Robinson Crusoe

particulars. The cask of liquor I found to be a kind of rum, 
but not such as we had at the Brazils; and, in a word, not 
at all good; but when I came to open the chests, I found 
several things of great use to me - for example, I found in 
one a fine case of bottles, of an extraordinary kind, and 
filled with cordial waters, fine and very good; the bottles 
held about three pints each, and were tipped with silver. I 
found two pots of very good succades, or sweetmeats, so 
fastened also on the top that the salt-water had not hurt 
them; and two more of the same, which the water had 
spoiled. I found some very good shirts, which were very 
welcome to me; and about a dozen and a half of white 
linen handkerchiefs and coloured neckcloths; the former 

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were also very welcome, being exceedingly refreshing to 
wipe my face in a hot day. Besides this, when I came to 
the till in the chest, I found there three great bags of pieces 
of eight, which held about eleven hundred pieces in all; 
and in one of them, wrapped up in a paper, six doubloons 
of gold, and some small bars or wedges of gold; I suppose 
they might all weigh near a pound. In the other chest 
were some clothes, but of little value; but, by the 
circumstances, it must have belonged to the gunner’s 
mate; though there was no powder in it, except two 
pounds of fine glazed powder, in three flasks, kept, I 
suppose, for charging their fowling-pieces on occasion. 
Upon the whole, I got very little by this voyage that was 
of any use to me; for, as to the money, I had no manner of 
occasion for it; it was to me as the dirt under my feet, and 
I would have given it all for three or four pair of English 
shoes and stockings, which were things I greatly wanted, 
but had had none on my feet for many years. I had, 
indeed, got two pair of shoes now, which I took off the 
feet of two drowned men whom I saw in the wreck, and I 
found two pair more in one of the chests, which were 
very welcome to me; but they were not like our English 
shoes, either for ease or service, being rather what we call 
pumps than shoes. I found in this seaman’s chest about 

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fifty pieces of eight, in rials, but no gold: I supposed this 
belonged to a poorer man than the other, which seemed 
to belong to some officer. Well, however, I lugged this 
money home to my cave, and laid it up, as I had done that 
before which I had brought from our own ship; but it was 
a great pity, as I said, that the other part of this ship had 
not come to my share: for I am satisfied I might have 
loaded my canoe several times over with money; and, 
thought I, if I ever escape to England, it might lie here safe 
enough till I come again and fetch it. 

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