Робінзон Крузо
Visit of Mutineers
Hehadbeenwithusnowaboutamonth,duringwhichtimeIhadlethimseeinwhatmannerIhadprovided,withtheassistanceofProvidence,formysupport; andhesawevidentlywhatstockofcornandriceIhadlaidup; which,asitwasmorethansufficientformyself,soitwasnotsufficient,atleastwithoutgoodhusbandry,formyfamily,nowitwasincreasedtonumberfour; butmuchlesswoulditbesufficientifhiscountrymen,whowere,ashesaid,fourteen,stillalive,shouldcomeover; andleastofallwoulditbesufficienttovictualourvessel,ifweshouldbuildoneforavoyagetoanyoftheChristiancoloniesofAmerica. Sohetoldmehethoughtitwouldbemoreadvisabletolethimandthetwoothersdigandcultivatesomemoreland,asmuchasIcouldspareseedtosow; andthatweshouldwaitanotherharvest,thatwemighthaveasupplyofcornforhiscountrymenwhentheyshouldcome; forwantmightbeatemptationtothemtodisagree,ornottothinkthemselvesdelivered,otherwisethanoutofonedifficultyintoanother. "Youknow,"sayshe,"thechildrenofIsrael,thoughtheyrejoicedatfirstfortheirbeingdeliveredoutofEgypt,yetrebelledevenagainstGodHimself,thatdeliveredthem,whentheycametowantbreadinthewilderness."
Hiscautionwassoreasonable,andhisadvicesogood,thatIcouldnotbutbeverywellpleasedwithhisproposal,aswellasIwassatisfiedwithhisfidelity. Sowefelltodiggingallfourofus,aswellasthewoodentoolswewerefurnishedwithpermitted; andinaboutamonth’stime,bytheendofwhichitwasseed-time,wehadgottenasmuchlandcuredandtrimmedupaswesowedtwenty-twobushelsofbarleyon,andsixteenjarsofrice; whichwas,inshort,alltheseedwehadtospare; nor,indeed,didweleaveourselvesbarleysufficientforourownfoodforthesixmonthsthatwehadtoexpectourcrop;thatistosay,reckoningfromthetimewesetourseedasideforsowing; foritisnottobesupposeditissixmonthsinthegroundinthatcountry.
