The Eerie Adventures of the Lycanthrope Robinson Crusoe (9 page)

And now it was I began to keep a journal of every day's employment. Indeed, at first, I was in too much hurry, and not only hurry as to labour, but in much discomposure of mind. My journal would have been full of many awful things. For example, I must have said thus--"Sept. 30th. After I had allow'd the beast free reign to cause the death of a good man, and to drive many others to their dooms, it was set loose upon the sea and suffered only a little afore it escap’d drowning and then did lie down on the grass for the most peaceful sleep it e'er have."

Some days after this, and after I had been on board the ship and got all I could out of her, I could not forbear getting up to the top of a little mountain and looking out to sea in hopes of seeing a ship. Then fancy that, at a vast distance, I spied a sail, please myself with the hopes of it, and after looking ‘till I was almost blind, lose it quite and sit down to weep like a child, and thus increase my misery by my folly.

But, having gotten over these things in some measure, and having settled my household-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. I shall here give you the copy as long as it lasted, for, having no more ink, I was forced to leave it off.

September 30th, 1659.

I, poor miserable Robinson Crusoe, child of the moon, being shipwrecked during a dreadful storm, came on shore on this dismal unfortunate island, which I called the ISLAND OF DESPAIR, the ship's mate being killed by the beast and all the rest of the ship's company being drowned, and even the beast almost drowned in the violent sea.

October 1.

In the morning I saw, to my great surprise, the ship had floated with the high tyde, and was driven on shore again much nearer the island. At length, seeing the ship almost dry, I went upon the sand as near as I could, and then swam on board. This day also it continued raining, tho’ with no wind at all. The beast did run free again tonight, and took much pleasure in this place.

From the 1st of October to the 24th.

All these days entirely spent in many several voyages to get all I could out of the ship, which I brought on shore, every tyde of flood, upon rafts. Much rain also in these days, tho’ with some intervals of fair weather. It seems this was the rainy season.

Oct. 20.

I overset my raft, and all the goods I had got upon it; but being in shoal water, and the things being chiefly heavy, I recovered many of them when the tyde was out.

Oct. 25.

It rain’d all night and all day, with some gusts of wind, during which time the ship broke in pieces (the wind blowing a little harder than before) and was no more to be seen, except the wreck of her, and that only at low water. I spent this day in covering and securing the goods which I had saved, that the rain might not spoil them.

Oct. 26.

I walked about the shore almost all day, to find out a place to fix my habitation. Greatly concerned to secure myself from any attack in the night, either from wild beasts or men.

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 exceedingly hard. The mantle of the beast was on me for these last nights, which did slow the work.

Nov. 6.

After my morning walk, I went to work with my table again, and finished it, tho’ not to my liking. Nor was it long before I learned to mend it.

Nov. 7.

Now it began to be settled fair weather. The 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and part of the 12th (for the 11th was Sunday, according to my reckoning) I took wholly up to make me a chair, and with much ado, brought it to a tolerable shape, but never to please me. Even in the making, I pulled it in pieces several times.

Note.
I soon neglected my keeping Sundays, for, omitting my mark for them on my post, I forgot which was which.

Nov. 13.

This day it rained, which refreshed me exceedingly and cooled the earth. But it was accompanied with terrible thunder and lightning, which frightened me dreadfully, for fear of my powder. As soon as it was over, I resolv’d to separate my stock of powder into as many little parcels as possible, that it might not be in danger.

Nov. 14, 15, 16.

These three days I spent in making little square chests or boxes, which might hold about a pound, or two pounds at most, of powder. Putting the powder in, I stowed it in places as secure and as remote from one another as possible. On one of these three days I killed a large bird that was good to eat, but I knew not what to call it.

Nov. 17.

This day I began to dig behind my tent, into the rock, to make room for my farther convenience.

Note.
Three 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 these wants, and make me some tools. As for a pick-axe, I made use of the iron crows, which were proper enough, tho’ heavy. The next thing was a shovel or spade. This was so necessary 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, from 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 my having no other way, made me a long while upon this machine. I worked it by little and little into the form of a spade, the handle shaped like ours in England. Only the broad part having no iron shod upon it at bottom, it would not last me so long. However, it served well enough for the uses which I had occasion to put it to. 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 wheel-barrow. 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. As to the wheel-barrow, I fancied I could make all but the wheel, but that I had no notion of, neither did I know how to go about it. Besides, I had no possible way to make iron gudgeons for the spindle or axis of the wheel to run in. So I gave it over. For carrying away the earth which I dug out of the cave, I made me a thing like a hod, which the labourers carry mortar in for the brick-layers. This was not so difficult to me as making the shovel. Yet this and the shovel, and the attempt which I made in vain to make a wheel-barrow, took me up no less than four days. I mean, always excepting my morning walk with my gun, which I seldom omitted, and very seldom failed also bringing home something fit to eat.

Nov. 23.

My other work having now stood still, because of my making these tools, when they were finished I went on. Working every day, as my strength and time allowed, I spent eighteen days in widening and deepening my cave, that it might hold my goods commodiously.

Note.
During all this time, I worked to make this room, or cave, spacious enough to accommodate me as a warehouse or magazine, a kitchen, a dining-room, and a cellar. As for a lodging, I kept to the tent. Except sometimes in the wet season of the year it rained so hard I could not keep myself dry, which caused me afterwards to cover all my place within my pale with long poles, in the form of rafters, leaning against the rock, and load them with flags and large leaves of trees like a thatch.

Nov. 27th

Being the first night of the moon, I did let the beast wander free outside the pale. It has taken to running the forest and hunting the small things like hares I did see upon my arrival. This first night it kill'd three of them and ate them entirely.

Nov. 29th

Was not able to work this day, as the beast left me so far from my new home in the morning it took much of the day to return. Was badly burn'd by the sun in the hours I spent walking.

December 10.

I began now to think my cave or vault finished, when on a sudden (it seems I had made it too large) a great quantity of earth fell down from the top and one side. So much it frightened me, and not without reason too. If I had been under it, I should never have 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 ceiling to prop up so I might be sure no more would come down.

Dec. 11.

This day I went to work with it and got two shores or posts pitched upright to the top, with two pieces of board across over each post. This I finished the next day. Setting more posts up with boards, in about a week more I had the roof secured. The posts, standing in rows, served me for partitions to part off my house.

Dec. 17.

From this day to the 30th, I placed shelves and knocked up nails on the posts to hang every thing up that could be hung up. Now I began to be in some order within doors.

Dec. 20.

I carried 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. Had an awful dream of the mate and the beast, wherein the beast did attack again and again and the mate was kill'd many times over.

Dec. 25.

Rain all day.

Dec. 26.

No rain, and the earth much cooler than before, and pleasanter.

Dec. 27.

Killed a young goat and lamed another, so I catched it and led it home in a string. When I had it home, I bound and splintered up its leg, which was broke.
N.B.
I took such care of it that it lived. The leg grew well and as strong as ever. By nursing it so long, it grew almost tame and fed upon the little green at my door and would not go away, e'en though it still was wary of me by nature of the beast. This was the first time I entertained a thought of breeding up some tame creatures, that I might have food when my powder and shot was all spent.

Dec. 28, 29, 30, 31.

Great heats, and no breeze so there was no stirring abroad, except in the evening, for food. This time I spent in putting all my things in order within doors.

On the first morning I woke up not far from my pale. The many footprints, or paw prints as they may be call'd, show'd me the beast had spent much of the night pacing before my wall. Perhaps it smelt the young goat and wish'd to eat it.

January 1.

Very hot still, but I went abroad early and late with my gun, and lay still in the middle of the day. This evening, going farther into the vallies which lay towards the centre of the island, I found there was plenty of goats, tho’ exceeding shy because of the scent of the beast, and hard to come at. I wonder'd if the beast would find them and slaughter the herd afore I could make use of them, or if it would kill and eat only what was needed to slake its hunger?

Jan. 3.

I began my fence or wall. Being still jealous of my being attacked by somebody, I resolv’d to make very thick and strong.

N.B. This wall being described before, I purposely omit what was said in the journal. It is sufficient to observe, I was no less time than from the 3d of January to the 14th of April, working, finishing, and perfecting this wall, tho’ it was no more than about 25 yards in length, being a half-circle from one place in the rock to another place, about twelve yards from it, the door of the cave being in the centre behind it.

All this time I work’d very hard. The rains hindering me many days, nay, sometimes weeks together. But I thought I should never be secure ‘till this wall was finished. 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. I made them much bigger than I needed to have done.

When this wall was finished, and the outside double-fenced, with a turf-wall raised up close to it, I persuaded myself if any people were to come on shore there they would not perceive any thing like a habitation. It was very well I did so, as may be observ’d hereafter, upon a very remarkable occasion.

During this time, I made my rounds in the woods for game every day, when the rain permitted me, and made frequent discoveries, in these walks, of something or other to my advantage. I found a kind of wild pigeons, who built, not as wood-pigeons, in a tree, but rather as house-pigeons, in the holes of the rocks. Taking some young ones I endeavoured to breed them up tame, but when they grew older they flew all away. Which, more likely than not, was in terror of the beast, for all creatures but man can smell it within my skin. However, I frequently found their nests and got their young ones, which were very good meat.

And now, in managing my household affairs, I found myself wanting in many things, which I thought at first it was impossible for me to make. I was at a great loss for candle. As soon as it was dark, which was generally by seven o'clock, I was obliged to go to bed. I remember the lump of bees-wax with which I made candles in my African adventure, but I had none of that now. The only remedy I had was when I had killed a goat I saved the tallow. With a little dish made of clay, which I baked in the sun, to which I added a wick of some oakum, I made me a lamp. This gave me light, tho’ not a clear steady light like a candle.

In the middle of all my labours it happened that, in rummaging my things, I found a little bag which had been fill’d with corn for the feeding of poultry. What little remainder of corn had been in the bag was all devoured with the rats, and I saw nothing in the bag but husks and dust. Being willing to have the bag for some other use (I think, it was to put powder in, when I divided it for fear of the lightning, or some such use), I shook the husks of corn out of it on one side of my fortification, under the rock.