Робинзон Крузо
Agricultural Experience
AnditwasveryhappythatIdoso,fortherainswhichfollowedwouldhavespoiledthem,andIhadlostthebestpartofmywinterfood; forIhadabovetwohundredlargebunchesofthem. NosoonerhadItakenthemalldown,andcarriedmostofthemhometomycave,butitbegantorain; andfromhence,whichwasthe14thofAugust,itrained,moreorless,everydaytillthemiddleofOctober,andsometimessoviolently,thatIcouldnotstiroutofmycaveforseveraldays.
Inthisseason,Iwasmuchsurprisedwiththeincreaseofmyfamily. Ihadbeenmuchconcernedforthelossofoneofmycats,whorunawayfromme,or,asIthought,hadbeendead,andIheardnomoretaleortidingsofher,still,tomyastonishment,shecamehomeabouttheendofAugustwiththreekittens. Thiswasthemorestrangetome,because,thoughIhadkilledawildcat,asIcalledit,withmygun,yetIthoughtitwasaquitedifferentkindfromourEuropeancats;yettheyoungcatswerethesamekindofhouse-breedliketheoldone;andbothmycatsbeingfemales,Ithoughtitverystrange. ButfromthesethreecatsIafterwardscametobesopesteredwithcats,thatIwasforcedtokillthemlikevermin,orwildbeasts,andtodrivethemfrommyhouseasmuchaspossible.
Fromthe14thofAugusttothe26th,incessantrain,sothatIcouldnotstir,andwasnowverycarefulnottobemuchwet. Inthisconfinement,Ibegantobestraitenedforfood; butventuringouttwice,Ionedaykilledagoat,andthelastday,whichwasthe26th,foundaverylargetortoise,whichwasatreattome,andmyfoodwasregulatedthus: Ieatabunchofraisinsformybreakfast,apieceofthegoat’sflesh,oroftheturtle,formydinner,broiled; for,tomygreatmisfortune,Ihadnovesseltoboilorstewanything; andtwoorthreeoftheturtle’seggsformysupper.
