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CF ROBINSON CRUSOE — : 91

CHAPTER V.

1 begin to keep a Journal—Christen my desert Island the Island of’Despair—Fall upon
various Schemes to make Tools, Baskets, &c., and begin to build my House—At a
great Loss of an Evening for Candle, but fall upon an expedient to supply the want
—Strange discovery of Corn—a terrible Earthquake and Storm.

THE JOURNAL. :
September 30, 1659.

I, poor miserable Robinson Crusoe, being shipwrecked, during a
dreadful storm in the offing, came on shore on this dismal unfortanate
island, which I called the Island of Despair; all the rest of the ship's
company being drowned, and myself almost dead.

All the rest of that day I spent in afflicting myself at the dismal
circumstances I was broughi to, namely, I had neither food, house,
clothes, weapon, or place to fly to, and in despair of any relief, saw -
nothing but death before me, either that I should be devoured by wild
beasts, murdered by savages, or starved to death for want of food. At
the approach of night I slept in a tree, for fear of wild creatures, but
slept soundly, though it rained all night. —

October 1.—In the morning I saw, to my great surprise, the ship
had floated with the high tide, and was driven on shore again, much
nearer the island; which, as it was some comfort on one hand, for
seeing her sit upright, and not broken to pieces, I hoped, if the wind
abated, I might get on board, and get some food and necessaries out
of her for my relief;.so, on the other hand, it renewed my grief, at
the loss of my comrades, who, I imagined, if we had all stayed on board,
might have saved the ship, or at least that they would not have been
all drowned as they were ; and that had the men been saved, we might
perhaps have ‘built us a boat out of the ruins of the ship, to have car-
ried us to some other part of the world, spent great part of this day
in perplexing myself on these things; but at length, seeing the ship -
almost dry, I went upon the sand as near ag I could, and then Swain:
on board. This day also it continued raining; theegh 2 no wind at
all.

From the 1st of October to the 24th.—All hee, days cintifely spent
m many several voyages to get all I could out of the ship,. whieh. i
brough* on shore, sere tide of: flood, upon rafis.. ‘Much rain “als”