_Robinson Finds Himself on a Desolate Island and Procures a Stock of
Articles from the Wreck--He Constructs His Habitation_
When I waked it was broad day, the weather clear, and the storm abated,
so that the sea did not rage and swell as before. But that which
surprised me most was, that the ship was lifted off in the night from
the sand where she lay, by the swelling of the tide, and was driven up
almost as far as the rock which I first mentioned, where I had been
so bruised by the dashing me against it. This being within about a
mile from the shore where I was, and the ship seeming to stand upright
still, I wished myself on board, that, at least, I might have some
necessary things for my use.
When I came down from my apartment in the tree I looked about me again
and the first thing I found was the boat, which lay as the wind and the
sea had tossed her up upon the land, about two miles on my right hand.
I walked as far as I could upon the shore to have got to her, but found
a neck or inlet of water between me and the boat, which was about half
a mile broad; so I came back for the present, being more intent upon
getting at the ship, where I hoped to find something for my present
subsistence.
A little after noon I found the sea very calm, and the tide ebbed so
far out, that I could come within a quarter of a mile of the ship; and
here I found a fresh renewing of my grief, for I saw evidently, that
if we had kept on board we had been all safe, that is to say, we had
all got safe on shore, and I had not been so miserable as to be left
entirely destitute of all comfort and company as I now was. This forced
tears from my eyes again; but as there was little relief in that, I
resolved, if possible, to get to the ship; so I pulled off my clothes,
for the weather was hot to extremity, and took the water. But when I
came to the ship my difficulty was still greater to know how to get on
board; for as she lay aground, and high out of the water, there was
nothing within my reach to lay hold of. I swam round her twice, and the
second time I spied a small piece of a rope, which I wondered I did not
see at first, hang down by the fore-chains so low, as that with great
difficulty I got hold of it, and by the help of that rope got up into
the forecastle of the ship. Here I found that the ship was bulged, and
had a great deal of water in her hold, but that she lay so on the side
of a bank of hard sand, or rather earth, that her stern lay lifted up
upon the bank, and her head low almost to the water. By this means all
her quarter was free, and all that was in that part was dry; for you
may be sure my first work was to search and to see what was spoiled and
what was free. And first I found that all the ship’s provisions were
dry and untouched by the water; and being very well disposed to eat, I
went to the bread-room and filled my pockets with biscuit, and ate it
as I went about other things, for I had no time to lose. I also found
some rum in the great cabin, of which I took a large dram, and which I
had indeed need enough of, to spirit me for what was before me. Now I
wanted nothing but a boat, to furnish myself with many things which I
foresaw would be very necessary to me.
It was in vain to sit still and wish for what was not to be had, and
this extremity roused my application. We had several spare yards, and
two or three large spars of wood, and a spare top-mast or two in the
ship. I resolved to fall to work with these, and flung as many of them
overboard as I could manage for their weight, tying every one with a
rope, that they might not drive away. When this was done I went down
the ship’s side, and pulling them to me, I tied four of them fast
together at both ends as well as I could, in the form of a raft; and
laying two or three shore pieces of plank upon them crossways, I found
I could walk upon it very well, but that it was not able to bear any
great weight, the pieces being too light. So I went to work, and with
the carpenter’s saw I cut a spare top-mast into three lengths, and
added them to my raft, with a great deal of labor and pains; but hope
of furnishing myself with the necessaries encouraged me to go beyond
what I should have been able to have done upon another occasion.
My raft was now strong enough to bear any reasonable weight. My next
care was what to load it with, and how to preserve what I laid upon it
from the surf of the sea; but I was not long considering this. I first
laid all the planks or boards upon it that I could get, and having
considered well what I most wanted, I first got three of the seamen’s
chests which I had broken open and emptied, and lowered them down upon
my raft. The first of these I filled with provisions, viz., bread,
rice, three Dutch cheeses, five pieces of dried goat’s flesh, which
we lived much upon, and a little remainder of European corn which had
been laid by for some fowls which we brought to sea with us, but the
fowls were killed. There had been some barley and wheat together, but,
to my great disappointment, I found afterwards that the rats had eaten
or spoiled it all. As for liquors I found several cases of bottles
belonging to our skipper in which were some cordial waters, and, in
all, about five or six gallons of rack. These I stowed by themselves,
there being no need to put them into the chest, nor no room for them.
While I was doing this, I found the tide began to flow, though very
calm, and I had the mortification to see my coat, shirt, and waistcoat,
which I had left on shore upon the sand, swim away; as for my breeches,
which were only linen, and open-kneed, I swam on board in them and my
stockings. However, this put me upon rummaging for clothes, of which
I found enough, but took no more than I wanted for present use; for I
had other things which my eye was more upon, as first tools to work
with on shore; and it was after long searching that I found out the
carpenter’s desk, which was indeed a very useful prize to me, and much
more valuable than a ship-loading of gold would have been at that time.
I got it down to my raft, even whole as it was, without losing time to
look into it, for I knew in general what it contained.
My next care was for some ammunition and arms; there were two very good
fowling-pieces in the great cabin, and two pistols; these I secured
first, with some powder-horns, and a small bag of shot, and two old
rusty swords. I knew there were three barrels of powder in the ship,
but knew not where our gunner had stowed them; but with much search I
found them, two of them dry and good, the third had taken water; those
two I got to my raft with the arms. And now I thought myself pretty
well freighted, and began to think how I should get to shore with them,
having neither sail, oar, nor rudder; and the least capful of wind
would have overset all my navigation.
I had three encouragements. 1. A smooth, calm sea. 2. The tide rising
and setting in to the shore. 3. What little wind there was blew me
towards the land. And thus, having found two or three broken oars
belonging to the boat, and besides the tools which were in the chest, I
found two saws, an axe, and a hammer, and with this cargo I put to sea.
For a mile or thereabouts my raft went very well, only that I found
it drive a little distant from the place where I had landed before,
by which I perceived that there was some indraft of the water, and
consequently I hoped to find some creek or river there, which I might
make use of as a port to get to land with my cargo.
As I imagined, so it was; there appeared before me a little opening of
the land, and I found a strong current of the tide set into it, so I
guided my raft as well as I could to keep in the middle of the stream.
But here I had like to have suffered a second shipwreck, which, if I
had, I think verily would have broke my heart; for knowing nothing of
the coast my raft ran aground at one end of it upon a shoal, and not
being aground at the other end, it wanted but a little that all my
cargo had slipped off towards that end that was afloat, and so fallen
into the water. I did my utmost by setting my back against the chests
to keep them in their places, but could not thrust off the raft with
all my strength, neither durst I stir from the posture I was in, but
holding up the chests with all my might, stood in that manner near half
an hour, in which time the rising of the water brought me a little
more upon a level; and a little after, the water still rising, my
raft floated again, and I thrust her off with the oar I had into the
channel, and then driving up higher, I at length found myself in the
mouth of a little river, with land on both sides, and a strong current
or tide running up. I looked on both sides for a proper place to get to
shore, for I was not willing to be driven too high up the river, hoping
in time to see some ship at sea, and therefore resolved to place myself
as near the coast as I could.
At length I spied a little cove on the right shore of the creek, to
which, with great pain and difficulty, I guided my raft, and at last
got so near, as that, reaching ground with my oar, I could thrust her
directly in; but here I had like to have dipped all my cargo in the
sea again; for that shore lying pretty steep, that is to say, sloping,
there was no place to land but where one end of my float, if it run on
shore, would lie so high and the other sink lower, as before, that it
would endanger my cargo again. All that I could do was to wait till the
tide was at the highest, keeping the raft with my oar like an anchor
to hold the side of it fast to the shore, near a flat piece of ground,
which I expected the water would flow over; and so it did. As soon as I
found water enough, for my raft drew about a foot of water, I thrust
her on upon that flat piece of ground, and there fastened or moored her
by sticking my two broken oars into the ground; one on one side near
one end, and one on the other side near the other end; and thus I lay
till the water ebbed away, and left my raft and all my cargo safe on
shore.
My next work was to view the country and seek a proper place for my
habitation, and where to stow my goods to secure them from whatever
might happen. Where I was, I yet knew not; whether on the continent, or
on an island; whether inhabited, or not inhabited; whether in danger
of wild beasts, or not. There was a hill, not above a mile from me,
which rose up very steep and high, and which seemed to overtop some
other hills, which lay as in a ridge from it, northward. I took out one
of the fowling-pieces and one of the pistols, and a horn of powder;
and thus armed, I travelled for discovery up to the top of that hill,
where, after I had with great labor and difficulty got to the top,
I saw my fate to my great affliction, viz., that I was on an island
environed every way with the sea, no land to be seen, except some rocks
which lay a great way off, and two small islands less than this, which
lay about three leagues to the west.
I found also that the island I was on was barren, and, as I saw good
reason to believe, uninhabited, except by wild beasts, of whom,
however, I saw none; yet I saw abundance of fowls, but knew not their
kinds; neither, when I killed them, could I tell what was fit for food,
and what not. At my coming back, I shot at a great bird which I saw
sitting upon a tree on the side of a great wood. I believe it was the
first gun that had been fired there since the creation of the world. I
had no sooner fired, but from all the parts of the wood there arose an
innumerable number of fowls of many sorts, making a confused screaming,
and crying every one according to his usual note; but not one of them
of any kind that I knew. As for the creature I killed, I took it to be
a kind of a hawk, its color and beak resembling it, but had no talons
or claws more than common; its flesh was carrion, and fit for nothing.
Contented with this discovery, I came back to my raft, and fell to work
to bring my cargo on shore, which took me the rest of that day; and
what to do with myself at night, I knew not, nor indeed where to rest;
for I was afraid to lie down on the ground, not knowing but some wild
beast might devour me, though, as I afterwards found, there was really
no need for those fears. However, as well as I could, I barricaded
myself round with the chests and boards that I had brought on shore,
and made a kind of a hut for that night’s lodging; as for food, I yet
saw not which way to supply myself, except that I had seen two or three
creatures like hares run out of the woods where I shot the fowl.
I now began to consider, that I might yet get a great many things out
of the ship, which would be useful to me, and particularly some of the
rigging and sails, and such other things as might come to land; and I
resolved to make another voyage on board the vessel, if possible. And
as I knew that the first storm that blew must necessarily break her
all in pieces, I resolved to set all other things apart till I got
everything out of the ship that I could get. Then I called a council,
that is to say, in my thoughts, whether I should take back the raft,
but this appeared impracticable; so I resolved to go as before, when
the tide was down; and I did so, only that I stripped before I went
from my hut, having nothing on but a checkered shirt and a pair of
linen drawers, and a pair of pumps on my feet.
I got on board the ship as before, and prepared a second raft, and
having had experience of the first, I neither made this so unwieldy,
nor loaded it so hard; but yet I brought away several things very
useful to me; as, first, in the carpenter’s store I found two or three
bags full of nails and spikes, a great screw-jack, a dozen or two of
hatchets, and above all that most useful thing called a grindstone.
All these I secured, together with several things belonging to the
gunner, particularly two or three iron crows, and two barrels of musket
bullets, seven muskets, and another fowling-piece, with some small
quantity of powder more; a large bag full of small-shot, and a great
roll of sheet lead; but this last was so heavy, I could not hoist it up
to get it over the ship’s side. Besides these things, I took all the
men’s clothes that I could find, and a spare fore-top sail, a hammock,
and some bedding, and with this I loaded my second raft, and brought
them all safe on shore, to my very great comfort.
I was under some apprehensions during my absence from the land, that
at least my provisions might be devoured on shore; but when I came
back, I found no sign of any visitor, only there sat a creature like
a wild cat upon one of the chests, which, when I came towards it, ran
away a little distance, and then stood still. She sat very composed
and unconcerned, and looked full in my face, as if she had a mind to
be acquainted with me. I presented my gun at her; but as she did not
understand it, she was perfectly unconcerned at it, nor did she offer
to stir away; upon which I tossed her a bit of biscuit, though, by the
way, I was not very free of it, for my store was not great. However, I
spared her a bit, I say, and she went to it, smelled of it, and ate it
and looked (as pleased) for more; but I thanked her and could spare no
more, so she marched off.
Having got my second cargo on shore, though I was fain to open the
barrels of powder and bring them by parcels, for they were too heavy,
being large casks, I went to work to make me a little tent with the
sail and some poles which I cut for that purpose; and into this tent I
brought everything that I knew would spoil either with rain or sun; and
I piled all the empty chests and casks up in a circle round the tent,
to fortify it from any sudden attempt, either from man or beast.
When I had done this I blocked up the door of the tent with some boards
within, and an empty chest set up on end without; and spreading one of
the beds upon the ground, laying my two pistols just at my head, and my
gun at length by me, I went to bed for the first time, and slept very
quietly all night, for I was very weary and heavy; for the night before
I had slept little, and had labored very hard all day, as well to fetch
all those things from the ship, as to get them on shore.
I had the biggest magazine of all kinds now that ever was laid up, I
believe, for one man; but I was not satisfied still, for while the ship
sat upright in that posture, I thought I ought to get everything out
of her that I could. So every day at low water I went on board, and
brought away something or other; but, particularly, the third time I
went I brought away as much of the rigging as I could, as also all the
small ropes and rope-twine I could get, with a piece of spare canvas,
which was to mend the sails upon occasion, the barrel of wet gunpowder;
in a word, I brought away all the sails first and last, only that I was
fain to cut them in pieces, and bring as much at a time as I could; for
they were no more useful to be sails, but as mere canvas only.
But that which comforted me more still was, that at last of all, after
I had made five or six such voyages as these, and thought I had nothing
more to expect from the ship that was worth my meddling with; I say,
after all this, I found a great hogshead of bread, and three large
runlets of rum or spirits and a box of sugar, and a barrel of fine
flour; this was surprising to me, because I had given over expecting
any more provisions, except what was spoilt by the water. I soon
emptied the hogshead of that bread, and wrapped it up parcel by parcel
in pieces of the sails, which I cut out; and, in a word, I got all this
safe on shore also.
The next day I made another voyage. And now, having plundered the ship
of what was portable and fit to hand out, I began with the cables;
and cutting the great cable into pieces, such as I could move, I got
two cables and a hawser on shore, with all the iron-work I could get;
and having cut down the sprit-sail-yard, and the mizzen-yard, and
everything I could to make a large raft, I loaded it with all those
heavy goods, and came away. But my good luck began now to leave me;
for this raft was so unwieldy, and so overladen, that after I was
entered the little cove where I had landed the rest of my goods, not
being able to guide it so handily as I did the other, it overset,
and threw me and all my cargo into the water. As for myself, it was
no great harm, for I was near the shore; but as to my cargo, it was
great part of it lost, especially the iron, which I expected would
have been of great use to me. However, when the tide was out I got
most of the pieces of cable ashore, and some of the iron, though with
infinite labor; for I was fain to dip for it into the water, a work
which fatigued me very much. After this I went every day on board, and
brought away what I could get.
I had been now thirteen days on shore, and had been eleven times on
board the ship; in which time I had brought away all that one pair
of hands could well be supposed capable to bring, though I believe
verily, had the calm weather held, I should have brought away the whole
ship piece by piece. But preparing the twelfth time to go on board, I
found the wind begin to rise. However, at low water I went on board,
and though I thought I had rummaged the cabin so effectually as that
nothing more could be found, yet I discovered a locker with drawers
in it, in one of which I found two or three razors, and one pair of
large scissors, with some ten or a dozen of good knives and forks; in
another, I found about thirty-six pounds value in money, some European
coin, some Brazil, some pieces of eight, some gold, some silver.
I smiled to myself at the sight of this money. “O drug!” said I aloud,
“what art thou good for? Thou art not worth to me, no, not the taking
off of the ground; one of those knives is worth all this heap. I have
no manner of use for thee; even remain where thou art, and go to the
bottom as a creature whose life is not worth saving.” However, upon
second thoughts, I took it away; and wrapping all this in a piece
of canvas, I began to think of making another raft; but while I was
preparing this, I found the sky overcast, and the wind began to rise,
and in a quarter of an hour it blew a fresh gale from the shore. It
presently occurred to me that it was in vain to pretend to make a raft
with the wind off shore, and that it was my business to be gone before
the tide of flood began, otherwise I might not be able to reach the
shore at all. Accordingly I let myself down into the water, and swam
across the channel, which lay between the ship and the sands, and even
that with difficulty enough, partly with the weight of the things I had
about me, and partly the roughness of the water; for the wind rose very
hastily, and before it was quite high water it blew a storm.
But I was gotten home to my little tent, where I lay with all my wealth
about me very secure. It blew very hard all that night, and in the
morning, when I looked out, behold, no more ship was to be seen. I
was a little surprised, but recovered myself with this satisfactory
reflection, viz., that I had lost no time, nor abated no diligence, to
get everything out of her that could be useful to me, and that indeed
there was little left in her that I was able to bring away if I had had
more time.
I now gave over any more thoughts of the ship, or of anything out of
her, except what might drive on shore from her wreck, as indeed divers
pieces of her afterwards did; but those things were of small use to me.
My thoughts were now wholly employed about securing myself against
either savages, if any should appear, or wild beasts, if any were in
the island; and I had many thoughts of the method how to do this, and
what kind of dwelling to make, whether I should make me a cave in the
earth, or a tent upon the earth; and, in short, I resolved upon both,
the manner and description of which it may not be improper to give an
account of.
I soon found the place I was in was not for my settlement, particularly
because it was upon a low moorish ground near the sea, and I believed
would not be wholesome; and more particularly because there was no
fresh water near it. So I resolved to find a more healthy and more
convenient spot of ground.
I consulted several things in my situation, which I found would be
proper for me. First, health and fresh water, I just now mentioned.
Secondly, shelter from the heat of the sun. Thirdly, security from
ravenous creatures, whether men or beasts. Fourthly, a view to the sea,
that if God sent any ship in sight I might not lose any advantage for
my deliverance, of which I was not willing to banish all my expectation
yet.
In search of a place proper for this, I found a little plain on the
side of a rising hill, whose front towards this little plain was steep
as a house-side, so that nothing could come down upon me from the top;
on the side of this rock there was a hollow place, worn a little way
in, like the entrance or door of a cave; but there was not really any
cave, or way into the rock at all.
On the flat of the green, just before this hollow place, I resolved to
pitch my tent. This plain was not above an hundred yards broad, and
about twice as long, and lay like a green before my door, and at the
end of it descended irregularly every way down into the low grounds
by the seaside. It was on the N.N.W. side of the hill, so that I was
sheltered from the heat every day, till it came to a W. and by S. sun,
or thereabouts, which in those countries is near the setting.
Before I set up my tent, I drew a half circle before the hollow place,
which took in about ten yards in its semi-diameter from the rock, and
twenty yards in its diameter from its beginning and ending. In this
half-circle I pitched two rows of strong stakes, driving them into the
ground till they stood very firm like piles, the biggest end being out
of the ground about five feet and a half, and sharpened on the top. The
two rows did not stand above six inches from one another.
Then I took the pieces of cable which I had cut in the ship, and laid
them in rows one upon another, within the circle, between these two
rows of stakes, up to the top, placing other stakes in the inside
leaning against them, about two feet and a half high, like a spur to a
post; and this fence was so strong, that neither man nor beast could
get into it, or over it. This cost me a great deal of time and labor,
especially to cut the piles in the woods, bring them to the place, and
drive them into the earth.
The entrance into this place I made to be not by a door, but by a short
ladder, to go over the top; which ladder, when I was in, I lifted
over after me, and so I was completely fenced in, and fortified, as
I thought, from all the world, and consequently slept secure in the
night, which otherwise I could not have done; though, as it appeared
afterwards, there was no need of all this caution from the enemies that
I apprehended danger from.