Conveniency. Note, Three Things I wanted exceedingly for this Work, viz. a Pick-ax, a Shovel' and a Wheel-barrow or Basket, fo I defifted from my Work, and began to confider how to fupply that Want, and make me fome Tools: As for a Pick-ax, I made ufe of the Iron Crows, which were proper enough, tho' heavy; but the next Thing was a Shovel or Spade; this was fo absolutely neceffary, that indeed I could do nothing effeaually without it; but what kind of one to make I knew not,

Nov. 18. The next Day in fearching the Woods I found a Tree of that Wood, or like it, which in the Brafils they call the Iron Tree, for its exceeding Hardness; of this, with great Labour and almost spoiling my Ax, I cut a piece, and brought it Home too with Difficulty enough, for it was exceeding heavy.

The exceffive hardness of the Wood, and having no other way, made me a long while upon this Machine; for I work'd it effectually by little and little into the Form of a Shovel or Spade, the Handle exactly fhap'd like ours in England, only that the broad Part having no Iron fhod upon it at Bottom, it would not laft me fo long; however it ferv'd well enough for the Ufes which I had Occafion to put it to; but never was a Shovel, I believe, made after that Fashion, or fo long a making.

I was ftill deficient, for I wanted a Basket or a Wheel-barrow; a Basket I could not make by any means, having no fuch Things as Twigs that would bend to make Wicker Ware, at leaft none yet found out; and as to a Wheel-barrow, I fancy'd I could. make all but the Wheel, but that I had no Notion. of, neither did I know how to go about it; befides I had no poffible way to make the Iron Gudgeons for

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for the Spindle or Axis of the Wheel to run in, fo I gave it over; and fo for carrying away the Earth which I dug out of the Cave, I made me a Thing like a Hodd which the Labourers carry Mortar in, when they serve the Bricklayers.

This was not fo difficult to me as the making the Shovel; and yet this, and the Shovel, and the Attempt, which I made in vain, to make a Wheelbarrow, took me up no less than four Days, I mean always, excepting my Morning Walk with my Gun, which I feldom fail'd; and very feldom fail'd also of bringing home fomething fit to eat.

Nov. 23. My other Work having now stood still, because of my making thefe Tools; when they were finifh'd, I went on, and working every Day, as my Strength and Time allow'd, I fpent eightecn Days entirely in widening and deepning my Cave, that it might hold my Goods commodioufly.

Note, During all this Time, I work'd to make this Rocm or Cave fpacious enough to accommodate me as a Warehoufe or Magazine, a Kitchen, a Dining-room, and a Cellar; as for my Lodging, I kept to the Tent, except that fometimes in the wet Seafon of the Year, it rain'd fo hard that I could not keep my felf dry, which caus'd me afterwards to cover all my Place within my Pale with long Poles in the Form of Rafters, leaning against the Rock, and load them with Flags, and large Leaves of Trees like a Thatch.

December 10. I began now to think my Cave or Vault finifhed, when on a fudden (it feems I had made it too large) a great Quantity of Earth fell down from the Top and one Side, fo much, that in fhort it frighted me, and not without Reafon too; for if I had been under it, I had never wanted a Grave digger: Upon this Difafler I had @ great

a great deal of Work to do over again; for I had the loofe Earth to carry out, and which was of more Importance, I had the Cieling to prop up, fo that Imight be fure no more would come down.

Dec. 11. This Day I went to work with it accordingly, and got two Shoars or Pofts pitch'd upright to the Top, with two Pieces of Boards a-crofs over each Poft; this I finish'd the next Day; and fetting more Pofts up with Boards, in about a Week more I had the Roof fecur'd; and the Posts standing in Rows, ferv'd me for Partitions to part of my House.

Dec. 17. From this Day to the Twentieth I plac'd Shelves, and knock'd up Nails on the Pofts to hang every Thing up that could be hung up, and now I began to be in fome Order within Doors.

Dec. 20. Now I carry'd every Thing into the Cave, and began to furnish my Houfe and fet up fome Pieces of Boards, like a Dreffer, to order my Victuals upon, but Boards began to be very scarce with me; alfo I made me another Table.

Dec. 24. Much Rain all Night and all Day; no ftirring out.

Dec. 25. Rain all Day.

Dec. 26. No Rain, and the Earth much cooler than before, and pleasanter.

Dec. 27. Kill'd a young Goat, and lam'd another fo that I catch'd it, and led it Home in a String; when I had it Home, I bound and fplinter'd up its Leg which was broke. N. B. I took fuch care of it, that it liv'd, and the Leg grew well and as ftrong as ever; but by nurfing it fo long it grew tame, and fed upon the little Green at my Door, and would not go away: This was the firft Time that I entertain❜d a Thought of breeding up fome tame Creatures, G 4

that

that I might have Food when my Powder and Shot was all fpent.

*Dec. 28, 29, 30. Great Heats and no Breeze; fo that there was no stirring abroad, except in the Eyening for Food; this Time I spent in putting all my Things in Order within Doors.

January 1. Very hot ftill, but I went abroad early and late with my Gun, and lay ftill in the middle of the Day; this Evening going farther into the Valleys, which lay towards the Center of the Ifland, I found there was plenty of Goats, tho exceeding fhy and hard to come at, however I refolv❜d to try if I could not bring my Dog to hunt them down.

Jan. 2. Accordingly, the next Day, I went out with my Dog, and fat him upon the Goats; but I was mistaken, for they all fac'd about upon the Dog, and he knew his Danger too well, for he would not come near them,

Jan. 3.I began my Fence or Wall; which, being ftill jealous of my being attack'd by fome Body, I refolv'd to make very thick and strong.

N. B. This Wall being defcrib'd before, I purposely omit what was faid in the Fournal; it is fufficient to cbferve, that I was no lefs Time than from the 3d of January to the 14th of April, working, finishing and perfecting this Wall, tho' it was no more than about 24 Yards in Length, being a half Circle from one Place in the Rock to another Place about eight Yards from it, the Door of the Cave being in the Center behind it.

All this Time I work'd very hard, the Rains hindering me many Days, nay fometimes Weeks together; but I thought I fhould never be perfectly fecure 'till this Wall was finifh'd; and it is

fcarce

fcarce credible what inexpreffible Labour every Thing was done with, especially the bringing Piles out of the Woods, and driving them into the Ground; for I made them much bigger than I need to have done.

When this Wall was finifh'd, and the Out-fide double fenc'd with a Turf-Wall rais'd up clofe to it, I perfuaded my felf, that if any People were to come on Shore there, they would not perceive any Thing like a Habitation; and it was very well I did fo, as may be obferv'd hereafter upon a very remarkable Occafion.

During this Time, I made my Rounds in the Woods for Game every Day when the Rain admitted me, and made frequent Discoveries in these Walks of fomething or other to my Advantage; particularly I found a kind of wild Pidgeons, who built not as Wood Pidgeons in a Tree, but rather as House Pidgeons, in the Holes of the Rocks; and taking fome young ones, I endeavour'd to breed them up tame, and did fo; but when they grew older, they flew all away, which perhaps was at firft for want of feeding them, for I had nothing to give them; however I frequently found their Nefts, and got their young ones, which was very good Meat.

And now in the managing my Houfhold Affairs, I found my felf wanting in many Things, which I thought at firft it was impdffible for me to make, as indeed as to fome of them it was; for Inftance, I could never make a Cask to be hoop'd, I had fmall Runlet or two, as I obferv'd before, but 1 cou'd never arrive to the Capacity of making one by them, tho' I fpent many Weeks about it; I could neither put in the Heads, or joint the Staves fo true to one another, as to make them hold Wafer, fo I gave that also over.