160 CRUSOE A BASKET-MAKEBR,

Tn this time I found much employment (and very suitable alse
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 con-
stant application; particularly I tried many ways to make myself
a basket, but all the twigs IT could get for the purpose proved se
brittle that they would do nothing. It proved of excellent advan-
tage to me now, that when LT was a boy [ used to take great
delight in standing at a basket-maker’s in the town where my
father lived to see them make their wieker-ware; and being, as
boys usually are, very officious to help, and a great observer of the
manner how they worked those things, and sometimes lending a
hand, T had by this means full knowledge of the methods of it.
that T wanted nothing but the materials, when it came into my
mind that the twigs of that tree from whence I cut my stakes that
grew might possibly be as tough as the sallows, and willows, and
osiers in England, and I resolved to try.

Accordingly the next day I went to my country-house, as T
called it, and cutting some of the smaller twigs, [ found them to
my purpose as much as [ could desire; whereupon I came the
next time prepared with a hatchet to eut down a quantity, which
L soon found, for there was great plenty of them. These I set up
to dry within my cirele or hedge, and when they were fit for use
T carried them to my cave, and here during the next season T em-
ployed myself in making, as well as T could, a great many baskets.
both to carry earth, or to carry or lay up anything as I had occa-
sion; and though I did not finish them very handsomely, vet |
made them sufficiently serviceable for my purpose ; and thus after-
wards I took care never to be without them, And as my wicker-
ware decayed I made more; especially I made strong deep baskets
to place my corn in instead of sacks, when I should come to have
any quantity of it.

Having mastered this difficulty, and employed a world of time
about it, I bestirred myself to see if possible how to supply two wants.
[ had no vessels to hold anything that was liquid except two run-
lets, which were almost full of rum, and some glass bottles, some
ot the common size, and others which were case-bottles syuare, for
the holding of water, spirits, Gc. I had not so much as a pot to