d all night, and in the morning,
when I looked out, behold, no more ship was to be seen! I was a little
surprised, but recovered myself with the satisfactory reflection that I
had lost no time, nor abated any diligence, to get everything out of her
that could be useful to me; and that, indeed, there was little left in
her that I was able to bring away, if I had had more time.

I now gave over any more thoughts of the ship, or of anything out of her,
except what might drive on shore from her wreck; as, indeed, divers
pieces of her afterwards did; but those things were of small use to me.

My thoughts were now wholly employed about securing myself against either
savages, if any should appear, or wild beasts, if any were in the island;
and I had many thoughts of the method how to do this, and what kind of
dwelling to make--whether I should make me a cave in the earth, or a tent
upon the earth; and, in short, I resolved upon both; the manner and
description of which, it may not be improper to give an account of.

I soon found the place I was in was not fit for my settlement, because it
was upon a low, moorish ground, near the sea, and I believed it would not
be wholesome, and more particularly because there was no fresh water near
it; so I resolved to find a more healthy and more convenient spot of
ground.

I consulted several things in my situation, which I found would he proper
for me: 1st, health and fresh water, I just now mentioned; 2ndly, shelter
from the heat of the sun; 3rdly, security from ravenous creatures,
whether man or beast; 4thly, a view to the sea, that if God sent any ship
in sight, I might not lose any advantage for my deliverance, of which I
was not willing to banish all my expectation yet.

In search of a place proper for this, I found a little plain on the side
of a rising hill, whose front towards this little plain was steep as a
house-side, so that nothing could come down upon me from the top. On the
one side of the rock there was a hollow place, worn a little way in, like
the entrance or door of a cave but there was not really any cave or way
into the rock at all.

On the flat of the green, just before this hollow place, I resolved to
pitch my tent. This plain was not above a hundred yards broad, and about
twice as long, and lay like a green before my door; and, at the end of
it, descended irregularly every way down into the low ground by the
seaside. It was on the N.N.W. side of the hill;