trees, shot out like willows the first year after lopping their heads. I
was ignorant of the tree I cut them from; but they grew so regularly
beautiful, that they made a most lively appearance, and so flourished in
three year's time, that I resolved to cut more of them; and these soon
growing made a glorious fence, as afterwards I shall observe.
And now I perceived that the seasons of the year might generally be
divided, not into summer and winter, as in Europe, but into wet and dry
seasons, as in this manner:
/ February,\
Half< March, > Rainy, sun coming near the Equinox.
\ April, /
/ April, \
| May, |
Half< June, > Dry, sun getting north of the Line.
| July, |
\ August, /
/ August, \
Half< September, > Wet, the sun being then come back.
\ October, /
/ October, \
| November, |
Half< December, > Dry, sun running south of the Line.
| January, |
\ February, /
The wet seasons would continue longer or shorter, as the winds happened
to blow. But having found the ill consequences of being abroad in the
rain, I took care beforehand to furnish myself with provisions; and
during the wet months sat within doors as much as possible. At this time
I contrived to make many things that I wanted, though it cost me much
labour and pains, before I could accomplish them. The first I tried was
to make a basket; but all the twigs I could get proved so brittle, that
I could not then perform it. It now proved of great advantage to me that
when a boy, I took great delight in standing at a basket-maker's in the
same town where my father lived, to view them at work; and like other
boys, curious to see the manner of their working these things and very
officious to assist, I perfectly learned the method of it, and wanted
nothing but the tools. And it coming into my mind that the twigs of that
tree of which I made my stakes, might be as tough as a fallow willow, or
osiers, growing in England, I resolved to make an experiment, and went
the next day to my country-seat, and found some fit for my turn; and
after cutting down a quantity with my hatchet, I dried them in my pale,
and, when fit to work with, carried them to my cave, where I employed
myself in making several sorts of baskets, insomuch that I could put in
whatsoever I pleased. It is true, they were not cleverly made, yet they
served my turn upon all occasions.
But still I wanted two necessary things. I had no cask to hold my
liquor, except two rundlets almost full of rum, a few bottles of an
ordinary size, and some square case bottles, neither had I a pot to boil
any thing in, only a large kettle unfit to make broth, or stew a bit of
meat: I wanted, likewise at the beginning of this dry season a tobacco
pipe; but for this I afterwards found an expedient.
I kept myself employed in planting my second row of stakes, But
remembering that when I travelled up to the brook, I had a mind to see
the whole island, I now resumed my intention, and taking my dog, gun,
hatchet, two biscuit cakes, a great bunch of raisins, with a larger
quantity of powder and shot than usual, I began my journey. Having
passed the vale where my bower stood, I came within view of the sea
lying to the west when it being a clear day, I fairly descried land,
extending from the W. to the S.W. about ten or fifteen leagues, as I
concluded; but could not say whether it was an island or a
continent.--Neither could I tell what this place might be; only thought
it was part of America, & where I might have been in a miserable
condition, had I landed. Again I considered that if this was the Spanish
coast, certainly, one time or other, I should see some ship pass by; and
if it was not, then it must be the savage coast, between the Spanish
country and Brazil, which abounds with cannibals or man-eaters.
As I proceeded forward I found this side of the island much more
pleasant than mine; the fields fragrant adorned with sweet flowers &
verdant grass, together with several very, fine woods. There were
parrots in plenty, which made me long for one to be my companion; but
it was with great difficulty I could knock one down with my stick; and I
kept him at home some years before I could get him to call me by
my name.
In the low grounds, I found various sorts of hares and foxes, as I took
them to be, but much different from those in England. Several of these I
killed, but never ate them; neither indeed had I any occasion; for
abounding with goats, pigeons, turtle, and grapes, I could defy
Leadenhall market to furnish me a better table. In this journey I did
not travel above two miles a-day, because I took several turns and
windings, to see what discoveries I could make, returning weary enough
to the place where I designed to rest all night, which was either in a
tree, or in a place which I surrounded with stakes, that no wild
creature might suddenly surprise me. When I came to the sea shore, I was
amazed to see the splendour of it. Its strand was covered with shells of
the most beautiful fish, and constantly abounding with innumerable
turtles, and fowls of many kinds, which I was ignorant of, except those
called penguins. I might have shot as many as I pleased, but was sparing
of my ammunition, rather choosing to kill a she-goat, which I did with
much difficulty, on account of the flatness of the country.
Now though this journey produced me the most pleasing satisfaction, yet
my habitation was so much to my liking, that I did not repine at my
being seated on the worst part of the island. I continued my journey,
travelling about twelve miles further towards the east, where I set a
great pile on the shore for a mark, concluding that my next journey
should bring me to the other side of the island, east from my castle,
and so round till I came to my post again. As I had a constant view of
the country, I thought I could not miss my way; but scarce had I
travelled three miles, when I descended into a very large valley, so
surrounded with hills covered with wood, that I having no guide but the
sun, nor even this, unless I knew will the position of the sun at the
time of day; and to add to my misfortune, the weather proving very hazy,
I was obliged to return to my post by the sea-side, and so backwards the
same way I came. In this journey my dog surprised a kid and would have
killed it, had I not prevented him. As I had often been thinking of
getting a kid or two, and so raising a breed of tame goats to supply me
after my ammunition was spent, I took this opportunity of beginning: and
having made a collar for this little creature, with a string made of
rope-yarn, I brought it to my bower, and there inclosed and left him;
and, having spent a month in this journey, at length I returned to my
habitation.
Nobody can doubt of my satisfaction, when I returned to my little
castle, and reposed myself in my hammock. After my journey I rested
myself a week, which time I employed in, making a cage for my pretty
Poll. I now began to consider the poor kid I had left in the bower, and
I immediately went to fetch it home. When I came there I found the young
creature almost starved; I gave it some food, and tied it as before: but
there was no occasion, for it followed me like a dog; and, as I
constantly fed it, it became so loving, gentle, and fond, that it
commenced one of my domestics, and would never leave me.
The rainy season of the autumnal equinox being now come, I kept the 30th
of September in the most solemn manner, as usual, it being the third
year of my abode in the island. I spent the whole day in acknowledging
God's mercies, in giving him thanks for making this solitary life as
agreeable, and less sinful, than that of human society; and for the
communications of his grace to my soul, in supporting, comforting, and
encouraging me to depend, upon his Providence, and hope for his eternal
presence in the world to come.
Indeed, I often did consider how much more happy I was in this fate of
life, than in that accursed manner of living formerly used; and
sometimes when hunting, or viewing the country, the anguish of my soul
would break out upon me, and my very heart would sink within me, to
think of the woods, the mountains, the desarts I was in; and how I was a
prisoner locked up within the eternal bars and bolts of the ocean, in an
uninhabited wilderness, without hopes, and without redemption: In this
condition I would often wring my hands, and weep like a child: And even
sometimes, in the middle of my work, this fit would take me; and then I
would sit down and sigh, looking on the ground for an hour or two
together, till such time as my grief got vent in a flood of tears.
One morning as I was sadly employed in this manner, I opened my Bible,
when I immediately fixed my eyes upon these words, _I will never leave
thee, nor forsake thee!_ Surely, thought I, these words are directed to
me, or else why should they appear just at a moment when I am bemoaning
my forlorn condition? and if God does not forsake, what matters it,
since he can me more happy in this state of life, than if I enjoyed the
greatest splendour in the world? But while I was going to return God
thanks for my present state, something seemed to shock my mind, as if it
had thus said: _Unworthy wretch; can you pretend to be thankful for a
condition, from which you would pray to be delivered_? Therefore I
stopt:--and tho' I could not say, I thanked the Divine Majesty for
being there, yet I gave God thanks for placing in my view my former
course of life, and granting me a true knowledge of repentance. And
whenever I opened or read the Bible, I blessed kind Providence, that
directed my good friend in England to send it among my goods without
any order, and for assisting me to save it from the power of the
raging ocean.
And now beginning my third year, my several daily employments were
these: _First_, My duty to Heaven, and diligently reading the Holy
Scriptures, which I did twice or thrice every day: _Secondly_, Seeking
provision with my gun, which commonly took me up, when it did not rain,
three hours every morning: _Thirdly_, The ordering, curing, preserving,
and cooking what I killed, or catched for my supply which took me up
great part of the day: for, in the middle of the day, the sun being in
its height, it was so hot, that I could not stir out; so that I had only
but four hours in the evening to work in: and then the want of tools, of
assistance, and skill, wasted a great deal of time to little purpose. I
was no less than two and forty days making a board fit for a long shelf,
which two sawyers with their tools and saw-pit, would have cut off the
same tree in half a day. It was a large tree, as my board was to be
broad. I was three days in cutting it down and two more in lopping off
the boughs, and reducing it to a piece of timber. This I hacked and
hewed off each side, till it became light to move; then I turned it,
made one side of is smooth and flat as a board from end to end, then
turned it downward, cutting the other side, till I brouht the plank to
be about three inches thick, and smooth on both sides. Any body may
judge my great labour and fatigue in such a piece of work; but this I
went through with patience, as also many other things that my
circumstances made necessary for me to do.
The harvest months, November and December, were now at hand, in which I
had the pleasing prospect of a very good crop. But here I met with a new
problem; for the goats and hares, having tasted of the outshoot of the
blade, kept it to short that it had not strengthen to shoot up into a
stalk. To prevent this, I enclosed it with a hedge, and by day shot some
of its devourers; and my dog which I had tied to the field-gate, keeping
barking all night; so frightened those creatures, that I got entirely
rid of them.
But no sooner did I get rid of these, than other enemies appeared, to
wit, whole flocks of several sorts of birds, who only waited till my
back was turned, to ruin me: so much did this provoke me, that I let
fly, and killed three of the malefactors; and afterwards served them as
they do notorious thieves in England, hung them up in chains as a terror
to others. And, indeed, to good an effect had this that they not only
forsook the corn, but all that part of the island, so long as these
criminals hung there.
My corn having ripened apace, the latter end of December, which was my
second harvest, I reaped it with a scythe, made of one of my broad
swords. I had no fatigue in cutting down my my first crop it was so
slender. The ears I carried home in a basket, rubbing it with my hands,
instead of threshing it: and when the harvest was over, found my half
peck of seed produced near two bushels of rice, and two bushels and a
half of barley. And now I plainly foresaw, that by God's goodness, I
should be furnished with bread; but yet I was concerned, because I knew
not how to grind or make meal of my corn, nor bread, neither knew how to
bake it. I would not however, taste any of the crop, but resolved to
preserve it against next season, and, in the mean while, use my best
endeavours to provide myself with other food.
But where were my labours to end? The want of a plough to turn up the
earth, or shovel to dig it, I conquered by making me a wooden spade. The
want of a harrow I supplied myself, with dragging over the corn a great
bough of a tree. When it was growing I was forced to fence it; when ripe
to mow it, carry it home, thrash it, part it from the chaff, and save
it. And, after all, I wanted a mill to grind it, sieve to dress it, yest
and salt to make it into bread, and an oven to bake it. This set my
brains to work to find some expedient for every one of these necessaries
against the next harvest.
And now having more seed, my first care was to prepare me more land. I
pitched upon two large flat pieces of ground near my castle, for that
purpose, in which sowed my seed, and fenced it with a good hedge. This
took me up three months: by which time the wet season coming on, and the
rain keeping me within doors, I found several occasions to employ
myself; and, while at work, used to divert myself in talking to my
parrot, learning him to know and speak his own name _Poll_ the first
welcome word I ever heard spoke in the island. I had been a long time in
contriving how to make earthen vessels, which I wanted extremely; and
when I considered the heat of the climate, I did not doubt but if I
could find any such clay, I might botch up a pot, strong enough, when
dried in the sun, to bear handling, and to hold any thing that was dry,
as corn, meal, and other things.
To be short, the clay I found; but it would occasion the most serious
person to smile, to see what aukward ways I took, and what ugly
misshapen things I made; how many either fell out or cracked by the
violent heat of the sun, and fell in pieces when they were removed; so
that I think it was two months time before I could perfect any thing:
and even then but two clumsy things in imitation of earthen jars. These,
however, I very gently placed in wicker baskets, made on purpose for
them, and between the pot and the baskets, stuffed it full of rice and
barley straw, and these I presume would hold my dried corn, and perhaps
the meal when the corn was bruised. As for the smaller thing, I made
them with better success, such as little round pots, flat dishes,
pitchers, and pipkins, the fun baking them very hard.
Yet still I wanted one thing absolutely necessary, and that was an
earthen pot, not only to hold my liquid, but also to bear the fire,
which none of these could do. It once happened that as I was putting out
my fire, I found therein a broken piece of one of my vessels burnt as
hard as a rock, and red as a tile. This made me think of burning some
pots; and having no notion of a kiln, or of glazing them with leaf, I
fixed three large pipkins, and two or three pots in a pile one upon
another. The fire I piled round the outside, and dry wood on the top,
till I saw the pots in the inside red hot, and found out that, they were
net crackt at all: and when I perceived them perfectly red, I let one of
them stand in the fire about five or six hours, till the clay melted by
the extremity of the heat, and would have run to glass, had I suffered
it; upon which I slacked my fire by degrees, till the redness abated;
and watching them till the morning, I found I had three very good
pipkins, and two earthen pots, as well burnt and fit for my turn as I
could desire.
No joy could be greater than mine at this discovery. For after this, I
may say, I wanted for no fort of earthen ware. I filled one of my
pipkins with water to boil me some meat, which it did admirably well,
and with a piece of kid I made me some good broth, as well as my
circumstances would afford me at that time.
The next concern I had was to get me a stone-morter to beat some corn
in, instead of a mill to grind it. Here indeed I was at a great loss, as
not being fit for a stone-cutter; and many days I spent to find out a
great stone big enough to cut hollow and make fit for a morter, and
strong enough to bear the weight of a pestil, and that would break the
corn without filling it with sand. But all the stones of the island
being of a mouldering nature, rendered my search fruitless; and then I
resolved to look out for a great block of hard wood, which having found,
I formed it with my ax and hammer, and then, with infinite labour, made
a hollow in it, just as the Indians of Brazil make their canoes. When I
had finished this, I made a great pestil of iron wood, and then laid
them up against my succeeding harvest.
My next business was to make me a sieve, to sift my meal and part it
from the bran and husk. Having no fine thin canvas to search the meal
through, I could not tell what to do. What linen I had was reduced to
rags: I had goat's hair, enough, but neither tools to work it, nor did I
know how to spin it: At length I remembered I had some neckcloths of
calico or muslin of the sailors, which I had brought out of the ship,
and with these I made three small sieves proper enough for the work.
I come now to consider the baking part. The want of an oven I supplied
by making some earthen pans very broad but not deep. When I had a mind
to bake, I made a great fire upon the hearth, the tiles of which I had
made myself; and when the wood was burnt into live coals, I spread them
over it, till it became very hot; then sweeping them away, I set down my
loaves, and whelming down the earthen pots upon them, drew the ashes and
coals all around the outsides of the pots to continue the heat; and in
this manner I baked my barley loaves, as well as if I had been a
complete pastry-cook, and also made of the rice several cakes
and puddings.
It is no wonder that these things took me up the best part of a year,
since what intermediate time I had was bestowed in managing my new
harvest and husbandry; for in the proper season I reaped my corn,
carried it home, and laid it up in the ear in my large baskets, til I
had time to rub, instead of thrashing it. And now, indeed, my corn
increased so much, that it produced me twenty bushels of barley, and as
much rice, that I not only began to use it freely, but was thinking how
to enlarge my barns, and resolved to sow as much at a time as would be
sufficient for me for a whole year.
All this while, the prospect of land, which I had seen from the other
side of the island, ran in my mind. I still meditated a deliverance from
this place, though the fear of greater misfortunes might have deterred
me from it.--For, allowing that I had attained that place, I run the
hazard of being killed and eaten by the devouring cannibals: and if they
were not so, yet I might be slain, as other Europeans had been, who fell
into their hands. Notwithstanding all this, my thoughts ran continually
upon that shore. I now wished for my boy Xury, and the long boat, with
the shoulder of mutton sail: I went to the ship's boat that had been
cast a great way on the shore in the late storm. She was removed but a
little; but her bottom being turned up by the impetuosity and fury of
the waves and wind, I fell to work with all the strength I had, with
levers and rollers I had cut from the wood, to turn her, and repair the
damages she had sustained. This work took me up three or four weeks,
when finding my little strength all in vain, I fell to undermining it by
digging away the sand, and so to make it fall down, setting pieces of
wood to thrust and guide it in the fall. But after this was done, I was
still unable to stir it up, or to get under it, much less to move it
forward towards the water, and so I was forced to give it over.
This disapointment, however did not frighten me. I began to think
whether it was not possible for me to make a canoe or perigua, such as
the Indians make of the trunk of a tree, But here I lay under particular
inconveniencies; want of tools to make it, and want of hands to move it
in the water when it was made. However, to work I went upon it, stopping
all the inquiries I could make, with this very simple answer I made to
myself, _Let's first make it, I'll warrant I'll find some way or other
to get it along when it is done_.
I first cut down a cedar tree, which was five feet ten inches diameter
at the lower part next the stump, and four feet eleven inches diameter
at the end of twenty-two feet, after which it lessened for a space, and
then parted into branches. Twenty days was I a hacking and hewing this
tree at the bottom, fourteen more in cutting off the branches and limbs,
and a whole month in shaping it like the bottom of the boat. As for the
inside, I was three weeks with a mallet and chissel, clearing it in such
a manner, as that it was big enough to carry twenty-six men, much bigger
than any canoe I ever saw in my life, and consequently sufficient to
transport me and all my effects to that wished-for shore I so
ardently desired.
Nothing remained now, but, indeed, the greatest difficulty to get it
into the water, it lying about one hundred yards from it. To remedy the
first inconvenience, which was a rising hill between the boat and the
creek, with wonderful pains and labour I dug into the bowels of the
earth, and made a declivity. But when this was done, all the strength I
had was as insufficient to remove it, as it was when I attempted to
remove the boat. I then proceeded to measure the difference of ground,
resolving to make a canal, in order to bring the water to the canoe,
since I could not bring the canoe to the water. But as this seemed to be
impracticable to myself alone, under the space of eleven or twelve
years, it brought me into some sort of consideration: so that I
concluded this also to be impossible, and the attempt altogether vain. I
now saw, and not before, _what stupidity it is to begin a work before we
reckon its costs, or judge rightly our own abilities to go through with
its performance_.
In the height of this work my fourth year expired, from the time I was
cast on this island, At this time I did not forget my anniversary; but
kept it with rather greater devotion than before. For now my hopes being
frustrated, I looked upon this world as a thing had nothing to do with;
and very well might I say as Father Abraham said unto Dives, _Between
thee and me there is a gulph fixed._ And indeed I was separated from its
wickedness too, having neither the lust of the flesh, the lust of the
eye, nor the pride of life; I had nothing to covet, being lord, king and
emperor over the whole country I had in possession, without dispute and
without control: I had loadings of corn, plenty of turtles, timber in
abundance, and grapes above measure. What was all the rest to me? the
money I had lay by me as despicable dross, which I would freely have
given for a gross of tobacco pipes, or a hard mill to grind my corn: in
a word the-nature and experience of these things dictated to me this
just reflection: _That the good things of this world are no farther
good to us, than they are for our use; and that whatever we may heap up
to give to others, we can but enjoy as much as we use, and no more._