CHAPTER IV--FIRST WEEKS ON THE ISLAND
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 whichsurprised me most was, that the ship was lifted off in the night from thesand where she lay by the swelling of the tide, and was driven up almostas far as the rock which I at first mentioned, where I had been sobruised by the wave dashing me against it. This being within about amile from the shore where I was, and the ship seeming to stand uprightstill, I wished myself on board, that at least I might save somenecessary things for my use.
When I came down from my apartment in the tree, I looked about me again,and the first thing I found was the boat, which lay, as the wind and thesea had tossed her up, upon the 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 aneck or inlet of water between me and the boat which was about half amile broad; so I came back for the present, being more intent upongetting at the ship, where I hoped to find something for my presentsubsistence.
A little after noon I found the sea very calm, and the tide ebbed so farout that I could come within a quarter of a mile of the ship. And here Ifound a fresh renewing of my grief; for I saw evidently that if we hadkept on board we had been all safe--that is to say, we had all got safeon shore, and I had not been so miserable as to be left entiretydestitute of all comfort and company as I now was. This forced tears tomy eyes again; but as there was little relief in that, I resolved, ifpossible, to get to the ship; so I pulled off my clothes--for the weatherwas hot to extremity--and took the water. But when I came to the ship mydifficulty was still greater to know how to get on board; for, as she layaground, and high out of the water, there was nothing within my reach tolay hold of. I swam round her twice, and the second time I spied a smallpiece of rope, which I wondered I did not see at first, hung down by thefore-chains so low, as that with great difficulty I got hold of it, andby the help of that rope I got up into the forecastle of the ship. HereI found that the ship was bulged, and had a great deal of water in herhold, but that she lay so on the side of a bank of hard sand, or, ratherearth, 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 allthat was in that part was dry; for you may be sure my first work was tosearch, and to see what was spoiled and what was free. And, first, Ifound 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 filledmy pockets with biscuit, and ate it as I went about other things, for Ihad no time to lose. I also found some rum in the great cabin, of whichI took a large dram, and which I had, indeed, need enough of to spirit mefor what was before me. Now I wanted nothing but a boat to furnishmyself 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 thisextremity roused my application. We had several spare yards, and two orthree large spars of wood, and a spare topmast or two in the ship; Iresolved to fall to work with these, and I flung as many of themoverboard as I could manage for their weight, tying every one with arope, that they might not drive away. When this was done I went down theship's side, and pulling them to me, I tied four of them together at bothends as well as I could, in the form of a raft, and laying two or threeshort pieces of plank upon them crossways, I found I could walk upon itvery well, but that it was not able to bear any great weight, the piecesbeing too light. So I went to work, and with a carpenter's saw I cut aspare topmast into three lengths, and added them to my raft, with a greatdeal of labour and pains. But the hope of furnishing myself withnecessaries encouraged me to go beyond what I should have been able tohave done upon another occasion.
My raft was now strong enough to bear any reasonable weight. My nextcare was what to load it with, and how to preserve what I laid upon itfrom the surf of the sea; but I was not long considering this. I firstlaid all the planks or boards upon it that I could get, and havingconsidered well what I most wanted, I got three of the seamen's chests,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, threeDutch cheeses, five pieces of dried goat's flesh (which we lived muchupon), and a little remainder of European corn, which had been laid byfor some fowls which we brought to sea with us, but the fowls werekilled. There had been some barley and wheat together; but, to my greatdisappointment, I found afterwards that the rats had eaten or spoiled itall. As for liquors, I found several, cases of bottles belonging to ourskipper, in which were some cordial waters; and, in all, about five orsix gallons of rack. These I stowed by themselves, there being no needto put them into the chest, nor any room for them. While I was doingthis, I found the tide begin to flow, though very calm; and I had themortification to see my coat, shirt, and waistcoat, which I had left onthe shore, upon the sand, swim away. As for my breeches, which were onlylinen, and open-kneed, I swam on board in them and my stockings.However, this set me on rummaging for clothes, of which I found enough,but took no more than I wanted for present use, for I had others thingswhich my eye was more upon--as, first, tools to work with on shore. Andit was after long searching that I found out the carpenter's chest, whichwas, indeed, a very useful prize to me, and much more valuable than ashipload of gold would have been at that time. I got it down to my raft,whole as it was, without losing time to look into it, for I knew ingeneral what it contained.
My next care was for some ammunition and arms. There were two very goodfowling-pieces in the great cabin, and two pistols. These I securedfirst, with some powder-horns and a small bag of shot, and two old rustyswords. I knew there were three barrels of powder in the ship, but knewnot 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 tomy raft with the arms. And now I thought myself pretty well freighted,and began to think how I should get to shore with them, having neithersail, oar, nor rudder; and the least capful of wind would have oversetall my navigation.
I had three encouragements--1st, a smooth, calm sea; 2ndly, the tiderising, and setting in to the shore; 3rdly, what little wind there wasblew me towards the land. And thus, having found two or three brokenoars belonging to the boat--and, besides the tools which were in thechest, I found two saws, an axe, and a hammer; with this cargo I put tosea. For a mile or thereabouts my raft went very well, only that I foundit drive a little distant from the place where I had landed before; bywhich I perceived that there was some indraft of the water, andconsequently I hoped to find some creek or river there, which I mightmake 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 ofthe land, and I found a strong current of the tide set into it; so Iguided 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 broken my heart; for, knowing nothing of thecoast, my raft ran aground at one end of it upon a shoal, and not beingaground at the other end, it wanted but a little that all my cargo hadslipped off towards the end that was afloat, and to fallen into thewater. I did my utmost, by setting my back against the chests, to keepthem in their places, but could not thrust off the raft with all mystrength; neither durst I stir from the posture I was in; but holding upthe chests with all my might, I stood in that manner near half-an-hour,in which time the rising of the water brought me a little more upon alevel; 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 thendriving up higher, I at length found myself in the mouth of a littleriver, 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 notwilling to be driven too high up the river: hoping in time to see someships at sea, and therefore resolved to place myself as near the coast asI could.
At length I spied a little cove on the right shore of the creek, to whichwith great pain and difficulty I guided my raft, and at last got so nearthat, reaching ground with my oar, I could thrust her directly in. Buthere I had like to have dipped all my cargo into the sea again; for thatshore lying pretty steep--that is to say sloping--there was no place toland, but where one end of my float, if it ran on shore, would lie sohigh, and the other sink lower, as before, that it would endanger mycargo again. All that I could do was to wait till the tide was at thehighest, keeping the raft with my oar like an anchor, to hold the side ofit fast to the shore, near a flat piece of ground, which I expected thewater would flow over; and so it did. As soon as I found waterenough--for my raft drew about a foot of water--I thrust her upon thatflat piece of ground, and there fastened or moored her, by sticking mytwo broken oars into the ground, one on one side near one end, and one onthe other side near the other end; and thus I lay till the water ebbedaway, 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 myhabitation, and where to stow my goods to secure them from whatever mighthappen. Where I was, I yet knew not; whether on the continent or on anisland; whether inhabited or not inhabited; whether in danger of wildbeasts or not. There was a hill not above a mile from me, which rose upvery steep and high, and which seemed to overtop some other hills, whichlay as in a ridge from it northward. I took out one of thefowling-pieces, and one of the pistols, and a horn of powder; and thusarmed, I travelled for discovery up to the top of that hill, where, afterI had with great labour and difficulty got to the top, I saw my fate, tomy great affliction--viz. that I was in an island environed every waywith the sea: no land to be seen except some rocks, which lay a great wayoff; and two small islands, less than this, which lay about three leaguesto the west.
I found also that the island I was in was barren, and, as I saw goodreason to believe, uninhabited except by wild beasts, of whom, however, Isaw 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 whatnot. At my coming back, I shot at a great bird which I saw sitting upona tree on the side of a great wood. I believe it was the first gun thathad been fired there since the creation of the world. I had no soonerfired, than from all parts of the wood there arose an innumerable numberof fowls, of many sorts, making a confused screaming and crying, andevery one according to his usual note, but not one of them of any kindthat I knew. As for the creature I killed, I took it to be a kind ofhawk, its colour and beak resembling it, but it had no talons or clawsmore than common. Its flesh was carrion, and fit for nothing.
Contented with this discovery, I came back to my raft, and fell to workto bring my cargo on shore, which took me up the rest of that day. Whatto do with myself at night I knew not, nor indeed where to rest, for Iwas afraid to lie down on the ground, not knowing but some wild beastmight devour me, though, as I afterwards found, there was really no needfor those fears.
However, as well as I could, I barricaded myself round with the chest andboards that I had brought on shore, and made a kind of hut for thatnight'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 thewood where I shot the fowl.
I now began to consider that I might yet get a great many things out ofthe ship which would be useful to me, and particularly some of therigging and sails, and such other things as might come to land; and Iresolved to make another voyage on board the vessel, if possible. And asI knew that the first storm that blew must necessarily break her all inpieces, I resolved to set all other things apart till I had goteverything out of the ship that I could get. Then I called acouncil--that is to say in my thoughts--whether I should take back theraft; but this appeared impracticable: so I resolved to go as before,when the tide was down; and I did so, only that I stripped before I wentfrom my hut, having nothing on but my chequered shirt, a pair of linendrawers, 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, norloaded it so hard, but yet I brought away several things very useful tome; as first, in the carpenters stores I found two or three bags full ofnails and spikes, a great screw-jack, a dozen or two of hatchets, and,above all, that most useful thing called a grindstone. All these Isecured, together with several things belonging to the gunner,particularly two or three iron crows, and two barrels of musket bullets,seven muskets, another fowling-piece, with some small quantity of powdermore; a large bagful of small shot, and a great roll of sheet-lead; butthis last was so heavy, I could not hoist it up to get it over the ship'sside.
Besides these things, I took all the men's clothes that I could find, anda spare fore-topsail, a hammock, and some bedding; and with this I loadedmy second raft, and brought them all safe on shore, to my very greatcomfort.
I was under some apprehension, during my absence from the land, that atleast my provisions might be devoured on shore: but when I came back Ifound no sign of any visitor; only there sat a creature like a wild catupon one of the chests, which, when I came towards it, ran away a littledistance, and then stood still. She sat very composed and unconcerned,and looked full in my face, as if she had a mind to be acquainted withme. I presented my gun at her, but, as she did not understand it, shewas perfectly unconcerned at it, nor did she offer to stir away; uponwhich I tossed her a bit of biscuit, though by the way, I was not veryfree of it, for my store was not great: however, I spared her a bit, Isay, and she went to it, smelled at it, and ate it, and looked (as ifpleased) for more; but I thanked her, and could spare no more: so shemarched off.
Having got my second cargo on shore--though I was fain to open thebarrels of powder, and bring them by parcels, for they were too heavy,being large casks--I went to work to make me a little tent with the sailand some poles which I cut for that purpose: and into this tent I broughteverything that I knew would spoil either with rain or sun; and I piledall the empty chests and casks up in a circle round the tent, to fortifyit from any sudden attempt, either from man or beast.
When I had done this, I blocked up the door of the tent with some boardswithin, and an empty chest set up on end without; and spreading one ofthe beds upon the ground, laying my two pistols just at my head, and mygun at length by me, I went to bed for the first time, and slept veryquietly all night, for I was very weary and heavy; for the night before Ihad slept little, and had laboured very hard all day to fetch all thosethings from the ship, and to get them on shore.
I had the biggest magazine of all kinds now that ever was laid up, Ibelieve, for one man: but I was not satisfied still, for while the shipsat upright in that posture, I thought I ought to get everything out ofher that I could; so every day at low water I went on board, and broughtaway something or other; but particularly the third time I went I broughtaway as much of the rigging as I could, as also all the small ropes andrope-twine I could get, with a piece of spare canvas, which was to mendthe sails upon occasion, and the barrel of wet gunpowder. In a word, Ibrought away all the sails, first and last; only that I was fain to cutthem in pieces, and bring as much at a time as I could, for they were nomore useful to be sails, but as mere canvas only.
But that which comforted me more still, was, that last of all, after Ihad made five or six such voyages as these, and thought I had nothingmore 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 ofrum, or spirits, a box of sugar, and a barrel of fine flour; this wassurprising to me, because I had given over expecting any more provisions,except what was spoiled by the water. I soon emptied the hogshead of thebread, and wrapped it up, parcel by parcel, in pieces of the sails, whichI cut out; and, in a word, I got all this safe on shore also.
The next day I made another voyage, and now, having plundered the ship ofwhat was portable and fit to hand out, I began with the cables.
Cuttingthe great cable into pieces, such as I could move, I got two cables and ahawser on shore, with all the ironwork I could get; and having cut downthe spritsail-yard, and the mizzen-yard, and everything I could, to makea large raft, I loaded it with all these heavy goods, and came away. Butmy good luck began now to leave me; for this raft was so unwieldy, and sooverladen, that, after I had entered the little cove where I had landedthe rest of my goods, not being able to guide it so handily as I did theother, it overset, and threw me and all my cargo into the water. As formyself, it was no great harm, for I was near the shore; but as to mycargo, it was a great part of it lost, especially the iron, which Iexpected would have been of great use to me; however, when the tide wasout, I got most of the pieces of the 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 onboard, and brought away what I could get.
I had been now thirteen days on shore, and had been eleven times on boardthe ship, in which time I had brought away all that one pair of handscould well be supposed capable to bring; though I believe verily, had thecalm weather held, I should have brought away the whole ship, piece bypiece. But preparing the twelfth time to go on board, I found the windbegan to rise: however, at low water I went on board, and though Ithought I had rummaged the cabin so effectually that nothing more couldbe found, yet I discovered a locker with drawers in it, in one of which Ifound two or three razors, and one pair of large scissors, with some tenor a dozen of good knives and forks: in another I found about thirty-sixpounds value in money--some European coin, some Brazil, some pieces ofeight, some gold, and some silver.
I smiled to myself at the sight of this money: "O drug!" said I, aloud,"what art thou good for? Thou art not worth to me--no, not the takingoff the ground; one of those knives is worth all this heap; I have nomanner of use for thee--e'en remain where thou art, and go to the bottomas a creature whose life is not worth saying." However, upon secondthoughts I took it away; and wrapping all this in a piece of canvas, Ibegan to think of making another raft; but while I was preparing this, Ifound the sky overcast, and the wind began to rise, and in a quarter ofan hour it blew a fresh gale from the shore. It presently occurred to methat it was in vain to pretend to make a raft with the wind offshore; andthat it was my business to be gone before the tide of flood began,otherwise I might not be able to reach the shore at all. Accordingly, Ilet myself down into the water, and swam across the channel, which laybetween the ship and the sands, and even that with difficulty enough,partly with the weight of the things I had about me, and partly theroughness of the water; for the wind rose very hastily, and before it wasquite high water it blew a storm.
But I had got home to my little tent, where I lay, with all my wealthabout me, very secure. It blew very hard all night, and in the morning,when I looked out, behold, no more ship was to be seen! I was a littlesurprised, but recovered myself with the satisfactory reflection that Ihad lost no time, nor abated any diligence, to get everything out of herthat could be useful to me; and that, indeed, there was little left inher that I was able to bring away, if I had had more time.
I now gave over any more thoughts of the ship, or of anything out of her,except what might drive on shore from her wreck; as, indeed, diverspieces of her afterwards did; but those things were of small use to me.
My thoughts were now wholly employed about securing myself against eithersavages, 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 ofdwelling to make--whether I should make me a cave in the earth, or a tentupon the earth; and, in short, I resolved upon both; the manner anddescription of which, it may not be improper to give an account of.
I soon found the place I was in was not fit for my settlement, because itwas upon a low, moorish ground, near the sea, and I believed it would notbe wholesome, and more particularly because there was no fresh water nearit; so I resolved to find a more healthy and more convenient spot ofground.
I consulted several things in my situation, which I found would he properfor me: 1st, health and fresh water, I just now mentioned; 2ndly, shelterfrom the heat of the sun; 3rdly, security from ravenous creatures,whether man or beast; 4thly, a view to the sea, that if God sent any shipin sight, I might not lose any advantage for my deliverance, of which Iwas not willing to banish all my expectation yet.
In search of a place proper for this, I found a little plain on the sideof a rising hill, whose front towards this little plain was steep as ahouse-side, so that nothing could come down upon me from the top. On theone side of the rock there was a hollow place, worn a little way in, likethe entrance or door of a cave but there was not really any cave or wayinto the rock at all.
On the flat of the green, just before this hollow place, I resolved topitch my tent. This plain was not above a hundred yards broad, and abouttwice as long, and lay like a green before my door; and, at the end ofit, descended irregularly every way down into the low ground by theseaside. It was on the N.N.W. side of the hill; so that it was shelteredfrom the heat every day, till it came to a W. and by S. sun, orthereabouts, 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 its semi-diameter from the rock, andtwenty yards in its diameter from its beginning and ending.
In this half-circle I pitched two rows of strong stakes, driving theminto the ground till they stood very firm like piles, the biggest endbeing out of the ground above five feet and a half, and sharpened on thetop. The two rows did not stand above six inches from one another.
Then I took the pieces of cable which I had cut in the ship, and laidthem in rows, one upon another, within the circle, between these two rowsof stakes, up to the top, placing other stakes in the inside, leaningagainst them, about two feet and a half high, like a spur to a post; andthis fence was so strong, that neither man nor beast could get into it orover it. This cost me a great deal of time and labour, especially to cutthe piles in the woods, bring them to the place, and drive them into theearth.
The entrance into this place I made to be, not by a door, but by a shortladder to go over the top; which ladder, when I was in, I lifted overafter me; and so I was completely fenced in and fortified, as I thought,from all the world, and consequently slept secure in the night, whichotherwise I could not have done; though, as it appeared afterwards, therewas no need of all this caution from the enemies that I apprehendeddanger from.
Into this fence or fortress, with infinite labour, I carried all myriches, all my provisions, ammunition, and stores, of which you have theaccount above; and I made a large tent, which to preserve me from therains that in one part of the year are very violent there, I madedouble--one smaller tent within, and one larger tent above it; andcovered the uppermost with a large tarpaulin, which I had saved among thesails.
And now I lay no more for a while in the bed which I had brought onshore, but in a hammock, which was indeed a very good one, and belongedto the mate of the ship.
Into this tent I brought all my provisions, and everything that wouldspoil by the wet; and having thus enclosed all my goods, I made up theentrance, which till now I had left open, and so passed and repassed, asI said, by a short ladder.
When I had done this, I began to work my way into the rock, and bringingall the earth and stones that I dug down out through my tent, I laid themup within my fence, in the nature of a terrace, so that it raised theground within about a foot and a half; and thus I made me a cave, justbehind my tent, which served me like a cellar to my house.
It cost me much labour and many days before all these things were broughtto perfection; and therefore I must go back to some other things whichtook up some of my thoughts. At the same time it happened, after I hadlaid my scheme for the setting up my tent, and making the cave, that astorm of rain falling from a thick, dark cloud, a sudden flash oflightning happened, and aft
er that a great clap of thunder, as isnaturally the effect of it. I was not so much surprised with thelightning as I was with the thought which darted into my mind as swift asthe lightning itself--Oh, my powder! My very heart sank within me when Ithought that, at one blast, all my powder might be destroyed; on which,not my defence only, but the providing my food, as I thought, entirelydepended. I was nothing near so anxious about my own danger, though, hadthe powder took fire, I should never have known who had hurt me.
Such impression did this make upon me, that after the storm was over Ilaid aside all my works, my building and fortifying, and applied myselfto make bags and boxes, to separate the powder, and to keep it a littleand a little in a parcel, in the hope that, whatever might come, it mightnot all take fire at once; and to keep it so apart that it should not bepossible to make one part fire another. I finished this work in about afortnight; and I think my powder, which in all was about two hundred andforty pounds weight, was divided in not less than a hundred parcels. Asto the barrel that had been wet, I did not apprehend any danger fromthat; so I placed it in my new cave, which, in my fancy, I called mykitchen; and the rest I hid up and down in holes among the rocks, so thatno wet might come to it, marking very carefully where I laid it.
In the interval of time while this was doing, I went out once at leastevery day with my gun, as well to divert myself as to see if I could killanything fit for food; and, as near as I could, to acquaint myself withwhat the island produced. The first time I went out, I presentlydiscovered that there were goats in the island, which was a greatsatisfaction to me; but then it was attended with this misfortune tome--viz. that they were so shy, so subtle, and so swift of foot, that itwas the most difficult thing in the world to come at them; but I was notdiscouraged at this, not doubting but I might now and then shoot one, asit soon happened; for after I had found their haunts a little, I laidwait in this manner for them: I observed if they saw me in the valleys,though they were upon the rocks, they would run away, as in a terriblefright; but if they were feeding in the valleys, and I was upon therocks, they took no notice of me; from whence I concluded that, by theposition of their optics, their sight was so directed downward that theydid not readily see objects that were above them; so afterwards I tookthis method--I always climbed the rocks first, to get above them, andthen had frequently a fair mark.
The first shot I made among these creatures, I killed a she-goat, whichhad a little kid by her, which she gave suck to, which grieved meheartily; for when the old one fell, the kid stood stock still by her,till I came and took her up; and not only so, but when I carried the oldone with me, upon my shoulders, the kid followed me quite to myenclosure; 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 itwould not eat; so I was forced to kill it and eat it myself. These twosupplied me with flesh a great while, for I ate sparingly, and saved myprovisions, my bread especially, as much as possibly I could.
Having now fixed my habitation, I found it absolutely necessary toprovide a place to make a fire in, and fuel to burn: and what I did forthat, and also how I enlarged my cave, and what conveniences I made, Ishall give a full account of in its place; but I must now give somelittle account of myself, and of my thoughts about living, which, it maywell be supposed, were not a few.
I had a dismal prospect of my condition; for as I was not cast away uponthat island without being driven, as is said, by a violent storm, quiteout of the course of our intended voyage, and a great way, viz. somehundreds of leagues, out of the ordinary course of the trade of mankind,I had great reason to consider it as a determination of Heaven, that inthis desolate place, and in this desolate manner, I should end my life.The tears would run plentifully down my face when I made thesereflections; and sometimes I would expostulate with myself why Providenceshould thus completely ruin His creatures, and render them so absolutelymiserable; so without help, abandoned, so entirely depressed, that itcould hardly be rational to be thankful for such a life.
But something always returned swift upon me to check these thoughts, andto reprove me; and particularly one day, walking with my gun in my handby the seaside, I was very pensive upon the subject of my presentcondition, when reason, as it were, expostulated with me the other way,thus: "Well, you are in a desolate condition, it is true; but, prayremember, where are the rest of you? Did not you come, eleven of you inthe 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 Ipointed to the sea. All evils are to be considered with the good that isin them, and with what worse attends them.
Then it occurred to me again, how well I was furnished for mysubsistence, and what would have been my case if it had not happened(which was a hundred thousand to one) that the ship floated from theplace where she first struck, and was driven so near to the shore that Ihad time to get all these things out of her; what would have been mycase, if I had been forced to have lived in the condition in which I atfirst came on shore, without necessaries of life, or necessaries tosupply and procure them? "Particularly," said I, aloud (though tomyself), "what should I have done without a gun, without ammunition,without any tools to make anything, or to work with, without clothes,bedding, a tent, or any manner of covering?" and that now I had all theseto sufficient quantity, and was in a fair way to provide myself in such amanner as to live without my gun, when my ammunition was spent: so that Ihad a tolerable view of subsisting, without any want, as long as I lived;for I considered from the beginning how I would provide for the accidentsthat might happen, and for the time that was to come, even not only aftermy ammunition should be spent, but even after my health and strengthshould decay.
I confess I had not entertained any notion of my ammunition beingdestroyed at one blast--I mean my powder being blown up by lightning; andthis made the thoughts of it so surprising to me, when it lightened andthundered, as I observed just now.
And now being about to enter into a melancholy relation of a scene ofsilent life, such, perhaps, as was never heard of in the world before, Ishall take it from its beginning, and continue it in its order. It wasby my account the 30th of September, when, in the manner as above said, Ifirst set foot upon this horrid island; when the sun, being to us in itsautumnal equinox, was almost over my head; for I reckoned myself, byobservation, to be in the latitude of nine degrees twenty-two minutesnorth of the line.
After I had been there about ten or twelve days, it came into my thoughtsthat I should lose my reckoning of time for want of books, and pen andink, and should even forget the Sabbath days; but to prevent this, I cutwith my knife upon a large post, in capital letters--and making it into agreat cross, I set it up on the shore where I first landed--"I came onshore here on the 30th September 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 firstday of the month as long again as that long one; and thus I kept mycalendar, or weekly, monthly, and yearly reckoning of time.
In the next place, we are to observe that among the many things which Ibrought out of the ship, in the several voyages which, as abovementioned, I made to it, I got several things of less value, but not atall less useful to me, which I omitted setting down before; as, inparticular, pens, ink, and paper, several parcels in the captain's,mate's, gunner's and carpenter's keeping; three or four compasses, somemathematical instruments, dials, perspectives, charts, and books ofnavigation, all which I huddled together, whether I might want them orno; also, I found three very good Bibles, which came to me in my cargofrom England, and which I had packed up among my things; some Portuguesebooks also; and among them two or three Popish prayer-books, and severalother books, all which I carefully secured. And I must not forget thatwe had in the ship a dog and two cats, of whose eminent history I mayhave occasion to say something in its place; for I carried both the catswith me; and as for the dog, he jumped out of the ship of himself, andswam on shore
to me the day after I went on shore with my first cargo,and was a trusty servant to me many years; I wanted nothing that he couldfetch me, nor any company that he could make up to me; I only wanted tohave him talk to me, but that would not do. As I observed before, Ifound pens, ink, and paper, and I husbanded them to the utmost; and Ishall show that while my ink lasted, I kept things very exact, but afterthat was gone I could not, for I could not make any ink by any means thatI could devise.
And this put me in mind that I wanted many things notwithstanding allthat I had amassed together; and of these, ink was one; as also a spade,pickaxe, and shovel, to dig or remove the earth; needles, pins, andthread; as for linen, I soon learned to want that without muchdifficulty.
This want of tools made every work I did go on heavily; and it was near awhole year before I had entirely finished my little pale, or surroundedmy habitation. The piles, or stakes, which were as heavy as I could welllift, were a long time in cutting and preparing in the woods, and more,by far, in bringing home; so that I spent sometimes two days in cuttingand bringing home one of those posts, and a third day in driving it intothe ground; for which purpose I got a heavy piece of wood at first, butat last bethought myself of one of the iron crows; which, however, thoughI found it, made driving those posts or piles very laborious and tediouswork.
But what need I have been concerned at the tediousness of anythingI had to do, seeing I had time enough to do it in? nor had I any otheremployment, if that had been over, at least that I could foresee, exceptthe ranging the island to seek for food, which I did, more or less, everyday.
I now began to consider seriously my condition, and the circumstances Iwas reduced to; and I drew up the state of my affairs in writing, not somuch to leave them to any that were to come after me--for I was likely tohave but few heirs--as to deliver my thoughts from daily poring overthem, and afflicting my mind; and as my reason began now to master mydespondency, I began to comfort myself as well as I could, and to set thegood against the evil, that I might have something to distinguish my casefrom worse; and I stated very impartially, like debtor and creditor, thecomforts I enjoyed against the miseries I suffered, thus:--
_Evil_. _Good_.I am cast upon a horrible, But I am alive; and not drowned,desolate island, void of all hope as all my ship's company were.of recovery.I am singled out and separated, But I am singled out, too, fromas it were, from all the world, all the ship's crew, to be sparedto be miserable. from death; and He that miraculously saved me from death can deliver me from this condition.
I am divided from mankind--a But I am not starved, andsolitaire; one banished from perishing on a barren place,human society. affording no sustenance.I have no clothes to cover me. But I am in a hot climate, where, if I had clothes, I could hardly wear them.I am without any defence, or But I am cast on an island wheremeans to resist any violence of I see no wild beasts to hurt me,man or beast. as I saw on the coast of Africa; and what if I had been shipwrecked there?
I have no soul to speak to or But God wonderfully sent the shiprelieve me. in near enough to the shore, that I have got out as many necessary things as will either supply my wants or enable me to supply myself, even as long as I live.