Part 8 (1/2)

Half April, }

Half April,} May,} Dry, the sun being then to the north June,} of the line

July,} Half August,} Septe then come back

Half October,} Half October,} Nove then to the south December,} of the line

January,} Half February,}

The rainy season soer or shorter, as the winds happened to blow; but this was the general observation I made After I had found, by experience, the ill consequence of being abroad in the rain, I took care to furnish ed to go out; and I sat within doors asthe wet months

In this time I found much ereat occasion of s which I had no way to furnish myself with, but by hard labour and constant application; particularly, I tried et for the purpose proved so brittle, that they would do nothing It proved of excellent advantage to ht in standing at a basket-maker's in the tohere , as boys usually are, very officious to help, and a great observer of the s, and soe of thebut the s of that tree froh as the sallows, and s, and osiers, in England; and I resolved to try

Accordingly the next day I went tosos, I found them to my purpose as much as I could desire; whereupon I came the next time prepared with an hatchet to cut down a quantity, which I soon found, for there was a great plenty of thees; and when they were fit for use, I carried the the next season I ereat many baskets, both to carry earth, or to carry or lay up any thing, as I had occasion; and though I did not finish them very handsomely, yet I made them sufficiently serviceable for my purpose; and thus afterwards I took care never to be without them; and asdeep baskets to place my corn in, instead of sacks, when I should co mastered this difficulty, and employed a world of time about it, I bestirred myself to see, if possible, how to supply tants I had no vessels to hold any thing that was liquid, except two rundlets, which were allass bottles, some of the common size, and others which were case-bottles square, for the holding of waters, spirits, &c I had not so reat kettle which I saved out of the shi+p, and which was too big for such uses as I desired it for, viz toI would fain have had, was a tobacco-pipe, but it was impossible for me to make one; however, I found a contrivance for that too at last

I e my second rows of stakes of piles, and in this wicker-work, all the summer, or dry season; when another business took ined I could spare

I reat mind to see the whole island, and that I had travelled up the brook, and so on to where I builtquite to the sea, on the other side of the island I now resolved to travel quite across to the sea shore on that side So taking er quantity of powder and shot than usual, with two biscuit-cakes and a great bunch of raisins in an my journey

When I had passed the vale where my bower stood, as above, I ca a very clear day, I fairly descried land, whether an island or continent I could not tell; but it lay very high, extending frouess it could not be less than fifteen or twenty leagues off

I could not tell what part of the world this ht be, otherwise than that I knew it must be part of America; and, as I concluded by all my observations, must be near the Spanish does, where if I should have landed, I had been in a worse condition than I was now; and therefore I acquiesced in the dispositions of Providence, which I began now to own, and to believe, ordered every thing for the best; I say, I quietedthere

Besides, after some pause upon this affair, I considered, that if this land was the Spanish coast, I should certainly, one time or other, see some vessels pass or repass one way or other; but if not, then it was the savage coast between the Spanish country and Brasil, which were indeed the worst of savages; for they are cannibals, or men-eaters, and fail not to murder and devour all the human bodies that fall into their hands With these considerations I walked very leisurely forward I found that side of the island where I noas, much pleasanter than mine, the open or savanna fields sweet, adorned with flowers and grass, and full of very fine woods I saw abundance of parrots, and fain would I have caught one, if possible, to have kept it to be taht it to speak toparrot; for I knocked it doith a stick, and having recovered it, I brought it home, but it was some years before I could ht him to call me by h it be a trifle, will be very diverting in its place

I was exceedingly diverted with this journey: I found in the low grounds, hares, as I thought thereatly from all the other kinds I had h I killed several: but I had no need to be venturous; for I had no want of food, and of that which was very good too; especially these three sorts, viz goats, pigeons, and turtle or tortoise; which added to rapes Leadenhall-market could not have furnished a better table than I, in proportion to the coreat cause for thankfulness, that I was not driven to any extremities for food; but rather plenty, even to dainties

I never travelled in this journey above two ht in a day, or thereabouts; but I look so many turns and returns, to see what discoveries I could h to the place where I resolved to sit down for all night; and then either reposed myself in a tree, or surrounded round, either from one tree to another, or so as no wild creature could co me

As soon as I came to the sea-shore, I was surprised to see that I had taken up my lot on the worst side of the island; for here indeed the shore was covered with innumerable turtles, whereas on the other side I had found but three in a year and an half Here was also an infinite number of fowls of many kinds, soood meat; but such as I knew not the nauins

I could have shot asof my powder and shot: and therefore had oat, if I could, which I could better feed on: and though there were oats here more than on the other side of the island, yet it ith muchflat and even, and they saw me much sooner than when I was on the hills

I confess this side of the country was much pleasanter than mine, but yet I had not the least inclination to remove; for as I was fixed in my habitation, it became natural to me, and I seemed all the while I was here to be, as it were, upon a journey, and fro the shore of the sea towards the east, I suppose, about twelve reat pole upon the shore for a ain; and the next journey I took should be on the other side of the island, east froain: of which in its place

I took another way to co I could easily keep all the island sothe country; but I foundcome about two or three e valley; but so surrounded with hills, and those hills covered oods, that I could not see which was my way by any direction but that of the sun; nor even then, unless I knew very well the position of the sun at that time of the day

It happened, to my farther misfortune, that the weather proved hazy for three or four days, while I was in this valley; and not being able to see the sun, I wandered about very uncoed to find out the sea-side, look for my post, and come back the same way I went; and then by easy journies I turned houn, as, very heavy

In this journeykid, and seized upon it; and I running in to take hold of it, caught it, and saved it alive fro it hoht not be possible to get a kid or two, and so raise a breed of taht supply me when my powder and shot should be spent

Iwhich I made of so, though with some difficulty, till I came to my bower, and 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 injourney, without a settled place of abode, had been so unpleasant to me that my own house, as I called it to myself, was a perfect settle about reat way froain, while it should be my lot to stay on the island