OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. . 101

atself was spent and over, and I might venture into my cave again:
with this thought my spirits began to revive, and, the rain also helping
to persuade me, I went in and sat down in my tent; but the rain was
so violent that my tent was ready to be beaten down with it; and T
was forced to go into my-.cave, though very much afraid and uneasy,
for fear it should fall on my head.

This violent rain forced me to a new work, namely, to cut a hole
through my new fortification like a sink, to let water go out, which
would else have drowned my cave. After I had been in my cave.some
time, and found still no more shocks of the earthquake follow, I began
to be more composed; and now, to support my spirits, which indeed
wanted it very much, I went to my little store, and took a small cup
of rum, which, however, I did then, and always, very sparingly, know-
ing I could have no more when that was gone.

It continued raining all that night, and great part of the next bate
so that I could not stir abroad; but, my mind being more composed, I
began to think of what I had best do, concluding, that if the island
was subject to these earthquakes, there would be no living for me in a
cave, but I must consider of building me some little hut in an open
place, which I might surround with a wall as I had done here, and so
make myself secure from wild beasts or men: but concluded, if I stayed
where I was, I should certainly, one time or other, be buried alive.

With these thoughts, I resolved to remove my tent from the place
where it stood, which was just under the hanging precipice of the hill,
and which, if it should be shaken again, would certainly fall upon my
tent. And I spent the two next days, being the 19th and 20th of
April, in contriving where and how to remove my habitation.

The fear of being swallowed up alive made me that I never slept in
quiet, and yet the apprehension of lying abroad without any fence,
was almost equal to it; but still, when TI looked about, and saw how
every thing was put in order, how pleasantly concealed I was, and how
safe from danger, it made me very loath to remove.

In the meantime, it occurred to me, that it would require a vast deal
of time for me to do this, and that I must be contented to run the
venture where I was, till I had formed a camp for myself, and had
secured it so as to remove to it. So, with this resolution, I composed
myself for a time, and resolved that I would go to work with all speed,
to build me a wall with piles and cables, &c. in a circle, ag. fore ; and
set my tent up in it when it was finished, but that I w fid-yenture to
stay where I was till it was ‘finished, and fit to remove “to. | Fhig was :
the 21st. :

April 22.—The next morning I began to consider of 1 inane