Робінзон Крузо
Finds Print of Man’s Foot on the Sand
NowIbegansorelytorepentthatIhaddugmycavesolargeastobringadoorthroughagain,whichdoor,asIsaid,cameoutbeyondwheremyfortificationjoinedtotherock. Uponmaturelyconsideringthis,therefore,Iresolvedtodrawmeasecondfortification,inthesamemannerofasemicircle,atadistancefrommywall,justwhereIhadplantedadoublerowoftreesabouttwelveyearsbefore,ofwhichImademention. Thesetreeshavingbeenplantedsothickbefore,theywantedbutafewpilestobedrivenbetweenthem,thattheyshouldbethickerandstronger,andmywallwouldbesoonfinished.
SothatIhadnowadoublewall; andmyouterwallwasthickenedwithpiecesoftimber,oldcables,andeverythingIcouldthinkof,tomakeitstrong,havinginitsevenlittleholes,aboutasbigasImightputmyarmoutat. IntheinsideofthisIthickenedmywalltoaboveoftenfeetthick,withcontinualbringingearthoutofmycave,andlayingitatthefootofthewall,andwalkinguponit; andthroughthesevenholesIcontrivedtoplantthemuskets,ofwhichItooknoticethatIgotsevenonshoreoutoftheship. These,Isay,Iplantedlikemycannon,andfittedthemintoframesthatheldthemlikeacarriage,thatsoIcouldfireallthesevengunsintwominutes’time. ThiswallIwasmanyawearymonthafinishing,andyetneverthoughtmyselfsafetillitwasdone.
Whenthiswasdone,Istuckallthegroundwithoutmywall,foragreatwayeveryway,asfullwithstakes,orsticks,oftheosier-likewood,whichIfoundsoapttogrow,astheycouldwellstand; insomuch,thatIbelieveImightsetinneartwentythousandofthem,leavingaprettylargespacebetweenthemandmywall,thatImighthaveroomtoseeanenemy,andtheymighthavenoshelterfromtheyoungtrees,iftheyattemptedtoapproachmyouterwall.
