round my wall (I mean that of my first dwelling,) which I did; and
placing the trees or stakes in a double row, at about eight yards
distance from my first fence, they grew presently; and were at first a
fine cover to my habitation, and afterwards served for a defence also;
as I shall observe in its order.

I found now that the seasons of the year might generally be divided, not
into summer and winter, as in Europe, but into the rainy seasons and the
dry seasons, which were generally thus: From the middle of February to
the middle of April, rainy; the sun being then on or near the equinox.
From the middle of April till the middle of August, dry; the sun being
then north of the line. From the middle of August till the middle of
October, rainy; the sun being then come back to the line. From the
middle of October till the middle of February, dry; the sun being then
to the south of the line.

The rainy seasons held sometimes longer and sometimes 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. In 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
basketmaker'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 how they worked those things, and
sometimes lending a hand, I had by these means full knowledge of the
methods of it, so that 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