Part 5 (1/2)

The excessive hardness of the wood, and having no other way,while upon this machine; for I worked it effectually by little and little into the form of a shovel or spade, the handle exactly shaped like ours in England, only that the broad part having no iron shod upon it at bottoh for the uses which I had occasion to put it to; but never was a shovel, I believe,

I was still deficient, for I wanted a basket or a wheel-barrow; a basket I could not s that would bend to make wicker-ware, at least none yet found out; and as to a wheel-barrow, I fancied I could make; all but the wheel, but that I had no notion of, neither did I kno to go about it; besides, I had no possible way to eons 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, Ilike a hod which the labourers carry mortar in, when they serve the bricklayers

This was not so difficult tothe shovel; and yet this, and the shovel, and the attempt which I made in vain to make a wheel-barrow, tookun, which I seldo to eat

Nov 23 My other work having now stood still, because ofthese tools, when they were finished I went on, and working every day, as hteen days entirely in widening and deepening oods co all this tih to acco-roo, I kept to the tent, except that sometimes in the wet season of the year, it rained so hard that I could not keep myself dry, which causedpoles in the forainst the rock, and load thee leaves of trees like a thatch

Dec 10 I began now to think my cave or vault finished, when on a sudden (it seereat quantity of earth fell down frohted me, and not without reason too; for if I had been under it I had never wanted a gravedigger 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 ht be sure no more would come down

Dec 11 This day I went to ith it accordingly, and got two shores or posts pitched upright to the top, with two pieces of boards across over each post; this I finished the next day; and setting more posts up with boards, in about a weekin rows, served me for partitions to part off my house

Dec 17 From this day to the twentieth I placed shelves, and knocked 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 carried every thing into the cave, and began to furnish my house, and set up some pieces of boards like a dresser, to order an to be very scarce with me: also I ht 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 Killed a young goat, and la; when I had it ho which was broke NB I took such care of it that it lived, and the leg greell and as strong as ever; but by nursing it so long it grew tao away This was the first ti up soht 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 tis in order within doors

January 1 Very hot still, but I went abroad early and late with , going farther into the vallies which lay towards the centre of the island, I found there was plenty of goats, though exceeding shy and hard to co to hunt thely, the next day I went out with oats; but I was ; and he knew his danger too well, for he would, not coanattacked by so

NB This wall being described before, I purposely omit as said, in the Journal; it is sufficient to observe, that I was no less ti, finishi+ng, and perfecting this wall, though it was noa half-circle froht yards fro in the centre behind it

All this ti ht I should never be perfectly secure until this as finished; and it is scarce credible what inexpressible labour every thing was done with, especially the bringing piles out of the woods, and driving theer than I need to have done

When this as finished, and the outside double fenced with a turf wall raised up close to it, I persuaded myself that if any people were to co like a habitation; and it was very well I did so, as may be observed hereafter upon a very re this tiame every day, when the rain admittedor other to eons, who built not as wood pigeons in a tree, but rather as house pigeons, in the holes of the rocks; and taking so ones, I endeavoured to breed therew older they flehich perhaps was at first for want of feeding theive theot their young ones, which were very goods, which I thought at first it was impossible for me to make, as indeed as to some of them it was; for instance, I could never make a cask to be hooped; I had a small runlet or two, as I observed before, but I could never arrive to the capacity of h I spent many weeks about it; I could neither put in the heads, or joint the staves so true to one another as to ave that also over

In the next place, I was at a great loss for candle; so that as soon as ever it was dark, which was generally by seven o'clock, I was obliged to go to bed: I remembered the lump of bees-hich I made candles in my African adventure, but I had none of that now; the only reoat I saved the tallow, and with a little dish made of clay, which I baked in the sun, to which I added a wick of soh not a clear steady light like a candle In the s, I found a little bag, which, as I hinted before, had been filled with corn for the feeding of poultry; not for this voyage, but before, as I suppose, when the shi+p came fro, was all devoured with the rats, and I saw nothing in the bag but husks and dust; and being willing to have the bag for some other use, I think it was to put powder in, when I divided it for fear of the lightning, or some such use, I shook the husks of corn out of it on one side of my fortification under the rock

It was a little before the great rains, just nowno notice of any thing, and not sothere; when about agreen shooting out of the ground, which I fancied ht be some plant I had not seen; but I was surprised and perfectly astonished, when after a little longer time I saw about ten or twelve ears coreen barley of the salish barley