ROBINSON CRUSOE 67

and the rain also helping to persuade me, I went in and sat
down in my tent. But the rain was so violent that my tent was
ready to be beaten down with it; and I was forced to go into
my cave, though very much afraid and uneasy, for fear it should
fall on my head. This violent rain forced me to a new work—
viz. to cut a hole through my new fortification, like a sink, to
let the water go out, which would else have flooded my cave.
After I had been in my cave for some time, and found still no
more shocks of the earthquake follow, I began to be more com-
posed. And now, to support my spirits, which indeed wanted it
very much, I went to my little store, and took a small sup of
rum; which, however, I did then and always very sparingly,
knowing I could have no more when that was gone. It con-
tinued raining all that night and great part of the next day, so
that I could not stir abroad ; but my mind being more composed,
I began to think of what I had best do; concluding that if the
island was subject to these earthquakes, there would be no living
for me in a cave, but I must consider of building a little hut in
an open place which I might surround with a wall, as I had done
here, and so make myself secure from wild beasts or men; for I
concluded, if I stayed where I was, I should certainly one time
or other be buried alive.

With these thoughts, I resolved to remove my tent from the
place where it stood, which was just under the hanging precipice
of the hill; and which, if it should be shaken again, would
certainly fall upon my tent; and I spent the two next days, being
the 19th and 20th of April, in contriving where and how to remove
my habitation. The fear of being swallowed up alive made me
that I never slept in quiet; and yet the apprehension of lying
abroad without any fence was almost equal to it; but still, when
I looked about, and saw how everything was put in order, how
pleasantly concealed I was, and how safe from danger, it made me
very loath to remove. In the meantime it occurred to me that
it would require a vast deal of time for me to do this, and that I
must be contented to venture where I was, till I had formed a
camp for myself, and had secured it so as to remove to it. So
with this resolution I composed myself for a time, and resolved
that I would go to work with all speed to build me a wall with
piles and cables, &c., in a circle, as before, and set my tent up in
it when it was finished ; but that I would venture to stay where
I was till it was finished, and fit to remove. This was the 21st.

April 22.—The next morning I began to consider of means to
put this resolve into execution; but I was at a great loss about
my tools. I had three large axes, and abundance of hatchets (for