end of which it was seed-time, we had got as much land
cured and trimmed up as we sowed two and twenty bushels of barley on,
and sixteen jars of rice; which was, in short, all the seed we had to
spare: nor, indeed, did we leave ourselves barley sufficient for our own
food, for the six months that we had to expect our crop; that is to say,
reckoning from the time we set our seed aside for sowing; for it is not
to be supposed it is six months in the ground in that country.

Having now society enough, and our number being sufficient to put us out
of fear of the savages, if they had come, unless their number had been
very great, we went freely all over the island, whenever we found
occasion; and as here we had our escape or deliverance upon our
thoughts, it was impossible, at least for me, to have the means of it
out of mine. For this purpose, I marked out several trees which I
thought fit for our work, and I set Friday and his father to cutting
them down; and then I caused the Spaniard, to whom I imparted my
thoughts on that affair, to oversee and direct their work. I showed them
with what indefatigable pains I had hewed a large tree into single
planks, and I caused them to do the like, till they had made about a
dozen large planks of good oak, near two feet broad, thirty-five feet
long, and from two inches to four inches thick: what prodigious labour
it took up, any one may imagine.

At the same time, I contrived to increase my little flock of tame goats
as much as I could; and, for this purpose, I made Friday and the
Spaniard go out one day, and myself with Friday the next day (for we
took our turns,) and by this means we got about twenty young kids to
breed up with the rest; for whenever we shot the dam, we saved the kids,
and added them to our flock. But, above all, the season for curing the
grapes coming on, I caused such a prodigious quantity to be hung up in
the sun, that, I believe, had we been at Alicant, where the raisins of
the sun are cured, we could have filled sixty or eighty barrels; and
these, with our bread, was a great part of our food, and was very good
living too, I assure you, for it is exceeding nourishing.

It was now harvest, and our crop in good order: it was not the most
plentiful increase I had seen in the island, but, however, it was enough
to answer our end; for from twenty-two bushels of barley we brought in
and threshed out above two hundred and twenty bushels, and the like in
proportion of