not worth a thought; for now a new strength had come to me; and
there was a change in my griefs, as well as in my joys.

I had now been in the isle twelve months, and I thought it was
time to go all round it, in search of its woods, springs, and
creeks. So I set off, and brought back with me limes and grapes
in their prime, large and ripe. I had hung the grapes in the sun
to dry, and in a few days' time went to fetch them, that I might
lay up a store. The vale, on the banks of which they grew, was
fresh and green, and a clear, bright stream ran through it, which
gave so great a charm to the spot, as to make me wish to live
there.

But there was no view of the sea from this vale, while from my
house, no ships could come on my side of the isle, and not be
seen by me; yet the cool, soft banks were so sweet and new to me
that much of my time was spent there.

In the first of the three years in which I had grown corn, I had
sown it too late; in the next, it was spoilt by the drought; but
the third years' crop had sprung up well.

I found that the hares would lie in it night and day, for which
there was no cure but to plant a thick hedge all round it; and
this took me more than three weeks to do. I shot the hares in the
day time; and when it grew dark, I made fast the dog's chain to
the gate, and there he stood to bark all night.

In a short time the corn grew strong, and at last ripe but, just
as the hares had hurt it in the blade, so now the birds ate it in