r I kept
perfect reckoning; but after that I was not so exact, though I kept it
as well as my perplexity would admit even then, till the days shortening
upon me, prevented it.

Hereupon I set about making a year for myself. I found the duration of
the comparative darkness, or what might with me be termed night, in the
course of the twenty-four hours, or day, gradually increased for six
months; after which it decreased reciprocally for an equal time, and
the lighter part of the day took its turn, as in our parts of the world,
only inversely: so that as the light's decrease became sensible about
the middle of March, it was at the greatest pitch the latter end of
August, or beginning of September; and from thence, on the contrary,
went on decreasing to the close of February, when I had the longest
portion of light. Hereupon, dividing my year into two seasons only, I
began the winter half in March, and the summer half in September. Thus
my winter was the spring and summer quarters in Europe, and my summer
those of our autumn and winter.

From my settling this matter, I kept little account of days or weeks,
but only reckoned my time by summer and winter, so that I am pretty
right as to the revolutions of these; though the years, as to their
notation, I kept no account of, nor do I know what year of the Lord it
now is.

CHAPTER XIX.

Wilkins's concern about clothing for Pedro, his eldest son--
His discourse with his wife about the ship--Her flight to
it--His melancholy reflections till her return--An account
of what she had done, and of what she brought--She clothes
her children, and takes a second flight

As my boy Pedro grew up, though, as I said before, he had the graundee,
yet it was of less dimensions than it ought to have been to be useful to
him, so that it was visible he could never fly; for it would scarce meet
before, whereas it ought to have reached from side to side both ways.
This pleased my wife to the heart; for now she was sure, whatever I
had done before, I could not suspect her. Be that as it will, the boy's
graundee not being a sufficient vestment for him, it became necessary he
should be clothed.

I turned over my hoard, but could find nothing that would do; or, at
least, that we knew how to fit him with. I had described my own country
vest for lads to Youwarkee, and she formed a tolerable idea of it, but
we had no tackle to alter anything with. "Oh, my dear," says I,