OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 198

This made me resolve to cut some more stakes, and make me a hedge
like this in a semicircle round my wall, I mean that of my first dwell
ing, which I did; and placing the trees, or stakes, in a double row, at
above eight yards distance from my first fence, they grew presently,
and were at first a fine cover to my habitation, and afterwards served
for a defence also, as I shall observe in its order.

I found now, that the seasons of the year might generally be

divided, not into summer and winter, as in Europe, but into the rainy
seasons and the dry seasons, which were generally thus:—

Rainy, the sun being then on, or near, the

March equinox.

Tlalf April,
Half April,

Half February, }

May, Dry, the sun being then to the north of tho
June, line.
July,

Tlalf August,
Half August,

September, } Rain, the sun being then come back.
Half October,

Ialf October, |
November, Dry, the sun being then to the south of the
December, ine
January, :
Half February,

The rainy season sometimes held longer or shorter, as the winds
happened to blow; but this was the gencral observation I made.
After I had found, by experience, the ill consequence of being abroad
in the rain, I took care to furnish myself with provision beforehand,
that I might not be obliged to go out; and I sat within doors as much
as possible during the wet months.

In this time I found much employment (and very suitable also to
the time), for I found great occasion of many things which I had no
way to furnish myself with, but by hard labour and constant applica-

tion; particularly, I tried many ways to make myself a basket; but .

all the twigs I could get for the purpose proved so brittle that they
would do nothing. It proved of excellent advantage to me now, that
when I was a boy I used to take great delight in standing at a basket-

maker’s in the town where my father lived, to see them make their.
Wicker-ware ; and being, as boys usually are, very officious to help,