by Daniel Defoe
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 tide of flood, upon rafts. Much rain also in these days, tho’ with some intervals of fair weather: But, 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 recover’d many of them when the tide 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 sav’d, that the rain might not spoil them.
Oct. 26. I walk’d about the shore almost all day to find out a place to fix my habitation, greatly concern’d to secure my self from any attack in the night, either from wild beasts or men. Towards night I fix’d upon a proper place under a rock, and mark’d out a semi-circle for my encampment, which I resolv’d to strengthen with a work, wall, or fortification made of double piles, lin’d within with cable, 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 myself 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 employed 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.
Nov. 5. This day went abroad with my gun and my dog, and kill’d a wild cat, her skin pretty soft, but her flesh good for nothing: Every creature I kill’d, I took off the skins and preserv’d them. Coming back by the sea shore, I saw many sorts of sea fowls, which I did not understand, but was surpris’d, and almost frighted with two or three seals, which, while I was gazing at, not well knowing what they were, got into the sea, and escap’d me for that time.
Nov. 6. After my morning walk I went to work with my table again, and finish’d it, tho’ not to my liking; nor was it long before I learn’d 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) I took wholly up to make me a chair, and with much ado brought it to a tolerable shape, but never to please me, and even in the making I pull’d 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 rain’d, which refresh’d me exceedingly, and cool’d the earth, but it was accompany’d with terrible thunder and lightning, which frighted 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 pound, at most, of powder, and so putting the powder in, I stowed it in places as secure and remote from one another as possible. On one of these three days I kill’d a large bird that was good to eat, but I know 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 conveniency: 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 that want and make me some tools; as for a pick-axe, 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 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; 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 how to go about it; besides I had no possible way to make the iron gudgeons for the spindle or axis of the wheel to run in, so I gave it over, and so for carrying away the earth which I dug out of the cave, I made me a thing like a hodd, which the labourers carry morter in, when they serve the bricklayers.
This was not so difficult to me as the making the shovel; and 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 fail’d, and very seldom fail’d 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 finish’d, I went on, and working every day, as my strength and time allow’d, I spent eighteen days entirely in widening and deepening my cave, that it might hold my goods commodiously.
Note, during all this time, I work’d 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 my lodging, I kept to the tent, except that some times in the wet season of the year, it rain’d so hard, that I could not keep my self dry, which caus’d 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.
December 10th, 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, that in short it frighted me, and not without reason too; for if I had 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 nursing it so long it grew tame, and fed upon the little green at my door, and would not go away: This was the first time that I entertain’d 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. Great heats and no breeze; so that there was no stirring abroad, except in the evening for food; this time I spent in putting all my things in order within doors.
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 valleys which lay towards the center of the island, I found there was plenty of goats, tho’ exceeding shy and hard to come at, however I resolv’d to try if I could not bring my dog to hunt them down.
Jan. 2. Accordingly, the next day, I went out with my dog, and set him upon the goats; but I was mistaken, for they all fac’d about upon the dog, and he knew his danger too well, for he would not come near them.
Jan. 3. I began my fence or wall; which being still jealous of my being attack’d by some body, I resolv’d to make very thick and strong.
N. B. This wall being describ’d before, I purposely omit what was said in the Journal; it is sufficient to observe, that 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 24 yards in length, being a half circle from one place in the rock to another place about eight yards from it, the door of the cave being in the center 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 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 finish’d, and the out-side double fenc’d with a turf-wall rais’d up close to it, I perswaded 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 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 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 breed 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 household 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, I had a small runlet or two, as I observ’d 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 gave that also over.
In the next place, I was at a great loss for candle; so that as soon as ever it was dark, which was generally by seven-a-clock, I was oblig’d to go to bed: I remembred 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, that when I had kill’d a goat, I sav’d the tallow, and with a little dish made of clay, which I bak’d in the sun, to which I added a wick of some oakum, I made me a lamp; and this gave me light, tho’ not a clear steady light like a candle; in the middle of all my labours it happen’d, that rumaging my things, I found a little bag, which, as I hinted before, had been fill’d with corn for the feeding of poultry, not for this voyage, but before, as I suppose, when the ship came from Lisbon, what little remainder of corn had been in the bag, was all devour’d with the rats, and I saw nothing in the bag but husks and dust; and 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.
It was a little before the great rains, just now mention’d, that I threw this stuff away, taking no notice of any thing, and not so much as remembring that I had thrown any thing there; when about a month after, or thereabout, I saw some few stalks of something green, shooting out of the ground, which I fancy’d might be some plant I had not seen, but I was surpris’d and perfectly astonish’d, when, after a little longer time, I saw about ten or twelve ears come out, which were perfect green barley of the same kind as our European, nay, as our English barley.
It is impossible to express the astonishment 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 startled 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 rice, 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 occurr’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 unforeseen Providence, as if it had been miraculous; for it was really the work of Providence as to me, that should order or appoint, that 10 or 12 grains of corn should remain unspoil’d, (when the rats had destroy’d all the rest,) as if it had been dropt from Heaven; as also, that I should throw it out in that particular place, where it being in the shade of a high rock, it sprang up immediately; whereas, if I had thrown it any where else, at that time, it had been burnt up and destroy’d.
I carefully sav’d the ears of this corn you may be sure in their season, which was about the end of June; and laying up every corn, I resolv’d to sow them all again, hoping in time to h
ave some quantity sufficient to supply me with bread; but it was not till the 4th year that I could allow my self the least grain of this corn to eat, and even then but sparingly, as I shall say afterwards in its order; for I lost all that I sow’d the first season, by not observing the proper time; for I sow’d it just before the dry season, so that it never came up at all, at least, not as it would ha’ done: Of which in its place.
Besides this barley, there was, as above, 20 or 30 stalks of rice, which I preserv’d with the same care, and whose use was of the same kind or to the same purpose, (viz) to make me bread, or rather food; for I found ways to cook it up without baking, tho’ I did that also after some time. But to return to my Journal.
I work’d excessive hard these three or four months to get my wall done; and the 14th of April I closed it up, contriving to go into it, not by a door, but over the wall by a ladder, that there might be no sign in the out-side of my habitation.
April 16. I finish’d the ladder, so I went up with the ladder to the top, and then pull’d it up after me, and let it down in the in-side: This was a compleat enclosure to me; 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 finished, 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 scared, 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 forward 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 overturned 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.