Robinson was now anxious to cook his food, to boil his rice and
vegetables and bake bread, but he could do nothing without cooking
vessels. He had tried to use cocoanut shells, but these were too small
and there was no way to keep them from falling over and spilling the
contents. He determined to try to make some clay vessels. He knew
where he could get a kind of clay that had the appearance of making
good ware. It was fine grained and without lumps or pebbles. He was
much perplexed to mould the clay into right shapes. He tried taking
a lump and shaping it into a vessel with his hands. He tried many times,
but each time the clay broke and he was forced to try some other way.
He recalled how he had made his basket out of strands of twisted grass
and wondered whether he could not make his pots in the same way.
He spun the clay out into a long rope and began to coil it around a
small basket forming the layers together with his hands. This was
easy, but he did not see clearly how he was going to get the basket
out from the inside of the pot. He found he could copy in this way
any form he wished, but he finally hit upon the plan of making a form
of wicker work and coiling the clay rope inside it, for he saw that
whether he succeeded or not in getting the clay free from the basket
he could use the pot, and besides if the pot would stand the fire the
basket would burn off. To dry the pots Robinson stood them in the sun
a few days. When they were dry he tried to cook some soup in one of
them. He filled it with water and put it on his stove or oven, but
how sadly had he deceived himself. In a short time the water soaked
into the clay and soon the pot had fallen to pieces.
"How foolish I am!" said Robinson to himself; "the pots have to be
fired before they can be used." He set about this at once. He found
two stones of equal size, placed them near each other and laid a third
across these. He then placed three large pots upon them and made a
hot fire under them. No sooner had the flame shot up than one of the
pots cracked in two. "I probably made the fire too hot at first," thought
Robinson.
He drew out some of the coals and wood, but afterwards gradually
increased the fire again. He could not, however, get the pots hot
enough to turn red He brought the dryest and hardest wood, but could
not succeed in getting them hot enough to turn red. At length he was
tired out and was compelled to give it up. When the pots were cool
he tried to boil water in one. It was no better than the sun dried
one. He saw that he must provide some way to get the pots much hotter
than he could in the open air He resolved to make an oven of stones
large enough to take in the wood as well as the pots. It must be above
ground so that there might be plenty of draught for the fire. With
great labor, he pried up and carried together flat stones enough to
make an oven about four feet high with a chimney at one side. He had
put in the center a stone table on which he could place three quite
large pots. He left an opening in one side that could be partially
closed by a large, flat stone.
He worked eagerly and at the end of the second day he was ready to
fire his oven. He first carried together a good quantity of dry wood,
then he put in his pots and laid the wood around them. In a short time
he had a very hot fire. He kept this up all day and until late at
night.
The next morning he went to his oven and found his pots were a
beautiful red. He drew out the fire and allowed them to cool slowly.
Then he filled one with water and set it over the fire to heat it.
Before many minutes the water was boiling and Robinson had another
reason to be thankful. He wept for joy. His patient labors had brought
their rewards. No prince could feel as happy as Robinson now. He had
overcome all difficulties. Starting with nothing but his hands, he
was now able to supply all his wants. "If I only had a companion now,"
he thought, "I would have nothing further to wish as long as I stay
on the island."
[Illustration: SOME OF ROBINSON'S DISHES]