And this put me in mind that I wanted many things, notwithstanding all that I had amassed together; and of these, this of ink was one, as also a spade, pick-axe, and shovel, to dig or remove the earth, needles, pins, and thread; as for linen [linen〈n.〉亞麻布製品，文中指內衣內褲。], I soon learned to want that without much difficulty.
This want of tools made every work I did go on heavily; and it was near a whole year before I had entirely finished my little pale or surrounded my habitation. The piles or stakes, which were as heavy as I could well lift, were a long time in cutting and preparing in the woods, and more by far in bringing home; so that I spent sometimes two days in cutting and bringing home one of those posts, and a third day in driving it into the ground; for which purpose I got a heavy piece of wood at first, but at last bethought myself of one of the iron crows, which, however, though I found it, yet it made driving those posts or piles very laborious and tedious work.
But what need I have been concerned at the tediousness of anything I had to do, seeing I had time enough to do it in? nor had I any other employment, if that had been over, at least that I could foresee, except the ranging the island to seek for food, which I did more or less every day.
I now began to consider seriously my condition, and the circumstances I was reduced to; and I drew up the state of my affairs in writing; not so much to leave them to any that were to come after me, for I was likely to have but few heirs, as to deliver my thoughts from daily poring over them, and afflicting my mind. And as my reason began now to master my despondency [despondency〈n.〉消沉], I began to comfort myself as well as I could, and to set the good against the evil, that I might have something to distinguish my case from worse; and I stated very impartially [impartially〈adv.〉公平地], like debtor and creditor, the comforts I enjoyed against the miseries I suffered, thus:
Evil. Good.
I am cast upon a horrible desolate island, void of all hope of recovery.
But I am alive; and not drowned, as all my ship’s company were.