Робинзон Крузо
A Boat
IhavementionedthatIsavedtheskinsofallthecreaturesthatIkilled,Imeanfour-footedones,andIhadhungthemupstretchedoutwithsticksinthesun,bywhichmeanssomeofthemweresodryandhardthattheywerefitforlittle,butothersitseemswereveryuseful. ThefirstthingImadeofthesewasagreatcapformyhead,withthehairontheoutside,toshootofftherain; andthisIperformedsowell,thatafterthisImademeasuitofclotheswhollyoftheseskins,thatistosay,awaistcoat,andbreechesopenatknees,andbothloose,fortheywereratherwantingtokeepmecoolthantokeepmewarm. Imustnotomittoacknowledgethattheywerewretchedlymade;forifIwasabadcarpenter,Iwasaworsetailor. However,theyweresuchasImadeverygoodshiftwith;andwhenIwasabroad,ifithappenedtorain,thehairofmywaistcoatandcapbeingoutermost,Iwaskeptverydry.
AfterthisIspentagreatdealoftimeandpainstomakemeanumbrella.Iwasindeedingreatwantofone,andhadagreatmindtomakeone. IhadseenthemmadeintheBrazils,wheretheyareveryusefulinthegreatheatswhicharethere;andIfelttheheatseveryjotasgreathere,andgreatertoo,beingnearertheequinox. Besides,asIwasobligedtobemuchabroad,itwasamostusefulthingtome,aswellfortherainsastheheats. Itookaworldofpainsatit,andwasagreatwhilebeforeIcouldmakeanythinglikelytohold;nay,afterIthoughtIhadhittheway,IspoiledtwoorthreebeforeImadeonetomymind;butatlastImadeonethatansweredindifferentlywell. ThemaindifficultyIfoundwastomakeittoletdown. Icouldmakeittospread;butifitdidnotletitdowntoo,anddrawin,itwasnotportableformeanywaybutjustovermyhead,whichwouldnotdo.
