AGRICULTURAL OPERATIONS, 169

pressible hacking and hewing I reduced both the sides of it into
chips till it began to be light enough to move; then I turned it,
and made one side of it smooth and flat as a board from end to
end; then, turning that side downward, cut the other side, till |
brought the plank to be about three inches thick, and smooth on
both sides. Any one may judge the labour of my hands in such a
piece of work ; but labour and patience carried me through that
and many other things. I only observe this in particular, to show
the reason why so much of my time went away with so little
work —namely, that what might be a little to be done with help
and tools, was a vast labour and required a prodigious time to do
alone and by hand.

But notwithstanding this, with patience and labour T went
through many things; and, indeed, everything that my cireum-
stances made necessary to me to do, as will appear by what follows.
L was now—in the months of November and December—expect-
ing my crop of barley and rice. The ground [ had manured or
dug up for them was not great; for, as I observed, my seed of
each was not above the quantity of half a peck, for T had lost one
whole crop by sowing in the dry season. But now my crop
promised very well, when ou a sudden T found T was in danger of
losing it all again hi enemies of several sorts, which it was scarce
possible to keep from it: as, first, the goats, and wild creatures
which I called hares, which, tasting the sweetness of the blade, lay
in it night and day as soon as it came up, and ate it so close that
it could get no time to shoot up into stalk. This I saw no remedy
for but by making an enclosure about it with a hedge; which I did
with a great deal of toil, and the more because it required speed.
However, as my arable land was but small, suited to my crop, I
got it totally well fenced in about three weeks’ time; and shooting
some of the creatures in the day-time, I set my dog to guard it in
the night, tying him up to a stake at the gate, where he would
stand and bark all night long. So ina little time the enemies
forsook the place, and the corn grew very strong and well, and
began to ripen apace.

But as the beasts ruined me before while my corn was in the
blade, so the birds were as likely to ruin me now when it was in