Робинзон Крузо
A Boat
Mynextconcernwastogetmeastonemortartostamporbeatsomecornin; forastothemill,therewasnothoughtatarrivingtothatperfectionofartwithonepairofhands. TosupplythiswantIwasatagreatloss; for,ofalltradesintheworld,Iwasasperfectlyunqualifiedforastone-cutterasforanywhatever;neitherhadIanytoolstogoaboutitwith. Ispentmanyadaytofindoutagreatstonebigenoughtocuthollow,andmakefitforamortar,andcouldfindnoneatall,exceptwhatwasinthesolidrock,andwhichIhadnowaytodigorcutout; nor,indeed,weretherocksintheislandofhardnesssufficient,butwereallofasandycrumblingstone,whichneitherwouldbeartheweightofaheavypestle,orwouldbreakthecornwithoutfillingitwithsand. So,afteragreatdealoftimelostinsearchingforastone,Igaveitover,andresolvedtolookoutforagreatblockofhardwood,whichIfoundindeedmucheasier; andgettingoneasbigasIhadstrengthtostir,Iroundedit,andformeditintheoutsidewithmyaxeandhatchet,andthen,withthehelpoffire,andinfinitelabor,madeahollowplaceinit,astheIndiansinBrazilmaketheircanoes. Afterthis,Imadeagreatheavypestle,orbeater,ofthewoodcalledtheiron-wood; andthisIpreparedandlaidbyagainstIhadmynextcropofcorn,whenIproposedtomyselftogrind,orratherpound,mycornintomeal,tomakemybread.
Mynextdifficultywastomakeasieve,orsearch,todressmymeal,andtopartitfromthebranandthehusk,withoutwhichIdidnotseeitpossibleIcouldhaveanybread. Thiswasamostdifficultthing,somuchasbuttothinkon,fortobesureIhadnothinglikethenecessarythingtomakeit; Imeanfinethincanvasorstuff,tosearchthemealthrough. AndhereIwasatafullstopformanymonths,nordidIreallyknowwhattodo; linenIhadnoneleft,butwhatwasmererags; Ihadgoats’-hair,butneitherknewIhowtoweaveitorspinit;andhadIknownhow,herewasnotoolstoworkitwith.
