Робінзон Крузо

           Isparednopains,indeed,inthispieceoffruitlesstoil,andspent,Ithink,threeoffourweeksaboutit. Atlastfindingitimpossibletoheaveitupwithmylittlestrength,Ifelltodiggingawaythesand,toundermineit,andsomakeitfalldown,settingpiecesofwoodtothrustandguideitrightinthefall. ButwhenIhaddonethis,Iwasunabletostiritupagain,ortogetunderit,muchlesstomoveitforwardtowardsthewater; soIwasforcedtogiveitover. Andyet,thoughIgaveoverthehopesoftheboat,mydesiretoventureoverforthemainincreased,ratherthandecreased,asthemeansforitseemedimpossible. 

           Thisatlengthputmeuponthinkingwhetheritwasnotpossibletomakemyselfacanoe,orperiagua,suchasthenativesofthoseclimatesmake,evenwithouttools,or,asImightsay,withouthands,viz. ,ofthetrunkofagreattree. ThisInotonlythoughtpossiblebuteasy,andpleasedmyselfextremelywiththethoughtsofmakingit,andwithmyhavingmuchmoreconvenienceforitthananyofthenegroesorIndians; butnotatallconsideringtheparticularinconvenienceswhichIlayundermorethantheIndiansdid,viz. ,wantofhandstomoveit,whenitwasmade,intothewater,adifficultymuchharderformetosurmountthanalltheconsequencesofwantoftoolscouldbetothem. Forwhatwasittome,thatwhenIhadchosenavasttreeinthewoods,Imightwithmuchtroublecutitdown,if,afterImightbeablewithmytoolstohewanddubtheoutsideintothepropershapeofaboat,andburnorcutouttheinsidetomakeithollow,sotomakeaboatofit; if,afterthis,ImustleaveitjusttherewhereIfoundit,andwasnotabletolaunchitintothewater? 

           OnewouldhavethoughtIcouldnothavehadtheleastreflectionuponmymindofmycircumstancewhileIwasmakingthisboat,butIshouldhaveimmediatelythoughthowIshouldgetitintothesea;