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Providence； which； at the very moment when hunger threatened me with
dissolution； and when I might easily have been engulfed in the maw
of the sea； had cast me upon those barren rocks； would finally
direct some one to my relief。
If deprived of the society of my fellow creatures； and of the
conveniences of life； I could not but reflect that my forlorn
situation was yet attended with some advantages。 Of the whole
island； though small； I had peaceable possession。 No one； it was
probable； would ever appear to dispute my claim； unless it were the
amphibious animals of the ocean。 Since the island was almost
inaccessible； at night my repose was not disturbed by continual
apprehension of the approach of cannibals or of beasts of prey。
Again and again I thanked God on my knees for these various and many
benefactions。
Yet is man ever a strange and unaccountable creature。 I； who had
asked of God's mercy no more than putrid meat to eat and a
sufficiency of water not too brackish； was no sooner blessed with an
abundance of cured meat and sweet water than I began to know
discontent with my lot。 I began to want fire； and the savour of
cooked meat in my mouth。 And continually I would discover myself
longing for certain delicacies of the palate such as were part of
the common daily fare on the home table at Elkton。 Strive as I
would； ever my fancy eluded my will and wantoned in day…dreaming of
the good things I had eaten and of the good things I would eat if
ever I were rescued from my lonely situation。
It was the old Adam in me； I supposethe taint of that first father
who was the first rebel against God's commandments。 Most strange is
man； ever insatiable； ever unsatisfied； never at peace with God or
himself； his days filled with restlessness and useless endeavour；
his nights a glut of vain dreams of desires wilful and wrong。 Yes；
and also I was much annoyed by my craving for tobacco。 My sleep was
often a torment to me； for it was then that my desires took licence
to rove； so that a thousand times I dreamed myself possessed of
hogsheads of tobaccoay； and of warehouses of tobacco； and of
shiploads and of entire plantations of tobacco。
But I revenged myself upon myself。 I prayed God unceasingly for a
humble heart； and chastised my flesh with unremitting toil。 Unable
to improve my mind； I determined to improve my barren island。 I
laboured four months at constructing a stone wall thirty feet long；
including its wings； and a dozen feet high。 This was as a
protection to the hut in the periods of the great gales when all the
island was as a tiny petrel in the maw of the hurricane。 Nor did I
conceive the time misspent。 Thereafter I lay snug in the heart of
calm while all the air for a hundred feet above my head was one
stream of gust…driven water。
In the third year I began me a pillar of rock。 Rather was it a
pyramid； four…square； broad at the base； sloping upward not steeply
to the apex。 In this fashion I was compelled to build； for gear and
timber there was none in all the island for the construction of
scaffolding。 Not until the close of the fifth year was my pyramid
complete。 It stood on the summit of the island。 Now； when I state
that the summit was but forty feet above the sea； and that the peak
of my pyramid was forty feet above the summit； it will be conceived
that I； without tools； had doubled the stature of the island。 It
might be urged by some unthinking ones that I interfered with God's
plan in the creation of the world。 Not so； I hold。 For was not I
equally a part of God's plan； along with this heap of rocks
upjutting in the solitude of ocean？ My arms with which to work； my
back with which to bend and lift； my hands cunning to clutch and
holdwere not these parts too in God's plan？ Much I pondered the
matter。 I know that I was right。
In the sixth year I increased the base of my pyramid； so that in
eighteen months thereafter the height of my monument was fifty feet
above the height of the island。 This was no tower of Babel。 It
served two right purposes。 It gave me a lookout from which to scan
the ocean for ships； and increased the likelihood of my island being
sighted by the careless roving eye of any seaman。 And it kept my
body and mind in health。 With hands never idle； there was small
opportunity for Satan on that island。 Only in my dreams did he
torment me； principally with visions of varied foods and with
imagined indulgence in the foul weed called tobacco。
On the eighteenth day of the month of June； in the sixth year of my
sojourn on the island； I descried a sail。 But it passed far to
leeward at too great a distance to discover me。 Rather than
suffering disappointment； the very appearance of this sail afforded
me the liveliest satisfaction。 It convinced me of a fact that I had
before in a degree doubted； to wit： that these seas were sometimes
visited by navigators。
Among other things； where the seals hauled up out of the sea； I
built wide…spreading wings of low rock walls that narrowed to a cul
de sac； where I might conveniently kill such seals as entered
without exciting their fellows outside and without permitting any
wounded or frightening seal to escape and spread a contagion of
alarm。 Seven months to this structure alone were devoted。
As the time passed； I grew more contented with my lot； and the devil
came less and less in my sleep to torment the old Adam in me with
lawless visions of tobacco and savoury foods。 And I continued to
eat my seal meat and call it good； and to drink the sweet rainwater
of which always I had plenty； and to be grateful to God。 And God
heard me； I know； for during all my term on that island I knew never
a moment of sickness； save two； both of which were due to my
gluttony； as I shall later relate。
In the fifth year； ere I had convinced myself that the keels of
ships did on occasion plough these seas； I began carving on my oar
minutes of the more remarkable incidents that had attended me since
I quitted the peaceful shores of America。 This I rendered as
intelligible and permanent as possible； the letters being of the
smallest size。 Six； and even five； letters were often a day's work
for me； so painstaking was I。
And； lest it should prove my hard fortune never to meet with the
long…wished opportunity to return to my friends and to my family at
Elkton； I engraved； or nitched； on the broad end of the oar； the
legend of my ill fate which I have already quoted near the beginning
of this narrative。
This oar； which had proved so serviceable to me in my destitute
situation； and which now contained a record of my own fate and that
of my shipmates； I spared no pains to preserve。 No longer did I
risk it in knocking seals on the head。 Instead； I equipped myself
with a stone club； some three feet in length and of suitable
diameter； which occupied an even month in the fashioning。 Also； to
secure the oar fr