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, 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 could, 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 earthen-ware,
and contrived well enough to make them with a wheel, which I found
infinitely easier and better; because I made things round and shapable,
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 any thing 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 burnt red, like
other earthen-ware, 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 that there was tobacco in the island; and afterwards, when
I searched the ship again, I could not come at any pipes at all.

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 my 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 cu