which I surrounded with stakes, that no wild creature might suddenly surprise me.  When I came to the sea shore, I was amazed to see the splendour of it.  Its strand was covered with shells of the most beautiful fish, and constantly abounding with innumerable turtles, and fowls of many kinds, which I was ignorant of, except those called penguins.  I might have shot as many as I pleased, but was sparing of my ammunition, rather choosing to kill a she-goat, which I did with much difficulty, on account of the flatness of the country.

Now though this journey produced me the most pleasing satisfaction, yet my habitation was so much to my liking, that I did not repine at my being seated on the worst part of the island.  I continued my journey, travelling about twelve miles further towards the east, where I set a great pile on the shore for a mark, concluding that my next journey should bring me to the other side of the island, east from my castle, and so round till I came to my post again.  As I had a constant view of the country, I thought I could not miss my way; but scarce had I travelled three miles, when I descended into a very large valley, so surrounded with hills covered with wood, that I having no guide but the sun, nor even this, unless I knew will the position of the sun at the time of day; and to add to my misfortune, the weather proving very hazy, I was obliged to return to my post by the sea-side, and so backwards the same way I came.  In this journey my dog surprised a kid and would have killed it, had I not prevented him.  As I had often been thinking of getting a kid or two, and so raising a breed of tame goats to supply me after my ammunition was spent, I took this opportunity of beginning:  and having made a collar for this little creature, with a string made of rope-yarn, I brought it to my bower, and there inclosed and left him; and, having spent a month in this journey, at length I returned to my habitation.

Nobody can doubt of my satisfaction, when I returned to my little castle, and reposed myself in my hammock.  After my journey I rested myself a week, which time I employed in, making a cage for my pretty Poll.  I now began to consider the poor kid I had left in the bower, and I immediately went to fetch it home.  When I came there I found the young creature almost starved; I gave it some food, and tied it as before:  but there was no occasion, for it followed me like a dog; and, as I constantly fed it, it became so loving, gentle, and fond, that it commenced one of my domestics, and would never leave me.

The rainy season of the autumnal equinox being now come, I kept the 30th of September in the most solemn manner, as usual, it being the third year of my abode in the island.  I spent the whole day in acknowledging God’s mercies, in giving him thanks for making this solitary life as agreeable, and less sinful, than that of human society; and for the communications of his grace to my soul, in supporting, comforting, and encouraging me to depend, upon his Providence, and hope for his eternal presence in the world to come.