ndered up and down seeking a place for him to
regain the lower path of the island. But all in vain. No place could I
find; and all the afternoon I worked like a Titan, getting him up to the
pathway again. Poor fellow! he was very docile, and I had thoughts of
trying to carry him up; but although I got under him and lifted him, I
could not climb with him, so at last had recourse to a block and fall,
and after bruising and battering the poor creature somewhat, I got him
to a safe ledge of rock, from whence by pushing, and tugging, and
lifting, I got him up, foot after foot, till the perspiration streamed
down my face. The real Robinson Crusoe never had anything half so
difficult as this to contend with, and yet here was I at the outset
working harder than a galley slave! I envied Robinson Crusoe number one,
and went at my donkey again, till towards evening I got him to the lower
path, and after a rest rode him home in triumph, lecturing him severely
all the way "not to be such an ass again."

Next day I was _not_ up with the lark--in fact it was past nine before
I opened my eyes, so much had the previous day's exertions tired me. I
felt tired and stiff all over, but my morning tub and breakfast quickly
restored me nearly to par.

Edward was now domiciled in the stable, so putting on his collar and a
pair of home-made traces I harnessed him, with the help of various
contrivances of cord and staples, to my mediaeval cart, and _bumped_ (for
my cart was springless) down to the beach to gather seaweed. All day
long we worked, "Eddy" and I, taking load after load to the top of the
island; and the next day too was occupied in carting up seaweed or
"vraic," as the natives call it, except that we also took up two or
three loads of withered bracken, leaves, and other rubbish, which I
burned and spread over the land.

After the ash and seaweed were spread I ploughed it in after a fashion,
streaking long shallow trenches with my pointed wooden plough, till I
had gone over the whole of the land. I looked at the tumbled ground with
no great satisfaction, for as much of the manure-seaweed was upon the
surface as under, so I turned to and ploughed crossways, which gave it a
little better appearance. Then I allowed it a week to rest, taking my
spade in the meantime and breaking the lumps and digging in the straying
"vraic." At length I had my land in tolerable order, although the
seaweed refused to rot as quickly as I desired. I reckone