vessels I contrived to bake some barley loaves, and soon became a good pastry-cook into the bargain.

These matters occupied the greater part of the third year of my abode in this island, for I had also my new harvest and husbandry to manage. I reaped my corn in its season, and carried it home as well as I could, laying it in my large baskets until I had time to rub it out, for I had no instrument to thresh with. I found that the forty bushels of barley and rice were much more than I could consume in a year, so I resolved to sow just the same quantity every year that I might constantly have abundance of bread.

All the while I was thus occupied, you may be sure my thoughts often ran upon the prospect of land which I had seen from the other side of the island, and I could not forbear wishing myself there: fancying that seeing the main land, and an inhabited country, I might find some means of conveying myself further, and perhaps find at length an occasion to escape. I then remembered the ship's boat which had been blown upon the shore a great way in the storm, when we were first cast away, and going to the spot I found she had turned, by the force of the winds and waves, almost bottom upwards, against a high ridge of beachy rough sand; but there was no water about her. If I had had assistance to have refitted her, and launched her into the sea, the boat would have served very well to have taken me back to the Brazils; but I might have foreseen that I could no more turn her, and set her upright, than I could have removed the island. However, I went to the woods, and cut levers and rollers, and brought them to the boat, resolving to try what I could do, thinking, that if it were possible to turn her down and repair the damage she had received, I might safely venture to sea in her. But all my efforts were fruitless, and I was forced to abandon the attempt. I now began to think of making a canoe of the trunk of a great tree. This I thought not only possible, but easy, and without further reflection I went to work and felled a cedar tree, and in a few months I had made a handsome canoe, large enough to have carried five-and-twenty men. When my labours were completed I was extremely delighted. The boat was really much larger than any I had yet seen made from one tree. Many a weary stroke it cost me you may be sure; and at length there remained nothing but to get it into the water, but here all my endeavours failed, although it was only about one hundred yards from the sea. Still undaunted, however, I resolved to dig into the earth, and thus make a declivity by which it could descend, but the same difficulty still remained; I could no more stir the canoe than I could the other boat. I then measured the distance of ground, and resolved to cut a canal to bring the water up to the canoe, but when I came to make my calculations I found that the

work would take at least ten or twelve years in effecting, so I was compelled, reluctantly, to forego this attempt also. I was much grieved at this disappointment, and I now saw, although too late, the folly of beginning any undertaking before we count the cost, and judge rightly of our own strength to go through with it. In the middle of this work I finished my fourth year in this place, and kept my anniversary with the same devotion and reliance upon the mercy of God.

I had now been on the island so long, that many things I nad brought on shore from the wreck were either quite gone or very much wasted. My ink was nearly spent, and the biscuit I had husbanded with the greatest care was almost consumed. My clothes too began to wear in shreds, but as I had saved the skins of all the four-footed creatures I had killed, and had dried them, they became very useful in this respect. The first thing I made was a great cap for my head, with the hair on the outside to keep off the rain, and after this I made an entire suit of clothes from the skins. These, I must acknowledge, were wretchedly done, for if I was a bad carpenter, I was a worse tailor. However, they served me well. I spent a great deal of time and pains to make an umbrella, and at length I succeeded in making one that answered indifferently well; the great difficulty I found was to make it let down and draw in. I covered it with skins, the hair outside, so that the rain was cast off easily, and it effectually protected me from the heat. Thus I lived in tolerable comfort, my mind being entirely resigned to the will of God, and trusting to His providence. I would even ask myself whether conversing with my thoughts on holy subjects, was not better than the utmost enjoyment of human society in the world?

In this manner five more years passed on without any extraordinary event occurring to me. Besides my annual labour of planting barley and rice, and drying raisins, and my daily habit of going out with my gun, I had occupied myself in making another canoe which I finished, and by digging a canal of six feet wide, and four feet deep, I brought it into the creek about half-a-mile. As for the other boat, I was obliged to let it remain where it was, as a lesson to teach me wisdom in future. But the small size of my boat prevented me from venturing to the land beyond; I accordingly abandoned that project, and determined to make a cruise round the island where I lived. For this purpose I fitted a little mast to my boat, and made a sail of some pieces of canvas I had obtained from the wreck. Having done this, and tried the boat, I found she would sail very well; then I made little boxes at each end of my boat to hold provisions and ammunition, and I cut a long hollow place where I could lay my gun, making a flap to hang down over it, as a precaution against the rain or spray of the sea. I fixed my umbrella also, in a step at the stern, like a mast, to stand over my head, to protect me, like an awning, from the heat of the sun, and thus

vessels I contrived to bake some b pastry-cook into the bargain.

These matters occupied the grea in this island, for I had also my ne I reaped my corn in its season, an laying it in my large baskets until no instrument to thresh with. I f and rice were much more than I co to sow just the same quantity ever abundance of bread.

All the while I was thus occupie often ran upon the prospect of land side of the island, and I could not fo ing that seeing the main land, and a some means of conveying myself furt occasion to escape. I then remembe blown upon the shore a great way in away, and going to the spot I found sl winds and waves, almost bottom up beachy rough sand; but there was no assistance to have refitted her, and la would have served very well to have t I might have foreseen that I could no m than I could have removed the island. and cut levers and rollers, and brought try what I could do, thinking, that if it and repair the damage she had received in her. But all my efforts were fruitles the attempt. I now began to think of 1 a great tree. This I thought not only further reflection I went to work and fel months I had made a handsome canoe,

five-and-twenty men. When my lab extremely delighted. The boat was rea had yet seen made from one tree. Many you may be sure; and at length there re into the water, but here all my endeavour. about one hundred yards from the sea. resolved to dig into the earth, and thus could descend, but the same difficulty still stir the canoe than I could the other boat. tance of ground, and resolved to cut a ca the canoe, but when I came to make my c

talk to me; my dog, who was now grown very old and ways at my right hand, and my two cats had their places of the table, receiving, from time to time, pieces of food, especial favour.

in to be impatient to have the use of my boat, which I had shore after my disaster among the currents, being afraid home with it, and encountering the same peril. I felt a lso to proceed as far as the point of the island, and ascercurrent set. My appearance at this time would have ed any one who met me or caused a hearty laugh, and stood still to look at myself, I could not but smile myon of my travelling through Yorkshire in such a manner. high, shapeless cap, made of goat's-skin, with a flap hangd, to keep the sun from me, and to prevent the rain g. I had a short jacket of goat's-skin, and a pair of

I took at different times a little voyage, but never ventured far out at sea. At last, being eager to view the extent of my little kingdom, I resolved upon my cruise. I accordingly stored my boat with provisions, and on the sixth of November, in the sixth year of my captivity, I set out on this voyage, but it proved disastrous, for I suddenly found my canoe in a great depth of water, with a current like the sluice of a mill, which carried away my boat with such violence that I was in great danger. However, by the providence of God, I was preserved, and succeeded after great difficulty in landing on the same side of the island where I had built my country bower, which I reached after a long walk, and found everything in order as I had left it. Fatigued with my exertions I laid down in the shade, and soon fell asleep, but judge, you that read my story, how surprised I was to be awakened from my slumbers by a voice calling out my name several times "Robin, Robin, Robin Crusoe; poor Robin Crusoe! Where are you, Robin Crusoe ? Where have you been?" I was at first dreadfully frightened, and started up in the greatest consternation, but no sooner were my eyes open than I saw my Poll sitting on the top of the hedge, and I immediately knew who was the speaker. I held out my hand, and calling him by his name, Poll, the sociable creature came to me, and sitting upon my thumb, as he used to do, continued talking to me, as if he had been overjoyed to see me again; so I carried him home along with

me.

I now had enough of cruizing at sea for some time, so I remained nearly a year on shore, living very happily in all matters save that of society. I improved myself during this time in making many useful articles; among other things a tobacco pipe of earthenware, which, though clumsy, comforted me greatly, for I had always been accustomed to smoke. As my gunpowder was diminishing I made traps to catch goats alive, and one morning I found in one of them a large old he-goat, and in the others three kids, a male, and two females. By proper care, and feeding them regularly, I had in about a year and a half a flock of at least twelve goats, kids included, and in two years afterwards I had forty-three, besides several I was obliged to kill for food. These animals I enclosed in five several pieces of ground, with little pens to drive them into. I had now, not only nourishing food from my goats, but milk, which enabled me to set up a dairy, and at last I made butter and cheese in sufficient quantities to supply my daily necessities. My table was thus bountifully spread by a merciful Creator who sweetens the most bitter draught of affliction. It would have made you smile, my young friends, to have seen me and my little family sit down to dinner. I, of course, ranked first, being the prince and lord of the whole island, and, like a king, I was attended by my servants. Poll, as if he had been my favourite, was the only person