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I was quickly aware of the importance of keeping some kind of
reckoning of time； without which I was sensible that I should soon
lose all knowledge of the day of the week； and be unable to
distinguish one from the other； and not know which was the Lord's
day。
I remembered back carefully to the reckoning of time kept in the
longboat by Captain Nicholl； and carefully； again and again； to make
sure beyond any shadow of uncertainty； I went over the tale of the
days and nights I had spent on the island。 Then； by seven stones
outside my hut； I kept my weekly calendar。 In one place on the oar
I cut a small notch for each week； and in another place on the oar I
notched the months； being duly careful indeed； to reckon in the
additional days to each month over and beyond the four weeks。
Thus I was enabled to pay due regard to the Sabbath。 As the only
mode of worship I could adopt； I carved a short hymn； appropriate to
my situation； on the oar； which I never failed to chant on the
Sabbath。 God； in His all…mercy； had not forgotten me； nor did I； in
those eight years； fail at all proper times to remember God。
It was astonishing the work required； under such circumstances； to
supply one's simple needs of food and shelter。 Indeed； I was rarely
idle； that first year。 The hut； itself a mere lair of rocks；
nevertheless took six weeks of my time。 The tardy curing and the
endless scraping of the sealskins； so as to make them soft and
pliable for garments； occupied my spare moments for months and
months。
Then there was the matter of my water supply。 After any heavy gale；
the flying spray salted my saved rainwater； so that at times I was
grievously put to live through till fresh rains fell unaccompanied
by high winds。 Aware that a continual dropping will wear a stone； I
selected a large stone； fine and tight of texture and； by means of
smaller stones； I proceeded to pound it hollow。 In five weeks of
most arduous toil I managed thus to make a jar which I estimated to
hold a gallon and a half。 Later； I similarly made a four…gallon
jar。 It took me nine weeks。 Other small ones I also made from time
to time。 One； that would have contained eight gallons； developed a
flaw when I had worked seven weeks on it。
But it was not until my fourth year on the island； when I had become
reconciled to the possibility that I might continue to live there
for the term of my natural life； that I created my masterpiece。 It
took me eight months； but it was tight； and it held upwards of
thirty gallons。 These stone vessels were a great gratification to
meso much so； that at times I forgot my humility and was unduly
vain of them。 Truly； they were more elegant to me than was ever the
costliest piece of furniture to any queen。 Also； I made me a small
rock vessel； containing no more than a quart； with which to convey
water from the catching…places to my large receptacles。 When I say
that this one…quart vessel weighed all of two stone； the reader will
realize that the mere gathering of the rainwater was no light task。
Thus； I rendered my lonely situation as comfortable as could be
expected。 I had completed me a snug and secure shelter； and； as to
provision； I had always on hand a six months' supply； preserved by
salting and drying。 For these things； so essential to preserve
life； and which one could scarcely have expected to obtain upon a
desert island； I was sensible that I could not be too thankful。
Although denied the privilege of enjoying the society of any human
creature； not even of a dog or a cat； I was far more reconciled to
my lot than thousands probably would have been。 Upon the desolate
spot； where fate had placed me； I conceived myself far more happy
than many； who； for ignominious crimes； were doomed to drag out
their lives in solitary confinement with conscience ever biting as a
corrosive canker。
However dreary my prospects； I was not without hope that that
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