, endeavoured to place myself so as that, if I should
sleep, I might not fall; and having cut me a short stick, like a
truncheon, for my defence, I took up my lodging; and having
been excessively fatigued, I fell fast asleep, and slept as com-
fortably as I believe few could have done in my condition, and
found myself the most refreshed with it that I think I ever
was on such an occasion.







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


CHAPTER IV.
Appearance of the wreck and country next day--Swim on
board of the ship, and by means of a contrivance get a
quantity of stores on shore-Shoot a bird but it turns
out perfect carrion-Moralise upon my situation-The
ship blown of land, and totally lost--Set out in search of
a proper place for a habitation-See numbers of goats-
Melancholy reflections.
WHEN I waked it was broad day, the weather clear, and the
storm abated, so that the sea did not rage and swell as before;
but that which surprised me most was, that the ship was lifted
off in the night, from the sand where she lay, by the swelling
of the tide, and was driven up almost as far as the rock which
I first mentioned, where I had been so bruised by the dashing
me against it. This being within about a mile from the shore
where I was, and the ship seeming to stand upright still, I
wished myself on board, that at least I might save some ne-
cessary things for my use.
When I came down from my apartment in the tree, Ilooked
about me again; and the first thing I found was the boat,
which lay as the wind and sea had tossedher up uponthe land,
about two miles on my right hand. I walked as far as I could
upon the shore to have got to her, but found a neck or inlet of
water between me and the boat, which was about half a mile
broad; so I came back for the present, being more intent upon
getting at the ship, where I hoped to find something for my
present subsistence.
A little after noon I found the sea very calm; and the tide
ebbed so far out, that I could come within a quarter of a mile
of the ship; and here I found a fresh renewing of my grief; for
I saw evidently that if we had kept on board we had been all
safe, that is to say, we had all got safe on shore, and I had not
been so miserable as to be left entirely destitute of all comfort
and company, as I now was. This forced tears from my eyes
again, but as there was little relief in that, I resolved, if
possible, to get to the ship; so I pulled off my clothes, for the
weather was hot to extremity, and took the water; but when I
came to the ship, my difficulty was still greater to know how to
get on board, for as she lay aground and high out of the water,
there was nothing within my reach to lay hold of. I swam







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


round her twice, and the second time I espied a small piece of
rope, which I wondered I did not see at first, hang down by the
fore chains, so low as that with great difficulty I got hold of it,
and, by the help of that rope, got up into the forecastle of the
ship. Here I found that the ship was bulged, and had a great
deal of water in her hold, but that she lay so on the side of a
bank of hard sand, or rather earth, that her stern lay lifted
up upon the bank, and her head low almost to the water; by
this means all her quarter was free, and all that was in that
part was dry; for you may be sure my first work was to search
and to see what was spoiled and what was free; and first I
found that all the ship's provisions were dry and untouched
by the water ; and being very well disposed to eat, I went to
the bread room, and filled my pockets with biscuit, and ate it
as I went about other things, for I had no time to lose. Ialso
found some rum in the great cabin, of which I took a large
dram, and which I had indeed need enough of, to spirit me
for what was before me. Now I wanted nothing but a boat to
furnish myself with many things which I foresaw would be very
necessary to me.
It was in vain to sit still, and wish for what was not to be
had; and this extremity roused my application. We had
several spare yards, and two or three large spars of wood, and
a spare top-mast or two in the ship; I resolved to fall to work
with these, and flung as many of them overboard as I could
manage for their weight, tying every one with a rope that they
might not drive away. When this was done, I went down the
ship's side, and pulling them to me, I tied four of them fast
together at both ends as well as I could, in the form of a raft;
and laying two or three short pieces of plank upon them cross-
ways, I found that I could walk upon it very well, but that it
was not able to bear any great weight, the pieces being too
light; so I went to work, and with a carpenter's saw I cut a
spare top-mast into three lengths, and added them to my raft,
with great labour; but the hope of furnishing myself with ne-
cessaries encouraged me to do more than I should have been
able to have done upon another occasion.
My raft was now strong enough to bear any reasonable
weight. My next care was what to load it with, and how to
preserve what I laid upon it from the surf of the sea; but I
was not long considering this; I first laid all the planks or
boards upon it that I could get, and having considered well
what I most wanted, I crst got three of the seamen's chests,







ROBINSON ORUSOE.


which I had broken open and emptied, and lowered them down
upon my raft. The first of these I filled with provisions, viz.
bread, rice, three Dutch cheeses, pieces of dried goat's flesh,
which we lived much upon, and a little 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 disappoint-
ment, 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 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 put me upon 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-loading
of gold would have been at that time. I got it down to my
raft, even 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 ammunition and arms. There
were two very good fowling-pieces in the great cabin, and two
pistols ; these I secured first, with some powder-horns, 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 got to my raft, with the arms. And now I thought my-
self pretty well freighted, and began to think how I should get
to shore with them, having neither sail, oar, or rudder, and
the least capful of wind would have overset all my navigation.
I had three encouragements: first, a smooth and calm sea;
second, the tide rising and setting in to the shore ; third, what
little wind there was blew me towards the land; and thus, hav-
ing 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, and with this cargo I put to sea. For







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


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 there was some indraught 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 of the tide
set into it, so I guided my raft as well as I could, to keep in
the middle of the stream. But here I had like to have suffered
a second shipwreck, which, if I had, I think verily would have
broke my heart ; for, knowing nothing of the coast, my raft
ran aground, at one end of it, upon a shoal, and not being
aground at the other, it wanted but a little that all my cargo
had slipped off towards that end that was afloat, and so fallen
into the water. I did my utmost, by setting my back against
the chests, to keep them in their places, but could not thrust
off the raft with all my strength; neither durst I stir from the
posture I was in, but, holding up the chests with all my might,
stood in that manner near half an hour, in which time the ris-
ing of the water brought me a little upon a level, and a little
after, the water still rising, my raft floated again, and I thrust
her off with the oar I had, into the channel, and then driving up
higher, I at length found myself at the mouth of a little river,
with land on both sides, and a strong current of tide running up.
I looked on both sides for a proper place to get to shore, for I
was not willing to be driven too high up the river, hoping in
time to see some ship at sea, and therefore resolved to place
myself as near the shore as I could.
At length I spied a little cove on the right shore of the creek,
to which with great pain and difficulty I guided my raft, and
at last got so near, as that, reaching ground with my oar, I
could thrust her directly in; but here I had liked to have dip-
ped all my cargo into the sea again, for the shore lying pretty
steep, that is to say, sloping, there was no place to land, but
where one end of the float, if it ran on shore, would lie so high,
and the other sink lower as before, that it would endanger my
cargo again. All that I could do was to wait till the tide was
at the highest, keeping the raft with my oar, like an anchor,
to hold the side of it fast to the shore, near a flat piece of ground,
which I expected the water would flow over, and so it did. As
soon as I found water enough (for my raft drew about a
foot of water), I thrust her upon that flat piece of ground,







ROBINSON ORUSOE.


and there fastened or moored her, by sticking my two broken
oars into the ground, one on one side near one end, and one on
the other side near the other end; and thus I lay till the water
ebbed away, and left my raft and all my cargo safe on shore.
My next work was to view the country, and seek a proper
place for my habitation, and where to stow my goods to secure
them from whatever might happen. Where I was, I yet knew
not, whether on the continent or on an island; whether in-
habited, or not inhabited; whether in danger of wild beasts or
not. There was a hill not above a mile from me, which rose
up very steep and high, and which seemed to overtop some
other hills, which lay as in a ridge from it northward. I took
out one of the fowling-pieces, and one of the pistols, and a 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 diffi-
culty got up, I immediately 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, as 1
saw good reasons to believe, uninhabited, except by wild beasts,
of which, however, I saw none; yet I saw 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 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, but from all parts of the wood there arose an extraordi-
nary number of fowls, of many sorts, making a confused
screaming and crying, every one according to his usual note;
but not one of them of any kind that I knew. As for that
creature I killed, I took it to be a kind of a hawk, its colour
and beak resembling it, but it had no talons or claws more
than common; its flesh was carrion, and fit for nothing.
Contented with this discovery, I came back to my raft, and
fell to work to bring the rest of my cargo on shore, which took
me up the rest of the 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 I afterwards found there was really no need for
those fears.
However, as well as I could, I barricaded myself round with







ROBINSON ORUSOE.


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 parti-
cularly some of the rigging and sails, and such other things as
night come to hand, and I resolved to make another voyage on
board the vessel if possible; and as I knew that the first storm
that blew must necessarily break her in pieces, I resolved to set
all other things apart till I got everything out of the ship that
I could get; then I called a council (that is to say, in my
thoughts), whether I should take back the raft, but this ap-
peared impracticable; so I resolved to 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 checkered 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
store 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, to-
gether with several things belonging to the gunner, particu-
larly three iron crows, and two barrels of musket bullets,
seven muskets, and another fowling-piece, with a small
quantity of powder more; a large bag full 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-topsail, hammock, and some bedding,
and with this I loaded my second raft, and brought them also
safe on shore, to my great comfort.
I was under some apprehensions, 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 to 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 ac-
quainted with me. I presented my gun at her, but as she did







ROBINSON CRUSOb.


not understand it, she was perfectly unconcerned, nor did she
offer to stir away; upon which I tossed her a bit of biscuit,
though I was not very free of it, for my store was not great.
However, I gave her a bit, I say; she smelled at it, ate it, and
looked for more; but I thanked her, and could spare no more,
so she marched off.
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 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, either with rain or sun; and I piled all the
empty chests and casks up in a circle round the tent, to fortify
it from any sudden attempt either from man or beast.
When I had done this, I blocked up the door of the tent
with some boards within, and an empty chest, set up on end
without, and spreading one of the beds upon the ground, lay-
ing my two pistols just at my head, and my gun at length by
me, I went to bed for the first time, and slept very quietly all
Aight, for I was very weary and heavy, as the night before I
had slept little, and had laboured hard all day, as well to fetch
hose things from the ship, as to get them on shore.
I had the largest 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 every thing 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 gun-
powder. 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 me for
sails, but as mere canvas only.
But that which comforted me still more 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 runlets of rum or spirits, 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 that







ROBINSON ORUSOE.


bread, and wrapt it up parcel by parcel, in pieces of the sails
which I cut out ; and, in a word, I got this safe on shore also,
though at several times.
The next day I made another voyage ; and now having plun-
dered the ship of what was portable, and fit to hand out, I
began with the cables; and 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 every thing I could to
make a large raft, I loaded it with all those heavy goods and
came away. But my good luck began now to leave me, for this
raft was so unwieldy and so overloaded, that after I had enter-
ed 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 great part of it lost, especially the iron, which I
expected would have been of great use to me ; 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, and brought away what
I could.
I had now been thirteen days on shore, and had been eleven
times on board the ship, in which times 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 as
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 ten or a dozen good knives
and forks ; in another I found about thirty-six pound value in
money, some European coin, some Brazil, some pieces of eight,
some gold, some silver.
I smiled to myself at the sight of this money. "0 drug,'
said I aloud, what art thou good for ? Thou art not worth to
me, no, not the taking off of the ground; one of those knives is
worth all this heap; I have no manner of use for thee, even
remain where thou art, and go to the bottom as a creature
whose life is not worth saving However upon second thoughts







ROBINSON ORUSOE.


I took it away, and wrapping all this in a piece of canvas, I
began to think of making another raft; but while I was pre-
paring this, I found the sky overcast, and the wind began to
rise, and in a quarter of an hour it blew a fresh gale from the
shore. It presently occurred to me that it was in vain to pre-
tend to make a raft with the wind off shore, and that it was
my business to be gone before the tide of flood began, other-
wise I might not be able to reach the shore at all: according-
ly, I let myself down into the water, and swam across the chan-
nel which lay between the ship and the sand, 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.
But I was gotten home to my little tent, where I lay with
all my wealth about me very secure; it blew very hard all that
night, and in the morning, when I looked out, behold no more
of the ship was to be seen. I was a little surprised, but re-
covered myself with this satisfactory reflection, viz., that I had
lost no time, nor abated no diligence, to get every thing 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 thought of the ship, or of any
thing 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 little use to me.
My thoughts were now wholly employed about securing my-
self against either savages, if any should appear, or wild beasts,
if any were in the island; and I had many thoughts of the
method how to do this, and what kind of dwelling to make, whe-
ther I should make me a cave in the earth, or a tent upon the
earth; and, in short, I resolved upon both, the manner and
description of which it may not be improper to give an account of.
I soon found the place I was in was not for my settlement, par-
ticularly because it was upon a low moorish ground near the sea,
which I thought 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.
I consulted several things in my situation, which I found
would be proper for me first, health, and fresh water, as I
just now mentioned ; secondly, shelter from the heat of the
sun; thirdly, security from ravenous creatures, either man or
beast; fourthly, a view of the sea, that if God sent any ship







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


in sight, I might not lose any advantage for my deliverance, of
which I was not willing to banish all hopes.
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 this rock there was a
hollow place, worn a little way in, like the entrance or door of
a cave, but there was no cave or way into the rock.
On the flat of the green, just before this hollow place, I re-
solved 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 it descended irregularly every
way down into the low grounds by the sea-side. It was on the
N.N.W. side of the hill, so that I 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. Before I set up
my tent, I drew a half-circle before the hollow place, which
took in about ten yards in 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, driv-
ing them into the ground till they stood very firm like piles,
the biggest end being out of the ground about five feet and a
half, and sharpened at the top ; the two rows stood about six
inches from one another.
Then I took the pieces of cable which I had cut in the ship,
and laid them in rows upon one another, within the circle be-
tween these 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 wood, bring them to the place, and drive them into the
earth.
The entrance to this place I made to be, not by a door, but
by a 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 afterward, there was no need of
all this caution.
Into this fence, or fortress, with infinite labour, I carried
all my riches, all my provisions, ammunition, and stores; and
I made a large tent also, which, to preserve me from the rains,






ROBINSON CRUSOE.


that in one part of the year are very violent there, I made
double, viz., one smaller tent within, and one large tent above
it, and covered the uppermost with a large tarpaulin, which I
had saved among the sails.
And now I lay no more for a while in the bed that I had
brought on shore, but in a hammock, which was a very good
one, and belonged to the mate.
Into this tent I brought all my provisions, and everything
that would spoil by the wet; and having thus enclosed all my
goods, I made up the entrance, which till now was left open,
and so passed and repassed, as I said, by a ladder.
When I had done this, I began to work my way into the
rock, and bringing all the earth and stones out through my
tent, I laid them up within the fence in the nature of a terrace,
so that it raised the ground within about a foot and a half, and
thus I made me a cave just behind my tent, which served like
a cellar to my house.
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 mythoughts.
At the same time it happened, after I had laid my scheme for
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 then a clap of thunder, as is naturally the effect
of it. I was not so much surprised with the lightning, as with
the thought which darted into my mind :-0 my powder!
My heart sank within me, to think that at one blast all
my powder might be destroyed; on which, not my defence only,
but the providing me food, as I thought, entirely depended; I
was nothing near so anxious about my own danger; though had
the powder took fire, I had never known who had hurt 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 my
powder, and to keep it a little and a little in a parcel, in hopes
that whatever might come, it might not all take fire at once,
and to keep it so apart, that it should not be possible to make
one part fire another. I finished this work in about a fort-
night, and my powder, which in all was about 240 Ibs. weight,
was divided into not less than a hundred parcels. As to the
barrel that had been wet, I did not apprehend any danger
from that, so I placed it in my new cave, which in my fancy
I called my kitchen, and the test T hid in holes among the







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


rocks, that no wet might get to it, carefully marking where I
laid it.
In the interval of time while this was doing, I went out
once 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 discovered that there were goats on the
island, which was a great satisfaction to me; but then it was
attended with this misfortune, viz., that they were so shy, so
subtile, 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 valleys, though they were upon the rocks, they would
run away in a terrible fright; but if they were feeding in the
valleys, and I was upon the rocks, they took no notice of me;
from whence I concluded, that by the position of their optics,
their sight was so directed downward, that they did not
readily see objects that were above them; so I always climbed
the rocks first to get above them, and then had frequently a
fair mark. 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; but 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, thekid followed me quite to my enclosure; 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
possibly I could.
Having now fixed my habitation, I found it absolutely ne-
cessary to provide a place to make a fire in, and fuel to burn;
and what I did for that, as also how I enlarged my cave, and
what conveniences I made, I shall give a full account of in its
place; but I must first give some little account of myself, and
of my thoughts about living, which 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, outofthe ordi-







ROBINSON ORUSOE.


nary course of the trade of mankind, I had great reason to con-
sider 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, without help, abandoned
and so entirely depressed, that it could hardly be rational to
be thankful for such a life.
But something always returned swift upon me to check these
thoughts, and to reprove me; and particularly one day, walk-
ing with my gun in my hand by the sea-side, I was very pen-
sive upon the subject of my present condition, when reason as
it were put in, expostulating with me the other way, thus:-
Well, you are in a desperate condition, it is true, but pray re-
member where are the rest of you? Did not you come eleven
of you into the boat? where are the ten? why were they not
saved, and you lost ? why were you singled out ? is it better
to be here or there ? And then I pointedto the sea. All evils
are to be considered with the good that is in them, and with
what worse attended them.
Then it occurred to me again, how well I was furnished for
my subsistence, and what would have been my case if it had
not happened, which was a hundred thousand to one, that the
ship floated from the place where she first struck, and was
driven so near to the shore, that I had time to get all these
things out of her. What would have been my case, if I had
been to have lived-in the condition in which I iT first came on
shore, without necessaries of life, or any means to supply and
procure them ? Particularly, said I (loud, though to myself),
what would 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 coverings ? And
that now I had all these to a 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 toler-
able view of subsisting without any want as long as I lived, for
I considered from the beginning how I should 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 or strength should decay.
I confess I had not then entertained any notion of my am-
munition being destroyed at one blast, I mean my powder







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


being blown up by lightning; and this made the thoughts of it
so surprising to me, when it lightened and thundered, as I
observed just now.
And now, being about to enter into a melancholy relation of
a scene of silent life, such, perhaps, as was never heard of in
the world before, I shall take it from its beginning, and con-
tinue it in its order. It was, by my account, the 30th of
September, when, in the manner above said, I first set foot
upon this horrid island, when the sun being to us in its au-
tumnal equinox, was almost just over my head; for I reckoned
myself by observation to be in the latitude of 9 degrees 22
minutes north of the Line.
After I had been there about ten or twelve days, it came into
my thoughts that I should lose my reckoning of time for want
of books, and pen and ink, and should even forget my Sabbath
days from the working days; but to prevent this, I cut it with
my knife upon a large post, in capital letters, and making it
into a great cross, I set it up on the shore where I first
landed, viz., "I came on shore here the 30th of Sept., 1659."
Upon the sides of this square post I cut every day a notch with
my knife, and every seventh notch was as long again as the
rest, and every first day of the month as long again as the long
one; and thus I kept my calendar, or weekly, monthly, and
yearly reckoning of time.
In the next place, we are to observe that among many things
which I brought off 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 instru-
ments, dials, perspectives, charts, and books of navigation, all
which I huddled together, whether I might want them or no;
also I found three very good Bibles, which came to me in my
cargo from England, and which I had packed up among my
things, some Portuguese books also, and among them two or
three Popish prayer-books, and several other books, all which
I carefully secured. And I must not forget that we had in the
ship a dog and two cats, of whose eminent history 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
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 for







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


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 he could not do. As I observed
before, I found pens, ink, and paper, and I husbanded them
to the utmost: and I shall shew, 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; and
of these, this of 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 diffi-
culty.
This want of tools made every work I did go on heavily, and
it was near a whole year before I had entirely finished my
little pale, or surrounded habitation; the piles, or stakes,
which were as heavy as I could well lift, were a long time in
cutting and preparing in the woods, and more by far in bring-
ing home ; so that I spent sometimes two days in cutting and
bringing home one of these posts, and a third day in driving it
into the ground ; for which purpose I got a heavy piece of wood
at first, but at last bethought myself of one of the iron crows,
which, however, though I found it, yet made driving those
posts or pales very laborious and tedious work.
But what need I have been concerned at the tediousness of
any thing I had to do, having time enough to do it in ? Nor
had I any other employment, that I could foresee, except rang.
ing the island to seek for food, which I did more or less every
day.
I now began to consider seriously my condition, and the cir-
cumstances I was reduced to, and I drew up the state of my
affairs in writing, not so much to leave them to any that were
to come after me (for I was like to have but few heirs), as to
deliver my thoughts from daily poring upon them, and afflict-
ing my mind ; and as my reason began now to master my de-
spondency, I began to comfort myself as well as I could, and to
set the good against the evil, that I might have something to
distinguish my case from worse ; and I stated it very impar-
tially, like debtor and creditor, the comforts I enjoyed, against
the miseries I suffered, thus:-
Evil. Good.
I am cast upon a horrible deso- But I am alive, and not drown-
late island, void of all hope of re- ed, as all my ship's company was.
cover.








ROBINSON ORUSOE.


I am singled out and separated,
as it were, from all the world to be
miserable.

I am divided from mankind, a
solitary one, banished from human
society.
I have not clothes to cover me.

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 singled out too from
all the ship's crew, to be spared
from death ; and He that miracu-
lously saved me from death, can
deliver me from this condition.
But I am not starved and perish-
ing on a barren place, affording
no sustenance.
But I am in a hot climate,
where, if I had clothes, I could
hardly wear them.
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 near enough to the shore,
that I have gotten out so many
necessary things as will either
supply my wants, or enable me to
supply myself, even as long as I
live.


Upon the whole, here was an undoubted testimony that there
was scarce a condition in the world so miserable, but there was
something negative, or something positive, to be thankful for
in it; and let this stand as a direction from the experience of
the most miserable of all conditions in this world, that we may
always find in it something to comfort ourselves from, and to
set, in the description of good and evil, on the credit side of
the account.
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 ac-
commodate 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 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 oat the rain, which I found at some times of the
year very violent.
I have already observed how I brought all my goods into this
pale, and into the cave which I had made behind me; but I
must observe too, that at first this was a confused heap of







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


goods, wiich, 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; and so, when
I found I was pretty safe as to beasts of prey, I worked side-
ways 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 stow my goods.
And now I began to apply myself to make such 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 com-
forts I had in the world; I could not write or eat, or do seve-
ral things, with so much pleasure without a table.
So I went to work; and here I must needs observe, that as rea-
son is the substance and original of the mathematics, so by stat-
ing 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 i.t,
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 in
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 axetill I had brought it to be as thin as a plank,
and then daub it smooth with my adze. It is true that by this
method I could make but one board out of the 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
board 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 my tools, nails, and ironwork on,
and, in a word, to separate everything at large in their places;
also, I knocked pieces into the wall of the rock to hang my
guns, and all things that would. hang up: so that had my cave







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


been to be seen, it looked like a general magazine of all neces-
sary things; and I had everything so ready to my hand, that it
was a great pleasure to me to see all my goods in such order,
and especially to find my stock of all necessaries so great.
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:--September 30th.
-After I got on shore, and had escaped drowning, instead
of beingthankful to God for my deliverance, having first vomited
with the great quantity of salt water which was gotten 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, having been on board the ship, and
got all 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, and made 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
at last having no more ink, I was forced to leave it off.

CHAPTER V.
I begin to keep a journal-christen my desert island the Island
of Despair-fall upon various schemes to make tools,
baskets, &c., and begin to build my house-at a great
loss of an evening for candle, but fall upon an expedient
to supply the want-strange discovery of corn-a terrible
eartaruake and storm.
THE JOURNAL.
September 30, 1659.-1, poor miserable Robinson Crusoe,
being shipwrecked during a dreadful storm in the offing, cama







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


on shore on this dismal unfortunate 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 that day I spent in afflicting myself at the dis-
mal circumstances I was brought to, viz., I had neither house,
food, clothes, weapon, or 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 approach of night, I slept in
a tree, for fear of wild creatures, but slept soundly.
Oct. 1. -In the morning I saw, to my 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 I hoped 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 they would not all have been 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 those 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 continued rainy, though with
no wind at all.
From the 1st Oct. to the 24th.--All these days entirely spent
in making several voyages to get all I could out of the ship.
Much rain alsoin these 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 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 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.-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 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







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


to strengthen with a wall or fortification, made of double piles,
lined within with cable, 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 see for some food, when I killed a she-goat, and her kid
followed me home, which I afterwards killed, because it would
not feed.
Nov. 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 ate what I had to live on; and from
twelve to two, I lay down to sleep, the weather being excessive
hot, and then in the evening to work again. The working
part of this day and of the next were wholly employed in mak-
ing 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 it 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 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, 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 Sun-
day), I took wholly up to make a chair, and, with much ado,







ROBINSON ORUSOV.


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 keeping my Sundays, for omitting my mark
for them on my post, I forgot which was which.
Nov. 13.-This day it rained, which refreshed me exceed-
ingly and cooled the earth; but it was accompanied with
terrible thunder and lightning, which frighted me dreadfully
for fear of my powder. So soon as it was over, I resolved to
separate my powder into as many little parcels as possible, to
prevent danger.
Nov. 14, 15, 16.-These three rlays I spent in making little
square chests or boxes, which might hold about a pound or
two, at most, of powder; and so putting the powder in, I
stowed it away in places as secure and remote from one
another as possible. On one of these 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 farti ;r conveniency. Note.-
Three things I wanted exceedingly for this work, viz., a pick-
axe, a shovel, and a wheel-barrow, or basket, so I desisted
from my work, and began to consider how to supply that
want, and make me some tools; as for a pick-axe, 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 abso-
lutely 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 woo, 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
with difficulty, for it was exceeding heavy. The excessive
hardness of the wood made me a long while upon this machine,
but I worked it effectually by little and little, into the form of
a shovel or spade, the handle exactly shaped like ours in Eng-
land, only that the broad part having no iron shod upon it at
bottom, would not last me so long; however, it served well
enough for the uses which I had occasion to put it to.
I was still deficient, for I wanted a basket, or a wheel-
barrow; a basket I could not make by any means, having no
such thing as twigs that would bend to make wicker-ware;
and, as to a wheel-barrow, 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, so I gave it over; and so, for carrying away the







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


earth which I dug out of the cave, I made me a thing like a
hod, which the labourers carry mortar in to serve the brick-
layers. This was not so difficult to me as the making of 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 seldom failed also bringing
home something fit to eat.
Nov. 23.-My other work having 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 din-
ing-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.
Dec. 10.-I began now to think my cave or vault finished,
when on a sudden a great quantity of earth fell down from the
top and 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 grave-digger. Upon this disaster, I had 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 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 my 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.







ROBINSON OIEUSOE.


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, and bound and splintered
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
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 crea-
tures, that I might have food when my powder 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.
Jan. 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 to the centre
of the island, I found there were plenty of goats, though ex-
ceeding 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 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, to prevent
attack, 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 3d of January to the 14th of
April working, finishing, and perfecting this wall, though 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 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 my work was done.
When this wall was finished, and the outside double fenced,
with a turf wall raised up close to it, I persuaded myself, that
if any people were to come on shore there, they would not per-
ceive anything like a habitation; and it was very well I did so,
as may be observed hereafter, upon a remarkable occasion.
During this time I made my rounds in the woods for game
every day, when the rain permitted me, and made frequent







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


discoveries in these walks of something or other to my advan-
tage ; particularly I found a kind of wild pigeon, which built
not as wood-pigeons in a tree, but rather as house-pigeons, in
the holes of the rocks, and taking some young ones, I endea-
voured to bring them up tame, and did so; but when they
grew older, they all flew away, which perhaps was at first for
want of feeding them, for I had nothing to give them; how-
ever, 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 many things which I thought impossible for
me to make. 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 to the capacity of making one by
them, though I spent many weeks about it. I could neither
put in the heads, or 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 when 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 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; what little remainder of corn 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 shook the husks of corn out of it, on one side of the
fortification under the rock.
It was a little before the great rains, just now mentioned,
that I threw this stuff away, taking no notice of anything, and
not so much as remembering that I had thrown any there;
when, about a month after, or thereabouts, I saw a 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
about ten or twelve ears come out, which were perfect green
barley of the same kind as our English barley.







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


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 a 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 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 this grain to grow, without any help of seed sown, and
that it was so directed purely for my sustenance in 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 on my account; and this was the more strange
to me, because I saw near it, 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.
I not only thought these the pure productions of Providence
for my support, but, not doubting but that there was more in
the place, I went all over that part of the island where I had
been before, peering in every corner, and under every rock, to
see for more of it, but I could not find any; at last it occurred
to my thoughts that I had shaken a bag of chickens' meat out in
that place, and then the wonder began to cease; and I iust
confess my religious thankfulness to God's providence began to
abate too, upon my discovering that all this was nothing but
what was common, though I ought to have been as thankful for
so strange and unforeseen a providence as if it had been mira-
culous; for it was really the work of providence to me, that
should order that ten or twelve grains of corn should remain
unspoiled, when the rats had destroyed all the rest, as if it
had been dropped from heaven; as also that I should throw it
out in that particular place, where it being in the shade of a
high rock, it sprang up immediately; whereas, if I had thrown
it anywhere else at that time, it had been burnt up and de-
stroyed.
I carefully saved the ears of corn, you may be sure, in their
season, which was about the end of June; and laying up every
corn, I resolved to sow them all again, hoping in time to have







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


some quantity sufficient to supply me with bread: but it was
not till the fourth year that I could allow myself the least
grain of this corn to eat, and even then but sparingly, as I
shall say afterwards in its order, for I lost all I sowed the first
season by not observing the proper time, for I sowed just be-
fore the dry season, so that it never came up at all, at least
not as it would have done.
Besides this barley, there were twenty or thirty stalks of rice,
which I preserved with the same care, and whose use was of
the same kind, or to the same purpose, viz., to make me 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 excessive hard three or four months to get my wall
done: and the 14th of April I closed it up, contriving to get
into it, not by a door, but over a wall by a ladder, that there
might be no sign on the outside of my habitation.
April 16.-I finished the ladder, so I went up with it to
the top, and then pulled it up after me, and let it down on the
inside. This was a complete enclosure 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 surprising thing indeed, for on a sudden I found the
earth come tumbling 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 really was the
cause, only thinking that the top of my cave was falling 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 was no
sooner stepped down upon the firm ground, but I plainly saw
it was a terrible earthquake ; for the ground I stood on shook
three times, at about eight minutes' distance, with three such
shocks as would have overturned the strongest building that
could be supposed to have stood upon the earth; and a great
piece of the top of a rock, which stood about half a mile from
me next the sea, fell down with such a terrible noise as I never
heard in all my life. I perceived also the very sea was put







ROBINSON ORU80E.


into violent motion by it, and I believe the shocks were stronger
under the water than on the island.
I was so amazed with the thing itself, having never felt the
like, or discoursed with any one that had, that I was like one
dead or stupified ; and the motion of the earth made my stom-
ach sick, like one that was tossed at sea ; but the noise of the
falling of the rock awaked me, as it were, and rousing me
from the stupified condition I was in, filled me with horror,
and I thought of nothing then but the hill falling upon my
tent and all my household goods, and burying all at once; and
this sunk my soul within me a second time.
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 get 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.
While I sat thus, I found the air overcast, and grow cloudy,
as if it would rain ; soon after that, the wind rose by little
and little, so that in less than an hour, it blew a most dread-
ful hurricane of wind; the sea was all on a sudden covered
with foam, the 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 consequence 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 helping also to persuade me, I went in,
and sat me down in my tent, but the rain was so violent that
my tent was ready to be beaten down by it; 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 filled my
cave. After I had been in my cave some time, and found no
more shocks of the earthquake follow, I began to be more com-
posed; and now, to support my spirits, which indeed wanted it







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


very much, I went to my little store and took a small cup of
rum, 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 what I had best do, conclud-
ing 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 me a little hut, in an open place, which I might sur-
round with a wall, as I had done here, and so make myself
secure from wild beasts or men; for I concluded, if I staid
where I was, I should be buried alive.
With these thoughts, I resolved to move my tent from the
place where it stood, which was just under the hanging preci-
pice 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; 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 meantime, it occurred to me that it would require a
vast deal of time for me to do this, and that I must be con-
tented to run the 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 my tent
up in it when it was finished; but that I would venture to
stay where I was till it was finished, and fit to remove to. This
was the 21st.
April 22.-The next morning I began to consider of means
to put this resolve in 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 In-
dians), but with much chopping and cutting knotty 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 and
death of a man. At length I contrived a wheel, with a string
to turn it with my foot, that I might have both my hands at
liberty. Note.-I had never seen any such thing in England,







ROBINSON CRUSOLE


or at least not to take notice how it was done, though since, I
have observed, it is very common there. Besides that, my
grindstone was very large and heavy. This machine cost me a
full week's work to bring it to perfection.
April 28, 29.-These two whole days I took up in grinding
tools, my machine for turning my grindstone performing very
well.
April 30.-Having perceived my bread had been low a
great while, now I took a survey of it, and reduced myself to
one biscuit cake a day, which made my heart very heavy.

CHAPTER VI.
Observe the ship driven farther aground by the late storm
-procure a vast quantity of necessaries from the wreck-
catch a large turtle-Ifall ill of a fever and ague-terrible
dream, and serious reflections thereupon-find a Bible
in one of the seamen's chests thrown ashore, the reading
whereof gives me great comfort.
May 1.-In the morning, looking towards the sea-side, the
tide being low, I saw something lie on the shore, bigger than
ordinary, and it looked like a cask: when I came to it, I found
a small barrel, and two or three pieces of the wreck of the ship,
that were driven on shore by the late hurricane, and looking
towards the wreck itself, I thought it seemed to lie higher out
of the water than it used to do. I examined the barrel which
was driven on shore, and soon found it was a barrel of gun-
powder; but ik had taken water, and the powder was caked as
hard as a stone. However, I rolled it farther on shore for the
present, and went on upon the sands, as near as I could to the
wreck of the ship, to look for more.
When I came down to the ship, I found it strangely re-
moved : the forecastle, which lay before buried in the sand,
was heaved up at least six feet, and the stern, which was
broke to pieces, and parted from the rest by the force of the
sea, soon after I had left rummaging her, was tossed as it were
up, and cast on one side; and the sand was thrown so high on
that side next her stern, that, whereas there was a great place
of water before, so that I could not come at the wreck without
swimming, I could now walk quite up to her when the tide was
out. I was surprised with this at first, but soon concluded it
must be done by the earthquake, and as by this violence the







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


ship was more broken open than formerly, so many things
came daily on shore, which the sea had loosened, and which
the winds and water rolled by degrees to land.
This wholly diverted my thoughts from the design of remov-
ing my habitation. I busied myself mightily, that day espe-
cially, in searching whether I could make any way into the
ship; but I found nothing was to be expected of that kind, for
all the inside of the ship was choked up with sand. However,
as I had learned not to despair of anything, I resolved to pull
everything to pieces, concluding that everything I could get
from the ship would be of some use or other to me.
May 3.-I began with my saw, and cut a piece of a beam
through, which I thought held some of the upper part or
quarter-deck together, and when I had cut it through, I
cleared away the sand as well as I could from the side which
lay highest; but the tide coming in, I was obliged to give over.
May 4.-I went a-fishing, but caught not one fish that I
durst eat of, till I was weary of my sport, when, just going to
leave off, I caught a young dolphin. I had made me a long
line of rope yarn, but I had no hooks; yet I frequently caught
as much fish as I cared to eat, which I dried in the sun and
ate dry.
May 5.-Worked on the wreck, cut another beam asunder,
and brought three great fir planks off from the decks, which I
tied together, and made swim to shore when the tide of flood
came on.
May 6.-Worked on the wreck, got several iron bolts out of
her, and other pieces of iron work; worked very hard, and
came home much tired, and had thoughts of giving it over.
May 7.-Went to the wreck again, but with an intent not
to work; found the weight of the wreck had broken itself
down, the beams being cut; that several pieces of the ship
seemed to lie loose, and the inside of the hold lay so open, that
I could see into it, but almost full of water and sand.
May 8.-Went to the wreck, and carried an iron crow to
wrench up the deck, which lay now quite clear of water or
sand. I wrenched open two planks, and brought them on
shore also with the tide. I left the iron crow in the wreck for
next day.
May 9.-Went to the wreck, and with the crow made way
into the body of the wreck, and felt several casks, and loosened
them with the crow, but could not break them up. I felt also
a roll of English lead, but it was too heavy to remove.







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


May 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.--Went every day to the wreck and
got many pieces of timber and boards or planks, and two or
three hundred weight of iron.
May 15. I carried two hatchets, to try if I could not cut a
piece off the roll of lead, by placing the edge of one hatchet
and driving it with the other; but as it lay about a foot and ,
half in the water, I could not make any blow to drive the hatchet.
May 16.-It blew hard in the night, and the wreck ap-
peared more broken by the force of the water; but I stayed so
long in the woods to get pigeons for food, that the tide pre-
vented me going to the wreck that day.
May 17.-I saw some pieces of the wreck blown on shore,
at a great distance, two miles off me; but resolved to see what
they were, and found it was a piece of lead, but too heavy for
me to bring away.
May 24.-Every day, to this day, I worked on the wreck,
and with hard labour I loosened some things so much with the
crow, that the first flowing tide several casks floated out, and
two of the seamen's chests; but the wind blowing from. the
shore, nothing came to land that day but pieces of timber, and
a hogshead that had some Brazil pork in it, but the salt water
and the sand had spoiled it.
I continued this work every day to the 15th of June, except
the time necessary to get food, which I always appointed dur-
ing this part of my employment to be when the tide was up,
that I might be ready when it was ebbed out; and, by this
time, I had gotten timber and plank and iron work enough to
have built a good boat, if I had known how; and also I got at
several times,' and in several pieces, near one hundred weight
of the sheet lead.
June 16.-Going down to the sea-side, I found a large tor-
toise or turtle; this was the first I had seen, which, it seems,
was only my misfortune, not any defect of the place, or scarcity;
for, had I happened to be on the other side of the island, I
might have had hundreds of them every day, as I found after-
wards; but perhaps had paid dear enough for them.
June 17.-I spent in cooking the turtle; I found in her
threescore eggs; and her flesh was to me at that time the most
savoury and pleasant that ever I tasted in my life, having had
no flesh but of goats and fowls since I landed in this horrid place.
June 18.-Rained all day, and I stayed within. The rain
at this time felt cold, and I was something chilly, which I
knew was not usual in that latitude.







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


June 19.-Very ill, and shivering, as if the weather nad
been cold.
June 20.-No rest all night; violent pains in my head, and
feverish.
June 21.-Very ill; frighted almost to death with the ap-
prehensions of my sad condition,-to be sick and no help.
Prayed to God for the first time since the storm of Hull; but
scarce knew what I said, or why, my thoughts being all confused.
June 22.-A little better; but under dreadful apprehen-
sions of sickness.
June 23.-Very bad again; cold and shivering, and then a
violent headache.
June 24.-Much better.
June 25.-An ague very violent; the fit held me seven hours,
cold fit and hot, with faint sweats after it.
June 26.-Better; and having no victuals to eat, took my
gun, but found myself very weak; however, I killed a she-goat,
and, with much difficulty, got it home, and broiled some and
ate it. I would fain have stewed it, and made some broth,
but had no pot.
June 27.-The ague again so violent that I lay a-bed all day,
and neither ate nor drank. I was ready to perish with thirst,
but so weak, I had not strength to stand up, or get myself any
water to drink; prayed to God again, but was light-headed;
and when I was not, I was so ignorant that I knew not what
to say: only I lay, and cried, Lord, look upon me! Lord,
pity me! Lord, have mercy upon me! I suppose I did no-
thing else for two or three hours, till the fit wearing off, I fell
asleep, and did not wake till far in the night. When I waked,
I found myself much refreshed, but weak and exceeding thirsty;
however, as I had no water in my whole habitation, I was
forced to lie till morning, and went to sleep again. In this
second sleep I had this terrible dream:-
I thought that I was sitting on the ground, on the outside of
my wall, where I sat when the storm blew after the earth-
quake, and that I saw a man descend from a great black cloud,
in a bright flame of fire, and light upon the ground. He was
all over as bright as a flame, so that I could but just bear to
look towards him; his countenance was most inexpressibly
dreadful, impossible for words to describe; when he stepped
upon the ground, I thought the earth trembled just as it had
done before in the earthquake, and all the air looked to my
apprehension as if it had been filled with flashes of fire.







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


He was no sooner landed upon the earth, but he moved for-
ward towards me, with a long spear or weapon in his hand, to
kill me; and when he came to a rising ground, at some dis-
tance, he spoke to me, or I heard a voice so terrible, that it is
impossible to express the terror of it; all that I can say I
understood was this :-"Seeing all these things have not
brought thee to repentance, now thou shalt die;" at which
words I thought he lifted up the spear that was in his hand
to kill me.
No one that shall ever read this account will expect that I
should be able to describe the horrors of my soul at this ter-
rible vision; nor is it possible to describe the impression that
remained upon my mind when I awaked and found it was but
a dream.
I h:d, alas! no divine knowledge; what I had received by
the good instruction of my father was then worn out by an
uninterrupted series, for eight years, of seafaring wickedness,
and a constant conversation with none but such as were like
myself, wicked and profane to the last degree. I do not re-
member that I had, in all that time, one thought that so much
as tended either to looking upwards towards God, or inwards
towards a reflection upon my own ways: but a certain stupidity
of soul, without desire of good or conscience of evil, had entirely
overwhelmed me, and I was all that the most hardened, un-
thinking, wicked creature among our common sailors can be
supposed to be, not having the least sense either of the fear of
God in dangers, or of thankfulness to God in deliverance.
In relating what is already past in my story, this will be more
easily believed, when I shall add, that, through all the variety
of miseries that had to this day befallen me, I never had so
much as one thought of it being the hand of God, or that it was
a just punishment for my past sins, my rebellious behaviour to
my father, or my present sins, which were great. When I was
on the desperate expedition on the desert shores of Africa, I
never had so much as one thought of what would become of me,
or one wish to God to direct me whither I should go, or to keep
me from the danger which apparently surrounded me, as well
from voracious creatures as cruel savages; but I was merely
thoughtless of God, or a Providence; I acted like a mere brute,
from the principles of nature, and by the dictates of common
sense only, and indeed hardly that.
When I was delivered and taken up at sea by the Portuguese
captain, well used, and dealt justly and honourably with, as







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


well as charitably, I had not the least thankfulness in my
thoughts; when, again, I was shipwrecked, ruined, and in
danger of drowning on this island, I was as far from remorse or
looking on it as a judgment; I only said to myself often, that I
was an unfortunate dog, and born to be miserable.
It is true, when I got on shore first here, and found all my
ship's crew drowned, and myself spared, I was surprised with
a kind of ecstasy and some transports of soul, which, had the
grace of God assisted, might have come up to true thankful-
ness; but it ended where it began, in a mere common flight of
joy, or as I may say, being glad I was alive, without the least
reflection upon the distinguishing goodness of the Hand which
had preserved me, and had singled me out to be preserved:
even just the same common sort of joy which seamen generally
have, after having got safe ashore from a shipwreck, which
they drown in the next bowl of punch, and forget almost as
soon as it is over.
Even when I was afterward, on due consideration, made
sensible of my condition, how I was cast on this dreadful place
out of the reach of human kind, out of all hopes of relief, or
prospect of redemption, as soon as I saw but a prospect of liv-
ing, and that I should not starve or perish for hunger, all the
sense of my affliction wore off, and I began to be very easy, ap-
plied myself to the works proper for my preservation and
supply, and was far enough from being afflicted at my condi-
tion, as a judgment from Heaven or as the hand of God
against me.
The growing up of the corn, as is hinted in my journal, had
at first some little influence upon me, and began to affect me
with seriousness, as long as I thought it had something mira-
culous in it; but as soon as ever that part of it was removed,
all the impression which was raised from it, wore off also.
Even the earthquake, though nothing could be more terrible
in its nature, or more immediately directing to the invisible
power which alone directs such things, yet no sooner was the
first fright over, but the impression it had made went off also.
But now when I began to be sick, and a leisurely view of the
miseries of death came to place itself before me; when my
spirits began to sink under the burden of a strong distemper,
and nature was exhausted by the violence of the fever, con-
science, that had slept so long, began to awake, and I began to
reproach myself with my past life.
These reflections oppressed mn from the second or third day







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


of my distemper, and, in the violence as well of the fever as of
the dreadful reproaches of my conscience, extorted some words
from me, like praying to God, though I cannot say they were
either a prayer attended with desires or with hopes; it was
rather the voice of mere fright and distress; my thoughts were
confused, the convictions great upon my mind, and the horror
of dying in such a miserable condition, raised vapours in my
head, with the mere apprehensions; and in these hurries of
my soul, I knew not what my tongue might express; but it
was rather exclamations, such as, Lord, what a miserable
creature am I I if I should be sick, I shall certainly die for
want of help, and what will become of me." Then the tears
burst out of my eyes, and I could say no more for a good while.
In this interval, the good advice of my father came to my
mind, and presently his prediction, which I mentioned at the
beginning of this story-viz., that if I did take this foolish
step, God would not bless me, and I would have leisure here-
after to reflect upon having neglected his counsel, when there
might be none to assist me in my recovery. "Now," said I,
aloud, my dear father's words are come to pass, God's justice
has overtaken me, and I have none to help or hear me. I re-
jected the voice of Providence, which had mercifully put me
in a station of life wherein I might have been happy and easy,
but I would neither see it myself, nor learn to know the bless-
ing of it from my parents. I left them to mourn over my
folly, and now I am left to mourn the consequences of it. I
refused their help and assistance, who would have lifted me
into the world, and would have made everything easy to me,
and now I have difficulties to struggle with, too great for even
nature itself to support, and no assistance, no help, no com-
fort, no advice." Then I cried out, L-rd, be my help, for I
am in great distress."
This was the first prayer, if I might call it so, that I had
made for many years. But to return to my Journal.
June 28.-Having been somewhat refreshed with the sleep
I had had, and the fit being entirely off, I got up. The fright
and terror of my disease was very great, yet I considered that
the fit of the ague would return the next day, and now was my
time to get something to refresh and support myself when I
should be ill. The first thing I did I filled a large square case-
bottle with water, and set it upon a table near my bed, and to
take off the chill or aguish disposition of the water, I put
about a quarter of a pint of rum into it, and mixed them to-







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


gether ; then I got me a piece of the goat's flesh, and broiled
it on the coals, but could eat very little. I walked about, but
was very weak, and withal very sad and heavy-hearted, under
a sense of my miserable condition, and dreading the return of
my distemper the next day. At night I made my supper of
three of the turtle's eggs, which I roasted in the ashes, and ate
in the shell; and this was the first bit of meat I ever asked
God's blessing to.
After I had eaten, I tried to walk, but found myself so weak
that I could hardly carry the gun (for I never went out without
that), so I went but a little way, and sat down upon the ground,
looking out upon the sea, which was just before me, and very
calm and smooth. As I sat, these thoughts occurred to me:-
What is this earth and sea, of whi b I have seen so much ?
Whence is it produced ? And what am I, and all the other
create' res, wild and tame, human and brutal ; whence are we?
Sure we are made by some secret power, who formed the earth
and sea, the air and sky; and who is that ? Then it followed
most naturally-it is God that has made all. Well, but
then, it came on strongly-if God has made these things, He
guides and governs them all, and all things that concern them;
for the Being that could make all things, must have power to
guide and direct them. If so, nothing can happen in the cir-
cuit of His works either without His knowledge or appointment.
And if nothing happens without His knowledge, He knows
that I am here, and am in this dreadful condition; and if
nothing happens without His appointment, He has appointed
this to befall me.
Nothing occurred to my thoughts to contradict any of these
conclusions, and therefore it rested upon me with the greater
force, that it must needs be, that God has appointed all this
to befall me; that I was brought to this miserable circum-
stance by His direction, He having the sole power, not of me
only, but of everything that happened in the world. Imme-
diately it followed-Why has God done this to me ? What
have I done to be thus used ?
My conscience presently checked me in that inquiry, as if I
had blasphemed ; and methought it spoke to me like a voice-
Wretch dost thou ask what thou hast done ? Look back
upon thy dreadful misspent life, and ask thyself what thou
hast done ? Ask why is it that thou wert not long ago de-
stroyed ? Why wert thou not drowned in Yarmouth roads 1
killed in the fight, when the ship was taken by the Sallee man-







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


of-war ? devoured by wild beasts on the coast of Africa ? or,
drowned here, when all the crew perished but thyself I Dost
thou ask, What have I done ?
I was struck dumb with these reflections, as one astonished,
and had not a word to say in answer to myself, but rose up,
pensive and sad, walked back to my retreat, and went up over
my wall, as if I had been going to bed; but my thoughts were
sadly disturbed, and I had no inclination to sleep, so I sat in
my chair, and lighted my lamp, for it began to be dark. Now,
as the apprehensions of the return of my distemper terrified
me very much, it occurred to my thoughts that the Brazilians
take no physic but their tobacco for almost all distempers, and
I had a piece of a roll of tobacco in one of the chests, which
was cured, and some also that was green, and not cured.
I went, directed by Heaven, no doubt, for in this chest I
found a cure for soul and body. I opened the chest, and found
what I looked for, viz., the tobacco; and as the few books I
had saved lay there to, I took out one of the Bibles, which I
mentioned before, and which to this time I had not found
leisure, or so much inclination, to look into; I say I took it
out, and brought both that and the tobacco to the table.
What use to make of the tobacco I knew not, as to my dis-
temper, or whether it was good for it or no; but I tried several
experiments with it, as if I was resolved it should hit one way
or other. I first took a piece of a leaf, and chewed it in my
mouth, which, indeed, at first, stupified my brains; the to-
bacco being green and strong, and I had not been much
used to it;/then I took some and steeped it an hour or two
in rum, and resolved to take a dose of it when I lay down; and
lastly, I burnt some upon a pan of coals, and held my nose
close over the smoke of it as long as I could bear it, as well for
the heat as for the virtue of it, and I held it almost to suffo-
cation.
In the interval of this operation, I took up the Bible, and
began to read; but my head was too much disturbed with the
tobacco to bear reading, at least at that time; only, having
opened the book casually, the first words that occurred to me
were these, "Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver
thee, and thou shalt glorify me."
The words were very apt to my case, and made some impres-
sion on me at the time of reading them, though not so much as
they did afterwards; for, as for being delivered, the word had
no sound, as I may say, to me; the thing was so remote, so im-
F







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


possible in my apprehension of things, that I began to say as
the children of Israel did, when they were promised flesh to
eat, "Can God spread a table in the wilderness?" So I began
to say, can God himself deliver me from this place ? But, how-
ever, the words made a great impression upon me, and I mused
upon them very often. It grew now late, and the tobacco had,
as I said, dozed my head so much that I inclined to sleep; so I
left my lamp burning in my cave lest I should want anything
in the night, and went to bed; but before 1 lay down I did
what I never had done in all my life, I kneeled down, and
prayed to God to fulfil the promise to me, that, if I called upon
Him in the day of trouble, He would deliver me. After my
broken and imperfect prayer was over, I drank the rum in
which I had steeped the tobacco, which was so strong and rank
of the tobacco that indeed I could scarce get it down. Imme-
diately upon this I went to bed, and I found presently it flew
up into my head violently; but I fell into a sound sleep, and
waked no more, till by the sun it must necessarily be near
three o'clock in the afternoon the next day: nay, to this hour,
I am partly of opinion that I slept all the next day and night,
and till almost three the day after, for otherwise I knew not
how I should lose a day out of my reckoning in the days of the
week, as it appeared some years after I had done; for if I had
lost it by crossing and recrossing the line, I should have lost
more than one day; but certainly I lost a day in my account,
and I never knew which way.
Be that, however, one way or the other, when I awaked I
found myself exceedingly refreshed, and my spirits lively and
cheerful. When I got up I was stronger than I was the day
before, and my stomach better, for I was hungry, and, in short,
I had no fit the next day, but continued much altered for the
better. This was the 29th.
The 30th was my well day, of course, and I went abroad
with my gun, but did not care to travel too far. I killed a
sea-fowl or two, something like a brand goose, and brought
them home, but was not very forward to eat them, so I ate
some more of the turtle's eggs, which were very good. This
evening I renewed the medicine which I had supposed did me
good the day before, viz., the tobacco steeped in rum, only I
did not take so much as before, nor did I chew any of the leaf,
or hold my head over the smoke. However, I was not so well
the next day, which was the first of July.
July 2.-I renewed the medicine all the three ways, and







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


dozed myself with it as at first, and doubled the quantity which
I drank.
July 3.-I missed the fit for good and all, though I did not
recover my full strength for some weeks after. While I was
thus gathering strength, my thoughts ran exceedingly upon this
Scripture, "1 will deliver thee," and the impossibility of my
deliverance lay upon my mind in bar of my ever expecting it.
But as I was discouraging myself with such thoughts, it oc-
curred to my mind, that I pored so much upon my deliverance
from the main affliction that I disregarded the deliverance I
had received; and I was, as it were, made to ask myself such
questions as these, viz., Have I not been delivered, and won-
derfully too, from sickness; from the most distressed condition
that could be, and that was so frightful to me? And what
notice had I taken of it? Had I done my part? God had de-
livered me, but I had not glorified Him; that is to say, I had
not owned and been thankful for that as a deliverance; and
how could I expect greater deliverance. This touched my
heart very much, and immediately I kneeled down and gave
God thanks aloud for my recovery from sickness.
July 4.-In the morning I took the Bible, and beginning
at the New Testament, I began seriously to read it, and im-
posed upon myself to read a while every morning and every
night, not tying myself to a number of chapters, but as long as
my thoughts should engage me. It was not long after I set
seriously to this work but I found my heart more deeply and
sincerely affected with the sins of my past life. The impression
of my dream revived, and the words, "All these things have
not brought thee to repentance," ran seriously in my thoughts.
I was earnestly begging of God to give me repentance, when it
happened, providentially, the very day that, reading the Scrip-
tures, I came to the words, "He is exalted a Prince and a
Saviour, to give repentance, and to give remission." I threw
down the book, and, with my heart as well as my hands lifted
up to Heaven, in a kind of ecstasy of joy, I cried out aloud,
"Jesus, thou Son of David-Jesus, thou exalted Prince and
Saviour -give me repentance !"
This was the first time that I could say, in the true sense of
the word,, that I prayed in all my life, for now I prayed with a
sense of my condition, and with a true Scripture view of hope,
founded on the encouragement of the Word of God; and from
this time, I may say, I began to have hope that God would
hear me.







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


Now I began to construe the words mentioned above, Call
on me, and I will deliver thee," in a different sense from what
I had done before; for I had no notion of any thing being
called deliverance but being delivered from the captivity I was in;
for though I was at large in the place, yet the island was certainly
a prison to me, and that in the worst sense of the word ; but
now I learned to take it in another sense. Now, I looked back
on my past life with such horror, and my sins appeared so
dreadful, that my soul sought nothing of God but deliverance
from the load of guilt that bore down all my comfort. As for
my solitary life it was nothing; I did not so much as pray to
be delivered from it, or think of it ; it was all of no consider-
ation in comparison of this : and I add this part here, to hint
to whoever shall read it, that whenever they come to a true
sense of things, they will find deliverance from sin a much
greater blessing than deliverance from affliction.
But, leaving this part, I return to my journal.
My condition began to be, though not less miserable as to my
way of living, yet much easier to my mind, and my thoughts
being directed by a constant reading of the Scriptures, and
praying to God, to things of a higher nature, I had a great deal
of comfort within, which till now I knew nothing of. Also,
as my health and strength returned, I began to furnish myself
with every thing that I wanted, and make my way of living as
regular as I could.
From the 4th of July to the 14th, I was chiefly employed
with walking about with my gun in my hand, a little at a time,
as a man that was gathering up his strength after a fit of sick-
ness ; for it is hardly to be imagined how low I was, and to
what weakness I was reduced. The application I made use of
was perfectly new, and perhaps what had never cured an ague
before, neither can I recommend the experiment ; and though
it did carry off the fit, yet it rather contributed to weaken
me, for I had frequent convulsions in my nerves and limbs for
some time.
I learned from it also, that being abroad in the rainy season
was the most pernicious to my health that could be, especially
those rains which came attended with hurricanes of wind; for
as the rain which came in a dry season was always most accom-
panied with storms, so I found this rain was much more dan-
gerous than the rain which fell in September and October.
I had now been in this unhappy island above ten months;
all possibility of deliverance from it seemed to be entirely taken







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


away from me; and I firmly believe that no human shape had
ever set foot upon the place. Having now secured my habitation,
as I thought, fully to my mind, I had a desire to make a more
perfect discovery of the island, and see what other productions
I might find, which I yet knew not of.

CHAPTER VII.
I begin to take a survey of my island-discover plenty of
tobacco, grapes, lemons, and sugar-canes, wild, but no
human inhabitants-resolve to lay up a store of these ar-
ticles, to furnish me against the wet season- my cat, which
I supposed lost, returns with kittens-I regulate my diet,
and shut myself up for the wet season-sow my grain,
which comes to nothing; but I discover and remedy my
error-take account of the course of the weather.
IT was on the 15th of July that I began to take a more par-
ticular survey of the island. I went up the creek first, where
I had brought my rafts on shore. I found, after going about
two miles up, that the tide did not flow any higher, and that
it was no more than a little brook of running water, and very
fresh and good ; but this being the dry season, there was scarcely
any water in some parts of it.
On the banks of this brook I found many pleasant
savannahs or meadows, plain, smooth, and covered with grass,
and on the rising parts of them, next to the higher grounds,
where the water, as it might be supposed, never overflowed, I
found a great deal of tobacco, green, and growing to a great
and strong stalk. There were divers other plants, which I had
no notion of; and might, perhaps, have virtues of their own,
which I could not find out.
I searched for the cassava root, which the Indians, in all
that climate, make their bread of, but I could find none. I
saw large plants of aloes, but did not then understand them; I
saw several sugar canes, but wild, and, for want of cultivation,
imperfect. I contented myself with these discoveries for this
time, and came back, musing with myself what course I might
take to know the virtue and goodness of any of the fruits or
plants which I should discover, but could bring it to no con-
clusion; for, in short, I had made so little observation while I
was in the Brazils, that I knew very little of the plants of the








ROBINSON CRUSOE.


The next day, the 16th, I went up the same way again; and,
after going something farther than I had done the day before,
I found the brook and the savannahs began to cease, and the
country became more woody than before. In this part I found
different fruits, and particularly melons upon the ground, in
great abundance, and grapes upon the trees; the vines had
spread indeed over the trees, and the clusters of grapes were
now in their prime, very ripe and rich. This was a surpris-
ing discovery, and I was exceeding glad of them; but I was
warned, by my experience, to eat sparingly of them, remem-
bering that when I was ashore in Barbary, the eating of grapes
killed several of our Englishmen, who were slaves there, by
throwing them into fluxes and fevers: but I found an excellent
use for these grapes; and that was to cure or dry them in the
sun, and keep them as dried grapes or raisins are kept, which
I thought would be, as indeed they were, as wholesome, and as
agreeable to eat, when no grapes might be had.
I spent all that evening there, and went not back to my
habitation, which was the first night, as I might say, I had
lain from home. In the night I got up into a tree, where I
slept well, and the next morning proceeded upon my discovery,
travelling near four miles, as I might judge by the length of
the valley, keeping still due north, with a ridge of hills on the
south and north side of me.
At the end of this march, I came to an opening, where the
country seemed to descend to the west, and a little spring of
fresh water, which issued out of the side of the hill by me, ran
the other way, that is, due east; and the country appeared so
fresh, so green, and so flourishing, that it looked like a garden.
I descended a little on the side of that delicious valley, sur-
veying it with a secret kind of pleasure (though mixed with
other afflicting thoughts), to think that this was all my own,
that I was king and lord of all this country, and if I could con-
vey it, I might have it in inheritance, as completely as any
lord of a manor in England. I saw here abundance of cocoa-
trees, orange, lemon, and citron trees, but all wild, and few
bearing fruit, at least then. However the green limes that I
gathered were not only pleasant to eat, but very wholesome;
and I mixed their juice afterwards with water, which made it
very wholesome, and very cool and refreshing. I resolved to
lay up at home a store of grapes, limes, and lemons, to furnish
myself for the wet season, which I knew was approaching.
In order to do this, I gathered a great heap of grapes in one







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


place, and a lesser heap in another, and a great parcel of limes
and lemons in another place; and, taking a few of each with
me, I travelled homeward, and resolved to come again, and
bring a bag or sack, to carry the rest home.
Accordingly, having spent three days in this journey, I came
home (so I must now call my tent and cave); but before I got
thither, the grapes were spoiled-the richness of the fruit, and
the weight of the juice, having broken and bruised them, they
were good for little or nothing ; as to the limes, I could bring
but a few.
The next day, being the 19th, I went back, having made me
two small bags to bring home my harvest; but I was surprised,
when, coming to my heap of grapes, I found them all spread
abroad, trod to pieces, and dragged about, some here, some
there, and abundance eaten and devoured. By this I concluded
there were some wild creatures thereabouts which had done
this, but what they were I knew not.
However, as I found there was no laying them up on heaps,
and no carrying them away in a sack, but that one way they
would be destroyed, and the other way they would be crushed
with their own weight, I took another course ; for I gathered
a large quantity of grapes, and hung them upon the out-branches
of the trees, that they might dry in the sun : and as for the
limes and lemons, I carried as many back as I could well stand
under.
When I came home from this journey, I contemplated, with
great pleasure, the fruitfulness of that valley, and the pleasant-
ness of the situation, the security from storms on that side of
the water, and the wood ; and concluded that I had pitched
upon a place to fix my abode, which was by far the worst part
of the country. Upon the whole, I began to consider of re-
moving my habitation, and to look out for a place equally safe,
but if possible in that pleasant fruitful part of the island.
This thought run long in my head, and I was exceeding fond
of it for some time, the pleasantness of the place tempting me;
but when I came to a nearer view of it, and to consider that I
was now by the sea-side, where it was at least possible that
something might happen to my advantage, and that the same
ill fate that brought me hither, might bring some unhappy
wretches to the same place; and though it was scarce probable
that any such thing should ever happen, yet, to enclose myself
among the hills and woods in the centre of the island, was to
anticipate my bondage, and to render such an affair not only







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


improbable, but impossible, and that therefore I ought not by
any means to remove.
However, I was so enamoured with this place, that I spent
much of my time there for the whole remaining part of July;
and though, upon second thoughts, I resolved not to remove,
yet I built me a little kind of bower, and surrounded it with a
strong fence, being a double hedge, as high as I could reach,
well staked and filled between with brushwood ; and here I lay
secure, sometimes two or three nights together, always going
over it with a ladder, as before, so that I fancied now I had
my country-house and my sea-coast-house ; and this work took
me up to the beginning of August.
I had but newly finished my fence, and began to enjoy my
labour, when the rains came on, and made me stick close to my
first habitation ; for though I had made me a tent, like the
other, with a piece of a sail, and spread it very well, yet I had
not the shelter of a hill, to keep me from storms, nor a cave
behind me to retreat into, when the rains were extraordinary;
About the beginning of August, as I said, I had finished my
bower, and began to enjoy myself. The 3d of August I found
the grapes I had hung up were perfectly dried, and indeed were
excellent good raisins of the sun; so I began to take them
down, and it was very happy that I did so, for the rains which
followed would have spoiled them, and I had lost the vast part
of my winter food ; for I had almost two hundred large bunches
of them. No sooner had I taken them all down, and carried
them home to my cave, but it began to rain ; and from hence,
which was the 14th of August, it rained more or less every day
till the middle of October, and some times so violently that I
could not stir out of my cave for several days.
In this season I was much surprised with the increase of my
family. I had been concerned for the loss of one of my cats,
which ran away from me, or, as I thought, had been dead ; and
I heard no more of her, till to my astonishment she came home
about the end of August with three kittens.
From the 14th of August to the 26th, incessant rain, so that
I could not stir, and was now very careful not to be much wet.
In this confinement I began to be straitened for food ; but ven-
turing out twice, I one day killed a goat; and the last day,
which was the 26th, found a very large tortoise, which was a
treat to me, and my food was regulated thus :-I ate a bunch
of raisins for my breakfast, a piece of goat's flesh or turtle for
my dinner, and two or three of the turtle's eggs for supper.







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


During this confinement in my cover by the rain, I worked
daily two or three hours at enlarging my cave, and, by degrees,
worked it on towards one side, till I came to the outside of the
hill, and made a door, or way out, which came beyond my
fence or wall, and so I came in and out this way. But I was
not perfectly easy at lying so open; for, as I had managed my-
self before, I was in a perfect enclosure, whereas now I thought
I lay exposed; and yet I could not perceive that there was
any living thing to fear, the biggest creature that I had seen
upon the island being a goat.
September 30.-I was now come to the unhappy anniversary
of my landing. I cast up the notches on my post, and found I
had been on shore three hundred and sixty-five days. I kept
this day as a solemn fast, setting it apart to religious exercise,
prostrating myself on the ground with the most serious humi-
liation, confessing my sins to God, acknowledging His righteous
judgments upon me, and praying to Him to have mercy on me,
through Jesus Christ ; and having not tasted the least refresh-
ment for twelve hours, even till the going down of the sun, I
then ate a biscuit cake and a bunch of grapes, and went to bed,
finishing the day as I began it.
I had all this time observed no Sabbath day; for as at first I
had no sense of religion upon my mind, I had for some time
omitted to distinguish the weeks by making a longer notch
than ordinary for the Sabbath-day, and so did not know what
any of the days were; but now having cast up the days as
above, I found I had been there a year ; so I divided it into
weeks, and set apart every seventh day for a Sabbath, though
I found at the end of my account I had lost a day or two in my
reckoning.
A little after this my ink began to fail me, and so I con-
tented myself to use it more sparingly, and to write down only
the most remarkable events of my life, without continuing a
daily memorandum of other things.
The rainy season, and the dry season, began now to appear
regular to me, and I learned to divide them so as to provide
for them accordingly. But I bought my experience before I
had it; and this I am going to relate was one of the most dis-
couraging experiments that I made at all. I have mentioned
that I had saved the few ears of barley and rice, which I had
so surprisingly found spring up, as I thought, of themselves,
and believe there were about thirty stalks of rice, and about
twenty of barley; and now I thought it a proper time to sow







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


it after the rains, the sun being in its southern position going
from me. Accordingly, I dug up a piece of ground as well as
I could with my wooden spade, and dividing it into two parts,
I sowed my grain; but as I was sowing, it casually occurred
to my thoughts that I would not sow it all at first, because
I did not know when was the proper time for it; so I sowed
about two-thirds of the seed, leaving about a handful of each.
It was a great comfort to me afterwards that I did so, for
not one grain of that I sowed this time came to anything; for
the dry months following, the earth having had no rain after
the seed was sown, it had no moisture to assist its growth, and
never came up at all, till the wet season had come again, and
then it grew as if it had been but newly sown.
Finding my first seed did not grow, which I easily imagined
was by the drought, I sought for a moister piece of ground to
make another trial in; and I dug up a piece of ground near my
new bower, and sowed the rest of my seed in February, a little
before the vernal equinox; and this, having the rainy months
of March and April to water it, sprung up very pleasantly, and
yielded a very good crop; but having part of the seed left only,
and not daring to sow all that I had yet, I had but a small
quantity at last, my whole crop not amounting to above half a
peck of each kind. But, by this experience, I was made mas-
ter of my business, and knew exactly the time to sow, and that
I might expect two seed-times and two harvests every year.
While this corn was growing I made a little discovery, which
was of use to me afterwards. As soon as the rains were over,
and the weather began to settle, which was about November, I
made a visit up the country to my bower, where, though I had
not been some months, yet I found all things just as I left them.
The circle or double hedge that I had made was not only firm
and entire, but the stakes, which I had cut off some trees that
grew thereabouts, were all shot out, and grown with long
branches, as much as a willow tree usually shoots the first year
after lopping its head. I could not tell what tree to call it
that these stakes were cut from. I was surprised, and yet very
well pleased, to see the young trees grow; and I pruned them,
and led them up to grow as much alike as I could; and it is
scarce credible how beautiful a figure they grew into in three
years, so that though the hedge made a circle of about twenty-
five yards in diameter, yet the trees, for such I might now call
them, soon covered it, and it was a shade sufficient to lodge
under all the dry season. This made me resolve to cut some







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


more stakes, and make me a hedge like this in a semicircle
round my wall, I mean that of my first dwelling, which I did;
and placing the trees or stakes in a double row, at about
eight yards' distance from my first fence, they grew, and were,
at first, a fine cover to my habitation, and afterwards served
for a defence also, as I shall observe in its order.
I found now that the seasons of the year might generally be
divided, not into summer and winter, as in Europe, but into
rainy seasons and dry seasons, which were generally thus:-
Half February, March, half April-Rainy, the sun being
then on or near the equinox.
Half April, May, June, July, half August-Dry, the sun
being then to the north of the Line.
Half August, September, half October-Rainy, the sun being
then come back.
Half October, November, December, January, half February
-Dry, the sun being to the south of the Line.
The rainy seasons sometimes held longer or shorter, as the
winds happened to blow. After I had found, by experience,
the ill consequence of being abroad in the rain, I took care to
furnish myself with provisions beforehand, that I might not be
obliged to go out; and I sat within doors as much as possible
during the wet months.
At this time I tried many ways to make myself a basket, but
all the twigs I could get for the purpose proved so brittle that
they would do nothing. It proved of excellent advantage to
me now, that when I was a boy I used to take great delight in
standing at a basket-maker's in the town where my father lived,
to see them make their wicker ware; and being, as boys usually
are, very officious to help, and a great observer of the manner
how they worked those things, and sometimes lending a
hand, I had, by this means, full knowledge of their methods,
and I wanted nothing but the materials, when it came into
my mind that the twigs of that tree, from whence I cut my
stakes that grew, might possibly be as tough as the sallows, and
willows, and osiers in England, and I resolved to try. Accord-
ingly, the next day I went to my country house, as I called it,
and cutting some of the smaller twigs, I found them to my
purpose as much as I could desire; whereupon I came the next
time with a hatchet to cut down a quantity which I soon found,
for there was great plenty of them. These I set up to dry within
my circle or hedge, and when they were fit for use I carried
them to my cave; and here, during the next season, I employed







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


myself in making, as well as I could, a great many baskets,
both to carry earth, or to carry or lay up anything, as I had
occasion; and thus, afterwards, I took care never to be without
them: and, as my wicker decayed, I made more, especially I
made strong deep baskets to place my corn in, instead of sacks,
when I should come to have any quantity of it.
Having mastered this difficulty, I bestirred myself to see, if
possible, how to supply two wants. I had no vessels to hold
anything that was liquid, except two runlets which were almost
full of rum, and some glass bottles, some of the common size,
and others which were case-bottles, square, for the holding of
water, spirits, &c. I had not so much as a pot to boil any-
thing in, except a great kettle which I saved out of the ship,
and which was too big for such uses I desired it for, viz., to
make broth, and stew a bit of meat by itself. The next thing
I would fain have had was a tobacco pipe, but it was impossible
for me to make one; however, I found a contrivance for that
too at last.

CHAPTER VIII.
Make a second tour through the island-catch a young parrot,
which I afterwards teach to speak-my mode of sleeping
at night-find the other side of the island much more
pleasant than mine, and covered with turtle and sea-fowl
-catch a young kid, which I tame-return to my old ha-
bitation-great plague with my harvest.
I MENTIONED before that I had a great mind to see the whole
island, and that I travelled on to where I had built my bower,
and where I had an opening quite to the sea, on the other side
of the island. I now resolved to travel quite across to the sea-
shore on that side. So, taking my gun, a hatchet, and my dog,
and a larger quantity of powder and shot than usual, with two
biscuit cakes, and a great bunch of raisins in my pouch for my
store, I began my journey. When I had passed the vale where
my bower stood, I came in view of the sea, to the west; and it
being a very clear day, I fairly described land, whether an island
or a continent I could not tell; but it lay very high, extending
from the west to the W.S. W. at a great distance; by my guess
it was fifteen or twenty leagues off.
I could not tell what part of the world this might be, other-
wise than that I knew it must be part of America; and, as I







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


concluded by all my observations, must be near the Spanish
dominions, and perhaps was all inhabited by savages, where, if
I should have landed, I had been in a worse condition than I
was now; and therefore I acquiesced in the dispositions of
Providence, who I began to own, and to believe, ordered
everything for the best.
Besides, I considered, that if this land was the Spanish
coast, I should certainly one time or other see some vessels pass
or repass one way or other; but if not, then it was a savage
country between the Spanish country and Brazils, where were
indeed the worst of savages, for they were cannibals, or men-
eaters, and devour all the human bodiesthat fall intotheirhands.
With these considerations I walked very leisurely forward.
I found the side of the island where I now was much pleasanter
than mine, the open or savannah fields sweet, adorned with
flowers and grass, and full of very fine woods. I saw abun-
dance of parrots, and fain would have caught one, if possible,
to have kept it to be tame, and taught it to speak to me. I
did after some pains-taking catch a young parrot, for I knocked
it down with a stick, and, having recovered it, I took it
home, but it was some years before I could make him speak to
me. However, at last I taught him to call me by my name
very familiarly.
I was exceedingly diverted with this journey. I found in
the low grounds hares, as I thought them to be, and foxes, but
they differed greatly from all the other kinds I had met with ;
nor could-I satisfy myself to eat them, though I killed several.
But I had no need to be venturous, for I had no want of food,
and of that which was very good too, especially these three
sorts-viz., goats, pigeons, and turtle or tortoise-which,
added to my grapes, Leadenhall market could not have fur-
nished a table better than I, in proportion to the company;
and, though my case was deplorable enough, yet I had great
cause for thankfulness that I was not driven to any extremities
for food, but rather had plenty, even to dainties.
I never travelled in this journey above two miles in a day,
or thereabouts; but I took so many turns and returns, to see
what discoveries I could make, that I came weary enough to
the place where I resolved to sit down for all night ; and then
I either reposed myself in a tree, or surrounded myself with a
row of stakes set upright in the ground, either from one tree to
another, or so as no wild creature could come at me without
waking me.







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


As soon as I came to the sea-shore, I was surprised to see
that I had taken up my lot on the worst side of the island-for
here indeed the shore was covered with innumerable turtles,
whereas, on the other side, I had found but three in a year and
a half. Here was also an infinite number of fowls, of many
kinds, some of which I had not seen before, and many of them
very good meat, but I knew not their names, except those
called penguins.
I could have shot as many as I pleased, but was very spar-
ing of my powder and shot, and therefore had more mind to
kill a she-goat, which I could better feed on. And though
there were many goats here, more than on my side of the
island, yet it was with much more difficulty that I could come
near them; the country being flat and even, they saw me much
sooner than when I was on the hills.
Although this side of the country was much pleasanter than
mine, I had not the least inclination to remove, for as I was
fixed in my habitation it became natural to me, and I seemed
all the while I was here to be, as it were, upon a journey, and
from home. However, I travelled along the shore of the sea,
towards the east, I suppose about twelve miles; and then set-
ting up a great pole upon the shore for a mark, I concluded to
go home again; and the next journey I took should be on the
other side of the island, east from my dwelling, and so round
till I came to my post again.
I took another way to come back than that I went, thinking
I could easily keep all the island so much in my view, that I
could not miss finding my first dwelling, by viewing the
country: but I found myself mistaken; for being come about
two or three miles, I found myself descended into a very large
valley, but so surrounded with hills, covered with woods, that
I could not see which was my way by any direction but that of
the sun, nor even then, unless I knew very well the position of
the sun at that time of the day.
It happened that the weather proved hazy for three or four
days, while I was in this valley; and not being able to see the
sun, I wandered about very uncomfortably, and at last was
obliged to find out the sea-side, look for my post, and come
back the same way I went; and then, by easy journeys, I
turned homeward, the weather being exceeding hot; and my
gun, ammunition, hatchet, and other things, very heavy.
In this journey my dog surprised a young kid, and seized
upon it; and I running to take hold of it, caught it, and saved







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


it alive from the dog. I had a great mind to bring it home, if
I could; for I had often been musing whether it might not be
possible to raise a breed of tame goats, which might supply me
when my powder and shot should be all spent. I made a
collar for this little creature, and with a string which I made
of some rope-yarn, which I always carried about me, I led him
along, though with some difficulty, till I came to my bower,
and there I enclosed and left him; for I was very impatient
to be at home, from whence I had been absent above a month.
I cannot express what a satisfaction it was to me to come into
my old abode, and lie down in my hammock-bed. This little
wandering journey, without a settled habitation, had been so
unpleasant to me, that my own house, as I called it, was a per-
fect settlement to me compared to that, and it rendered every
thing about me so comfortable, that I resolved I would never
go a great way from it again, while it should be my lot to stay
on the island.
I reposed myself here a week, to rest and regale myself after
my long journey, during which most of the time was taken up
in the weighty affair of making a cage for my poll, who began
now to be a mere domestic, and to be well acquainted with me.
Then I began to think of the poor kid, which I had pent in
within my little circle, and resolved to go and fetch it home, or
give it some food; accordingly I went, and found it where I
left it, for indeed it could not get out, but was almost starved
for want of food. I went and cut boughs of trees, and branches
of such shrubs as I could find, and threw them over, and hav-
ing fed it, I tied it as I did before, to lead it away, but it was
so tame with being hungry, that I had no need to have tied it,
for it followed me like a dog; and as I continually fed it, the
creature became so loving, so gentle, and so fond, that it be-
came one of my domestics also, and would never leave me.
The rainy season of the autumnal equinox was now come,
and I kept the 30th of September in the same solemn manner
as before, being the anniversary of my landing on the island,
having now been there two years, and no more prospect of being
delivered than the first day I came. I spent the whole day in
humble and thankful acknowledgments of the many wonderful
mercies which my solitary condition was attended with, and
without which it might have been infinitely more miserable.
I gave humble and hearty thanks that God had been
pleased to discover to me, even that it was possible I might be
more happy in this solitary condition, than I should have been







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


in the pleasures of the world; that He could fully make up to
me the deficiencies of my solitary state, and the want of human
society, by His presence, and the communications of His grace
to my soul; supporting, comforting, and encouraging me to
depend upon His providence here, and hope for His eternal
presence hereafter.
It was now that I began sensibly to feel how much more
happy the life I now led was, with all its miserable circum-
stances, than the wicked, cursed, abominable life I led all the
past part of my days; having changed both my sorrows and my
joys, my desires altered, my affections changed, and my delights
were perfectly new from what they were at my first coming, or
indeed for the two years past.
Before, as I walked about, either on my hunting, or for view-
ing the country, the anguish of my soul at my condition would
break out upon me on a sudden, and my very heart would die
within me, to think of the woods, the mountains, the deserts
I was in; and how I was a prisoner locked up with the eternal
bars and bolts of the ocean, in an uninhabited wilderness with-
out redemption. In the midst of the greatest composures of
my mind, this would break out upon me like a storm, and
make me wring my hands, and weep like a child. Sometimes
it would take me in the middle of my work, and I would im-
mediately sit down and sigh, and look upon the ground for an
hour or two together, and this was still worse to me; for if I
could burst out into tears, or vent myself by words, it would
go off, and the grief having exhausted itself, would abate.
But now I began to exercise myself with new thoughts. I
daily read the Word of God, and applied all the comforts of it
to my present state. One morning, being very sad, I opened
the Bible upon these words, I will never leave thee nor for-
sake thee." Immediately it occurred that these words were to
me; why else should they be directed in such a manner just
when I was mourning over my condition as one forsaken of God
and man? Well then," said I, "'if God does not forsake me,
of what ill consequence can it be though the world should for-
sake me; seeing if I had all the world and should lose the fear
and blessing of God, there would be no comparison in the loss."
From this moment I began to conclude that it was possible for
me to be more happy in this solitary condition than it was
probable I should have been in any other state in the world,
and with this thought I was going to give thanks to God for
bringing me to thi! place. I know not what it was, but some







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


thing shocked my mind at that thought. "How canst thou
be such a hypocrite," said I, "to pretend to be thankful for a
condition which, however thou mayest endeavour to be con-
tented with, thou wouldst rather pray to be delivered from?"
So I stopped there, but though I could not say I thanked God
for being there, yet I sincerely gave thanks to God for opening
my eyes, by whatever afflicting providence, to see the present
condition of my life and to mourn for my wickedness and re-
pent. I never opened the Bible, or shut it, but my very soul
within me blessed God for directing my friend in England,
without any order of mine, to pack it up among my goods, and
for assisting me afterwards to save it out of the wreck' of the
ship.
Thus, and in this disposition of mind, I began my third year.
I had regularly divided my time according to the several daily
employment that were before me ; such as, first, my duty to
God, and reading the Scriptures, which I constantly set apart
for some time thrice every day; secondly, the going abroad
with my gun for food, which generally took me up three hours
every morning, when it did not rain; thirdly, the ordering,
curing, preserving, and cooking what I had killed or catched
for my supply; these took up great part of the day. Also, in
the middle of the day, when the sun was in its zenith, the
violence of the heat was too great to stir out, so that about four
hours in the evening was all the time I could be supposed to
work in ; with this exception that sometimes I changed my
hours of hunting and working, and went to work in the morning,
and abroad with my gun in the afternoon.
To this short time allowed for labour, may be added the ex-
ceeding laboriousness of my work ; the many hours which, for
want of tools, for want of help, and want of skill, every thing
that I did took up out of my time. For example, I was full
two-and-forty days making me a board for a long shelf, which
I wanted in my cave, whereas, two sawyers, with their tools and
a saw-pit, would have cut six of them, out of the same tree, in
half a day.
My case was this : it was to be a large tree which was to be
cut down, because my board was to be a broad one. The tree
I was three days in cutting down, and two more cutting off the
boughs, and reducing it to a log or piece of timber. With
inexpressible hacking and hewing, I reduced both sides of it till
it began to be light enough to move; then I turned it, and
made one side of it smooth and flat as a board, from end to







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


end, then turning that side downward, cut the other side,
till I brought the plank to be about three inches thick, and
smooth on both sides.
I was now, in the months of November and December, expect-
ing my crop of barley and rice. The ground I had manured or
dug up for them was not great, but now my crop promised very
well, when, on a sudden, I found I was in danger of losing it
all again, by enemies of several sorts, which it was scarce pos-
sible to keep from it; at first, the goats and wild creatures
which I called hares, which, tasting the sweetness of the blade,
lay in it night and day, as soon as it came up, and ate it so
close, that it could get no time to shoot up into stalks. This
I saw no remedy for but by making an inclosure about it with
a hedge, which I did with a great deal of toil, and the more
as it required speed, the creatures daily spoiling my corn.
However, as my arable land was but small, suited to my crop,
I got it well fenced in about three weeks' time ; and shooting
some of the creatures in the day time, I set my dog to guard it
in the night, tying him up to a stake at the gate, where he
would stand and bark all night long ; so, in a little time, the
enemies forsook the place, and the corn grew very strong and
well, and began to ripen apace.
But as the beasts injured me before, while my corn was in
the blade, so the birds were likely to injure me now, when it
was in the ear ; for, going along by the place to see how it
throve, I saw my little crop surrounded with fowls, of I know
not how many sorts, who stood, as it were, watching till I should
be gone. I immediately let fly among them; and I had no
sooner shot, but there rose up a little cloud of fowls, which I
had not seen, from amongst the corn.
This touched me sensibly, for I foresaw that, in a few days,
they would devour all my hopes; that I should be starved, and
never be able to raise a crop at all, and what to do I could not
tell. In the first place, I went among it to see what damage
was already done, and found they had spoiled a good deal of it;
but that, as it was yet too green for them, the loss was not so
great, but that the remainder was like to be a good crop, if it
could be saved.
I stayed by it to load my gun, and then coming away, I
could easily see the thieves sitting upon the trees about me, as
if they only waited till I was gone away; and the event proved
it to be so: for as I walked off as if I was gone, I was no sooner
out of their sight but they dropped down, one by one, into the







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


,orn again. I was so provoked that I had not patience to stay
till more came, knowing that every grain that they ate now was
a peck-loaf to me in the consequence; but coming up to the
hedge I fired again, and killed three of them. This was what
I wished for: so I took them up, and served them as we serve
notorious thieves in England, viz., hanged them in chains as a
terror to others. It is impossible to imagine almost that this
should have such an effect as it had; for the fowls would not
only not come at the corn, but, in short, they forsook all that
part of the island, and I could never see a bird near the place
as long as my scarecrows hung there.
This I was very glad of; and, about the latter end of Decem-
ber, which was our second harvest of the year, I reaped my
crop. I was sadly put to it for a scythe or sickle to cut it
down, and all I could do was to make one, as well as I could,
out of one of the broadswords or cutlasses, which I saved among
the arms out of the ship. However, as my crop was but small,
I had no great difficulty to cut it down. In short, I reaped it
in my way, for I cut nothing off but the ears, and carried it
away in a great basket which I had made, and so rubbed it out
with my hands. At the end of all my harvesting, I found that
out of my half peck of seed I had near two bushels of rice, and
above two bushels and a half of barley; that is to say, by my
guess, for I had no measure.
However, this was a great encouragement to me, and I fore-
saw that in time it would please God to supply me with bread.
And yet here I was perplexed again, for I neither knew how to
grind or make meal of my corn, or, indeed, how to clean it and
part it; nor, if made into meal, how to make bread of it; and
if how to make it, yet I knew not how to bake it. These
things being added to my desire for having a good quantity for
store, and to secure a constant supply, I resolved not to taste
any of this crop, but to preserve it all for seed against the next
season, and, in the meantime, to employ all my study and hours
of working to accomplish this great work of providing myself
with corn and bread.
It might be truly said that now I worked for my bread. It
is wonderful, and I believe few people have thought what a
strange multitude of little things are necessary in the providing,
producing, dressing, and finishing this one article of bread.
I, that was reduced to a mere state of nature, found this to
be my daily discouragement, and was made more and more sen-
sible of it every hour, even after I had got the first handful of







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


seed corn, which, as I have said, came up unexpectedly, and to
my surprise.
First, I had no plough to turn up the earth, no spade or shovel
to dig it. Well, this I conquered by making a wooden spade,
as I observed before; but this did my work but in a wooden
manner; and though it cost me a great many days to make it,
yet, for want of iron, it not only wore out the sooner, but made
my work the harder, and made it be performed much worse.
However, this I bore with, and was content to work it out
with patience, and bear with the badness of the performance.
When the corn was sown, I had no harrow, but was forced to
go over it myself, and drag a great heavy bough of a tree over
it, to scratch the earth, as it may be called, rather than harrow it.
When it was growing or grown, I have obsern ed already how
many things I wanted, to fence it, secure, it, mow or reap it,
cure and carry it home, thresh, part it from the chaff, and save
it. Then I wanted a mill to grind it, sieves to dress it, yeast
and salt to make it into bread, and an oven to bake it in; and
yet these things I did without, as shall be observed. All this,
as I said, made everything laborious and tedious to me, but
that there was no help for: neither was my time so much loss
to me, because as I had divided it, a certain part of it was
every day appointed to these works; and, as I resolved to use
none of the corn for bread till I had a great quantity by me, I
had the next six months to apply myself, by labour and inven-
tion, to furnish myself with utensils proper for the performing
all the operations necessary for making the corn, when I had it
fit for my use.
But first I was to prepare more land, for I had now seed
enough to sow above an acre of ground. Before I did this, I
had a week's work, at least, to make me a spade, which, when
it was done, was but a sorry one indeed, and very heavy, and
required double labour to work with it. However, I went
through that, and sowed my seed in two large flat pieces of
ground, as near my house as I could find them to my mind,
and fenced them in with a good hedge, the stakes of which
were all cut of that wood which I set before, which I knew
would grow; so that, in one year's time, I knew I should have
a quick or living hedge that would want but little repair. This
work took me up three months, but part of that time was in
the wet season, when I could not go abroad.
Within doors, while I was at work, I diverted myself with
talking to my parrot, and teaching him to speak; and I quickly







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


learned him to know his own name, at last to speak it pretty
loud, Poll; which was the first word I ever heard spoken
in the island by any mouth but my own. This, therefore, was
not my work, but an assistant to my work; for now I had a
great employment upon my hands, as follows, viz., I had long
studied, by some means or other, to make myself some earthen
vessels, which indeed I wanted sorely, but knew not where to
come at them. However, considering the heat of the climate
I did not doubt but, if I could find out any such clay, I might
botch up some pot as might, being dried in the sun, be hard
enough, and strong enough, to bear handling, and to hold any-
thing that was dry, and required to be kept so; and as this
was necessary in preparing corn, meal, &c., which was the
thing I was upon, I resolved to make some as large as I could,
to stand like jars to hold what should be put in them.

CHAPTER IX.
I attempt to mould earthenware, and succeed-description of
my mode of baking-begin to make a boat-after it is
finished, am unable to get it down to the water-serious
reflections-my ink and biscuits exhausted, and clothes
in a bad state-contrive to make a dress of skins.
IT would make the reader pity me, or rather laugh at me, to
tell how many awkward ways I took to raise this paste: what
odd, misshapen, ugly things I made; how many of them fell
in, and how many fell out, the clay not being stiff enough to
bear its own weight; how many cracked by the violent heat of
the sun, being set out too hastily; and how many fell to pieces
with only removing, as well before as after they were dried;
and, in a word, how, after having laboured hard to find the
clay, to dig it, to temper it, to bring it home, to work it, I
could not make above two large earthen ugly things, I cannot
call them jars, in about two months' labour.
However, as the sun baked these two very dry and hard, I
lifted them very gently up, and set them down in two great
wicker baskets, which I had made on purpose for them, that
they might not break; and these two pots, being to stand al-
ways dry, I thought they would hold my dry corn, and perhaps
the meal when the corn was bruised.
Though I miscarried so much in my design for large pots, yet
I made several smaller things with better success; such as little







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


round pots, flat dishes, and pitchers, and the heat of the sun
baked them extremely hard.
But all this would not answer my end, which was to get an
earthen pot to hold what was liquid, and bear the fire, which
none of these could do. It happened after some time, making
a large fire for cooking my meat, when I put it out, after I had
done with it, I found a broken piece of one of my earthenware
vessels in the fire, burnt as hard as a stone, and red as a tile.
I was agreeably surprised to see it, and said to myself, that
certainly they might be made to burn whole, if they would
burn broken.
This set me to study how to order my fire, so as to make it
burn me some pots. I had no notion of a kiln, such as the
potters burn in, or of glazing them with lead, though I had
some lead to do it with; but I placed three large pipkins, and
two or three pots, in a pile upon one another, and placed my
fire-wood all round it, with a great heap of embers under them.
I plied the fire with fresh fuel round .the outside, and upon
the top, till I saw the pots in the inside red hot quite through,
and observed that they did not crack at all. When I saw them
clear red, I let them stand in that heat five or six hours, till I
found one of them, though it did not crack, did melt or run;
for the sand which was mixed with the clay melted by the vio-
lence of the heat, and would have run into glass if I had gone
on; so I slackened my fire gradually, till the pots began to
abate of the red colour, and watching them all night, that I
might not let the fire abate too fast, in the morning I had
three very good, I will not say handsome, pipkins, and two
other earthen pots, as hard burnt as could be desired; and one
of them perfectly glazed with the running of the sand.
After this experiment, I need not say that I wanted no sort
of earthenware for my use; but as to the shapes of them, they
were very indifferent. No joy at a thing of so mean a nature
was ever equal to mine, when I found I had made an earthen
pot that could bear the fire; and I had hardly patience to stay
till they were cold, before I set one on the fire again, with some
water in it, to boil me some meat, which it did admirably well;
and with a piece of kid, I made some very good broth, though
I wanted oatmeal, and several other ingredients requisite to
make it as good as I would have had it.
My next concern was to get me a stone mortar to stamp or
beat some corn in; for as to the mill, there was no thought of
arriving to that perfection of art, with one pair of hands. To







ROBINSON CRUSOE.


supply this want I was at a great loss; for I was perfectly un.
qualified for a stone-cutter, neither had I any tools to go about
it with. I spent many a day to find out a great stone big
enough to cut hollow, and make fit for a mortar, and could
find none at all, except what was in the solid rock, and which
I had no way to dig or cut out, nor indeed were the rocks in
the island of hardness sufficient, but were of a sandy, crumb-
ling stone, which would neither bear the weight of a heavy
pestle, nor would break the corn without filling it with sand.
So, after a great deal of time lost in searching for a stone, I
gave it over, and resolved to look out a great block of hard
wood, which I found; and getting one as big as I had strength
to stir, I rounded it, and formed it on the outside with my axe
and hatchet, and then, with the help of fire, and infinite
labour, made a hollow place in it, as the Indians in Brazil
make their canoes. After this I made a great heavy pestle or
beater, of the wood called the iron-wood, and this I prepared
and laid by against I had my next crop of corn, when I pro-
posed to myself to grind, or rather pound, my corn into meal,
to make my bread.
My next difficulty was to make a sieve to dress my meal, and
to part it from the bran and the husks, without which I did
not see it possible I could have any bread. This was a most
difficult task; for I had nothing like the necessary thing to
make it with, I mean fine thin canvas, or stuff to sift the
meal through. And here I was at a full stop for many
months, nor did I really know what to do; linen I had none
left, but what was mere rags. I had goats' hair, but neither
knew how to weave or spin it; and had I known how, here
were no tools to work it with; all the remedy that I found for
this was, that at last I did remember I had, among the sea-
men's clothes, which were saved out of the ship, some neck-
cloths of calico or muslin; and with some pieces of these I
made three small sieves.
The baking part was the next thing to be thought of, and
how I should make bread when I came to have corn; for, first,
I had no yeast. As to that part, as there was no supplying the
want, so I did not concern myself much about it; but for an
oven I was indeed in great pain. At length 1 found an expe-
dient for that also, which was this:-I made some earthen
vessels very broad, but not deep, that is to say, about two feet
in diameter, and not above nine inches deep; these I burnt in
the fire, as I had done the other, and laid them by, and when




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