Робинзон Крузо
A Boat
Myclothesbegantodecay,too,mightily. Astolinen,Ihadnoneagoodwhile,exceptsomecheckeredshirtswhichIfoundinthechestsoftheotherseamen,andwhichIcarefullypreserved,becausemanytimesIcouldbearnootherclothesonbutashirt;anditwasagreatgreathelptomethatIhad,amongallthemen’sclothesoftheship,almostthreedozenofshirts. Therewerealsoseveralthickwatch-coatsoftheseamen’swhichwereleftindeed,buttheyweretoohottowear; andthoughitistruethattheweatherwassoviolenthotthattherewasnoneedofclothes,yetIcouldnotgoquitenaked,no,thoughIhadbeeninclinedtoit,whichIwasnot,norcouldabidethethoughtsofit,thoughIwasallalone.
ThereasonwhyIcouldnotgoquitenakedwas,Icouldnotbeartheheatofthesunsowellwhenquitenakedaswithsomeclotheson; nay,theveryheatfrequentlyblisteredmyskin; whereas,withashirton,theairitselfmadesomemotion,andwhistlingunderthatshirt,wastwofoldcoolerthanwithoutit. NomorecouldIeverbringmyselftogooutintheheatofthesunwithoutacaporahat. Theheatofthesunbeatingwithsuchviolence,asitdoesinthatplace,wouldgivemetheheadachepresently,bydartingsodirectlyonmyhead,withoutacaporhaton,sothatIcouldnotbearit;whereas,ifIputonmyhat,itwouldpresentlygoaway.
Uponthoseviews,IbegantoconsideraboutputtingthefewragsIhad,whichIcalledclothes,intosomeorder. IhadwornoutallthewaistcoatsIhad,andmybusinesswasnottotryifIcouldnotmakejacketsoutofthegreatwatch-coatswhichIhadbyme,andwithsuchothermaterialsasIhad; soIsettoworka-tailoring,orrather,indeed,a-botching,forImademostpiteousworkofit. However,Imadeshifttomaketwoorthreenewwaistcoats,whichIhopedwouldservemeagreatwhile. Asforbreechesordrawers,Imadebutaverysorryshiftindeedtillafterward.
