[00:00.67] Robinson Crusoe.
[00:02.11] October 1st, 1659.
[00:06.52] My name is Robinson Crusoe, and today I begin my journal.
[00:12.62] I have seen my share of adventures in my time.
[00:16.96] I traded down the West Coast of Africa.
[00:21.16] I was captured by pirates, spent two years as a slave to a Turkish captain, then escaped and sailed to Brazil, where I set up a sugar plantation.
[00:34.28] I should have been content then, but I wasn't.
[00:38.97] And when the chance came to take part in a trading voyage to Africa, I agreed immediately.
[00:46.79] How wrong I was.
[00:50.54] Perhaps I should have listened to my father.
[00:55.49] When I was a boy, he warned me against going to sea.
[01:01.58] If you go, you will have time to regret it in later years, when none will be there to help you.
[01:11.12] And it seems his warning is coming true, for now I am alone and lost.
[01:19.30] But I mustn't despair.
[01:22.65] I have pen, paper, and ink.
[01:26.67] I will try to write down the events of the coming days so that I have some record of what has happened to me if I am rescued.
[01:35.86] And, if I'm not, maybe someone will eventually find my diary and read about my life.
[01:49.74] We ran into trouble almost as soon as we set sail for Africa.
[01:54.85] A hurricane blew our ship down the Brazilian coast for 12 days, and every hour I expected her to capsize.
[02:05.23] I had never seen such a furious wind.
[02:10.57] To our relief, the wind gradually died away.
[02:15.60] But a few hours later, another storm blew up and our ship took an even greater battering.
[02:24.98] Then, early yesterday morning, I was awakened by the voice of a lookout crying, "Land!"
[02:34.83] As we all ran to take a look, the deck lurched.
[02:39.70] Our ship had hit a sandbar and was stuck fast.
[02:45.25] Mountainous waves began to wash over her.
[02:49.87] At any moment, she might break up.
[02:53.98] We were terrified.
[02:58.40] With the help of the mates, we managed to launch a boat, but we had no hope of surviving in those raging seas.
[03:08.21] When we tried to row for land, the sea tossed our little boat about like a toy.
[03:17.60] Then to my horror, I saw a huge wave coming a stern of us.
[03:24.73] A second later it capsized the boat, throwing us into the lashing foam.
[03:33.33] Buried at first in 30 foot of water, I surfaced and tried to swim.
[03:39.78] I am young and strong and a good swimmer, but the waves which hurled me towards the land only dragged me away from it immediately afterwards.
[03:51.62] Suddenly, I felt myself dashed against a jagged rock.
[03:56.64] I reached out and clung to it.
[04:00.29] The waves tried to drag me back out to sea, but I held on until the next wave lifted me off and threw me onto the beach of an island.
[04:15.31] I was hardly able to believe that I had reached dry land.
[04:22.65] To escape the crashing sea, I slowly dragged myself up the cliffs.
[04:31.32] But my relief turned to despair when I checked what I had in the way of personal possessions.
[04:39.82] All I could find was a pipe and a little tobacco in a box.
[04:46.21] I began to panic, for I was wet through, had no weapons to protect me against wild beasts, and nothing to eat or drink.
[04:57.40] I found a freshwater stream and drank my fill.
[05:02.15] But although I searched, there was no sign of any other survivors.
[05:09.45] At last, desperately lonely, I forced myself to look for somewhere safe to spend the night.
[05:18.15] After a long search, I climbed up among the branches of a spiky tree, hoping the thorns would keep off any wild beasts.
[05:30.56] I was so tired that I fell fast asleep.
[05:37.54] When I woke, it was broad daylight.
[05:41.61] The weather had cleared, the sun was streaming down, and the sea was calm.
[05:46.97] Best of all, the ship had lifted off the sandbar and had been driven by the tide almost as far as the rock I had clung to yesterday.
[05:59.39] Again, I went down to the shore to look for survivors.
[06:05.58] I found three hats, one cap, and two odd shoes, but that was all.
[06:12.20] It seems I am alone.
[06:16.66] At least the ship was upright, so I decided to board her and see what I could find that would be useful.
[06:25.34] I was now starving.
[06:27.87] Food would be my first priority.
[06:35.18] A little afternoon with the sea still flat calm, I swam out and boarded her.
[06:43.29] Although battered, the ship hadn't broken up.
[06:48.35] If only we'd stayed on board, we'd all have been safe.
[06:53.72] The fatal mistake had been taking to the boat.
[06:59.76] Grief almost overwhelmed me when I realized this.
[07:05.93] But I had work to do.
[07:11.29] I discovered the ship's provisions were dry, although the holes were full of water.
[07:18.14] I filled my pockets with biscuit, which I ate as I checked the rest of the stores.
[07:25.86] I found rum, took a swig to give myself courage, and then, gathering together rope, spars, and a couple of top masts, I made myself a raft.
[07:42.41] I loaded on board some sea chests which I had emptied and refilled with bread, rice, Dutch cheeses, dried goat's flesh, corn, liquor, and wine.
[07:56.16] I found some carpenter's tools, more valuable to me now than a ship load of gold.
[08:04.35] I also took pistols and muskets, powder and shot, along with a couple of rusty old swords, for I had no idea what wild beasts I might meet.
[08:19.23] I also realized I was eventually going to have to hunt for food, as the provisions I'd salvaged from the ship would not last very long.
[08:32.16] On the way back to the island, the tide was flowing so strongly that my raft ran aground and I almost lost my cargo.
[08:46.18] When at last the raft refloated, I found myself being carried into a creek by the swiftly flowing tide.
[08:55.99] Suddenly, I saw a little cove and managed to steer towards it, though I almost lost my precious cargo again.
[09:07.91] Finally, and with great difficulty, I landed.
[09:17.29] My next job was to take a look at the island itself.
[09:24.82] About a mile away, there was a steeply rising hill, and beyond that, a ridge of more hills.
[09:34.75] Taking one of my weapons with me, I struggled to the top, only to find I was looking down at an ocean which stretched as far as the eye could see.
[09:49.68] There were rocks some way out and two small islands about three leagues to the west, but that was all.
[09:59.03] The island I am on is barren and seems uninhabited except by wild beasts.
[01:06.86] I shot a great bird.
[01:08.85] It turned out to be a hawk, but its flesh was unfit to eat.
[01:13.96] I believe the sound of the shot was the first ever heard on the island, for as soon as I fired, a confused screaming rose from all parts of the wood, and I realized the dense trees hid all kinds of birds and beasts.
[01:29.40] But no humans.
[01:32.60] I am alone on the island with no idea of when rescue will come, if it ever does.
[01:43.95] October 24th, 1659.
[01:49.37] On the days that followed my arrival, I kept paddling my raft back to the ship, returning with all kinds of useful goods.
[02:00.58] These included more tools, building materials, more muskets and ammunition, as well as hammocks and bedding.
[02:13.27] I even took the sails and rigging.
[02:19.83] In fact, I salvaged so much that I had to make a second raft to carry it all.
[02:27.44] I also decided to rescue the ship's dog and cats.
[02:33.80] At last I had some companionship, for the grateful dog, delighted to be free at last, bounded round the island, but always returned to my side.
[02:47.60] The rain has fallen steadily, and although sometimes the sun shines, I have come to the conclusion that I have been shipwrecked during the rainy season.
[03:00.09] To keep the rain off, I made a small tent from a sail and poles I had found.
[03:07.45] I piled all the empty chests and casks in a circle round the tent as fortifications and blocked up the doorway with boards, all of which I'd salvaged from the ship.
[03:22.25] When I sleep at night, I lie with two pistols by my head and a rifle beside me.
[03:29.78] I am ready to defend myself.
[03:33.73] I've now made 11 voyages to and from the ship.
[03:40.35] On the 12th day, the wind began to rise, and I made my last voyage, for the sea was becoming too rough for me to approach her.
[03:51.41] I discovered some more tools and a lot of money, pieces of eight, gold and silver.
[04:00.51] But what do I need money for?
[04:09.25] October 31st, 1659.
[04:13.75] A good discovery.
[04:16.99] There are wild goats on the island, and I have killed and eaten two.
[04:26.87] November 4th, 1659.
[04:31.05] It has rained without ceasing for many days with great gusts of wind.
[04:40.09] As a result of the gale, the ship has broken up, and now I can only see her wreck at low water.
[04:51.37] For the past week, I have spent the daylight hours covering up all the supplies I rescued, keeping them as dry as I could.
[05:01.59] The loss of the ship was like the loss of an old friend, and my last remaining link with civilization.
[05:11.26] I grew very depressed, but I have now decided to draw up a list of good and bad points about my situation.
[05:22.26] Bad.
[05:26.72] I am shipwrecked on a desolate island.
[05:32.40] I am alone.
[05:36.75] There seems little chance of rescue.
[05:42.53] I don't have any clothes.
[05:47.80] The ammunition will run out and I will have no defense.
[05:56.54] Good.
[06:00.44] I am alive.
[06:04.79] I was saved while others drowned.
[06:10.77] I have food and drink and shelter, and I rescued many useful things before the ship went down.
[06:20.50] The climate is warm.
[06:24.70] There seem to be no wild beasts that will attack me.
[06:32.91] Although I have seen no wild beasts on this island, I am sometimes troubled by memories of those I have seen in the past.
[06:43.31] On my voyage around Africa, I saw lions and other cruel wild animals which devoured men without mercy.
[06:54.48] I would feel safer here if I had some protection against whatever creatures may live here.
[07:01.83] So, thinking ahead to the future, I have decided to build a fortified camp.
[07:09.57] A few days ago I found a small clearing on the side of a hill with a shallow cave.
[07:16.33] If I build my camp here, I will have shelter from the sun and will be able to see what is happening above and below me.
[07:26.92] I have pitched my tent in front of the cave.
[07:31.71] Around it, I plan to drive in two rows of stakes in a half circle.
[07:37.73] Then I will cut up some old wine casks and tie them between the stakes until I have a strong fence.
[07:47.00] I will also make a short ladder to go over the top of the fence.
[07:52.85] Finally, I will make a larger, stronger tent out of sailcloth to protect me from the rain.
[08:06.29] November 5th, 1659.
[08:10.76] This morning I went hunting in the woods with my dog and killed a wild cat.
[08:18.36] Her skin is pretty and soft, but her flesh is uneatable.
[08:25.28] I take the skins from every creature I kill and preserve them, so that eventually I will be able to make some clothes.
[08:35.93] Those I have saved from the ship will not last forever.
[08:46.04] November 12th, 1659.
[08:52.71] I have succeeded in making a table and a chair.
[08:58.20] It was hard and difficult work, unlike anything I've ever done before, but eventually I've made something I can sit on and something I can sit at, even if they both wobble.
[09:11.66] Slowly I'm beginning to feel a little more civilized, as if I might have a chance of surviving as an intelligent man rather than a wild animal.
[09:22.90] I salvaged a few books from the ship before it sank, mainly Bibles and prayer books, so at least I have some reading material.
[09:36.75] November 18th, 1659.
[09:43.65] I've begun to widen and deepen the shallow cave in the hillside to make more room for my possessions.
[09:53.97] For this work, I have made a spade from some hard wood, and also a basket to carry out the earth I dig.
[01:02.90] Every morning I go for a walk with my dog and my gun, and we never fail to bring back something to eat.
[01:10.66] Life is getting better, if it weren't for the loneliness.
[01:17.35] The lack of any human voice except for my own is almost impossible to bear.
[01:26.42] November 20th, 1659.
[01:33.67] My work on the cave has given me another idea.
[01:38.90] It is a great struggle to lift the baskets of earth over the fence around my tent, so I am using the earth to strengthen the fence itself.
[01:50.78] Each time I come out of the cave with a full basket, I go to the fence and pile the earth against it.
[01:58.50] In this way, I am slowly turning the fence into a strong wall, which should withstand any storms like the one which shipwrecked me here.
[02:09.79] December 10th, 1659.
[02:15.70] For the last few weeks, I've been working hard on widening and lengthening my cave.
[02:22.79] I want to make it big enough to accommodate a store, kitchen, dining room, and cellar.
[02:33.20] While I was doing this, I stayed in my tent.
[02:37.96] But sometimes the rain came down so hard that even the tent couldn't keep me dry.
[02:46.64] After one night when I got completely soaked, I covered the entire area with long poles from rock to rock and thatched them with large leaves to create one enormous bivouac.
[03:00.60] I was just thinking that my cave was almost finished, when a huge quantity of earth fell on me and I was almost buried alive.
[03:12.74] Because of this, I will have to renew the whole structure, scraping out the loose earth and carrying it outside, and then using props to make sure the ceiling doesn't fall in again.
[03:27.86] December 27th, 1659.
[03:33.82] This afternoon I killed a young goat and injured another.
[03:39.80] I caught the wounded animal and carried it home.
[03:44.72] Back at my camp, I made a splint to put on the goat's broken leg.
[03:53.42] I had to knock the creature out to stop it struggling while I fitted the splint, but it soon recovered.