and all the happiness my heart could wish for was to be but there again. I stretched out my hands to it, with
eager wishes . "O happy desert!" said I, "I shall never see thee more. O miserable creature! whither am
going?" Then I reproached myself with my unthankful temper, and that I had repined at my solitary
condition; and now what would I give to be on shore there again! Thus, we never see the true state of our
condition till it is illustrated to us by its contraries, nor know how to value what we enjoy, but by the want of
it. It is scarcely possible to imagine the consternation I was now in, being driven from my beloved island (for
so it appeared to me now to be) into the wide ocean, almost two leagues, and in the utmost despair of ever
recovering it again. However, I worked hard till, indeed, my strength was almost exhausted, and kept my boat
as much to the northward, that is, towards the side of the current which the eddy lay on, as possibly I could;
when about noon, as the sun passed the meridian, I thought I felt a little breeze of wind in my face, springing
up from SSE. This cheered my heart a little, and especially when, in about half. an.hour more, it blew a
pretty gentle gale. By this time I had got at a frightful distance from the island, and had the least cloudy or
hazy weather intervened, I had been undone another way, too; for I had no compass on board, and should
never have known how to have steered towards the island, if I had but once lost sight of it; but the weather
continuing clear, I applied myself to get up my mast again, and spread my sail, standing away to the north as
much as possible, to get out of the current.
Just as I had set my mast and sail, and the boat began to stretch away, I saw even by the clearness of the
water some alteration of the current was near; for where the current was so strong the water was foul; but
perceiving the water clear, I found the current abate; and presently I found to the east, at about half a mile, a
breach of the sea upon some rocks: these rocks I found caused the current to part again, and as the main stress
of it ran away more southerly, leaving the rocks to the north.east, so the other returned by the repulse of the
rocks, and made a strong eddy, which ran back again to the north.west, with a very sharp stream.
They who know what it is to have a reprieve brought to them upon the ladder, or to be rescued from thieves
just going to murder them, or who have been in such extremities, may guess what my present surprise of joy
was, and how gladly I put my boat into the stream of this eddy; and the wind also freshening, how gladly I
spread my sail to it, running cheerfully before the wind, and with a strong tide or eddy underfoot.
CHAPTER X . TAMES GOATS
Robinson Crusoe
This eddy carried me about a league on my way back again, directly towards the island, but about two
leagues more to the northward than the current which carried me away at first; so that when I came near the
island, I found myself open to the northern shore of it, that is to say, the other end of the island, opposite to
that which I went out from.
When I had made something more than a league of way by the help of this current or eddy, I found it was
spent, and served me no further. However, I found that being between two great currents . viz. that on the
south side, which had hurried me away, and that on the north, which lay about a league on the other side; I
say, between these two, in the wake of the island, I found the water at least still, and running no way; and
having still a breeze of wind fair for me, I kept on steering directly for the island, though not making such
fresh way as I did before.
About four o'clock in the evening, being then within a league of the island, I found the point of the rocks
which occasioned this disaster stretching out, as is described before, to the southward, and casting off the
current more southerly, had, of course, made another eddy to the north; and this I found very strong, but not
directly setting the way my course lay, which was due west, but almost full north. However, having a fresh
gale, I stretched across this eddy, slanting north.west; and in about an hour came within about a mile of the
shore, where, it being smooth water, I soon got to land.
When I was on shore, God I fell on my knees and gave God thanks for my deliverance, resolving to lay aside
all thoughts of my deliverance by my boat; and refreshing myself with such things as I had, I brought my
boat close to the shore, in a little cove that I had spied under some trees, and laid me down to sleep, being
quite spent with the labour and fatigue of the voyage.
I was now at a great loss which way to get home with my boat! I had run so much hazard, and knew too much
of the case, to think of attempting it by the way I went out; and what might be at the other side (I mean the
west side) I knew not, nor had I any mind to run any more ventures; so I resolved on the next morning to
make my way westward along the shore, and to see if there was no creek where I might lay up my frigate in
safety, so as to have her again if I wanted her. In about three miles or thereabouts, coasting the shore, I came
to a very good inlet or bay, about a mile over, which narrowed till it came to a very little rivulet or brook,
where I found a very convenient harbour for my boat, and where she lay as if she had been in a little dock
made on purpose for her. Here I put in, and having stowed my boat very safe, I went on shore to look about
me, and see where I was.
I soon found I had but a little passed by the place where I had been before, when I travelled on foot to that
shore; so taking nothing out of my boat but my gun and umbrella, for it was exceedingly hot, I began my
march. The way was comfortable enough after such a voyage as I had been upon, and I reached my old bower
in the evening, where I found everything standing as I left it; for I always kept it in good order, being, as I
said before, my country house.
I got over the fence, and laid me down in the shade to rest my limbs, for I was very weary, and fell asleep; but
judge you, if you can, that read my story, what a surprise I must be in when I was awaked out of my sleep by
a voice calling me by my name several times, "Robin, Robin, Robin Crusoe: poor Robin Crusoe! Where are
you, Robin Crusoe? Where are you? Where have you been?"
I was so dead asleep at first, being fatigued with rowing, or part of the day, and with walking the latter part,
that I did not wake thoroughly; but dozing thought I dreamed that somebody spoke to me; but as the voice
continued to repeat, "Robin Crusoe, Robin Crusoe," at last I began to wake more perfectly, and was at first
dreadfully frightened, and started up in the utmost consternation; but no sooner were my eyes open, but I saw
my Poll sitting on the top of the hedge; and immediately knew that it was he that spoke to me; for just in such
bemoaning language I had used to talk to him and teach him; and he had learned it so perfectly that he would
CHAPTER X . TAMES GOATS
Robinson Crusoe
sit upon my finger, and lay his bill close to my face and cry, "Poor Robin Crusoe! Where are you? Where
have you been? How came you here?" and such things as I had taught him.
However, even though I knew it was the parrot, and that indeed it could be nobody else, it was a good while
before I could compose myself. First, I was amazed how the creature got thither; and then, how he should just
keep about the place, and nowhere else; but as I was well satisfied it could be nobody but honest Poll, I got
over it; and holding out my hand, and calling him by his name, "Poll," the sociable creature came to me, and
sat upon my thumb, as he used to do, and continued talking to me, "Poor Robin Crusoe! and how did I come
here? and where had I been?" just as if he had been overjoyed to see me again; and so I carried him home
along with me.
I had now had enough of rambling to sea for some time, and had enough to do for many days to sit still and
reflect upon the danger I had been in. I would have been very glad to have had my boat again on my side of
the island; but I knew not how it was practicable to get it about. As to the east side of the island, which I had
gone round, I knew well enough there was no venturing that way; my very heart would shrink, and my very
blood run chill, but to think of it; and as to the other side of the island, I did not know how it might be there;
but supposing the current ran with the same force against the shore at the east as it passed by it on the other, I
might run the same risk of being driven down the stream, and carried by the island, as I had been before of
being carried away from it: so with these thoughts, I contented myself to be without any boat, though it had
been the product of so many months' labour to make it, and of so many more to get it into the sea.
In this government of my temper I remained near a year; and lived a very sedate, retired life, as you may well
suppose; and my thoughts being very much composed as to my condition, and fully comforted in resigning
myself to the dispositions of Providence, I thought I lived really very happily in all things except that of
society.
I improved myself in this time in all the mechanic exercises which my necessities put me upon applying
myself to; and I believe I should, upon occasion, have made a very good carpenter, especially considering
how few tools I had.
Besides this, I arrived at an unexpected perfection in my earthenware, and contrived well enough to make
them with a wheel, which I found infinitely easier and better; because I made things round and shaped, which
before were filthy things indeed to look on. But I think I was never more vain of my own performance, or
more joyful for anything I found out, than for my being able to make a tobacco.pipe; and though it was a
very ugly, clumsy thing when it was done, and only burned red, like other earthenware, yet as it was hard and
firm, and would draw the smoke, I was exceedingly comforted with it, for I had been always used to smoke;
and there were pipes in the ship, but I forgot them at first, not thinking there was tobacco in the island; and
afterwards, when I searched the ship again, I could not come at any pipes.
In my wicker.ware also I improved much, and made abundance of necessary baskets, as well as my
invention showed me; though not very handsome, yet they were such as were very handy and convenient for
laying things up in, or fetching things home. For example, if I killed a goat abroad, I could hang it up in a
tree, flay it, dress it, and cut it in pieces, and bring it home in a basket; and the like by a turtle; I could cut it
up, take out the eggs and a piece or two of the flesh, which was enough for me, and bring them home in a
basket, and leave the rest behind me. Also, large deep baskets were the receivers of my corn, which I always
rubbed out as soon as it was dry and cured, and kept it in great baskets.
I began now to perceive my powder abated considerably; this was a want which it was impossible for me to
supply, and I began seriously to consider what I must do when I should have no more powder; that is to say,
how I should kill any goats. I had, as is observed in the third year of my being here, kept a young kid, and
bred her up tame, and I was in hopes of getting a he.goat; but I could not by any means bring it to pass, till
CHAPTER X . TAMES GOATS
Robinson Crusoe
my kid grew an old goat; and as I could never find in my heart to kill her, she died at last of mere age.
But being now in the eleventh year of my residence, and, as I have said, my ammunition growing low, I set
myself to study some art to trap and snare the goats, to see whether I could not catch some of them alive; and
particularly I wanted a she.goat great with young. For this purpose I made snares to hamper them; and I do
believe they were more than once taken in them; but my tackle was not good, for I had no wire, and I always
found them broken and my bait devoured. At length I resolved to try a pitfall; so I dug several large pits in the
earth, in places where I had observed the goats used to feed, and over those pits I placed hurdles of my own
making too, with a great weight upon them; and several times I put ears of barley and dry rice without setting
the trap; and I could easily perceive that the goats had gone in and eaten up the corn, for I could see the marks
of their feet. At length I set three traps in one night, and going the next morning I found them, all standing,
and yet the bait eaten and gone; this was very discouraging. However, I altered my traps; and not to trouble
you with particulars, going one morning to see my traps, I found in one of them a large old he.goat; and in
one of the others three kids, a male and two females.
As to the old one, I knew not what to do with him; he was so fierce I durst not go into the pit to him; that is to
say, to bring him away alive, which was what I wanted. I could have killed him, but that was not my
business, nor would it answer my end; so I even let him out, and he ran away as if he had been frightened out
of his wits. But I did not then know what I afterwards learned, that hunger will tame a lion. If I had let him
stay three or four days without food, and then have carried him some water to drink and then a little corn, he
would have been as tame as one of the kids; for they are mighty sagacious, tractable creatures, where they are
well used.
However, for the present I let him go, knowing no better at that time: then I went to the three kids, and taking
them one by one, I tied them with strings together, and with some difficulty brought them all home.
It was a good while before they would feed; but throwing them some sweet corn, it tempted them, and they
began to be tame. And now I found that if I expected to supply myself with goats' flesh, when I had no
powder or shot left, breeding some up tame was my only way, when, perhaps, I might have them about my
house like a flock of sheep. But then it occurred to me that I must keep the tame from the wild, or else they
would always run wild when they grew up; and the only way for this was to have some enclosed piece of
