Робінзон Крузо
A Cave Retreat
WithmyboatIcarriedawayeverythingthatIhadlefttherebelongingtoher,thoughnotnecessaryforthebaregoingthither,viz.,amastandsailwhichIhadmadeforher,andathinglikeananchor,butindeedwhichcouldnotbecalledeitheranchororgrappling;however,itwasthebestIcouldmakeofitskind. AlltheseIremoved,thattheremightnotbetheleastshadowofanydiscovery,oranyappearanceofanyboat,orofanyhumanhabitation,upontheisland.
Besidesthis,Ikeptmyself,asIsaid,moreretiredthanever,andseldomwentfrommycell, otherthanuponmyconstantemployment,viz.,tomilkmyshe-goats,andmanagemylittleflockinthewood,which,asitwasquiteontheotherpartoftheisland,wasquiteoutofdanger; forcertainitis,thatthesesavagepeople,whosometimeshauntedthisisland,nevercamewithanythoughtsoffindinganythinghere,andconsequentlyneverwanderedofffromthecoast; andIdoubtnotbuttheymighthavebeenseveraltimesonshoreaftermyapprehensionsofthemhadmademecautious,aswellasbefore; andindeed,IlookedbackwithsomehorroruponthethoughtsofwhatmyconditionwouldhavebeenifIhadchoppeduponthemandbeendiscoveredbeforethat,when,nakedandunarmed,exceptwithonegun,andthatloadedoftenonlywithsmallshot,Iwalkedeverywhere,peepingandpeepingabouttheislandtoseewhatIcouldget. WhatasurpriseshouldIhavebeeninif,whenIdiscoveredtheprintofaman’sfoot,Ihad,insteadofthat,seenfifteenortwentysavages,andfoundthempursuingme,andbytheswiftnessoftheirrunning,nopossibilityofmyescapingthem!
Thethoughtsofthissometimessunkmyverysoulwithinme,anddistressedmymindsomuch,thatIcouldnotsoonrecoverit, tothinkwhatIshouldhavedone,andhowInotonlyshouldnothavebeenabletoresistthem,butevenshouldnothavehadpresenceofmindenoughtodowhatImighthavedone,muchlesswhatnow,aftersomuchconsiderationandpreparation,Imightbeabletodo.
