Tames Goats

           Icannotsaythatafterthis,forfiveyears,anyextraordinarythinghappenedtome; butIlivedoninthesamecourse,inthesamepostureandplace,justasbefore. ThechiefthingsIwasemployedin,besidesmyyearlylaborofplantingmybarleyandrice,andcuringmyraisins,ofbothwhichIalwayskeptupjustenoughtohavesufficientstockofoneyear’sprovisionsbeforehand —Isay,besidesthisyearlylabor,andmydailylaborofgoingoutwithmygun,Ihadonelabor,tomakemeacanoe,whichatlastIfinished; sothatbydiggingacanaltoitofsixfeetwide,andfourfeetdeep,Ibroughtitintothecreek,almosthalfamile. Asforthefirst,whichwassovastlybig,asImadeitwithoutconsideringbeforehand,asIoughttodo,howIshouldbeabletolaunchit; so,neverbeingabletobringittothewater,orbringthewatertoit,Iwasobligedtoletitliewhereitwas,asamemorandumtoteachmetobewisernexttime. Indeed,thenexttime,thoughIcouldnotgetatreeproperforit,andinaplacewhereIcouldnotgetthewatertoitatanylessdistancethan,asIhavesaid,nearhalfamile,yetasIsawitwasatlast,Inevergaveitover; andthoughIwasneartwoyearsaboutit,yetInevergrudgedmylabor,inhopesofhavingaboattogoofftoseaatlast. 

           However,thoughmylittleperiaguawasfinished,yetthesizeofitwasnotatallanswerabletothedesignwhichIhadinviewwhenImadethefirst; Imean,ofventuringovertotheterrafirma,whereitwasabovefortymilesbroad. Accordingly,thesmallnessofmyboatassistedtoputanendtothatdesign,andnowIthoughtnomoreofit. ButasIhadaboat,mynextdesignwastomakeatourroundtheisland; forasIhadbeenontheothersideinoneplace,crossing,asIhavealreadydescribedit,overtheland,sothediscoveriesImadeinthatlittlejourneymademeveryeagertoseeotherpartsofthecoast; andnowIhadaboat,Ithoughtofnothingbutsailingroundtheisland.