Робінзон Крузо
Wreck of a Spanish Ship
AndIhadtwomoreparrots,whichtalkedprettywell,andwouldallcall"RobinCrusoe,"butnonelikemyfirst; nor,indeed,didItakethepainswithanyofthemthatIhaddonewithhim. Ihadalsoseveraltameseafowls,whosenamesIknownot,whomIcaughtupontheshore,andcuttheirwings; andthelittlestakeswhichIhadplantedbeforemycastlewallbeingnowgrownuptoagoodthickgrove,thesefowlsalllivedamongtheselowtrees,andbredthere,whichwasveryagreeabletome; sothat,asIsaidabove,IbegantobeverywellcontentedwiththelifeIled,ifitmightbuthavebeensecuredfromthedreadofthesavages.
Butitisotherwisedirected; anditmaynotbeamissforallpeoplewhoshallmeetwithmystory,tomakethisjustobservationfromit,viz.,howfrequently,inthecourseofourlives,theevilwhichinitselfweseekmosttoshun,andwhich,whenwearefallenintoit,isthemostdreadfultous,isoftentimestheverymeansordoorofourdeliverance,bywhichalonewecanberaisedagainfromtheafflictionswearefalleninto. Icouldgivemanyexamplesofthisinthecourseofmyunaccountablelife; butinnothingwasitmoreparticularlyremarkablethaninthecircumstancesofmylastyearsofsolitaryresidenceinthisisland.
ItwasnowthemonthofDecember,asIsaidabove,inmytwenty-thirdyear; andthis,beingthesouthernsolstice(forwinterIcannotcallit),wastheparticulartimeofmyharvest,andrequiredmybeingprettymuchabroadinthefields, when,goingoutprettyearlyinthemorning,evenbeforeitwasthoroughdaylight,Iwassurprisedwithseeingalightofsomefireupontheshore,atadistancefrommeofabouttwomiles,towardstheendoftheisland,whereI—hadobservedsomesavageshadbeen,asbefore. Butnotontheotherside;but,tomygreataffliction,itwasonmysideoftheisland.
