And we would perhaps conclude by having a swimming race.

These fits of depression always came upon me towards evening, and generally about the same hour.
In spite of the apparent hopelessness of my position, I never relinquished the idea of escaping from the island some day, and accordingly I started building a boat within a month of my shipwreck.
Not that I knew anything whatever about boat-building; but I was convinced that I could at least make a craft of some sort that would float.

I set to work with a light heart, but later on paid dearly for my ignorance in bitter, bitter disappointment and impotent regrets.

For one thing, I made the keel too heavy; then, again, I used planks that were absurdly thick for the shell, though, of course, I was not aware of these things at the time.

The wreck, of course, provided me with all the woodwork I required.