Робінзон Крузо
First Weeks on the Island
AssoonasIfoundwaterenough,formyraftdrewaboutafootofwater,Ithrustheronuponthatflatpieceofground,andtherefastenedormooredherbystickingmytwobrokenoarsintotheground;oneononesideneartheend,andoneontheothersideneartheotherend; andthusIlaytillthewaterebbedaway,andleftmyraftandallmycargosafeonshore.
Mynextworkwastoviewthecountry,andseekaproperplaceformyhabitation,andwheretostowmygoodstosecurethemfromwhatevermighthappen. WhereIwas,Iyetknewnot; whetheronthecontinent,oronanisland;whetherinhabited,ornotinhabited; whetherindangerofwildbeasts,ornot. Therewasahill,notaboveamilefromme,whichroseupverysteepandhigh,andwhichseemedtoovertopsomeotherhills,whichlayasinaridgefromit,northward. Itookoutoneofthefowling-piecesandoneofthepistols,andahornofpowder; andthusarmed,Itravelledfordiscoveryuptothetopofthathill,where,afterIhadwithgreatlaboranddifficultygottothetop,Isawmyfatetomygreataffliction,viz., thatIwasinanislandenvironedeverywaywiththesea,nolandtobeseen,exceptsomerockswhichlayagreatwayoff,andtwosmallislandslessthanthis,whichlayaboutthreeleaguestothewest.
IfoundalsothattheislandIwasinwasbarren,and,asIsawgoodreasontobelieve,uninhabited,exceptbywildbeasts,ofwhom,however,Isawnone; yetIsawabundanceoffowls,butknewnottheirkind; neither,whenIkilledthem,couldItellwhatwasfitforfood,andwhatnot. Atmycomingback,IshotatagreatbirdwhichIsawsittinguponatreeonthesideofagreatwood. Ibelieveitwasthefirstgunthathadbeenfiredtheresincethecreationoftheworld.
