Ever since Robinson had finished his boat he had been eager to make
a tour of his island. He had indeed made a journey by land. But the
deep forests and tangled vines made it very difficult to travel. His
journeys had shown him but a small part of the land. He wished to know
all about the land of which he, so far as he knew, was the sole
master.
His first care was to fit up his boat with provisions. He made some
large baskets in which to carry food and a large covered jar for
water. These he stored in the bow and the stern of his boat. He
fastened his parasol on the stern for a shelter from the sun. He baked
up a quantity of cakes or loaves of bread and packed them in his
baskets. He had woven these so carefully that they would almost hold
water.
At last all was ready. It was on the sixth day of November in the
sixth year of his life on the island that Robinson hoisted his sail
and set out upon this voyage of discovery. He had waited until the
wind was gentle and blowing as far easterly as it does at that place.
He scudded along bravely, running with the land toward the East and
North. All went well until he came to a low reef or ledge of rocks
running far out to sea in a north-easterly direction.
[Illustration]
When Robinson observed this he went on shore and climbed to a high
point to see if it was safe to venture. He was afraid of hidden
currents, or streams of water. These might carry him away from the
shore and prevent him from getting around the point.
He did indeed observe that there was a current running out to sea past
the ledge, but he thought he could by careful paddling keep his boat
from striking the rock. If he could once get beyond the ledge, the
wind would help him double or get around the point. Indeed the danger
was that the wind would blow him on to the rocks.
He waited for two days for a gentle wind. At last without sail he
pushed his boat into the current and was born swiftly seaward. He
found the current much stronger than he thought it would be. It rushed
his frail boat on past the point of the rocks and out into the sea.
Try as best he might he could not change its course. He was steadily
going out to sea. He gave himself up for lost. He reproached himself
for being so rash and foolhardy as to trust his fortunes in so frail
a craft. How dear at this time seemed the island to him! The wind which
he had depended on to help him at this point had died down so that
it was at the mercy of the current. He kept urging his boat to the
westward as much as possible, with all his strength, hoping that a
breeze would finally spring up.
He struggled on bravely until about noon. He had been carried out a
great distance into the sea, but not so far as to lose sight of the
land. All at once he felt the breeze freshening up. It caught his sail
and soon his boat was cutting across the current. He did not have to
go far before he was free from it and making headway for the island,
which he reached about four o'clock in the afternoon.
He found himself on the northern shore of the island, but before long
the shore ran away to the southward again. He ran briskly along the
west side until he found a little bay or cove. He determined to enter
this, draw up his boat on shore and make his way back home across the
island on foot. He was almost exhausted with his great labor and was
worn out with anxiety.
In the centre of the arms of the cove he found a little creek entering
the sea. He paddled into this and found a good place to hide his boat.
As soon as Robinson was again on land he fell on his knees and with
tears in his eyes thanked God for his deliverance. The island which
had seemed to him a prison now seemed the fairest and dearest place
in the world.
Having made his boat safe he started back toward his shelter. But he
was too tired to go far. He soon came to a little grove of trees
beneath which he laid himself down and soon was fast asleep.
You can imagine with what surprise Robinson was awakened out of his
sleep by a voice calling his name. "Robinson, Robinson Crusoe," it
said, "poor Robinson Crusoe! Where are you Robinson, where have you
been?"
[Illustration]
He was so fast asleep that he did not at first rouse up entirely and
thought he was dreaming. But the voice kept calling, "Robinson,
Robinson, poor Robinson Crusoe!" He was greatly frightened and started
up. But no sooner were his eyes opened than he saw his parrot sitting
on a branch of a tree. He knew at once the source of the voice.
Polly had missed her master and was also exploring the island. It was
a pleasant surprise. She immediately flew to him and lit on his
shoulder. She showed in many ways how glad she was to see him and kept
saying, "Poor Robinson, poor Robinson Crusoe!"
Robinson remained here over night and the next morning made his way
back to the shelter. Up to this time Robinson had never seen any
dangerous animals on the island. He had grown used to life there and
went about without fear of animals. But as he was returning across
a little opening, he saw a clump of palms in the centre of the opening,
swaying about. He did not at first see what caused this, but soon
there was thrust out the head of a great serpent. Its jaws were open
and its eyes were fixed on a poor terrified little rabbit. The rabbit
seemed rooted to the spot. It could not stir a muscle and was soon
caught in the folds of the great snake.
This sight made Robinson greatly afraid. He wanted to rush to the
rescue of the rabbit, but what could he do against such a foe? He
resolved in the future to keep a more careful watch and always to
sleep in his bower.
Robinson had enough of exploring for some time. He was contented to
remain at home. He made many things he needed. He had saved all the
skins of the goats he had killed for meat and all that had died from
any cause. These he made into rugs for his bed. He kept at his loom
too, for he was anxious to weave enough of his coarse cloth to make
him a suit of clothes. He learned how to braid mats and rugs out of
his fibre, and finally replaced his awkward hat and parasol with
others braided very skillfully from the long grasses that grew so
abundantly in the marshy places.
Another thing that Robinson was now able to make or weave out of his
fibre was a hammock. He had slept all this time on a bed made of poles
laid lengthwise and thickly covered with the skins of goats and
rabbits.
Now he could have a comfortable place to sleep. He did not stop until
he had made two. One was for the bower and the other was for use
out-of-doors. When his work was done in the evening or in the heat
of the midday he would lie in it at full length under the shade of
the trees.