Робінзон Крузо
Tames Goats
Butbeingnowintheeleventhyearofmyresidence,and,asIhavesaid,myammunitiongrowinglow,Isetmyselftostudysomearttotrapandsnarethegoats,toseewhetherIcouldnotcatchsomeofthemalive; andparticularly,Iwantedashe-goatgreatwithyoung.
Tothispurpose,Imadesnarestohamperthem,andIdobelievetheyweremorethanoncetakeninthem: butmytacklewasnotgood,forIhadnowire,andIalwaysfoundthembroken,andmybaitdevoured. AtlengthIresolvedtotryapitfall; soIdugseverallargepitsintheearth,inplaceswhereIhadobservedthegoatsusedtofeed,andoverthesepitsIplacedhurdles,ofmyownmakingtoo,withagreatweightuponthem; andseveraltimesIputearsofbarleyanddryrice,withoutsettingthetrap,andIcouldeasilyperceivethatthegoatshadgoneinandeatenupthecorn,forIcouldseethemarkoftheirfeet. AtlengthIsetthreetrapsinonenight,andgoingthenextmorning,Ifoundthemallstanding,andyetthebaiteatenandgone; thiswasverydiscouraging. However,Ialteredmytrap;and,nottotroubleyouwithparticulars,goingonemorningtoseemytrap,Ifoundinoneofthemalargeoldhe-goat,andinoneoftheotherthreekids,amaleandtwofemales.
Astotheoldone,Iknewnotwhattodowithhim,hewassofierceIdurstnotgointothepittohim;thatistosay,togoabouttobringhimawayalive,whichwaswhatIwanted.Icouldhavekilledhim,butthatwasnotmybusiness,norwoulditanswermyend; soIevenlethimout,andheranaway,asifhehadbeenfrightedoutofhiswits. ButIhadforgotthenwhatIlearnedafterwards,thathungerwilltamealion. IfIhadlethimstaytherethreeorfourdayswithoutfood,andthenhavecarriedhimsomewatertodrink,andthenalittlecorn,hewouldhavebeenastameasoneofthekids,fortheyaremightysagacious,tractablecreatureswheretheyarewellused.
