I was much surprized at the print of a man's foot on the shore
1820
Wood-block engraving
9.9 cm high by 6.6 cm wide, framed
Source: [Daniel Defoe] Robinson Crusoe, frontispiece. See Page 50. [Plate 1].
[Click on image to enlarge it.]
Scanned image and text by Philip V. Allingham.
You may use these images without prior permission for any scholarly
or educational purpose as long as you link your document to this URL in a web document or
cite the Victorian Web in a print one.]
It happened one day, about noon going towards my boat, I was exceedingly surprised with the print of a man’s naked foot on the shore, which was very plain to be seen on the sand. I stood like one thunderstruck, or as if I had seen an apparition. I listened, I looked round me, but I could hear nothing, nor see anything; I went up to a rising ground to look farther; I went up the shore and down the shore, but it was all one; I could see no other impression but that one. I went to it again to see if there were any more, and to observe if it might not be my fancy; but there was no room for that, for there was exactly the print of a foot — toes, heel, and every part of a foot. How it came thither I knew not, nor could I in the least imagine; but after innumerable fluttering thoughts, like a man perfectly confused and out of myself, I came home to my fortification, not feeling, as we say, the ground I went on, but terrified to the last degree, looking behind me at every two or three steps, mistaking every bush and tree, and fancying every stump at a distance to be a man. Nor is it possible to describe how many various shapes my affrighted imagination represented things to me in, how many wild ideas were found every moment in my fancy, and what strange, unaccountable whimsies came into my thoughts by the way. [Chapter XI, "Finds Print of Man's Foot on the Sand"]
I had another belt not so broad, fastened over my shoulder. Under my arm hung two shot and powder pouches: I carried a basket on my back, on my shoulder a gun, and over my head a clumsy goat-skin umbrella. My beard was cut short, except what grew on my upper lip, which I had trimmed into a arge pair of Mahometan whiskers; but as for my figure, having very few spectators, it was no matter of consequence.
In this dress, I went my new journey, and was out five or six days. When I reached the hill, I was surprised to find the sea all smooth and calm, no rippling, motion, nor current, any more than in other places; but in the evening I found a current as before. I used often to visit my boat, and one day at noon when I was going to it, I was much surprised at the print of a man's naked foot on the shore, which was plain to be seen on the sand. I seemed thunder struck — I listened — looked round — could hear nothing, nor was there any thing to be seen! I went upon a rising ground to look farther; I walked backward and forward on the shore, but could see no other impression; I looked at it again; there was plainly a foot, toes, heel, and every part very distinct: how it came there I could not imagine. [Page 50]
Left: Stothard's 1790 realisation of this highly charged moment, Robinson Crusoe discovers the print of a man's foot (Chapter XI, "Finds the print of a man's foot on the sand." (copper-engraving). Left of centre: A convincing hand-tinted study of Crusoe's thoughtful reaction to coming upon the footprint on his supposedly uninhabited island, Robinson Crusoe's terror at the print of the human foot (1831). Right of centre: Same scene from the 1820 children's book: I was much surprized at the print of a man's foot on the shore. Right: Cassell's realistic realisation of the same scene, Crusoe sees a Foot-print in the Sand (1863-64). [Click on the images to enlarge them.]
Above: George Cruikshank's famous woodblock vignette of a startled Crusoe's coming upon the footprint on his supposedly uninhabited island, Friday's Footprint — Crusoe discovers a human footprint on the beach" (1831). [Click on the image to enlarge it.]
Many thanks for the assistance of the staff at Special Collections and University Archives, particularly John Frederick, Library Assistant, McPherson Library, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
Defoe, Daniel (adapted). The Wonderful Life and Surprising Adventures of that Renowned Hero, Robinson Crusoe: who lived twenty-eight years on an uninhabited island, which he afterwards colonized.. London: W. Darton, 1815.
Last modified 18 February 2018
