Agricultural Labors and Success
Chapter XIII His manufacture of Pottery, and
Contrivances for Baking Bread
Chapter XIV Meditates His Escape from
the Island—Builds a Canoe—Failure of His
Scheme and Resignation to His
Conditions—He Makes Himself a New
Dress
Chapter XV He Makes a Smaller Canoe in
Which He Attempts to Cruise Round the
Island—His Perilous Situation at Sea—He
Returns Home
Chapter XVI He Rears a Flock of Goats—His
Diary—His Domestic Habits and Style of
Living—Increasing Prosperity
Chapter XVII Unexpected Alarm—Cause for
Apprehension—He Fortifies His Abode
Chapter XVIII Precautions Against
Surprise—Robinson Discovers that His
Island Has Been Visited by Cannibals
Chapter XIX Robinson Discovers a Cave,
Which Serves Him as a Retreat Against the
Savages
Chapter XX Another Visit of the
Savages—Robinson Sees Them
Dancing—He Perceives the Wreck of a
Vessel
Chapter XXI
Chapter XXII Robinson Rescues One of
Their Captives from the Savages, Whom He
Names Friday, and makes His Servant
Chapter XXIII Robinson Instructs and
Civilizes His Man Friday and Endeavors to
Give Him an Idea of Christianity
Chapter XXIV Robinson and Friday Build a

-1-

Being the third Son of the Family, and not
bred to any Trade, my Head began to be
fill'd very early with rambling Thoughts: My
Father, who was very ancient, had given me
competent Share of Learning, as far as
House-Education, and a Country Free-
School generally goes, and design'd for the
Law; but I would be satisfied with nothing
but go to Sea, and my inclination to this led
me so strongly against the Will, nay the
Commands of my Father, and against all
the Entreaties and Perswasions of my
Mother and other Friends, that there
seem'd to be something fatal in Propension
of Nature tending directly to the Life of
Misery which was to befal me.

My Father, a wise and grave Man, gave me
serious excellent Counsel against what he
foresaw was my Design. He call'd me one
Morning into his Chamber, where he
confined by the Gout, and expostulated very
warmly me upon this Subject: He ask'd me
what Reasons more a meer wandring
inclination I had for leaving my Father House
and my native Country, where I might be
well introduced, and had a Prospect of
raising my Fortunes Application and
Industry, with a Life of Ease and Pleasure
He told me it was for Men of desperate
Fortunes on one Hand, or of aspiring,
Superior Fortunes on the other, who went
abroad upon Adventures, to rise by
Enterprize, and make themselves famous
in Undertakings of a Nature out of the
common Road; that these things were all
either too far above me, or too far below
me; that mine was the middle State, or what
might be called the upper Station of Low
Life, which he had found by long
Experience was the best State in the World,
the most suited to human Happiness, not
exposed to the Miseries and Hardships, the
Labour and Sufferings of the mechanick
Part of Mankind, and not embarass'd with
the Pride, Luxury, Ambition and Envy of the

-2-

gently thro' the World, and sensibly tasting
the Sweets of living, without the bitter,
feeling that they are happy, and learning by
every Day's Experience to know it more
sensibly.

After this, he press'd me earnestly, and in
the most affectionate manner, not to play
the young Man, not to precipitate my self
into Miseries which Nature and the Station
of Life I was born in, seem'd to have
provided against; that I was under no
Necessity of seeking my Bread; that he
would do well for me, and endeavour to
enter me fairly into the Station of Life which
he had been just recommending to me; and
that if I was not very easy and happy in the
World, it must be my meer, Fate or Fault that
must hinder it, and that he should have
nothing to answer for, having thus
discharg'd his Duty in warning me against
Measures which he knew would be to my
Hurt: In a word, that as he would do very kind
things for me if I would stay and settle at
Home as he directed, so he would not have
so much Hand in my Misfortunes, as to give
me any Encouragement to go away: And to
close all, he told me I had my elder Brother
for an Example, to whom he had used the
same earnest Perswasions to keep him
from going into the Low Country Wars, but
could not prevail, his young Desires
prompting him to run into the Army where he
was kill'd; and tho' he said he would not
cease to pray for me, yet he would venture
to say to me, that if I did take this foolish
Step, God would not bless me, and I would
have Leisure hereafter to reflect upon
having neglected his Counsel when there
might be none to assist in my Recovery.

I observed in this last Part of his Discourse,
which was truly Prophetick, tho' I suppose
my Father did not know it to be so himself; I
say, I observed the Tears run down his Face
very plentifully, and especially when he

-3-

Expressions as she knew my Father had
us'd to me; and that in short, if I would ruine
my self there was no Help for me; but I might
depend I should never have their Consent to
it: That for her Part she would not have so
much Hand in my Destruction; and I should
never have it to say, that my Mother was
willing when my Father was not.

Tho' my Mother refused to move it to my
Father, yet as I have heard afterwards, she
reported all the Discourse to him., and that
my Father, after shewing a great Concern
at it, said to her with a Sigh, That Boy might
be happy if he would stay at home, but if he
goes abroad he will be the miserablest
Wretch that was ever born: I can give no
Consent to it.

It was not till almost a Year after this that I
broke loose, tho' in the mean time I
continued obstinately deaf to all Proposals
of settling to Business, and frequently
expostulating with my Father and Mother,
about their being so positively determin'd
against what they knew my Inclinations
prompted me to. But being one Day at Hull,
where I went casually, and without any
Purpose of making an Elopement that time;
but I say, being there, and one of my
Companions being going by Sea to
London, in his Father's Ship, and
prompting me to go with them, with the
common Allurement of Seafaring Men, viz
That it should cost me nothing for my
Passage, I consulted neither Father or
Mother any more, nor so much as sent them
Word of it; but leaving them to hear of it as
they might, without asking God's Blessing,
or my Father's, without any Consideration
of Circumstances or Consequences, and in
an ill Hour, God knows.

Chapter II First Adventures at
Sea—Experience of a Maritime Life—Voyage
to Guinea

-4-

never had been expos'd to Tempests at
Sea, or Troubles on Shore; and I resolv'd
that I would, like a true repenting Prodigal,
go home to my Father.

These wise and sober Thoughts continued
all the while the Storm continued, and
indeed some time after; but the next Day the
Wind was abated and the Sea calmer, and I
began to be a little inur'd to it: However I
was very grave for all that Day, being also a
little Sea sick still; but towards Night the
Weather clear'd up, the Wind was quite over,
and a charming fine Evening follow'd; the
Sun went down perfectly clear and rose so
the next Morning; and having little or no Wind
and a smooth Sea, the Sun shining upon it,
the Sight was, as I thought, the most
delightful that ever I saw.

I had slept well in the Night, and was now no
more Sea sick: but very chearful, looking
with Wonder upon the Sea that was so rough
and terrible the Day before, and could be so
calm and so pleasant in so little time after.
And now least my good Resolutions should
continue, my Companion, who had indeed
entic'd me away, comes to me, Well Bob,
says he, clapping me on the Shoulder, How
do you do after it? I warrant you were
frighted, wa'n't you, last Night, when it blew
but a Cap full of Wind? A Cap full d'you call
it? said I, 'twas a terrible Storm: A Storm,
you Fool you, replies he, do you call that a
Storm, why it was nothing at all; give us but
a good Ship and Sea Room, and we think
nothing of such a Squal of Wind as that; but
you're but a fresh Water Sailor, Bob; come
let us make a Bowl of Punch and we'll
forget all that, d'ye see what charming
Weather 'tis now. To make short this sad
Part of my Story, we went the old way of all
Sailors, the Punch was made, and I was
made drunk with it, and in that one Night's
Wickedness I drowned all my Repentance,
all my Reflections upon my past Conduct,

-5-

good as a Harbour, the Anchorage good,
and our Ground-Tackle very strong, our
Men were unconcerned, and not in the least
apprehensive of Danger, but spent the
Time in Rest and Mirth, after the manner of
the Sea; but the eighth Day in the Morning,
the Wind increased, and we had all Hands at
Work to strike our Top-Masts, and make
every thing snug and close, that the Ship
might ride as easy as possible. By Noon the
Sea went very high indeed, and our Ship rid
Forecastle in, shipp'd several Seas, and
we thought once or twice our Anchor had
come home; upon which our Master order'd
out the Sheet Anchor; so that we rode with
two Anchors a-Head, and the Cables vered
out to the better End.

By this Time it blew a terrible Storm indeed,
and now I began to see Terror and
Amazement in the Faces even of the
Seamen themselves. The Master, tho'
vigilant to the Business of preserving the
Ship, yet as he went in and out of his
Cabbin by me, I could hear him softly to
himself say several times, Lord be merciful
to us, we shall be all lost, we shall be all
undone; and the like. During these first
Hurries, I was stupid, lying still in my
Cabbin, which was in the Steerage, and
cannot describe my Temper: I could ill
reassume the first Penitence, which I had
so apparently trampled upon, and harden'd
my self against: I thought the Bitterness of
Death had been past, and that this would be
nothing too like the first. But when the
Master himself came by me as I said just
now, and said we should be all lost, I
dreadfully frighted: I got up out of my
Cabbin, and look'd out; but such a dismal
Sight I never saw: The Sea went Mountains
high, and broke upon us every three or four
Minutes: When I could look about, I could see
nothing but Distress round us: Two Ships
that rid near us we found had cut their Masts
by the Board, being deep loaden; and our

-6-

more sensible than the rest, at their
Prayers, and expecting every Moment when
the Ship would go to the Bottom. In the
Middle of the Night, and under all the rest of
our Distresses, one of the Men that had
been down on Purpose to see, cried out we
had sprung a Leak; another said there was
four Foot Water in the Hold. Then all Hands
were called to the Pump. At that very Word
my Heart, as I thought, died within me, and I
fell backwards upon the Side of my Bed
where I sat, into the Cabbin. However, the
Men roused me, and told me, that I that was
able to do nothing before, was as well able
to pump as another; at which I stirr'd up, and
went to the Pump and work'd very heartily.
While this was doing, the Master seeing
some light Colliers, who not able to ride out
the Storm, were oblig'd to slip and run away
to Sea, and would come near us, ordered to
fire a Gun as a Signal of Distress. I who
knew nothing what that meant, was so
surprised, that I thought the Ship had broke,
or some dreadful thing had happen'd. In a
word, I was so surprised, that I fell down in a
Swoon. As this was a time when every
Body had his own Life to think of, no body
minded me, or what was become of me;
but another Man stept up the Pump, and
thrusting me aside with his Foot, let me lye,
thinking I had been dead; and it was a great
while before I came to my self.

We work'd on, but the Water encreasing in
the Hold, it was apparent that the Ship
would founder, and tho' the Storm began to
abate a little, yet as it was not possible she
could swim till we might run into a Port, so
the Master continued firing Guns for Help;
and a light Ship who had rid it out just a
Head of us ventured a Boat out to help us. It
was with the utmost Hazard the Boat came
near us, but it was impossible for us to get
on Board, or for the Boat to lie near the Ship
Side, till at last the Men rowing very heartily,
and venturing their Lives to save ours, our

-7-

Magistrates of the Town, who assign'd us
good Quarters, as by particular Merchants
and Owners of Ships, and had Money given
us sufficient to carry us either to London or
back to Hull, as we thought fit.

Had I now had the Sense to have gone back
to Hull, and have gone home, I had been
happy, and my Father, an Emblem of our
Blessed Saviour's Parable, had even kill'd
the fatted Calf for me; for hearing the Ship I
went away in was cast away in Yarmouth
Road, it was a great while before he had
any Assurance that I was not drown'd.

But my ill Fate push'd me on now with an
Obstinacy that nothing could resist; and tho'
I had several times loud Calls from my
Reason and my more composed Judgment
to go home, yet I had no Power to do it. I
know not what to call this, nor will I urge, that
it is a secret over-ruling Decree that hurries
us on to be the Instruments of our own
Destruction, even tho' it be before us, and
that we rush upon it with our Eyes open.
Certainly nothing but some such decreed
unavoidable Misery attending, and which it
was impossible for me to escape, could
have push'd me forward against the calm
Reasonings and Perswasions of my most
retired Thoughts, and against two such
visible Instructions as I had met with in my
first Attempt.

My Comrade, who had help'd to harden me
before, and who was the Master's Son,
was now less forward than I; the first time
he spoke to me after we were at Yarmouth,
which was not till two or three Days, for we
were separated in the Town to several
Quarters; I say, the first time he saw me, it
appear'd his Tone was alter'd, and looking
very melancholy and shaking his Head,
ask'd me how I did, and telling his Father
who I was, and how I had come this Voyage
only for a Trial in order to go farther abroad;

-8-

and it immediately occurr'd to me how I
should be laugh'd at among the
Neighbours, and should be asham'd to see,
not my Father and Mother only, but even
every Body else; from whence I have since
often observed, how incongruous and
irrational the common Temper of Mankind
is, especially of Youth, to that Reason which
ought to guide them in such Cases, viz. That
they are not asham'd to sin, and yet are
asham'd to repent; not asham'd of the
Action for which they ought justly to be
esteem'd Fools, but are asham'd of the
returning, which only can make them be
esteem'd wise Men.

In this of Life however I remained some
time, uncertain what Measures to take, and
what Course of Life to lead. An irresistible
Reluctance continu'd to going Home; and
as I stay'd a while, the Remembrance of the
Distress I had been in wore off; and as that
abated, the little Motion I had in my Desires
to a Return wore off with it, till at last I quite
lay'd aside the Thoughts of it, and lookt out
for a Voyage.

That evil Influence which carryed me first
away from my Father's House, that hurried
me into the wild and indigested Notion of
raising my Fortune; and that imprest those
Conceits so forcibly upon me, as to make
me deaf to all good Advice, and to the
Entreaties and even Command of my
Father: I say the same Influence, whatever it
was, presented the most unfortunate of all
Enterprises to my View; and I went on
board a Vessel bound to the Coast of
Africa; or, as our Sailors vulgarly call it, a
Voyage to Guinea.

It was my great Misfortune that in all these
Adventures I did not ship my self as a Sailor;
whereby, tho' I might indeed have work'd a
little harder than ordinary, yet at the same
time I had learn'd the Duty and Office of a

-9-

This was the only Voyage which I may say
was successful in all my Adventures, and
which I owe to the Integrity and Honesty of
my Friend the Captain, under whom also I
got a competent Knowledge of the
Mathematicks and the Rules of Navigation,
learn'd how to keep an Account of the
Ship's Course, take an Observation; and in
short, to understand some things that were
needful to be understood by a Sailor: For,
as he took Delight to introduce me, I took
Delight to learn; and, in a word, this Voyage
made me both a Sailor and a Merchant: for I
brought Home L. 5. 9 Ounces of Gold Dust
for my Adventure, which yielded me in
London at my Return, almost 300 l. and this
fill'd me with those aspiring Thoughts which
have since so compleated my Ruin.

Yet even in this Voyage I had my
Misfortunes too; particularly, that I was
continually sick, being thrown into a violent
Calenture by the excessive Heat of the
Climate; our principal Trading being upon
the Coast, from the Latitude of 15 Degrees,
North even to the Line it self.

Chapter III Robinson's Captivity at
Sallee—Escape with Xury—Arrival at the
Brazils

I was now set up for a Guiney Trader; and
my Friend, to my great Misfortune, dying
soon after his Arrival, I resolved to go the
same Voyage again, and I embark'd in the
same Vessel with one who was his Mate in
the former Voyage, and had now got the
Command of the Ship. This was the
unhappiest Voyage that ever Man made; for
tho' I did not carry quite 100 l. of my new
gain'd Wealth, so that I had 200 left, and
which I lodg'd with my Friend's Widow, who
was very just to me, yet I fell into terrible
Misfortunes in this Voyage; and the first
was this, viz. Our Ship making her Course
towards the Canary Islands, or rather

-10-

back upon my Father's prophetick Disourse
to me, that I should be miserable, and have
none to relieve me, which I thought was now
so effectually brought pass, that it could not
be worse; that now the Hand of Heaven had
overtaken me, and I was undone without
Redemption. But alas! this was but a Taste
of the Misery I was to go thro', as will
appear in the Sequel of this Story.

As my new Patron or Master had taken me
Home to his House, so I was in hopes that
he would take me with him hen he went to
Sea again, believing that it would some
time or other be his Fate to be taken by a
Spanish or Portugal an of War; and that then
I should be set at Liberty. But his Hope of
mine was soon taken away; for when he
went to Sea, he left me on Shoar to look
after his little Garden, and do the common
Drudgery of Slaves about his House; and
when he came home again from his Cruise,
he order'd me to lye in the Cabbin to look
after the Ship.

Here I meditated nothing but my Escape;
and what Method I might take to effect it, but
found no Way that had the least Probability
in it: Nothing presented to make the
Supposition of it rational; for I had no Body
to communicate it to, that would embark
with me; no Fellow-Slave, no Englishman,
Irishman, or Scotsman there but my self; so
that for two Years, tho' I often pleased my
self with the Imaginaion, yet I never had the
least encouraging Prospect of putting it in
Practice.

After about two Years an odd Circumstance
presented it self which put the old Thought
of making some Attempt for my Liberty,
again in my Head: My Patron lying at Home
longer than usual, without fitting out his
Ship, which, as I heard, was for want of
Money; he used constantly, once or twice a
Week, sometimes oftner, if the Weather was

-11-

We went frequently out with this Boat a
fishing, and as I was most dextrous to catch
fish for him, he never went without me: It
happen'd that he had appointed to go out in
this Boat, either for Pleasure or for Fish,
with two or three Moors of some Distinction
in that Place, and for whom he had provided
extraordinarily; and had therefore sent on
board the Boat over Night, a larger Store of
Provisions than ordinary; and had order'd
me to get ready three Fuzees with Powder
and Shot, which were on board his Ship; for
that they design'd some Sport of Fowling
as well as Fishing.

I got all things ready as he had directed, and
waited the next Morning with the Boat,
washed clean, her Antient and Pendants
out, and every thing to accomodate his
Guests; when by and by my Patroon came
on board alone, and told me his Guests had
put off going, upon some Business that fell
out, and order'd me with the Man and Boy,
as usual, to go out with the Boat and catch
them some Fish, for that his friends were to
sup at his House; and commanded that as
soon as I had got some Fish I should bring it
home to his House; all which I prepar'd to
do.

This Moment my former Notions of
Deliverance darted into my Thoughts, for
now I found I was like to have a little Ship at
my Command; and my Master being gone, I
prepar'd to furnish my self, not for a fishing
Business but for a Voyage; tho' I knew not,
neither did I so much as consider whither I
should steer; for any where to get out of that
Place was my Way.

My first Contrivance was to make a
Pretence to speak to this Moor, to get
something for our Subsistance on board;
for I told him we must not presume to eat of
our Patroon's Bread, he said that was true;
so he brought a large Basket of Rusk or

-12-

After we had fisht some time and catcht
nothing, for when I had Fish on my Hook, I
would not pull them up, that he might not see
them; I said to the Moor, this will not do, our
Master will not be thus serv'd, we must
stand farther off: He thinking no harm
agreed, and being in the head of the Boat
set the Sails; and as I had the Helm I run she
Boat out near a League farther, and then
brought her too as if I would fish; when
giving the Boy the Helm, I stept forward to
where the Moor was, and making as if I
stoopt for something behind him, I took him
by Surprize with my Arm under his Twist,
and tost him clear over-board into the Sea;
he rise immediately, for he swam like a
Cork, and call'd to me, begg'd to be taken
in, told me he would go all over the World
with me; he swam so strong after the oat
that he would have reacht me very quickly,
there being but little Wind; upon which I stept
into the Cabbin and fetching one of the
Fowling-pieces, I presented it at him, and
told him, I had done him no hurt, and if he
would be quiet I would do him none; but said
I, you swim well enough to reach to the
Shoar, and the Sea is calm, make the est of
your Way to Shoar and I will do you no harm,
but if you come near the Boat I'll shoot you
thro' the Head; for I'm resolved to have my
Liberty; so he turn'd himself about and
swam for the Shoar, and I make no doubt
but he reacht it with Ease, for he was an
Excellent Swimmer.

I could ha' been content to ha' taken this
Moor with me, and ha' drown'd the Boy, but
there was no venturing to trust him: When he
was gone I turn'd to the Boy, who they call'd
Xury, and said to him, Xury, if you will be
faithful to me I'll make you a great man, but
if you will not stroak our Face to be true to
me, that is, swear by Mahomet and is
Father's Beard, I must throw you into the
Sea too; the boy smil'd in my Face and
spoke so innocently that I could mistrust

-13-

see any People, the principal thing I wanted
was fresh Water: We came into this Creek in
the Evening, resolving to swim on shoar as
soon as it was dark, and discover the
Country; but as soon as it was quite dark,
we heard such dreadful Noises of the
Barking, Roaring, and Howling of Wild
Creatures, of we knew not what Kinds, that
the poor Boy was ready to die with Fear,
and beg'd of me not to go on shoar till Day;
well Xury said I, then I won't, but it may be
we may see Men by Day, who will be as
bad to us as those Lyons; then me give
them the shoot Gun says Xury laughing,
make them run wey; such English Xury
spoke by conversing among us Slaves;
however I was glad to see the Boy so
cheerful, and I gave him a Dram (out of our
Patroon's Case of Bottles) to chear him up:
After all, Xury's Advice was good, and I
took it, we dropt our little Anchor and lay still
all Night; I say still, for we slept none! for in
two or three Hours we saw vast great
Creatures (we knew not what to call them)
of many sorts, come down to the Sea-
shoar and run into the Water, wallowing and
washing themselves for the Pleasure of
cooling themselves; and they made such
hideous Howlings and Yellings, that I never
indeed heard the like.

Xury was dreadfully frighted, and indeed so
was I too; but we were both more frighted
when we heard one of these mighty
Creatures come swimming towards our
Boat, we could not see him, but we might
hear him by his blowing to be a monstrous,
huge and furious Beast; Xury said it was a
Lyon, and it might be so for ought I know;
but poor Xury cryed to me to weigh the
Anchor and row away; no says I, Xury, we
can slip our Cable with the Buoy to it and go
off to Sea, they cannot follow us far; I had no
sooner said so, but I perceiv'd the Creature
(whatever it was) within Two Oars Length,
which something surprized me; however I

-14-

seeing a low Place about a Mile up the
Country rambled to it; and by and by I saw
him come running towards me, I thought he
was pursued by some Savage, or frighted
with some wild Beast, and I run forward
towards him to help him, but when I came
nearer to him, I saw something hanging
over his Shoulders which was a Creature
that he had shot, like a Hare but different in
Colour, and longer Legs, however we were
very glad of it, and it was very good Meat;
but the great Joy that poor Xury came with,
was to tell me he had found good Water and
seen no wild Mans.

But we found afterwards that we need not
take such Pains for Water, for a little higher
up the Creek where we were, we found the
Water fresh when the Tide was out, which
flowed but a little way up; so we filled our
Jarrs and feasted on the Hare we had
killed, and prepared to go on our Way,
having seen no Foot-steps of any humane
Creature in that part of the Country.

As I had been one Voyage to this Coast
before, I knew very well that the Islands of
the Canaries, and the Cape de Verd Islands
also, lay not far off from the Coast. But as I
had no Instruments to take an Observation
to know what Latitude we were in, and did
not exactly know, or at least remember what
Latitude they were in; I knew not where to
look for them, or when to stand off to Sea
towards them; otherwise I might now easily
have found some of these Islands. But my
hope was, that if I stood along this Coast till I
came to that Part where the English Traded,
I should find some of their Vessels upon
their usual Design of Trade, that would
relieve and take us in.

By the best of my Calculation, that Place
where I now was, must be that Country,
which lying between the Emperor of
Morocco's Dominions and the Negro's, lies

-15-

meant; however, I said no more to the Boy,
but bad him lye still, and I took our biggest
Gun, which was almost Musquet-bore, and
loaded it with a good Charge of Powder,
and with two Slugs, and laid it down; then I
loaded another Gun with two Bullets, and
the third, for we had three Pieces, I loaded
with five smaller Bullets, I took the best aim I
could with the first Piece to have shot him
into the Head, but he lay so with his Leg
rais'd a little above his Nose, that the Slugs
hit his Leg about the Knee, and broke the
Bone. He started up growling at first, but
finding his Leg broke fell down again, and
then got up upon three Legs and gave the
most hideous Roar that ever I heard; I was a
little suppriz'd that I had not hit him on the
Head; however I took up the second Piece
immediately, and tho' he began to move off
fir'd again, and shot him into the Head, and
had the Pleasure to see him drop, and
make but little Noise, but lay struggling for
Life, Then Xury took Heart, and would have
me let him go on Shoar: Well, go said I, so
the Boy jump'd into the Water, and taking a
little Gin in one Hand swam to Shoar with
the other Hand, and coming close to the
Creature, put the Muzzle of the Piece to his
Ear, and shot him into the Head again which
dispatch'd him quite.

This was Game indeed to us, but this was
no Food, and I was very sorry to lose three
Charges of Powder and Shot upon a
Creature that was good for nothing to us.
However Xury said he would have some of
him; so he comes on board, and ask'd me
to give him the Hatchet; for what, Xury, said
I? Me cut off his Head, said he. However
Xury could not cut off his Head, but he cut
off a Foot and brought it with him, and it was
a monstrous great one.

I bethought my self however, that perhaps
the Skin of him might one way or other be of
some Value to us; and I resolved to take off

-16-

them by Signs as well as I could particularly
made Signs for some thing to Eat, they to
me to stop my Boat, and that they would
Meat; upon this I lower'd the top of my Sail,
and lay two of them run up into the Country,
and in less Hour came back and brought
with them two Pieces of dry Flesh and
some Corn, such as is the Produce of their
Country, but we neither knew what the one
the other ever we were willing to accept it,
but how to come at it next Dispute, for I was
not for venturing on Shore to and they were
as much affraid us; but they took a safe way
for us all, for they brought it to the Shore and
laid it down, and went and stood a great
way off till we fetch'd it on Board, and then
came close to us again.

We made Signs of Thanks to them, for we
had nothing to make them amends; but an
Opportunity offer'd that very Instant to oblige
them wonderfully, for while we were lying by
the Shore, came two mighty Creatures one
pursuing the other, (as we took it) with great
Fury, from the Mountains towards the Sea;
whether it was the Male pursuing the
Female, or whether they were in Sport or in
Rage, we could not tell, any more than we
could tell whether it was usual or strange,
but I believe it was the latter; because in the
first Place, those ravenous Creatures
seldom appear but in the Night; and in the
second Place, we found the People terribly
frighted, especially the Women. The Man
that had the Lance or Dart did not fly from
them, but the rest did; however as the two
Creatures ran directly into the Water, they
did not seem to offer to fall upon any of the
Negroes, but plung'd themselves into the
Sea and swam about as if they had come
for their Diversion; at last one of them
began to come nearer our Boat than at first I
expected, but I lay ready for him, for I had
loaded my Gun with all possible Expedition,
and bad Xury load both the other; as soon
as he came fairly within my reach, I fir'd,

-17-

they gave me very freely, and brought me a
great deal more of their Provision, which
tho' I did not understand, yet I accepted;
then I made Signs to them for some Water,
and held out one of my Jarrs to them, turning
it bottom upward, to shew that it was empty,
and that I wanted to have it filled. They call'd
immediately to some of their Friends, and
there came two Women and brought a great
Vessel made of Earth, and burnt as I
suppose in the Sun; this they set down for
me, as before, and I sent Xury on Shore
with my Jarrs, and filled than all three: The
Women were as stark Naked as the Men.

I was now furnished with Roots and Corn,
such as it was, and Water, and leaving my
friendly Negroes, I made forward for about
Days more without offering to go near the
hoar, till I saw the Land run out a great
Length into the Sea, at about the Distance
of four or five Leagues before me, and the
Sea being very calm I kept a large offing to
make this Point; at doubling the Point at
about two Leagues from the Land, I saw
plainly Land on the other Side to Seaward;
then I concluded, as it was most certain
indeed, that this was the Cape de Verd,
and those the Islands, call'd from thence
Cape de Verd Islands. However they were
at a great Distance, and I could not well tell
what I had best to do, for if I should be taken
with a Fresh of Wind I might neither reach
one or other.

In this Dilemma, as I was very pensive, I
stept into the Cabbin and Sat me down,
Xury having the Helm, when on a suddain
the Boy cry'd out, Master, Master, a Ship
with a Sail, and the foolish Boy was frighted
out of his Wits, thinking it must needs be
some of his Master's Ships sent to pursue
us, when, I knew we were gotten far enough
out their reach. I jump'd out of the Cabbin,
and immediately saw not only the Ship, but
what she was, (viz.) that it was a

-18-

nothing from me, but that all I had should be
deliver'd safe to me when I came to the
Brasils, for says he, I have sav'd your Life
on no other Terms than I would be glad to be
saved my self and it may one time or other
be my Lot to be taken up in the same
Condition; besides, said he, when I carry
you to the Brasils, so great a may from your
own Country, if I should take from you what
you have, you mill be starved there, and then
I only take away that Life I have given. No,
no, Seignor Inglese, says he, Mr.
Englishman, I mill carry you thither in
Charity, and those things mill help you to buy
your Subsistance there and your Passage
home again.

Chapter IV He Settles in the Brasils as a
Planter—Makes Another Voyage and is
Shipwrecked

As he was Charitable in his Proposal, so he
was Just in the Performance to a tittle, for
he ordered the Seamen that none should
offer to touch any thing I had; then he took
every thing into his own Possession, and
gave me back an exact Inventory of them,
that I might have them, even so much as my
three Earthen Jarrs.

As to my Boat it was a very good one, and
that he saw, and told me he would buy it of
me for the Ship's use, and ask'd me what I
would have for it? I told him he had been so
generous to me in every thing, that I could
not offer to make any Price of the Boat, but
left it entirely to him, upon which he told me
he would give me a Note of his Hand to pay
me 80 Pieces of Eight for it at Brasil, and
when it came there, if any one offer'd to
give more he would make it up; he offer'd
me also 60 Pieces of Eight more for my Boy
Xury, which I was loath to take, not that I was
not willing to let the Captain have him, but I
was very loath to sell poor Boy's Liberty,
who had assisted me so faithfully procuring

-19-

purchased as much Land that was Uncur'd,
as my Money would reach, and form'd a
Plan for my Plantation and Settlement, and
such a one as might be suitable to the Stock
which I proposed to my self to receive from
England.

I had a Neighbour, a Portugueze of Lisbon,
but born of English Parents, whose Name
was Wells, and in much such Circumstances
as I was. I call him my Neighbour, because
his Plantation lay next to mine, and we went
on very sociably together. My Stock was but
low as well as his; and we rather planted for
Food than any thing else, for about two
Years. However, we began to increase,
and our Land began to come into Order; so
that the third Year we planted some
Tobacco, and made each of us a large
Piece of Ground ready for planting Canes in
the Year to come; but we both wanted Help,
and now I found more than before, I had
done wrong in parting with my Boy Xury.

But alas! for me to do wrong that never did
right, was no great Wonder: I had no
Remedy but to go on; I was gotten into an
Employment quite remote to my Genius,
and directly contrary to the Life I delighted
in, and for which I forsook my Father's
House, and broke thro' all his good Advice;
nay, I was coming into the very Middle
Station, or upper Degree of low Life, which
my Father advised me to before; and which
if I resolved to go on with, I might as well ha'
staid at Home, and never have fatigu'd my
self in the World as I had done; and I used
often to say to my self, I could ha' done this
as well in England among my Friends, as
ha' gone 5000 Miles off to do it among
Strangers and Salvages in a Wilderness,
and at such a Distance, as never to hear
from any Part of the World that had the least
Knowledge of me.

In this manner I used to look upon my

-20-

This was so wholesom Advice, and look'd
so friendly, that I could not but be convinc'd
it was the best Course I could take; so I
accordingly prepared Letters to the Gentle-
woman with whom I had left my Money, and
a Procuration to the Portuguese Captain,
as he desired.

I wrote the English Captain's Widow a full
Account of all my Adventures, my Slavery,
Escape, and how I had met with the
Portugal Captain at Sea, the Humanity of
his Behaviour, and in what Condition I was
now in, with all other necessary Directions
for my Supply; and when this honest
Captain came to Lisbon, he found means
by some of the English Merchants there, to
send over not the Order only, but a full
Account of my Story to a Merchant at
London, who represented it effectually to
her; whereupon, she not only delivered the
Money, but out of her own Pocket sent the
Portugal Captain a very handsom Present
for his Humanity and Charity to me.

The Merchant in London vesting this
Hundred Pounds in English Goods, such as
the Captain had writ for, sent them directly
to him at Lisbon, and he brought them all
safe to me to the Brasils, among which,
without my Direction (for I was too young in
my Business to think of them) he had taken
Care to have all Sorts of Tools, Iron-Work,
and Utensils necessary for my Plantation,
and which were of great Use to me.

When this Cargo arrived, I thought my
Fortunes made, for I was surprised with the
Joy of it; and my good Steward the Captain
had laid out the Five Pounds which my
Friend had sent him for a Present for
himself, to purchase, and bring me over a
Servant under Bond for six Years Service,
and would not accept of any Consideration,
except a little Tobacco, which I would have
him accept, being of my own Produce.

-21-

Views of doing my self good in a fair and
plain pursuit of those Prospects and those
measures of Life, which Nature and
Providence concurred to present me with,
and to make my Duty.

As I had once done thus in my breaking
away from my Parents, so I could not be
content now, but I must go and leave the
happy View I had of being a rich and thriving
Man in my new Plantation, only to pursue a
rash and immoderate Desire of rising faster
than the Nature of the Thing admitted; and
thus I cast my self down again into the
deepest Gulph of human Misery that ever
Man fell into, or perhaps could be consistent
with Life and a State of Health in the World.

To come then by the just Degrees, to the
Particulars of this Part of my Story; you may
suppose, that having now lived almost four
Years in the Brasils, and beginning to thrive
and prosper very well upon my Plantation; I
had not only learn'd the Language, but had
contracted Acquaintance and Friendship
among my Fellow-Planters, as well as
among the Merchants at St. Salvadore,
which was our Port; and that in my
Discourses among them, I had frequently
given them an Account of my two Voyages
to the Coast of Guinea, the manner of
Trading with the Negroes there, and how
easy it was to purchase upon the Coast, for
Trifles, such as Beads, Toys, Knives,
Scissars, Hatchets, bits of Glass, and the
like; not only Gold Dust, Guinea Grains,
Elephants Teeth, &c. but Negroes for the
Service of the Brasils, in great Numbers.

They listened always very attentively to my
Discourses on these Heads, but especially
to that Part which related to the buying
Negroes, which was a Trade at that time not
only not far entred into, but as far as it was,
had been carried on by the Assiento's, or
Permission of the Kings of Spain and

-22-

be guilty of.

But I that was born to be my own Destroyer,
could no more resist the Offer than I could
restrain my first rambling Designs, when my
Father's good Counsel was lost upon me. In
a word, I told them I would go with all my
Heart, if they would undertake to look after
my Plantation in my Absence, and would
dispose of it to such as I should direct if I
miscarry'd. This they all engag'd to do, and
entred into Writings or Covenants to do so;
and I made a formal Will, disposing of my
Plantation and Effects, in Case of my
Death, making the Captain of the Ship that
had sav'd my Life as before, my universal
Heir, but obliging him to dispose of my
Effects as I had directed in my Will, one half
of the Produce being to himself, and the
other to be ship'd to England.

In short, I took all possible Caution to
preserve my Effects, and keep up my
Plantation; had I used half as much
Prudence to have look'd into my own Intrest,
and have made a Judgment of what I ought
to have done, and not to have done, I had
certainly never gone away from so
prosperous an Undertaking, leaving all the
probable Views of a thriving Circumstance,
and gone upon a Voyage to Sea, attended
with all its common Hazards; to say nothing
of the Reasons I had to expect particular
Misfortunes to my self.

But I was hurried on, and obey'd blindly the
Dictates of my Fancy rather than my
Reason; and accordingly the Ship being
fitted out, and the Cargo furnished, and all
things done as by Agreement, by my
Partners in the Voyage, I went on Board in
an evil Hour, the [first] of [September],
[1659], being the same Day eight Year that I
went from my Father and Mother at Hull, in
order to act the Rebel to their Authority, and
the Fool to my own Interest.

-23-

Observation as well as he could, and found
that he was in about 11 Degrees North
Latitude, but that he was 22 Degrees of
Longitude difference West from Cape St.
Augustino; so that he found he was gotten
upon the Coast of Guinea, or the North Part
of Brasil, beyond the River Amozones,
toward that of the River Oronoque,
commonly call'd the Great River, and began
to consult with me what Course he should
take, for the Ship leaky and very much
disabled, and he was going directly back to
the Coast of Brasil.

I was positively against that, and looking
over the Charts the Sea-Coast of America
with him, we concluded the as no inhabited
Country for us to had recourse to, till we
came within the Circle of the Carribbe-
Islands, and therefore resolved to stand
away for Barbadoes, which by keeping off
at Sea, to avoid the Indraft of the Bay or
Gulph of Mexico, we night easily perform,
as we hoped, in about fifteen Day Sail;
whereas we could not possibly make our
Voyage to the Coast of Africa without some
Assistance, both to our Ship and to our
selves.

With this Design we chang'd our Course
and steer'd away N. W. by W. in order to
reach some of our English Islands, where I
hoped for Relief; but our Voyage was
otherwise determined, for being in the
Latitude of Deg. 18 Min. a second Storm
came upon us, which carry'd us away with
the same Impetuosity Westward, and drove
us so out of the very Way of all humane
Commerce, that had all our Lives been
saved, as to the Sea, we were rather in
Danger of being devoured by Savages than
ever returning to our own Country. In this
Distress, the Wind still blowing very hard,
one of our Men early in the Morning, cry'd
out, Land; and we had no sooner run out of
the Cabbin to look out in hopes of seeing

-24-

room to debate, for we fancy'd the Ship
would break in Pieces every Minute, and
some told us she was actually broken
already.

In this Distress the Mate of our Vessel lays
hold of the Boat, and with the help of the rest
of the Men, they got her flung over the
Ship's-side, and getting all into her, let go,
and committed our selves being Eleven in
Number, to God's Merry, and the wild Sea;
for tho' the Storm was abated considerably,
yet the Sea went dreadful high upon the
Shore, and might well be call'd, Den mild
Zee, as the Dutch call the Sea in a Storm.

And now our Case was very dismal indeed;
for we all saw plainly, that the Sea went so
high, that the Boat could not live, and that
we should be inevitably drowned. As to
baking Sail, we had none, nor, if we had,
could we ha' done any thing with it; so we
work'd at the Oar towards the Land, tho'
with heavy Hearts, like Men going to
Execution; for we all knew, that when the
Boat came nearer the Shore, she would be
dash'd in a Thousand Pieces by the Breach
of the Sea. However, we committed our
Souls to God in the most earnest Manner,
and the Wind driving us towards the Shore,
we hastened our Destruction with our own
Hands, pulling as well as we could towards
Land.

What the Shore was, whether Rock or Sand,
whether Steep or Shoal, we knew not; the
only Hope that could rationally give us the
least Shadow of Expectation, was, if we
might happen into some Bay or Gulph, or
the Mouth of some River, where by great
Chance we might have run our Boat in, or
got under the Lee of the Land, and perhaps
made smooth Water. But there was nothing
of this appeared; but as we made nearer
and nearer the Shore, the Land look'd more
frightful than the Sea.

-25-

forward with all my Might. I was ready to
burst with holding my Breath, when, as I felt
my self rising up, so to my immediate
Relief, I found my Head and Hands shoot
out above the Surface of the Water; and tho'
it was not two Seconds of Time that I could
keep my self so, yet it reliev'd me greatly,
gave me Breath and new Courage. I was
covered again with Water a good while, but
not so long but I held it out; and finding the
Water had spent it self, and began to return, I
strook forward against the Return of the
Waves, and felt Ground again with my Feet. I
stood still a few Moments to recover Breath,
and till the Water went from me, and then
took to my Heels, and run with what
Strength I had farther towards the Shore.
But neither would this deliver me from the
Fury of the Sea, which came pouring in
after me again, and twice more I was lifted
up by the Waves, and carried forwards as
before, Shore being very flat.

The last Time of these two had well near
been fatal to me; the Sea having hurried me
along as before, landed me, rather dash'd
me against a Piece of a Rock, and that with
such Force, as it left me senseless, and
indeed helpless, as my own Deliverance;
for the Blow taking my Side and east, beat
the Breath as it were quite out of my Body;
and it returned again immediately, I must
have been strangled in the Water; but I
recover'd a little before the turn of the
Waves, and seeing I should be cover'd
again with the Water, I resolv'd to hold fast
by a Piece of the Rock, and so to hold my
Breath, if possible, till the Wave went back;
now as the Waves were not so high as at
first, being nearer Land, I held my Hold till
the Wave abated, and then fetch'd another
Run, which brought me so near the Shore,
that the next Wave, tho' it went over me, yet
did not so swallow me up as to carry me
away, and the next run I took, I got to the
main Land, where, to my great Comfort, I

-26-

to look round me to see what kind of Place I
was in, and what was next to be done, and I
soon found my Comforts abate, and that in
a word I had a dreadful Deliverance: For I
was wet, had no Clothes to shift me, nor any
thing either to eat or drink to comfort me,
neither did I see any Prospect before me,
but that of perishing with Hunger, or being
devour'd by wild Beasts; and that which
was particularly afflicting to me, was, that I
had no Weapon either to hunt and kill any
Creature for my Sustenance, or to defend
my self against any other Creature that
might desire to kill me for theirs: In a Word, I
had nothing about me but a Knife, a
Tobacco-pipe, and a little Tobacco in a
Box, this was all my Provision, and this
threw me into terrible Agonies of Mind, that
for a while I run about like a Mad-man; Night
coming upon me, I began with a heavy
Heart to consider what would be my Lot if
there were any ravenous Beasts in that
Country, seeing at Night they always come
abroad for their Prey.

All the Remedy that offer'd to my Thoughts
at that Time, was, to get up into a thick
bushy Tree like a Firr, but thorny, which
grew near me, and where I resolv'd to set all
Night, and consider the next Day what
Death I should dye, for as yet I saw no
Prospect of Life; I walk'd about a Furlong
from the Shore, to see if I could find any
fresh Water to drink, which I did, to my great
Joy; and having drank and put a little
Tobacco in my Mouth to prevent Hunger, I
went to the Tree, and getting up into it,
endeavour'd to place my self so, as that if I
should sleep I might not fall; and having cut
me a short Stick, like a Truncheon, for my
Defence, I took up my Lodging, and having
been excessively fatigu'd, I fell fast asleep,
and slept as comfortably as, I believe, few
could have done in my Condition, and found
my self the cost refresh'd with it, that I think I
ever was on such an Occasion.

-27-

pull'd 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 a ground, 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 spy'd a small Piece of a
Rope, which I wonder'd 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 bulg'd, 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 spoil'd and
what was free; and first I found that all the
Ship's Provisions were dry and untouch'd
by the Water, and being very well dispos'd
to eat, I went to the Bread-room and fill'd
my Pockets with Bisket, and eat it as I went
about other things, for I had no time to lose; I
also found some Rum in the great Cabbin,
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 my self with many
things which I forsaw 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 rouz'd
my Application; we had several spare
Yards, and two or three large sparrs of
Wood, and a spare Top-mast or two in the
Ship; I resolv'd to fall to work with these,
and I flung as many of them over board 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

-28-

the Sand, swim away; as for my Breeches
which were only Linnen and open knee'd, 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 Chest, 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 contain'd.

My next Care was for some Ammunition
and Arms; there were two very good
Fowling-pieces in the great Cabbin, and
two Pistols, these I secur'd 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 stow'd
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 my self pretty
well freighted, and began to think how I
should get to Shore with them, having
neither Sail, Oar, or Rudder, and the least
Cap full 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

-29-

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
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 fasten'd or mor'd 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 ebb'd 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 seem'd to over-top 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 an Horn
of Powder, and thus arm'd I travell'd for
Discovery up to the Top of that Hill, where
after I had with great Labour and Difficulty
got to the Top, I saw my Fate to my great
Affliction, (viz.) that I was in an Island
environ'd 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 in was

-30-

resolv'd 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 resolv'd to set all
other Things apart, 'till I got every Thing out
of the Ship that I could get; then I call'd a
Council, that is to say, in my Thoughts,
whether I should take back the Raft, but this
appear'd impracticable; so I resolv'd to go
as before, when the Tide was down, and I
did so, only that I stripp'd before I went from
my Hut, having nothing on but a Chequer'd
Shirt, and a Pair of Linnen Drawers, and a
Pair of Pumps on my Feet.

I got on Board the Ship, as before, and
prepar'd 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 Stores I
found two or three Bags full of Nails and
Spikes, a great Skrew-Jack, a Dozen or
two of Hatchets, and above all, that most
useful Thing call'd a Grindstone; all these I
secur'd together, with several Things
belonging to the Gunner, particularly two or
three Iron Crows, and two Barrels of
Musquet Bullets, seven Musquets, 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 hoise
it up to get it over the Ship's Side.

Besides these Things, I took all the Mens
Cloths 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 devour'd on Shore; but
when I came back, I found no Sign of any

-31-

I ought to get every Thing out of her that I
could; so every Day at low Water I went on
Board, and brought away some Thing 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 Canvass, which was to mend the
Sails upon Occasion, the Barrel of wet Gun-
powder: 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 meer Canvass
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 medling 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 Flower;
this was surprizing to me, because I had
given over expecting any more Provisions,
except what was spoil'd by the Water: I soon
empty'd the Hogshead of that Bread, and
wrapt 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 plunder'd 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 Spritsail-yard, and the Missen-yard,
and every Thing 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 overloaden, that after I
was enter'd the little Cove, where I had

-32-

making another Raft, but while I was
preparing this, I found the Sky over-cast,
and the Wind began to rise, and in a Quarter
of an Hour it blew a fresh Gale from the
Shore; it presently occur'd 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 my self down
into the Water, and swam cross 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 Mat Night, and in
the Morning when I look'd out, behold no
more Ship was to be seen; I was a little
surpriz'd, but recover'd my self 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 any thing 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 employ'd
about securing my self 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

-33-

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 pitch'd 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
Foot and a Half, and sharpen'd 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 I 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 In-side, leaning
against them, about two Foot and a half
high, like a Spurr to a Post, and this Fence
was so strong, that neither Man or Beast
could get into it or over it: This cost me a
great deal of Time and Labour, 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 compleatly
fenc'd in, and fortify'd, as I thought, from all
the World, and consequently slept secure in
the Night, which otherwise I could not have
done, tho', as it appear'd afterward, there
was no need of all this Caution from the
Enemies that I apprehended Danger from.

Chapter VI Robinson Carries All His
Riches, Provisions, Etc., into his
Habitation—Dreariness of
Solitude—Consolatory Reflections

Into this Fence or Fortress, with infinite
Labour, I carry'd all my Riches, all my
Provisions, Ammunition and Stores, of

-34-

destroy'd, on which, not my Defence only,
but the providing me Food, as I thought,
entirely depended; I was nothing near so
anxious about my own Danger, tho' had the
Powder took fire, I had never known who
had hurt me. Such Impression did this make
upon me, that after the Storm was over, I
laid aside all my Works, my Building, and
Fortifying, and apply'd my self to make
Bags and Boxes to separate the Powder,
and keep it a little and a little in a Parcel, in
hope, that whatever might come, it might
not all take Fire at once, and to keep it so
apart that it should not be possible to make
one part fire another: I finish'd this Work in
about a Fortnight, and I think my Powder,
which in all was about 240 l. weight was
divided in not less than a Hundred Parcels;
as to the Barrel that had been wet, I did not
apprehend any Danger from that, so I plac'd
it in my new Cave, which in my Fancy I call'd
my Kitchin, and the rest I hid up and down in
Holes among the Rocks, so that no wet
might come to it, marking very carefully
where I laid it.

In the Interval of time while this was doing I
went out once at least every Day with my
Gun, as well to divert my self, as to see if I
could kill any thing fit for Food, and as near
as I could to acquaint my self with what the
Island produc'd. The first time I went out I
presently discover'd that there were Goats
in the Island, which was a great Satisfaction
to me; but then it was attended with this
Misfortune to me, viz. That they were so shy,
so subtile, and so swift of Foot, that it was
the difficultest thing in the World to come at
them: But I was not discourag'd at this, not
doubting but I might now and then shoot
one, as it soon happen'd, for after I had
found their Haunts a little, I laid wait in this
Manner for them: I observ'd if they saw me
in the Valleys, tho' they were upon the
Rocks, they would run away as in a terrible
Fright; but if they were feeding in the

-35-

plentifully down my Face when I made these
Reflections, and sometimes I would
expostulate with my self, Why Providence
should thus compleatly ruine its Creatures,
and render them so absolutely miserable,
so without Help abandon'd, so entirely
depress'd, that it could hardly be rational to
be thankful for such a Life.

But something always return'd swift upon
me to check these Thoughts, and to reprove
me; and particularly one Day walking with
my Gun in my Hand by the Sea-side, I was
very pensive upon the Subject of my
present Condition, then Reason as It were
expostulated with me t'other Way, thus: Well,
you are in a desolate Condition 'tis true, but
pray remember, Where are the rest of you?
Did not you come Eleven of you into the
Boat, where are the Ten? Why were not they
sav'd and you lost? Why were you singled
out? Is it better to be here or there? and then
I pointed to the Sea. All Evills are to be
consider'd with the Good that is in them,
and with what worse attends them.

Then it occurr'd to me again, how well I was
furnish'd for my Subsistence, and what
would have been my Case if it had not
happen'd, Which was an Hundred
Thousand to one, that the Ship floated from
the Place where she first struck and was
driven so near to the Shore that I had time to
get all these Things out of her: What would
have been my Case, if I had been to have
liv'd in the Condition in which I at first came
on Shore, without Necessaries of Life, or
Necessaries to supply and procure them?
Particularly said I aloud, (tho' to my self)
what should I ha' done without a Gun,
without Ammunition, without any Tools to
make any thing, or to work with, without
Clothes, Bedding, a Tent, or any manner of
Covering, and that now I had all these to a
Sufficient Quantity, and was in a fair way to
provide my self in such a manner, as to live

-36-

Notch was as long again as the rest, and
every first Day of the Month as long again as
that long one, and thus I kept my Kalander,
or weekly, monthly, and yearly reckoning of
Time.

In the next place we are to observe, that
among the many things which I brought out
of the Ship in the several Voyages, which,
as above mention'd, I made to it, I got
several things of less Value, but not all less
useful to me, which I omitted setting down
before; as in particular, Pens, Ink, and
Paper, several Parcels in the Captain's,
Mate's, Gunner's, and Carpenter's
keeping, three or four Compasses, some
Mathematical Instruments, Dials,
Perspectives, Charts, and Books of
Navigation, all which I huddel'd together,
whether I might want them or no; also I found
three very good Bibles which came to me in
my Cargo from England, and which I had
pack'd up among my things; some
Portugueze Books also, and among them
two or three Popish Prayer-Books, and
several other Books, all which I carefully
secur'd. And I must not forget, that we had
in the Ship a Dog and two Cats, of whose
eminent History I may have occasion to say
something in its place; for I carry'd both the
Cats with me, and as for the Dog, he
jump'd out of the Ship of himself and swam
on Shore to me the Day after I went on
Shore with my first Cargo, and was a trusty
Servant to me many Years; I wanted nothing
that he could fetch me, nor any Company
that he could make up to me, I only wanted
to have him talk to me, but that would not do:
As I observ'd before, I found Pen, Ink and
Paper, and I husbanded them to the utmost,
and I shall shew, that while my Ink lasted, I
kept things very exact, but after that was
gone I could not, for I could not make any Ink
by any Means that I could devise.

And this put me in mind that I wanted many

-37-

suffer'd, Thus,

Evil. Good.

I am cast upon a horrible desolate Island,
void of all hope of Recovery. But I am alive,
and not drown'd as all my Ship's Company
was.

I am singl'd out and separated, as it were,
from all the World to be miserable. But I am
singl'd out too from all the Ship's Crew to
be spar'd from Death; and he that
miraculously sav'd me from Death, can
deliver me from this Condition.

I am divided from Mankind, a Solitaire, one
banish'd from humane Society. But I am not
starv'd and parishing on a barren Place,
affording no Sustenance.

I have not Clothes to cover me. But I am in a
hot Climate, where if I had Clothes I could
hardly wear them.

I am without any Defence or Means to resist
any Violence of Man or Beast. But I am cast
on an Island, where I see no wild Beasts to
hurt me, as I saw on the Coast of Africa:
And what if I had been Shipwreck'd there?

I have no Soul to speak to, or relieve me. But
God wonderfully sent the Ship in near
enough to the Shore, that I have gotten out
so many necessary things as will either
supply my Wants, or enable me to supply my
self even as long as I live.

Upon the whole, here was an undoubted
Testimony, that there was scarce any
Condition in the World so miserable, but
there was something Negative or
something Positive to be thankful for in it;
and let this stand as a Direction from the
Experience of the most miserable of all
Conditions in this World, that we may always

-38-

And now I began to apply my self to make
such necessary things as I found I most
wanted, as particularly a Chair and a Table,
for without these I was not able to enjoy the
few Comforts I had in the World, I could not
write, or eat, or do several things with so
much Pleasure without a Table.

So I went to work; and here I must needs
observe, that as Reason is the Substance
and Original of the Mathematicks, so by
stating and squaring every thing by Reason,
and by making the most rational Judgment
of things, every Man may be in time Master
of every mechanick Art. I had never handled
a Tool in my Life, and yet in time by Labour,
Application, and Contrivance, I found at last
that I wanted nothing but I could have made
it, especially if I had had Tools; however I
made abundance of things, even without
Tools, and some with no more Tools than an
Adze and a Hatchet, which perhaps were
never made that way before, and that with
infinite Labour: For Example, If I wanted a
Board, I had no other Way but to cut down a
Tree, set it on an Edge before me, and hew
it flat on either Side with my Axe, till I had
brought it to be thin as a Plank, and then
dubb it smooth with my Adze. It is true, by
this Method I could make but one Board out
of a whole Tree, but this I had no Remedy
for but Patience, any more than I had for the
prodigious deal of Time and Labour which it
took me up to make a Plank or Board: But
my Time or Labour was little worth, and so it
was as well employ'd one way as another.

However, I made me a Table and a Chair,
as I observ'd above, in the first Place, and
this I did out of the short Pieces of Boards
that I brought on my Raft from the Ship: But
when I had wrought out some Boards, as
above, I made large Shelves of the Breadth
of a Foot and Half one over another, all
along one Side of my Cave, to lay all my
Tools, Nails, and Iron-work, and in a Word,

-39-

Measure, and having settled my houshold
Stuff and Habitation, made me a Table and
a Chair, and all as handsome about me as I
could, I began to keep my Journal, of which I
shall here give you the Copy (tho' in it will be
told all these Particulars over again) as long
as it lasted, for having no more Ink I was
forc'd to leave it off.

Chapter VIII Robinson's Journal—Details of
His Domestic Economy and
Contrivances—Shock of an Earthquake

The JOURNAL.

September 30, 1659. I poor miserable
Robinson Crusoe, being shipwreck'd,
during a dreadful Storm, in the offing, came
on Shore on this dismal unfortunate Island,
which I call'd the Island of Despair, all the
rest of the Ship's Company being drown'd,
and my self almost dead.

All the rest of that Day I spent in afflicting my
self at the dismal Circumstances I was
brought to, viz. I had neither Food, House,
Clothes, Weapon, or Place to fly to, and in
Despair of any Relief, saw nothing but
Death before me, either that I should be
devour'd by wild Beasts, murther'd by
Savages, or starv'd to Death for Want of
Food. At the Approach of Night, I slept in a
Tree for fear of wild Creatures, but slept
soundly tho' it rain'd all Night.

October 1. In the Morning I saw to my great
Surprise the Ship had floated with the high
Tide, and was driven on Shore again much
nearer the Island, which as it was some
Comfort on one hand, for seeing her sit
upright, and not broken to Pieces, I hop'd, if
the Wind abated, I might get on board, and
get some Food and Necessaries out of her
for my Relief; so on the other hand, it
renew'd my Grief at the Loss of my
Comrades, who I imagin'd if we had all

-40-

within with Cables, and without with Turf.

From the 26th. to the 30th. I work'd very hard in
carrying all my Goods to my new Habitation,
tho' some Part of the time it rain'd
exceeding hard.

The 31st. in the Morning I went out into the
Island with my Gun to see for some Food,
and discover the Country, when I kill'd a
She-Goat, and her Kid follow'd me home,
which I afterwards kill'd also because it
would not feed.

November. 1. I set up my Tent under a Rock,
and lay there for the first Night, making it as
large as I could with Stakes driven in to
swing my Hammock upon.

Nov. 2. I set up all my Chests and Boards,
and the Pieces of Timber which made my
Rafts, and with them form'd a Fence round
me, a little within the Place I had mark'd out
for my Fortification.

Nov. 3. I went out with my Gun and kill'd two
Fowls like Ducks, which were very good
Food. In the Afternoon went to work to make
me a Table.

Nov. 4. This Morning I began to order my
times of Work, of going out with my Gun,
time of Sleep, and time of Diversion, viz.
Every Morning I walk'd out with my Gun for
two or three Hours if it did not rain, then
employ'd my self to work till about Eleven a-
Clock, then eat what I had to live on, and
from Twelve to Two I lay down to sleep, the
Weather being excessive hot, and then in
the Evening to work again: The working
Part of this Day and of the next were wholly
employ'd in making my Table, for I was yet
but a very sorry Workman, tho' Time and
Necessity made me a compleat natural
Mechanick soon after, as I believe it would
do any one else.

-41-

Nov. 17. This Day I began to dig behind my
Tent into the Rock to make room for my
farther Conveniency: Note, Two Things I
wanted exceedingly for this Work, viz. A
Pick-axe, a Shovel, and a Wheel-barrow or
Basket, so I desisted from my Work, and
began to consider how to supply that Want
and make me some Tools; as for a
Pickaxe, I made use of the Iron Crows,
which were proper enough, tho' heavy; but
the next thing was a Shovel or Spade, this
was so absolutely necessary, that indeed I
could do nothing effectually without it, but
what kind of one to make I knew not.

Nov. 18. The next Day in searching the
Woods I found a Tree of that Wood, or like it,
which, in the Brasils they call the Iron Tree,
for Its exceeding Hardness, of this, with
great Labour and almost spoiling my Axe, I
cut a Piece, and brought it home too with
Difficulty enough, for it was exceeding
heavy.

The excessive Hardness of the Wood, and
having no other Way, made me a long while
upon this Machine, for I work'd it effectually
by little and little into the Form of a Shovel or
Spade, the Handle exactly shap'd like ours
in England, only that the broad Part having
no Iron shod upon it at Bottom, it would not
last me so long, however it serv'd well
enough for the uses which I had occasion to
put it to; but never was a Shovel, I believe,
made after that Fashion, or so long a
making.

I was still deficient, for I wanted a Basket or
a Wheelbarrow, a Basket I could not make
by any Means, having no such things as
Twigs that would bend to make Wicker
Ware, at least none yet found out; and as to
a Wheel-barrow,

I fancy'd I could make all but the Wheel, but
that I had no Notion of, neither did I know

-42-

been under it I had never wanted a Grave-
Digger: Upon this Disaster I had a great
deal of Work to do over again; for I had the
loose Earth to carry out; and which was of
more Importance, I had the Seiling to prop
up, so that I might be sure no more would
come down.

Dec. 11. This Day I went to Work with it
accordingly, and got two Shores or Posts
pitch'd upright to the Top, with two Pieces
of Boards a cross over each Post, this I
finish'd the next Day; and setting more
Posts up with Boards, in about a Week
more I had the Roof secur'd; and the Posts
standing in Rows, serv'd me for Partitions
to part of my House.

Dec. 17. From this Day to the Twentieth I
plac'd Shelves, and knock'd up Nails on the
Posts to hang every Thing up that could be
hung up, and now I began to be in some
Order within Doors.

Dec. 20. Now I carry'd every Thing into the
Cave, and began to furnish my House, and
set up some Pieces of Boards, like a
Dresser, to order my Victuals upon, but
Boards began to be very scarce with me;
also I made me another Table.

Dec. 24. Much Rain all Night and all Day, no
stirring out.

Dec. 25. Rain all Day.

Dec. 26. No Rain, and the Earth much cooler
than before, and pleasanter.

Dec. 27. Kill'd a young Goat, and lam'd
another so as that I catch'd it, and led it
Home in a String; when I had it Home, I
bound and splinter'd up its Leg which was
broke, N.B. I took such Care of it, that it
liv'd, and the Leg grew well, and as strong
as ever; but by my nursing it so long it grew

-43-

be perfectly secure `till this Wall was
finish'd; and it is scarce credible what
inexpressible Labour every Thing was done
with, especially the bringing Piles out of the
Woods, and driving them into the Ground,
for I made them much bigger than I need to
have done.

When this Wall was finished, and the Out-
side double fenc'd with a Turff-Wall rais'd
up close to it, I persuaded my self, that if any
People were to come on Shore there, they
would not perceive any Thing like a
Habitation; and it was very well I did so, as
may be oberv'd hereafter upon a very
remarkable Occasion.

During this Time, I made my Rounds in the
Woods for Game every Day when the Rain
admitted me, and made frequent
Discoveries in these Walks of something or
other to my Advantage; particularly I found a
Kind of wild Pidgeons, who built not as
Wood Pidgeons in a Tree, but rather as
House Pidgeons, in the Holes of the Rocks;
and taking some young ones, I
endeavoured to bread them up tame, and
did so; but when they grew older they flew
all away, which perhaps was at first for Want
of feeding them, for I had nothing to give
them; however I frequently found their
Nests, and got their young ones, which
were very good Meat.

And now, in the managing my houshold
Affairs, I found my self wanting in many
Things, which I thought at first it was
impossible for me to make, as indeed as to
some of them it was; for Instance, I could
never make a Cask to be hooped, had a
small Runlet or two, as I observed before,
but I cou'd never arrive to the Capacity of
making one by them, tho? I spent many
Weeks about it; I could neither put in the
Heads, or joint the Staves so true to one
another, as to make them hold Water, so I

-44-

and Confusion of my Thoughts on this
Occasion; I had hitherto acted upon no
religious Foundation at all, indeed I had very
few Notions of Religion in my Head, or had'
entertain'd any Sense of any Thing that had
befallen me, otherwise than as a Chance,
or, as we lightly say, what pleases God;
without so much as enquiring into the End of
Providence in these Things, or his Order in
governing Events in the World: But after I
saw Barley grow there, in a Climate which I
know was not proper for Corn, and
especially that I knew not how it came there,
It startl'd me strangely, and I began to
suggest, that God had miraculously caus'd
this Grain to grow without any Help of Seed
sown, and that it was so directed purely for
my Sustenance, on that wild miserable
Place.

This touch'd my Heart a little, and brought
Tears out of my Eyes, and I began to bless
my self, that such a Prodigy of Nature
should happen upon my Account; and this
was the more strange to me, because I saw
near it still all along by the Side of the Rock,
some other straggling Stalks, which prov'd
to be Stalks of Ryce, and which I knew,
because I had seen it grow in Africa when I
was ashore there.

I not only thought these the pure Productions
of Providence for my Support, but not
doubting, but that there was more in the
Place, I went all over that Part of the Island,
where I had been before, peering in every
Corner, and under every Rock, to see for
more of it, but I could not find any; at last it
occur'd to my Thoughts, that I had shook a
Bag of Chickens Meat out in that Place, and
then the Wonder began to cease; and I must
confess, my religious Thankfulness to
God's Providence began to abate too upon
the Discovering that all this was nothing but
what was common; tho' I ought to have
been as thankful for so strange and

-45-

up after me, and let it down in the In-side:
This was a compleat Enclosure to men for
within I had Room enough, and nothing
could come at me from without, unless it
could first mount my Wall.

The very next Day after this Wall was
finish'd, I had almost had all my Labour
overthrown at once, and my self kill'd; the
Case was thus, As I was busy in the Inside
of it, behind my Tent, just in the Entrance
into my Cave, I was terribly frighted with a
most dreadful surprising Thing indeed; for
all on a sudden I found the Earth come
crumbling down from the Roof of my Cave,
and from the Edge of the Hill over my Head,
and two of the Posts I had set up in the Cave
crack'd in a frightful Manner; I was heartily
scar'd, but thought nothing' of what was
really the Cause, only thinking that the Top
of my Cave was falling in, as some of it had
done before; and for Fear I shou'd be
bury'd in it, I run foreward to my Ladder, and
not thinking my self safe there neither, I got
over my Wall for Fear of the Pieces of the
Hill which I expected might roll down upon
me: I was no sooner stepp'd down upon the
firm Ground, but I plainly saw it was a
terrible Earthquake, for the Ground I stood
on shook three Times at about eight
Minutes Distance, with three such Shocks,
as would have overturn'd the strongest
Building that could be suppos'd to have
stood on the Earth, and a great Piece of the
Top of a Rock, which stood about half a
Mile from me next the Sea, fell down with
such a terrible Noise, as I never heard in all
my Life, I perceiv'd also, the very Sea was
put into violent Motion by it; and I believe the
Shocks were stronger under the Water than
on the Island.

I was so amaz'd with the Thing it self,
having never felt the like, or discours'd with
any one that had, that I was like one dead or
stupify'd; and the Motion of the Earth made

-46-

very much afraid and uneasy for fear it
should fall on my Head.

This violent Rain forc'd me to a new Work,
viz. To cut a Hole thro' my new Fortification
like a Sink to let the Water go out, which
would else have drown'd my Cave. After I
had been in my Cave some time, and found
still no more Shocks of the Earthquake
follow, I began to be more compos'd; and
now to support my Spirits, which indeed
wanted it very much, I went to my little Store
and took a small Sup of Rum, which
however I did then and always very
sparingly, knowing I could have no more
when that was gone.

It continu'd raining all that Night, and great
Part of the next Day, so that I could not stir
abroad, but my Mind being more
compos'd, I began to think of what I had
best do, concluding that if the Island was
subject to these Earth-quakes, there would
be no living for me in a Cave, but I must
consider of building me some little Hut in an
open Place which I might surround with a
Wall as I had done here, and so make my
self secure from wild Beasts or Men; but
concluded, if I staid where I was, I should
certainly, one time or other, be bury'd alive.

With these Thoughts I resolv'd to remove my
Tent from the Place where it stood, which
was just under the hanging Precipice of the
Hill, and which, if it should be shaken again,
would certainly fall upon my Tent: And I
spent the two next Days, being the 19th and
20th of April, in contriving where and how to
remove my Habitation.

The fear of being swallow'd up alive, made
me that I never slept in quiet, and yet the
Apprehensions of lying broad without any
Fence was almost equal to it; but still when I
look'd about and saw how every thing was
put in order, how pleasantly conceal'd I

-47-

of it, and reduc'd my self to one Bisket-
cake a Day, which made my Heart very
heavy.

Chapter IX Robinson Obtains More Articles
from the Wreck—His Illness and Affliction

May 1. In the Morning looking towards the
Sea-side, the Tide being low, I saw
something lye on the Shore bigger than
ordinary, and it look'd like a Cask; when I
came to it, I found a small Barrel, and two or
three Pieces of the Wreck of the Ship, which
were driven on Shore by the late Hurricane,
and looking towards the Wreck itself, I
thought it seem'd to lye higher out of the
Water than it us'd to do; I examin'd the
Barrel which was driven on Shore, and
soon found it was a Barrel of Gunpowder,
but it had taken Water, and the Powder was
cak'd as hard as a Stone; however I roll'd it
farther on Shore for the present, and went
on upon the Sands as near as I could to the
Wreck of the Ship to look for more.

When I came down to the Ship I found it
strangely remov'd, The Fore-castle which
lay before bury'd in Sand, was heav'd up at
least Six Foot, and the Stern which was
broke to Pieces and parted from the rest by
the Force of the Sea soon after I had left
rummaging her, was toss'd, as it were, up,
and cast on one Side, and the Sand was
thrown so high on that Side next her Stern,
that whereas there was a beat Place of
Water before, so that I could not come within
a Quarter of a Mile of the Wreck without
swimming, I could now walk quite up to her
when the Tide was out; I was surpriz'd with
this at first, but soon concluded it must be
done by the Earthquake, and as by this
Violence the Ship was more broken open
than formerly, so many Things came daily
on Shore, which the Sea had loosen'd, and
which the Winds and Water rolled by
Degrees to the Land.

-48-

seem'd to lie loose, and the In-side of the
Hold lay so open, that I could see into it, but
almost full of Water and Sand.

May 8. Went to the Wreck, and carry'd an Iron
Crow to wrench up the Deck, which lay now
quite clear of the Water or Sand; I wrench'd
open two Planks, and brought them on
Shore also with the Tide: I left the Iron Crow
in the Wreck for next Day.

May 9. Went to the Wreck, and with the Crow
made Way into the Body of the Wreck, and
felt several Casks, and loosen'd them with
the Crow, but could not break them up; I felt
also the Roll of English Lead, and could stir
it, but it was too heavy to remove.

May 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. Went every Day to the
Wreck, and got a great deal of Pieces of
Timber, and Boards, or Plank, and 2 or 300
Weight of Iron.

May 15. I carry'd two Hatchets to try if I could
not cut a Piece off of the Roll of Lead, by
placing the Edge of one Hatchet, and
driving it with the other; but as it lay about a
Foot and a half in the Water, I could not
make any Blow to drive the Hatchet.

May 16. It had blow'd hard in the Night, and
the Wreck appear'd more broken by the
Force of the Water; but I stay'd so long in the
Woods to get Pidgeons for Food, that the
Tide prevented me going to the Wreck that
Day.

May 17. I saw some Pieces of the Wreck
blown on Shore, at a great Distance, near
two Miles off me, but resolv'd to see what
they were, and found it was a Piece of the
Head, but too heavy for me to bring away.

May 24. Every Day to this Day I work'd on the
Wreck, and with hard Labour I loosen'd
some Things so much with the Crow, that

-49-

my Head, and feaverish.

June 21. Very ill, frighted almost to Death
with the Apprehensions of my sad
Condition, to be sick, and no Help: Pray'd
to GOD for the first Time since the Storm off
of Hull, but scarce knew what I said, or why;
my Thoughts being all confused.

June 22. A little better, but under dreadful
Apprehensions of Sickness.

June 23. Very bad again, cold and shivering,
and then a violent Head-ach.

June 24. Much better.

June 25. An Ague very violent; the Fit held me
seven Hours, cold Fit and hot, with faint
Sweats after it.

June 26. Better; and having no Victuals to
eat, took my Gun, but found my self very
weak; however I kill'd a She-Goat, and with
much Difficulty got it Home, and broil'd
some of it, and eat; I wou'd fain have
stew'd it, and made some Broath, but had
no Pot.

June 27. The Ague again so violent, that I lay
a-Bed all Day, and neither eat or drank. I
was ready to perish for Thirst, but so weak, I
had not Strength to stand up, or to get my
self any Water to drink: Pray'd to God again,
but was light-headed, and when I was not, I
was so ignorant, that I knew not what to say;
only I lay and cry'd, Lord look upon me, Lord
pity me, Lord have Mercy upon me: I
suppose I did nothing else for two or three
Hours, till the Fit wearing off, I fell asleep,
and did not wake till far in the Night; when I
wak'd, I found my self much refresh'd, but
weak, and exceeding thirsty: However, as I
had no Water bin my whole Habitation, I was
forc'd to lie till Morning, and went to sleep
again: In this second Sleep, I had this

-50-

like my self, wicked and prophane to the
last Degree: I do not remember that I had in
all that Time one Thought that so much as
tended either to looking upwards toward
God, or inwards towards a Reflection upon
my own Ways: But a certain Stupidity of
Soul, without Desire of Good, or
Conscience of Evil, had entirely
overwhelm'd me, and I was all that the most
hardened, unthinking, wicked Creature
among our common Sailors, can be
supposed to be, not having the least Sense,
either of the Fear of God in Danger, or of
Thankfulness to God in Deliverances.

In the relating what is already past of my
Story, this will be the more easily believ'd,
when I shall add, that thro' all the Variety of
Miseries that had to this Day befallen me, I
never had so much as one Thought of it
being the Hand of God, or that it was a just
Punishment for my Sin; my rebellious
Behaviour against my Father, or my present
Sins which were great; or so much as a
Punishment for the general Course of my
wicked Life. When I was on the desperate
Expedition on the desert Shores of Africa, I
never had so as one Thought of what would
become of me; or one to od to direct me
whether I should go, or to keep me from the
Danger which apparently surrounded me,
as well from voracious Creatures as cruel
Savages: But I was meerly thoughtless of a
God, or a Providence; acted like a meer
Brute from the Principles of Nature, and by
the Dictates of common Sense only, and
indeed hardly that.

When I was deliver'd and taken up at Sea by
the Portugal Captain, well us'd, and dealt
justly and honourably with, as well as
charitably, I had not the least Thankfulness
on my Thoughts: When again I was
shipwreck'd, ruin'd, and in Danger of
drowning on this Island, I was as far from
Remorse, or looking on it as a Judgment; I

-51-

ever that Part of the Thought was remov'd,
all the Impression which was rais'd from it,
wore off also, as I have noted already.

Even the Earthquake, tho' nothing could be
more terrible in its Nature, or more
immediately directing to the invisible Power
which alone directs such Things, yet no
sooner was the first Fright over, but the
Impression it had made went off also. I had
no more Sense of God or his Judgments,
much less of the present Affliction of my
Circumstances being from his Hand, than if
I had been in the most prosperous
Condition of Life.

But now when I began to be sick, and a
leisurely View of the Miseries of Death
came to place itself before me; when my
Spirits began to sink under the Burthen of a
strong Distemper, and Nature was
exhausted with the Violence of the Feaver;
Conscience that had slept so long, begun to
awake, and I began to reproach my self with
my past Life, in which I had so evidently, by
uncommon Wickedness, provok'd the
Justice of God to lay me under uncommon
Strokes, and to deal with me in so vindictive
a Manner.

These Reflections oppress'd me for the
second or third Day of my Distemper, and in
the Violence, as well of the Feaver, as of
the dreadful Reproaches of my
Conscience, extorted some Words from
me, like praying to God, tho' I cannot say
they were either a Prayer attended with
Desires or with Hopes; it was rather the
Voice of meer Fright and Distress; my
Thoughts were confus'd, the Convictions
great upon my Mind, and the Horror of dying
in such a miserable Condition rais'd
Vapours into my Head with the meer
Apprehensions; and in these Hurries of my
Soul, I know not what my Tongue might
express: but it was rather Exclamation, such

-52-

Terror of my Dream was very great, yet I
consider'd, that the Fit of the Ague wou'd
return again the next Day, and now was my
Time to get something to refresh and
support my self when I should be ill; and the
first Thing I did, I fill'd a large square Case
Bottle with Water, and set it upon my Table,
in Reach of my Bed; and to take off the chill
or aguish Disposition of the Water, I put
about a Quarter of a Pint of Rum into it, and
mix'd them together; then I got me a Piece
of the Goat's Flesh, and broil'd it on the
Coals, but could eat very little; I walk'd
about, but was very weak, and withal very
sad and heavy-hearted in the Sense of my
miserable Condition; dreading the Return
of my Distemper the next Day; at Night I
made my Supper of three of the Turtle's
Eggs, which I roasted in the Ashes, and eat,
as we call it, in the Shell; and this was the
first Bit of Meat I had ever ask'd God's
Blessing to, even as I cou'd remember, in
my whole Life.

After I had eaten, I try'd to walk, but found
my self so weak, that I cou'd hardly carry the
Gun, (for I never went out without that) so I
went but a little Way, and sat down upon the
Ground, looking out upon the Sea, which
was just before me, and very calm and
smooth: As I sat here, some such Thoughts
as these occurred to me.

What is this Earth and Sea of which I have
seen so much, whence is it produc'd, and
what am I, and all the other Creatures, wild
and tame, humane and brutal, whence are
we?

Sure we are all made by some secret
Power, who form'd the Earth and Sea, the
Air and Sky; and who is that?

Then it follow'd most naturally, It is God that
has made it all: Well, but then it came on
strangely, if God has made all these Things,

-53-

pensive and sad, walk'd back to my
Retreat, and went up over my Wall, as if I
had been going to Bed, but my Thoughts
were sadly disturb'd, and I had no
Inclination to Sleep; so I sat down in my
Chair, and lighted my Lamp, for it began to
be dark: Now as the Apprehension of the
Return of my Distemper terrify'd me very
much, it occurr'd to my Thought, that the
Brasilians take no Physick but their
Tobacco, for almost all Distempers; and I
had a Piece of a Roll of Tobacco in one of
the Chests, which was quite cur'd, and
some also that was green and not quite
cur'd.

I went, directed by Heaven no doubt; for in
this Chest I found a Cure, both for Soul and
Body, I open'd the Chest, and found what I
look'd for, viz. the Tobacco; and as the few
Books, I had sav'd, lay there too, I took out
one of the Bibles which I mention'd before,
and which to this Time I had not found
Leisure, or so much as Inclination to look
into; I say, I took it out, and brought both that
and the Tobacco with me to the Table.

What Use to make of the Tobacco, I knew
not, as to my Distemper, or whether it was
good for it or no; but I try'd several
Experiments with it, as if I was resolv'd it
should hit one Way or other: I first took a
Piece of a Leaf, and chew'd it in my Mouth,
which indeed at first almost stupify'd my
Brain, the Tobacco being green and strong,
and that I had not been much us'd to it; then I
took some and steeped it an Hour or two in
some Rum, and resolv'd to take a Dose of it
when I lay down; and lastly, I burnt some
upon a Pan of Coals, and held my Nose
close over the Smoke of it as long as I could
bear it, as well for the Heat as almost for
Suffocation.

In the Interval of this Operation, I took up the
Bible and began to read, but my Head was

-54-

Day out of my Reckoning in the Days of the
Week, as it appear'd some Years after I had
done: for if I had lost it by crossing and re-
crossing the Line, I should have lost more
than one Day: But certainly I lost a Day in my
Accompt, and never knew which Way.

Be that however one Way or th' other, when I
awak'd I found my self exceedingly
refresh'd, and my Spirits lively and chearful;
when I got up, I was stronger than I was the
Day before, and my Stomach better, for I
was hungry; and in short, I had no Fit the
next Day, but continu'd much alter'd for the
better; this was the 29th.

The 30th was my well Day of Course, and I
went abroad with my Gun, but did not care
to travel too far, I kill'd a Sea Fowl or two,
something like a brand Goose, and brought
them Home, but was not very forward to eat
them; so I ate some more of the Turtle's
Eggs, which were very good: This Evening I
renew'd the Medicine which I had suppos'd
did me good the Day before, viz. the
Tobacco steep'd in Rum, only I did not take
so much as before, nor did I chew any of the
Leaf, or hold my Head over the Smoke;
however, I was not so well the next Day,
which was the first of July, as I hop'd I
shou'd have been; for I had a little Spice of
the cold Fit, but it was not much.

July 2. I renew'd the Medicine all the three
Ways, and doz'd my self with it as at first;
and doubled the Quantity which I drank.

3. I miss'd the Fit for good and all, tho' I did
not recover my full Strength for some Weeks
after; while I was thus gathering Strength,
my Thoughts run exceedingly upon this
Scripture, I will deliver thee, and the
Impossibility of my Deliverance lay much
upon my Mind in Barr of my ever expecting
it: But as I was discouraging my self with
such Thoughts, it occurr'd to my Mind, that I

-55-

This was the first Time that I could say, in the
true Sense of the Words, that I pray'd in all
my Life; for now I pray'd with a Sense of my
Condition, and with a true Scripture View of
Hope founded on the Encouragement of the
Word of God; and from this Time, I may say,
I began to have Hope that God would hear
me.

Now I began to construe the Words
mentioned above, Call on me, and I will
deliver you, in a different Sense from what I
had ever done before; for then I had no
Notion of any thing being call'd
Deliverance, but my being deliver'd from
the Captivity I was in; for tho' I was indeed
at large in the Place, yet the Island was
certainly a Prison to me, and that in the
worst Sense in the World; but now I learn'd
to take it in another Sense: Now I look'd
back upon my past Life with such Horrour,
and my Sins appear'd so dreadful, that my
Soul sought nothing of God, but
Deliverance from the Load of Guilt that bore
down all my Comfort: As for my Solitary Life
it was nothing; I did not SO much as pray to
be deliver'd from it, or think of it; It was all of
no Consideration in Comparison to this:
And I add this Part here, to hint to whoever
shall read it, that whenever they come to a
true Sense of things, they will find
Deliverance from Sin a much greater
Blessing, than Deliverance from Affliction.

But leaving this Part, I return to my Journal.

My Condition began now to be, tho' not less
miserable as my Way of living, yet much
easier to my Mind; and my Thoughts being
directed, by a constant reading the
Scripture, and praying to God, to things of a
higher Nature: I ad a great deal of Comfort
within, which till now I knew nothing of; also,
as my Health and Strength returned, I
bestirr'd my self to furnish my self with every
thing that I anted, and make my Way of living

-56-

than a little Brook of running Water, and very
fresh and good; but this being the dry
Season, there was hardly any Water in
some Parts of it, at least, not enough to run
in any Stream, so as it could be perceiv'd.

On the Bank of this Brook I found many
pleasant Savana's, or Meadows; plain,
smooth, and cover'd with Grass; and on the
rising Parts of them next to the higher
Grounds, where the Water, as it might be
supposed, never overflow'd I found a great
deal of Tobacco, green, and growing to
great and very strong Stalk; there were
divers other Plants which I had no Notion of,
or Understanding about, and might perhaps
have Vertues of their own, which I could find
out.

I searched for the Cassava Root, which the
Indians in all that climate make their Bread
of, but I could find I saw large Plants of
Alloes, but did not then understand them. I
saw several Sugar Canes, but wild, and for
Cultivation, imperfect. I contented my self
with these Discoveries for this Time, and
came back musing with myself what
Course I might take to know the Vertue and
Goodness of any of the Fruits or Plants
which I should discover; but could bring it to
no Conclusion; for in short, I had made so
little Observation while I wad in the Brasils,
that I knew little of the Plants in the Field, at
least very little that might serve me to any
Purpose now in my Distress.

The next Day, the 16th, I went up the same
Way again, and after going something
farther than I had gone the Day before, I
found the Brook, and the Savana's began
to cease, and the Country became more
woody than before; in this Part I found
different Fruits, and particularly I found
Mellons upon the Ground in great
Abundance, and Grapes upon the Trees;
the Vines had spread indeed over the

-57-

Lord of a Mannor in England. I saw here
Abundance of Cocoa Trees, Orange, and
Lemmon, and Citron Trees; but all wild, and
very few bearing any Fruit, at least not then:
However, the green Limes that I gathered,
were not only pleasant to eat, but very
wholesome; and I mix'd their Juice
afterwards with Water, which made it very
wholesome, and very cool, and refreshing.

I found now I had Business enough to gather
and carry Home; and I resolv'd to lay up a
Store, as well of Grapes, as Limes and
Lemons, to furnish my self for the wet
Season, which I knew was approaching.

In Order to this, I gather'd a great Heap of
Grapes in one Place, and a lesser Heap in
another Place, and a great Parcel of Limes
and Lemons in another Place; and taking a
few of each with me, I travell'd homeward,
and resolv'd to come again, and bring a
Bag or Sack, or what I could make to carry
the rest Home.

Accordingly, having spent three Days in this
Journey, I came Home; so I must now call
my Tent and my Cave: But, before I got
thither, the Grapes were spoil'd; the
Richness of the Fruits, and the Weight of the
Juice having broken them, and bruis'd
them, they were good for little or nothing; as
to the Limes, they were good, but I could
bring but a few.

The next Day, being the 19th, I went back,
having made me two small Bags to bring
Home my Harvest: But I was surpriz'd, when
coming to my Heap of Grapes, which were
so rich and fine when I gather'd them, I
found them all spread about, trod to Pieces,
and dragg'd about, some here, some there,
and Abundance eaten and devour'd: By this
I concluded, there were some wild
Creatures thereabouts, which had done
this; but what they were, I knew not.

-58-

that I spent much of my Time there, for the
whole remaining Part of the Month of July;
and tho' upon second Thoughts I resolv'd as
above, not to remove, yet I built me a little
kind of a Bower, and surrounded it at a
Distance with a strong Fence, being a
double Hedge, as high as I could reach, well
stak'd, and fill'd between with Brushwood;
and here I lay very secure, sometimes two
or three Nights together, always going over
it with a Ladder, as before; so that I fancy'd
now I had my Country-House, and my Sea-
Coast-House: And this Work took me up to
the Beginning of August.

I had but newly finish'd my Fence, and
began to enjoy my Labour, but the Rains
came on, and made me stick close to my
first Habitation; for tho' I had made me a
Tent like the other, with a Piece of a Sail,
and spread it very well; yet I had not the
Shelter of a Hill to keep me from Storms,
nor a Cave behind me to retreat into, when
the Rains were extraordinary.

About the Beginning of August, as I said, I
had finish'd my Bower, and began to enjoy
my self. The third of August, I found the
Grapes I had hung up were perfectly dry'd,
and indeed, were excellent good Raisins of
the Sun; so I began to take them down from
the Trees, and it was very happy that I did
so; for the Rains which follow'd would have
spoil'd them, and I had lost the best Part of
my Winter Food; for I had above two
hundred large Bunches of them. No sooner
had I taken them all down, and carry'd most
of them Home to my Cave, but it began to
rain, and from hence, which was the
fourteenth of August, it rain'd more or less,
every Day, till the Middle of October; and
sometimes so violently, that I could not stir
out of my Cave for several Days.

In this Season I was much surpriz'd with the
Increase of my Family; I had been

-59-

perceive that there was any living Thing to
fear, the biggest Creature that I had yet
seen upon the Island being a Goat.

September the thirtieth, I was now come to
the unhappy Anniversary of my Landing. I
cast up the Notches on my Post, and found I
had been on Shore three hundred and sixty
five Days. I kept this Day as a Solemn Fast,
Setting it apart to Religious Exercise,
prostrating my self on the Ground with the
most serious Humiliation, confessing my
Sins to God, acknowledging his Righteous
Judgments upon me, and praying to him to
have Mercy on me, through Jesus Christ;
and having not tasted the least Refreshment
for twelve Hours, even till the going down of
the Sun, I then eat a Bisket Cake, and a
Bunch of Grapes, and went to Bed,
finishing the Day as I began it.

I had all this Time observ'd no Sabbath-
Day; for as at first I had no Sense of
Religion upon my Mind, I had after some
Time omitted to distinguish the Weeks, by
making a longer Notch than ordinary for the
Sabbath-Day, and so did not really know
what any Of the Days were; but now having
cast up the Days, as above, I found I had
been there a Year; so I divided it into Weeks,
and set apart every seventh Day for a
Sabbath; though I found at the End of my
Account I had lost a Day or two in my
Reckoning.

A line after this my Ink began to fail me, and
so I contented my self to use it more
sparingly, and to write down only the most
remarkable Events of my Life, without
continuing a daily Memorandum of other
Things.

The rainy Season, and the dry Season,
began now to appear regular to me, and I
learn'd to divide them so, as to provide for
them accordingly. But I bought all my

-60-

But by this Experiment I was made Master
of my Business, and knew exactly when the
proper Season was to sow; and that I might
expect two Seed Times, and two Harvests
every Year.

While this Corn was growing, I made a little
Discovery which was of use to me
afterwards: As soon as the Rains were
over, and the Weather began to settle, which
was about the Month of November, I made
a Visit up the Country to my Bower, where
though I had not been some Months, yet I
found all Things just as I left them. The
Circle or double Hedge that I had made,
was not only firm and entire; but the Stakes
which I had cut out of some Trees that grew
thereabouts, were all shot out and grown
with long Branches, as much as a Willow-
Tree usually shoots the first Year after
lopping its Head. I could not tell what Tree to
call it, that these Stakes were cut from. I
was surpriz'd, and yet very well pleas'd, to
see the young Trees grow; and I prun'd
them, and led them up to grow as much
alike as I could; and it is scarce credible
how beautiful a Figure they grew into in
three Years; so that though the Hedge made
a Circle of about twenty five Yards in
Diameter, yet the Trees, for such I might
now call them, soon cover'd it; and it was a
compleat Shade, sufficient to lodge under
all the dry Season.

This made me resolve to cut some more
Stakes, and make me a Hedge like this in a
Semicircle round my Wall; I mean that of my
first Dwelling, which I did; and placing the
Trees or Stakes in a double Row, at about
eight Yards distance from my first Fence,
they grew presently, and were at first a fine
Cover to my Habitation, and afterward
serv'd for a Defence also, as I shall observe
in its Order.

Chapter XI Robinson Makes a Tour to

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for the Purpose prov'd so brittle, that they
would do nothing. It prov'd of excellent
Advantage to me now, That when I was a
Boy, I used to take great Delight in standing
at a Basketmaker's, in the Town where my
Father liv'd, to see them make their Wicker-
ware; and being as Boys usually are, very
officious to help, and a great Observer of
the Manner how they work'd those Things,
and sometimes lending a Hand, I had by this
Means full Knowledge of the Methods of it,
that I wanted nothing but the Materials;
when it came into my Mind, That the Twigs
of that Tree from whence I cut my Stakes
that grew, might possibly be as tough as the
Sallow's, and Willows, and Osiers in
England, and I resolv'd to try.

Accordingly the next Day, I went to my
Country-House, as I call'd it, and cutting
some of the smaller Twigs, I found them to
my Purpose as much as I could desire;
whereupon I came the next Time prepar'd
with a Hatchet to cut down a Quantity, which
I soon found, for there was great Plenty of
them; these I set up to dry within my Circle or
Hedge, and when they were fit for Use, I
carry'd them to my Cave, and here during
the next Season, I employ'd my self in
making, as well as I could, a great many
Baskets, both to carry Earth, or to carry or
lay up any Thing as I had occasion; and tho' I
did not finish them very handsomly, yet I
made them sufficiently serviceable for my
Purpose; and thus afterwards I took Care
never to be without them; and as my Wicker-
ware decay'd, I made more, especially, I
made strong deep Baskets to place my
Corn in, instead of Sacks, when I should
come to have any Quantity of it.

Having master'd this Difficulty, and
employ'd a World of Time about it, I bestirr'd
my self to see if possible how to supply two
Wants: I had no Vessels to hold any Thing
that was Liquid, except two Runlets which

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Spanish Dominions, and perhaps was all
Inhabited by Savages, where if I should
have landed, I had been in a worse
Condition than I was now; and therefore I
acquiesced in the Dispositions of
Providence, which I began now to own, and
to believe, order'd every Thing for the best; I
say, I quieted my Mind with this, and left
afflicting my self with Fruitless Wishes of
being there.

Besides, after some Pause upon this
Affair, I consider'd, that if this Land was the
Spanish Coast, I should certainly, one Time
or other, see some Vessel pass or re-pass
one Way or other; but if not, then it was the
Savage Coast between the Spanish
Country and Brasils, which are indeed the
worst of Savages; for they are Cannibals,
or Men-eaters, and fail not to murther and
devour all the humane Bodies that fall into
their Hands.

With these Considerations I walk'd very
leisurely forward, I found that Side of the
Island where I now was, much pleasanter
than mine, the open or Savanna Fields
sweet, adorn'd with Flowers and Grass,
and full of very fine Woods. I saw
Abundance of Parrots, and fain I would
have caught one, if possible to have kept it
to be tame, and taught it to speak to me. I
did, after some Pains taking, catch a young
Parrot, for I knock'd it down with a Stick,
and having' recover'd it, I brought it home;
but it was some Years before I could make
him speak: However, at last I taught him to
call me by my Name very familiarly: But the
Accident that follow'd, tho' it be a Trifle, will
be very diverting in its Place.

I was exceedingly diverted with this
Journey: I found in the low Grounds Hares,
as I thought them to be, and Foxes, but they
differ'd greatly from all the other Kinds I had
met with; nor could I satisfy my self to eat

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and they saw me much sooner than when I
was on the Hill.

I confess this Side of the Country was much
pleasanter than mine, but yet I had not the
least Inclination to remove; for as I was fix'd
in my Habitation, it became natural to me,
and I seem'd all the while I was here, to be
as it were upon a Journey, and from Home:
However, I travell'd along the Shore of the
Sea, towards the East, I suppose about
twelve Miles; and the setting up a great Pole
upon the Shore for a Mark, I concluded I
would go Home again; and that the next
Journey I took should be on the other Side of
the Island, East from my Dwelling, and so
round till I came to my Post again: Of which
in its Place.

I took another Way to come back than that I
went, thinking I could easily keep all the
Island so much in my View, that I could not
miss finding my first Dwelling by viewing the
Country; but I found my self mistaken; for
being come about two or three Miles, I
found my self descended into a very large
Valley; but so surrounded with Hills, and
those Hills cover'd with Wood, that I could
not see which was my Way by any Direction
but that of the Sun, nor even then, unless I
knew very well the Position of the Sun at that
Time of the Day.

It happen'd to my farther Misfortune, That
the Weather prov'd hazey for three or four
Days, while was in this Valley; and not
being able to see the Sun, I wander'd about
very uncomfortably, and at last was oblig'd
to find out the Sea Side, look for my Post,
and come back the same Way I went; and
then by easy Journies I turn'd Homeward,
the Weather being exceeding hot, and my
Gun, Ammunition, Hatchet, and other
Things very heavy.

Chapter XII He Returns to His Cave—His

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Branches of such Shrubs as I could find,
and threw it over, and having fed it, I ty'd it
as I did before, to lead it away; but it was so
tame with being hungry, that I had no need
to have ty'd it; for it follow'd me like a Dog;
and as I continually fed it, the Creature
became so loving, so gentle, and so fond,
that it became from that Time one of my
Domesticks also, and would never leave
me afterwards.

The rainy Season of the Autumnal Equinox
was now come, and I kept the 30th of Sept. in
the same solemn Manner as before, being
the Anniversary of my Landing on the Island,
having now been there two Years, and no
more Prospect of being deliver'd, than the
first Day I came there. I spent the whole Day
in humble and thankful Acknowledgments
of the many wonderful Mercies which my
Solitary Condition was attended with, and
without which it might have been infinitely
more miserable. I gave humble and hearty
Thanks that God had been pleas'd to
discover to me, even that it was possible I
might be more happy in this Solitary
Condition, than I should have been in a
Liberty of Society, and in all the Pleasures
of the World. That he could fully make up to
me, the Deficiencies of my Solitary State,
and the want of Humane Society by his
Presence, and the Communications of his
Grace to my Soul, supporting, comforting,
and encouraging me to depend upon his
Providence here, and hope for his Eternal
Presence hereafter.

It was now that I began sensibly to feel how
much more happy this Life I now led was,
with all its miserable Circumstances, than
the wicked, cursed, abominable Life I led all
the past Part of my Days; and now I chang'd
both my Sorrows and my Joys; my very
Desires alter'd, my Affections chang'd their
Gusts, land my Delights were perfectly new,
from what they were at my first Coming, or

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Condition, than it was probable I should
ever have been in any other Particular State
in the World; and with this Thought I was
going to give Thanks to God for bringing me
to this Place.

I know not what it was, but something
shock'd my Mind at that Thought, and I durst
not speak the Words: How canst thou be
such a Hypocrite, (said I, even audibly) to
pretend to be thankful for a Condition,
which however thou mav'st endeavour to be
contented with, thou would'st rather pray
heartily to be deliver'd from; so I stopp'd
there: But though I could not say, I thank'd
God for being there; yet I sincerely gave
Thanks to God for opening my Eyes, by
whatever afflicting Providences, to see the
former Condition of my Life, and to mourn
for my Wickedness, and repent. I never
open'd the Bible, or shut it, but my very Soul
within me, bless'd God for directing my
Friend in England, without any Order of
mine, to pack it up among my Goods; and
for assisting me afterwards to save it out of
the Wreck of the Ship.

Thus, and in this Disposition of Mind, I
began my third Year: and tho' I have not
given the Reader the Trouble of so
particular Account of my Works this Year as
the first; yet in General it may be observ'd,
That I was very seldom idle; but having
regularly divided my Time, according to the
several daily Employments that were before
me, such as, First, My Duty to God, and the
Reading the Scriptures, which I constantly
set apart some Time for thrice every Day.
Secondly, The going Abroad with my Gun
for Food, which generally took me up three
Hours in every Morning, when it did not
Rain. Thirdly, The ordering, curing,
preserving, and cooking what I had kill'd or
catch'd for my Supply; these took up great
Part of the Day; also it is to be considered
that the middle of the Day when the Sun was

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Labour I went through many Things; and
indeed every Thing that my Circumstances
made necessary to me to do, as will appear
by what follows.

I was now, in the Months of November and
December, expecting my Crop of Barley
and Rice. The Ground I had manur'd or dug
up for them was not great; for as I observ'd,
my Seed of each was not above the
Quantity of half a Peck; for I had lost one
whole Crop by sowing in the dry Season;
but now my Crop promis'd very well, when
on a sudden I found I was in Danger of
losing it all again by Enemies of several
Sorts, which it was scarce possible to keep
from it; as First, The Goats, and wild
Creatures which I call'd Hares who tasting
the Sweetness of the Blade, lay in it Night
and Day, as soon as it came up, and eat it
so close, that it could get no Time to shoot
up into Stalk.

This I saw no Remedy for, but by making an
Enclosure about it with a Hedge, which I did
with a great deal of Toil; and the more,
because it requir'd Speed. However, as my
Arable Land was but small, suited to my
Crop, I got it totally well fenc'd, in about
three Weeks Time; and shooting some of
the Creatures in the Day Time, I set my Dog
to guard it in the Night, tying him up to a
Stake at the Gate, where he would stand
and bark all Night long; so in a little Time the
Enemies forsook the Place, and the Corn
grew very strong, and well, and began to
ripen apace.

But as the Beasts ruined me before, while
my Corn was in the Blade; so the Birds
were as likely to ruin me now, when it was in
the Ear; for going along by the Place to see
how it throve, I saw my little Crop
surrounded with Fowls of I know not how
many Sorts, who stood as it were watching
till I should be gone: I immediately let fly

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which was our second Harvest of the Year, I
reap'd my Crop.

I was sadly put to it for a Scythe or a Sicle to
cut it down, and-all I could do was to make
one as well as I could out of one of the
Broad Swords or Cutlasses, which I sav'd
among the Arms out of the Ship. However,
as my first Crop was but small I had no great
Difficulty to cut it down; in short, I reap'd it
my Way, for I cut nothing off but the Ears,
and carry'd it away in a great Basket which I
had made, and so rubb'd it out with my
Hands; and at the End of all my Harvesting, I
found that out of my half Peck of Seed, I had
near two Bushels of Rice, and above two
Bushels and half of Barley, that is to say, by
my Guess, for I had no Measure at that time.

However, this was a great Encouragement
to me, and I foresaw that in time, it wou'd
please God to supply me with Bread: And
yet here I was perplex'd again, for I neither
knew how to grind or make Meal of my
Corn, or indeed how to clean it and part it;
nor if made into Meal, how to make Bread
of it, and if how to make it, yet I knew not
how to bake it; these things being added to
my Desire of having a good Quantity for
Store, and to secure a constant Supply, I
resolv'd not to taste any of this Crop but to
preserve it all for Seed against the next
Season, and in the mean time to employ all
my Study and Hours of Working to
accomplish this great Work of Providing my
self with Corn and Bread.

It might be truly said, that now I work'd for
my Bread; 'tis a little wonderful, and what I
believe few People have thought much
upon, (viz.) the strange multitude of little
Things necessary in the Providing,
Producing, Curing, Dressing, Making and
Finishing this one Article of Bread.

I that was reduced to a meer State of

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Utensils proper for the performing all the
Operations necessary for the making the
Corn (when I had it) fit for my use.

Chapter XIII His manufacture of Pottery, and
Contrivances for Baking Bread

But first, I was to prepare more Land, for I
had now Seed enough to sow above an
Acre of Ground. Before I did this, I had a
Week's-work at least to make me a Spade,
which when it was done was but a sorry one
indeed, and very heavy, and requir'd double
Labour to work with it; however I went thro'
that, and sow'd my Seed in two large flat
Pieces of Ground, as near my House as I
could find them to my Mind, and fenc'd them
in with a good Hedge, the Stakes of which
were all cut of that Wood which I had set
before, and knew it would grow, so that in
one Year's time I knew I should have a
Quick or Living-Hedge, that would want but
little Repair. This Work was not so little as to
take me up less than three Months, because
great Part of that time was of the wet
Season, when I could not go abroad.

Within Doors, that is, when it rained, and I
could not go out, I found Employment on the
following Occasions; always observing,
that all the while I was at work I diverted my
self with talking to my Parrot, and teaching
him to Speak, and I quickly learn'd him to
know his own Name, and at last to speak it
out pretty loud P O L, which was the first
Word I ever heard spoken in the Island by
any Mouth but my own. This therefore was
not my Work, but an assistant to my Work, for
now, as I said, I had a great Employment
upon my Hands, as follows, (viz.) I had long
study'd by some Means or other, to make
my self some Earthen Vessels, which
indeed I wanted sorely, but knew not where
to come at them: However, considering the
Heat of the Climate, I did not doubt but if I
could find out any such Clay, I might botch

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But all this would not answer my End, which
was to get an earthen Pot to hold what was
Liquid, and bear the Fire, which none of
these could do. It happen'd after some time,
making a pretty large Fire for cooking my
Meat, when I went to put it out after I had
done with it, I found a broken Piece of one
of my Earthen-ware Vessels in the Fire,
burnt as hard as a Stone, and red as a Tile. I
was agreeably suppris'd to see it, and said
to my self, that certainly they might be made
to burn whole if they would burn broken.

This set me to studying how to order my
Fire, so as to make it burn me some Pots. I
had no Notion of a Kiln, such as the Potters
burn in, or of glazing them with Lead, tho' I
had Some Lead to do it with; but I plac'd
three large Pipkins, and two or three Pots in
a Pile one upon another, and plac'd my
Fire-wood all round it with a great Heap of
Embers under them, I ply'd the Fire with
fresh Fuel round the out-side, and upon the
top, till I saw the Pots in the inside red hot
quite thro', and observ'd that they did not
crack at all; when I saw them clear red, I let
them stand in that Heat about 5 or 6 Hours, till
I found one of them, tho' it did not crack, did
melt or run, for the Sand which was mixed
with the Clay melted by the violence of the
Heat, and would have run into Glass if I had
gone on, so I slack'd my Fire gradually till
the Pots began to abate of the red Colour,
and watching them all Night, that I might not
let the Fire abate too fast, in the Morning I
had three very good, I will not say handsome
Pipkins; and two other Earthen Pots, as
hard burnt as cou'd be desir'd; and one of
them perfectly glaz'd with the Running of the
Sand.

After this Experiment, I need not say that I
wanted no sort of Earthen Ware for my Use;
but I must needs say, as to the Shapes of
them, they were very indifferent, as any one
may suppose, when I had no way of making

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laid by against I had my next Crop of Corn,
when I propos'd to my self, to grind, or
rather pound my into Meal to make my
Bread.

My next Difficulty was to make a Sieve, or
Search,' to dress my Meal, and to part it
from the Bran, and the Husk, without which I
did not see it possible I could have any
Bread. This was a most difficult Thing, so
much as but to think on; for to be sure I had
nothing like the necessary Thing to make it; I
mean fine thin Canvas, or Stuff, to search
the Meal through. And here I was at a full
Stop for many Months; nor did I really know
what to do; Linnen I had none left, but what
was meer Rags; I had Goats Hair, but
neither knew I how to weave it, or spin it;
and had I known how, here was no Tools to
work it with; all the Remedy that I found for
this, was, That at last I did remember I had
among the Seamens Cloaths which were
sav'd out of the Ship, some Neckcloths of
Callicoe, or Muslin; and with some Pieces
of these, I made three small Sieves, but
proper enough for the Work; and thus I made
shift for some Years; how I did afterwards, I
shall shew in its Place.

The baking Part was the next Thing to be
consider'd, and how I should make Bread
when I came to have Corn; for first I had no
Yeast; as to that Part, as there was no
supplying the Want, so I did not concern my
self much about it: But for an Oven, I was
indeed in great Pain; at length I found out an
Experiment for that also, which was this; I
made some Earthen Vessels very broad,
but not deep; that is to say, about two Foot
Diameter, and not above nine Inches deep;
these I burnt in the Fire, as I had done the
other, and laid them by; and when I wanted
to bake, I made a great Fire upon my
Hearth, which I had pav'd with some square
Tiles of my own making, and burning also;
but I should not call them square.

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Year, that I sow'd the last, in Hopes that
such a Quantity would fully provide me with
Bread, etc.

Chapter XIV Meditates His Escape from
the Island—Builds a Canoe—Failure of His
Scheme and Resignation to His
Conditions—He Makes Himself a New
Dress

All the while these Things were doing, you
may be sure my Thoughts run many times
upon the Prospect of Land which I had seen
from the other Side of the Island, and I was
not without secret Wishes that I were on
Shore there, fancying the seeing the main
Land, and in an inhabited Country, I might
find some Way or other to convey my self
farther, and perhaps at last find some
Means of Escape.

But all this while I made no Allowance for the
Dangers of such a Condition, and how I
might fall into the Hands of Savages, and
perhaps such as I might have Reason to
think far worse than the Lions and Tigers of
Africa. That if I once came into their Power, I
should run a Hazard more than a thousand
to one of being kill'd, and perhaps of being
eaten; for I had heard that the People of the
Carribean Coast were Canibals, or Man-
eaters; and I knew by the Latitude that I
could not be far off from that Shore. That
suppose they were not Canibals, yet that
they might kill me, as many Europeans who
had fallen into their Hands had been serv'd,
even when they had been ten or twenty
together; much more I' that was but one,
and could make little or no Defence: All
these Things, I say, which I ought to have
consider'd well of, and did cast up in my
Thoughts afterwards, yet took up none of
my Apprehensions at first; but my Head run
mightily upon the Thought of getting over to
the Shore.

-72-

This at length put me upon thinking, Whether
it was not possible to make my self a
Canoe, or Periagua, such as the Natives of
those Climates make, even without Tools,
or, as I might say, without Hands, viz. of the
Trunk of a great Tree. This I not only thought
possible, but easy, and pleas'd my self
extreamly with the Thoughts of making it,
and with my having much more
Convenience for it than any of the Negroes
or Indians; but not at all considering the
particular Inconveniences which I lay under,
more than the Indians did, viz.Want of Hands
to move it, when it was made, into the
Water, a Difficulty much harder for me to
surmount, than all the Consequences of
Want of Tools could be to them; for what
was it to me, That when I had chosen a vast
Tree in the Woods, I might with much
Trouble cut it down, if after I might be able
with my Tools to hew and dub the Out-side
into the proper Shape of a Boat, and burn or
cut out the In-side to make it hollow, so to
make a Boat of it: If after all this, I must leave
it just there where I found it, and was not
able to launch it into the Water.

One would have thought, I could not have
had the least Reflection upon my Mind of my
Circumstance, while I was making this
Boat; but I should have immediately thought
how I should get it into the Sea; but my
Thoughts were so intent upon my Voyage
over the Sea in it, that I never once
consider'd how I should get it off of the
Land; and it was really in its own Nature
more easy for me to guide it over forty five
Miles of Sea, than about forty five Fathom
of Land, where it lay, to set it a float in the
Water.

I went to work upon this Boat, the most like a
Fool, that ever Man did, who had any of his
Senses awake. I pleas'd my self with the
Design, without determining whether I was
ever able to undertake it; not but that the

-73-

but I should have began the maddest
Voyage, and the most unlikely to be
perform'd, that ever was undertaken.

But all my Devices to get it into the Water
fail'd me; tho' they cost me infinite Labour
too. It lay about one hundred Yards from the
Water, and not more: But the first
Inconvenience was, it was up Hill towards
the Creek; well, to take away this
Discouragement, I resolv'd to dig into the
Surface of the Earth, and so make a
Declivity: This I begun, and it cost me a
prodigious deal of Pains; but who grutches
Pains, that have their Deliverance in View:
But then this was work'd through, and this
Difficulty manag'd, it was still much at one;
for I could no more stir the Canoe, than I
could the other Boat.

Then I measur'd the Distance of Ground,
and resolv'd to cut a Dock, or Canal, to
bring the Water up to the Canoe, seeing I
could not bring the Canoe down to the
Water: Well, I began this Work, and when I
began to enter into it, and calculate how
deep it was to be dug, how broad, how the
Stuff to be thrown out, I found, That by the
Number of Hands I had, being none but my
own, it must have been ten or twelve Years
before I should have gone through with it; for
the Shore lay high, so that at the upper End,
it must have been at least twenty Foot
Deep; so at length, tho' with great
Reluctancy, I gave this Attempt over also.

This griev'd me heartily, and now I saw, tho'
too late, the Folly of beginning a Work
before we count the Cost; and before we
judge rightly of our own Strength to go
through with it.

In the middle of this Work, I finish'd my fourth
Year in this Place, and kept my Anniversary
with the same Devotion, and with as much
Comfort as ever before; for by a constant

-74-

In a Word, The Nature and Experience of
Things dictated to me upon just Reflection,
That all the good Things of this World, are no
farther good to us, than they are for our Use;
and that whatever we may heap up indeed
to give others, we enjoy just as much as we
can use, and no more. The most covetous
griping Miser in the World would have been
cur'd of the Vice of Covetousness, if he had
been in my Case; for I possess'd infinitely
more than I knew what to do with. I had no
room for Desire, except it was of Things
which I had not, and they were but Trifles,
though indeed of great Use to me. I had, as I
hinted before, a Parcel of Money, as well
Gold as Silver, about thirty six Pounds
Sterling: Alas! There the nasty sorry useless
Stuff lay; I had no manner of Business for it;
and I often thought with my self, That I would
have given a Handful of it for a Gross of
Tobacco-Pipes, or for a Hand-Mill to grind
my Corn; nay, I would have given it all for
Sixpenny-worth of Turnip and Carrot Seed
out of England, or for a Handful of Pease
and Beans, and a Bottle of Ink: As it was, I
had not the least advantage by it, or Benefit
from it; but there it lay in a Drawer, and grew
mouldy with the Damp of the Cave, in the
wet Season; and if I had had the Drawer full
of Diamonds, it had been the same Case;
and they had been of no manner of Value to
me, because of no Use.

I had now brought my State of Life to be
much easier in it self than it was at first, and
much easier to my Mind, as well as to my
Body. I frequently sat down to my Meat with
Thankfulness, and admir'd the Hand of
God's Providence, which had thus spread
my Table in the Wilderness. I learn'd to look
more upon the bright Side of my Condition,
and less upon the dark Side; and to
consider what I enjoy'd, rather than what I
wanted; and this gave me sometimes such
secret Comforts, that I cannot express
them; and which I take Notice of here, to put

-75-

of some People are, and their Case might
have been, if Providence had thought fit.

I had another Reflection which assisted me
also to comfort my Mind with Hopes; and
this was, comparing my present Condition
with what I had deserv'd, and had therefore
Reason to expect from the Hand of
Providence. I had liv'd a dreadful Life,
perfectly destitute of the Knowledge and
Fear of God. I had been well instructed by
Father and Mother; neither had they been
wanting to me, in their early Endeavours, to
infuse a religious Awe of God into my Mind,
a Sense of my Duty, and of what the Nature
and End of my Being, requir'd of me. But
alas! falling early into the Seafaring Life,
which of all the Lives is the most destitute of
the Fear of God, though his Terrors are
always before them; I say, falling early into
the Seafaring Life, and into Seafaring
Company, all that little Sense of Religion
which I had entertain'd, was laugh'd out of
me by my Mess-Mates, by a harden'd
despising of Dangers; and the Views of
Death, which grew habitual to me; by my
long Absence from all Manner of
Opportunities to converse with any thing but
what was like my self, or to hear any thing
that was good, or tended towards it.

So void was I of every Thing that was good,
or of the least Sense of what I was, or was
to be, that in the greatest Deliverances I
enjoy'd, such as my Escape from Sallee;
my being taken up by the Portuguese
Master of the Ship; my being planted so
well in the Brasils; my receiving the Cargo
from England, and the like; I never had once
the Word Thank God, so much as on my
Mind, or in my Mouth; nor in the greatest
Distress, had I so much as a Thought to pray
to him, or so much as to say, Lord have
Mercy upon me;no nor to mention the Name
of God, unless it was to swear by, and
blaspheme it.

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of God's Goodness to me, and Care over
me in this Condition, be my daily
Consolation; and after I did make a just
Improvement of these things, I went away
and was no more sad.

I had now been here so long, that many
Things which I brought on Shore for my
Help, were either quite gone, or very much
wasted' and near spent.

My Ink, as I observed, had been gone some
time, all but a very little, which I eek'd out
with Water a little and a little, till it was so
pale it scarce left any Appearance of black
upon the Paper: As long as it lasted, I made
use of it to minute down the Days of the
Month on which any remarkable Thing
happen'd to me, and first by casting up
Times past: I remember that there was a
strange Concurrence of Days, in the various
Providences which befel me; and which, if I
had been superstitiously inclin'd to observe
Days as Fatal or Fortunate, I might have had
Reason to have look'd upon with a great
deal of Curiosity.

First I had observed, that the same Day that
I broke away from my Father and my
Friends, and run away to Hull, in order to go
to Sea; the same Day afterwards I was
taken by the Sallee Man of War, and made a
Slave.

The same Day of the Year that I escaped out
of the Wreck of that Ship in Yarmouth
Rodes, that same Day-Year afterwards I
made my escape from Sallee in the Boat.

The same Day of the Year I was born on
(viz.) the 30th of September, that same Day, I
had my Life so miraculously saved 26 Year
after, when I was cast on Shore in this
Island, so that my wicked Life, and my
solitary Life begun both on a Day.

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