第1个回答 2022-05-31
My thoughts were now wholly employed about securing myself against either savages, if any should appear, or wild beasts, if any were in the island; and I had many thoughts of the method how to do this and what kind of dwelling to make, whether I should make me a cave in the earth or a tent upon the earth: and, in short, I resolved upon both, the manner and description of which it may not be improper to give an account of.
I soon found the place I was in was not for my settlement, particularly because it was upon a low moorish ground near the sea, and, I believed, would not be wholesome, and more particularly because there was no fresh water near it, so I resolved to find a more healthy and more convenient spot of ground.
I consulted several things in my situation which I found would be proper for me: 1st, health and fresh water I just now mentioned; shelter from the heat of the sun; 3rdly, security from ravenous creatures, whether men or beasts; 4thly, a view to the sea, that if God sent any ship in sight, I might not lose any advantage for me deliverance, of which I was not willing to banish all my expectation yet.
In search of a place proper for this, I found a little plain on the side of a rising hill, whose front towards this little plain was steep as a house-side, so that nothing could come down upon me from the top; on the side of this rock there was a hollow place worn a little way in like the entrance or door of a cave, but there was not really any cave or way into the rock at all.
On the flat of the green, just before this hollow place, I resolved to pitch my tent. This plain was not above a hundred yards broad and about twice as long, and lay like a green before my door, and at the end of it descended irregularly every way down into the low-grounds by the seaside. It was on the N.N.W. side of the hill, so that I was sheltered from the heat every day, till it came to a w. and by s. sun, or thereabouts, which in those countries is near the setting.
Before I set up my tent, I drew a half circle before the hollow place, which took in about ten yards in its semi-diameter from the rock, and twenty yards in its diameter, from its beginning and ending.
In this half circle I pitched two rows of strong stakes, driving them into the ground till they stood very firm like piles, the biggest end being out of the ground about five foot and a half, and sharpened on the top. The two rows did not stand above six inches from one another.
Then I took the piece of cable which I had cut in the ship, and I laid them in rows one upon another, within the circle, between these two rows of stakes, up to the top, placing other stakes in the in-side, leaning against them, about two foot and a half high, like a spur to a post, and this fence was so strong that neither man nor beast could get into it or over it. This cost me a great deal of time and labour, especially to cut the piles in the woods, bring them to the place, and drive them into the earth.
The entrance into this place I made to be not by a door, but by a short ladder to go over the top, which ladder, when I was in, I lifted over after me, and so I was completely fenced in, and fortify'd, as I thought, from all the world, and consequently slept secure in the night, which otherwise I could not have done, tho', as it appeared afterwards, there was no need of all this caution from the enemies the I apprehended danger from.
Into this fence or fortress, with infinite labour, I carry'd all my riches, all my provisions, ammunition, and stores, of which you have the account above; and I made me a large tent, which, to preserve me from the rains that in one part of the year are very violent there, I made double, viz. one smaller tent within, and one larger tent above it, and covered the uppermost with a large tarpaulin which I had saved among the sails.
And now I lay no more for a while in the bed which I had brought on shore, but in a hammock, which was indeed a very good one, and belonged to the mate of the ship.
Into this tent I brought all my provisions, and everything that would spoil by the wet, and having thus enclosed all my goods, I made up the entrance, which till now I had left open, and so passed and repassed, as I said, by a short ladder.
When I had done this, I began to work my way into the rock, and bringing all the earth and stones that I dug down out thro´ my tent, I laid ´em up within my fence in the nature of a terrace, that so it raised the ground within about a foot and a half; and thus I made me a cave just behind my tent, which served me like a cellar to my house.
It costs me much labour and many days, before all these things were brought to perfection, and therefore I must go back to some other things which took up some of my thoughts. At the same time it happened, after I had laid my scheme for the setting up my tent and making the cave, that a storm of rain falling from a thick dark cloud, a sudden flash of lightning happened, and after that a great clap of thunder, as is naturally the effect of it; I was not so much surprised with the lightning as I was with a thought which darted into my mind as swift as the lightning itself: O my powder! My very heart sunk within me when I thought that at one blast all my powder might be destroyed, on which not my defense only, but the providing me food, as I thought, entirely depended; tho´ had the powder took fire, I had never known who had hurt me.
Such impression did this make upon me, that after the storm was over, I laid aside all my works, my building and fortifying, and apply´d myself to make bags and boxes to separate de powder, and to keep it a little and a little in a parcel, in hope that whatever might come, it might not all take fire at once, and to keep it so apart that it should not be possible to make one part fire another. I finished this work in about a fortnight, and I think my powder, which in all was about 240 lb. weight, was divided in not less than a hundred parcels; as to the barrel that had been wet, I did not apprehend any danger from that, so I placed it in my new cave, which in my fancy I called my kitchen, and the rest I hid up and down in holes among the rocks, so that no wet might come to it, marking very carefully where I laid it.
In the interval of time while this was doing I went out once at least every day with my gun, as well to divert myself as to see if I could kill anything fit for food, and as near as I could to acquaint myself with what the island produced. The first time I went out I presently discovered that there were goats in this island, which was a great satisfaction to me; but then it was attended with this misfortune to me, viz. that they were so shy, so subtile, and so swift of foot, that it was the difficulties thing in the world to come at them.But I was not discouraged at this, not doubting that I might now and then shoot one, as it soon happened, for after I had found their haunts a little, I laid wait in this manner for them: I observed if they saw me in the valleys, tho' they were upon the rocks, they would run away as in a terrible fight; but if they were feeding in the valleys, and I was upon the rocks, they took no notice of me, for whence I concluded, that by the position of their optics, their sight was so directed downward, that they did not readily see objects that were above them; so afterward I took this method, I always climbed the rocks first to get above them, and then had frequently a fair mark. The first shot I made among these creatures, I killed a she-goat which had a little kid by her which she gave suck to, which grieved me heartily; but when the old one fell, the kid stood stock still by her till I came and took her up, and not only so, but when I carry'd the old one with me upon my shoulders, the kid followed me quite to my enclosure, upon which I laid down the dam, and took the kid in my arms, and carry'd it over my pale,in hopes to have it bred up tame, but it would not eat, so I was forced to kill it and eat it myself; these two supply'd me with flesh a great while, for I eat sparingly, and saved my provisions (my bread especially) as much as possibly I could.
Having now fixed my habitation, I found it absolutely necessary to provide a place to make fire in, and fuel to burn; and what I did for that, as also how I enlarged my cave, and what conveniences I made, I shall give a full account of in its place. But I must first give some little account of myself, and of my thoughts about living, which it may well be supposed were not a few.
当时，我的思想完全集中在如何保护自己，防备野人或野兽的袭击，假如岛上有野人或野兽的话。
我想了许多办法，考虑造什么样的住所：
是在地上掘个洞呢，还是搭个帐篷。
最后，我决定两样都要。至于建成什么样子，怎样去做，不妨在这里详细谈谈。
首先，我感到目前居住的地方不太合适。一则因离海太近，地势低湿，不大卫生；
第二则是附近没有淡水。
我得找一个比较卫生，比较方便的地方建造自己的住所。
我根据自己的情况，拟定了选择住所的几个条件：
第一，必须如我上面所说的，要卫生，要有淡水；
第二，要能遮荫；
第三，要能避免猛兽或人类的突然袭击；
第四，要能看到大海，
万一上帝让什么船只经过，我就不至于失去脱险的机会，因为我始终存有一线希望，迟早能摆脱目前的困境。
我按上述条件去寻找一个合适的地点，
发现在一个小山坡旁，有一片平地。
小山靠平地的一边又陡又直，像一堵墙，
这样，不论人或野兽都无法从上面下来袭击我。
在山岩上，有一块凹进去的地方，
看上去好像是一个山洞的进口，但实际上里面并没有山洞。
在这山岩凹进去的地方，前面是一片平坦的草地，我决定就在此搭个帐篷。
这块平地宽不过一百码，长不到二百码。若把住所搭好，这块平坦的草地就犹如一块草皮，
从门前起伏连绵向外伸展形成一个缓坡，直至海边的那块低地。
这儿正处小山西北偏北处，
日间小山正好挡住阳光，当太阳转向西南方向照到这儿时，也就快要落下去了。
搭帐篷前，我先在石壁前面划了一个半圆形，
半径约十码，直径有二十码。
沿这个半圆形，我插了两排结实的木桩；木桩打入泥土，仿佛像木橛子，
大头朝下，高约五尺半，顶上都削得尖尖的。
两排木桩之间的距离不到六英寸。
然后，我用从船上截下来的那些缆索，
沿着半圆形，一层一层地堆放在两排木桩之间，一直堆到顶上，
再用一些两英尺半高的木桩插进去支撑住缆索，仿佛柱子上的横杆。
这个篱笆十分结实牢固，不管是人还是野兽，都无法冲进来或攀越篱笆爬进来。
这项工程，花了我不少时间和劳力，
尤其是我得从树林里砍下粗枝做木桩，再运到草地上，又一一把它们打入泥土，这工作尤其费力费时。
至于住所的进出口，我没有在篱笆上做门，
而是用一个短梯从篱笆顶上翻进来，进入里面后再收好梯子。
这样，我四面都受保护，完全与外界隔绝，夜里就可高枕无忧了。
不过，我后来发现，对我所担心的敌人，根本不必如此戒备森严。
我又花了极大的力气，把前面讲到的我的全部财产，全部粮食、弹药武器和补给品，一一搬到篱笆里面，或者可以说搬到这个堡垒里来。
我又给自己搭了一个大帐篷用来防雨，因为这儿一年中有一个时期常下倾盆大雨。
我把帐篷做成双层的；也就是说，里面一个小的，外面再罩一个大的，
大帐篷上面又盖上一大块油布。那油布当然也是我在船上搜集帆布时一起拿下来的。
现在我不再睡在搬上岸的那张床上了，
而是睡在一张吊床上，这吊床原是船上大副所有，质地很好。
我把粮食和一切可能受潮损坏的东西都搬进了帐篷。
完成这工作后，就把篱笆的出入口堵起来。此后，我就像上面所说，用一个短梯翻越篱笆进出。
做完这些工作后，我又开始在岩壁上打洞，
把挖出来的土石方从帐篷里运到外面，
沿篱笆堆成一个平台，约一英尺高。
这样，帐篷算是我的住房，房后的山洞就成了我的地窖。
这些工作既费时又费力，但总算一一完成了。
现在，我再回头追述一下其他几件使我煞费苦心的事情。
在我计划搭帐篷打岩洞的同时，
突然乌云密布，暴雨如注，雷电交加。
在电光一闪，霹雳突至时，
一个思想也像闪电一样掠过我的头脑，使我比对闪电本身更吃惊："
哎哟，我的火药啊！"想到一个霹雳就会把我的火药全部炸毁时，我几乎完全绝望了。
因为我不仅要靠火药自卫，还得靠其猎取食物为生。
当时，我只想到火药，而没有想到火药一旦爆炸自己也就完了。假如真的火药爆炸，我自己都不知道死在谁的手里呢。
这场暴风雨使我心有余悸。因此，等雨一停，我把所有其他工作，包括搭帐篷、筑篱笆等都先丢在一边。
我立刻着手做一些小袋子和匣子，把火药分成许许多多小包。
这样，万一发生什么情况，也不致全部炸毁。
我把一包包的火药分开贮藏起来，免得一包着火危及另一包。这件工作我足足费了两个星期的时间。
火药大约有二百四十磅，我把它们分成一百多包。
至于那桶受潮的火药，我倒并不担心会发生什么危险，
所以我就把它放到新开的山洞里；我把这山洞戏称为我的厨房，
其余的火药我都藏在石头缝里，以免受潮，并在储藏的地方小心地作上记号。
在包装和储藏火药的两星期中，我至少每天带枪出门一次。
看看是否可以猎获点什么东西吃
顺便可以了解一下岛上的物产。
第一次外出，我便发现岛上有不少山羊，使我十分满意。
可我也发现这于我来说并非是件大好事。
因为这些山羊胆小而又狡猾，而且跑得飞快，实在很难靠近他们。
但我并不灰心，我相信总有办法打到一只的。不久我真的打死了一只。
我首先发现了山羊经常出没之地，就采用打埋伏的办法来获取我的猎物。
我注意到，如果我在山谷里，那怕它们在山岩上，它们也准会惊恐地逃窜；
但若它们在山谷里吃草，而我站在山岩上，它们就不会注意到我。
我想，这是由于小羊眼睛生长的部位造成的，
它们只能向下看，而不容易看到上面的东西
因此，我就先爬到山上，从上面打下去，往往很容易打中。
我第一次开枪，打死了一只正在哺小羊的母羊，使我心里非常难过。
母羊倒下后，小羊呆呆地站在它身旁；
当我背起母羊往回走时，那小羊也跟着我一直走到围墙外面。
于是我放下母羊，抱起小羊，进入木栅，一心想把它驯养大。
可是小山羊就是不肯吃东西，没有办法，我只好把它也杀了吃了。
这两只一大一小的山羊肉，供我吃了好长一段时间，
因为我吃得很剩我要尽量节省粮食，尤其是面包。
住所建造好了，我就想到必须要有一个生火的地方，还得准备些柴来烧。
至于我怎样做这件事，怎样扩大石洞，又怎样创造其他一些生活条件，我想以后在适当的时候再详谈。
现在想先略微谈谈自己，谈谈自己对生活的看法。
在这些方面，你们可以想像，确实有不少感触可以谈的。