These were the subjects of the first night's cogitations after I was come home again, while the apprehensions which had so over-run my mind were fresh upon me and my head was full of vapours, as above. Thus fear of danger is ten thousand times more terrifying than danger itself, when apparent to the eyes.
This confusion of my thoughts kept me awake all night, but in the morning I fell asleep. Having been, by the amusement of my mind, tired and my spirits exhausted, I slept and waked much better composed than I had ever been before. And now I began to think. Upon the utmost debate with myself I concluded this island, which was so exceeding pleasant, fruitful, and no farther from the main land than as I had seen, was not so abandoned as I might imagine. Altho’ there were no stated inhabitants who lived on the spot, yet that there might sometimes come boats off from the shore who might come to this place.
I had lived here fifteen years now and had not met with the least shadow or figure of any people yet. If at any time they should be driven here, it was probable they went away again as soon as ever they could, seeing they had never thought fit to fix here upon any occasion.
The most I could suggest any danger from was from any casual accidental landing of straggling people from the main, who went off again with all possible speed, seldom staying one night on shore lest they should not have the help of the tydes and daylight back again. Therefore I had nothing to do but to consider of some safe retreat in case I should see any savages land upon the spot.
Now I began to repent I had dug my cave so large as to bring a door through again which, as I said, came out beyond where my fortification joined to the rock. Upon considering this, therefore, I resolv’d to draw me a second fortification in the same manner of a semi-circle at a distance from my wall, just where I had planted a double row of stakes about twelve years before, of which I made mention. These having been planted so thick before, they wanted but few piles to be driven between them that they might be thicker and stronger, and my wall would be soon finished.
I had now a double wall. My outer wall was thickened with pieces of timber, old cables, and every thing I could think of, to make it strong, and having in it seven little holes about as big as I might put my arm out at. In the inside of this, I thickened my wall to about ten feet thick, with continually bringing earth out of my cave and laying it at the foot of the wall and walking upon it. Through the seven holes I contrived to plant the muskets like my cannon and fitted them into frames that held them like a carriage, so I could fire all the seven guns in two minutes' time. This wall I was many a weary month in finishing, and yet never thought myself safe till it was done.
When this was done, I stuck all the ground without my wall, for a great length every way, as full with stakes, or sticks, of the osier-like wood as they could well stand. Insomuch, I believe I might set in near twenty thousand of them, leaving a pretty large space between them and my wall. I might have room to see an enemy and they might have no shelter from the young trees if they attempted to approach my outer wall.
Over these months, I am ashamed to say, I did give the beast excessive freedom and not attempt to watch through the smok'd lens or to exert any influence over its nature. It was my belief that the howls and cries of the beast might be heard for many miles, and perhaps the savages, upon hearing such sounds, would be less desiring to land on my island. Indeed, perhaps such a thing had already happen'd many times in my long years here.
I was at the expense of all this labour purely from my apprehensions on the account of the print of a man's foot which I had seen. For, as yet, I never saw any human creature come near the island. I had now lived two years under this uneasiness, which, indeed, made my life much less comfortable than it was before, as may be well imagined by any who know what it is to live in the constant snare of fear. And this I must observe, with grief too, that the discomposure of my mind had too great impressions also upon the religious part of my thoughts. The dread of falling into the hands of savages and cannibals lay so upon my spirits that I seldom found myself in a due temper for application to my Maker, at least not with the sedate calmness and resignation of soul which I was wont to do. I rather prayed to God as under great affliction and pressure of mind, surrounded with danger, and in expectation every night of being murdered and devoured before morning.
The dark church, my plans
my rational mind