The Life and Most Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner (1801)

That night I slept very contentedly in my little tent, surrounded with all my effects; but when I looked out in the morning no more ship was to be seen. This much surprised me for the present; yet, when I considered I had lost no time, abated no pains and had got every thing useful out of her, I comforted myself in the best manner, and entirely submitted to the will of Providence.

My next thoughts were, how I should defend and secure myself from savages and wild beasts, if any such were in the island. At one time I thought of digging a cave, at another I was for erecting a tent; and, at length, I resolved to do both: The manner or form of which will not, I hope, be unpleasing to describe.

When I considered the ground where I was, that it was moorish, and had no fresh water near it, my resolutions were to search for a soil healthy and well watered, where I might not only be sheltered from the sun's scorching heat, but be more conveniently situated, as well to be secured from wild men and beasts of prey, as more easily to discover any distant sail, should it ever happen.

And, indeed, it was not long before I had my desire. I found a little plain near a rising hill, the front towards which being as steep as a house side, nothing could descend on me from the top. On the side of this rock, was a little hollow place, resembling the entrance or door of a cave. Just before this place; on the circle of the green, I resolved my tent should stand. This plain did not much exceed a hundred yards broad, and about twice as long, like a delightful green, before my door, with a pleasing, though an irregular descent every way to the low grounds by the sea-side, lying on the N. W. side of the hill, so that it was sheltered from the excessive heat of the sun. After this, I drew a semi-circle, containing ten yards in a semi-diameter, and twenty yards in the whole, driving down two rows; of strong stakes, not 6 inches from each other. Then with the pieces of cable which I had cut on board, I regularly laid them in a circle between the piles up to their tops, which were more than five feet out of the earth, and after drove another row of piles looking within side against them, between two or three feet high, which made me conclude it a little impregnable castle against men and beasts. And for my better security I would have no door, but entered in and came out by the help of a ladder, which I also made.

Here was my fence and fortress, into which I carried all my riches, ammunition, and stores. After which, working on the rock, what with dirt and stones I dug out, I not only raised my ground two feet, but made a little cellar to my mansion-house; and this cost me many days labour and pains. One day in particular a shower of rain falling, thunder and lighting ensued, which put me in terror lest my powder should take fire, and not only hinder my necessary subsistence, by killing me food, but even blow up me and my habitation. To prevent which, I fell to making boxes and bags, in order to separate it, having by me near 150lb. weight. And thus being established as king of the island, every day I went out with my gun to see what I could kill that was fit to eat. I soon perceived numbers of goats but very shy, yet having watched them narrowly, and seeing I could better shoot off the rocks than when in the low grounds, I happened to shoot a she-goat suckling a young kid; which not thinking its dam slain, stood by her unconcerned; and when I took the dead creature up, the young one followed me even to the inclosure. I lifted the kid over the pales, and would willingly have kept it alive; but finding it could not be brought to eat, I was forced to slay it also for my subsistence.

Thus entered into as strange a scene of life as ever any man was in, I had most melancholy apprehensions concerning my deplorable condition: and many times the tears would plentifully run down my face, when I considered how I was debarred from all communications with human kind. Yet while these disponding cogitations would seem to make me accuse Providence, other good thoughts would interpose and reprove me after this manner: Well, supposing you are desolate, it is not better to be so than totally perish? Why, were you singled out to be saved and the rest destroyed? Why should you complain, when not only your life is preserved, but the ship driven into your reach, in order to take what was necessary out of her for your subsistence? But to proceed, it was, by the account I kept, the 30th of September, when I first landed on this island. About twelve days after, fearing lest I should lose my reckoning of time, nay, even forget the Sabbath days, for want of pen, ink, and paper, I carved with a knife upon a large post, in great letters; and set it up: in the similitude of a cross, on the seashore where I landed, I CAME ON SHORE, Sept. 30 1659. Every day I cut a notch with my knife on the sides of the square post, and this on the Sabbath was as long again as the rest; and every first day of the month as long again as that long one. In this manner I kept my calendar, weekly, monthly or yearly reckoning of time. But had I made a more strict search (as afterwards I did) I needed not have set up this mark; for among the parcels belonging to the gunner, carpenter, and captain's mate, I found those very things I wanted; particularly pens, ink, and paper. So I found two or three compasses, some mathematical instruments, dials, perspective glasses, books of navigation, three English Bibles, and several other good books, which I carefully put up. – Here I cannot but call to mind our having a dog and two cats on board, whom I made inhabitants with me in my castle. Though one might think I had all the necessities that were desirable, yet still I found several things wanting. My ink was daily wasting; I wanted needles, pins, and thread to mend or keep my clothes together; and particularly a spade, pickax, or shovel, to remove the earth. It was a year before I finished my little bulwark; and having some intervals of relaxation, after my daily wandering abroad for provision, I drew up this plan, alternately, as creditor and debtor, to remind me of the miseries and blessings of my life, under so many various circumstances.

I am cast upon a desolate island, having no hopes, no prospects of a welcome deliverance.

Thus miserably am I singled out from the enjoyment or company of all mankind.

Like an hermit (rather should I say a lonely anchorite) am I forced from human conversation.

My clothes after some time will be worn out; and then I shall have none to cover me.

When my ammunition is wasted, then shall I remain without any defence against wild men and beasts.

I have no creature, no soul to speak to; none to beg assistance from. Some comfort would it be to resound my woes where I am understood, and beg assistance where I might hope for relief.

But yet I am preserved, while my companions are perished in the raging ocean.

Yet set apart to be spared from death. And he, who has so preserved me, can deliver me from this condition.

However, I have food to eat, and even a happy prospect of subsistence while life endures.

At present I enjoy what is absolutely needful; and the climate is so hot, that had I never so many, I would hardly wear them.

Yet if it does, I see no danger of any hurt to me, as in Africa; And what if I had been cast away, upon that coast.

Is there not God to converse to, and is not he able to relieve thee? Already has he afforded thee sustenance, and put it in thy power to provide for thyself till he sends thee a deliverance.

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

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

JOURNAL.

September 30, 1659. I unhappy Robinson Crusoe, having suffered shipwreck, was driven on this desolate island, which I named the Desolate Island of Despair, my companions being swallowed up in the tempestous ocean. The next day I spent in consideration of my unhappy circumstances, having no prospect but of death, either to be starved with hunger, or devoured with beasts or merciless savages.

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

To the 14th of this month, my time was employed in making voyages, every tide getting what I could out of the ship. The weather very wet and uncertain.

Oct. 20. My raft and all the goods thereon were overset: yet I recovered most again at low water.

Oct. 25. It blew hard, and rained night and day, when the ship went in pieces, so that nothing was seen of her but the wreck at low water. This day I secured my goods from the inclemency of the weather.

Oct. 26. I wandered to see where I could find a place convenient for my abode. I fixed upon a rock in the evening, marked out a half-moon, intending to erect a wall, fortified with piles, lined within with pieces of cables, and covered with turf.

Nov. 1. I erected my tent under a rock, and took up my lodgings very contentedly in a hammock that night.

Nov. 2. This day I fenced myself in with timber, chests, and boards.

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

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

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

Nov. 6. Completed my table.

Nov. 7. Fair weather. I worked till the 12th, but omitted the 11th, which, according to my calculation, I supposed to be Sunday.

Nov. 13. Rain in abundance, which, however, much cooled the air; with thunder and lightening, caused in me a terrible surprise. The weather clearing, I secured my powder in separate parcels.

Nov. 14-16. I made little boxes for my powder, lodging them in several places. I also shot a large fowl, which proved excellent meat.

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

Nov. 18. It was my fortune to find a tree, resembling what Brazilians call an iron tree. I had like to have spoiled my ax with cutting it, being very hard and exceedingly heavy; yet with much labour & industry, I made a sort of a spade out of it.

Nov. 21. These tools being made, I daily carried on my business; eighteen days I allowed for enlarging my cave, that it might serve me, not only for a warehouse, but kitchen, parlour, and cellar. I commonly lay in the tent, unless the weather was rainy that I could not lie dry. So wet would it be at certain seasons, that I was obliged to cover all within the pale with long poles, in the form of rafters, leaning against the rock, and loaded them with flags and large leaves of trees, resembling a thatch.

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

Dec 17. I nailed up some shelves and drove nails and staples in the wall and posts to hang things out of the way.

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

Dec. 24. 25. Rain in abundance.

Dec. 26. Very fair weather.

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

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

Jan 1. Still sultry, however, obliged by necessity, I went out with my gun, and found a great store of goats in the valleys; they were exceedingly shy, nor could my dog hunt them down.

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

But now a very strange event happened. For being in the height of my search, what should come into my hand, but a bag, which was used to hold corn (as I supposed) for the fowls; so immediately resolving to put gunpowder in it, I shook all the hulks and dirt upon one side of the rock, little expecting what the consequences would be. The rain had fallen plentifully a few days before; and about a month after, to my great amazement something began to lock out very green and flourishing; and when I came to view it more nicely, every day as it grew, I found about ten or twelve ears of green barley appeared in the very same shape and make as that in England.

I can scarce express the agitations of my mind at this sight. Hitherto I had looked upon the actions of this life no otherwise than only as the events of blind chance and fortune. But now the appearance of this barley, flourishing in a barren soil, and my ignorance in not conceiving how it should come there, made me conclude that miracles were not yet ceased: nay, I even thought that God had appointed it to grow there without any seed, purely for my sustenance in this miserable and desolate island. And indeed such great effect this had upon me, that it often made me melt into tears, through a grateful sense of God's mercies; and the greater still was my thankfulness, when I perceived about this little field of barley some rice stalks, also wonderfully flourishing.

While thus pleased in mind, I concluded there must be more corn in the island; and therefore made a diligent search narrowly among the rocks; but not being able to find any, on a sudden it came into my mind, how I had shaken the husks of corn out of the bag, and then my admiration ceased, with my gratitude to the Divine Being, as thinking it was but natural, and not to be conceived a miracle; though even the manner of its preservation might have made me own it as a wonderful event of God's kind providence.

It was about the latter end of June when the ears of this corn ripened, which I laid up very carefully together with 20 or 30 stalks of rice, expecting one day I should reap the fruit of my labour; yet four years were expired before I could allow myself to eat any barley-bread, and much longer time before I had any rice. After this, with indefatigable pains and industry for three or four months, at last I finished my wall on the 14th, of April, having no way to go into it, but by ladder against the wall.

April 16. I finished my ladder, and ascended it; afterwards pulled it up, then let it down on the other side, and descended into my new habitation, where I had space enough, and so fortified that nothing could attack me, without scaling the walls.

But what does all human pains and industry avail, if the blessing of God does not crown our labours? Or who can stand before the Almighty, when he stretcheth forth his arm? For one time as I was at the entrance of my cave, there happened such a dreadful earthquake, that not only the roof of the cave came rumbling about my ears, but the posts seemed to crack terribly at the same time. This put me in great amazement; and running to the ladder, and getting over the wall, I then plainly knew it was an earthquake, the place I stood on sustaining three terrible shocks in less than three minutes. But judge of my terror when I saw the top of a great rock roll into the sea; I then expected the island would be swallowed up every moment: And what made the scene still more dreadful, was to see the sea thrown into the most violent agitations and disorders by this tremendous accident.

For my part I stood like a criminal at the place of execution ready to expire. At the moving of the earth, I was, as it were, sea-sick; and very much afraid lest the rock, under which was my fence and habitation, should overwhelm it and myself in a lasting tomb.

When the third dreadful shock had spent itself, my spirits began to revive; yet still I would not venture to ascend the ladder, but continued fitting, not knowing what I should do. So little grace had I then, as only to say Lord have mercy upon me! and no sooner was the earthquake over, but that pathetic prayer left me.

It was not long after, when a horrible tempest arose, at the same time attended with a huricane of wind. The sea seemed mountains high, and the waves rolled so impetously, that nothing could be perceived but froth and foam. Three hours did this storm continue, and in so violent a manner, as to tear the very trees up by the roots, which was succeeded by abundance of rain. When the tempest was over I went to my tent: but the rain coming on in a furious manner, I was obliged to take shelter in the cave, where I was forced to cut a channel through my fortification to let the water out. It continued raining all that night, and some time the next day. These accidents made me resolve, as soon as the weather cleared up, to build me a little hut in some open place, walled round to defend me from wild creatures and savages; not doubting but at the next earthquake, the mountain would fall upon my habitation and me, and swallow up all in its bowels.

April 16-20. These days I spent in contriving how and in what manner I should fix my place of abode. All this while I was under the most dreadful apprehensions. When I looked round my habitation, every thing I found in its proper place. I had several resolutions whether I should move or not; but at length resolved to stay where I was, till I found out a convenient place where I might pitch my tent.

April 22. When I began to put my resolutions in practice, I was stopt for want of tools and instruments to work with. Most of my axes and hatchets were useless, occasioned by cutting the hard timber that grew on the island. It took me up a full week to make my grind-stone of use to me, and at last I found out a way to turn it about with my foot, by help of a wheel and a string.

April 28-29. These days were spent in grinding my tools.

April 30. My bread falling short, I allowed myself but one biscuit a day.

May 1. As I walked along the sea shore I found a barrel of gunpowder, and several pieces of the wreck, the sea had flung up. Having secured those, I made to the ship, whose stern was torn off, and washed a great distance ashore; but the rest lay in the sands. This I suppose was occasioned by the earthquake. I now resolved to keep my old place of abode; and also to go to the ship that day, but then found it impossible.

May 3. This day I went on board, and with my saw sawed off one of the beams, which kept her quarter-deck. I then cleared the sand till flood.

May 4. I caught some fish, but they were not wholesome, The same day I also catched a young dolphin.

May 5. 'This day I also repaired to the wreck, and sawed another piece of timber, and when the flood came, I made a float of three great planks, which were driven ashore by the tide.

May 6, 7, 8, 9. These days I brought off the iron bolts, opened the deck with the iron crow, and carried two planks to land, having made a way into the very middle of the wreck.

May 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. All this time I spent in bringing off great quantities of iron and timber.

May 15. Took with me two hatchets on purpose to cut off some lead from the roll, but all in vain, for it lay too low under water.

May 16. I omitted going to the wreck this day, for employing myself in looking for pigeons, I outstaid my time.

May 17. I perceived several pieces of the wreck driven ashore, which I found belonged to the head of the ship.

May 24. To this day I worked on the wreck, and with great difficulty loosened some things so much with the crow, that at the first flowing tide several casks floated out, and many of the seamen's chests, yet that day nothing came to land but pieces of timber, and a hogshead which had some Brazil pork in it. I continued working to the 15th of June; (except necessary times for food and rest) and had I known how to have built a boat, I had timber and planks enough; I had also near 100 weight of sheet lead.

June 16. As I was wandering towards the sea-side, I found a large tortoise or turtle, being the first I had seen on the island, though, as I afterwards found, there were many on the other side of it.

June 17. This day I spent in cooking it, found in her threescore eggs, and her flesh the most savoury and pleasant I ever tasted in my life.

June 18. I staid within this day, there being a continual rain; and it was somewhat more chilly and cold than usual.

June 19. Exceedingly bad, being taken with a trembling and shivering.

June 20. Awake all night, my head racked with pain and feverish.

June 21. Sick unto death, and terrified with the dismal apprehensions of my condition. Prayed to God more frequently, but very confusedly.

June 22. Something better, but still uneasy in my mind.

June 23. Again relapsed much as before.

June 24. Mended a second time.

June 25. A violent ague for seven hours, cold and hot fits succeeded with faint sweats.

June 26. Better, but very weak, yet I scrambled out, shot a she-goat, brought it home and broiled some of it; I would willingly have stewed it, and made some broth, but had no pod.

June 27 All this day I was afflicted with an ague; thirsty, yet I could not help myself to water: Prayed to God in these words: Lord, in pity look upon me: Lord, have mercy upon me: have mercy upon me! After this I fell asleep, which I found had much refreshed me when I awaked. I fell fast asleep a second time, and fell into this strange and terrible sort of dream.