Робінзон Крузо
First Weeks on the Island
Igotonboardtheshipasbefore,andpreparedasecondraft,andhavinghadexperienceofthefirst,Ineithermadethissounwieldy,norloadeditsohard; butyetIbroughtawayseveralthingsveryusefultome; as,atfirst,inthecarpenter’sstoresIfoundtwoorthreebagsfullofnailsandspikes,agreatscrew-jack,adozenortwoofhatchets,andaboveall,thatmostusefulthingcalledagrindstone. AlltheseIsecured,togetherwithseveralthingsbelongingtothegunner,particularlytwoorthreeironcrows,andtwobarrelsofmusketbullets,sevenmuskets,andanotherfowling-piece,withsomesmallquantityofpowdermore; alargebagfullofsmall-shot,andagreatrollofsheet-lead; butthislastwassoheavy,Icouldnothoistituptogetitovertheship’sside. Besidesthesethings,Itookallthemen’sclothesthatIcouldfind,andaspareforetopsail,ahammock,andsomebedding; andwiththisIloadedmysecondraft,andbroughtthemallsafeonshore,tomyverygreatcomfort.
Iwasundersomeapprehensionsduringmyabsencefromtheland,thatatleastmyprovisionsmightbedevouredonshore; butwhenIcameback,Ifoundnosignofanyvisitor,onlytheresatacreaturelikeawildcatupononeofthechests,which,whenIcametowardsit,ranawayalittledistance,andthenstoodstill. Shesatverycomposedandunconcerned,andlookedfullinmyface,asifshehadamindtobeacquaintedwithme. Ipresentedmygunather;butasshedidnotunderstandit,shewasperfectlyunconcernedatit,nordidsheoffertostiraway; uponwhichItossedherabitofbiscuit,though,bytheway,Iwasnotveryfreeofit,formystorewasnotgreat. However,Isparedherabit,Isay,andshewenttoit,smelledofit,andateit,andlooked(aspleased)formore; butIthankedher,andcouldsparenomore,soshemarchedoff.
