Текст книги "Робинзон Крузо / Robinson Crusoe"

And here I must observe that every man may, in time, become a master of every mechanic art. I had never handled a tool in my life; and yet, in time, by labour, application, and contrivance, I found at last that I wanted nothing but I could have made it, especially if I had the tools. I think, that such things like a table, a chair or shelves in buffet, were never made that way before, and that with infinite labour. For example, if I wanted a board, I had no other way but to cut down a tree, set it on an edge before me, and hew it flat on either side with my axe, till I brought it to be thin as a plank, and then dub it smooth with my adze. It is true, by this method I could make but one board out of a whole tree.

However, I made me a table and a chair, and after that I made large shelves, of the breadth of a foot and a half, one over another all along one side of my cave, to lay all my tools, nails and ironwork on; and, in a word, to separate everything at large into their places, that I might come easily at them. I knocked pieces into the wall of the rock to hang my guns and all things that would hang up; so that, had my cave been to be seen, it looked like a general magazine of all necessary things; and had everything so ready at my hand, that it was a great pleasure to me to see all my goods in such order, and especially to find my stock of all necessaries so great.

I thought about my situation a lot. In the storm our ship was shipwrecked hundreds of miles away from the European trading routes. So, I thought it was Providence willing, that I should spend the rest of my life on this miserable island. I seemed hardly rational to be thankful for such a life, being separated from the other people and civilization by the ocean and maybe hundreds of miles; for many times I asked myself why God chose to ruin his creatures. However, one day, I was walking across the coast line with my gun, when I thought at the first time: “Certainly, I am miserable, but what happened to the others? I alone was fortunate enough to survive. Is it better to be on this inhabited island, or at the bottom of the sea?” After such a thinks I thought how well-equipped I was to survive on the island. What would have happened to me if the ship had not been blown closer to shore? That gave me a chance to take all the provision, ammunition, army, tools from the ship. How would I have lived without all of them? All these thoughts made my mind turn into the thankful behavior. In this way, thanking and blessing God, I spent the first year on the island, working very hard, and praying a lot. I forgot to mention before that among the things I took from the ship were some Catholic prayer books and three Bibles. Moreover, in the captain’s cabin I found a big bottle of ink, about ten pens, a lot of paper for maps and observations that miraculously stayed dry, and two logbooks. So, after a year of living on an island, staying all the time alone, without communication, I decided to keep a diary. I allowed myself to write no more, than once a week, to save the ink and paper, recording only the significant events or discoveries. Here are some examples of my writings.

NOV. 4. – This morning I began to order my times of work, of going out with my gun, time of sleep, and time of diversion – every morning I walked out with my gun for two or three hours, if it did not rain; then employed myself to work till about eleven o’clock; then ate what I had to live on; and from twelve to two I lay down to sleep, the weather being excessively hot; and then, in the evening, to work again.

NOV. 25. – This day went abroad with my gun and my dog, and killed a wild cat; her skin pretty soft, but her flesh good for nothing; every creature that I killed I took of the skins and preserved them. Coming back by the sea-shore, I saw many sorts of sea-fowls, which I did not understand; but was surprised, and almost frightened, with two or three seals, which, while I was gazing at them, not well knowing what they were, got into the sea, and escaped me for that time.

DEC. 13. – This day it rained, which refreshed me exceedingly, and cooled the earth; but it was accompanied with terrible thunder and lightning, which frightened me dreadfully, for fear of my powder. As soon as it was over, I resolved to separate my stock of powder into as many little parcels as possible, that it might not be in danger. The next three days I spent in making little square chests, or boxes, which might hold about a pound, or two pounds at most, of powder; and so, putting the powder in, I stowed it in places as secure and remote from one another as possible. On one of these three days I killed a large bird that was good to eat, but I knew not what to call it.

DEC. 27. – Killed a young goat, and lamed another, so that I caught it and led it home in a string; when I had it at home, I bound and splintered up its leg, which was broke. I took such care of it that it lived, and the leg grew well and as strong as ever; but, by my nursing it so long, it grew tame, and fed upon the little green at my door, and would not go away. This was the first time that I entertained a thought of breeding up some tame creatures, that I might have food when my powder and shot was all spent.

MAY 4. – I went a-fishing, but caught not one fish that I could eat, till I was weary of my sport; when, just going to leave off, I caught a young dolphin. I had made me a long line of some rope-yarn, but I had no hooks; yet I frequently caught fish enough, as much as I cared to eat; all which I dried in the sun, and ate them dry.

JUNE 16. – Going down to the seaside, I found a large tortoise or turtle. This was the first I had seen, which, it seems, was only my misfortune, not any defect of the place, or scarcity; for had I happened to be on the other side of the island, I might have had hundreds of them every day, as I found afterwards; but perhaps had paid dear enough for them.

JUNE 17. – I spent in cooking the turtle. I found in her three-score eggs; and her flesh was to me, at that time, the most savoury and pleasant that ever I tasted in my life, having had no flesh, but of goats and fowls, since I landed in this horrid place.

JUNE 18. – Rained all day, and I stayed within. I thought at this time the rain felt cold, and I was something chilly; which I knew was not usual in that latitude.

JUNE 19. – Very ill, and shivering, as if the weather had been cold.

JUNE 20. – No rest all night; violent pains in my head, and feverish.

JUNE 21. – Very ill; frighted almost to death with the apprehensions of my sad condition – to be sick, and no help. Prayed to God, for the first time since the storm off Hull, but scarce knew what I said, or why, my thoughts being all confused.

JUNE 22. – A little better; but under dreadful apprehensions of sickness.

JUNE 28. – Having been somewhat refreshed with the sleep I had had, and the fit being entirely off, I got up; and though the fright and terror of my dream was very great, yet I considered that the fit of the ague would return again the next day, and now was my time to get something to refresh and support myself when I should be ill; and the first thing I did, I filled a large square case-bottle with water, and set it upon my table, in reach of my bed; I put about a quarter of a pint of rum into it, and mixed them together. Then I got me a piece of the goat’s flesh and broiled it on the coals, but could eat very little. At night I made my supper of three of the turtle’s eggs, which I roasted in the ashes, and ate, as we call it, in the shell, and this was the first bit of meat I had ever asked God’s blessing to, that I could remember, in my whole life.

After I had eaten I tried to walk, but found myself so weak that I could hardly carry a gun, for I never went out without that; so I went but a little way, and sat down upon the ground, looking out upon the sea, which was just before me, and very calm and smooth. As I sat here some such thoughts as these occurred to me: “Why has God done this to me?” But then I remembered my wicked life, and I said to myself: “Why do you ask why God has done this to you? Ask instead why you are still alive, not killed by pirates in Salee, not pulled down to the bottom of the sea!” Being disturbed by these thoughts, I went to my chest to look for some tobacco. In the cave I also found the Bible I had taken from the ship, as you remember. The first words I saw there were: “Call on me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver you, and you will praise me.” The words were very relevant to my situation, and I often thought about them afterwards. Before going to sleep, I knelt down and prayed to God. When I wake up next day, I was absolutely refreshed and filled the happiness.

My mind was now calm and comforted. I had been on the island for more than two years. I was lord of the whole island and if I liked, I could call myself king or emperor, so I decided to explore better my possessions[121]121
  possessions – владения


[Закрыть]. One day I found the place, where country become more woody than before. In this part I found different fruits, and particularly I found melons upon the ground, in great abundance[122]122
  in great abundance – в изобилии, в большом количестве


[Закрыть], and grapes upon the trees. The vines had spread, indeed, over the trees, and the clusters of grapes were just now in their prime, very ripe and rich. This was a surprising discovery, and I was very glad of them; but I was warned by my experience to eat them; remembering that when I was ashore in Barbary, the eating of grapes killed several of our Englishmen, who were slaves there, by throwing them into fluxes and fevers[123]123
  fluxes and fevers – дизентерия, лихорадка, пирексия


[Закрыть]. But I found an excellent use for these grapes; and that was, to cure or dry them in the sun, and keep them as dried grapes or raisins[124]124
  raisin – изюм


[Закрыть] are kept, which I thought would be, as indeed they were, wholesome and agreeable to eat when no grapes could be had.

I saw here an abundance of cocoa trees, orange, and lemon, and citron trees; but all wild, and very few bearing any fruit, at least not then. However, the green limes that I gathered were not only pleasant to eat, but very wholesome; and I mixed their juice afterwards with water, which made it very wholesome, and very cool and refreshing.

In the middle of all my labours it happened that, rummaging my things, I found a little bag which, as I hinted before, had been filled with corn for the feeding of poultry[125]125
  for the feeding of poultry – для кормления домашней птицы


[Закрыть] – not for this voyage, but before, as I suppose, when the ship came from Lisbon. The little remainder of corn that had been in the bag was all devoured by the rats, and I saw nothing in the bag but husks and dust[126]126
  husks and dust – шелуха и труха, пыль


[Закрыть]; and being willing to have the bag for some other use (I think it was to put powder in, when I divided it for fear of the lightning, or some such use), I shook the husks of corn out of it on one side of my fortification, under the rock.

It was a little before the great rains just now mentioned that I threw this stuff away, taking no notice, and not so much as remembering that I had thrown anything there, when, about a month after, or thereabouts, I saw some few stalks of something green shooting out of the ground, which I fancied might be some plant I had not seen; but I was surprised, and perfectly astonished, when, after a little longer time, I saw about ten or twelve ears[127]127
  ears – колосья


[Закрыть] come out, which were perfect green barley[128]128
  barley – ячмень


[Закрыть], of the same kind as our European – nay, as our English barley. This touched my heart a little, and brought tears out of my eyes, and I began to bless myself that such a prodigy of nature should happen upon my account; and this was the more strange to me, because I saw near it still, all along by the side of the rock, some other straggling stalks, which proved to be stalks of rice, and which I knew, because I had seen it grow in Africa when I was ashore there.

I carefully saved the ears of this corn, you may be sure, in their season, which was about the end of June; and, laying up every corn, I resolved to sow them all again, hoping in time to have some quantity sufficient to supply me with bread[129]129
  some quantity sufficient to supply me with bread – достаточное количество для приготовления хлеба


[Закрыть]. But it was not till the fourth year that I could allow myself the least grain of this corn to eat. Then, I spent the whole day on a small meadow near the creek, cultivating the earth for sowing. Among all the goods from the ship there was not a shovel, so I spent about a week to make it. I found a tree of that wood, or like it, which in the Brazils they call the iron-tree, for its exceeding hardness[130]130
  exceeding hardness – невероятная твердость


[Закрыть]. Of this, with great labour, and almost spoiling my axe[131]131
  spoiling my axe – испортив свой топор


[Закрыть], I cut a piece, and brought it home, too, with difficulty enough, for it was exceeding heavy. Of this piece of iron-wood I made that part of a shovel, which is usually made of iron. With this shovel I dug up a little field for barley and rice.

And now, in the managing my household affairs, I found myself wanting in many things, which I thought at first it was impossible for me to make.

For example, I was at a great loss for candles; so that as soon as ever it was dark, which was generally by seven o’clock, I was obliged to go to bed. I remembered the lump of beeswax with which I made candles in my African adventure; but I had none of that now; the only remedy I had was, that when I had killed a goat I saved the tallow[132]132
  tallow – сало, жир


[Закрыть], and with a little dish made of clay, which I baked in the sun, to which I added a wick of some oakum[133]133
  a wick of some oakum – фитиль из пакли


[Закрыть], I made me a lamp; and this gave me light, though not a clear, steady light, like a candle.

About the beginning of August, as I said, I had finished my field for sowing, and began to enjoy myself[134]134
  to enjoy myself – наслаждаться жизнью


[Закрыть]. The 3rd of August, I found the grapes I had hung up perfectly dried, and, indeed, were excellent good raisins of the sun; so I began to take them down from the trees, and it was very happy that I did so, for the rains which followed would have spoiled them, and I had lost the best part of my winter food; for I had above two hundred large bunches of them. No sooner had I taken them all down, and carried the most of them home to my cave, than it began to rain; and from hence[135]135
  and from hence – и с тех пор


[Закрыть], which was the 14th of August, it rained, more or less, every day till the middle of October; and sometimes so violently, that I could not stir out of my cave for several days.

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[136]136
  thus – так, таким образом


[Закрыть]: – The half of February, the whole of March, and the half of April – rainy, the sun being then on or near the equinox[137]137
  equinox – равноденствие


[Закрыть]. 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.

I have not forgotten about my boat, on which I moved all the goods from the ship. I decided to travel around my island, to examine it from all sides. For this reason I closed up the holes, which formed eventually at the bottom of the boat.

When I reached the opposite side of the island, I was very surprised. I found that side of the island where I now was much pleasanter than mine – the open fields sweet, adorned with flowers and grass, and full of very fine woods.

As soon as I came to the sea-shore, I was surprised to see that I had taken up my lot on the worst side of the island, for here, indeed, the shore was covered with innumerable turtles, whereas on the other side I had found but three in a year and a half. Here was also an infinite number of fowls of many kinds, some which I had seen, and some which I had not seen before, and many of them very good meat, but such as I knew not the names of, except those called penguins. I could have shot as many as I pleased, but was very sparing of my powder and shot, and therefore had more mind to kill a she-goat if I could, which I could better feed on; and though there were many goats here, more than on my side the island.

I saw abundance of parrots, and fain I would have caught one, if possible, to have kept it to be tame[138]138
  to be tame – чтобы приручить


[Закрыть], and taught it to speak to me. I did, after some painstaking[139]139
  painstaking – усердие, старание


[Закрыть], catch a young parrot, for I knocked it down with a stick, and having recovered it, I brought it home; but it was some years before I could make him speak; however, at last I taught him to call me by name very familiarly.

In this journey I surprised a young kid, and seized upon it; and, running in to take hold of it, caught it. I had a great mind to bring it home if I could, for I had often been musing whether it might not be possible to get a kid or two, and so raise a breed of tame goats[140]140
  raise a breed of tame goats – вырастить потомство домашних коз


[Закрыть], which might supply me when my powder and shot should be all spent. I made a collar[141]141
  collar – ошейник


[Закрыть] for this little creature, and with a string, which I made of some rope-yam, which I always carried about me, I led him along, though with some difficulty, till I came to my fence, and there I enclosed him and left him, for I decided to build a small barn[142]142
  barn – хлев


[Закрыть] near my barley-field. I spent about four days for this building, and made it with strong sticks, held together by pieces of rope. Over the next two weeks I caught three more kids: one male and two females.

For a long time they refused to take food out of my hands; but I thrown them some sweet corn, it tempted them, and they began to be tame. And now I found that I might have them about my house like a flock of sheep. But then it occurred to me that I must keep the tame from the wild, or else they would always run wild when they grew up; and the only way for this was to have some enclosed piece of ground, well fenced either with hedge or pale, to keep them in so effectually, that those within might not break out, or those without break in.

This was a great undertaking for one pair of hands yet, as I saw there was an absolute necessity for doing it, my first work was to find out a proper piece of ground, where there was likely to be herbage for them to eat, water for them to drink, and cover to keep them from the sun. I found a place very proper for all these (being a plain, open piece of meadow land, or savannah, as our people call it in the western colonies), which had two or three little drills of fresh water in it, and at one end was very woody.

I resolved to enclose a piece of about one hundred and fifty yards in length, and one hundred yards in breadth, which, as it would maintain as many as I should have in any reasonable time, so, as my stock increased, I could add more ground to my enclosure.

I went to work with courage. I was about three months hedging this piece; and, till I had done it, I tethered the four kids in the best part of it, and used them to feed as near me as possible, to make them familiar; and very often I would go and carry them some ears of barley, or a handful of rice, and feed them out of my hand; so that after my enclosure was finished and I let them loose, they would follow me up and down, bleating after me for a handful of corn.

This answered my end, and in about a year and a half I had a flock[143]143
  flock – стадо


[Закрыть] of about twelve goats, kids and all; and in two years more I had three-and-forty, besides several that I took and killed for my food. After that, I enclosed five several pieces of ground to feed them in, with little pens to drive them to take them as I wanted, and gates out of one piece of ground into another. But this was not all; for now I not only had goat’s flesh to feed on when I pleased, but milk too – a thing which, indeed, in the beginning, I did not so much as think of, and which, when it came into my thoughts, was really an agreeable surprise, for now I set up my dairy, and had sometimes a gallon or two of milk in a day. I, that had never milked a cow[144]144
  had never milked a cow – никогда не доил корову


[Закрыть], much less a goat, or seen butter or cheese made only when I was a boy, after a great many essays and miscarriages[145]145
  after a great many essays and miscarriages – после стольких попыток и неудач


[Закрыть], made both butter and cheese at last.

I sewed some clothes with the leather of killed goats. I had a great high shapeless cap, made of a goat’s skin, with a flap[146]146
  flap – отворот


[Закрыть] hanging down behind, as well to keep the sun from me as to shoot the rain off from running into my neck, nothing being so hurtful in these climates as the rain upon the flesh under the clothes. I had a short jacket of goat’s skin, the skirts coming down to about the middle of the thighs, and a pair of open-kneed breeches of the same; the breeches were made of the skin of an old he-goat, whose hair hung down such a length on either side that, like pantaloons, it reached to the middle of my legs; stockings and shoes I had none, but had made me a pair of somethings, I scarce knew what to call them, like buskins, to flap over my legs, and lace on either side like spatter dashes, but of a most barbarous shape, as indeed were all the rest of my clothes.

My living on an island became very comfortable and unchangeable. My activities depended on seasons and weather. I had two small plantations of corn, rice and barley; five cotes with goats; the main “castle”, as I called my tent with the fence round of it, and the summer cottage, a small building next to my plantations, where I spent sometimes two or three nights, when I had a lot of agriculture works and have no time to come back to my castle. The years went by, and in this way I spent fifteen years on island, working a lot and praying to God.