Робинзон Крузо
A Cave Retreat
InthisframeofthankfulnessIwenthometomycastle,andbegantobemucheasiernow,astothesafetyofmycircumstances,thaneverIwasbefore; forIobservedthatthesewretchesnevercametothisislandinsearchofwhattheycouldget;perhapsnotseeking,notwanting,ornotexpecting,anythinghere; andhavingoften,nodoubt,beenupinthecovered,woodypartofit,withoutfindinganythingtotheirpurpose. IknewIhadbeenherenowalmosteighteenyears,andneversawtheleastfootstepsofhumancreaturetherebefore; andImightbehereeighteenmoreasentirelyconcealedasIwasnow,ifIdidnotdiscovermyselftothem,whichIhadnomannerofoccasiontodo; itbeingmyonlybusinesstokeepmyselfentirelyconcealedwhereIwas,unlessIfoundabettersortofcreaturesthancannibalstomakemyselfknownto.
YetIentertainedsuchanabhorrenceofthesavagewretchesthatIhavebeenspeakingof,andofthewretchedinhumancustomoftheirdevouringandeatingoneanotherup,thatIcontinuedpensiveandsad,andkeptclosewithinmyowncircleforalmosttwoyearsafterthis. WhenIsaymyowncircle,Imeanbyitmythreeplantations,viz.,mycastle,mycountryseat,whichIcalledmybower,andmyenclosureinthewoods. NordidIlookafterthisforanyotherusethanasanenclosureformygoats; fortheaversionwhichNaturegavemetothesehellishwretcheswassuchthatIwasfearfulofseeingthemasofseeingthedevilhimself. NordidIsomuchasgotolookaftermyboatinallthistime,butbeganrathertothinkofmakingmeanother; forIcouldnotthinkofevermakinganymoreattemptstobringtheotherboatroundtheislandtome,lestIshouldmeetwithsomeofthesecreaturesatsea,inwhich,ifIhadhappenedtohavefallenintotheirhands,Iknewwhatwouldhavebeenmylot.
