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Robinson Crusoe experiences a cave-in
Sir John Gilbert, R. A.
1867?
Wood-engraving
7.6 cm high x 5.4 cm, vignetted
Illustration for Daniel Defoe's Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, integrated on page 69.
Scanned image and text by Philip V. Allingham.
December 10. I began now to think my cave or vault finished, when on a sudden (it seems I had made it too large) a great quantity of earth fell down from the top on one side; so much that, in short, it frighted me, and not without reason, too, for if I had been under it, I had never wanted a gravedigger. I had now a great deal of work to do over again, for I had the loose earth to carry out; and, which was of more importance, I had the ceiling to prop up, so that I might be sure no more would come down.
December 11. This day I went to work with it accordingly, and got two shores or posts pitched upright to the top, with two pieces of boards across over each post; this I finished the next day; and setting more posts up with boards, in about a week more I had the roof secured, and the posts, standing in rows, served me for partitions to part off the house. [pp. 69-70]
Left: Thomas Stothard's resourceful Crusoe has settled in to island life, Crusoe at work in his cave (1790). Centre: George Cruikshank's charming 1831 realisation of Crusoe and the quiet interior of his cave, Crusoe and Poll the Parrot in dialogue (Chapter IX, "A Boat"). Right: The children's book illustrator emphasizes Crusoe's living in harmony with his many animal companions in Robinson Crusoe reading the Bible (1818).
De Foe, Daniel. The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, Written by Himself. Illustrated by Gilbert, Cruikshank, and Brown. London: Darton and Hodge, 1867?].
Last modified 16 February 2018
