After I had thus laid the scheme of my design, and in my imagination put it in practice, I continually made my tour every morning to the top of the hill, which was from my castle, as I called it, about three miles or more, to see if I could observe any boats upon the sea, coming near the island, or standing over towards it; but I began to tire of this hard duty, after I had for two or three months constantly kept my watch, but came always back without any discovery; there having not, in all that time, been the least appearance, not only on or near the shore, but on the whole ocean, so far as my eye or glass could reach every way.
Una vez hecho el esquema de mi proyecto y habiéndolo ejecutado mentalmente, todas las mañanas subía la colina que estaba a unas tres millas o más de mi castillo, como so lía llamarlo, a fin de ver si descubría sus piraguas en el mar o aproximándose a la isla. Pero, al cabo de dos o tres meses de vigilancia constante y, no habiendo descubierto nada en la costa ni en toda la extensión de mar que podían abarcar mis ojos y mi catalejo, me cansé de esta ardua labor.