CHAPTER XIV.

399 Dispatch of business. 400 Royal gifts of Robinson to

Cortops. 401 Sudden loss of Robinson’s skiff by Upis. 402 Yards

are wanting to the mast. 403 Robinson undertakes to be ship-

carpenter; 404 and buys many wares of the captain as presents to

Cortops, Pachus and Calefus. 405 Great farewell on the Sunday;

406 and solemn advice to Gelavi. 407 Final arrangements in the

ship. 408 Last gifts of Robinson. 409 The ship is wind-bound.

410 Robinson’s story of himself. 411 How he escaped from the

Moors to Brazil. 412 Received funds from England. 413 Became

familiar with his employer’s sons; 414 was invited to join in

partnership. 415 Easy liberality of the Brazilians. 416 European

considerations. 417 Robinson becomes a partner. 418 Fertility of

the country. 419 Nature and management of his estates. 420

Occupation of three years. 421 His ennui in the fourth. 422 New

overtures of his partner. 423-430 Robinson consents, after faint

resistance. 431-3 His voyage and shipwreck. 434 The weather

changes. 435 They are towed off. 436 The boats and Gelavi

depart. 437 They fall in with a ship bound for England. 438

Robinson sends a letter by it. 439 He reaches Jamaica. 440

Arranges business at Brazil by letters—and without further

events, regains his English home.

ERRATA.

Transcriber’s Note: the errata have been corrected as part of

the process of producing this e-text.

Section 8, line 6 —for rersus read rursus.

” 12, ” 14 —for protulentam read potulentam.

” 35, ” 15 —for facilime read facillime.

” 59, ” 12 —for hue read huc.

” 65, ” 12 —for compertum read compertam.

” 66, ” 6 —for panxillulum read pauxillulum.

” 70, ” 3 —for tălis read talĭs.

” 91, ” 4 —for qualicumque read qualicunque.

” 103, ” 8 —for explorari read explorare.

” 216, ” 2 —for incedentem read incedens.

” 291, ” 4 —for Secutorum read Secutorem.

ROBINSON CRUSOE.

REBILIĪ CRŪSŌNIS ANNĀLĒS.

CAPUT PRĪMUM.

1. Nātus sum ego Eborācī, ex bonā familiā, sed peregrīnā: quippe

pater meus Germānus fuit ē Brēmā, ubi appellābātur Kreutznaer.

Cēterum per mercātūram dīves factus, Eborācī cōnsēdit, unde

recēpit in connūbium mātrem meam. Ex hujus agnātīs praenōmen

mihi Rebilius, ex patre nōmen Kreutznaer inditum est. Sed vulgus

hominum, facilī corruptēlā, Crūsōnem mē Rebilium appellābat.

Tertius eram fīlius familiae. Frāter maximus, tribūnus mīlitum,

cum Hispānīs proeliō congressus, ad Dunquercam occubuit. Frāter

proximus, sīcut ego quoque posteā, incertum quōmodo, ēvānuit. Mē

quidem pater, dīligenter īnstitūtum, jūris lēgumque studiīs

dēstinābat: sed, fātālī quōdam mōtū, nihil mihi arrīdēbat, nisi

ut marī oberrārem.

2. Prīmā in juventā clam patrem ēvāsī nauta. Cursū mox fēlīcī

cum magistrō nāvis hūmānissimō ad Guineam Āfricae nāvigāvī.

Alterō in cursū ā Maurīs pīrātīs captus sum, et per quattuor

ferē annōs dūram servīvī servitūtem. Inde mīrāculō audāciae

ēlāpsus, in Lūsitānā quādam nāve ad Brazīliam sum dēvectus, ubi

colōnō cuidam trēs amplius annōs strēnuam operam nāvāvī,

praefectus servōrum agrestium. Mox per hunc amīcōsque hujus

adductus sum, ut ad Guineam nāvigārem, hominēs nigrītās

conquīsītūrus, quōs ipsī inter sē per sua praedia servitūtis

causā dīviderent. Equidem magnam lucrī partem eram dērīvātūrus.

3. Sed longē aliter ōrdināvit Deus, nē impūnē caecae cupiditātī

obsequerer. Nempe ventīs abrepta nāvis Ōceanum trānsīre

nequībat, sed longē ad Caurum dēvehitur, circā Orinocōnis ōstia,

ut crēdēbāmus. Altera mox superveniēns procella magnō impetū nōs

in Occidentem prōpulit, ubi, sī ē marī effugerēmus, per ferōs

hominēs foret pereundum.

4. Gravī impendente perīculō, nocte intempestā et saeviente

adhūc ventō, nauta quī erat in vigiliā “terram adesse”

exclāmāvit; atque, anteā quam cēterī experrēctī superne

congregāmur, nāvis in arēnīs haeret. Statim cum strepitū

tremendō corruunt mālī eōrumque armāmenta. Flūctūs magnā vī

forōs prōluēbant, neque ipsae nāvis compāgēs diū tolerātūrae

vidēbantur. 5. Magister scapham dēmittī jubet. Dēmittitur: nec

facile id quidem. Rēs, quae maximē ad vītam sunt necessāriae,

raptim ingeruntur; tum nōs ipsī, tredecim virī, in eandem

dēscendimus. Montōsum lītus inter sublūstrem cālīginem furvum

appārēbat: eō rēmigāmus, sī quā forte in sinū terrae reductō

tranquilliōre marī ūtāmur. Jam, violenter undante salō et circum

nōs sē frangente, rēs nōn nauticae perītiae sed dīvīnae opis

vidēbātur: quārē inter rēmigandum sē quisque Deō Suprēmō, pius

impiusve, commendābat, salūte paene dēspērātā. 6. Ventus, ad

terram prōpellēns, cursum scaphae accelerābat, terram faciēbat

formīdolōsiōrem; metū autem maris, spē lītoris, ipsī nōsmet

quasi in certissimum exitium dētrūdēbāmus. Tandem, vadōsiōre

marī, flūctūs perniciōsius circumfringī et dējectārī scapha.

Mox, ecce crista undae ingēns, quae nōs persequitur; et vix Deī

effāmur nōmen, quum cūnctī sumus absorptī.

7. Quae sequēbantur, longa fortasse ēnārrātū, factū erant

brevissima. Profundius sēnsī mē verbere flūctūs illīus dēprimī,

sed, animā fortiter compressā, ad summās aquās ēmersī tandem.

Alterō in flūctū spūmante implicātus atque violenter

circumtortus, immēnsum anhēlāns ēluctor; tum conversus, humerōs

meōs succēdentī oppōnō cristae. Ea mē magnā vī cautem versus

prōjēcit, aquā exstantem: hanc ego amplexus, adhaereō, dum

dēcurrit unda; tunc, priusquam novus superveniat flūctus, per

vada exsiliēns scandō, iterumque amplector cautem; simul, aestū

paulisper obruor. Ictus ejus mē asperē quassābat, sed extemplō

āera animamque recēpī, et rūrsus per vada supergredior. Citrā

saxa undās longē minus ingentēs sēnsī, inter quās poteram

natāre, aegrē profectō. Mox lītore ipsō prōjectus, uncīs pedibus

in sabulōnem lapillōsque inculcātīs, prōnus dēcidō, ut nē mē

flūctus retrahat. Ūnō post temporis mōmentō in terrā firmā astō.

Conversus, videō praeter lītus cautium seriem, inter albicantēs

aquās nigrārum; nihil aliud per tenebrās in marī dispiciō, neque

scapham neque quemquam ē sodālibus.

8. Tamen haud valdē cālīginōsa erat nox. Ingentēs aliquot nūbēs,

et plūrimae nūbēculae, sībilante ventō raptābantur: inter hās

clārissima lūcēbant sīdera ē nigerrimō caelō. Respiciēns ad

terram, collium dumtaxat cernō līneāmenta ac rūpium. Tum

vestīmenta raptim dētracta manibus contorqueō, et, quoad possum,

aquam marīnam exprimō. Eadem rūrsus induor, (quid aliud

facerem?) et rūpem proximam per algās ēnīsus ascendō; frūstrā:

nam nē inde quidem in marī quidquam discernī potest.

9. Attamen arboris fōrma super colle exstat. Hanc sequor, et, ut

potissimum in cālīgine, arborem illam scandō et rāmōs amplexus

interfūsusque mē repōnō. Vestīmentōrum in loculīs nihil habuī,

praeter cultellum, tabācī aliquantum et tubulum fūmārium. Post

brevem requiem assurgēns, virgam grandiusculam amputō, quā

prōtegam mē aliquātenus. Aquā marīnā largius īnsorptā, tamen

neque sitis neque famis aderat mihi levāmen. Sed, locō cibī,

tabācī folium in ōs meum compōnō, implicātāque rāmīs virgā,

membra mea ita dispōnō, ut nē dēcidam, sī somnō capiar.

Vespertīliōnēs, et maximī illī quidem, strīdōribus ac volātū,

somnum aliquamdiū discutiunt.

10. Item quoad concitātō opus erat corpore, mēns mea tranquilla

fuerat ac praesēns: nunc, quandō quiēscit corpus, maximē sē mēns

agitāre coepit. Imprīmīs grātiās Deō optimō maximō sincērissimās

profūdī, admīrāns praesertim, sī ego sōlus ex tantō naufragiō

servor. Mox id ipsum crūdēlissimē mē pungit; etenim hīc

sōlitārius, madidus, famēlicus, paene nūdus, pejus ēnecor quam

in marī, nisi vērō ferī hominēs sīve bēstiae mē dēvorābunt. Sānē

ego id temporis pius nōn eram, minimē religiōsus. Igitur tantā

in calamitāte magnus mē aestus animī conquassābat, inter grātēs

querēlāsque, cōnsilium ac dēspērātiōnem. Tandem agitātiōne

victus profundō somnō conquiēvī, labōris ac maestitiae oblītus.

11. Māne expergīscor, multum recreātus, sed algēns; nec mīrum.

Cēterum ibi maris temperiēs hūmānae cutis calōrem aequat: etiam

nox ipsa tepet: porrō arboris illīus dēnsa folia fuerant mihi

prō tegumentō, nē calor in apertum aethera effugeret. Sciūrī,

psittacī, macacī sīve cercopithēcī circum garriēbant

continenter. Ēvigilāns incipiō dēscendere: ecce autem canis

noster ad rādīcēs arboris meae, quasi cūstōdiēns. Id mē tenerō

quōdam ita affēcit gaudiō, ut lacrimae oculīs oborīrentur. Ergō

nōn sum prōrsus sōlitārius; ūnum saltem retineō amīcum! Hunc

dēmulceō, plaudō armōs, paene amplector. Mox festīnanter

dēambulāns, nāvem nostram ex adversō cōnspicor, longiusculē

ultrā eās cautēs, ubi ipse prōjectus fuī. Sine dubiō aestus

intumēscēns, ex arēnīs lēvātam, hūc dētrūsit. Jam autem paene

sōpītō ventō, inānis tantum supererat undārum jactātiō. At ego

in margine rūpis incēdēns, dēspectō circā lītus: mox,

interjectīs vix mīlle passibus, scapham nostram discernō in

arēnā, subter caeruleā quādam rūpe. Adīre eam voluī; sed quasi

lingua quaedam maris interfūsa impediēbat; et quoniam famē

urgēbar, in nāvem potius, sī possem, regrediendum cēnsuī.

12. Dēgressus rūpe, redeō praeter lītus: ibi pilleum nauticum

videō, summō cum maerōre. Jam aliquantum recesserat aestus,

atque, ut aestimābam, vix trecentī aquārum passūs ā nāve mē

distinēbant. Exūtīs pallā bracchiīsque, intrepidē mare ingressus

sum, inter grallātōriās avēs, quae plūrimae aquā exsurgēbant; et

facile nāvem natandō assequor. Puppis ejus valdē ēlevāta est,

dēpressa prōra; ex quā catēnae dēpendentēs aquam tangēbant. Hās

ego prehēnsās ascendō, et supervādō lōrīcam tabulātōrum. Ō

trīstem ruīnam, ubi mālī, vēla, fūnēs strāge conturbātissimā

complicantur. Sed ego ad cellam penuāriam dēcurrō, ibique

arreptō pāne nauticō (quī bis coctus appellātur) vēscor

libenter. Mox, ex arcā meā ipsīus extractās, vestēs induor atque

hōrologium meum resūmō. (Profectō resurgente aestū vesperī, ille

meus in lītore vestītus natāns asportātus est.) Simul ut aquam

pōtulentam inveniō, sinūs vestium pāne complēvī, ut quotiēs

libēret, vēscerer: tum meditābar, quid facerem potissimum.

13. Illud mē angēbat, quod manifēstē, sī in nāve mānsissēmus,

omnēs fuissēmus salvī. Super prōrā quidem saepius īnsultantēs

undae plūrimās rēs corrūperant; sed altera pars, puppim versus,

altē sublāta, sicca erat atque incolumis. Quippe, ut crēdō, quia

in arēnā, nōn in cautibus haeserat, carīnae soliditās

perdūrāvit. Quam plūrimās rēs jam cupiēbam asportāre; sed id

erat difficile. Scapha major, ut dīxī, in lītore prōjecta erat

longē. Illa quīndecim virōs facile portābat, et in magnīs

Āfricae fluviīs ad invehendōs vēnālēs magnō ūsuī erat futūra.

Alteram comportāverāmus longē minōrem, cymbam potius quam

scapham dīxerim; quae duōs hominēs cum rēmige posset ad scapham

dēvehere, sī quā jūxtā rīpās aquae forent breviōrēs. Haec in

nāve remānsit: dēmittere eam in mare erat in facilī; sed parum

capiēbat, nec vidēbātur nimiō sub onere aestum lītoris

tolerātūra. Postquam arcās ac dōlia multō cum suspīrātū

aliquamdiū aspexī, contemplor mālōs, ac ratem compōnendam

dēcernō.

14. Subitō exsultāns, ex fabrī nostrī repositōriō serrā dēreptā,

mālōs dissecō, ut trabēs longitūdine ferē parēs efficiam. Hās in

mare prōvolvō, fūnibus quibusdam mālōrum suprā inhibitās. Ligna

grandiōra cujuscumque generis colligō, ingerō, omnia fūniculīs

dēligāta. Posteā ipse sēminūdus, cum malleō et cōnfībulārum

sacculō circum collum suspēnsō, dēgressus equitō super trabe.

Undātiō maris jam dēminūta est: raptim ego ligna atque trabēs,

vēlīs fūnibusque cōnfūsās, conjungō, dēstinō, dēpangō; vī meā

maximā, quantumvīs rudī, ratis fundāmenta jaciēns. Redeō suprā;

videō quanta sint portanda onera, ratemque nōndum sufficere. Tum

alia ligna plūrima et tabulās ex omnī parte nāvis conquīrō. Hās

dissecāre ex suō locō, nimiī labōris erat atque temporis. Sed

saepta animadvertō lignea, quae ad dīvidenda nigrītārum cubīlia

comparāveram. Utrumque bīnīs hāmīs ē tergō, bīnīs spīcātīs

clāvīs ē fundō, erat īnstrūctum; ānulīs laterī nāvis īnfīxīs,

per quōs hāmī īnserī dēbēbant. Haec saepta plūrimam atque

optimam mihi sufficiēbant māteriem. Quibus rēbus superadditīs,

mōlem ratis et soliditātem multum adaugeō; tum fūnibus astringō

cūncta. Longum id erat et sānē difficile: necnōn sōl mē

admonēbat hōrārum: hōrologium substiterat. Dēnique postquam,

graviter īnsultāns ratī, firmitātī ejus cōnfīdō, maximō cum

dolōre sentiō, vix minimam partem eōrum, quae vellem, posse mē

asportāre; jam autem dēligendum esse. 15. Ab operā paulisper

requiēscō; vīnī ārdentis saccharīnī hauriō pōcillum, meditorque

maestissimē. Ea quae ad vītam maximē sunt necessāria, dēcernō

sūmere imprīmīs; tum, arma ad vītam dēfendendam. Quattuor

nautārum arcās commodē vehī posse super ratī meā crēdēbam.

Totidem exināniō, et, per tollēnōnem[A] sūculīs īnstrūctum,

dēmittō in ratem: hanc mox scālās versus trahō. Sacculōs impleō

plūrēs bis coctō pāne, orȳzā, fabīs, mīliāriā atque hordeāceā

farīnā; et facile in arcās dējiciō. Fabīs atque mīliō praesertim

erāmus nigrītās cibātūrī, et sānē multum hujus cibī portābāmus,

sed īnfrā in alveō. Jam trēs cāseōs Batavicōs arripiō, caprīnae

carnis siccātae massās quīnque, (quā carne vel maximē

vēscēbāmur,) et frūmentī Eurōpaeī reliquiās quāsdam, quod ad

gallīnās alendās convēxerāmus. Gallīnae vī procellārum perierant

omnēs. Cēterum trīticum fuit id, cum hordeō: posteā invēnī

corruptum esse per sōricēs.

16. Dein latice ārdentī anquīsītō, vīnī palmāris congiōs ferē

sex, cum plūrimīs dēlicātiōrum pōtuum lagēnīs, seorsum conclūsī.

Hae lagēnae partim magistrī fuerant, partim meae ipsīus.

Lacernam meam et lectī opertōrium corripiō, porrō serram,

secūrim, malleum clāvōsque: sed haec in cymbā dēstinō portanda.

Plūrēs fuisse in nāve nitrātī pulveris cadōs majōrēs sciēbam;

sed ubinam artillātor noster eōs habuisset conditōs, eram

nescius. Tandem multum anquīsītōs duo invēnī siccōs sānōsque,

tertium aquā marīnā corruptum. Cistās trēs, hōc pulvere

complētās, cūrātissimē intrā arcam super ratī ita conclūdō, ut,

sī flūctus alluat, minimō sit dētrīmentō. Jam dē igne fovendō

subit cūra. Coquī nostrī recēnseō supellectilem. Inde dēripiō

foculum cum forcipe, batillō et rutābulō, crāticulam ferream,

ahēnum, ollamque coculam. Satis oneris jam vidēbar imposuisse.

17. Cymbam prōtinus per eāsdem sūculās marī committō; id quod

difficillimum fuisset, nisi requiēssent undae. Hūc impōnō

ignipultam aucupāriam optimam, pār pistolārum cum balteō,

mulctram stanneam, igniāria, sīnum ligneum, pōculum ex albō

plumbō, item corneum; cum vestibus ac fabrīlī supellectile, quam

nōmināvī. Addō pilulārum plumbeārum sacculum ac gladiōs duo.

Ūnus hōrum falcātus erat Maurūsiī meī dominī gladius. Sōlem

videō dēclīnāre; itaque properē fūnem tractōrium ratī adjungō,

fūniculōs plūrēs in cymbam prōjiciō, jamque dēscendō cum rēmīs,

ratem ad lītus tractūrus.

18. Tria mē cōnfirmābant,—mare tranquillum; aestus placidē

allābēns; aurae quoque, quantum erat, terram versus spīrāns.

Parvam ancoram in cymbā portābam. Jam rēmigō, atque contus

animum subit. Redeō, efferō contum: dēmum lītus petō, sed

dīrēctam viam cautēs prohibēbant. Avēs multae in ratem

cōnsēdērunt, ut piscārentur commodē. Hās aegrē abigō. Mox sēnsī

mē praetervehī, ipsō marī clam trahente: inde spērābam posse mē

in fluviī alicujus ōstium dēportārī, ubi bona mea tūtius

expōnerem. Id quod ēvenit: nam rūpēs mox subeō, ubi in convallem

sinus maris intrat. 19. Sed dum rēmīs, quantum possum, medium in

flūmen cymbam dīrigō, paene alterō naufragiō cōnflīctor, rate

vadō illīsā. Dēclīvī prōtinus ratī dēlābēbantur ejus onera, nisi

properē succurrissem. Circumāctā cymbā, ligna aliquot dē rate in

interstitia ejusdem intrūdō, quasi paxillīs ēnormibus sustinēns

arcās. Hīc alligātus necessāriō commoror, ānxius sānē animī,

dōnec aestus īnsurgēns ratem allevāvit. Tum in parvum quendam

sinum dēvertō, juxtā plānitiem, cui mare dēbēbat superfundī. Eō

mox dēlātus metuēbam ancoram dējicere, nē tanta mōlēs fūnem

abrumperet, nisi aquās stāgnāre intellegerem. Tandem recēdēns

aestus in terrā firmā relinquit et cymbam et ratem.

20. Onera mea expōnere inūtile erat, nocte appropinquante. In

arbore aliquā iterum dormīre dēcrēvī; itaque suffertā ignipultā

armātus, item gladiō serrāque, per ulvās ūberrimās prōcēdō,

anquīsītūrus idōneum cubīle. Nemus haud longē videō. Ibi dēlectā

majōre quādam arbore, curvīs trānsversīsque rāmīs, gradūs prō

scālīs in cortice serrā incīdō; tum scandēns cum serrā amputō

rāmōrum quidquid sit obfutūrum, et cubandī faciō perīculum.

Macacōs videō plūrēs in arboribus, sed parvōs mītēsque.

21. Redeuntī canis occurrit, lepusculum ōre ferēns, quem ante

pedēs meōs prōjēcit. Intellēxī eum magnam partem dēvorāsse;

etenim plēnus saturque appārēbat. Sānē ego dōnum ejus nōn

contempsī, quamvīs laniātum. Accēpī; sed subit cūra, nē sōlō meō

amīcō prīver, nisi sēdulō pāscam. Magnō erat corpore, multōque

egēbat cibātū; dē quō incēpī meditārī.—Dulcem aquam juxtā

cōnspicor, in flūmen marīnum dēcurrentem. Mox frondibus

foliīsque siccīs igne factō, lepusculī reliquiās super vīvīs

prūnīs ope gladiī ac serrae torreō, gustātūque ejus quam maximē

fruor. Prīmam illam in īnsulā sōlitāriā cēnam cum voluptāte

trīstitiāque mīrē commistā meminī. Jamque cālīgābat. Ego autem

tabulam quandam reportātam clāvīs dēstināvī ad rāmōs arboris

meae, ibique lacernā obvolūtus somnō mē dabam. Ignipultam inter

rāmōs apposueram: canis jacēbat subtus. Pistolīs quoque

succingor, nē sīmia aliqua major mē incessat.

22. Et profundē equidem dormīvī, dēfessus labōribus; tamen ante

lūcem sum experrēctus: (etenim illā in regiōne aestātis ipsīus

nox proximē ante dīlūculum tenebrās obtendit:) atque ego

meditāns cōnsilia mea compōnō. Ut prīmum dīlūcēscit, dēscendō.

Ligna aliquot exacuō secūrī; tum prō sublicīs in arēnam ita

adigō, ut ratem, quamvīs crēscentibus aquīs, inhibeant. Nitrātī

pulveris cistās lacernā prōtegō, sī forte pluat. Serram,—

malleum,—clāvōs,—tabulās duās, rōbustam tenuemque,—argillam

mollem, cum vetere fūne prō stuppā,—in cymbam collocō. Aquam

mulctrā haustam sūmō mēcum, item pōculum ac pānem. Lepusculī,

quod restat, cum cane dīvidō, ipsōque in cymbam adsūmptō flūmen

ingredior, scapham nostram invīsūrus.

23. Plēnō maris aestū, tardius dēscendō flūmen; mox intrā cautēs

lītus lēgō, nē quid undārum mē incommodet. Magis magisque

admīror avium abundantiam, quā marīnārum, quā silvestrium. Inter

cautēs ac lītus grallātōriae abundābant. Ad scapham tandem

pertingō; perfrāctam inveniō, velut animō praecēperam;

crēdideram posse mē dētrīmenta ejus resarcīre. Sed vīgintī

passūs ā marī jacēbat, procellā aestūque illīus noctis longē

ēvecta; neque summā meā vī potuit movērī. Porrō, rēmōs idōneōs

neque habēbam, neque, sī habērem, adhibēre possem, onustā certē

scaphā. Aeger animī hanc relinquō, rēmigōque nāvem versus.

Cōgitāns autem statuō mālum vēlumque scaphae anquīrere, sī forte

posteā hōrum ūsus vēnerit.

24. Ad scālās nāvis accēdō. Hās natāns nōn potueram manū

attingere: etenim puppis nimium erat ēlāta. Sed astāns in cymbā,

facile eās apprehendō. Cane prīmum superpositō, alligātāque

cymbā, ipse ascendī; mox dēsideō inops cōnsiliī. Ōllam offendō

frūctuum condītōrum: cum pāne vēscor, dum cōgitō. Videō alteram

ratem nōn posse mē cōnstruere; spatium diēī nōn sufficere, sī

trabēs ipsā ex nāve sint dissecandae; lōrīcam tabulātōrum

discindere, labōriōsum fore, nec valdē ūtile. 25. Maurōrum

memineram ratēs utribus suffultās. Utrēs nōn habēbam. Arcās

aquae impenetrābilēs volēbam prō utribus adhibēre; sciēbam autem

nostrās solidō esse rōbore et astrīctā fabricā. Ūnaquaeque hārum

ligneō pessulō rudīque serā obdēbātur; cūncta comparī erant

modulō. Diē superiōre, dissectō serrā pessulō, facile aperueram

quattuor illās; īdem nunc faciō in cēterīs, atque exinānītārum

explōrō commissūrās. Artissimae vidēbantur; id gaudeō: sed

fūnibus properē in mare dēmīsī quattuor hārum, ut commissūrae

aquā intumēscerent; meam ipsīus, quae optimē fabrēfacta est,

pice ac stuppā circā operculum incēpī oblinere, perīculum

faciēns, num aquam exclūdere possem. Postquam operuī, cuneōs

tenuēs ligneōs juxtā pessulum īnferciēbam, quō astrīctissimē

conclūderem. Hanc in mare dēmīsī, fundō sūrsum sustentātam;

atque ibi religātam relīquī, ut operam meam aqua explōrāret.

26. Jam videō diem prōcēdere, metusque subitō mē incessit, nē

quis thēsaurōs meōs ē rate compīlāret, nēve bēstia corrumperet

cibum. Īnsula foret an continēns terra, culta an inculta,

ferōcibus bēstiīs īnfēsta necne,—nōndum sciēbam. Ratis autem

dīlēctissima oculīs sōlīque exposita manet, dum ego novās hīc

rēs conquīrō! Crēdēbam nōn posse mē illō ipsō diē novae ratis

onus asportāre; satius esse, redīre quam citissimē. Illud

succurrit: “Heri, quae ad vītam maximē erant necessāria, āvēxī;

hodiē, quae pondere levissima sunt, nūndinātiōne pretiōsissima,

āveham in cymbā; ut sī forte nāvis aliqua mē servābit, nē

prōrsus sim pecūniae inops.” Duo gladiōs pulchrōs ē caeruleō

chalybe inveniō; hōs avidē sūmō. In sēcrētō magistrī scrīniō

aureōs nummōs Hispānōrum (doblounōs vocant) certō sciēbam

continērī; quōs ille comportābat, nē, ventōrum vī aliquō

dēvectus, pecūniā ad reficiendam nāvem egēret. Dolābrā prōtinus

forēs scrīniī perfringō: inveniō autem nōn aurī sōlum crumēnās,

sed īnstrūmentum astrologicum, pretiōsum illud quidem, ac duo

optima hōrologia; item furcillam mēnsālem et cochlear, utrumque

ex argentō; mox duās acūs magnēticās, utramque suā in capsulā:

tertiam vīderam ipsum juxtā gubernāculum, propter ūsum

gubernandī. In mēnsulā offendō supellectilem geōgraphicam ac

scrīptōriam, cum librīs quattuor. Cūncta arripiō, et quasi vōtum

Deō concipiō, numquam, quantum in mē est, cognātōs magistrī

optimī quidquam lātūrōs damnī, sī forte in hominum gregem

restituar.

27. Dum meōs ipsīus perscrūtor loculōs, unde argentum, arculās

optimās clāvēsque avēbam, illud “sī forte” animum aurēsque meās

pertentat. Immō tōtum hunc diem quasi rhythmus quīdam “sī forte”

tinnit in auribus, dum rēmigō, dum incēdō. Jam rēs

pretiōsissimās in arculīs conclūseram, quum scaphae meminī

armāmenta. Haec facile reperiō. Mālum ejus ad terram attrahendum

dēcernō, pōne cymbam alligātum. Quamvīs properāns, temperāre

mihi nequīvī, quīn lārdī asportārem succīdiam, cum bulbōrum

majōrum marsūpiō ac capide duōbusque cultrīs. Dein, quidquid

vidēbam corbium, fiscōrum, riscōrum, quod natāre poterat,

restibus cōnstringō, et pōne trahō, in cymbā portāns mē ipsum ac

canem cum novīs thēsaurīs. Ecce autem, dum in eō sum, ut nāvem

relinquam, duae fēlēs cymbae īnsiliunt, quās quidem neque ego

neque canis aspernātur.

28. In rēmigandō, vereor nē agmen meum, pōne tractum, vadō

flūminis illīdātur; in lītus potius prōjicere volō. Dein locum

putō exquīrendum, ubi ratis mea posterō diē tūtissimē appellat:

nam sī arcae in fundō ratis aliquō afflīgerentur, maximum fore

perīculum nē cūnctae rēs disperīrent. Dīxī linguā quādam maris

prīmō illō māne mē ā scaphā intersaeptum. Hanc videō ad dextram

cautium, eōque dīrigō cursum. Corbēs, mālum scaphae, cētera,

facile in lītus sūrsum trahō; dein sinum illum maris properō

intrāre.

29. Circā quīngentōs passūs penetrābat terram, rūpe praecipitī

undique circumclūsus. Ōstium angustius erat, quia aspera saxa

utrimque exsurgēbant postium īnstar. Lītus intimum ē mollissimā

ac plānissimā erat arēnā; id quod facile perspexī, quia nōndum

altius pertinuerat aestus. Ultrā arēnam videō algās cactōsque.

Hūc certum est ratem illam crās dēdūcere. Quae quum summā

celeritāte lūstrāssem, contentīs bracchiīs domum rēmigō: nempe

domum īre, erat, ad opēs meās. Intrā cautēs mare invēnī tunc

quidem sānē tranquillum.

30. Ad coquendum prōtinus accingor, praesertim (sī crēdere

possīs) propter canem; immō, propter fēlēs item; namque ad

quidvīs, quod posset mē amāre, mīrē allectābar. Quattuor intrā

lapidēs ignem accendō. Trēs stīpitēs, īnfrā arēnae īnfīxōs,

suprā fūne colligō; inde suā catēnā suspendō ahēnum coculum.

Aquam in capide apportātam īnfundō; addō fabās, farīnam

hordeāceam, lārdī segmen cum bulbō. Māteriā ignī largius

injectā, ignipultam arripiō pārōque collem ascendere quī haud

longē aberat. Canem mēcum adsūmō, fēlēs crēdō propter fervōrem

ignis nihil nocitūrās cibō. 31. Mīlle quīngentōs passūs ad

summum aestimābam iter illud; sed quia propter rīvulum quendam

atque ūvidum solum circuīvī, longius erat aliquantō. Dēmum

ēnīsus per praecipitia, mare undique circumfūsum cōnspicor,

aliam nūllā ex regiōne terram, praeter scopulōs aliquot duāsque

pusillās īnsulās novem ferē mīllia occīdentem versus. Ūnus in

postīcō mōns mare exsuperābat; sed tamen eram in īnsulā. Hoc mē

magnopere angēbat.

32. Magnā ex parte sterilior vidēbātur īnsula, saxōsīs collibus

abundāns, nōn sine arboribus; quae quidem in cavīs locīs

dēnsābantur. Nisi numerārem fēlem quandam feram, carnivorās nōn

offenderam bēstiās; sed praeter macacōs ac sciūrōs in convalle,

leporēs et exiguōs porcillōs vīderam; avēs autem nōtās

ignōtāsque ubīque quam plūrimās. Ālitem majōrem, arborī

īnsidentem, glandibus olōrīnīs trānsverberō rediēns. Plūma ejus

rōstrumque accipitris erat, unguēs modicae, carō piscibus

foetida. Tum vērō mēmet increpābam quod jaculandī suppetiās

perderem. Ālitēs autem rapācēs, quamquam plūrimōs, nōn magnōs

illōs vīderam. Porrō ferās hujus īnsulae cōram homine plērāsque

intrepidās esse repperī. Ā collis jugō ingentēs prōspiciō

arborēs, quās aestus in flūmine resurgēns dēbeat alluere. Hae

suprā ratem erant, neque procul ab arbore in quā proximā nocte

dormīveram. Subter hās statuō ratem attrahere, succēdente aestū.

Sed properē reversus, ignem exstīnctum inveniō, cibum nōn male

coctum. Fēlēs, valdē famēlicae, magnā vōce querēbantur. Hās et

canem largiter pāscō; et mēcum statuō, plūrēs etiam mē fabās, sī

possim, nāve extractūrum.

33. At ferae vīsiō fēlis mē commōverat aliquantum. Verēbar nē

majōrēs ejusmodī bēstiae hīc dēgerent, ut pardus, ut panthēra,

quae arborēs facile ēscendunt. Circumvallāre mē certus sum.

Ūtēnsilibus arreptīs fabrīlibus cum māteriā ac fūne, petō

arborem meam; ubi, incīsūrīs secūrī impressīs, pālōs īnfīgō,

brevēs tabulās suprā dēstinō, tum quattuor dēsuper pālīs contrā

ictūs īnfernōs corrōborō. Quippe intellēxī fēlem quamcumque ab

ipsā stirpe arboris tamquam incurrere sūrsum; et sī quid

praeruptē ēmineat, arcērī. Restim autem quasi in ānulōs duōs

sīve āmenta complicō, quem rāmīs alligātum, ipse possim

prehendere ascendēns. Tālī tum podiō arborem, ut poteram,

praetexuī: posteā cōnfirmāvī, plēniōre adjūtus supellectile. 34.

Jam videō noctem aestumque approperāre. Sublicīs ēvulsīs, pōne

cymbam trahō ratem, appōnōque sub arbore ingentī incolumem; ubi

latēre posse crēdēns, sublicīs iterum dēpangō. Deonerātā cymbā,

compōnō rēs omnēs accūrātē. Tum, crāstinīs cōnsiliīs aestuāns,

tamen somnō celeriter corripior, ālātīs blattīs atque

vespertīliōnibus contemptīs.

35. Ēvigilō ante dīlūculum. Dēproperō ad cymbam dētrūdōque in

fluvium; canis quasi suō jūre īnsilit. Subter stēllīs rēmigō,

adversō aestū. In nāvem invādō, etiam ante sōlem ortum; sed

dīlūcēscēbat. Īnspiciō arcam meam; optimē aquam exclūserat.

Cēterās item ē marī subtractās stuppā ac pice pariter ac meam

ipsīus conclūdō. Omnia fūnibus contentissimīs astringō. Mox

quattuor sufficere videntur; immō sīc tūtius fore ad prīmum

experīmentum. Hīs in mare dēlātīs, et firmissimē cōnstrictīs

superpōnō dōlium pulveris nitrātī, alterum pānis, mox tōtum

fabrī repositōrium. Adjungō sēriam oleī, ōllam picis, arma

missilia aliquot, aliās rēs minōrēs. Vēla quotquot invēnī, quae

supervacānea portābāmus, cum scaphae vēlō, collocāvī suprā;

superque hīs rūrsus carbasum quendam pice liquidā oblitum.

Tantum onus facillimē vidēbantur arcae tolerāre.

36. Postquam restibus omnia cōnsolidāvī, paulō ante merīdiem,

strēnuō nīsū ratem ad lītus trahō, paene īnfimō in aestūs

recessū. Sed inter postēs saxeōs in sinum illum prōcēdō, neque

in flūmen adversum volō mē committere. Mare intrā mox

quiētissimum inveniō, et quasi in stāgnō religō ratem. Maximē

gāvīsus, prōjiciō mē sub rūpe et paulisper sub umbrā requiēscō:

dein cibō recreātus, ad operam redeō. 37. Quidquid erat in rate,

in algōsum siccae arēnae acervum expōnō; sed labōriōsē, propter

humilēs aquās. Videō mare adhūc tranquillum; crās posse coorīrī

procellās. Spēs et cupiditās, quamvīs lassō, dedit vīrēs. Cum

carbasō illō (sī forte sit ūsuī) atque cūnctīs fūnibus retrahō

ratem ad nāvem. Quīntam illam properē adjungō arcam, et aliquot

rēs ponderōsās impōnō; inter quās hīc nōmināre libet molam

ferrāmentīs acuendīs, glandium majōrum cadulōs duo: in cymbā

autem meās vestēs, et pulveris nitrātī aliquantum. Cūncta

dēportō intrā postēs marīnōs incolumia paulō ante tenebrās.

Valdē dēfessus inde redībam: sed aestus cymbam subvēxit sine meā

vī. Vix poteram cēnāre; igitur pāstō cane fēlibusque, somnō mē

commīsī.

CAPUT (II.) SECUNDUM.

38. Trium diērum rēs gestās nārrāvī singillātim. Īmō in corde

meō īnscrīptae sunt, quasi hesternae essent. In iīs quae

sequuntur, saepius accidet, ut rem probē nōverim, diem meminerim

parum; nec lēctōrī jūcundum foret, ut rēs, sī possem, diāriī

mōre ēnārrārem. Dehinc, quae ex nāve īnsuper āvēxī, summātim

potius memorābō. 39. Quārtō māne dormīvī post lūcem. Jejūnus,

vēscor avidē: etenim in ahēnō cibus aliquot diērum mihi meīsque

restābat. Sed quasi nervīs succīsīs, languēbat animus

fastīdiēbatque suōs successūs. “Cūr labōrō?” inquiēbam “cūr-ve

juvat mē vīvere, sōlitārium, moribundum? Quid prōsunt nāvis

spolia, nisi ut aliquot diēs vītam extraham?” Tum addidī clārā

vōce: Nisi forte! Nisi forte! Mox intellegō ventum ā marī flāre,

aestum violentius īnsurgere, in ōstiō perīculōsum forsitan

cymbae fore. Cymbulam autem illam majōris quam cūncta quae in

nāve restābant aestimābam. 40. Tum sī ad nāvem ratem ē portū meō

trāxissem—etenim illum maris sinum postibus mūnītum jam Portum

Meum appellābam—quis spondēret, quīn naufragium ipsō in flūmine

paterer rediēns? Nūbēs porrō volitāre animadvertī; imber nē

caderet, melius tegī, quae exposita relīqueram in portū. Etenim

cava plūra illā in rūpe cognōveram. Illūc igitur pedibus

cōnfestim īre dēcernō. 41. Rūpēs ad laevam prīmō rubra erat,

nisi ubi algā obtegerētur; ipsō in portū alba; ulterius praeceps

ac caerula: omnis autem ē saxō (ut crēdidī) calcāriō. Portus

cavīs locīs, immō cavernīs abundābat, quārum in aliquam possem

sine magnō labōre eās rēs recondere, quās pluvia corrumperet

potissimum. Per algās cactōsque ēnīsus, hūc reposuī lectum

vestēsque omnēs, item pānem, ignipultās ac nitrātum pulverem,

carbasō illō piceātō contēcta. Rēs fabrīlēs et cētera graviōra

vēlīs obtēxī.

42. Jam corporis illuviēs mē vexat; nam per trēs labōriōsissimōs

diēs ac duās noctēs iīsdem in vestīmentīs illōtus mānseram.

Discingor natātūrus. Plēnō ferē aestū quasi lacus maris

clārissimus cōram redundābat. Cadēbat pluvia tenuis, sed inter

nūbēs radiābat jubar; mox appārēbat arcus caelestis. Mīrē ille

vīsus stringit mulcetque animum meum. 43. Atquī canis in aquam

mē īnsequitur et mēcum vult lūdere. Nostrātium canum ille

fortasse Grāiō Hībernōrum canī simillimus erat, Molossō

domesticō gracilior et vēlōcior, glabrō item corpore, ut

calōribus nātō. Probē natābat, sed digitātus erat, nōn palmipēs (

quod appellant); id est, digitīs nōn erat pellītīs; atque ego

vēlōcitāte natandī facile eum superābam. Itaque hunc dum ēlūdō,

mē recreō. Ut ex aquā ēgressus sum, is crūra pedēsque meōs tam

amanter lambit, atque tam gestit mē recuperāsse, ut nequīverim

mē continēre. In effūsum flētum solvor, velut ōlim in pueritiā,

sentiōque cor exonerārī. Vestēs mūtāvī: immundās in aquā marīnā

sub majōribus lapillīs dēmergō: tum ēgredior, īnsulam

explōrātūrus. 44. Scandō ē portū per ardua. Inde videō illum

collem, quō anteā ēnīsus sum, hōc ā latere ascēnsū facillimum.

Culmen rūpium plānitiēs erat sīve campus calcārius, dēlicātīs

vestītus herbīs. Hae recentī pluviā ita erant recreātae, ut nova

veteribus admixta folia flōrum praetulerint speciem, ubi rubor

vel purpura cum novō virōre contendēbant. Leporēs sīve cunīculī

suīs ē latibulīs ēgredientēs audentius mē aspexēre, quōs nē

īnsequerētur, aegrē repressī canem.

45. Mox in scopulōsa locō ēvādō, et caprōs discernō ferōs

procul; antilopās potius dīxerim. Pōne saxa īnserpō, quamquam

minimē fugācēs erant. Glandibus olōrīnīs tubum sufferciō; dein

igne ēmissō occīdō capram vulnerōque haedum jūxtā. Canis

intercurrēns haedum prehēnsā pelle attinet, dum assequor. Crūre

vulnerātam posteriōre inveniō; poterat tamen incēdere. Mātrem

voluī reportāre ad flūmen vallemque meam; sed fateor, adhūc eram

tam dēlicātus, ut nōluerim recentem vestītum sanguine

commaculāre. Sūdāriō ē sinū vestis extractō, argillāque ūdā in

vulnus compressā, cōnstrīnxī firmiter; tum grāmine sanguinem

omnem abstersī. 46. Voluī eam in cervīcibus portāre; sed quandō

cōnor, id vērō meās vīrēs exsuperat. Super glāreōsam humum

aegerrimē cornibus eam trahō, in grāmine facilius. Haedī

cornibus fūniculō circumdatō, hanc dūcō mēcum simul; id quod,

dum ignipultam portō, paene nimium erat; igitur saepius cōnsēdī.

Via autem et dēclīvis erat, nec longa, circā alterum jugī latus;

itaque tandem pervēnī. 47. Prōtinus in ūdō linteō crūs haedī

astringō; et, nē longus sim, tantā cūrā foveō pāscōque (nam

grandiuscula erat) ut mānsuētissima ēvāserit. In arēnā, juxtā

ratem prīmam, sub dēnsīs umbrīs, pēlvem excavō; in quam, aquā

sēmisalsā replētam, recondō capram, ut ōtiōsius carnī coquendae

dem operam. Canem appropinquāre vetuī; pāscō autem līberāliter

et hunc et fēlēs: avēs tamen metuō, nē carnis sint cupidae.

48. Dum strēnuē mē exercēbam, vix sentiēbam miseriās meās: sed

simul ac lassitūdō abrumperet operam, nisi somnō corriperer,

mēns coepit agitārī: id quod saepius mihi ēvēnit. Meās egomet

cōgitātiōnēs nequībam tolerāre, et variīs quasi ventīs hūc illūc

ferēbar. In dēspērātissimā conditiōne mē vidēbam, extrā nāvium

Eurōpaeārum cursum. Frāctō animō, lūgēns, interdum lacrimāns,

diffīsus Deō, dēcrēta ejus conquerēns; rūrsus ipse mēmet

objūrgābam, sōlābar, hortābar, cōnfirmābam, maximē gāvīsus quod

tot rēs ē nāve congessissem. 49. Itaque per id tempus, quoniam

apud nēminem potuī vicem miserārī meam, aperuī capsam

scrīptōriam, ex quā chartam, calamōs, ātrāmentum, prōtulī,

incipiōque angōrēs meōs argūmentandō effundere, quasi per

sermōnem. Mox tālem altercātiōnem in tabulās (ut ita dīcam)

acceptī impēnsīque referō, quās lēctōris oculīs nunc subjicere

libet.

MALA MEA. LEVĀMENTA MALŌRUM.

1. In īnsulā sōlitāriā sum 1. At nōn es dēmersus, sīcut

prōjectus. cēterī.

2. Ego ūnus ē sodālibus 2. At tibi ūnī restat spēs

ēnecor aegrimōniā. aliqua effugiī.

3. Exsulō ē societāte 3. At nōn servīs hominibus

hominum. scelestīs.

4. Vī bēstiārum sum plānē 4. At nōn in belluōsam Āfricam

obnoxius. prōjectus.

5. Labōriōsissimē vīctum 5. At magnam tū habēs ex nāve opem.

quotīdiānum quaerō.

6. Serviō hīc servitūtem 6. At aliōs tū in servitūtem nōn

perpetuam. redigis.

7. Nisi prius sōlitāriē 7. At nōn tua magis quam parentum

moriar, ad sōlitāriam senectūs erit sōlitāria.

senectūtem reservor.

50. Profectō ultima illa nimis mē pupugēre. Quae prō levāmentīs

scrīpsī, vulnus animī recrūdēscere fēcērunt. “Peccāvī,” inquam:

“meritam poenam tolerābō virīliter: fortasse ipsa poena aliquid

tandem bonī afferet.” Tum cito sēdāta est omnis mea perturbātiō.

Ego autem haec atque tālia reputāns, admīror, quanta sit vīs vel

incertae obscūraeque religiōnis, sī modo rēctā intendātur viā.

Illud fortasse et sī forte plūris est, quam quis putāverit; quia

saepius indicium est animī per tenebrās, lūcem versus,

ēnītentis. Id autem ipsum est virtūs: nam sapientissimus quisque

nostrum in suā tamen versātur cālīgine, semperque ēluctātur

plēniōrem versus lūcem. Itaque iterum ēvāsī strēnuus. 51. Tum

canī fēlibusque haedum conciliāre studeō. Omnēs paxillīs dēpangō

vīcīnīs; ūnīcuique suum largior cibātum; ūnumquemque suā vice

dēmulceō. Ex cōnsuētūdine spērō familiāritātem, ex meā cāritāte

cāritātem mūtuam. Posteā ad portum cane comitante reversus,

aliās explōrō cavernās, plūrēsque rēs melius ōrdinō. 52.

Tredecim diēs in terrā dēgēbam, necdum nāvis ēvānuerat. Illam

ūndeciēs (crēdō) ascendī. Quantumvīs coacervāveram, plūs tamen

concupīscēbam; et dum nāvis cōnsistēbat, inter eam portumque

meum ācerrimum sustentō ratis commercium. Rēs aliquot, quās

āvēxī, libet hīc memorāre: Incūdem artillātōris, quam aegerrimē

āmōlītus sum; virgās vectēsque ferreōs; pēnsilem lectum cum

lōdīcibus; supparum antīcum ē subsidiāriīs: lacernās plūrēs:

piscātōriam supellectilem novam atque amplam. Porrō ē rē

jaculātōriā magnōs forcipēs follēsque, malleum rōbustissimum,

pēlvēs ferreās ad plumbum liquefaciendum, batillum grande. Tum

omnēs ignipultās, bonās malās, asportō; item alterum pār

pistolārum. Dēmum fabrīlem mēnsam, retināculō cochleātō

īnstrūctam, multō cum labōre per tollēnōnem dēmittō, laetusque

comperiō hanc per sē natāre. Inter minōrēs rēs memorō lībram cum

lancibus ahēneīs, sīve trutinam oportet appellāre, quam in

scrīniō magistrī offendī. Ille propter medicās, crēdō, ūsūs

habēbat; nam magister nautīs prō medicō erat. Ego hanc, velut

pecūniās, idcircō asservāvī, sīquandō prō nummīs valēret.

Ingentem plumbī convolūtī lāminam, quae nimia posset esse,

secūrī malleōque discissam particulātim asportāvī; etiam magnum

pilulārum plumbeārum vim, plūrēs rudentēs, fūnēs, ferreōs hāmōs,

clāvōs, pessulōs, cōnfībulās, ānulōs. Cannōnās suā ex sēde nōn

eram dēturbātūrus. Posteā magnum trīticī dōlium laetus inveniō,

sēriam optimī adōris, saccharī cadum majōrem, vīnī ārdentis

amphorās trēs; porrō cultrōs furcillāsque mēnsālēs, grandem

forficem, trēs novāculās, quattuor nautārum gladiōs sīve sīcās.

53. Nē forte mīrētur lēctor, quārē tantam bellicī terrōris vim

in mercātōriā nāve vēxerīmus, nātūram illīus commerciī cūrātius

dēmōnstrābō. Hominēs barbarōs ē Guineā erāmus in servitūtem

reportātūrī; quem ad ūsum et ipsa nāvis et omnis ejus dispositiō

cēterīs erat valdē dīversa. Grandiuscula erat nāvis, nāvālēs

sociī sexdecim. Cannōnās habēbat quīnque,—ūnam ā tergō,—nē forte

aut cum praedōnibus aut cum nigrītīs foret cōnflīgendum; nēve,

propter subitum aliquod in Eurōpā bellum, Lūsitāniā implicātā,

nōs tamquam Lūsitānī lacesserēmur. Ignipultae quoque inerant

plūrēs, pars vēnandō, alia pars pugnae apta. Simul pulveris

nitrātī plumbīque rotundātī vim magnam vehēbāmus, atque adeō

hominem ūnum tōtī reī jaculātōriae praefectum: Artillātor

appellābātur. Hārum rērum impēnsā valdē minuitur negōtiātōribus

lucrum, nisi quod hōc in commerciō merx quae exportātur

vīlissima est; quae reportātur, pretiōsissima.

54. Aliquot fabās prīmā in rate asportāvī. Quamquam sciēbam

magnam hujus cibī vim nāvī fuisse impositam, sed īnfrā in alveō,

crēdidī marīnā aquā corruptam esse. Nihilōminus dēscendō. Puppim

versus omnia sicca erant; in īnferiōre parte aqua stāgnābat. Sed

nōn mē illud repellit. Īnfrā nūdus, per aquam incēdō, quae genū

attingēbat, scrūtorque mercēs palpandō: tandem saccōs inveniō

fabīs plēnōs. Ūnum hōrum placēbat āvehere, sed quandō cōnor,

nequeō ad tabulāta extollere. Rē dēlīberātā, nōn operae pretium

vidētur dē cibō madidō labōrem pendere; nam asservārī posse quis

spoponderit? 55. Mox rēs dūrās acūtāsque sub pedibus sentiō;

ipsa erant ferrāmenta, quae inter mercēs nostrās imperāveram.

Pālae, plānē nostrātium īnstar, profectō nōn inerant; tantum

ligōnēs, furcillātaeque marrae, praeter sarcula ac dolābrās.

Deinde in secūrēs incidō. Tālēs rēs sub aquā dījūdicāre, paulum

difficile erat. Num operae esset pretium auferre,—dubitābam.

Tandem aliquot cujusque generis assūmō, praesertim capita

secūrium ac ligōnum. 56. Posteā fēlīcior eram. Nam in conclāvī

quōdam, quod coquī nostrī erat proprium, quīnque offendī corbēs,

fabārum plēnās, apprīmē siccārum. Hās cūrātius repōnō āvehendās,

et aliam post aliam cūnctās dēmum ad terram dēportō salvās. 57.

Porrō dum mēnsam fabrīlem āmovēbam, quae suprā erat, nōn in

alveō, pōne in angulō fascēs quōsdam mercium retēxī. Hōs aperiō.

Intus erant versicolōrēs vestēs, quās propter Āfrōrum commercium

imperāveram. Avidē corripiō, sed nesciēbam quārē. Posteā

numerāvī, invēnīque sexāgintā. Cēterae, ut opīnor, fuerant in

alveō.

58. Duodecimō māne, ut rēmigō ex portū ratem pōne trahēns,

flūctus asperior aliquantum aquae in cymbam immīsit. Exhaurīre

simul atque rēmigāre nōn poteram: sī rēmōs inhibērem, verēbar nē

dēflexa cursū cymba latus undīs objiceret. In portum, ut tūtius,

statim redeō: ibi rōborandam suscipiō cymbam. Altiōrem faciō

prōram, additīs tabulīs, quae, ferreīs virgīs firmātae,

aliquantum asperginis possint rejicere. Nōn longī labōris erat

illud; sed nimius ventus mē terrēbat, igitur reliquum diem

scaphae addīxī. 59. Illud cōnsīderāveram. Naufragium recente

lūnā passī erāmus ipsīs in Kalendīs Septembribus. Ad plēnilūnium

iterum intumēscente Ōceanō posse crēdēbam sublevārī scapham;

grande mōmentum, servārētur-ne an prōrsus cōnfringerētur. Ex

arcīs meīs ūnam dēligō, aquae (sīquā alia) impenetrābilem.

Quidquid in scaphā īnfirmum vidētur, summā meā arte reficiō, seu

stuppā ac pice, seu argillā vitreāriā opus sit. Simul ac aestus

recesserat, ancoram quam longissimē per arēnās mare versus

trahō, suō ancorālī artius scaphae colligātam. Dentem ancorae

firmiter dēfīgō, quoad possum. Ipsō in ancorālī, circā septem

pedēs ab ancorā, fūnem brevem nōdō astrictissimō implicō; mox

hūc dēportātam arcam eōdem fūne connectō. 60. Illud ēvenit, quod

spērāveram. Arca, aestū īnsurgente sublevāta, simul ut ad

scapham aqua pertingēbat, (nam ego cum spē metūque cūncta

notābam) incēpit scapham attrahere. Tum prō cūpā[B] natante arca

mihi erat. Cōnfestim dēcurrō ad cymbam. Per aestum rēmigō, ubi

propter altitūdinem aquae flūctus nōn sē frangēbat; et ut prīmum

scapham assequor, eam remulcō inhibēns, solvō ancorāle; nam

ancoram extrahere, nimiī id fuisset temporis. Mox, ovāns et

praegestiēns, scapham in portum dēdūcō incolumem. Haec in

duodecimō erant diē. 61. Māne īnsequente, quum speculor, sentiō

marī male crēdī: tamen quāsdam etiam rēs voluī ēripere, quamquam

ratī nōn cōnfīdēbam. Scālās nāvis ac tollēnōnem ad ultimum

relīqueram. Optimās habēbat forēs diaeta[C] prīncipālis: hās

concupīvī, quia bonā erant fabricā. Cardinēs facile āvellō:

forēs reste firmiter colligō. Dein sūculās[D] cum trochleīs[E]

assūmpsī; ipsīus porrō tollēnōnis ferrāmenta omnia: sed scapum

rōstrumque ejus, quae lignea erant, trahenda per aquās

dēstināvī, cum scālīs et foribus. Ferreum onus, ūnō homine nōn

gravius, in cymbā dēcernō asportāre.

62. Impigrē rediī, sed aestus in hōrās magis tumēscēbat. Tunc

quum maximē intrābam portūs ōstium, agmen pōne tractum adeō

disjectābat cymbam, ut ego perterritus fūnēs necessāriō

absolverim, nē dēmergerer. Incolumis egomet postēs illōs

praetereō, laetus quod nīl mihi cymbaeque accidisset, praeter

asperginem profūsam. 63. Ventus etiam atque etiam incrūdēscēbat:

post trēs hōrās violenta flābat procella, quae tōtam per noctem

furēbat. Māne, ut prōspexī, ēvānuerat nāvis.

CAPUT (III.) TERTIUM.

64. Equidem ut vacuum aspectābam mare, neque lacrimātus sum

neque gemuī, nē agitābar quidem animō. Sed tenerum quendam

sentiēbam affectum, tamquam sī fessā aetāte parēns, cujus magnīs

fruimur beneficiīs, lēgitimē ac necessāriō dēcessisset. Immō nōn

tam nāvis quam egomet vidēbar obiisse mortem. Ab hominibus

abscindor, novō sum in orbe rērum, astō tamquam in aeternitātis

sōlitūdine. Ignōtus mē circumambit Deus, cujus sentiō tum

misericordiam tum sevēritātem, mē ipsum culpāns sed nōn amārē,

nec sine modō. Nōn in genua prōcumbō; nōn precēs, nōn vōta

concipiō; grātēs nōn effundō, nec paenitentiam; tamen caeca

quaedam, ut opīnor, mē penetrābat venerātiō. Certē eram et

tranquillissimus, et quasi religiōsē dēfīxus. 65. Ex hōc statū

mē expergēfacit canis, amanter blandiēns. “Āh! quam vellem

possēs colloquī,” inquam clārē; et amōre ergā canem

haediculamque meam atque ipsās fēlēs valdē pertentor. Prope

paenitet mē, quod capram mātrem occīdī. Quoniam brūta animālia,

sī modo reciprocāre amōrem possint, commūnem habent nōbīs

sociālemque nātūram, nōlō vītam ēripere temerē. Haec cōgitāns,

īnsuper meminī, parcere nitrātō pulverī quam sit bonum, pondus

caprae quam fuerit molestum. Paulō post quaerēbam, cūr, sī

vīctum terra subjicit, mālim ferārum mōre raptās vītās praedārī.

Illa sānē quaestiō profundius in pectus dēscendit, postquam

ūbertātem īnsulae plēnius compertam habuī. 66. Sed exsultō, et

pāstīs animālibus, dē fabīs meīs satagō, quārum aliquās aquā

coctās velim, prō canis cibātū. Posteā hās coquēbam cum carnis

frustīs, cum sēbō, lārdō, dēmum piscibus vel oleō; faciēbamque

massās quadrātās: tum sī aliunde nihil foret in promptū, hinc et

canem et fēlēs pāscēbam. Semper dēnique hōc modō pauxillulum

carnis aut piscium prō condīmentō adjungēbam fabīs, farīnae vel

rādīcibus.

67. Posterō diē, caelō serēnō et marī tranquillō, ligna

tollēnōnis et diaetae forēs ējecta sunt in lītore; cum minōre

dētrīmentō quam quis exspectāverit. Hās rēs, ut prīmum possum,

citrā vim undārum trahō; dēnique in cavernās illās, dē quibus

dīxī, dēpōnō, et quandō ab aliīs operibus vacō, restituō

tollēnōnis ferrāmenta. Posteā hunc ad nāvāle meum cōnstituī,

propter ūsūs scaphae. 68. Sed dē domiciliō meō multa erant

dēcernenda. Cavernās in rūpe quō lātius explōrāveram, magis

admīror. Ultrā numerum vidēbantur. Aliae patēbant, sine externō

pariete, tamquam porticus aut ambulācrum; aliae angustā jānuā,

intus camerātae, jūnctae sunt item internīs ōstiīs, ita ut tōta

rūpēs velut spongia esse posset. 69. Contemplāns crēdidī, hās

marī esse excavātās: nam sub pedibus pavīmentum erat saxeum,

molliter tamquam flūctibus rotundātum, et quasi per lātissimōs

gradūs ascendēns. Omnia mea possem hīc optimā cum disciplīnā

dispōnere; sed dē cubiculō erat praecipuē cōgitandum; nec

libēbat arborem meam prius relinquere, quam mūnītius quiddam

reperīrem. 70. Illud animadvertī,—nihil saxōrum praeter lītus

jacēre, quod ā rūpe cecidisset; et quidem ubi gelū est ignōtum,

rārior esse dēbet tālis rūpium lābēs. Porrō pavīmenta cavernārum

parcā tantum arēnā vestiēbantur, tamquam ventō illātā. Lacūnāria

ferē camerāta erant, hīc atque hīc quasi stīriārum massīs

distīncta. Aquās per rūpem stillantēs crēdiderim saxō saturātās

fuisse. 71. Lītus externum, propius undās, algārum erat ferāx;

internum, ultrā summōs aestūs, aliā quādam algā et cactīs

aliīsque spīnōsīs fruticibus opplēbātur. Plūrēs hōrum in decem

pedēs surgēbant, aliquot in quīndecim. Ex hīs silva plūrima et

quasi umbrāculum ante cavernās praetexēbātur, nē quis ē marī vel

ā rūpe oppositā facile intrō perspiceret. Ego autem, arreptā

secūrī, continuam sub rūpe aperiēbam sēmitam, succīsīs cactīs

cēterīsque, quidquid nimium obstāret. Jamque velut in meam

vīllam mē recondō. 72. Ē cavernīs duās praesertim dēnotāvī, ūnam

prō cubiculō, alteram prō penāriā. Utraque internum habēbat

ōstium, per quod aura flābat salūbris. Sēnseram autem, et apud

Maurōs et in Brazīliā, quantum nox frīgidula corpus fervōribus

adustum fovēret atque recreāret; et sī in magicā hāc horrendāque

īnsulā (sīc eam quandōque vacuīs oculīs contemplābar) per summōs

calōrēs habitandum mihi foret, tāle cubiculum magnī aestimābam.

Opera quaedam hīc meditābar, sī hūc mea omnia congererem;

propter quod cōnsultō opus erat. 73. Marī seu terrā, ipsam

ratem, sīve bona mea ex rate, dēdūcerem, aut perīculōsum aut

labōriōsum fore opīnābar. Mox subit haedī cūra, cui neque

pābulum hōc in locō habēbam neque aquam dulcem. Mihimet profectō

aquam imprīmīs anquīrere opus erat: sed nōn diū hujus reī

inopiam queror. 74. Etenim postquam per spīnās fruticētī longius

patefēcī viam, et dulcem aquam et nāvāle scaphae idōneum

inveniō. Post quīngentōs amplius pedēs abrupta humus erat, alveō

marīnō intus penetrante, tamquam ōstiō rīvulī. Intellegō alveum

hunc, quasi flūmen submarīnum, ad Postēs Saxeōs continuārī;

intus autem nāvāle, mihi satis profundum, etiam in recessū

aestūs praebērī. 75. Hunc in alveum rīvus ē terrā praeceps

dēcurrēbat. Spatium autem praetereundī inter rūpem alveumque

satis lātum patēbat, succīsīs modo fruticibus. Jam tollēnōnem

mente dēstinō in margine ērigendum: sed redeō contentus in

vallem, dē ōrdinātiōne bonōrum meōrum meditāns. 76. Omnia dē

prīmā illā rate dētrahō dispōnōque subter quādam arbore, cum

ipsā ratis māteriē. Latēre volēbam, sī forte quis advenīret.

Plūrimās caedō virgās, quae facillimē ūdō in solō possint

frondēscere, hāsque ita dēfīgō, ut quam maximē, quidquid sit

intus, obtegant. Hūc dēdūcō haedum, velut suum in praesaepe.

Cistās quae pecūniam, quae astrologicam supellectilem, quae

pulverem nitrātum continēbant, hās et capsās scrīptōriās

aliāsque rēs minōrēs, singulātim ad cavernās asportāvī: posteā

culīnae īnstrūmentum.

77. Post aliquot diēs, hīs rēbus ōrdinātīs, caelō serēnō, cēnseō

dēambulandum. Caput īnfulā dēnsā, Turcārum mōre, obvolvor; quod

quidem in Brazīliā faciēbam. Balteō pistolīsque succingor.

Grandem cultrum plicātilem sūmō ac pēram; dein convallem ascendō

juxtā rīpam flūminis. Novā in regiōne omnia nōn possum lēctōris

animō subjicere, quae meīs occurrēbant oculīs; sed plūra cōnābor

paulātim expedīre. 78. Avium versicolōrum tanta erat multitūdō,

ut nisi in Brazīliā praereptā mihi esset admīrātiō, tunc

obstupēscerem. Hīc autem mē praesertim alliciēbat pulcherrima

illa avicula, quam in Occidentālibus īnsulīs Anglī aviculam

bombilantem appellant. Plūra quidem hujus generis passim

volitābant, item mīra pāpiliōnum varietās. 79. Immō, nōn modo

alia prōrsus arborum, fruticum, grāminum, foliōrum genera

appārēbant, nostrīs hominibus ignōtū, vērum etiam ferē omnis

arbor reptātōriīs fruticibus, vītium aut hederārum ad īnstar,

vestiēbātur; atque adeō, obruēbantur plūrimae. Ē tantā varietāte

vix quidquam prīmō poteram agnōscere: cēterum imprīmīs anquīrō

esculentās rādīcēs atque ignis alimentum. 80. Quidquid juncōrum

obviam vēnit vel cannārum, medullam explōrāvī, anne idōneum

praebēret fōmitem. Tria dēmum genera in pēram sēlēcta condidī,

quae experīmentō probārem. Āridās sīve lignī sīve lignōsōrum

foliōrum reliquiās celerrimā flammā ārsūrās crēdēbam. Tālis

māteriae plūrēs asportāvī pugillōs. Rubōs quoque notāvī dūmōsque

āridōs, ex quibus immēnsa cōpia cremandō sufficerētur. 81. Mox

fruticem videō, quī piper gignit; sed magis gaudēbam, quod

dioscōreās ēsculentās invēnī multās. Duo hārum genera optima prō

certō agnōveram,—quae ālāta appellātur, et quae globōsa.

Ulterius perscrūtāns, adeō abundāre intellegō hās rādīcēs, ut,

sī cōnservārī possint, cibus semper futūrus sit in promptū. Jam

cinchōnam videō arborem, colligōque rāmulōs plūrēs. Nē longus

sim, satis sit nārrāre, mē circā hōs locōs posteā invēnisse

medicās quāsdam herbās, quās in Brazīliā didiceram, et aliās

quās prō condīmentīs cibōrum aestimābam. 82. Acclīvitās vallis

augēscēbat. Vix quattuor mīllia passuum aestus marīnus in terram

penetrat; sed modicus rīvus plūrēsque rīvulī dēscendēbant per

plantās et arbusculās. Propius ad collēs dēnsantur generum

dīversōrum arborēs, grandēs aliquot. Nova simul atque ārida

folia in eādem cōnsistēbant arbore, id quod colōrēs pulcherrimōs

contendēbat: immō, exoriēbantur frūctuum germina ipsō ē rāmō,

unde pendēbant frūctūs putrēscentēs. 83. Quīnque vel sex mīllia

continuāvī iter, semper ascendēns convallem. Ēn vērō, hīc locī

seges illa pretiōsissimā blandītur oculīs, zēa virōre et aurō

fulgēns. Plēnē mātūram crēdidī. Humī jacēbant grāna plūrima et

siliquae. Pigēbat mē, quod major mihi pēra nōn erat in promptū.

Quantum potuī, īnferciēbam, jamque prō certō habēbam cibum mihi

numquam dēfore. Tandem collēs sinistrī sē dēmīsēre; atque alia

vallis, lātior atque amoenissima, quasi hortōs viridissimōs in

sinū suō retegit. In fronte mihi assurgēbant juga altiōra,

montēs paene dīcerem, spissīs vestīta herbīs, ex quibus undique

stillābant rīvulī perennēs. Arborēs frūctificās admīror, inter

quās dispiciēns agnōscō citrōs, aureās mālōs,[F] et Assyriās

mālōs, quās līmōnās appellāmus. Sānē jūcundissimus erat rūris

aspectus, mēque sēnsī esse opulentum lātifundiōrum dominum.

Utramque vallem mihi tamquam proprium prōtinus asserō, nōminōque

priōrem convallem meam, vel Convallem Flūminis, alteram Hortōs

meōs.

84. Multum mē alliciēbat hortōrum amoenitās, cōpia arborum et

dulcis aquae, dēfēnsiōque montium. Dēlīberābam dē commigrandō

illūc, nisi quod nōllem maris prōspectum āmittere, sī nāvis

venīret: immō, prōrsus nōluī cymbae scaphaeque ūsūs renūntiāre:

necnōn per pluviālēs hōrās nihil cum cavernīs meīs vidēbātur

contendere. Etenim hāc in regiōne caelī liquēbat mihi dīrissimās

aliquandō esse expectandās procellās, quae tentōria ac domicilia

perverterent; tālī in tempestāte nīl cavernīs esse comparandum.

Pigēbat mē vidēre frūctūs plūrimōs et optimōs humī prōstrātōs et

aquā putrēscentēs. Arborēs passim vim ventī prōdēbant. Sine

dubiō autumnālēs procellae tantās fēcerant ruīnās. Sērius ego

hōs in locōs prōcesseram, messe frūctuum praeteritā. Attamen hōc

sub astrō tam vegeta est vīs terrae genitālis, ut novī frūctūs

appārērent, quī mox possent mātūrēscere. Plūrēs hōrum concupīvī,

et dē modō convehendī meditābar.

85. Rediī ad cavernās alacer animī, cūrārum oblītus. Pēram

opplēveram illīs rēbus quās memorāvī; loculōs autem vestium

arōmatīs, gummīne et citreīs mālīs aliquot. Prōtinus novōs

thēsaurōs cūrātē dīgerō. Dēnique ā cavernīs in arborem meam

propter noctem retrō cēdere, paulō labōriōsius vidētur.

86. Māne quum expergīscor, sentiō diērum mē āmīsisse

computātiōnem. Nē prōrsus fierem barbarus, ad disciplīnam

puerīlem mē redūxī. Diēs incipiō in digitīs numerāre. Quid

ūnōquōque diē fēcerim, ego mihimet recitō; inde comperiō, quīnam

sit hodiernus diēs. Tum volō mathēmaticus ratiōnēs retractāre.

Dīxī mē quattuor librōs ē nāvī āvēxisse. Ūnus erat precum

sacrārum libellus, secundum normās Papālēs: alterum erat dē

Geōgraphiā: tertium nihil habēbat nisi numerōs ad ūsum nāvigandī

dīgestōs: quārtus ipsam nautārum mathēmaticam tractābat. Hanc

perlegō libenter. Quippe nōn sōlum sōlitūdine animum āvertit,

sed absolūtius quiddam et sublīmius subjēcit cōgitantī, nē

semper dē meīs tantummodo cūrīs satagerem.

87. Quaerere potest lēctor, quī factum sit, ut ego, patre invītō

nāvigāns, nauticam mathēmaticam ēdidicerim. Vidēlicet, admodum

juvenis Londinium petiī, nāvem anquīsītūrus, in quā peregrē

īrem. Magna mihi tunc illa fēlīcitās vidēbātur, quod hūmānissimō

cuidam virō, nāvis magistrō, incidī, in Guineam nāvigātūrō. Is

mē clēmentissimē exceptum, prō suō sodāle habuit; persuāsitque

ut, quantam maximam possem conquīrere pecūniam, hanc commūtārem

idōneā merce quālem ipse admonēbat, et apud sē collocārem. Ego

igitur quōsdam ex amīcīs pecūniās rogābam, hīque, exōrātā mātre

meā, fortasse etiam patre, quadrāgintā lībrās Anglicās ad mē

remīsērunt. Eās autem magister optimus sīc administrāvit, ut, ex

Āfricā dēmum reversus, mercem quam rettulī, nempe aureum

pulverem, Londiniī trecentīs lībrīs Anglicīs mūtāverim. Porrō (

quod eram lēctōrī dēmōnstrātūrus) ipsō in cursū, cum

benevolentiā vērē paternā, omnia quae nāvis magistrum scīre

oportēret, dīligentissimē mē docēbat, praesertim astrologicōrum

praecepta, viāsque caelum servandī. Ego sānē, tantā cāritāte

dēlēnītus, summā industriā haec in studia incubuī, rediīque ex

hāc expedītiōne magnopere auctus mentis vī, sīve ad

nāvigātiōnem, sīve ad mercātūram. Atquī, Ō meam maximam

calamitātem! amīcus ille summus meus atque alter pater, morbō

vehemente correptus, dēcessit subitō. Hujus mē tenerā subit

memoriā, dum praecepta mathēmaticōrum retractō, dum stēllam

Polārem observō, locīque lātitūdinem (quam appellant astrologī)

colligō; item dum noctibus singulīs omnium hōrologiōrum

lībrāmenta convolūta intendō.

88. In animō imprīmīs erat, ut Chrīstiānō mōre septimum quemque

diem quōdammodo religiōsē observārem; enimvērō mēcum

cōnstituēbam septēnōrum diērum opera. Sīc (crēdēbam) temporis

computātiōnem eram servātūrus. Mox vīdī fore ut multa mē

prohibērent ūllam praefīnītam labōrum rotam persequī; necnōn

sine religiōsā contiōne rēs nihilī mihi erat diēs Dominicus:

itaque ad aliam ratiōnem mē properē convertī. Novae lūnae

observantur facillimē et paene necessāriō. Nāvis frācta erat

nocte proximā post novam lūnam: quandō altera advēnit nova lūna,

dēcrēvī mēcum, atque ūnum dēfōdī stīpitem propter mēnsem

lūnārem. Posteā ēlegantius rēs administrandās cēnseō. Paxillōs

praeparō tredecim modicōs et comparēs, gemēns identidem sī

ūniversum annum hīc mihi dēgendum erit. In axe idōneae

magnitūdinis tredecim forāmina terebrō, illīs paxillīs

accommodāta. Quotiēs redit nova lūna, paxillum sōlemniter

īnfīgō. Post lūnam tredeciēs novātam, cūnctōs extrahō paxillōs,

grandius terebrō forāmen et grandiōrem īnserō pālum. Hic prō

annō lūnārī valet. Mox prōcēdente lūnā, mēnstruōs paxillōs alium

post alium restituō. Hīs cōnstitūtīs, novā quīvīs lūnā poteram

computandō affirmāre, quīnam esset ille diēs secundum Eurōpeās

temporis ratiōnēs.

CAPUT (IV.) QUĀRTUM.

89. Jam ad rēs convehendās trahulam dēcernō parāre: nam reī

fabrīlis nōn eram imperītus. Hanc profectō artem in Brazīliā

magnopere exercēbam, cum propter variōs ūsūs, tum quia ipse mē

animus excitābat. Fabrīlis nempe opera valdē fuit necessāria

nōbīs, nec servīs nigrītīs satis bene cognita. Faber noster

lignārius, bonus ille quidem vir, malleō fortiter feriēbat,

serrā patienter labōrābat: sed accūrātē mētīrī, coartāre

commissūrās, immō, rēctam līneam dūcere, vix calluit; nēdum

dēsignāre opus. Sī novam quandam casam vel officīnam struere

oportēbat, praepropera ejus industria absurdissimīque errōrēs

angēbant mē. Itaque hunc dum parō docēre, ipse artem discō.

Mathēmaticā meā scientiā quālīcumque adjūtus, poteram sānē plūra

animō mōlīrī, in chartā dēscrībere, cōnstituere, computāre. Mox

ipsīs ferrāmentīs manū prehēnsīs, dēlīneābam, dissecābam,

runcīnābam; nihil quod lignāriī fabrī est, intentātum relinquō.

90. Jamque, ut dīcēbam, ad cōnfingendam trahulam mē convertō,

quae et per arēnās et super leviōrem rūpium superficiem facile

currat. Dōliō quōdam ligneō, quod perfrāctum erat, dētrahō

circulōs ferreōs. Hōs, velut calceōs, trabibus duōbus brevibus

paribusque, lēniter curvātīs, subjiciō. Suprā, simplicissimum

cōnstituō currum, in quō vehātur onus vīribus meīs tractū nōn

nimium. Restim addō, atque fīnītum est opus. Quoniam in recessū

aestūs continuus erat arēnae margō ā praesaepī meō usque ad

portum, hāc viā, quaecumque vellem, in animō erat trahere: nec

jam manibus humerīsve portābam. Posteā domum ipsam cūrātius

dīgerō atque excolō.

91. Conclāvia vērō habuī nūlla; plūra quidem saepta, siquidem

ūnaquaeque caverna, seu locus camerātus, erat prō saeptō.

Prīncipāle saeptum ⸤meum ipsīus⸥ erat cubiculum, dē cujus

mūnīmentīs erit dīcendum: dein penāria, prō cibō quālīcumque:

tertium, culīna; tum, fūmārium; deinceps armāmentārium sīve

fabrica; sextum erat mūsēum. In mūsēō librōs, hōrologia,

astrologicam supellectilem, lībram trutināriam, māteriam omnem

scrīptōriam repōnō, cum sellā ⸤ē tribus quās habēbam⸥ optimā.

Hārum rērum aliquot cum pecūniā in cistīs erant: mēnsam posteā

cōnfēcī. Septimum saeptum continēre dēbēbat ignis māteriem;

lignārium appellābam. Octāvum prō frūctuāriō cēdēbat. Novum prō

haedī stabulō dēstinābam. Decimum ac remōtissimum nitrātī erat

pulveris repositōrium. 92. Cubiculum autem tāle fuit. Angustā ac

celsā fenestrā intrābātur, cujus līmen quīnque pedēs ab externō

solō, duōs ab internō aestimāverim. Alteram intus habēbat

fenestram, per quam aura flābat salūbris: hanc tamen, prae multā

meā cautiōne, trānsennā prōtēxī. Dē vāllanda externā fenestrā

cōgitāveram; sed arboreum meum opus imitārī, in saxō nimis

difficile vidēbātur. Plūrēs portārum fōrmās cōnsīderō, mox

rejiciō. Puteum potius volō sub fenestrā fodere, quem ipse

scālīs trānseam, dein scālās intus ad mē retraham. 93. Nāvālēs

scālae merī erant gradūs ligneī, firmiter cōnstrictī fūnibus,

quī pondus hominis tūtō sustentābant. In nāvis latere septem

amplius dēpendēbant pedēs. Latera nunc hīs adjungō lignea,

tantummodo ut rigōrem, nōn ut rōbur addam; nam fūnium rōbur

sufficiēbat; sed quia flexilēs erant, id hīc erat incommodum.

Scālae sīc refectae octo pedum habēbant longitūdinem. 94. Deinde

ligōnēs recognōscō cūnctōs, et marrās bifurcās trifidāsque, sī

quid hōrum possit cunīculāriae hastae vicem gerere; solum enim

calcārium rōbustō egēbat ferrāmentō. Tālia invēnī īnstrūmenta,

quōrum ope puteum, brevem sānē, dēfōdī sub ipsā fenestrā, duo

tantum pedēs altum, sed quattuor amplius ā rūpe exstantem. Vecte

ferreō, quamquam nōn acūtō, graviōra saxa āmōlītus sum, postquam

initia penetrandī factū sunt. Tum hōc puteō adeō prōtēctus

vidēbar, ut nē ā pardō quidem foret metuendum. 95. Illud enim mē

cōnfirmābat, quod fēlēs ferae quae nōn ⸤nāribus cōnfīsae⸥

vēnantur, numquam possent conjectāre, quid in meō cubiculō

dormīret. Ego vērō interdum serpentēs quoque formīdābam: sed

numquam nē ūnum quidem anguem, magnum parvumve, meā in īnsulā

vīdī; quae, velut Hibernia, sānctī Patriciī benedictiōne

vidēbātur fruī. Stēlliōnēs erant in cavernīs, quōs fovēbam, quia

muscās īnsectāsque comedunt: et sānē facile mānsuēscēbant. 96.

Sī ligōnibus rēs nōn cessisset, fodīnam parātus eram nitrātō

pulvere displōdere. Praetermīsī nārrāre, mē, postquam dōlium

pulveris nitrātī ⸤aquā marīnā corruptī⸥ dēportāvī, intus crustam

invēnisse dūram, intrā quam pulvis siccus erat et plānē

incolumis. Crustam malleō comminūtam reservāvī, et prō

experīmentō, vel lūsūs causā, aliquotiēs in pyrotechnicam

adhibueram, diffīsus posse in aliquam ūtilitātem convertī.

Posteā crēdēbam rūdera haec nitrāta ad fodīnās displōdendās esse

accommodāta: igitur asservāvī, sī forte ūsus venīret. 97.

Pulvere nitrātō eram profectō assuētissimus, dē quā rē libet

amplius explicāre lēctōrī. Etenim dum dēgēbam in Brazīliā,

maximō studiō ⸤missilis plumbī dīrigendī perītiam⸥ colēbam. Nec

sānē umquam hujus exercitātiōnis fueram aliēnus; sed neque

patriam circā urbem, neque super marī opportūnitātēs eam

excolendī reppereram. Attamen in Brazīliā, rūre apertō,

ingentibus silvīs, ubi prōdigiōsa īnsectārum vīs ⸤mīrificam

avium quoque cōpiam⸥ in aeternum praestat, sī quis sub sōle

potest esse agilis, ad avēs vēnandās ipsō agrō attrahitur. Prīmō

habēbam ignipultam quandam ā dominō meō Maurūsiō dēreptam; mox

meliōrēs quaesīvī, imprīmīs ex Lūsitāniā. Posteā Helvēticī

cujusdam virī, quī Rōmae mercēnāriōrum mīlitum praefectus

fuerat, ignipultās duās vel optimās forte potuī emere, ūnam

duōrum tubōrum; quās quidem hujus fīlius, post patris mortem

illātenus ēvagātus, inter aliās rēs vēndidit. Equidem ad tēla

illa probanda in scopum aliquandō collīneābam: sed quia valdē

incertus erat ā longinquō jactus, plūrēs ac minōrēs ūnō in tubō

cōnferciēbam glandēs, quae, per āera dispersae, lātius ferīrent.

Furcā item bitubam illam sustentābam, propter certiōrem ictum.

Et quoniam grandiōrēs illīc abundābant ālitēs, ut vulturius, ut

ferus olor, ut gruēs atque ardeae nostrīs dīversae,—nec deest

strūthiō quīdam—hōs quoque pilulīs olōrīnīs petēbam,

jaculandīque omnīnō perītissimus ēvāsī. Prōh caecitātem hominum!

quippe nesciēbam quantum in sōlitāriā īnsulā haec mihi ars esset

prōfutūra.

98. Simul ac cubiculum satis firmāveram, voluī illūc commigrāre,

cūnctīs cum animālibus meīs. Haedus paululum clauda erat, id

quod nōn dolēbam: tantō minus erat mē effugitūra. At vērō trēs

jam mihi erant haedī, dē quō nārrandum erit. Cēterum falcātō

gladiō ⸤quidquid idōneum vidēbātur herbārum aut frondium⸥

dēmetēbam et convehēbam ad cavernās: multum sānē ⸤sōlī expositum

siccātumque⸥ recondidī. Haedōs omnēs suō in stabulō composuī.

99. Dē novīs haedīs incipit nārrātiuncula. Trahulā jam meā

adjūtus, cupīdinem admīseram vēnandī iterum, nē canī fēlibusque

carō dēforet. Trahulam per clīvōs clēmentiōrēs sūrsum trāxī

super mollī brevīque herbā, ignipultam in trahulā habēns. Canem

nōn potuī retinēre, quīn lepusculōs vēnārētur: is prōrsus

ēvānuit. Ego ut prīmum in scopulōsum dēvēnī iter, trahulam

omittō, inter saxa serpō. Ēmergēns capram cōnspicor cum haedīs

ad stāgnum herbōsō in prātulō. Nōn mē fūgērunt, neque

dēmōnstrābant metum. Dēcerpō grāmina, accēdō propius et porrigō.

Haedī accurrunt, libenterque rōdunt. Ego cornua eōrum resticulīs

cingō, et laqueīs bracchiō meō adnectō. Iterum iterumque dēcerpō

grāmen, studeōque mānsuēfacere. Accurrit māter capra, grandis et

rōbusta; haec quoque ē manū meā comēdit. Paenitēbat mē, quod

voluissem tam cicurem animantem occīdere; nunc rōbustiōre eam

adnectō reste. Sed ut prīmum vī sē tractam sentit, violenter

retortō capite manū sē meā abripit, et priusquam mē possim

recolligere, cum reste effugit. Exiguō temporis intervāllō

convertitur. Haedōs mēcum videt, et dīrēctō cursū ⸤summō cum

furōre⸥ mē petit. Magnum equidem sēnsī esse perīculum, nam et

cornū incurrentis et ipse impetus lētālis esse poterat. Coāctus

mē tuērī, dēmittor in dextrum genū, nē dēerrem, ignipultam

cōnstantissimē dīrigēns. Vix quīndecim distābat pedēs, atque ego

ignem ēmittō. Quamquam capite et collō trānsverberāta, plūrēs

gressūs illō impetū ēvecta est, titubānsque ad dextram meam

prōcubuit ēmortua. 100. Obstupēscēbam, incertus quid facerem.

Mox capram libuit omittere, haedōs attinēre: nec longa erat ad

praesaepe via, per ardua dēscendentī. Grāmina etiam atque etiam

dēcerpsī recondidīque in sacculum; et sīquandō male sequerentur

haedī, grāmen ante ōra ostentāns, alliciēbam. Hōc modō incolumēs

dēdūxī, gaudēns praesertim quod mās et fēmina erant. Paxillīs

celeriter prope claudam haedum advenās dēpangō, suggerō grāmina;

tum festīnō, mātrem reportātūrus. Regressus, trahulam coāctus

sum per asperiōra loca, ut possem, subdūcere, dum mortuam

assequor, quam aegrē in trahulam compōnō; dein satis labōriōsē

hanc cum ignipultā per saxōsa loca dēdūcō, mox facilius super

clīvīs herbōsīs. Illam, ut priōrem, dēmergere in pēlvī sīve

piscīnā volēbam, sed spurcam crēdidī: quārē nīl melius nōveram,

quam ut in praesēns rāmīs frondōsīs corpus operīrem: etenim ligō

et pāla nōn erant in prōmptū. 101. Jam dē ferārum audentiā

reputāns, intellegō hominēs hāc in īnsulā esse ignōtōs. Id

multum mē sōlātur; nam quantumvīs sōlitūdinem dētrectābam,

barbarōs saevōsque hominēs formīdābam longē amplius. Porrō sī

leporēs avēsque, aequē ac caprī, hominis metū vacant, sī nunc

haec animālia facile mānsuēfīant, stultē absterrērī opīnor.

Itaque magis magisque pulverī nitrātō parcendum dēcernō, et,

quidquid ferārum posset, mānsuēfaciendum.

102. Etiam congerēbam pābulum. Multās dēportābam siliquās zēā

plēnās, et dioscōreās aliāsque rādīcēs; item cēpa, bulbōs,

condīmenta. Caprae secundae carnem partim siccāveram fūmō,

partim sale condīveram, nec jam dē cibō eram sollicitus. Duās

viās ē cavernīs ad summam rūpem ligōne ac vecte tūtius jam

mūniō; ūnam, quā prīmō illō māne, prōspectā scaphā, per

praecipitia atque algās dēgressus sum; alteram ex portū praeter

nāvāle meum. In difficiliōre locō ⸤stīpitēs duo firmiter

dēfossōs⸥ fūne connectō, quō audācius sēcūriusque dēscendam; tum

gradibus incīsīs, opus perficiō.

103. In reportandā caprā, trahulae mē quōdammodo paenitēbat. In

arēnīs quidem bene currēbat, item per saxa lēvia grāmine

vestīta; sed in ferācī humō super spissīs variīsque herbīs,

inter admixtōs fruticēs, trahere quam portāre difficilius fore

sentiō: ad dioscōreās, ad zēam, ad citrōs aliōsque frūctūs

convehendōs pērās sacculōsque meōsque humerōs antepōnī oportēre

trahulae, nisi meliōrem poterō mūnīre viam: id quod mē male

habet. Igitur ūniversam vīcīniam explōrāre cupiō.—Dīxī mē ab

excelsō quōdam colle prōspectāsse. Hōc colle īnferior alter, quī

cavernās meās ferē ex adversō dēspiciēbat, lītoris aspectum

superiōrī adēmerat. Quum, ascēnsā rūpe, in īnferiōrī colle astō (

quem Speculam meam nōmināvī) admīrāns gaudēnsque propiōrem

lītoris ōram contemplor. Ad dextram, id est, ad occidentem,

flūminis videō ōstium, deinde portum meum, tum in fronte

prōmontorium modicum.[G] Contrā autem ad sinistram, id est, ad

orientem, inter humilēs rūpēs ac mare, acclīvis plānitiēs

arboribus prōcērīs mīrē luxuriābat, palmīs praesertim. Suprā,

pōne rūpēs, palūs quaedam seu lacus angustus extenditur: rūrsus

super hōc novus atque excelsior rūpium ac saxōrum ōrdō, unde

pluviās crēdō in palūdem colligī. In ōrā palūdis viridissimās

advertō herbās, plūrimāsque avēs aquātilēs. 104. Sed ego ad

interiōra mē convertō. Ab excelsiōre illō colle arborēs quāsdam

in cavō locō vīderam, nōn multās illās quidem. Jam explōrāns

perspiciō omnia praeter summās arborēs abscondita mihi tunc

fuisse, interjectō quōdam īnferiōre grūmō. Clīvus ille montis

quasi pēlvī erat ingente excavātus, in quam multum aquārum ex

scopulōsā illā regiōne cōnfluit. Hae, grāminibus sustentātae,

perpetuum sufficiēbant rīvum, quī in flūmen, nōn longē ā

praesaepī meō, dēcurrēbat. Inde fuerat mihi prīmus ille dulcis

aquae haustus. Hāc in pēlvī (nam proprium hujus fōrmae nōmen

nesciō:—convallis nōn erat) cōnsistēbant arborēs plūrimae,

Eurōpaeārum aspectum praeferentēs. Amplius posteā perscrūtātus,

repperī hās nōn esse nostrātium ad īnstar, tamen frūctuī

lignōque ūtilēs. Hunc locum appellō Saltum meum. 105. Hinc

poteram ligna dēvehere, sīve ad fabrīlēs ūsūs sīve ignis grātiā,

multō facilius quam ā flūminis convalle. Quippe grandis rāmus

vel ipse arboris truncus, tractus seu humī dēvolūtus, ad rūpem

erat facile dēscēnsūrus. Sīc posteā saepius rem gessī. Minōra

ligna, quae ignī dēbēbant īnservīre, ex summā rūpe

praecipitābam. Sed propter graviōra, quae diffringī nōlēbam,

rōbustam dēlēgī arborem, ipsum ad marginem, unde magis praeceps

erat rūpēs. Cursuī tum dēvolventis lignī, fūne circā hujus

stīpitem contortō, moderor ac temperō, dōnec ad fundum pervenit.

Sed haec post aliquot mēnsēs.

106. Quō melius intellegat lēctor meārum rērum statum, dē sitū

īnsulae et varietāte tempestātum quaedam sunt dīcenda. Īnsulae

lātitūdinem (quod Geōgraphī appellant) satis compertam habeō:

poteram sānē in stēllā Polārī observandā errāre, sed nōn multum:

gradūs, crēdō, habēbat duodecim (12°) ab aequinoctiālī circulō,

Septentriōnēs versus. Dē longitūdine nihil prō certō cōnfirmāre

ausim: arbitror tamen atque autumō eandem esse atque īnsulae

quam Portum Opulentum (Porto Rico) appellant Hispānī. Nostrīs

vērō in chartīs nihil omnīnō hīc dēnotābātur: porrō quaenam sit

meae īnsulae longitūdō geōgraphica, minimē nunc rēfert. Propter

tempestātum nōtitiam satis est tenēre, bis in annō sōlem super

verticem īnsurgere, ultimō ferē Aprīlis diē, sextōque ferē

Sextīlis. Intrā hōs continuātur aestās, quae tamen imbribus

satis violentīs dīviditur. Imber quotīdiānus ac modicus ferē ad

fīnem Jūniī mēnsis cadit, sed ipsō in fīne est sānē immodicus.

Post hoc siccitās et calor subsequitur. Maximōs autem calōrēs in

tertiā ferē parte hujus aestātis pōnō; vel, sī ad amussim

dēnotandum est, trīgintā sex diēs ab Īdibus Quīntīlibus perdūrat

aestuōsum tempus. Hōs intrā diēs rārior est pluvia. Quiēscit

ventus trīduum vel quatriduum; tum vespertīnus turbō sānē

violentus, attamen grātissimus, āera recreat. Hic rērum ōrdō

fervōribus moderātur, longō mēnse amplius. Tandem summa aestās

disturbātur et quasi convellitur horrendīs et pervicācissimīs

turbinibus, sēriōrī in parte Sextīlis. Hinc procellōsum illud

mare, quod nostram abripuit nāvem. In Februāriō item mēnse

dēbent expectārī procellae; sed neque hārum tempus praefīnīrī

potest neque violentiā comparēs sunt aestīvīs. In tempestāte

procellōsā abundant fulgura, post quae frīgus ossa penetrat. Sed

haec frīgora sī excipiās, jūcundissima est āeris temperiēs.

Pluvia ut plūrimum cadit tenuis ac dulcissima trēs vel quattuor

hōrās ūnōquōque māne per plūrēs annī mēnsēs. Nisi per tonitrua,

veste ad dēfendendum frīgus nōn opus est, sed contrā sōlem

vestiendus es. Attamen post nimium fulgur Caurus ventus plūrēs

per diēs mīrum frīgus incutit, sed semper citrā gelū. Nec

calōrēs conqueror. Lūsitānum vel Anglum hominem equidem crēdō,

sī neque tēmētum imbibat et carne parcissimē vēscātur, (id ipsum

apud Maurōs didicī,) tōtum per annum posse labōrāre salūbriter,

modo per maximōs fervōrēs prūdentiam adhibeat. In hieme certē (

id est, dum sōl ā merīdiē stat) sī nimium exuāris vestīmentōrum

onus, ipsīs in Angliā Anglīs ad labōrem pār eris. Spīrante Caurō

post fulgura, lacernā, ac spissā quidem, carēre neutiquam potuī:

ignem aliquotiēs fovēbam, sed rārō.

107. Ego autem quōdam diē quum pluvia mātūrē dēstiterat, cymbam

ingredior rēmigōque nōn sine timōre circum illud prōmontorium

quod caeruleam terminat rūpem. Plūrimās palmās videō, quās

crēdidī ejus esse pretiōsissimī generis, quod vulgō Nux Cocus

appellātur. Multae aliae arborēs fruticēsque mihi ignōtī illīc

stābant, sed ipse lītoris acervus Portum meum referēbat. Tantum

omnia hīc ampliōra atque ūberiōra. Dē algā saepius memorāvī.

Aliud nōmen nōn succurrit; etenim nostrātibus virīs rēs ipsa

ignōta est. Hīc dēnotō, algās illās, ut plūrimum, nōn marīnās

fuisse, sed maritimās, ultrā summum aestūs terminum. Hī

rēptantēs erant fruticēs, dīversī generis; hibiscōs, acanthōs,

conjectūrā dīxerim. Sānē erant pulcherrimī, pūrīs distīnctī

foliōrum ac flōrum colōribus. 108. Dēambulō in lītore, cocōs

admīror: multum cōgitō ac vēscor spē. Subitō meminī rēmōs vel

optimōs ē cocī truncō fierī, scaphamque meam rēmīs carēre.

Secūrim mēcum habuī. Ūnam ē minimīs cocīs statim exscindō atque

obtruncō. Caput hujus in cymbam congerō, ipsam dēstinō fūne

trahendam. Sed quum volō redīre, aestūs recessus mē impedit: nam

circā prōmontorium, ubi fuerat mare, nunc saxa longius

excurrēbant, quae metuō circumīre, nē in prōfluentem aliquam

marīnam implicer. Tandem super saxīs ingrediēns, flexuōsum

reperiō iter aquae, in quō cymba natāre possit. Hanc trahō,

saxīs ipse īnsiliēns. Posteā truncum illum super humerīs asportō

per eandem viam; mox, cymbam ingressus, mē atque mea omnia domum

laetus reportō.

CAPUT (V.) QUĪNTUM.

109. Pluvia quotiēs caderet, intus mē abdidī, et in excolendā

domō satis habuī operis. Armāmentārium meum praesertim cum

exultātiōne cordis aspiciēbam. Arma igniāria cūncta, rīte

ēmundāta, perfricāta oleō, hāmīs ad mūrōs suspendī. Mēnsam

fabrīlem suō in locō cōnstituī; jūxtā hanc, repositōrium

fabrīle: in angulō, ferrāmenta agrestia. Quotīdiē suum quidque

in locum sevērissimē repōnō, experientiā doctus sīc facillimē

quidque invenīrī, ubi festīnātō opus est. 110. Porrō in penāriā

ac culīnā multa ōrdināvī. Scālās quās ad cubiculum intrandum

adhibēbam, compāgī cuidam ligneae per hāmōs ānulōsque sīc

annexuī, ut, super hīs astāns, carnem suprā ⸤procul fēlibus

suspēnsam⸥ possem attingere; possem quoque disjungere scālās,

quotiēs vellem. Quandō mēmet objūrgō propter nimiam carnis

cupīdinem, respondeō, mē ipsīs fēlibus cōnsulere, nē suum ipsae

cibātum dēperdant. In penāriam cellam dōlia item atque arcās

plūrēs collocāvī: aliās quidem in frūctuāriō meō. Cēterum prō

culīnā sūmpseram ejusmodī cavernam, cujus in angulō erat quasi

focus nātūrālis. Rīmam quandam vīdī, per quam fūmus exīre

poterat: hanc ferreō vecte ampliō. Porrō forāmen majus effodiō

suprā, nē fūmus per culīnam vagārētur. Exībat autem in alteram

minōrem cavernam, quam prō fūmāriō dēstinābam. Hīc carnem

suspendō, sīquam indūrātam velim. Tum fūmus, hōc modō diffūsus,

minus erat mē prōditūrus: nam velut nebula in rūpe poterat

vidērī. In lignāriō autem meō, quidquid lignī ex nāve

dēportāveram, et quidquid māteriem ignis habēbat, illud omne

repōnēbam. Vēla quoque hūc dēposuī, sed parum contentus locō.

111. Dē corpore cūrandō quaedam sī nārrem, ignōscet lēctor. Quae

sequuntur, plūrēs ad mēnsēs, immō annōs, pertinent. Dīxī mē sub

aquā marīnā, post tertium in īnsulā diem, vestēs immundās

lapillīs oppressisse. Posteā reputābam,—sī vel sāpōnem habērem,

operae nōn fore pretium hās nostrō mōre in splendōrem recolere.

Spurcitiem vestīmentōrum nōn ē colōre cōnsistere, ātra essent an

candida, sed ē cutis excrēmentō, quod quidem salsā maris aquā

optimē āmovērētur: manibus autem ac sāpōne fricātās, dēterī

vestēs. Quāpropter hās ipsās, sōle siccātās, iterum posteā

induēbar. Deinde etiam simpliciōrem excōgitāvī viam.—Postquam

expertus sum, vespertīna natātiō quantum reficeret corpus,

dēcernō, sub sōlis occāsum ūnōquōque vespere, ipsā in tunicā,

cum fēminālibus linteīs ac tībiālibus[H] (id est, tegumentīs

crūrum gossypīnīs) dēnatāre in portū meō. Ēgressus aquā, exuor

vestīmenta, contorqueō manibus, suspendō, alia induor. Illa

altera māne sicca inveniō. Itaque recente semper vestītū

pernoctor. Sānē per summās pluviās aegerrimē siccābantur rēs:

tālī in tempestāte madidās vestēs in culīnā suspendēbam.

112. Praetereā, cutī fricandae dō operam, neque caesariem

prōrsus negligō. Sciēbam enim, inter barbarōs, sī qua sit gēns

sānitāte, prōcēritāte, decōre corporis īnsignis, hanc praesertim

cutī cūrandae semper dedī; sīn autem mē illuviēī permīserō, in

nūllam nōn spurcitiem posse dēlābī. Equidem ē nāve meās habēbam

mappās atque mantēlia cum sūdāriīs. Mappae dētergendae corporī

nimium lēvēs erant; mox in calōribus hās adhibuī ad genās

prōtegendās, Arabum Scēnītārum mōre. Mantēlia, ut quae villōsa

maximē, dum dūrābant, prae cēterīs approbābam.—In capillōrum

supellectile nihil egomet habueram, praeter ūnum pectinem atque

ūnam scōpulam sētōsam: sed totidem, quae magistrī nāvis erant,

āvēxī, plūrēsque nautārum pectinēs. Nautīs scōpulae nūllae

erant. Scōpulās equidem magnī aestimābam; nam diffīsus sum posse

reparārī. Barbae, ipsā in nāve, semper prōmittēbantur; nec in

meā īnsulā mē rādēbam, quamquam habērem novāculās; sed forfice

identidem tondēbam leviter aut capillōs aut barbam.

113. In tempestāte procellōsā, praesertim post fulgura, propter

frīgus Caurī, quotiēs dēsisterem ab opere, lacernam induēbar,

nec spernēbam ignis sōlātium. Sed tum maximē poteram labōrāre.

Nova grāmina aut rādīcēs aut viridem zēam, optimā caule

meliōrem, aut ligna reportābam; porrō utrumque trāmitem quō in

summam rūpem ēvādēbam, comparābam in melius. Quippe rubram super

rūpem spērābam fore ut trahula tandem subīret. Quōdam diē imber

superveniēns īnfulam capitis meam hūmōre saturāvit, et, tergō

profūsē madidō, caurus ventus ācerrimum mihi frīgoris sēnsum

incussit. Domum cucurrī magis quam incessī, mūtātīsque

vestīmentīs dēlīberābam. Sērica mea umbella ē nāve in prōmptū

erat; sed ubi manūs esse dēbērent līberae, hāc ūtī nōn possem.

Inter pluviās nimium sēnsī sōlis fervōrem, nec īnfulā potuī

carēre. Hīc omnia nārrābō quae excōgitāvī, quamquam plūrēs per

mēnsēs.

114. Caprārum pellēs servāveram. Sānē mollēs erant et dēlicātae.

Hārum laciniās duās commodā magnitūdine abscīdī, quae prō

cucullō forent. Jūnxī suprā, ā fronte usque ad occiput; inde per

cervīcēs dēfluere permīsī. Ipsā in dorsī spīnā duplicēs

cadēbant, contrā pluviās sōlemve umbrāculum. Caput atque adeō

īnfulam comprehendēbant artē. Quoniam fēmineae quās habēbam acūs

tenuēs nimis erant fragilēsque, idcircō sarcināriās adhibēbam

acūs cum tenuissimīs fūniculīs: hīs satis bene cōnsuēbam. Sed

depsere volō internam cutem, quod quidem artificium parum

cognōveram. Ego autem cinchōnam aquā dēcoxī lentō igne, ut aquae

remanēret quam minimum, quam maxima autem foret ejus potentia.

Mox īnfūdī in ferreum artillātōris ferculum; superpōnō pellem,

ut interior pars imbibat cinchōnam. Post bīduum, longulō ac lēvī

lapide, quem prō magide[I] aestimābam, oleum pice imbūtum

imprimō atque īnfricō in pellem: jamque prō depstā accipiēbam.

115. Etiam summīs in calōribus vix sufficiēbat tunica,[J] nam

contrā īnsectās tībiālibus[K] erat opus. Sed dorsī quoque

tegumentō carēre nēquāquam conveniēbat; id quod probē sciunt

Lūsitānī. Atque erat mihi sagulum Lūsitānum vel optimum, nisi

quod propter nigrum calōrem radiōs sōlis imbiberet: quārē aut

albīs testīs marīnīs aut spīnīs fortasse hystriceīs vellem sānē

dorsum obtexere. Jam, quotiēs humerīs quidpiam portandum erat

saltem asperum ac grave, suffarcināmentum dēsīderābam, nē

excoriārentur ossa. Intellēxī spissā tegete esse opus, quae

humerōs, sī onus portārem, dēfenderet; porrō sōlem pluviamve

repelleret, nec imbiberet calōrem. 116. Tāle tegumentum dēmum

contexuī, postquam juncōs cannāsque īnsulae paulō melius

cognitōs habērem; neque ūllō vestīmentō superbīvī magis. Contrā

calōrēs superficiem tegetis madefaciēbam; inde frīgus

grātissimum mē recreābat. Item mappās ac lintea ⸤quantum possem⸥

reservāns, rōscidīs foliīs callidē obvolūtīs amicior caput,

ūnāque dēligō fasciā sīve taeniā. Quotiēs ex labōribus ac calōre

requiēscerem in umbrā, poteram, dētractā īnfulā, crīnēs

madefacere: tum vērō assūmēbam cingulum, nē in vīscera

admitterem frīgus. Sīc caput frīgidulum erat, corpus tepidum.

117. Scapham autem, mēnse Decembrī nōndum fīnītō, gestiō

īnstruere. Cocī truncum, quem dēportāveram, cortice exūtā,

difficulter sānē secundum longitūdinem dissecāveram serrā, et in

rēmōrum fōrmam magis magisque caedēbam. Etenim cymbae rēmī

tamquam prō exemplāre prōstābant. Ad rēmigandam quidem scapham

sex hominēs cum sex rēmīs adhibēbāmus, quattuor ad minimum. Ego,

ūnus homō, duo ingentēs rēmōs mōliēns, nihil possem contrā

flūctūs vel contrā prōfluentem maris facere: attamen restāgnante

marī ac ventō, ūnus prope dēbilis rēmex aliquantum ūsuī foret.

118. Circā Kalendās Jānuāriās serēnissimā in tempestāte mālō

vēlōque scapham īnstrūxī. Ancoram ejus cum ancorālī atque illā

arcā, item tollēnōnis ferrāmenta, jamdūdum ex arēnīs

recuperāveram. In portū saepius exercēbam tum vēla, tum rēmōs;

hōsque in melius figūrābam. Quōrsum haec, nesciēbam equidem:

enimvērō nisi perquam lēnī aurā nōn audērem exitum; sed in

scaphā vidēbar quasi novam quandam tenēre vim, necnōn ipsam

nāvigandī artem inānī amōre fovēbam. Mox operae, quam prius in

scaphā nāvāveram, diffīsus, iterum carīnam sarcīvī. Ubicumque

rīmās metuō, argillam pice oblitum firmissimē īnferciō, dōnec

omnia vidērentur tūtissima.

119. At marīnās prōfluentēs, sī quae essent requiēscente ventō,

volēbam propter scaphae salūtem cognōscere. Hās ut explōrārem,

clēmentissimō sub ventō, ulterius ⸤merīdiem versus⸥ in cymbā

prōcessī. Ecce autem, quandō duo amplius mīllia eram ā terrā,

jugum montis longē altius quam excelsus ille collis ā quō ter,

quater prōspexeram. Ab hōc monte terram opīnābar sēnsim dēsidēre

usque ad hortōs meōs. Jam videō, sī īnsulam ac maria rēctē

prōspectāre vellem, montem illum esse cōnscendendum; idque

meditor. Posteā recordor, mē ipsō ā colle eundem vīdisse montem,

sed tantam esse ejus altitūdinem tunc nōn suspicātum. 120.

Quamquam neque mītēs vellem ferās timōre meī implēre, neque

prōdigere nitrātum pulverem, dēcernō tamen exercendam esse

jaculandī artem, nē oblīvīscar, nēve ipsa arma rōbīgine

corrumpantur. Versicolōrēs quidem avēs, quālēs ferē inveniēbam,

vix mē fugiēbant; sed aquāticae quaedam volucrēs, nostrīs nōn

valdē dissimilēs, omnī āstūtiā ac metū ēvādēbant mē. Hās crēdidī

advenās esse, assuētāsque hominibus: praecipuam eārum sēdem

posteā cōnspicātus sum. Ego autem hās prō cibō et propter tēlī

exercitātiōnem occīdō. Anatēs erant, ānserēs, olōrēs, plūmīs

fōrmīsque nōn omnīnō nostrārum ad īnstar, porrō plūrium inter sē

generum. Hās, ut plūrimum, plumbulīs in ōrā tantum maritimā

petēbam, nē tēlī fragor cēterās terrēret ferās: canis autem,

sīve in terram sīve in aquam dēciderent, ācerrimē eās

reportābat. Sī prōtinus comedere nōn placēret, nec egērem quō

canem pāscerem, in fūmāriō suspendēbam. Quippe fūmus et

mātūrābat carnem et putrēdinem āvertēbat. Assae potius quam aquā

coctae mihi placēbant; sed carbōnem, Anglōrum mōre, altē

exstruere nequīvī. Suprā ignem assāre necesse erat: quārē

ālitem, membrātim concīsum, fīlīs ferreīs, tamquam verubus,

trājectum, vīvās suprā prūnās ambūrēbam.

121. Eōdem ferē tempore columbās quāsdam facillimē nancīscor.

Dum colle regredior obambulāns, ālārum strīdōrem audiō: mox

conversus volātum quasi columbārum agnōscō. Hae avēs in cavum

saxī locum sē recēpēre, quem oculīs facile notāvī, crēdidīque mē

posse illūc ascendere. Postquam cūncta conjectandō ēmēnsus sum,

virgam arboris ⸤abscissam prō signō⸥ terrae īnfīgō: tum domum

redeō meditāns. Quantum possum celerrimē columbāriam cellam,

perlevem illam quidem, compangō: hanc humerō portāns eundem

locum repetō, post bīduum. Virga illa ēminēns fit index; saxum

ascendō, plūrēsque in cavīs inveniō nīdōs, quibus ōva nōndum

inerant. Ūnum nīdum in columbāriam meam cellam trānsferō; mox

advolāvit columba, intrāvitque cellam nīdum repetēns. Id gaudeō,

et relinquō cellam. Post plūrēs diēs reversus avem nīdō

īnsidentem inveniō: quam ipsā cum cellā mōtū clēmentissimō

reportō domum; atque illa intrepida manēbat. Conjunx posteā

subsecūtus est: ambōbus, ut poteram, quotīdiē dabam cibātum.

Posteā turriculam cōnfēcī columbāriam, columnae innīxam,

sēcūritātis ergō: nec pullōs volēbam mactāre, sed in spem

ampliōris prōlis reservābam.

122. Cibī quidem satis superque mihi erant, sī modo convehere

possem. Sed quō magis rūminor, labōrem dēportandōrum frūctuum

horreō magis. Haedōs in praesaepe redūxeram, nē grāminibus

quoque congerendīs dēfatīgārer; tamen ⸤illā in convalle

dēpressā⸥ oneribus gravābar, neque trahulam poteram adhibēre,

propter novārum herbārum luxuriem. Dē tractōriīs jūmentīs paene

dēspērāvī, vidēbarque in servitūtem labōriōsissimam dēvōtus; sīn

requiem captō, prōtinus mēns fīēbat miserior.

123. Accēdēbat quod calceāmentīs dēficiēbar. Nautae super nāve

aut nūdīs pedibus aut tenuissimīs soleīs agēbant. Caligās ego et

magister nāvis habēbāmus, sed ego magnitūdine pedum superābam.

Porrō saepius ex necessitāte mare ingredientī, corium caligārum

sē contrāxerat. Ego autem post trēs labōriōsōs diēs, pedibus

aeger, nōlēbam exīre. Omnium rērum mē taedēbat. Nova lūna jam

intrāverat. Axem ego quadrātam coepī incīdere, īnscrīptiōnem

quasi sepulcrī dēsignāns. Tālis erat:

Rebilius Crūsō,

Anglōrum cīvis,

Maurōrum captīvus,

Braziliēnsis colōnus,

Hīc naufragus sōlitārius,

Hominum miserrimus,

Quīntum jam mēnsem ēnecor.

Illud iterāvī ter quaterque, hominum miserrimus. At subitō vōcem

quandam sēnsī, nōn auribus, sed corde: “Tūne omnium miserrimus?

Tū, quī summā pāce frueris, in pulcherrimā ūberrimāque īnsulā,

sānō validōque corpore! At nē tē Deus Maurīs iterum praedam

prōjiciat vel morbō feriat!” 124. Cohorruī. Tum reputābam: “Anne

hoc illud est, quod vātēs sacrī summā in sōlitūdine afflātum Deī

quaerēbant? Numne igitur mē quoque intrat ille afflātus?” Mīrē

profectō agitābar. Dein mēmet increpuī: “Ō fatue Rebilī, sānae

nōn es mentis. Imāgināriā sapientiā vērāque dēlīrātiōne

capiēris, sī dīvīnam crēdēs tē audīre vōcem.” Prōtenus velut

dēmortuus hominibus, vīvus necessāriē cōram Creātōre meō, mīrā

quādam ac novā audentiā illum compellābam, et quasi vōtum

concipiō. “Ō Suprēme! quisquis es (inquam), nimius tū es mihi:

pavēscō fānāticam dēmentiam. Sed dulcem redde hominum aspectum;

tum prūdentius tē cognōverō, plēnius venerābor.” Post haec

tranquillior fīēbam: sed perīculōsa esse sēnsī intervālla

industriae, nisi oblectātiōne aliquā sōlārer. Quārē pictam avem

psittacum, sī possim, capere ac mānsuēfacere dēcernō, sī forte

mēcum colloquātur. Dē macacō[L] cōgitāveram; sed timuī hās

bēstiās, nē malignō forent ingeniō: sānē aliōrum generum aliī

sunt mōrēs: itaque hoc cōnsilium dēposuī.

125. Mox leporēs quoque volō capere. Quippe saepius captāveram,

neque ars mea prōcesserat. Leporēs illī (seu rēctius cunīculī:

ita crēdō: sed quia carō leporem potius referēbat, idcircō ex

prīmā illā nocte leporēs semper appellāveram;) attamen

gallīnārum domesticārum mōre sē gerēbant. Quam proximē sinēbant

mē adīre, tangere nōn sinēbant; sed in cava terrae prōrumpentēs,

inde mē intuēbantur. Laqueōs īnstrūxeram plūrēs, sed frūstrā:

jam piscandō experiendum esse arbitror. Super nāve flagra

aliquot rōbusta erant, quae (nam fatendum est) ad flagellandōs

nigrītās comportābāmus, sī ratiō tulisset. Hōrum tria

offenderam, āvēxīque propter lōrōrum ūsūs. Nunc ūnīus in fīne

hāmum piscātōrium grandiōrem affīgō. 126. Virgam quoque praeparō

tamquam piscātōriam, sed breviōrem, resticulā īnstrūctam: huic

fasciculum tenerārum herbārum adnectō. Trēs sacculōs super

humerō portāns cum virgā flagrōque, leporum adeō locōs. Sinistrā

fasciculum jactāns, ad lūdum alliciō. Post paulō lepus incipit,

ut fēlium catulī, persequī fasciculī cursum ac grāmina ejus

subinde rōdere. Flagrum ego dextrā tenēns, opportūnitātem reī

gerendae opperior, subitōque prōjectō hāmō, super caudā leporem

opprimō. Cōnfestim arreptum attineō, sacculōque immersum. Tantōs

ille ciet strepitūs, ut cēterī accurrant mīrābundī; dumque

obstupēscunt, alterum verbere hāmī assequor. Animadvertō marem

esse ac fēminam; quārē satis habeō, laetusque dēvehō praedam.

Sub rūpe ubi cava loca abundābant, crēdō nōn male habitātūrōs;

posteā ad mānsuēfaciendōs operam adhibuī.

126* Dē calceāmentīs pauca sunt explicanda. Quoniam labāscēbant

omnium caligārum coria, sēnsī validiōre esse opus tegumentō

pedum: idque juncīs ac lentā quādam cortice plicātīs concinnāvī.

Ē juncīs, quōs ⸤dīversī generis plūrimōs⸥ in sōle siccāveram,

eōs dēligō quī lentī simul et relūcentēs vidērentur: nam

quidquid relūcēret, id caunārum mōre pluviās optimē rejectūrum

crēdidī. Ex hīs plicāvī marsūpium, cujus fōrma erat pedis īnstar

ā convexō ad calcem praecīsī. Dein ē corticibus, quās

mācerāveram, lōra plicāvī, lāta minus duo digitōs. Veterum

caligārum fundum vel soleam sub marsūpiō illō positum, dum pēs

meus inerat, lōrīs illīs circumligāvī, nōdāvīque super tālō.

Rudis sānē hic calceus erat, attamen aliquātenus certē pedem

prōtēxit vulneribus. Nōn absurdum erit hīc dīcere, mē ipsā in

Brazīliā contrā īnsectās saepe Persicōs gestāsse socculōs, ē

tapēte factōs. Per hōs nōn possunt culicēs mordēre, sed spīnae

sentēsque facile penetrant.

CAPUT (VI.) SEXTUM.