I had now been on this unhappy island for over ten months. All hope of being rescued seemed to have vanished, and I firmly believed that no other human being had ever set foot on this place. Having secured my home to my satisfaction, I felt a great desire to explore the island more thoroughly to see what other resources I might find.
On the 15th of July, I began a more detailed survey of the land. I first traveled up the creek where I had previously brought my rafts ashore. After walking about two miles, I discovered that the tide no longer reached that far. The creek turned into a little brook of fresh, clear water. Since it was the dry season, there was hardly any water in some parts—certainly not enough to form a visible stream. Along the banks, I found many pleasant meadows or plains, smooth and covered with grass. On the higher ground, which clearly never flooded, I found a great deal of tobacco growing with thick, strong stalks. There were various other plants I did not recognize, which perhaps had medicinal properties that I couldn't yet identify. I searched for the cassava root, which Indians in these climates use to make bread, but I found none. I saw large aloe plants and several wild sugar canes, though they were small and imperfect due to a lack of cultivation. I was satisfied with these discoveries for the day and returned home, wondering how I might learn the uses of the plants I had found. Unfortunately, I had made so few observations during my time in Brazil that I knew very little about wild botany.
The next day, the 16th, I followed the same path but went further. The meadows ended, and the country became more wooded. In this region, I found an abundance of fruit. Melons covered the ground, and grapevines climbed high into the trees, heavy with ripe, rich clusters of grapes. This was a surprising and wonderful discovery. However, my experience warned me to eat them sparingly. I remembered that in Barbary, several English slaves had died from eating too many grapes, which caused severe fevers and stomach illnesses. I decided the best use for them was to dry them in the sun and keep them as raisins, which would be both wholesome and pleasant to eat during the seasons when fresh fruit was unavailable.
I spent the entire evening there and did not return home—marking the first night I had spent away from my habitation. I slept safely in a tree and continued my exploration the next morning. I traveled about four miles further north, following a valley between two ridges of hills. At the end of this walk, I reached an opening where the land sloped toward the west. A fresh spring issued from the side of a hill and ran eastward. The countryside was so green and flourishing that it looked like a carefully planted garden.
I looked down at this beautiful valley with a secret pleasure, despite my lonely circumstances. I thought to myself that I was the king and lord of all this land; my right to it was undisputed, and if I could have transferred the title, I could have left it as an inheritance as completely as any lord in England. I saw many cocoa, orange, lemon, and citron trees, though they were wild and bore little fruit at the time. However, the green limes I gathered were delicious and very refreshing when I mixed their juice with water.
I now realized I had a great deal of work ahead of me to gather and carry this bounty home. I resolved to lay up a massive store of grapes, limes, and lemons for the approaching wet season. I gathered large heaps of fruit in various spots and headed home, intending to return with sacks to carry the rest. It took me three days to reach my cave, but by the time I arrived, the grapes were spoiled. Their weight and ripeness had caused them to be crushed and bruised until they were useless. The limes, however, were still good, though I could only carry a few.
On the 19th, I returned with two small bags. I was shocked to find my heap of grapes trodden to pieces and scattered everywhere. It was clear that wild creatures had discovered them and devoured most of them. I realized then that I couldn't simply leave fruit in heaps on the ground. To solve this, I gathered a new batch of grapes and hung them on the outer branches of the trees to dry in the sun. As for the limes and lemons, I carried back as many as I could physically manage.
Back at my cave, I reflected on the fruitfulness of that valley and its protection from the storms. I concluded that the place where I had first settled was by far the worst part of the country. I seriously considered moving my habitation to that pleasant, fertile valley.
The idea tempted me for a long time, but upon closer reflection, I realized that my current home was by the seaside. There was at least a small chance that a ship might pass by or that some other unfortunate person might be washed ashore. To hide myself in the center of the island among the hills and woods would be to accept my imprisonment forever. Therefore, I decided I must not move. However, I was so fond of the valley that I spent much of my time there throughout July. I built a small "bower" or summer house, surrounding it with a strong double fence made of stakes and brushwood. I slept there securely for several nights at a time, entering by a ladder. Now, I felt as if I had both a country house and a sea-coast residence.
By the beginning of August, I had finished the fence. But just as I began to enjoy it, the rains returned. I was forced to return to my first home and stay there. Although I had made a tent at the bower using a piece of sail, it lacked the protection of a hill and the safety of a cave during extraordinary storms.
On the 3rd of August, I found that the grapes I had hung up were perfectly dried; they were excellent raisins. I carefully took them down, which was fortunate, because the rain that followed would have ruined them. I had over two hundred large bunches, which became a vital part of my winter food supply. From the 14th of August until the middle of October, it rained almost every day, often so violently that I could not leave my cave for days at a time.
During this period, I was surprised by an "increase in my family." One of my cats had disappeared some time ago, and I had assumed she was dead. To my astonishment, she returned at the end of August with three kittens. This was strange, as the only other cat I had seen on the island was a wild one I had shot, which was a completely different species. These kittens, however, were the same domestic breed as their mother. Eventually, these cats multiplied so rapidly that they became a nuisance, and I was forced to treat them like wild pests to keep them away from my house.
While confined by the rain, my food supply grew limited. I managed to venture out twice, once killing a goat and another time finding a large tortoise. My daily routine was simple: raisins for breakfast, broiled goat or turtle for dinner, and turtle eggs for supper. I still deeply regretted having no vessel in which to boil or stew my meat.
I spent several hours each day enlarging my cave. I eventually dug all the way through the hill until I created a "back door" that came out beyond my fortification. While this was convenient, it made me feel less secure, as I was no longer completely enclosed. However, I reminded myself that I had seen no large animals on the island except for goats.
September 30.—This was the anniversary of my landing. I counted the notches on my post and found I had been on shore for exactly 365 days. I spent the day in a solemn fast, kneeling on the ground to confess my sins to God and pray for His mercy. I had not observed the Sabbath for a long time because I had forgotten to keep track of the weeks, but now I divided my calendar again and resolved to set aside every seventh day for religious rest. Shortly after this, my ink began to run low. I realized I had to use it sparingly, writing only about the most significant events rather than keeping a daily journal.
I began to understand the cycle of the seasons. I learned that there were two rainy seasons and two dry seasons each year, tied to the position of the sun. However, I gained this knowledge through a very discouraging experiment.
I had saved the small amount of barley and rice that had grown from the bag I shook out. I had about thirty stalks of rice and twenty of barley. I decided to sow the grain after the rains, but I wisely only used about two-thirds of my seeds. This was a lucky decision, for the grain I sowed in the dry ground never grew because there was no moisture. It didn't appear until the next rainy season, months later. I made a second attempt in February, sowing the remaining seeds in a moister piece of ground near my bower. This crop grew beautifully during the rains of March and April. Although my harvest was small—only about half a peck of each grain—I had now mastered the timing and knew exactly when to plant to ensure a future supply of bread.
While the corn was growing, I made another useful discovery. When I visited my bower in November, I found that the stakes I had cut to make my fence had sprouted! They had grown long branches, much like willow trees in England. I was delighted to see them grow, and I pruned them carefully. Within three years, they formed a beautiful, living circle of trees that provided a complete shade during the dry season. I decided to plant a similar semi-circle of these trees around my first dwelling, where they eventually served as both a screen and a defense.
During the rainy months, I stayed indoors as much as possible to protect my health. I occupied my time by trying to make baskets. When I was a boy, I used to watch a basket-maker in my hometown, and I now realized that the twigs of the trees I had planted were as flexible as the ones used in England. I traveled to my bower, cut a large quantity of these twigs, and brought them back to the cave. I spent the season weaving many baskets. Although they weren't particularly handsome, they were strong and functional. I used them to carry earth and eventually to store my grain.
I had mastered basket-making, but I still lacked two important things: vessels to hold liquids and a tobacco pipe. I had no pots to boil water or make broth, only a large kettle from the ship that was far too big for a single meal. However, I spent the rest of the dry season working on my wicker-ware and planting my rows of trees, constantly looking for ways to improve my situation.