One reason why I could not go quite naked was, I could not bear the heat of the sun so well when quite naked, as with some clothes on—nay, the very heat frequently blistered my skin; whereas, with a shirt on, the air itself made some motion, and, whistling under the shirt, was twofold cooler than without it: no more could I ever bring myself to go out in the heat of the sun without a cap or a hat; the heat of the sun beating with such violence as it does in that place, would give me the headache presently, by darting so directly on my head, without a cap or hat on, so that I could not bear it; whereas, if I put on my hat, it would presently go away.
Upon these views I began to consider about putting the few rags I had, which I called clothes, into some order; I had worn out all the waistcoats I had, and my business was now to try if I could not make jackets out of the great watch-coats which I had by me, and with such other materials as I had—so I set to work a-tailoring, or rather, indeed, a-botching—for I made most piteous work of it. However, I made shift to make two or three waist-coats, which I hoped would serve me a great while; as for breeches or drawers, I made but very sorry shift indeed till afterwards.
I have mentioned that I saved the skins of all the creatures that I killed—I mean four-footed ones—and I had hung them up stretched out with sticks in the sun; by which means some of them were so dry and hard that they were fit for little; but others, it seems, were very useful. The first thing I made of these was a great cap for my head, with the hair on the outside to shoot off the rain: and this I performed so well, that after this I made a suit of clothes wholly of those skins—that is to say, a waistcoat and breeches open at the knees, and both loose; for they were rather wanted to keep me cool, than to keep me warm. I must not omit to acknowledge, that they were wretchedly made; for if I was a bad carpenter, I was a worse tailor: however, they were such as I made a very good shift with; and when I was abroad, if it happened to rain, the hair of the waistcoat and cap being outmost, I was kept very dry.
After this, I spent a deal of time and pains to make me an umbrella; I was, indeed, in great want of one, and had a great mind to make one: I had seen them made in the Brazils, where they are very useful in the great heats which are there; and I felt the heats every jot as great here, and greater, too, being nearer the equator; besides, as I was obliged to be much abroad, it was a most useful thing to me, as well for the rains as the heats. I took a world of pains at it, and was a great while before I could make any thing likely to hold; nay, after I thought I had hit the way, I spoiled two or three before I made one to my mind; but at last I made one that answered indifferently well. The main difficulty I found was to make it to let down; I could make it to spread; but if it did not let down, too, and draw in, it would not be portable for me any way, but just over my head, which would not do. However, at last, as I said, I made one to answer: I covered it with skins, the hair upwards, so that it cast off the rain like a penthouse, and kept off the sun so effectually, that I could walk out in the hottest of the weather, with greater advantage than I could before in the coolest; and, when I had no need of it, I could close it, and carry it under my arm.
Thus I lived mighty comfortably, my mind being entirely composed by resigning to the will of God, and throwing myself wholly upon the disposal of his providence: this made my life better than sociable; for when I began to regret the want of conversation, I would ask myself, whether thus conversing mutually with my own thoughts, and, as I hope I may say, with even my Maker, by ejaculations and petitions, was not better than the utmost enjoyment of human society in the world?