Робинзон Крузо
Surveys His Position
Inevertravelledinthisjourneyabovetwomilesoutrightinaday,orthereabouts; butItooksomanyturnsandreturns,toseewhatdiscoveriesIcouldmake,thatIcamewearyenoughtotheplacewhereIresolvedtositdownforallnight; andthenIeitherreposedmyselfinatree,orsurroundedmyselfwitharowofstakes,setuprightintheground,eitherfromonetreetoanother,orsoasnowildcreaturecouldcomeatmewithoutwakingme.
AssoonasIcametotheseashore,IwassurprisedtoseethatIhadtakenupmylotontheworstsideoftheisland,forhereindeedtheshorewascoveredwithinnumerableturtles;whereas,ontheotherside,Ihadfoundbutthreeinayearandahalf. Herewasalsoaninfinitenumberoffowlsofmanykinds,somewhichIhadseen,andsomewhichIhadnotseeofbefore,andmanyofthemwereverygoodmeat,butsuchasIknewnotthenamesof,exceptthosecalledpenguins.
IcouldhaveshotasmanyasIpleased,butwasverysparingofmypowderandshot,andthereforehadmoremindtokillashe-goat,ifIcould,whichIcouldbetterfeedon; andthoughthereweremanygoatshere,morethanonmysidetheisland,yetitwaswithmuchmoredifficultythatIcouldcomenearthem,thecountrybeingflatandeven,andtheysawmemuchsoonerthenwhenIwasonthehill.
Iconfessthissideofthecountrywasmuchpleasanterthanmine;butyetIhadnottheleastinclinationtoremove, forasIwasfixedinmyhabitation,itbecamenaturaltome,andIseemedallthewhileIwasheretobeasitwereuponajourney,andfromhome. However,Itravelledalongtheshoreoftheseatowardstheeast,Isupposeabouttwelvemiles,andthensettingupagreatpoleupontheshoreforamark,IconcludedIwouldgohomeagain; andthatthenextjourneyItookshouldbeontheothersideoftheisland,eastfrommydwelling,andsoroundtillIcametomypostagain; ofwhichinitsplace.
