Робінзон Крузо
First Weeks on the Island
InthishalfcircleIpitchedtworowsofstrongstakes,drivingthemintothegroundtilltheystoodveryfirmlikepiles,thebiggestendbeingoutofthegroundaboutfivefeetandahalf,andsharpenedonthetop. Thetworowsdidnotstandabovesixinchesfromoneanother.
ThenItookthepiecesofcablewhichIhadcutintheship,andlaidtheminrowsoneuponanother,withinthecircle,betweenthesetworowsofstakes,uptothetop,placingotherstakesintheinsideleaningagainstthem,abouttwofeetandahalfhigh,likeaspurtoapost; andthisfencewassostrongthatneithermanorbeastcouldgetintoit,oroverit. Thiscostmeagreatdealoftimeandlabor,especiallytocutthepilesinthewoods,bringthemtotheplace,anddrivethemintotheearth.
TheentranceintothisplaceImadetobenotbyadoor,butbyashortladdertogooverthetop; whichladder,whenIwasin,Iliftedoverafterme,andsoIwascompletelyfencedin,andfortified,asIthought,fromalltheworld,andconsequentlysleptsecureinthenight,whichotherwiseIcouldnothavedone; thoughasitappearedafterward,therewasnoneedofallthiscautionfromtheenemiesthatIapprehendeddangerfrom.
Intothisfenceorfortress,withinfinitelabor,Icarriedallmyriches,allmyprovisions,ammunition,andstores,ofwhichyouhavetheaccountabove; andImademealargetent,which,topreservemefromtherainsthatinonepartoftheyearareveryviolentthere,Imadedouble, viz.,onesmallertentwithin,andonelargertentaboveit,andcoveredtheuppermostwithalargetarpaulin,whichIhadsavedamongthesails. AndnowIlaynomoreforawhileinthebedwhichIhadbroughtonshore,butinahammock,whichwasindeedaverygoodone,andbelongedtothemateoftheship.
