I was still deficient, for I wanted a basket or a wheelbarrow: a basket I could not make by any means, having no such things as twigs, that would bend to make wicker-ware, at least not yet found out: and as to a wheelbarrow, I fancied I could make all but the wheel, but that I had no notion of, neither did I know how to go about it: besides, I had no possible way to make the iron gudgeons for the spindle, or axis, of the wheel, to run in, so I gave it over; and so, for carrying away the earth which I dug out of the cave, I made me a thing like a hod, which the labourers carry mortar in when they serve the bricklayers.
This was not so difficult to me as the making the shovel; and yet this, and the shovel, and the attempt which I made in vain to make a wheelbarrow, took me up no less than four days—I mean always excepting my morning walk with my gun, which I seldom failed: and seldom failed also bringing home something to eat.
Nov. 23.—My other work having now stood still, because of my making these tools, when they were finished I went on, and working every day, as my strength and time allowed, I spent eighteen days entirely in widening and deepening my cave, that it might hold my goods commodiously.
Note. During all this time I worked to make this room, or cave, spacious enough to accommodate me as a warehouse, or magazine, a kitchen, a dining-room, and a cellar: as for my lodging, I kept to the tent, except that sometimes, in the wet season of the year, it rained so hard that I could not keep myself dry, which caused me afterwards to cover all my place within my pale with long poles in the form of rafters, leaning against the rock, and load them with flags and large leaves of trees like a thatch.
December 10.—I began now to think my cave, or vault, finished, when on a sudden (it seems I had made it too large) a great quantity of earth fell down from the top and one side, so much that, in short, it frighted me, and not without reason, too; for if I had been under it, I had never wanted a grave-digger. Upon this disaster I had a great deal of work to do over again; for I had the loose earth to carry out, and, which was of more importance, I had the ceiling to prop up, so that I might be sure no more would come down.
Dec. 11.—This day I went to work with it accordingly, and got two shores, or posts, pitched upright to the top, with two pieces of boards across over each post; this I finished the next day; and setting more posts up with boards, in about a week more I had the roof secured; and the posts, standing in rows, served me for partitions to part off my house.
Dec. 17.—From this day to the 20th I placed shelves, and knocked up nails on the posts to hang every thing up that could be hung up: and now I began to be in some order within doors.
Dec. 20.—Now I carried every thing into the cave, and began to furnish my house, and set up some pieces of boards like a dresser, to order my victuals upon; but boards began to be very scarce with me; also, I made me another table.
Dec. 24.—Much rain all night and all day; no stirring out.
Dec. 25.—Rain all day.
Dec. 26.—No rain, and the earth much cooler than before, and pleasanter.
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 home, I bound and splintered up its leg, which was broke. N.B. I took such care of it, that it lived, and the leg grew well and as strong as ever; but by 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 were all spent.