And here I must needs observe, that every man may be, in time, master of every mechanic art. I had never handled a tool in my life. Yet, in time, by labour, application, and contrivance, I found, at last, I wanted nothing but I could have made, 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 as thin as a plank, and then dub it smooth with my adze. It is true, by this method I could make but one board of a whole tree, but this I had no remedy for but patience, any more than I had for a 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 employed one way as another.
However, I made me a table and a chair, as I observ’d above, in the first place. This I did out of the short pieces of boards I brought on my raft from the ship. But when I wrought out some boards, as above, I made large shelves of the breadth of a foot and a half, one over another, all along one side of my cave to lay all my tools, nails, and iron-work on. In a word, to separate every thing at large in their places that I might easily come at them. I knocked pieces into the wall of the rock to hang my guns and all things that would hang up. Had my cave been seen, it looked like a general magazine of all necessary things. I had every thing so ready at my hand, it was a great pleasure to me to see all my goods in such order and to find my stock of all necessaries so great.
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.
My journal, my adventure recounted,
a miracle
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.