r our
work, and I set Friday and his father to cut them down; and then I caused
the Spaniard, to whom I imparted my thoughts on that affair, to oversee
and direct their work. I showed them with what indefatigable pains I had
hewed a large tree into single planks, and I caused them to do the like,
till they made about a dozen large planks, of good oak, near two feet
broad, thirty-five feet long, and from two inches to four inches thick:
what prodigious labour it took up any one may imagine.

At the same time I contrived to increase my little flock of tame goats as
much as I could; and for this purpose I made Friday and the Spaniard go
out one day, and myself with Friday the next day (for we took our turns),
and by this means we got about twenty young kids to breed up with the
rest; for whenever we shot the dam, we saved the kids, and added them to
our flock. But above all, the season for curing the grapes coming on, I
caused such a prodigious quantity to be hung up in the sun, that, I
believe, had we been at Alicant, where the raisins of the sun are cured,
we could have filled sixty or eighty barrels; and these, with our bread,
formed a great part of our food--very good living too, I assure you, for
they are exceedingly nourishing.

It was now harvest, and our crop in good order: it was not the most
plentiful increase I had seen in the island, but, however, it was enough
to answer our end; for from twenty-two bushels of barley we brought in
and thrashed out above two hundred and twenty bushels; and the like in
proportion of the rice; which was store enough for our food to the next
harvest, though all the sixteen Spaniards had been on shore with me; or,
if we had been ready for a voyage, it would very plentifully have
victualled our ship to have carried us to any part of the world; that is
to say, any part of America. When we had thus housed and secured our
magazine of corn, we fell to work to make more wicker-ware, viz. great
baskets, in which we kept it; and the Spaniard was very handy and
dexterous at this part, and often blamed me that I did not make some
things for defence of this kind of work; but I saw no need of it.

And now, having a full supply of food for all the guests I expected, I
gave the Spaniard leave to go over to the main, to see what he could do
with those he had left behind him there. I gave him a strict charge not
to bring any man who would not first swear in the presence of himself and
the old