‘OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. © aT

 

made a hollow place in it, as the Indians in Brazil make their candes.
After this, I made a great heavy pestle, or beater, of the wood called the

iron-wood, and this I prepared and laid by against I had my next crop
of corn, when I proposed to myself to grind, or rather pound, my corn,

or meal, to make my bread.

My next difficulty was to make a sieve, or searce, to dress my meal,
and part it from the bran and the husk, without which I did not see it
possible I could have any bread. This was a most difficult thing, so much
as but to think on; for to be sure I had nothing like the necessary
things to make it with,—I mean fine thin canvas, or stuff, to searce
the meal through. And here I was at a full stop for many months;
nor did I really know what to do: linen I had none left but what was
mere rags; I had goat’s hair, but neither knew I how to weave or spin
it; and had I known how, here were no tools to work it with. All the
remedy that I found for this was, that at last I did remember I had
among the seamen’s clothes which were saved out of the ship, some
neckcloths of calico, or muslin; and with some pieces of these I made
three small sieves, but proper enough for the work; and thus I made
shift for some years: how I did afterwards, I shall show in its place.

The baking part was the next thing to be considered, and how I
should make bread when I came to have corn; for, first, [had no yeast:
as to that part, there was no supplfing the want, so I did not concern
myself much about it. But for an oven, I was indeed in great pain.
At length I found out an expedient for that also, which was this: I
made some earthén vessels very broad, but not deep; that is to say,
about two feet diameter, and not above nine inches deep.; these I burnt
in the fire, as I had done the others, and laid them by; and when I
wanted to bake, 1 made a great fire upon the hearth, which I had paved
with some square tiles of my own making and burning also; but I
should not call them square.

When the firewood was burnt pretty much into embers, or live coals,
I drew them forward upon this hearth, so as to cover it all over; and
there I let them lie, till the hearth was very hot; then, sweeping away
all the embers, I set down my loaf, or loaves, and, whelming down the
earthen pot upon them, drew the embers all round the outside of the
pot, to keep in, and add to the heat: and thus, as well as in the best.
oven in the world, I baked my barley-loaves, and became in a little time
a good pastry-cook into the bargain ; for I made myself several cakes

 

 

of the rice, and puddings: indeed I made no pies, neither--had I anys.

thing to put into them, supposing I had, except the’ fete
wT goats:

It. merit not abe wondered at, if all these things teak me up x