from. Some comfort would it be to resound my woes where I am understood, and beg assistance where I might hope for relief.

thee? already has he afforded thee sustenance, and put it in thy power to provide for thyself, till he sends thee d liverance.

And now, easing my mind a little by these reflections, I began to render my life as easy as possible

must here add to the description I have given of my habitation, that having raised a turf wall against the outside of it, I thatched it so close as might keep it from the iuclemency of the weather; I also improved it within, enlarged my cave, and made a passage and a door in the rock, which came out beyond the pale of my fortification. I next proceeded to make a chair and table, and so began to study such mechanical arts as seemed to me practicable. When I wanted a plank or a board, I hewed down a tree with my hatchet, making it as thin with my axe as possible, and then smooth enough with an adze, to answer my deg signs; yet thongh I could make no more this way than one board out of a tree, in length of time I got boards enough to shelter all my stores, every thing being regularly placed, and my guns securely hanging against the side of a rock. This made it a very pleasant sight to me, being the result of vast labour and great diligence; which leaving for a while, and me to the enjoyment of it, I shall give the reader an

account of some parts of my journal from the day of my landing, till the settling of my ha bitation, as heretofore shown.

JOURNAL.

SEPTEMBER. 30th, 1659, I, Robinson. Crusoe, having suffered shipwreck, was driven on this desolate island, which I named the Desolate Island of Despair, the rest of my companions being swallowed up in the tempestuous ocean. That day I spent in consideration of my unhappy circumstances, having no prospect but of death, either to be starved with hunger, or devoured by wild boasts or merciless savages.

Oct. 1. That morning, with great comfort, I beheld the ship driven ashore. Some hopes I had, that when the storm was abated, I might be able to get some food and necessaries out of her; which I conceived were not damaged, because the ship remained upright. At this. time, I lamented the loss of my companions, and our misfortune in leaving the vessel. When I perceived the ship, as it were, to lie dry, I waded through the sands, as far as I could find depth, then swam aboard, the weather being very rainy, and with scarcely any wind.

Oct. 5, My raft, and all the goods thereon were overset; yet I recovered most again at low water.

To the 14th of this month, my time was employed in making voyages every tide, gettin

what I could out of the ship. The weather very wet and uncertain.

Oct. 15. It blew hard, and rained night and day, when the ship went to pieces, so that nothing was seen of her but the wreck at low. water. This day I secured my goods from the inclemency of the weather.

Oct. 16. I wandered to see where I could find a place convenient for my abode: I fixed upon a rock in the evening, marked out a half moon, intending to erect a wall fortified with piles, lined within with pieces of cables, and covered with turf.

Nov. 3. I shot two wild-fowl, resembling ducks, which were good to eat, and in the afternoon began to make me a table.

Nov. 4. I began to live regularly. In the morning, I allowed myself two or three hours to walk out with my gun; I then worked till near eleven o'clock; and afterwards refreshed myself with what I had to eat. From twelve to two, I would lie down to sleep. Extreme sultry weather. In the evening go to work again.

Nov. 5. Went out with my gun and dog, shot a wild cat with a soft skin, but her flesh was good for nothing. The skins of those killed I preserved. In my return I perceived many wild birds, and was terrified by some seals which made off to sea.

Nov. 6. Completed my table.

Nov. 7. Fair weather.

I worked to the

12th, but omitted the 11th, which according

to any calculation, I supposed to be Sunday.

Nov. 17. I began to dig in the rock, yet was obliged to desist for want of a pick-axe, shovel and wheel-barrow. Iron crows I used to supply the place of the first, but with all my art 1 could not make a wheel-barrow,

Nov. 19. It was a great happiness to me to find a tree resembling what the Brazilians call an Iron tree. I had like to spoil my axe with cutting it, it being very hard, and exceedingly heavy; yet with much labour and industry I made a sort of spade out of it.

Nov. 23. These tools being made, I daily. carried on my business; eighteen days I allowed for enlarging my cave, that it might serve me, not only for a warehouse, but kitchen, parlour, and cellar. I commonly lay in the tent, unless the weather was so rainy that I could not lie dry. So wet would it be at certain seasons, that I was obliged to cover all within the pale, with long poles, in the form of rafters, leaning against the rock, and load them with flags and large leaves of trees resembling a thatch.

Dec. 10. No sooner did I think my habitation finished, but suddenly a great deal of the top broke in, so that it was a mercy I was not buried in the ruins. This occasioned a great deal of pains and trouble to me, before I could make it firm and durable.

Dec. 17. I nailed up some shelves, and drove nails and staples in the wall and pasts, to hang every thing out of the way.

Dec. 20. I got every thing into its place, then made a sort of dresser, and another table.

Dec, 27. I chanced to light upon some goats, shot one, wounded another; I led it home in a string, bound up its leg, and cured it in a little time; at length, it became so tame and familiar as to feed before the door, and follow me where I pleased. This put me in mind to bring up tame creatures, in order to supply me with food after my ammunition was spent.

Dec. 28, 29, 30. The weather being exces-. sively hot, with little air, obliged me for the most part, to keep within doors.

Jan, 3. to 14. My employment this time was to finish the wall before described, and search the island. I discovered a kind of pigeons, like our house pigeons, in a nest among the rocks. I brought them home, pursed them till they could fly, and then they left me. After this, I shot some, which proved excellent food. Some time I spent vainly contriving to make a cask, I may well say it was in vain, because I could neither joint the staves, nor fix the heads, so as to make it tight; so leaving that, I took some goat's tallow had by me, and a little oakum for the wick, and provided myself with a lamp, which served instead of candles.

But now a very strange event happened. For being in the height of my search, what should come into my hand, but a bag which was used to hold corn (as I supposed) for the fow's; so, immediately resolving to put gunpowder into it. I shook all the husks and dirt upon one side of a rock, little expecting what the consequence.