ROBINSON CRUSOE. 295

for common danger, as I said above, had effectually reconciled
them, they began to consider their general circumstances ; and
the first thing that came under consideration was whether,
seeing the savages particularly haunted that side of the island,
and that there were more remote and retired parts of it equally
adapted to their way of living, and manifestly to their advan-
tage, they should not rather move their habitation, and plant
in some more proper place for their safety, and especially for
the security of their cattle and corn.

Upon this, after long debate, it was concluded that they
would not remove their habitation ; because that, some time or
other, they thought they might hear from their governor again,
meaning me; and if I should send any one to seek them, I
should be sure to direct them to that side, where, if they should
find the place demolished, they would conclude the savages
had killed us all, and we were gone, and so our supply would
go too, But as to their corn and cattle, they agreed to remove
them into the valley where my cave was, where the land was as
proper for both, and where, indeed, there was land enough ;
however, upon second thoughts, they altered one part of their
resolution too, and resolved only to remove part of their cattle
thither, and plant part of their corn there; and so if one part
was destroyed, the other might be saved. And one part of
prudence they used, which it was very well they did,—that they
never trusted those three savages which they had prisoners with
knowing anything of the plantation they had made in that val-
ley, or of any cattle they had there, much less of the cave there,
which they kept, in case of necessity, as a safe retreat; and
thither they carried also the two barrels of powder, which I had
sent them at my coming away. But, however, they regolved
not to change their habitation ; yet they agreed, that as I had
carefully covered it first with a wall or fortification, and then
with a grove of trees, so, seeing their safety consisted entirely
in their being concealed, of which they were now fully con-
vinced, they set to work to cover and conceal the place yet
more effectually than before. For this purpose, as I planted
trees, or rather thrust in stakes, which in time all grew up to be
trees, for some good distance before the entrance into my
apartments, they went on in the same manner, and filled up
the rest of that whole space of ground from the trees I had set
quite down to the side of the creek, where, as I said, I landed
my floats, and even into the very ooze where the tide flowed,
not so mitch as leaving any place to land, or any sign that there
had been any landing thercabouts,—these stakes also being of