鲁宾逊漂流记-第2部分

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eded　a　little　sail　from　the　ship，and　then　I　was　ready。　Slowly　and　carefully，I　went　back　to　the　shore。　It　was　difficult　to　stop　my　things　from　falling　into　the　sea，but　in　the　end　I　got　everything　on　to　the　shore。

Now　I　needed　somewhere　to　keep　my　things。　

There　were　some　hills　around　me，so　I　decided　to　build　my－self　a　little　house　on　one　of　them。　I　walked　to　the　top　of　the　highest　hill　and　looked　down，I　was　very　unhappy，because　I　saw　then　that　I　was　on　an　island。　There　were　two　smaller　is…lands　a　few　miles　away，and　after　that，only　the　sea。　Just　the　sea，for　mile　after　mile　after　mile。

After　a　time，I　found　a　little　cave　in　the　side　of　a　hill。　In　front　of　it，there　was　a　good　place　to　make　a　home。　So，I　used　the　ship's　sails，rope，and　pieces　of　wood，and　after　a　lot　of　hard　work　I　had　a　very　fine　tent。　The　cave　at　the　back　of　my　tent　was　a　good　place　to　keep　my　food，and　so　I　called　it　my　‘kitchen’。　That　night，I　went　to　sleep　in　my　new　home。

The　next　day　I　thought　about　the　possible　dangers　on　the　is…land。　Were　there　wild　animals，and　perhaps　wild　people　too，on　my　island？I　didn't　know，but　I　was　very　afraid。　So　I　decided　to　build　a　very　strong　fence。　I　cut　down　young　trees　and　put　them　in　the　ground，in　a　halfcircle　around　the　front　of　my　tent。　I　used　many　of　the　ship's　ropes　too，and　in　the　end　my　fence　was　as　strong　as　a　stone　wall。　Nobody　could　get　over　it，through　it，or　round　it。

Making　tents　and　building　fences　is　hard　work。　I　needed　many　tools　to　help　me。　So　I　decided　to　go　back　to　the　ship　again，and　get　some　more　things。

I　went　back　twelve　times，but　soon　after　my　twelfth　visit　there　was　another　terrible　storm。　The　next　morning，when　I　looked　out　to　sea，there　was　no　ship。　

When　I　saw　that，I　was　very　unhappy。　‘Why　am　I　alive，and　why　are　all　my　friends　dead？’I　asked　myself。　‘What　will　hap…pen　to　me　now，alone　on　this　island　without　friends？How　can　I　ever　escape　from　it？’

Then　I　told　myself　that　I　was　lucky—lucky　to　be　alive，lucky　to　have　food　and　tools，lucky　to　be　young　and　strong。　But　I　knew　that　my　island　was　somewhere　off　the　coast　of　South　America。　Ships　did　not　often　come　down　this　coast，and　I　said　to　myself，‘I'm　going　to　be　on　this　island　for　a　long　time。　’So，on　a　long　piece　of　wood，I　cut　these　words：

　

I　CAME　HERE　ON　30TH　SEPTEMBER　1659

　

After　that，I　decided　to　make　a　cut　for　each　day。　

　
5

Learning　to　live　alone

　

I　still　needed　a　lot　of　things。　‘Well，’I　said，‘I'm　going　to　have　to　make　them。　’So，every　day，I　worked。

First　of　all，I　wanted　to　make　my　cave　bigger。　I　carried　out　stone　from　the　cave，and　after　many　days'　hard　work　I　had　a　large　cave　in　the　side　of　the　hill。　Then　I　needed　a　table　and　a　chair，and　that　was　my　next　job。　I　had　to　work　on　them　for　a　long　time。　I　also　wanted　to　make　places　to　put　all　my　food，and　all　my　tools　and　guns。　But　every　time　I　wanted　a　piece　of　wood，I　had　to　cut　down　a　tree。　It　was　long，slow，difficult　work，and　during　the　next　months　I　learnt　to　be　very　clever　with　my　tools。　There　was　no　hurry。　I　had　all　the　time　in　the　world。

I　also　went　out　every　day，and　I　always　had　my　gun　with　me。　Sometimes　I　killed　a　wild　animal，and　then　I　had　meat　to　eat。

But　when　it　got　dark，I　had　to　go　to　bed　because　I　had　no　light。　I　couldn't　read　or　write　because　I　couldn't　see。　For　a　long　time，I　didn't　know　what　to　do。　But　in　the　end，I　learnt　how　to　use　the　fat　of　dead　animals　to　make　a　light。

The　weather　on　my　island　was　usually　very　hot，and　there　were　often　storms　and　heavy　rain。　The　next　June，it　rained　all　the　time，and　I　couldn't　go　out　very　often。　I　was　also　ill　for　some　weeks，but　slowly，I　got　better。　When　I　was　stronger，I　began　to　go　out　again。　The　first　time　I　killed　a　wild　animal，and　the　second　time　I　caught　a　big　turtle。

I　was　on　the　island　for　ten　months　before　I　visited　other　parts　of　it。　During　those　months　I　worked　hard　on　my　cave　and　my　house　and　my　fence。　Now　I　was　ready　to　find　out　more　about　the　rest　of　the　island。

First，I　walked　along　the　side　of　a　little　river。　There，I　found　open　ground　without　trees。　Later，I　came　to　more　trees　with　many　different　fruits。　I　decided　to　take　a　lot　of　the　fruit，and　to　put　it　to　dry　in　the　sun　for　a　time。　Then　I　could　keep　it　for　many　months。

That　night　I　went　to　sleep　in　a　tree　for　the　second　time，and　the　next　day　I　went　on　with　my　journey。　Soon　I　came　to　an　opening　in　the　hills。　In　front　of　me，everything　was　green，and　there　were　flowers　everywhere。　There　were　also　a　lot　of　differ…ent　birds　and　animals。　I　saw　that　my　house　was　on　the　worst　side　of　the　island。　But　I　didn't　want　to　move　from　there。　It　was　my　home　now。　I　stayed　away　for　three　days，and　then　I　came　home。　But　I　often　went　back　to　the　other，greener　side　of　the　island。

And　so　my　life　went　on。　Every　month　I　learnt　to　do　or　to　make　something　new。　But　I　had　troubles　and　accidents　too。　Once　there　was　a　terrible　storm　with　very　heavy　rain。　The　roof　of　my　cave　fell　in，and　nearly　killed　me！I　had　to　build　it　up　again　with　many　pieces　of　wood。

I　had　a　lot　of　food　now。　I　cooked　it　over　a　fire　or　dried　it　in　the　sun。　So　I　always　had　meat　during　the　rainy　months　when　I　could　not　go　out　with　a　gun。　I　learnt　to　make　pots　to　keep　my　food　in。　But　I　wanted　very　much　to　make　a　harder，stronger　pot—a　pot　that　would　not　break　in　a　fire。　I　tried　many　times，but　I　could　not　do　it。　Then　one　day　I　was　lucky。　I　made　some　new　pots　and　put　them　in　a　very　hot　fire。　They　changed　colour，but　did　not　break。　I　left　them　there　for　many　hours，and　when　they　were　cold　again，I　found　that　they　were　hard　and　strong。　That　night　I　was　very　happy。　I　had　hot　water　for　the　first　time　on　the　island。

By　then，I　also　had　my　own　bread。　That　was　luck，too。　One　day　I　found　a　little　bag。　We　used　it　on　the　ship，to　keep　the　chickens'　food　in。　There　was　still　some　of　the　food　in　the　bag，and　I　dropped　some　of　it　onto　the　ground。　A　month　later　I　saw　something　bright　green　there，and　after　six　months　I　had　a　very　small　field　of　corn。　I　was　very　excited。　Perhaps　now　I　could　make　my　own　bread！

It　was　easy　to　say，but　not　so　easy　to　do。　It　is　a　lot　of　work　to　make　bread　from　corn。　Many　people　eat　bread，but　how　many　people　can　take　corn　from　a　field　and　make　bread　out　of　it　without　help？I　had　to　learn　and　to　make　many　new　things，and　it　was　a　year　before　I　cooked　and　ate　my　first　bread。

During　all　this　time　I　never　stopped　thinking　about　escape。　When　I　travelled　across　to　the　other　side　of　the　island，I　could　see　the　other　islands，and　I　said　to　myself，‘Perhaps　I　can　get　there　with　a　boat。　Perhaps　I　can　get　back　to　England　one　day。　’

So　I　decided　to　make　myself　a　boat。　I　cut　down　a　big　tree，and　then　began　to　make　a　long　hole　in　it。　It　was　hard　work，but　about　six　months　later，I　had　a　very　fine　canoe。　Next，I　had　to　get　it　down　to　the　sea。　How　stupid　I　was！Why　didn't　I　think　before　I　began　work？Of　course，the　canoe　was　too　heavy。　I　couldn't　move　it！I　pulled　and　pushed　and　tried　everything，but　it　didn't　move。　I　was　very　unhappy　for　a　long　time　after　that。

That　happened　in　my　fourth　year　on　the　island。　In　my　sixth　year　I　did　make　myself　a　smaller　canoe，but　I　did　not　try　to　es…cape　in　it。　The　boat　was　too　small　for　a　long　journey，and　I　did　not　want　to　die　at　sea。　The　island　was　my　home　now，not　my　prison，and　I　was　just　happy　to　be　alive。　A　year　or　two　later，I　made　myself　a　second　canoe　on　the　other　side　of　the　island。　I　also　built　myself　a　second　house　there，and　so　I　had　two　homes。

My　life　was　still　busy　from　morning　to　night。　There　were　al…ways　things　to　do　or　to　make。　I　learnt　to　make　new　clothes　for　myself　from　the　skins　of　dead　animals。　They　looked　very　strange，it　is　true，but　they　kept　me　dry　in　the　rain。

I　kept　food　and　tools　at　both　my　houses，and　also　wild　goats。　There　were　many　goats　on　the　island，and　I　made　fields　with　high　fences　to　keep　them　in。　They　learnt　to　take　food　from　me，and　soon　I　had　goat's　milk　to　drink　every　day。　I　also　worked　hard　in　my　cornfields。　And　so　many　years　went　by。　

　
6

A　footprint

　

Then，one　year，something　strange　and　terrible　happened。　I　often　walked　along　the　shore，and　one　day　I　saw　something　in　the　sand。　I　went　over　to　look　at　it　more　care－fully，and　stopped　in　sudden　surprise。

It　was　a　footprint—the　footprint　of　a　man！

Who　could　this　be？Afraid，I　looked　around　me。　I　listened。　I　waited。　Nothing。　I　was　more　and　more　afraid。　Perhaps　this　man　was　one　of　those　wild　people　who　killed　and　ate　other　men！I　looked　everywhere，but　there　was　nobody，and　no　other　foot…print。　I　turned　and　hurried　home。　‘There's　someone　on　my　is－land，’I　said　to　myself。　‘Perhaps　he　knows　about　me…Per…haps　he's　watching　me　now　from　behind　a　tree…Perhaps　he　wants　to　kill　me。　’

That　night　I　couldn't　sleep。　The　next　day　I　got　all　my　guns　ready　and　I　put　more　wood　and　young　trees　around　my　house。　Nobody　could　see　me　now。　But，after　fifteen　years　alone　on　the　island，I　was　afraid，and　I　did　not　leave　my　cave　for　three　days。

In　the　end，I　had　to　go　out　to　milk　my　goats。　But　for　two　years　I　was　afraid。　I　stayed　near　my　home　and　I　never　used　my　guns　because　I　didn't　want　to　make　a　noise。　I　could　not　forget　the　footprint，but　I　saw　and　heard　nothing　more，and　slowly　I　began　to　feel　happier。

One　day，a　year　later，I　was　over　on　the　west　side　of　the　is…land。　From　there　I　could　see　the　other　islands，and　I　could　also　see　a　boat，far　out　to　sea。　‘If　you　have　a　boat，’I　thought，‘it's　easy　to　sail　across　to　this　island。　Perhaps　that　explains　the　foot…print—it　was　a　visitor　from　one　of　the　other　islands。　’

I　began　to　move　more　freely　around　the　island　again，and　built　myself　a　third　house。　It　was　a　very　secret　place　in　a　cave。　‘No　wild　man　will　ever　find　that，’I　said　to　myself。

Then　one　year　something　happened　which　I　can　never　forget。　I　was　again　on　the　west　side　of　the　island　and　was　walk…ing　along　the　shore。　Suddenly，I　saw　something　which　made　me　feel　ill。　There　were　heads，arms，feet，and　other　pieces　of　men's　bodies　everywhere。　For　a　minute，I　couldn't　think，and　then　I　understood。　Sometimes　there　were　fights　between　the　wild　men　on　the　other　islands。　Then　they　came　here　to　my　island　with　their　prisoners，to　kill　them，cook　them，and　e