Робинзон Крузо

           SoIwenttowork,andwiththecarpenter’ssawIcutupasparetopmastintothreelengths,andaddedthemtomyraft,withagreatdealoflaborandpains; buthopeoffurnishingmyselfwithnecessariesencouragedmetogobeyondwhatIshouldhavebeenabletohavedoneuponanotheroccasion. 

           Myraftwasnotstrongenoughtobearanyreasonableweight. Mynextcarewaswhattoloaditwith,andhowtopreservewhatIlaiduponitfromthesurfofthesea; butIwasnotlongconsideringthis. IfirstlaidalltheplanksorboardsuponitthatIcouldget,andhavingconsideredwellwhatImostwanted,Ifirstgotthreeoftheseamen’schests,whichIhadbrokenopenandemptied,andloweredthemdownuponmyraft. ThefirstoftheseIfilledwithprovisions,viz.,bread,rice,threeDutchcheeses,fivepiecesofdriedgoat’sflesh,whichwelivedmuchupon,andalittleremainderofEuropeancorn,whichhadbeenlaidbyforsomefowlswhichwebroughttoseawithus,butthefowlswerekilled. Therehadbeensomebarleyandwheattogether,but,tomygreatdisappointment,Ifoundafterwardsthattheratshadeatenorspoileditall. Asforliquors,Ifoundseveralcasesofbottlesbelongingtoourskipper,inwhichweresomecordialwaters,and,inall,aboutfiveorsixgallonsofrack. TheseIstowedbythemselves,therebeingnoneedtoputthemintothechest,nornoroomforthem. WhileIwasdoingthis,Ifoundthetidebegantoflow,thoughverycalm,andIhadthemortificationtoseemycoat,shirt,andwaistcoat,whichIhadleftonshoreuponthesand,swimaway; asformybreeches,whichwereonlylinen,andopen-kneed,Iswamonboardinthem,andmystockings. However,thisputmeuponrummagingforclothes,ofwhichIfoundenough,buttooknomorethanIwantedforpresentuse; forIhadotherthingswhichmyeyewasmoreupon,asfirsttoolstoworkwithonshore;