Page 20 - An American Robinson Crusoe

Robinson next searched for something that would serve him as ink, and this was much easier to find than
paper. He had noticed many kinds of galls of many different colors growing on trees. He did not know what
they were, or how they grew, but he had learned in his father's store that ink was often made from galls
gathered from trees. "Anyway," he thought, "I can get ink from the cuttle-fish." He had watched this animal
get away from its enemies by sending out a cloud of purplish fluid, in which to hide as it darted away. He had
learned also that indigo is made from the leaves of a plant. He had noticed a plant growing in the open places
in the forest whose leaves turned black when dried.

Robinson gathered a quantity of gall-nuts and soaked them in water. To the black fluid thus obtained he added
a little rice water to make it flow well, and this served very well as an ink. He kept his ink in a cup made from
a cocoanut shell.

He was not long in getting a pen, though the lack of a good sharp knife made it hard to make a good one. In
going about he had gathered a quantity of large feathers. He saved these for the time when he should have his
paper and ink ready. Now, he cut away a quill to a point and split it up a little way. He was now supplied with
writing materials. "Is it not wonderful," he thought, "how all our wants are filled? We have only to want a
thing badly enough and it comes."

Robinson began at once to write down the date for each day and the main thing he did or that happened on it.
He called this his diary. He had now a better way of keeping time than on his tree calendar. He did not need it
any more.

You have no doubt wondered how Robinson could work in his cave, especially at night without a light. The
truth is, it was a great source of discomfort to him. At sunset he was in total darkness in his cave. During the
day light enough streamed in from the open doorway. To be alone in total darkness is not pleasant. "If I only
had fire!" he said again and again.

He watched the many large beetles and fire-flies flash their light in the dark of the evening as he sat in front of
his shelter. The thought came to him that if he only had some way of keeping together a number of them, they
would serve very well for a candle in his cave at night. How he longed for a glass bottle such as he had so
often wantonly broken when at home! Back of his shelter there was a hill where the rock layers jutted out. He
had noticed here several times the thin transparent rock that he had seen in his father's store. It is called
isinglass.

"I will make a living lantern," he said aloud in his eagerness.

He soon had a suitable piece pried loose. He cut a part of a cocoanut shell away and in its place he put a sheet
of isinglass. That evening at dark he gathered several handfuls of the great fire beetles and put them in his
lantern. What joy their glow gave him in his cave at night. It was almost as much comfort as a companion.
But while it lighted up the deep dark of the cave and enabled him to move about, he was unable after all to
write in his diary at night. Every morning he set his captives free. In the evening he would go out and capture
his light.

ROBINSON IS SICK

One evening Robinson went to bed sound and well. The next morning he was sick. Before he had only the
heat of the day to complain of. To-day he was freezing. He wanted to go to work to get warm, but even this
did not break his chill. It increased till his teeth chattered with the cold.