12 CRUSOE'S ISLAND. 



leaped from the hammock, drew aside the blanket 

 that served as a door, and stepped out into open air. 

 The little bay was all alight with the glories of ap- 

 proaching morn. The wall of woods behind me hid 

 the rising sun ; in truth, its rays did not reach this 

 spot till late, so that the beach still lay in cool, sweet 

 shadow. 



Nearly a week I lived here quietly, gathering my 

 strength and measuring the difficulties before me 

 when 1 should invade the forest. There was no ne- 

 cessity for hurry, as it was then but the beginning of 

 the dry season, which lasts through the winter well 

 into May and June. By the time the rainy season 

 should arrive I hoped to have a better habitation and 

 to be prepared for a long period of seclusion. 



While my hut was in the shadow and the air was 

 cool, I resolved to go about with as little clothing as 

 possible, and stripped myself of nearly everything; 

 but when the sun had crept over the trees, and show- 

 ered me with his scorching rays, I was glad enough 

 to put on my clothes again. It may be remembered 

 that Crusoe had a similar experience in playing sav- 

 age, for, after having tried the same experiment, he 

 says quite plaintively, " I could not bear the Heat of 

 the Sun so well when quite naked as with some 

 Cloathes on ; nay, the very Heat frequently blister'd 

 my Skin." But I did not further follow his exam- 

 ple and make myself garments of goatskin ; that 

 would have been a most ridiculous and unnecessary 

 labor. 



I hope I was not such an arrant coward as Crusoe, 



