204.Chapter Eighteen（5）

ofthemoneywhich，onhisfirstarrival，johnhadreceivedforhispersonalexpenses，mosthadbeenspentonhisequipment。beforeleavinglondonhehadboughtfourviscose-woollenblankets，ropeandstring，nails，glue，afewtools，matches（thoughheintendedinduecoursetomakeafiredrill），somepotsandpans，twodozenpacketsofseeds，andtenkilogrammesofwheatflour。「no，notsyntheticstarchandcotton-wasteflour-substitute，」hehadinsisted。「eventhoughitismorenourishing。」butwhenitcametopan-glandularbiscuitsandvitaminizedbeef-surrogate，hehadnotbeenabletoresisttheshopman』spersuasion。lookingatthetinsnow，hebitterlyreproachedhimselfforhisweakness。loathesomecivilizedstuff！hehadmadeuphismindthathewouldnevereatit，evenifhewerestarving。「that』llteachthem，」hethoughtvindictively。itwouldalsoteachhim。

hecountedhismoney。thelittlethatremainedwouldbeenough，hehoped，totidehimoverthewinter。bynextspring，hisgardenwouldbeproducingenoughtomakehimindependentoftheoutsideworld。meanwhile，therewouldalwaysbegame。hehadseenplentyofrabbits，andtherewerewaterfowlontheponds。hesettoworkatoncetomakeabowandarrows。

therewereashtreesnearthelighthouseand，forarrowshafts，awholecopsefullofbeautifullystraighthazelsaplings。hebeganbyfellingayoungash，cutoutsixfeetofunbranchedstem，strippedoffthebarkand，paringbyparing，shavedawaythewhitewood，asoldmitsimahadtaughthim，untilhehadastaveofhisownheight，stiffatthethickenedcentre，livelyandquickattheslendertips。theworkgavehimanintensepleasure。afterthoseweeksofidlenessinlondon，withnothingtodo，wheneverhewantedanything，buttopressaswitchorturnahandle，itwaspuredelighttobedoingsomethingthatdemandedskillandpatience。