Робинзон Крузо
Builds a House — The Journal
SowiththisresolutionIcomposedmyselfforatime,andresolvedthatIwouldgotoworkwithallspeedtobuildmeawallwithpilesandcables,etc., inacircleasbefore,andsetmytentupinitwhenitwasfinished,butthatIwouldventuretostaywhereIwastillitwasfinished,andfittoremoveto. Thiswasthe21st.
April22. —ThenextmorningIbegantoconsiderofmeanstoputthisresolveinexecution; butIwasatagreatlossaboutmytools. Ihadthreelargeaxes,andabundanceofhatchets(forwecarriedthehatchetsfortrafficwiththeIndians), butwithmuchchoppingandcuttingknottyhardwood,theywereallfullofnotchesanddull; andthoughIhadagrindstone,Icouldnotturnitandgrindmytoolstoo. Thiscostmeasmuchthoughtasastatesmanwouldhavebestoweduponagrandpointofpolitics,orajudgeuponthelifeanddeathofaman. AtlengthIcontrivedawheelwithastring,toturnitwithmyfoot,thatImighthavebothmyhandsatliberty. Note,IhadneverseenanysuchthinginEngland,oratleastnottotakenoticehowitwasdone,thoughsinceIhaveobserveditisverycommonthere; besidesthat,mygrindstonewasverylargeandheavy. Thismachinecostmeafullweek’sworktobringittoperfection.
April28,29. —ThesetwowholedaysItookupingrindingmytools,mymachineforturningmygrindstoneperformingverywell.
April30. —Havingperceivedmybreadhadbeenlowagreatwhile,nowItookasurveyofit,andreducedmyselftoonebiscuit-cakeaday,whichmademyheartveryheavy.
May1. —Inthemorning,lookingtowardstheseaside,thetidebeinglow,Isawsomethinglieontheshorebiggerthanordinary,anditlookedlikeacask.
