Робінзон Крузо

           IconfessIhadnotentertainedanynotionofmyammunitionbeingdestroyedatoneblast—Imean,mypowderbeingblownupbylightning; andthismadethethoughtsofitsosurprisingtomewhenitlightenedandthundered,asIobservedjustnow. 

           Andnowbeingtoenterintoamelancholyrelationofasceneofsilentlife,such,perhaps,aswasneverheardofintheworldbefore,Ishalltakeitfromitsbeginningandcontinueitinitsorder. Itwasbymyaccount,the30thofSeptemberwhen,inthemannerasabovesaid,Ifirstsetfootuponthishorridisland, whenthesunbeingtousinitsautumnalequinox,wasalmostjustovermyhead,forIreckonedmyself,byobservation,tobeinthelatitudeof9degrees22minutesnorthoftheline. 

           AfterIhadbeenthereabouttenortwelvedaysitcameintomythoughtsthatIshouldlosemyreckoningoftimeforwantofbooksandpenandink,andshouldevenforgettheSabbathdaysfromtheworkingdays; buttopreventthis,Icutitwithmyknifeuponalargepost,incapitalletters; andmakingitintoagreatcross,IsetitupontheshorewhereIfirstlanded,viz.,"Icameonshoreherethe30thofSeptember1659." UponthesidesofthissquarepostIcuteverydayanotchwithmyknife,andeveryseventhnotchwasaslongagainastherest, andeveryfirstdayofthemonthaslongagainasthatlongone; andthusIkeptmycalendar,orweekly,monthly,andyearlyreckoningoftime. 

           InthenextplacewearetoobservethatamongthemanythingswhichIbroughtoutoftheshipintheseveralvoyages,which,asabovementioned,Imadetoit,Igotseveralthingsoflessvalue,butnotalllessusefultome,whichIomittedsettingdownbefore;