I took another way to come back than I went, thinking I could easily keep so much of the island in my view I could not miss my first dwelling by viewing the country, but I found myself mistaken. Come about two or three miles, I found myself descended into a very large valley, but so surrounded with hills, and those hills covered with wood, I could not see which was my way by any direction. Indeed, this valley lay deep in shadows, and all the trees and plants were twisted and wither'd with their great desire for sun. And it happened to my farther misfortune the weather proved foggy for all the four or five days while I was in this valley.
Not being able to see the sun, I wandered about very uncomfortable and chill'd, and all this time I sensed a deep discomfort within my skin from the beast, such as I had only e'er felt before during the earthquake of the year previous. I could not help but feel if these nights were of the moon that the beast would have fled this valley at once, even though it has no sense of fear as men know it. Indeed, in a like manner, I bethought myself often that were it not for the beast which lurk'd within me, this valley would be a far worse place for me, tho' I could not say how I knew this. Much as the lesser creatures are afraid of the beast, so did I know something in this valley also did stay clear of me though by not as much, and for not the same reason.
At last I was obliged to find out the sea-side, look for my post, and come back the same way I went. Then by easy journies I turned homeward, the weather being exceeding hot, and my gun, ammunition, hatchet, and other things very heavy.
In this journey, I surprised a young kid and seized upon it. I had a great mind to bring it home if I could. I had often been musing whether it might not be possible to get a kid or two, and so raise a breed of tame goats which might supply me when my powder and shot should be all spent. I made a collar for this little creature with a string which I had made of some rope-yarn, which I always carried about me. I led him along, tho’ with some difficulty for he did pull away from the beast he smelt upon me, till I came to my bower. There I enclosed him and left him, for I was very impatient to be at home, from whence I had been absent above a month.
I cannot express what a satisfaction it was to me to come into my old hutch and lie down in the hammock-bed of the mate, for so I still thought of it. This little wandering journey without a settl’d place of abode had been so unpleasant to me, most pointedly the days in the shadow'd and strange valley, that my own house was a perfect settlement to me. It rendered every thing about me so comfortable I resolv’d I would never go a great way from it again while it should be my lot to stay on the island.
I reposed myself here a week to rest and regale myself after my long journey, during which, most of the time was taken up in the weighty affair of making a cage for my Poll, who still spent much time scared of the beast within me. Then I began to think of the poor kid which I had penn’d within my little circle, and resolv’d to fetch it home or give it some food. I went and found it where I left it, for indeed it could not get out, but was almost starv’d for want of food. I went and cut boughs of trees and branches of such shrubs as I could find and threw it over.
The rainy season of the autumnal equinox was now come, and I kept the 30th of September in the same solemn manner as before, being the anniversary of my landing on the island, having now been there two years. I spent the whole day in humble and thankful acknowledgments for 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 to God for having been pleased to discover to me, that it was possible the beast and I might be more happy even in this solitary condition than we should have been in the enjoyment of society.
My scare-crows, first words,
my third year inventions
It was now I began sensibly to feel how much more happy the life I now led was than the wicked, cursed life I led all the past part of my days. From this moment I began to conclude in my mind it was possible for me to be more happy in this forsaken, solitary condition, than it was probable I should ever have been in any other particular state in the world.
Thus, and in this disposition of mind, I began my third year. Tho’ I have not given the reader the trouble of so particular an account of my works this year as the first, yet in general it may be observ’d, I was very seldom idle, having divided my time according to the several daily employments that were before me.
To this short time allowed for labour, I desire may be added the exceeding laboriousness of my work. For want of tools, want of help, and want of skill, every thing I did took up out of my time. But notwithstanding this, with patience and labour I went through many things, indeed, every thing my circumstances made necessary for me to do, as will appear by what follows.