r, with a little corn, he would have been as tame as a young kid.
The other creatures I bound with strings together; but I had great
difficulty before I could bring them to my habitation. It was some time
before they would feed; but throwing them sweet corn it so much tempted
them, that they began to be tamer. From hence I concluded, that if I
designed to furnish myself with goat's flesh, when my ammunition was
spent, the tamely breeding them up, like a flock of sheep, about my
settlement, was the only method I could take. I concluded also I must
separate the wild from the tame, or else they would always run wild as
they grew up; and the best way for this, was to have some inclosed piece
of ground, well fenced, either with a hedge or pale, to keep them so
effectually, that those within might not break out, or those without
break in. Such an undertaking was very great for one pair of hands; but
as there was an absolute necessity for doing it, my first care was to
find a convenient piece of ground where there was likely to be herbage
for them to eat, water to drink, and cover to keep them from the sun.

Here again, I gave another instance of my ignorance and inexperience,
pitching upon a piece of meadow land so large, that had I inclosed it,
the hedge or pale must have been at least two miles about. Indeed had it
been ten miles, I had time enough to do it in; but then I did not
consider that my goats would be as wild in so much compass, as if they
had had the whole island, and consequently as difficult for me to catch
them. This thought came into my head, after I had carried it on, I
believe, about fifty yards; I therefore altered my scheme, and resolved
to inclose a piece of ground about one hundred and fifty yards in
length, and one hundred in breadth, sufficient enough for as many as
would maintain me, till such time as my flock increased, and then I
could add more ground. I now vigorously prosecuted my work, and it took
me about three months in hedging the first piece; in which time I
tethered the three kids in the best part of it, feeding them as near me
as possible, to make them familiar: and indeed I very often would carry
some ears of barley or a handful of rice, and feed them out of my hands;
by which they grew so tame, that when my inclosure was finished, and I
had let them loose they would run after me for a handful of corn. This
indeed answered my end; and in a year and half's time I had a flock of
about twelve