Робінзон Крузо
Agricultural Experience
Duringthisconfinementinmycoverbytherain,Iworkeddailytwoorthreehoursatenlargingmycave,andbydegreesworkeditontowardsoneside,tillIcametotheoutsideofthehill,andmadeadoor,orwayout,whichcamebeyondmyfenceorwall; andsoIcameinandoutthisway. ButIwasnotperfectlyeasyatlyingsoopen;forasIhadmanagedmyselfbefore,Iwasinaperfectenclosure;whereasnow,IthoughtIlayexposed,andopenforanythingtocomeinuponme; andyetIcouldnotperceivethattherewasanylivingthingtofear,thebiggestcreaturethatIhadyetseenupontheislandbeingagoat.
September20. —Iwasnowcometotheunhappyanniversaryofmylanding. Icastupthenotchesonmypost,andfoundIhadbeenonshorethreehundredandsixty-fivedays. Ikeptthisdayasasolemnfast,settingitaparttoreligiousexercise,prostratingmyselfonthegroundwiththemostserioushumiliation,confessingmysinstoGod,acknowledgingHisrighteousjudgmentsuponme,andprayingtoHimtohavemercyonmethroughJesusChrist; andhavingnottastedtheleastrefreshmentfortwelvehours,eventillthegoingdownofthesun,Itheneatabiscuit-cakeandabunchofgrapesandwenttobed,finishingthedayasIbeganit.
IhadallthistimeobservednoSabbathday, forasatfirstIhadnosenseofreligionuponmymind,Ihad,aftersometime,omittedtodistinguishtheweeks,bymakingalongernotchthanordinaryfortheSabbathday,andsodidnotreallyknowwhatanyofthedayswere. Butnow,havingcastupthedays,asabove,IfoundIhadbeenthereayear,soIdivideditintoweeks,andsetaparteveryseventhdayforaSabbath; thoughIfoundattheendofmyaccount,Ihadlostadayortwoinmyreckoning.
Alittleafterthismyinkbegantofailme, andsoIcontentedmyselftouseitmoresparingly,andtowritedownonlythemostremarkableeventsofmylife,withoutcontinuingadailymemorandumofotherthings.
