This took us six days to do. The spot we chose lay
by the side of a brook, and was just such a place as would tempt,
one to stop and rest in the shade of the trees, that grew on the bank.
While at the brook, I made a boat out of the tree we found at the Farm,
and took it back with us to Tent House in the cart.
We had still two months ere the rain would set in, and this left us
time to put the last touch to our cave. We laid the whole floor with
clay, and spread on it some fine sand, which we beat down till it was
quite smooth and firm. On this we put sail cloth, and threw down goat's
hair and wool made moist with gum. This was well beat, and, when dry,
made a kind of felt mat that was warm and soft to tread on, and would
keep the damp from our feet.
By the time these works were done, our cave was in a fit state for us
to dwell in. We did not now dread the rain, for we were safe out of its
reach, and there was no need that we should go out in it. We had a warm
light shop to work in by day, a snug place where we could take our
meals and dry bed rooms in which we could sleep in peace. Our live
stock we kept in a shed at the back of the cave, and our store room
held all that we could want.
When the rain at length set in, we all had some task that kept us close
at work in the cave.
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