Робінзон Крузо
First Weeks on the Island
Havinggotmysecondcargoonshore,thoughIwasfaintoopenthebarrelsofpowderandbringthembyparcels,fortheyweretooheavy,beinglargecasks,IwenttoworktomakemealittletentwiththesailandsomepoleswhichIcutforthatpurpose; andintothistentIbroughteverythingthatIknewwouldspoileitherwithrainorsun; andIpiledalltheemptychestsandcasksupinacircleroundthetent,tofortifyitfromanysuddenattempt,eitherfrommanorbeast.
WhenIhasdonethisIblockedupthedoorofthetentwithsomeboardswithin,andanemptychestsetuponendwithout; andspreadingoneofthebedsupontheground,layingmytwopistolsjustatmyhead,andmygunatlengthbyme,Iwenttobedforthefirsttime,andsleptveryquietlyallnight,forIwasverywearyandheavy; forthenightbeforeIhadsleptlittle,andhadlaboredveryhardallday,aswelltofetchallthosethingsfromtheship,astogetthemonshore.
Ihadthebiggestmagazineofallkindsnowthateverwaslaidup,Ibelieve,foroneman; butIwasnotsatisfiedstill,forwhiletheshipsatuprightinthatposture,IthoughtIoughttogeteverythingoutofherthatIcould. SoeverydayatlowwaterIwentonboard,andbroughtawaysomethingorother; but,particularly,thethirdtimeIwentIbroughtawayasmuchoftheriggingasIcould,asalsoallthesmallropesandrope-twineIcouldget, withapieceofsparecanvas,whichwastomendthesailsuponoccasion,thebarrelofwetgunpowder; inaword,Ibroughtawayallthesailsfirstandlast; onlythatIwasfaintocuttheminpieces,andbringasmuchatatimeasIcould; fortheywerenomoreusefultobesails,butasmerecanvasonly.
