The half of April, the whole of May, June, and July, and the half of
August--dry, the sun being then to the north of the line.

The half of August, the whole of September, and the half of
October--rainy, the sun being then come back.

The half of October, the whole of November, December, and January, and
the half of February--dry, the sun being then to the south of the line.

The rainy seasons sometimes held longer or shorter as the winds happened
to blow, but this was the general observation I made. After I had found
by experience the ill consequences of being abroad in the rain, I took
care to furnish myself with provisions beforehand, that I might not be
obliged to go out, and I sat within doors as much as possible during the
wet months. This time I found much employment, and very suitable also to
the time, for I found great occasion for many things which I had no way
to furnish myself with but by hard labour and constant application;
particularly I tried many ways to make myself a basket, but all the twigs
I could get for the purpose proved so brittle that they would do nothing.
It proved of excellent advantage to me now, that when I was a boy, I used
to take great delight in standing at a basket-maker's, in the town where
my father lived, to see them make their wicker-ware; and being, as boys
usually are, very officious to help, and a great observer of the manner
in which they worked those things, and sometimes lending a hand, I had by
these means full knowledge of the methods of it, and I wanted nothing but
the materials, when it came into my mind that the twigs of that tree from
whence I cut my stakes that grew might possibly be as tough as the
sallows, willows, and osiers in England, and I resolved to try.
Accordingly, the next day I went to my country house, as I called it, and
cutting some of the smaller twigs, I found them to my purpose as much as
I could desire; whereupon I came the next time prepared with a hatchet to
cut down a quantity, which I soon found, for there was great plenty of
them. These I set up to dry within my circle or hedge, and when they
were fit for use I carried them to my cave; and here, during the next
season, I employed myself in making, as well as I could, a great many
baskets, both to carry earth or to carry or lay up anything, as I had
occasion; and though I did not finish them very handsomely, yet I made
them sufficiently serviceable for my purpose; thus, afterwards, I took
c