R devel - Oct 2009 - Make error, fails to install base packages (e.g., 'method')

I am trying to build R-2.9.2 from source on a Slax Linux distribution.

The only warnings from configure related to the production of the html. However,
a series of errors occurs at the end of 'make':


-----------
make[2]: Entering directory `/root/Desktop/Rbin/src/library'
mkdir -p -- ../../library
make[3]: Entering directory `/root/Desktop/Rbin/src/library/profile'
building system startup profile
mkdir -p -- ../../../library/base/R
make[3]: Leaving directory `/root/Desktop/Rbin/src/library/profile'
make[3]: Entering directory `/root/Desktop/Rbin/src/library/base'
building package 'base'
make[4]: Entering directory `/root/Desktop/Rbin/src/library/base'
mkdir -p -- ../../../library/base/demo
mkdir -p -- ../../../library/base/po
make[4]: *** [mkpo] Error 1
make[4]: Leaving directory `/root/Desktop/Rbin/src/library/base'
make[3]: *** [all] Error 2
make[3]: Leaving directory `/root/Desktop/Rbin/src/library/base'
make[2]: *** [R] Error 1
make[2]: Leaving directory `/root/Desktop/Rbin/src/library'
make[1]: *** [R] Error 1
make[1]: Leaving directory `/root/Desktop/Rbin/src'
make: *** [R] Error 1
----------

I couldn't find other examples of the errors on a search.  Running R
produces:

-----------
root at slax:~/Desktop/Rbin/bin# ./R
Error in library(package, lib.loc = lib.loc, character.only = TRUE,
logical.return = TRUE,  :
  'methods' is not a valid installed package

R version 2.11.0 Under development (unstable) (2009-10-06 r49948)
Copyright (C) 2009 The R Foundation for Statistical Computing
ISBN 3-900051-07-0

R is free software and comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY.
You are welcome to redistribute it under certain conditions.
Type 'license()' or 'licence()' for distribution details.

R is a collaborative project with many contributors.
Type 'contributors()' for more information and
'citation()' on how to cite R or R packages in publications.

Type 'demo()' for some demos, 'help()' for on-line help, or
'help.start()' for an HTML browser interface to help.
Type 'q()' to quit R.

Error in library(package, lib.loc = lib.loc, character.only = TRUE,
logical.return = TRUE,  :
  'datasets' is not a valid installed package
-----------

I am a neophyte, but if someone could point me in the right direction, I would
be grateful.

Daniel