One day it happened, that going to my boat I saw the print of a man's naked foot on the shore, very evident on the sand, as the toes, heel, and every part of it. Had I seen an apparition in the most frightful shape, I could not have been more confounded. My willing ears gave the strictest attention. I cast my eyes around, but could satisfy neither the one nor the other, I proceeded alternately in every part of the shore, but with equal effect; neither could I see any other mark, though the sand about it was as susceptible to take impression, as that which was so plainly stamped. Thus struck with confusion and horror, I returned to my habitation, frightened at every bush and tree, taking every thing for men; and possessed with the wildest ideas. That night my eyes never closed. I formed nothing but the most dismal imaginations, concluding it must be the mark of the devil's foot which I had seen. For otherwise how could any mortal come to this island? where was the ship that transported them? & what signs of any other footsteps? Though these seemed very strong reasons for such a supposition, yet (thought I) why should the devil make the print of his foot to no purpose, as I can see, when he might have taken other ways to have terrified me? why should he leave his mark on the other side of the island, and that too on the sand, where the surging waves of the ocean might soon
have erased the impression. Surely this action is not consistent with the subtility of Satan, said I to myself; but rather must be some dangerous creature, some wild savage of the main land over against me, that venturing too far in the ocean, has been driven here, either by the violent currents or contrary winds; and not caring to stay on this desolate island, has gone back to sea again.
Happy, indeed, said I to myself, that none of the savages had seen me in that place: yet I was not altogether without fear, lest, having found my boar, they should return in numbers and devour me; or at least carry away all my corn, and destroy my flock of tame goats. In a word, all my religious hopes vanished, as though I thought God would not now protect me by his power, who had so wonderfully preserved me so long.
What various chains of Providence are there in the life of man! How changeable are our affections, according to different circumstances! We love to-day, what we hate to-morrow; we shun one hour, what we seek the next. This was evident in me in the most conspicous manner: For I, who before had so much lamented my condition, in being banished from all human kind, was now even ready to expire, when I considered that a man had set his foot on this desolate island. But when I considered my station of life decreed by the infinitely wise and good providence of God, that I ought not to dispute my Creator's sovereignty, who has an unbounded right to govern and dispose of his creatures as he thinks convenient; and that his justice and mercy could either punish or deliver me: I say when I considered all this, I comfortably found it my duty to trust sincerely in him, pray ardently to him, and humbly resign myself to his divine will.
One morning, lying on my bed, these words of the sacred writings came into my mind, Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. Upon this sentence, rising more cheerfully from my bed, I offered up my prayers in the most heavenly manner; and when I had done, taking up my Bible to read, these words appeared first in my sight: -Wait on the Lord, and be of good cheer, and he shall strengthen thy heart: Wait, I say, on the Lord. Such divine comfort did this give me, as to remove all cause of sadness upon that occasion.
Thus, after a world of apprehensions and fears, for three days and nights, I at last ventured out of my castle, and milked my goats, one of which was almost spoiled for want of it. I next (though in great fear) visited my bower, and milked my flocks there also; when, growing bolder, I went down to the shore again, and measuring the print of the foot to mine, to see, perhaps, whether I myself had not occasioned that mark, I found it much superior in largeness; and so returned home, now absolutely convinced that either some men had been ashore, or that the island must be inhabited, and therefore that I might be surprised before I was aware.
I now began to think of providing for my security, and resolved in my mind many different schemes for that purpose. I first proposed to cut down my inclosures; and turn my tame cattle wild into the woods that the enemy might not find them, and frequent the island in hopes of killing the same. Secondly, I was for digging up my corn fields for the very same reason. An, lastly, I concluded to demolish my bower, lest, seeing a place of human contrivance, they might come farther and find out and attack me in my little castle.
Such notions did the fear of danger suggest to me; and I looked I thought like the unfortunate king Saul, when not only oppressed by the Philistines, but also forsaken by God himself. And, it is strange, that a little before, having entirely resigned myself to the will of God, I should now have little confidence in him, fearing those more who could kill this fading body, than him who could destroy my immortal soul.
Sleep was an utter stranger to my eyes that night: yet nature, spent and tired, submitted to a silent repose the next morning, and then joining reason with fear, I considered that this delightful and pleasant island might not be to entirely forsaken as I might think; but that the inhabitants from the other shore might fail, either with design or from necessity, by cross winds; and if the latter circumstance. I had reason to believe they would depart the first opportunity. However, my fear made me think of a place for retreat upon an attack. I now repented that I had made my door to come out beyond my fortification; to remedy which, I resolved to make me a second one: I fell to work, therefore, and drove betwixt that double row of trees, which I planted above twelve years before, several strong piles, thickening it with pieces of timber and old cables, and strengthening the foot of it with earth which I dug out of my cave; I also made me seven holes, wherein I planted my muskets like cannon, fitting them into frames resembling carriages. This being finished with indefatigable industry, for a great way every where, I planted sticks of osier like a wood, about twenty thousand of them, leaving a large space between them and my wall, that I might have room to see an enemy, and that they might not be sheltered among the young trees, if they offered to approach the outer wall. And, indeed, scarce two years had passed over my head, when there appeared a lovely shady grove, and in six years it became a thick wood perfectly impassable. For my safety, I left no avenue to go in or out: instead of which I set two ladders, one to a part of a rock which was low, and then broke in, leaving room to place another ladder upon that; so that when I took these down, it was impossible for any man to descend without hurting himself; and if they had, they would still be at the outside of my outer wall. But while I took all these measures of human prudence for my own preservation I was not altogether unmindful of other affairs. To preserve my stock of tame goats, that the enemy should not take all at once, I looked out for the most retired part of the island, which was the place where I had lost myself before-mentioned; and there finding a clear piece of land, containing three acres, surrounded with thick woods, I wrought so hard, that in less than a month's time, I fenced it so well round, that my flocks were very well secured in it, and I put therein two he-goats and ten she ones.
All this labour was occasioned purely by fearful apprehensions, on account of seeing the print of a man's foot. And not contented yet with what I had done, I searched for another place towards the west point of the island, where I might also retain another flock. Then wandering on this errand more to the west of the island than ever I had yet done, and casting my eyes towards the sea, methought I perceived a boat at a great distance; but could not possibly tell what it was for want of my perspective glass. I considered then it was no strange thing to see the print of a man's foot; and concluding them cannibals, blessed God for being cast on the other side of the island, where none of the savages, as I thought, ever came. But when I came down the hill to the shore, which was the S.W. point of the island, I was soon confirmed in my opinion; nor can any one describe my horror and amazement, when I saw the ground spread with sculls, hands, feet, and bones of human bodies; and particularly, I perceived a space like a circle, in the midst of which had been a fire, about which I conjectured these wretches sat, and unnaturally sacrificed and devoured their fellow creatures.
The horror and loathsomeness of this dreadful spectacle, both confounded my senses, and made me discharge from my stomach in an excessive manner. I then returned towards my habitation; and, in my way thither, shedding floods of tears, and falling down on my bended knees, gave God thanks for making my nature contrary to these
