Accidents > Life and most surprising adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, mariner, who lived eight and twenty years in an uninhabited island on the coast of America, near the mouth of the great river Oroonoque

ROBINSON CRUSOE. 39
every thing I found was in its proper place. I had
feveral refolutions whether I IhoulJ move or not. At
length I refolved to ftay where I was, till I had found
a convenient place where I might pitch my tent.
Apr. ii. When I began to put my refolutrons in
praftice, I was ftopt for want of tools and in lini¬
ments to work with. Mod of my axes and hatchets
were ufelels, occafioned by cutting the hard timber
that grew on the illand. It took me up a full week
to make my grind-ftone of ufe to me, and at laft I
found out a way to turn it about with my foot, by
the help of a wheel and a firing,
Apr. 28, 29. ’ Thefe days were fpent in grinding
my tools.
Apr. 30. My bread falling fhort, I allowed my-
felf but one bifcuit a-day.
May 1. As I walked along the fea fhore, I found
a barrel of gunpowder, and feveral pieces of the
wreck, which the fea had flung up. Having fecur-
ed thofe, I made to the fhip, whofe ftern was torn
off, and walhed a great diftance afhore; but the reft
j lay in the fands. This, I fuppofed, was occafioned
by the earthquake. Now 1 refolved to keep my old
place of abode, and alfo to go to the fhip that day,
but found it impoffible.
May 3. I went on board, and with my faw faw’d
off one of the beams which kept her quarter-deck ;
then I cleared the iand till flood.
May 4. I caught fome nfh, but they were not
wholeibme. Tiae fame day I aifo catched a young
dolphin.
May 5. This day l alfo repaired to the wreck, and
faw’d another piece of timber; and when the flood
came, I made a float of three great planks, which
was driven afhore by the tide.
May 6, 7, 8, 9. Thefc days I brought oft' the iron
bolts, opened the deck with the iron crow, and car-
Dz ried