第27章

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 Wheelbarrow，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 Magazin，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 caused 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 Flaggs 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 my 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 3rd 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.