126 THE IRON TREE,

I took wholly up to make me a chair, and with much ado brought
it to a tolerable shape, but never to please me; and even in the
making I pulled it in pieces several times. Note.—I soon ne-
glected my keeping Sundays; for, omitting my mark for them on
my post, I forgot which was which.

November 13. This day it rained, which refreshed me exceed-
ingly, and cooled the earth; but it was accompanied with terrible
thunder and lightning, which frightened me dreadfully for fear of
my powder. As soon as it was over I resolved to separate my
stock of powder into as many little parcels as possible, that it
might not be in danger.

November 14, 15, 16. These three days I spent in making little
square chests or boxes, which might hold about a pound, or two
pound at most, of powder; and so putting the powder in, I stowed
it in places as secure and remote from one another as possible. On
one of these three days I killed a large bird that was good to eat,
but I know not what to call it.

November 17. This day I began to dig behind my tent into the
rock, to make room for my further conveniency. Note-—Three
things I wanted exceedingly for this work—namely, a pickaxe, a
shovel, and a wheelbarrow or basket. So I desisted from my work,
and began to consider how to supply that want, and make me some
tools. As for a pickaxe, I made use of the iron crows, which
were proper enough though heavy. But the next thing was a
shovel or spade; this was so absolutely necessary, that indeed I
could do nothing effectually without it. But what kind of one to
make I knew not.

November 18. The next day, in searching the woods, I found a
tree of that wood, or like it, which in the Brazils they call the
iron tree, for its exceeding hardness. Of this, with great labour
and almost spoiling my axe, I cut a piece, and brought it home
too with difficulty enough, for it was exceeding heavy.

-The excessive hardness of the wood, and having no other way,
made me a long while upon this machine; for I worked it effec-
tually by little and little into the form of a shovel or spade, the
handle exactly shaped like ours in England, only that the broad
part having no iron shod upon it at bottom, it would not last me so