ROBINSON CRUSOE. 95

usually shoots the first year after lopping its head. I could
not tell what tree to call it that these stakes were cut
from. I was surprised, and yet very well pleased, to see the
young trees grow: and I pruned them, and led them up to
grow as much alike as I could; and it is scarce credible how
beautiful a figure they grew into in three years ; so that though
the edge made a circle of about twenty-five yards in diameter,
yet the trees (for such I might now call them) soon covered it,
and it was a complete shade, sufficient to lodge under all the
dry season. This made me resolve to cut seme more stakes,
and make me a hedge like this, in a semi-circle round my wall
(I mean that of my first dwelling), which I did; and placing
the trees or stakes in a double row, at about eight yards’ dis-
tance 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 :—

The half of February, the whole of March, and the half of
April—rainy, the sun being then on or near the equinox.

The half of April, the whole of May, June and July, and the
half of August—dry, the sun being then to the north of the
line.

The half of AuSust, the whole of September, and the half
of October—rainy, the sun being then come back.

The half of October, the whole of November, December,
and January, and the half of February—dry, the sun being then
to the south of the line.

The rainy seasons sometimes held longer or shorter as the
winds happened to blow, but this was the general observation I
made. After I had found, by experience, the ill consequences
of being abroad in the rain, I took care to furnish myself with
provisions beforehand, that I might not be obliged to go out,
and I sat within doors as much as possible during the wet
months, This time I found much employment, and very suit-
able also for the time, for I found great occasion for many
things which I had no way to furnish myself with but by hard
labor and constant application ; 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 wasa
boy, I used to take great delight in standing at a basket.