Citation
The Swiss family Robinson, or Adventures in a desert island

Material Information

Title:
The Swiss family Robinson, or Adventures in a desert island
Uniform Title:
Schweizerische Robinson
Portion of title:
Adventures in a desert island
Creator:
Wyss, Johann David, 1743-1818
Westley, Josiah ( Binder )
Gilbert, John, 1810-1889 ( Illustrator )
Dalziel, George, 1815-1902 ( Engraver )
G. Routledge & Co ( Publisher )
Cox Bros. & Wyman ( printer )
Place of Publication:
London
Publisher:
George Routledge and Co.
Manufacturer:
Cox (Brothers and Wyman
Publication Date:
Language:
English
Edition:
New ed., complete in one vol., entirely rev. and corr.
Physical Description:
410, <14> p., <8> leaves of plates : ill. ; 18 cm.

Subjects

Subjects / Keywords:
Shipwrecks -- Juvenile fiction ( lcsh )
Robinsonades ( lcsh )
Survival after airplane accidents, shipwrecks, etc -- Juvenile fiction ( lcsh )
Robinsonades -- 1851 ( rbgenr )
Josiah Westley -- Pictorial cloth bindings (Binding) -- 1851 ( rbbin )
Publishers' catalogues -- 1851 ( rbgenr )
Josiah Westley -- Binders' tickets (Binding) -- 1851 ( rbbin )
Bldn -- 1851
Genre:
Robinsonades ( rbgenr )
Pictorial cloth bindings (Binding) ( rbbin )
Publishers' catalogues ( rbgenr )
Binders' tickets (Binding) ( rbbin )
novel ( marcgt )
Spatial Coverage:
England -- London
Target Audience:
juvenile ( marctarget )

Notes

General Note:
"With eight illustrations by John Gilbert."
General Note:
Illustrations engraved and signed: G. Dalziel.
General Note:
Publisher's catalogue follows text: <14> p.
Funding:
Brittle Books Program

Record Information

Source Institution:
University of Florida
Holding Location:
University of Florida
Rights Management:
This item is presumed to be in the public domain. The University of Florida George A. Smathers Libraries respect the intellectual property rights of others and do not claim any copyright interest in this item. Users of this work have responsibility for determining copyright status prior to reusing, publishing or reproducing this item for purposes other than what is allowed by fair use or other copyright exemptions. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions may require permission of the copyright holder. The Smathers Libraries would like to learn more about this item and invite individuals or organizations to contact The Department of Special and Area Studies Collections (special@uflib.ufl.edu) with any additional information they can provide.
Resource Identifier:
027029816 ( ALEPH )
45617261 ( OCLC )
ALJ0685 ( NOTIS )

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Full Text
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‘‘ Our first care, was to kneel down and thank God, to whom
we owed our lives.””—P. 14.



THE

SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON:

OR,

ADVENTURES

IN

A DESERT ISLAND.

A NEW EDITION,

COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME, ENTIRELY REVISED AND CORRECTED.

WITH EIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS BY JOHN GILBERT.

LONDON:

GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND CO., SOHO SQUARE.
1851.



PRINTED BY
COX (BROTHERS) AND WYMAN, GREAT QUEEN STREET,
LINCOLN’S-INN FIELDS.



PREFACE.

———= > —

Many years ago, an English translation of the
first part of this charming tale appeared; and
few books have obtamed such deserved popu-
larity. The gradual progress of the family from
utter destitution and misery, to happiness and
abundance, arising from their own labour, perse-
verance, and obedience, together with the effect
produced on the different characters of the sons
by the stirring adventures they met with, created
a deep and absorbing interest. Every young
reader patronized either the noble Fritz, the stu-
dious Ernest, or the generous Jack, and regarded
him asa familiar personal acquaintance. The book
had but one defect—the death of the talented
author left it unfinished, and every reader regretted
its abrupt termination.

This conclusion was happily supplied by one of
the most accomplished and elegant writers of her
day, the Baroness de Montolieu; and, sanctioned
and approved by the son of the lamented author,
the entire work was published in France, and has
for many years held a distinguished rank in the



1V PREFACE.

juvenile libraries there. For the gratification of a
little family circle, this now appears in English ;
and as, on examining the first part in the original,
it was found, that “some new discoveries might
be made,” it was thought best to re-translate it,
subduing the tone of the whole to English taste.
The unanimous voices of the beloved circle, for
whom the pleasant task was undertaken, have pro-
nounced the result to be eminently successful, and
they generously wish, that the whole of the juve-
nile public of England should share in their satis-
faction, and possess a complete Swiss Robinson.



INTRODUCTION.

Stee camel

Ir is very well known that, some years ago,
Counsellor Horner, a Swiss, made a voyage round
the world in the Russian vessel Le Podesda, com-
manded by Capt. Krusenstern. They discovered
many islands, and, amongst others, one very
large and fertile, till then unknown to naviga-
tors, to the S.W. of Java, near the coast of New
Guinea. They landed here, and to the great
surprise of Mr. Horner, he was received by a
family who spoke to him in German. They were a
father and mother, and four robust and hardy sons.

Their history was very interesting. The father
was a Swiss clergyman, who, in the Revolution of
1798, had lost all his fortune, and had determined
to emigrate, in order to seek elsewhere the means
of supporting his family. He went first to England,
with his wife and children, consisting of four sons,
between the ages of twelve and five. He there
undertook the office of missionary to Otaheite ;
not that he intended to remain on that uncivilized
island, but he wished to proceed from thence to
Port Jackson as a free colonist. He invested his



vl INTRODUCTION.

little capital in seeds of every description, and
some cattle, to take out with him. They had a
prosperous voyage till they were near the coast of
New Guinea, when they were overtaken by a
frightful storm. At this period he commenced
his journal, which he afterwards committed to the
care of Mr. Horner, to be forwarded to his friends
in Switzerland.

Some time before, a boat from an English ves-
sel, the Adventurer, had visited them, and the
father had sent the first part of his journal by
Lieut. Bell to the captain, who remained in the
vessel. A violent tempest arose, which continued
some days, and drove the Adventurer from the
coast. ‘The family concluded the ship was lost;
but this was not the case, as will be seen in the
conclusion.



THE

SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON.

a ee

CHAPTER I.

Tue tempest had raged for six days, and on
the seventh seemed to increase. The ship had
been so far driven from its course, that no one on
board knew where we were. Every one was ex-
hausted with fatigue and watching. The shattered
vessel began to leak in many places, the oaths of
the sailors were changed to prayers, and each
thought only how to save his own life. “Chil-
dren,” said I, to my terrified boys, who were
clinging round me, “ God can save us if he will.
To him nothing is impossible; but if he thinks it
good to call us to him, let us not murmur; we
shall not be separated.” My excellent wife dried
her tears, and from that moment became more
tranquil. We knelt down to pray for the help of
our Heavenly Father; and the fervour and emo-
tion of my innocent boys proved to me that even
children can pray, and find in prayer consolation
and peace.

We rose from our knees strengthened to bear
the afflictions that hung over us. Suddenly we
heard amid the roaring of the waves the cry of
“Land! land!” At that moment the ship

B



2 THE SWISS

struck on a rock; the concussion threw us down.
We heard a loud cracking, as if the vessel was
parting asunder ; we felt that we were aground,
and heard the captain cry, in a tone of despair,
“We are lost! Launch the boats!” These
words were a dagger to my heart, and the lamen-
tations of my children were louder than ever. I
then recollected myself, and said, “ Courage, my
darlings, we are still above water, and the land
is near. God helps those who trust in him. Re-
main here, and I will endeavour to save us.”

I went on deck, and was instantly thrown
down, and wet through by a huge sea; a se-
cond followed. I struggled boldly with the waves,
and succeeded in keeping myself up, when I saw,
with terror, the extent of our wretchedness. The
shattered vessel was almost in two; the crew had
crowded into the boats, and the last sailor was
cutting the rope. I cried out, and prayed them
to take us with them; but my voice was drowned
in the roar of the tempest, nor could they have
returned for us through waves that ran mountains
high. All hope from their assistance was lost ;
but I was consoled by observing that the water
did not enter the ship above a certain height.
The stern, under which lay the cabin which con-
tained all that was dear to me on earth, was im-
movably fixed between two rocks. At the same
time I observed, towards the south, traces of land,
which, though wild and barren, was now the
haven of my almost expiring hopes; no longer
being able to depend on any human aid. I re-
turned to my family, and endeavoured to appear
calm. “Take courage,” cried I, “there is yet
hope for us; ‘the vessel, in striking between the



FAMILY ROBINSON. 3

rocks, is fixed in a position which protects our
cabin above the water, and if the wind should
settle to-morrow, we may possibly reach the land.”

This assurance calmed my children, and as
usual, they depended on all I told them; they
rejoiced that the heaving of the vessel had ceased,
as, while it lasted, they were continually thrown
against each other. My wife, more accustomed
to read my countenance, discovered my uneasi-
ness; and by a sign, I explained to her that I had
lost all hope. I felt great consolation in seeing
that she supported our misfortune with truly
Christian resignation.

“‘ Let us take some food,” said she; “ with the
body, the mind is strengthened; this must be a
night of trial.”

Night came, and the tempest continued its
fury ; tearing away the planks from the devoted
vessel with a fearful crashing. It appeared abso-
lutely impossible that the boats could have out-
lived the storm.

My wife had prepared some refreshment, of
which the children partook with an appetite that
we could not feel. The three younger ones re-
tired to their beds, and soon slept soundly. Fritz,
the eldest, watched with me. ‘“ I have been con-
sidermg,” said he, “ how we could save ourselves.
If we only had some cork jackets, or bladders,
for mamma and my brothers, you and I don’t
need them, we could then swim to land.”

“ A good thought,” said I, “I will try during
the night to contrive some expedient to secure our
safety.” We found some small empty barrels in
the cabin, which we tied two together with our
handkerchiefs, leaving a space between for each

B 9 p ae

a



4, THE SWISS

child ; and fastened this new swimming apparatus
under their arms. My wife prepared the same for
herself. We then collected some knives, string,
tinder-box, and such little necessaries as we could
put in our pockets ; thus, in case the vessel should
fall to pieces during the night, we hoped we might
be enabled to reach land.

At length Fritz, overcome with fatigue, lay
down and slept with his brothers. My wife and
I, too anxious to rest, spent that dreadful night
im prayer, and in arranging various plans. How
gladly we welcomed the light of day, shining
through an opening. The wind was subsiding,
the sky serene, and I watched the sun rise with
renewed hope. I called my wife and children on
deck. The younger ones were surprised to find
we were alone. They inquired what had become
of the sailors, and how we should manage the ship
alone.

“Children,” said I, “one more powerful than
man has protected us till now, and will still ex-
tend a saving arm to us, if we do not give way to
complaint and despair. Let all hands set to work.
Remember that excellent maxim, God helps those
who help themselves. Let us all consider what is
best to do now.”

“ Let us leap into the sea,” cried Fritz, “ and
swim to the shore.”

“ Very well for you,” replied Ernest, “who can
swim; but we should be all drowned. Would it
not be better to construct a raft and go all to-
gether ?”

.“ That might do,” added I, “if we were strong
enough for such a work, and if a raft was not
always so dangerous a conveyance. But away,



FAMILY ROBINSON. 5

boys, look about you, and seek for anything that
may be useful to us.”

We all dispersed to different parts of the vessel.
For my own part I went to the provision-room, to
look after the casks of water and other necessaries
of life ; my wife visited the live stock and fed them,
for they were almost famished; Fritz sought for
arms and ammunition; Ernest for the carpenter’s
tools. Jack had opened the captain’s cabin, and
was immediately thrown down by two large
dogs, who leaped on him so roughly that he cried
out as if they were going to devour him. How-
ever, hunger had rendered them so docile that
they licked his hands, and he soon recovered his
feet, seized the largest by the ears, and mounting
his back, gravely rode up to me as I was coming
from the hold. I could not help laughing; |
applauded his courage; but recommended him
always to be prudent with animals of that kind,
who are often dangerous when hungry.

My little troop began to assemble. Fritz had
found two fowling-pieces, some bags of powder
and shot, and some balls, in horn flasks. Ernest
was loaded with an axe and hammer, a pair of
pincers, a large pair of scissors, and an auger
showed itself half out of his pocket.

Francis had a large box under his arm, from
which he eagerly produced what he called little
pointed hooks. His brothers laughed at his prize.
“ Silence,” said I, “ the youngest has made the
most valuable addition to our stores. These are
fish-hooks, and may be more useful for the pre-
servation of our lives than anything the ship con-
tains. However, Fritz and Ernest have not done
amiss.”



6 THE SWISS

“For my part,” said my wife, “I only contri-
bute good news; I have found a cow, an ass, two
goats, six sheep, and a sow with young. I have
fed them, and hope we may preserve them.”

“ Very well,” said I to my little workmen, “ I
am satisfied with all but Master Jack, who, instead
of anything useful, has contributed two great
eaters, who will do us more harm than good.”

“They can help us to hunt when we get to
land,” said Jack.

“ Yes,” replied I, “but can you devise any
means of our getting there?”

“It does not seem at all difficult,” said the spi-
rited little fellow; “ put us each into a great tub,
and let us float to shore. I remember sailing capi-
tally that way on godpapa’s great pond at S—.”

“A very good idea, Jack; good counsel may
sometimes be given even by a child. Be quick,
boys, give me the saw and auger, with some nails,
we will see what we can do.” I remembered
seeing some empty casks in the hold. We went
down and found them floating. This gave us less
difficulty in getting them upon the lower deck,
which was but just above the water. They were
of strong wood, bound with iron hoops, and exactly
suited my purpose; my sons and I therefore began
to saw them through the middle. After long
labour, we had eight tubs all the same height.
We refreshed ourselves with wine and biscuit,
which we had found in some of the casks. I then
contemplated with delight my little squadron of
boats ranged in a line; and was surprised that my
wife still continued depressed. She looked mourn-
fully on them. “TI can never venture in one of
these tubs,” said she.



FAMILY ROBINSON. 7

“Wait a little, till my work is finished,” replied
I, “and you will see it is more to be depended on
than this broken vessel.”

I sought out a long flexible plank, and arranged
eight tubs on it, close to each other, leaving a piece
at each end to form a curve upwards, like the keel
of a vessel. We then nailed them firmly to the
plank, and to each other. We nailed a plank at
each side, of the same length as the first, and suc-
ceeded in producing a sort of boat, divided into
eight compartments, in which it did not appear
difficult to make a short voyage, over a calm sea.

But, unluckily, our wonderful vessel proved so
heavy, that our united efforts could not move it
an inch. Isent Fritz to bring me the jack-screw,
and, in the mean time, sawed a thick round pole
into pieces; then raising the fore-part of our work
by means of the powerful machine, Fritz placed
one of these rollers under it.

Ernest was very anxious to know how this small
machine could accomplish more than our united
strength. I explained to him, as well as I could,
the power of the lever of Archimedes, with which
he had declared he could move the world, if he
had but a point to rest it on; and I promised my
son to take the machine to pieces when we were
on shore, and explain the mode of operation. I
then told them that God, to compensate for the
weakness of man, had bestowed on him reason,
invention, and skill in workmanship. The result
of these had produced a science which, under the
name of Mechanics, taught us to increase and ex-
tend our limited powers incredibly by the aid of
instruments.

Jack remarked that the jack-screw worked very
slowly.



8 THE SWISS

“ Better slowly, than not at all,” said I. “It
is a principle in mechanics, that what is gained in
time is lost in power. The jack is not meant to
work rapidly, but to raise heavy weights; and
the heavier the weight, the slower the operation.
But, can you tell me how we can make up for this
slowness ?””

“Oh, by turning the handle quicker, to be
sure !”

“ Quite wrong; that would not aid us at all.
Patience and Reason are the two fairies, by whose
potent help I hope to get our boat afloat.”

I quickly proceeded to tie a strong cord to the
after-part of it, and the other end to a beam in
the ship, which was still firm, leaving it long
enough for security; then introducing two more
rollers underneath, and working with the jack, we
succeeded in launching our bark, which passed
into the water with such velocity, that but for our
rope it would have gone out to sea. Unfortu.
nately, it leaned so much on one side, that none
of the boys would venture into it. I was in
despair, when I suddenly remembered it only
wanted ballast to keep it in equilibrium. [
hastily threw in anything I got hold of that was
heavy, and soon had my boat level, and ready for
occupation. They now contended who should
enter first; but I stopped them, reflecting that
these restless children might easily capsize our
vessel. I remembered that Savage nations made
use of an out-rigger, to prevent their canoe over-
setting, and this I determined to add to my work.
I fixed two portions of a topsail-yard, one over
the prow, the other across the stern, in such a
manner that they should not be in the way in



FAMILY ROBINSON. 9

pushing off our boat from the wreck. I forced the
end of each yard into the bunghole of an empty
brandy-cask, to keep them steady during our
progress.

It was now necessary to clear the way for our
departure. I got into the first tub, and managed
to get the boat into the cleft in the ship’s side, by
way of a haven; I then returned, and, with the
axe and saw, cut away right and left all that could
obstruct our passage. Then we secured some
oars, to be ready for our voyage next day.

The day had passed in toil, and we were com-
pelled to spend another night on the wreck,
though we knew it might not remain till morning.
We took a regular meal, for during the day we
had scarcely had time to snatch a morsel of bread
and a glass of wine. More composed than on the
preceding night, we retired to rest. I took the
precaution to fasten the swimming apparatus across
the shoulders of my three younger children and
my wife, for fear another storm might destroy the
vessel, and cast us into the sea. I also advised
my wife to put on a sailor’s dress, as more con-
venient for her expected toils and trials. She
reluctantly consented, and, after a short absence,
appeared in the dress of a youth who had served
as a volunteer in the vessel. She felt very timid
and awkward in her new dress; but I showed her
the advantage of the change, and, at last, she was
reconciled, and joined in the laughter of the chil-
dren at her strange disguise. She then got into
her hammock, and we enjoyed a pleasant sleep, to
prepare us for new labours.



10 THE SWISS

CHAPTER II.

Art break of day we were awake and ready, and
after morning prayer, I addressed my children
thus: “ We are now, my dear boys, with the help
of God, about to attempt our deliverance. Before
we go, provide our poor animals with food for
some days; we cannot take them with us, but if
our voyage succeed, we may return forthem. Are
you ready? Collect what you wish to carry away,
but only things absolutely necessary for our actual
wants.” I planned that our first cargo should
consist of a barrel of powder, three fowling-pieces,
three muskets, two pair of pocket pistols, and one
pair larger, ball, shot, and lead as much as we
could carry, with a bullet-mould; and I wished
each of my sons, as well as their mother, should
have a complete game-bag, of which there were
several in the officers’ cabins. We then set apart
a box of portable soup, another of biscuit, an iron
pot, a fishing-rod, a chest of nails, and one of car-
penter’s tools, also some sailcloth to make a tent.
In fact my boys collected so many things, we were
compelled to leave some behind, though I ex-
changed all the useless ballast for necessaries.

When all was ready, we implored the blessing
of God on our undertaking, and prepared to em-
bark in our tubs. At this moment the cocks
crowed a sort of reproachful farewell to us; we
had forgotten them; I immediately proposed to
take our poultry with us, geese, ducks, fowls and
pigeons, for, as I observed to my wife, if we could
not feed them, they would, at any rate, feed us.



FAMILY ROBINSON. . ll

We placed our ten hens and two cocks in a
covered tub; the rest we set at liberty, hoping
the geese and ducks might reach the shore by
water, and the pigeons by flight.

We waited a little for my wife, who came
loaded with a large bag, which she threw into the
tub that contained her youngest son. I con-
cluded it was intended to steady him, or for a
seat, and made no observation on it. Here follows
the order of our embarkation. In the first divi-
sion, sat the tender mother, the faithful and
pious wife. In the second, our amiable little
Francis, six years old, and of a sweet disposition.

In the third, Fritz, our eldest, fourteen or
fifteen years old, a curly-headed, clever, intelli-
gent and lively youth.

In the fourth, the powder-cask, with the fowls
and the sailcloth.

Our provisions filled the fifth.

In the sixth, our heedless Jack, ten years old,
enterprising, bold, and useful.

In the seventh, Ernest, twelve years of age, well-
informed and rational, but somewhat selfish and
indolent. In the eighth, myself, an anxious father,
charged with the important duty of guiding the
vessel to save my dear family. Each of us had
some useful tools beside us; each held an oar,
and had a swimming apparatus at hand, in case
we were unfortunately upset. The tide was rising
when we left, which I considered might assist my
weak endeavours. We turned our out-riggers
length-ways, and thus passed from the cleft of the
ship into the open sea. We rowed with all our
might, to reach the blue land we saw at a dis-
tance, but for some time in vain, as the boat kept



12 THE SWISS

turning round, and made no progress. At last I
contrived to steer it, so that we went straight
forward.

As soon as our dogs saw us depart, they leaped
into the sea, and followed us ; I could not let
them get into the boat, for fear they should upset
it. I was very sorry, for I hardly expected they
would be able to swim to land; but by occasionally
resting their forepaws on our out-riggers, they
managed to keep up with us. Turk was an
English dog, and Flora of a Danish breed.

We proceeded slowly, but safely. The nearer
we approached the land, the more dreary and un-
promising it appeared. The rocky coast seemed
to announce to us nothing but famine and misery.
The waves, gently rippling against the shore, were
scattered over with barrels, bales, and chests from
the wreck. Hoping to secure some good pro-
visions, I called on Fritz for assistance ; he held a
cord, hammer, and nails, and we managed to seize
two hogsheads in passing, and fastening them
with cords to our vessel, drew them after us to
the shore. |

As we approached, the coast seemed to improve.
The chain of rock was not entire, and Fritz’s hawk
eye made out some trees, which he declared were
the cocoa-nut tree; Ernest was delighted at the
prospect of eating these nuts, so much larger and
better than any grown in Europe. I was regret-
ting not having brought the large telescope from
the captain’s cabin, when Jack produced from his
pocket a smaller one, which he offered me with no
little pride.

This was a valuable acquisition, as I was now
enabled to make the requisite observations, and



FAMILY ROBINSON. 13

direct my course. The coast before us had a wild
and desert appearance,—it looked better towards
the left ; but I could not approach that part, for a
current which drove us towards the rocky and bar-
ren shore. At length we saw, near the mouth of a
rivulet, a little creek between the rocks, towards
which our geese and ducks made, serving us for
guides. This opening formed a little bay of
smooth water, just deep enough for our boat. I
cautiously entered it, and landed at a place where
the coast was about the height of our tubs, and
the water deep enough to let us approach. The
shore spread inland, forming a gentle declivity of
a triangular form, the point lost among the rocks,
and the base to the sea.

All that were able leaped on shore in a moment.
Even little Francis, who had been laid down in
his tub, like a salted herring, tried to crawl out,
but was compelled to wait for his mother’s assist-
ance. The dogs, who had preceded us in landing,
welcomed us in a truly friendly manner, leaping
playfully around us; the geese kept up a loud
cackling, to which the yellow-billed ducks quacked
a powerful bass. This, with the clacking of the
liberated fowls, and the chattering of the boys,
formed a perfect Babel; mingled with these, were the
harsh cries of the penguins and flamingoes, which
hovered over our heads, or sat on the points of the
rocks. They were in immense numbers, and their
notes almost deafened us, especially as they did
not accord with the harmony of our civilized fowls.
However I rejoiced to see these feathered creatures,
already fancying them on my table, if we were
obliged to remain in this desert region.

Our first care, when we stepped in safety on



14 THE SW1SS

land, was to kneel down and thank God, to whom
we owed our lives ; and to resign ourselves wholly
to his Fatherly kindness.

We then began to unload our vessel. How rich
we thought ourselves with the little we had saved !
We sought a convenient place for our tent, under
the shade of the rocks. We then inserted a pole
into a fissure in the rock; this, resting firmly on
another pole fixed in the ground, formed the frame
of the tent. The sailcloth was then stretched
over it, and fastened down at proper distances,
by pegs, to which, for greater security, we added
some boxes of provision ; we fixed some hooks to
the canvas at the opening in front, that we
might close the entrance during the night. I
sent my sons to seek some moss and withered
grass, and spread it in the sun to dry, to form our
beds; and while all, even little Francis, were busy
with this, I constructed a sort of cooking-place,
at some distance from the tent, near the river
which was to supply us with fresh water. It was
merely a hearth of flat stones from the bed of the
stream, fenced round with some thick branches.
I kindled a cheerful fire with some dry twigs, put
on the pot, filled with water and some squares of
portable soup, and left my wife, with Francis for
assistant, to prepare dinner. He took the portable
soup for glue, and could not conceive how mamma
could make soup, as we had no meat, and there
were no butchers’ shops here.

Fritz, in the mean time, had loaded our guns.
He took one to the side of the river ; Ernest de-
clined accompanying him, as the rugged road was
not to his taste; he preferred the seashore. Jack
proceeded to a ridge of rocks on the left, which ran



FAMILY ROBINSON. 15

towards the sea, to get some muscles. I went to
try and draw the two floating hogsheads on shore,
but could not succeed, for our landing-place was
too steep to get them up. Whilst I was vainly
trying to find a more favourable place, I heard my
dear Jack uttering most alarming cries. I seized
my hatchet, and ran to his assistance. I found
him up to the knees in a shallow pool, with a large
lobster holding his leg in its sharp claws. It made
off at my approach ; but I was determined it should
pay for the fright it had given me. Cautiously
taking it up, I brought it out, followed by Jack,
who, now very triumphant, wished to present it
himself to his mother, after watching how I held
it. But he had hardly got it into his hands, when
it gave him such a violent blow on the cheek with
its tail, that he let it fall, and began to cry again.
I could not help laughing at him, and, in his
rage, he seized a stone, and put an end to his
adversary. 1 was grieved at this, and recom-
mended him never to act in a moment of anger,
showing him that he was unjust in being so re-
vengeful ; for, if he had been bitten by the lobster,
it was plain he would have eaten his foe if he had
conquered him. Jack promised to be more dis-
creet and merciful in future, and obtained leave to
bear the prize to his mother.

“Mamma,” said he, proudly, “a lobster! A
lobster, Ernest! Where is Fritz! Take care it
does not bite you, Francis!” They all crowded
round in astonishment. ‘“ Yes,’ added he, tri-
umphantly, “here is the impertinent claw that
seized me; but I repaid the knave.”

* You are a boaster,” saidI. ‘“ You would have
got indifferently on with the lobster, if I had not



16 THE SWISS

come up; and have you forgotten the slap on the
cheek which compelled you to release him? Be-
sides, he only defended himself with his natural
arms; but you had to take a great stone. You
have no reason to be proud, Jack.”

Ernest wished to have the lobster added to the
soup to improve it; but his mother, with a spirit
of economy, reserved it for another day. I then
walked to the spot where Jack’s lobster was
caught, and, finding it favourable for my purpose,
drew my two hogsheads on shore there, and
secured them by turning them on end.

On returning, I congratulated Jack on being
the first who had been successful in foraging.
Ernest remarked, that he had seen some oysters
attached to a rock, but could not get at them
without wetting his feet, which he did not like.

“Indeed, my delicate gentleman !” said I, laugh-
ing, “I must trouble you to return and procure
us some. We must all unite in working for the
public good, regardless of wet feet. The sun will
soon dry us.”

“T might as well bring some salt at the same
time,” said he; “I saw plenty in the fissures of
the rock, left by the sea, I should think, papa?”

“‘ Doubtless, Mr. Reasoner,” replied I; “ where
else could it have come from? the fact was so ob-
vious, that you had better have brought a bagful,
than delayed to reflect about it. But if you wish
to escape insipid soup, be quick and procure some.”

He went, and returned with some salt, so mixed
with sand and earth, that I should have thrown it
away as useless; but my wife dissolved it in fresh
water, and, filtermg it through a piece of canvas,
managed to flavour our soup with it.



FAMILY ROBINSON. 17

Jack asked why we could not have used sea-
water; and I explained to him that the bitter and
nauseous taste of sea-water would have spoiled our
dinner. My wife stirred the soup with a little
stick, and, tasting it, pronounced it very good, but
added, “ We must wait for Fritz. And how shall
we eat our soup without plates or spoons? We
cannot possibly raise this large boiling pot to our
heads, and drink out of it.”’

It was too true. We gazed stupified at our pot,
and, at last, all burst into laughter at our desti-
tution, and our folly in forgetting such useful
necessaries.

“Tf we only had cocoa-nuts,” said Ernest, “ we
might split them, and make basins and spoons.”

“If!” replied I—“ but we have none! We
might as well wish for a dozen handsome silver —
spoons at once, if wishes were of any use.”

“ But,” observed he, “we can use oyster-
shells,” |

“A useful thought, Ernest ; go directly and get
the oysters ; and, remember, gentlemen, no com-
plaints, though the spoons are without handles,
and you should dip your fingers into the bowl.”

Off ran Jack, and was mid-leg in the water
before Ernest got to him. He tore down the
oysters, and threw them to his idle brother, who
filled his handkerchief, taking care to put a large
one into his pocket for his own use; and they
returned with their spoil.

Fritz had not yet appeared, and his mother was
becoming uneasy, when we heard him cheerfully
hailing us at a distance. He soon came up, with
a feigned air of disappointment, and his hands
behind him; but Jack, who had glided round him,

c



18 THE SWISS

cried out, “ A sucking pig! a sucking pig!” And
he then, with great pride and satisfaction, pro-
duced his booty, which I recognized, from the
description of travellers, to be the agouti, common
in these regions, a swift animal, which burrows in
the earth, and lives on fruits and nuts ; its flesh,
something like that of the rabbit, has an unplea-
sant flavour to Europeans.

All were anxious to know the particulars of the
chase; but I seriously reproved my son for his
little fiction, and warned him never to use the least
deceit, even in jest. I then inquired where he
had met with the agouti. He told me he had
been on the other side of the river, “a very dif-
ferent place to this,’ continuedhe. “ The shore
lies low, and you can have no idea of the number
- of casks, chests, planks, and all sorts of things the
sea has thrown up; shall we go and take posses-
sion of them? And to-morrow, father, we ought
to make another trip to the vessel, to look after
our cattle. We might, at least, bring away the
cow. Our biscuit would not be so hard dipped in
milk.” |

“And very much nicer,” added the greedy
Ernest.

“Then,” continued Fritz, “ beyond the river
there is rich grass for pasturage, and a shady
wood. Why should we remain in this barren
wilderness ?”’

“Softly!” replied I, “there is a time for all
things. To-morrow, and the day after to-morrow
will have their work. But first tell me, did you
see anything of our shipmates ?”’

“Not a trace of man, living or dead, on land
or sea; but I saw an animal more like a hog than



FAMILY ROBINSON. 19

this, but with feet like a hare; it leaped among
the grass, sometimes sitting upright, and rubbing
its mouth with its fore-paws; sometimes seeking
for roots, and gnawing them like a squirrel. If I
had not been afraid it would escape me, I would
have tried to take it alive, it seemed so very
tame.”

As we were talking, Jack had been trying, with
many grimaces, to force an oyster open with his
knife. I laughed at his vain endeavours, and
putting some on the fire, showed him them open
of themselves. I had no taste for oysters myself
but as they are everywhere accounted a delicacy,
I advised my sons to try them. They all at first
declined the unattractive repast, except Jack,
who, with great courage, closed his eyes, and
desperately swallowed one as if it had been medi-
cine. The rest followed his example, and then all
agreed with me that oysters were not good. The
shells were soon plunged into the pot to bring out
some of the good soup; but scalding their fingers,
it was who could cry out the loudest. Ernest
took his large shell from his pocket, cautiously
filled it with a good portion of soup, and set it
down to cool, exulting in his own prudence.
“You have been very thoughtful, my dear Er-
nest,” said I; “but why are your thoughts always
for yourself; so seldom for others? As a punish-
ment for your egotism, that portion must be
given to our faithful dogs. We can all dip our
shells into the pot, the dogs cannot. Therefore,
they shall have your soup, and you must wait,
and eat as we do.” My reproach struck his
heart, and he placed his shell obediently on the
ground, which the dogs emptied immediately.

c 2



20 THE SWISS

We were almost as hungry as they were, and were
watching anxiously till the soup began to cool ;
when we perceived that the dogs were tearing
and gnawing Fritz’s agouti. The boys all cried
out; Fritz was in a fury, took his gun, struck
the dogs, called them names, threw stones at
them, and would have killed them if I had not
held him. He had actually bent his gun with
striking them. As soon as he would listen to me,
I reproached him seriously for his violence, and
represented to him how much he had distressed
us, and terrified his mother; that he had spoiled
his gun, which might have been so useful to us,
and had almost killed the poor animals, who
might be more so. “Anger,” said I, “ leads to
every crime. Remember Cain, who killed his
brother in a fit of passion.” “Oh, father !”
said he, in a voice of terror; and, acknowledging
his error, he asked pardon, and shed bitter tears.

Soon after our repast the sun set, and the
fowls gathered round us, and picked up the
scattered crumbs of biscuit. My wife then took
out her mysterious bag, and drew from it some
handfuls of grain to feed her flock. She showed
me also many other seeds of useful vegetables. 1
praised her prudence, and begged her to be very
economical, as these seeds were of great value,
and we could bring from thé vessel some spoiled
biscuit for the fowls.

Our pigeons now flew among the rocks, the
cocks and hens perched on the frame of the tent,
and the geese and ducks chose to roost m a
marsh, covered with bushes, near the sea. We
prepared for our rest; we loaded all our arms,
then offered up our prayers together, thanking



FAMILY ROBINSON. 21

God for his signal mercy to us, and commending
ourselves to his care. When the last ray of light
departed, we closed our tent, and lay down on
our beds, close together. The children had re-
marked how suddenly the darkness came on,
from which I concluded we were not far from the
equator; for I explained to them, the more per-
pendicularly the rays of the sun fall, the less their
refraction ; and consequently night comes on sud-
denly when the sun is below the horizon.

Once more I looked out to see if all was quiet,
then carefully closing the entrance, I lay down.
Warm as the day had been, the night was so cold
that we were obliged to crowd together for
warmth. The children soon slept, and when I
saw their mother in her first peaceful sleep, my
own eyes closed, and our first night on the island
passed comfortably.

CHAPTER III.

At break of day I was waked by the crowing
of the cock. I summoned my wife to council, to
consider on the business of the day. We agreed
that our first duty was to seek for our shipmates,
and to examine the country beyond the river
before we came to any decisive resolution.

My wife saw we could not all go on this expe-
dition, and courageously agreed to remain with
her three youngest sons, while Fritz, as the eldest
and boldest, should accompany me. I begged
her to prepare breakfast immediately, which she
warned me would be scanty, as no soup was pro-



22 THE SWISS

vided. I asked for Jack’s lobster; but it was not
to be found. Whilst my wife made the fire, and
put on the pot, I called the children, and asking
Jack for the lobster, he brought it from a crevice
im the rock, where he had hidden it from the
dogs, he said, who did not despise anything eat-
able.

“T am glad to see you profit by the misfor-
tunes of others,” said I; “and now will you give
up that large claw that caught your leg, and
which I promised you, to Fritz, as a provision for
his journey?” All were anxious to go on this
journey, and leaped round me like little kids.
But I told them we could not all go. They must
remain with their mother, with Flora for a pro-
tector. Fritz and I would take Turk; with him
and a loaded gun I thought we should inspire
respect. I then ordered Fritz to tie up Flora,
and get the guns ready.

Fritz blushed, and tried in vain to straighten
his crooked gun. I let him go on for some time,
and then allowed him to take another; for I saw
he was penitent. The dogs, too, snarled, and
would not let him approach them. He wept, and
begged some biscuit from his mother, declaring he
would give up his own breakfast to make his peace
with the dogs. He fed them, caressed them, and
seemed to ask pardon. The dog is always grate-
ful; Flora soon licked his hands; Turk was more
unrelenting, appearing to distrust him. “ Give
him a claw of the lobster,” said Jack; “ for I
make you a present of the whole for your jour-
ney.”

“ Don’t be uneasy about them,” said Ernest,
“they will certainly meet with cocoa-nuts, as



FAMILY ROBINSON. 23

Robinson did, very different food to your wretched
lobster. Think of an almond as big as my head,
with a large cup full of rich milk.”

« Pray, brother, bring me one, if you find any,”
said Francis.

We began our preparation; we each took a
game-bag and a hatchet. I gave Fritz a pair of
pistols in addition to his gun, equipped myself in
the same way, and took care to carry biscuit and a
flask of fresh water. The lobster proved so hard
at breakfast, that the boys did not object to our
carrying off the remainder ; and, though the flesh
is coarse, it is very nutritious.

I proposed before we departed, to have prayers,
and my thoughtless Jack began to imitate the
sound of church-bells—“ Ding, dong! to prayers!
to prayers! ding, dong!” I was really angry,
and reproved him severely for jesting about sacred
things. Then, kneeling down, I prayed God’s
blessing on our undertaking, and his pardon for
us all, especially for him who had now so grie-
vously sinned. Poor Jack came and kneeled by
me, weeping and begging for forgiveness from me
and from God. I embraced him, and enjoined
him and his brothers to obey their mother. I
then loaded the guns I left with them, and charged
my wife to keep near the boat, their best refuge.
We took leave of our friends with many tears, as
we did not know what dangers might assail us in
an unknown region. But the murmur of the
river, which we were now approaching, drowned
the sound of their sobs, and we bent our thoughts
on our journey.

The bank of the river was so steep, that we
could only reach the bed at one little opening,



24. THE SWISS

near the sea, where we had procured our water ;
but here the opposite side was guarded by a ridge
of lofty perpendicular rocks. We were obliged
to ascend the river to a place where it fell over
some rocks, some fragments of which having fallen,
made a sort of stepping-stones, which enabled us
to cross with some hazard. We made our way,
with difficulty, through the high grass, withered
by the sun, directing our course towards the sea,
in hopes of discovering some traces of the boats,
or the crew. We had scarcely gone a hundred
yards, when we heard a loud noise and rustling in
the grass, which was as tall as we were. We
imagined we were pursued by some wild beast, |
and I was gratified to observe the courage of
Fritz, who, imstead of running away, calmly
turned round and presented his piece. What
was our joy when we discovered that the formid-
able enemy was only our faithful Turk, whom we
had forgotten in our distress, and our friends had
doubtless dispatched him after us! I applauded
my son’s presence of mind; arash act might have
deprived us of this valuable friend.

We continued our way: the sea lay to our left ;
on our right, at a short distance, ran the chain of
rocks, which were continued from our landing-
place, in a line parallel to the sea; the summits
clothed with verdure and various trees. Between
the rocks and the sea, several little woods ex-
tended, even to the shore, to which we kept as
close as possible, vainly looking out on land or
sea for any trace of our crew. Fritz proposed to
fire his gun, as a signal to them, if they should be
near us; but I reminded him that this signal

might bring the savages round us, instead of our
friends.



Wy
4

f

(i
Ot
Hi \
Z
aA
i



“ We rested in the shade, near a clear stream, and took
some refreshment.”’— P, 25



FAMILY ROBINSON. 25

He then inquired why we should search after
those persons at all, who so unfeelingly abandoned
us on the wreck.

« First,” said I, “we must not return evil for
evil. Besides, they may assist us, or be in need
of our assistance. Above all, remember, they
could save nothing but themselves. We have got
many useful things which they have as much
right to as we.”

“But we might be saving the lives of our
cattle,” said he.

« We should do our duty better by saving the
life of a man,” answered 1; “ besides, our cattle
have food for some days, and the sea is so calm
there is no immediate danger.”

We proceeded, and entering a little wood that
extended to the sea, we rested in the shade, near
a clear stream, and took some refreshment. We
were surrounded by unknown birds, more remark-
able for brilliant plumage than for the charm of
their voice. Fritz thought he saw some monkeys
among the leaves, and Turk began to be restless,
smelling about, and barking very loud. Fritz
was gazing up into the trees, when he fell over a
large round substance, which he brought to me,
observing that it might be a bird’s nest. Ithought
it more likely to be a cocoa-nut. The fibrous
covering had reminded him of the description he
had read of the nests of certain birds; but, on
breaking the shell, we found it was indeed a cocoa-
nut, but quite decayed and uneatable.

Fritz was astonished; where was the sweet
milk that Ernest had talked of ?

I told him the milk was only in the half-ripe
nuts; that it thickened and hardened as the



26 THE SWISS

nut ripened, becoming a kernel. This nut had
perished from remaining above ground. If it had
been in the earth, it would have vegetated, and
burst the shell. I advised my son to try if he
could not find a perfect nut.

After some search, we found one, and sat down
to eat it, keeping our own provision for dinner.
The nut was somewhat rancid ; but we enjoyed it,
and then continued our journey. We were some
time before we got through the wood, being fre-
quently obliged to clear a road for ourselves,
through the entangled brushwood, with our hat-
chets. At last we entered the open plain again,
and had a clear view before us. The forest stil]
extended about a stone’s throw to our right, and
Fritz, who was always on the look-out for dis-
coveries, observed a remarkable tree, here and
there, which he approached #¢o0 examine ; and he
soon called me to see this wonderful tree, with
wens growing on the trunk.

On coming up, I was overjoyed to find this
tree, of which there were a great number, was
the gourd-tree, which bears fruit on the trunk.
Fritz asked if these were sponges. I told him to
bring me one, and I would explain the mystery.

“There is one,” said he, “ very like a pumpkin,
only harder outside.”

“ Of this shell,” said I, “we can make plates,
dishes, basins, and flasks. We call it the gourd-
tree.”

Fritz leaped for joy. “ Now my dear mother
will be able to serve her soup properly.” I asked
him if he knew why the tree bore the fruit on
its trunk, or on the thick branches only. He
immediately replied, that the smaller branches



FAMILY ROBINSON. 27

would not bear the weight of the fruit. He asked
me if this fruit was eatable. ‘“ Harmless, I be-
lieve,” said 1; “but by no means delicate. Its
ereat value to savage nations consists in the shell,
which they use to contain their food, and drink,
and even cook in it.” Fritz could not comprehend
how they could cook in the shell without burnmg
it. I told him the shell was not placed on the
fire; but, being filled with cold water, and the
fish or meat placed in it, red-hot stones are, by
degrees, introduced into the water, till it attains
sufficient heat to cook the food, without injuring
the vessel. We then set about making our dishes
and plates. I showed Fritz a better plan of divi-
ding the gourd than with a knife. I tied a string
tightly round the nut, struck it with the handle of
my knife till an incision was made, then tightened
it till the nut was separated into two equally-sized
bowls. Fritz had spoiled his gourd by cutting it
irregularly with his knife. I advised him to try
and make spoons of it, as it would not do for
basins now. I told him I had learnt my plan
from books of travels. It is the practice of the
savages, who have no knives, to use a sort of
string, made from the bark of trees, for this pur-
pose. “ But how can they make bottles,” said
he. “That requires some preparation,” replied
I. “ They tie a bandage round the young gourd
near the stalk, so that the part at liberty expands
in a round form, and the compressed part remains
narrow. They then open the top, and extract the
contents by putting in pebbles and shaking it.
By this means they have a complete bottle.”

We worked on. Fritz completed a dish and
some plates, to his great satisfaction, but we con-



28 THE SWISS

sidered, that being so frail, we could not carry
them with us. We therefore filled them with
sand, that the sun might not warp them, and left
them to dry, till we returned.

As we went on, Fritz amused himself with cut-
ting spoons from the rind of the gourd, and I tried
to do the same with the fragments of the cocoa-nut 5
but I must confess my performances were inferior
to those I had seen in the museum in London, the
work of the South Sea islanders. We laughed at
our spoons, which would have required mouths
trom ear to ear to eat with them. Fritz declared
that the curve of the rind was the cause of that
defect : if the spoons had been smaller, they would
have been flat; and you might as well eat soup
with an oyster-shell as with a shovel.

While we talked, we did not neglect looking
about for our lost companions, but in vain. At
last, we arrived at a place where a tongue of land
ran to some distance into the sea, on which was
an elevated spot, favourable for observation. We
attained the summit with great labour, and saw
before us a magnificent prospect of land and water ;
but with all the aid our excellent telescope gave
us, we could in no direction discover any trace of
man. Nature only appeared in her greatest
beauty. The shore enclosed a large bay, which
terminated on the other side in a promontory.
The gentle rippling of the waves, the varied ver-
dure of the woods, and the multitude of novelties
around us, would have filled us with delight, but
for the painful recollection of those who, we now
were compelled to believe, were buried beneath
that glittering water. We did not feel less, how-
ever, the mercy of God, who had preserved us, and



FAMILY ROBINSON. 29

given us a home, with a prospect of subsistence
and safety. We had not yet met with any dan-
gerous animals, nor could we perceive any huts of
savages. I remarked to my son that God seemed
to have destined us to a solitary life in this rich
country, unless some vessel should reach these
shores. ‘And His will be done!” added I; “ it
must be for the best. Now let us retire to that
pretty wood to rest ourselves, and eat our dinner,
before we return.”

We proceeded towards a pleasant wood of palm-
trees; but before reaching it, had to pass through
an immense number of reeds, which greatly ob-
structed our road. We were, moreover, fearful of
treading on the deadly serpents who choose such
retreats. We made Turk walk before us to give
notice, and I cut a long, thick cane as a weapon of
defence. I was surprised to see a glutinous juice
oozing from the end of the cut cane ; I tasted it, and
was convinced that we had met with a plantation
of sugar-canes. I sucked more of it, and found
myself singularly refreshed. I said nothing to
Fritz, that he might have the pleasure of making
the discovery himself. He was walking a few paces
before me, and I called to him to cut himself a
cane like mine, which he did, and soon found out
the riches it contained. He cried out in ecstasy,
“Oh, papa! papa! syrup of sugar-cane! delicious !
How delighted will dear mamma, and my brothers
be, when I carry some to them!” He went on,
sucking pieces of cane so greedily, that I checked
him, recommending moderation. He was then
content to take some pieces to regale himself as
he walked home, loading himself with a huge
burden for his mother and brothers. We now



30 THE SWISS

entered the wood of palms to eat our dinner, when
suddenly a number of monkeys, alarmed by our
approach, and the barking of the dog, fled like
lightning to the tops of the trees ; and then grinned
frightfully at us, with load cries of defiance. As
I saw the trees were cocoa-palms, I hoped to ob-
tain, by means of the monkeys, a supply of the
nuts in the half-ripe state, when filled with milk.
I held Fritz’s arm, who was preparing to shoot at
them, to his great vexation, as he was irritated
against the poor monkeys for their derisive ges-
tures; but I told him, that though no patron of
monkeys myself, I could not allow it. We had
no right to kill any amimal except in defence, or
as a means of supporting life. Besides, the monkeys
would be of more use to us living than dead, as I
would show him. I began to throw stones at the
monkeys, not being able, of course, to reach the
place of their retreat, and they, in their anger, and in
the spirit of imitation, gathered the nuts and hurled
them on us in such quantities, that we had some
difficulty in escaping from them. We had soon a
large stock of cocoa-nuts. Fritz enjoyed the suc-
cess of the stratagem, and, when the shower sub-
sided, he collected as many as he wished. We
then sat down, and tasted some of the milk through
the three small holes, which we opened with our
knives. We then divided some with our hatchets,
and quenched our thirst with the liquor, which has
not, however, a very agreeable flavour. We liked
best a sort of thick cream which adheres to the
shells, from which we scraped it with our spoons,
and mixing it with the juice of the sugar-cane, we
produced a delicious dish. Turk had the rest of the
lobster, which we now despised, with some biscuit.



FAMILY ROBINSON. 31

We then got up, I tied some nuts together by
their stems, and threw them over my shoulder.
Fritz took his bundle of canes, and we set out
homewards.

CHAPTER IY.

Fritz groaned heavily under the weight of his
canes as we travelled on, and pitied the poor ne-
groes, who had to carry such heavy burdens of
them. He then, in imitation of me, tried to re-
fresh himself by sucking a sugar-cane, but was
surprised to find he failed in extracting any of the
juice. At last, after some reflection, he said, “ Ah!
I remember, if there is no opening made for the
air, 1 can get nothing out.” I requested him to
find a remedy for this.

J will make an opening,” said he, “ above the
first knot in the cane. If I draw in my breath in
sucking, and thus make a vacuum in my mouth.
the outer air then forces itself through the hole I
have made to fill this vacuum, and carries the juice
along with it; and when this division of the cane
is emptied, I can proceed to pierce above the next
knot. Iam only afraid that going on this way
we shall have nothing but empty canes to carry
to our friends.” I told him, that I was more
afraid the sun might turn the syrup sour before
we got our canes home; therefore we need not
spare them.

“Well, at any rate,” said he, “I have filled
my flask with the milk of the cocoa-nut to regale
them.”



32 THE SWISS

I told him I feared another disappointment ; for
the milk of the cocoa-nut, removed from the shell,
spoiled sooner than the sugar-cane juice. I warned
him that the milk, exposed to the sun in his tin
flask, was probably become vinegar.

He instantly took the bottle from his shoulder
and uncorked it ; when the liquor flew out with a
report, foaming like champaign.

I congratulated him on his new manufacture,
and said, we must beware of intoxication.

“Qh, taste, papa!” said he, “it is delicious,
not at all lke vinegar, but capital new, sweet,
sparkling wine. This will be the best treat, if it
remains in this state.”

“] fear it will not be so,” said I. “ This isthe
first stage of fermentation. When this is over,
and the liquor is cleared, it is a sort of wine, or
fermented liquor, more or less agreeable, accord-
ing to the material used. By applying heat, a
second, and slower fermentation succeeds, and the
liquor becomes vinegar. Then comes ona third
stage, which deprives it of its strength, and spoils
it. I fear, in this burning climate, you will carry
home only vinegar, or something still more offen-
sive. But let us drink each other’s health now,
but prudently, or we shall soon feel the effects of
this potent beverage.”’ Perfectly refreshed, we went
on cheerfully to the place where we had left our
gourd utensils. We found them quite dry, and
hard as bone; we had no difficulty in carrying
them in our game-bags. We had scarcely got
through the little wood where we had breakfasted,
when Turk darted furiously on a troop of monkeys,
who were sporting about, and had not perceived
him. He immediately seized a female, holding a



FAMILY ROBINSON. 33

young one in her arms, which impeded her flight,
and had killed and devoured the poor mother
before we could reach him. The young one had
hidden itself among the long grass, when Fritz
arrived ; he had run with all his might, losing his
hat, bottle, and canes, but could not prevent the
murder of the poor mother.

The little monkey no sooner saw him than it
leaped upon his shoulders, fastening its paws in his
curls, and neither cries, threats, nor shaking could
rid him of it. Iran up to him laughing, for I
saw the little creature could not hurt him, and
tried in vain to disengage it. I told him he must
carry it thus. It was evident the sagacious little
creature, having lost its mother, had adopted him
for a father.

I succeeded, at last, in quietly releasing him,
and took the little orphan, which was no bigger
than a cat, in my arms, pitying its helplessness.
The mother appeared as tall as Fritz.

I was reluctant to add another mouth to the
number we had to feed ; but Fritz earnestly begged
to keep it, offering to divide his share of cocoa-nut
milk with it till we had our cows. I consented,
on condition that he took care of it, and taught it
to be obedient to him.

Turk, in the mean time, was feasting onthe
remains of the unfortunate mother. Fritz would
have driven him off, but I saw we had not food
sufficient to satisfy this voracious animal, and we
might ourselves be in danger from his appetite.

We left him, therefore, with his prey, the little —
orphan sitting on the shoulder of his protector,
while I carried the canes. Turk soon overtook
us, and was received very coldly; we reproached

D



34 THE SWISS

him with his cruelty, but he was quite uncon-
cerned, and continued to walk after Fritz. The
little monkey seemed uneasy at the sight of him,
and crept into Fritz’s bosom, much to his incon-
venience. Buta thought struck him; he tied the
monkey with a cord to Turk’s back, leading the
dog by another cord, as he was very rebellious at
first ; but our threats and caresses at last induced
him to submit to his burden. We proceeded
slowly, and I could not help anticipating the mirth
of my little ones, when they saw us approach like
a pair of show-men.

I advised Fritz not to correct the dogs for
attacking and killing unknown animals. Heaven
bestows the dog on man, as well as the horse, for
a friend and protector. Fritz thought we were
very fortunate, then, in having two such faithful
dogs; he only regretted that our horses had died
on the passage, and only left us the ass.

“ Let us not disdain the ass,” said I; “I wish
we had him here; he is of a very fine breed, and
would be as useful as a horse to us.”

In such conversations, we arrived at the banks
of our river before we were aware. Flora barked
to announce our approach, and Turk answered so
loudly, that the terrified little monkey leaped from
his back to the shoulder of its protector, and
would not come down. Turk ran off to meet his
companion, and our dear family soon appeared on
the opposite shore, shouting with joy at our happy
return. We crossed at the same place as we had
done in the morning, and embraced each other.
Then began such a noise of exclamations. “A
monkey! areal, live monkey! Ah! how delightful !
How glad we are! How did you catch him ?”



FAMILY ROBINSON. 35

“He is very ugly,” said little Francis, who was
almost afraid of him.

“ He is prettier than you are,” said Jack ; “ see
how he laughs! how I should like to see him eat !”’

“Tf we only had some cocoa-nuts,” said Ernest.
“ Have you found any, and are they good?”

“ Have you had any unpleasant adventures? ”
asked my wife.

It was in vain to attempt replying to so many
questions and exclamations. .

At length, when we got a little peace, I told
them that, though I had brought them all sorts of
good things, I had, unfortunately, not met with
any of our companions.

“God’s will be done!” said my wife; “let us
thank Him for saving us, and again bringing us
together now. ‘This day has seemed an age.
But put down your loads, and let us hear your
adventures ; we have not been idle, but we are
less fatigued than you. Boys, assist your father
and brother.”

Jack took my gun, Ernest the cocoa-nuts, Fran-
cis the gourd-rinds, and my wife the game-bag.
Fritz distributed his sugar-canes, and placed the
monkey on Turk’s back, to the amusement of the
children. He begged Ernest to carry his gun, but
he complained of being overloaded with the great
bowls. His indulgent mother took them from
him, and we proceeded to the tent.

Fritz thought Ernest would not have relin-
quished the bowls, if he had known what they
contained, and called out to tell him they were
cocoa-nuts. ;

“Give them to me,” cried Ernest. “I will
carry them, mamma, and the gun too.”

D2



36 THE SWISS

His mother declined giving them.

“T can throw away these sticks,” said he, “and
carry the gun in my hand.”

“I would advise you not,” observed Fritz, “ for
the sticks are sugar-canes,”

“ Sugar-canes!” cried they all, surrounding
Fritz, who had to give them the history, and teach
them the art of sucking the canes.

My wife, who had a proper respect for sugar in
her housekeeping, was much pleased with this
discovery, and the history of all our acquisitions,
which I displayed to her. Nothing gave her so
much pleasure as our plates and dishes, which
were actual necessaries. We went to our kitchen,
and were gratified to see preparations going on
for a good supper. My wife had planted a forked
stick on each side the hearth ; on these rested a
long thin wand, on which all sorts of fish were
roasting, Francis being intrusted to turn the spit.
On the other side was impaled a goose on another
spit, and a row of oyster-shells formed the dripping-
pan: besides this, the iron pot was on the fire,
from which arose the savoury odour of a good soup.
Behind the hearth stood one of the hogsheads,
opened, and containing the finest Dutch cheeses,
enclosed in cases of lead. All this was very tempt-
ing to hungry travellers, and very unlike a supper
on a desert island. I could not think my family

ad been idle, when I saw such a result of their
labours; I was only sorry they had killed the
goose, as I wished to be economical with our
poultry.

“ Have no uneasiness,” said my wife, “this is
not from our poultry-yard, it is a wild goose, killed
by Ernest.”



FAMILY ROBINSON. 37

“Tt is a sort of penguin, I believe,” said Ernest,
“distinguished by the name of booby, and so
stupid, that I knocked it down with a stick. It
is web-footed, has a long narrow beak, a little
curved downwards. I have preserved the head
and neck for you to examine ; it exactly resembles
the penguin of my book of natural history.”

I pointed out to him the advantages of study,
and was making more inquiries about the form
and habits of the bird, when my wife requested
me to defer my catechism of natural history.

“Ernest has killed the bird,’ added she; “I
received it; we shall eat it. What more would
you have? Let the poor child have the pleasure
of examining and tasting the cocoa-nuts.”

“ Very well,” replied I, “ Fritz must teach them
how to open them; and we must not forget the
little monkey, who has lost his mother’s milk.”

“T have tried him,” cried Jack, “and he will
eat nothing.”

I told them he had not yet learnt to eat, and
we must feed him with cocoa-nut milk till we
could get something better. Jack generously
offered all his share, but Ernest and Francis were
anxious to taste the milk themselves.

“ But the monkey must live,” said Jack, petu-
lantly.

“ And so must we all,” said mamma. “Supper
is ready, and we will reserve the cocoa-nuts for
dessert.”

We sat down on the ground, and the supper was
served on our gourd-rind service, which answered
the purpose admirably. My impatient boys had
broken the nuts, which they found excellent, and
they made themselves spoons of the shell. Jack



38 THE SWISS

had taken care the monkey had his share ; they
dipped the corner of their handkerchiefs in the
milk, and let him suck them. They were going
to break up some more nuts, after emptying them
through the natural holes, but I stopped them,
and called for a saw. I carefully divided the nuts
with this instrument, and soon provided us each
with a neat basin for our soup, to the great com-
fort of my dear wife, who was gratified by seeing
us able to eat like civilized beings. Fritz begged
now to enliven the repast by introducing his cham-
paign. TI consented ; requesting him, however, to
taste it himself before he served it. What was his
mortification to find it vinegar! But we consoled
ourselves by using it as sauce to our goose; a
great improvement also to the fish. We had now
to hear the history of our supper. Jack and
Francis had caught the fish at the edge of the sea.
My active wife had performed the most laborious
duty; in rolling the hogshead to: the place and
breaking open the head.
€ sun was going down as we finished supper,
and, recollecting how rapidly night succeeded, we
hastened to our tent, where we found our beds
much more comfortable, from the kind attention
of the good mother, who had collected a large
addition of dried grass. After prayers, we all lay
down ; the monkey between Jack and Fritz, care-
fully covered with moss to keep him warm. The
fowls went to their roost, as on the previous night,
and, after our fatigue, we were all soon in a pro-
found sleep.
We had not slept long, when a great commo-
tion among the dogs and fowls announced the



FAMILY ROBINSON. 39

presence of an enemy. My wife, Fritz, and I,
each seizing a gun, rushed out.

By the light of the moon, we saw a terrible
battle going on: our brave dogs were surrounded
by a dozen jackals, three or four were extended
dead, but our faithful animals were nearly over-
powered by numbers when we arrived. I was
glad to find nothing worse than jackals; Fritz
and I fired on them; two fell dead, and the others
fled slowly, evidently wounded. Turk and Flora
pursued and completed the business, and then,
like true dogs, devoured their fallen foes, regard-
less of the bonds of relationship.

All being quiet again, we retired to our beds;
Fritz obtaining leave to drag the jackal he had
killed towards the tent, to save it from the dogs,
and to show to his brothers next morning. ‘This
he accomplished with difficulty, for it was as big
as a large dog.

We all slept peacefully the remainder of the
night, till the crowing of the cock awoke my wife
and myself to a consultation on the business of
the day.

CHAPTER V.

“Wet, my dear,” I began, “I feel rather
alarmed at all the labours I see before me. A
voyage to the vessel is indispensable, if we wish
to save our cattle, and many other things that
may be useful to us; on the other hand, I should



40 THE SWISS

like to have a more secure shelter for ourselves
and our property than this tent.”

“With patience, order, and perseverance, all
may be done,” said my good counsellor; “and
whatever uneasiness your voyage may give me, I
yield to the importance and utility of it. Let it
be done to-day; and have no care for the mor-
row : sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof, as
our blessed Lord has said.”

It was then agreed that the three youngest
children should remain with my wife; and Fritz,
the strongest and most active, should accompany
me.

I then arose, and woke my children for the im-
portant duties of the day. Fritz jumped up the
first, and ran for his jackal, which had stiffened in
the cold of the night. He placed it on its four
legs, at the entrance of the tent, to surprise his
brothers ; but no sooner did the dogs see it erect,
than they flew at it, and would have torn it to
pieces, if he had not soothed them and called them
off. However, their barking effectually roused the
boys, who rushed out to see the cause. Jack
issued first with the monkey on his shoulder; but
no sooner did the little creature see the jackal,
than he sprang into the tent, and hid himself
among the moss, till only the tip of his nose was
visible. All were astonished to see this large
yellow animal standing ; Francis thought it was
a wolf; Jack said it was only a dead dog, and
Ernest, in a pompous tone, pronounced it to be a
golden fox.

Fritz laughed at the learned professor, who
knew the agouti immediately, and now called a
jackal a golden fox |!



FAMILY ROBINSON. 41

“T judged by the peculiar characteristics,” said
Ernest, examining it carefully.

“ Oh! the characteristics!” said Fritz, ironically,
“don’t you think it may be a golden wolf?”

“ Pray don’t be so cross, brother,” said Ernest,
with tears in his eyes, “perhaps you would not
have known the name, if papa had not told you.”

I reproved Fritz for his ridicule of his brother,
and Ernest for so easily taking offence; and, to
reconcile all, I told them that the jackal partook
of the nature of the wolf, the fox, and the dog.
This discussion terminated, I summoned them to
prayers, after which we thought of breakfast. We
had nothing but biscuit, which was certainly dry
and hard. Fritz begged for a little cheese with
it; and Ernest, who was never satisfied like other
people, took a survey of the unopened hogshead.
He soon returned, crying “If we only had a
httle butter with our biscuit, it would be so good,
papa!”

I allowed it would be good, but it was no use
thinking of such a thing.

“ Let us open the other cask,” said he, display-
ing a piece of butter he had extracted through a
small crack on the side.

“Your instinct for good things has been for-
tunate for us,” saidI. “Come, boys, who wants
bread and butter ?” |

We began to consider how we should come at
the contents of the hogshead, without exposing
the perishable matter to the heat of the sun.
Finally, I pierced a hole in the lower part of the
cask, large enough for us to draw out the butter
as we wanted it, by means of a little wooden
shovel, which I soon made. We then sat down



42 THE SWISS

to breakfast with a cocoa-nut basin filled with
good salt Dutch butter. We toasted our biscuit,
buttered it hot, and agreed that it was excellent.
Our dogs were sleeping by us as we breakfasted ;
and I remarked that they had bloody marks of
the last night’s fray, in some deep and dangerous
wounds, especially about the neck ; my wife in-
stantly dressed the wounds with butter, well
washed in cold water; and the poor animals
seemed grateful for the ease it gave them. Ernest
judiciously remarked, that they ought to have
spiked collars, to defend them from any wild
beasts they might encounter.

“T will make them collars,” said Jack, who
never hesitated at anything. I was glad to em-
- ploy his inventive powers; and, ordering my chil-
dren, not to leave their mother, during our absence,
but to pray to God to bless our undertaking, we
began our preparations for the voyage.

While Fritz made ready the boat, I erected a
signal-post, with a piece of sailcloth for a flag, to
float as long as all was going on well; but if we
were wanted, they were to lower the flag, and fire
a gun three times, when we would immediately
return ; for I had informed my dear wife it might
be necessary for us to remain on board all night ;
and she consented to the plan, on my promising
to pass the night in our tubs, instead of the ves.
sel. We took nothing but our guns and ammu-
nition; relying on the ship’s provisions. Fritz
would, however, take the monkey, that he might
give it some milk from the cow.

We took a tender leave of each other, and em-
barked. When we had rowed into the middle of



FAMILY ROBINSON. 43

the bay, I perceived a strong current formed by
the water of the river which issued at a little dis-
tance, which I was glad to take advantage of, to
spare our labour. It carried us three parts of our
voyage, and we rowed the remainder; and enter-
ing the opening in the vessel, we secured our boat
firmly, and went on board.

The first care of Fritz was to feed the animals,
who were on deck, and who all saluted us after
their fashion, rejoiced to see their friends again,
as well as to have their wants supplied. We put
the young monkey to a goat, which he sucked
with extraordinary grimaces, to our infinite amuse-
ment. We then took some refreshment ourselves,
and Fritz, to my great surprise, proposed that we
should begin by adding a sail to our boat. He
said the current which helped us to the vessel,
could not carry us back, but the wind which blew
so strongly against us, and made our rowing so
fatiguing, would be of great service, if we had a
sail.

I thanked my counsellor for his good advice, and
we immediately set to the task. I selected a strong
pole for a mast, and a triangular sail, which was
fixed to a yard. We made a hole in a plank, to -
receive the mast, secured the plank on our fourth
tub, forming a deck, and then, by aid of a block
used to hoist and lower the sails, raised our mast.
Finally, two ropes fastened by one end to the yard,
and by the other to each extremity of the boat,
enabled us to direct the sail at pleasure. Fritz
next ornamented the top of the mast with a little
red streamer. He then gave our boat the name
of the Deliverance, and requested it might hence-



4,4, THE SWISS

forward be called the little vessel. To complete
its equipment, I contrived a rudder, so that I could
direct the boat from either end.

After signalling to our friends that we should
not return that night, we spent the rest of the day
in emptying the tubs of the stones we had used
for ballast, and replacing them with useful things.
Powder and shot, nails and tools of all kinds,
pieces of cloth; above all, we did not forget knives,
forks, spoons, and kitchen utensils, including a
roasting-jack. In the captain’s cabin we found
some services of silver, pewter plates and dishes,
and a small chest filled with bottles of choice
wines. All these we took, as well as a chest of
eatables, intended for the officers’ table, portable
soup, Westphalian hams, Bologna sausages, &c. ;
also some bags of maize, wheat, and other seeds,
and some potatoes. We collected all the imple-
ments of husbandry we could spare room for, and,
at the request of Fritz, some hammocks and
blankets; two or three handsome guns, and an
armful of sabres, swords, and hunting-knives.
Lastly, I embarked a barrel of sulphur, all the cord
and string I could lay my hands on, and a large
roll of sailcloth. The sulphur was intended to
produce matches with. Our tubs were loaded to
the edge; there was barely room left for us to sit,
and it would have been dangerous to attempt our
return if the sea had not been so calm.

Night arrived, we exchanged signals, to an-
nounce security on sea and land, and, after prayers
for the dear islanders, we sought our tubs, not
the most luxurious of dormitories, but safer than
the ship. Fritz slept soundly; but I could not



FAMILY ROBINSON. 45

close my eyes, thinking of the jackals. I was, how-
ever, thankful for the protection they had in the
dogs.

CHAPTER VI.

As soon as day broke, I mounted on deck, to
look through the telescope. I saw my wife look-
ing towards us; and the flag, which denoted their
safety, floatmg in the breeze. Satisfied on this
important point, we enjoyed our breakfast of
biscuit, ham, and wine, and then turned our
thoughts to the means of saving our cattle. Even
if we could contrive a raft, we could never get all
the animals to remain still on it. We might
venture the huge sow in the water, but the rest
of the animals we found would not be able to
swim to shore. At last Fritz suggested the swim-
ming apparatus. We passed two hours in con-
structing them. For the cow and -ass it was
necessary to have an empty cask on each side,
well bound in strong sailcloth, fastened by
leather thongs over the back and under each
animal, For the rest, we merely tied a piece of
cork under their bodies ; the sow only bemg un-
ruly, and giving us much trouble. We then
fastened a cord to the horns or neck of each
animal, with a slip of wood at the end, for a con-
venient handle. Luckily, the waves had broken
away part of the ship, and left the opening wide
enough for the passage of our troop. We first
launched the ass into the water, by a sudden



46 THE SWISS

push ; he swam away, after the first plunge, very
gracefully. The cow, sheep, and goats, followed
quietly after. The sow was furious, and soon
broke loose from us all, but fortunately reached
the shore long before the rest.

We now embarked, fastening all the slips of
wood to the stern of the boat, thus drawing our
train after us; and the wind fillmg our sail, car-
ried us smoothly towards the shore. — Fritz ex-
ulted in his plan, as we certainly could never have
rowed our boat, loaded as we were. I once more
took out my telescope, and was remarking that
our party on shore seemed making ready for some
excursion, when a loud cry from Fritz filled me
with terror. “We are lost! we are lost! see,
what a monstrous fish !” Though pale with
alarm, the bold boy had seized his gun, and,
encouraged by my directions, he fired two balls
into the head of the monster, as it was preparing
to dart on the sheep. It immediately made its
escape, leaving a long red track to prove that it
was severely wounded.

Being freed from our enemy, I now resumed
the rudder, and we lowered the sail and rowed to
shore. The animals, as soon as the water became
low enough, walked out at their own discretion,
after we had relieved them from their swimming
girdles. We then secured our boat as before, and
landed ourselves, anxiously looking round for our
friends.

We had not long to wait, they came joyfully to
greet us; and, after our first burst of pleasure, we
sat down to tell our adventures in a regular form.
My wife was overjoyed to see herself surrounded
by these valuable animals ; and especially pleased



FAMILY ROBINSON. 47

that her son Fritz had suggested so many useful
plans. We next proceeded to disembark all our
treasures. I noticed that Jack wore a belt of
yellow skin, in which were placed a pair of
pistols, and inquired where he had got his
brigand costume.

“I manufactured it myself,’ said he; “ and
this is not all. Look at the dogs!”

The dogs wore each acollar of the same skin as
his belt, bristling with long nails, the points out-
wards—a formidable defence.

“It is. my own invention,” said he; “ only
mamma helped me in the sewing.”

“ But where did you get the leather, the needle
and thread ?” inquired I.

“ Fritz’s jackal supplied the skin,” said my
wife, “and my wonderful bag the rest. There is
still more to come from it, only say what you
want.”

Fritz evidently felt a little vexation at his
brother’s unceremonious appropriation of the skin
of the jackal, which displayed itself in the tone in
which he exclaimed, holding his nose, “ Keep at a
distance, Mr. Skinner, you carry an intolerable
smell about with you.”

I gave him a gentle hint of his duty in the posi-

tion of eldest son, and he soon recovered his good
humour. However, as the body as well as the
skin of the jackal was becoming offensive, they
united in dragging it down to the sea, while Jack
placed his belt in the sun to dry.
_ As I saw no preparation for supper, I told Fritz
to bring the ham; and, to the astonishment and
joy of all, he returned with a fine Westphalian
ham, which we had cut into in the morning.



48 THE SWISS

“JT will tell you,” said my wife, “ why we have
no supper prepared ; but first, I will make you an
omelet ;” and she produced from a basket a dozen
turtle’s eggs.

“You see,” said Ernest, “they have all the
characteristics of those Robinson Crusoe had in
his island. They are white balls, the skin of
which resembles moistened parchment.”

My wife promised to relate the history of the
discovery after supper, and set about preparing
her ham and omelet, while Fritz and I proceeded
in unloading our cargo, assisted by the useful
ass,

Supper was now ready. A tablecloth was laid
over the butter-cask, and spread with the plates
and spoons from the ship. The ham was in the
middle, and the omelet and cheese at each end ;
and we made a good meal, surrounded by our sub-
jects,—the dogs, the fowls, the pigeons, the sheep,
and the goats, waiting for our notice. The geese
and ducks were more independent, remaining in
their marsh, where they lived in plenty on the
small crabs which abounded there.

After supper, I sent Fritz for a bottle of the
captain’s Canary wine, and then requested my
wife to give us her recital.



CHAPTER VII.

“ I wILu spare you the history of the first day,”
said my good Elizabeth, “ spent in anxiety about
you, and attending to the signals; but this morn-
ing, being satisfied that all was gomg right, I



FAMILY ROBINSON. 49

sought, before the boys got up, a shady place to
rest in, but in vain; I believe this barren shore
has not a single tree on it. Then I began to
consider on the necessity of searching for a more
comfortable spot for our residence; and deter-
mined, after a slight repast, to set out with my
children across the river, on a journey of dis-
covery. The day before, Jack had busied himself
in skinning the jackal with his knife, sharpened
on the rock; Ernest declining to assist him in
his dirty work, for which I reproved him, sorry
that any fastidiousness should deter him from a
labour of benefit to society.

“ Jack proceeded to clean the skin as well as he
was able ; then procured from the nail-chest some
long flat-headed nails, and inserted them closely
through the long pieces of skin he had cut for
collars; he then cut some sailcloth, and made a
double lining over the heads of the nails; and
finished by giving me the delicate office of sewing
them together, which I could not but comply
with.

“ His belt he first stretched on a plank, nailing
it down, and exposing it to the sun, lest it should
shrink in drying.

“Now for our journey: we took our game-
bags and some hunting-knives. The boys carried
provisions, and I had a large flask of water. - I
took a small hatchet, and gave Ernest a carbine,
which might be loaded with ball; keeping his light
gun for myself. I carefully secured the opening
of the tent with the hooks. Turk went before,
evidently considering himself our guide; and we
crossed the river with some difficulty.

“ As we proceeded, I could not help feeling

E



50 THE SWISS

thankful that you had so early taught the boys
to use fire-arms properly, as the defence of my
youngest boy and myself now depended on the
two boys of ten and twelve years of age.

“When we attained the hill you described to us,
I was charmed with the smiling prospect, and, for
the first time since our shipwreck, ventured to
hope for better things. I had remarked a beau-
tiful wood, to which I determined to make our
way, for a little shade, and a most painful pro-
gress it was, through grass that was higher than
the children’s heads. As we were struggling
through it, we heard a strange rustling sound
among the grass, and at the same moment a bird
of prodigious size rose, and flew away, before the
poor boys could get their guns ready. They were
much mortified, and I recommended them always
to have their guns in readiness, for the birds
would not be likely to wait till they loaded them.
Francis thought the bird was so large, it must be
an eagle; but Ernest ridiculed the idea, and
added that he thought it must be of the bustard
tribe. We went forward to the spot from
which it had arisen, when suddenly another bird
of the same kind, though still larger, sprung up,
close to our feet, and was soon soaring above our
heads. I could not help laughing to see the look
of astonishment and confusion with which the
boys looked upwards after it. At last Jack took
off his hat, and, making 4 low bow, said, ‘ Pray,
Mr. Bird, be kind enough to pay us another visit,
you will find us very good children!’ We found
the large nest they had left ; it was rudely formed
of dry grass, and empty, but some fragments of
egg-shells were scattered near, as if the young had



FAMILY ROBINSON. 51

been recently hatched; we therefore concluded
that they had escaped among the grass.

“ Doctor Ernest immediately began a lecture.
‘You observe, Francis, these birds could not be
eagles, which do not form their nests on the
ground. Neither do their young run as soon as
they are hatched. These must be of the gallina-
ceous tribe, an order of birds such as quails, par-
tridges, turkeys, &c.; and, from the sort of
feathered moustache which I observed at the
corner of the beak, I should pronounce that these
were bustards.’

“ But we had now reached the little wood, and
our learned friend had sufficient employment in
scrutinizing, and endeavouring to classify, the
immense number of beautiful, unknown birds,
which sung and fluttered about us, apparently
regardless of our intrusion.

“We found that what we thought a wood was
merely a group of a dozen trees, of a height far
beyond any I had ever seen; and apparently
belonging rather to the air than the earth; the
trunks springing from roots which formed a series
of supporting arches. Jack climbed one of the
arches, and measured the trunk of the tree with
a piece of packthread. He found it to be thirty-
four feet. I made thirty-two steps round the
roots. Between the roots and the lowest branches,
it seemed about forty or fifty feet. The branches
are thick and strong, and the leaves are of a
moderate size, and resemble our walnut-tree. A
thick, short, smooth turf clothed the ground be-
neath and around the detached roots of the trees,
and everything combined to render this one of
the most delicious spots the mind could conceive.

E 2



52 THE SWISS

“Here we rested, and made our noon-day repast;
a clear rivulet ran near us, and offered its agree-
able waters for our refreshment. Our dogs soon
jomed us; but I was astonished to find they did
not crave for food, but laid down to sleep at our
feet. For myself, so safe and happy did I feel,
that I could not but think that if we could con-
trive a dwelling on the branches of one of these
trees, we should be in perfect peace and safety.
We set out on our return, taking the road by the
sea-shore, in case the waves had cast up anything
from the wreck of the vessel. We found a quan-
tity of timber, chests, and casks; but all too
heavy to bring. We succeeded in dragging them,
as well as we could, out of the reach of the tide ;
our dogs, in the mean time, fishing for crabs,
with which they regaled themselves, much to their
own satisfaction and to mine, as I now saw they
would be able to provide their own food. As we
rested from our rough labour, I saw Flora
scratching in the sand, and swallowing something
with great relish. Ernest watched, and then
said, very quietly, ‘ They are turtles’ eggs.’ We
drove away the dog, and collected about two
dozen, leaving her the rest as a reward for her
discovery.

“While we were carefully depositing our spoil in
the game-bags, we were astonished at the sight of
a sail. Ernest was certain it was papa and Fritz,
and though Francis was in dread that it should be
the savages who visited Robinson Crusoe’s island,
coming to eat us up, we were soon enabled to
calm his fears. We crossed the river by leaping
from stone to stone, and, hastening to the land-



FAMILY ROBINSON. 53

ing-place, arrived to greet you on your happy
return.”

“ And I understand, my dear,’ said I, “that
you have discovered a tree sixty feet high, where
you wish we should perch like fowls. But how
are we to get up?”

“Oh! you must remember,” answered she,
“the large lime-tree near our native town, in
which was a ball-room. We used to ascend to it
by a wooden staircase. Could you not contrive
something of the sort in one of these gigantic
trees, where we might sleep in peace, fearing
neither jackals nor any other terrible nocturnal
enemy.”

I promised to consider this plan, hoping at
least that we might make a commodious and
shady dwelling among the roots. To-morrow we
were to examine it. We then performed our
evening devotions, and retired to rest.

CHAPTER VIII.

“Now, my dear Elizabeth,’ said I, waking
early next morning, “let us talk a little on this
grand project of changing our residence ; to which
there are many objections. First, it seems wise
to remain on the spot where Providence has cast
us, where we can have at once means of support
drawn from the ship, and security from all
attacks, protected by the rock, the river, and the
sea on all sides.”

My wife distrusted the river, which could not



‘5A, THE SWISS

protect us from the jackals, and complained of
the intolerable heat of this sandy desert, of her
distaste for such food as oysters and wild geese;
and, lastly, of her agony of mind, when we ven-
tured to the wreck ; willingly renouncing all its
treasures, and begging we might rest content
with the blessings we already had.

“There is some truth in your objections,” said
I, “and perhaps we may erect a dwelling under
the roots of your favourite tree; but among these
rocks we must have a storehouse for our goods,
and a retreat in case of invasion. I hope, by
blowing off some pieces of the rock with powder,
to be able to fortify the part next the river,
leaving a secret passage known only to ourselves.
This would make it impregnable. But before we
proceed, we must have a bridge to convey our
baggage across the river.

“A bridge,” said she, in a tone of vexation;
“then when shall we get from here? Why can-
not we ford it as usual? The cow and ass could
carry our stores.”

I explained to her how necessary it was for our
ammunition and provision to be conveyed over
without risk of wetting, and begged her to
manufacture some bags and baskets, and leave the
bridge to me and my boys. If we succeeded, it
would always be useful; as for fear of danger
from lightning or accident, I intended to make a
powder-magazine among the rocks.

The important question was now decided. I
called up my sons, and communicated our plans
to them. They were greatly delighted, though
somewhat alarmed, at the formidable project of
the bridge; besides, the delay was vexatious;



FAMILY ROBINSON. 55

they were all anxious for a removal into the Land
of Promise, as they chose to call it.

We read prayers, and then thought of break-
fast. The monkey sucked one of the goats, as if
it had been its mother. My wife milked the cow,
and gave us boiled milk with biscuit for our
breakfast ; part of which she put in a flask, for us
to take on our expedition. We then prepared
our boat for a voyage to the vessel, to procure
planks and timber for our bridge. I took both
Ernest and Fritz, as I foresaw our cargo would be
weighty, and require all our hands to bring it to
shore.

We rowed vigorously till we got into the cur-
rent, which soon carried us beyond the bay. We
had scarcely reached a little isle at the entrance,
when we saw a vast number of gulls and other
sea-birds, fluttering with discordant cries over it.
I hoisted the sail, and we approached rapidly ;
and, when near enough, we stepped on shore, and
saw that the birds were feasting so eagerly on the
remains of a huge fish, that they did not even
notice our approach. We might have killed num-
bers, even with our sticks. This fish was the shark
which Fritz had so skilfully shot through the head .
the night before. He found the marks of his three
balls. Ernest drew his ramrod from his gun, and
struck so vigorously right and left among the
birds, that he killed some, and put the rest to
flight. We then hastily cut off some pieces of the
skin of the monster, which I thought might be
useful, and placed them in our boat. But this
was not the only advantage we gained by landing.
I perceived an immense quantity of wrecked tim-
ber lying on the shore of the island, which would



56 THE SWISS

spare us our voyage to the ship. We selected
such planks as were fit for our purpose; then,
by the aid of our jack-screw and some levers we
had brought with us, we extricated the planks
from the sand, and floated them ; and, binding the
spars and yards together with cords, with the
planks above them, like a raft, we tied them to
the stern of our boat, and hoisted our sail.

Fritz, as we sailed, was drying the shark’s skin,
which I hoped to convert into files. And Ernest,
in his usual reflective manner, observed to me,
“What a beautiful arrangement of Providence it
is, that the mouth of the shark should be placed
in such a position that he is compelled to turn
on his back to seize his prey, thus giving it a
chance of escape; else, with his excessive voracity,
he might depopulate the ocean.” |

At last, we reached our landing-place, and,
securing our boat, and calling out loudly, we soon
saw our friends running from the river; each
carried a handkerchief filled with some new ac-
quisition, and Francis had over his shoulder a
small fishing-net. Jack reached us first, and
threw down before us from his handkerchief some
fine crawfish. They had each as many, forming a
provision for many days.

Francis claimed the merit of the discovery.
Jack related, that Francis and he took a walk to
find a good place for the bridge.

_ “Thank you, Mr. Architect,” said I; “then you
must superintend the workmen. Have you fixed
on your place ?”’

“Yes, yes!” cried he; “only listen. When we
got to the river, Francis, who was looking about,



FAMILY ROBINSON. 57

called out, ‘Jack! Jack! Fritz’s jackal is covered
with crabs! Come!— come!’ I ran to tell
mamma, who brought a net that came from the
ship, and we caught these in a few minutes, and
could have got many. more, if you had not come.”

I commanded them to put the smaller ones
back into the river, reserving only as many as we
could eat. I was truly thankful to discover an-
other means of support.

We now landed our timber. I had looked at
Jack’s site for the bridge, and thought my little
architect very happy in his selection ; but it was
at a great distance from the timber. I recollected
the simplicity of the harness the Laplanders used
for their reindeer. I tied cords to the horns of
the cow—as the strength of this animal is in the
head—and then fastened the other ends round the
piece of timber we wanted moving. I placed a
halter round the neck of the ass, and attached the
cords to this. We were thus enabled, by degrees,
to remove all our wood to the chosen spot, where
the sides of the river were steep, and appeared of
equal height.

It was necessary to know the breadth of the
river, to select the proper planks; and Ernest
proposed to procure a ball of packthread from his
mother, to tie a stone to one end of the string,
and throw it across the river, and to measure it
after drawing it back. This expedient succeeded
admirably. We found the breadth to be eighteen
feet ; but, as I proposed to give the bridge strength
by having three feet, at least, resting on each shore,
we chose some planks of twenty-four feet in length.
How we were to get these across the river was



58 THE SWISS

another question, which we prepared to discuss
during dinner, to which my wife now sum-
moned us.

Our dinner consisted of a dish of crawfish, and
some very good rice-milk. But, before we began,
we admired her work. She had made a pair of
bags for the ass, sewed with packthread; but
having no large needles, she had been obliged to
pierce holes with a nail, a tedious and painful
process. Well satisfied with her success, we turned
to our repast, talking of our bridge, which the
boys, by anticipation, named the Nonpareil. We
then went to work.

There happened to be an old trunk of a tree
standing on the shore. To this I tied my main
beam by a strong cord, loose enough to turn round
the trunk. Another cord was attached to the
opposite end of the beam, long enough to cross
the river twice. I took the end of my rope over
the stream, where we had previously fixed the
block, used in our boat, toa tree, by the hook which
usually suspended it. I passed my rope, and
returned with the end to our own side. I then
harnessed my cow and ass to the end of my rope,
and drove them forcibly from the shore. The
beam turned slowly round the trunk, then ad-
vanced, and was finally lodged over the river,
amidst the shouts of the boys; its own weight
keeping it firm. Fritz and Jack leaped on it im-
mediately to run across, to my great fear.

We succeeded in placing four strong beams
in the same way ; and, by the aid of my sons, I
arranged them at a convenient distance from each
other, that. we might have a broad and good
bridge. We then laid down planks close toge-



FAMILY ROBINSON. 59

ther across the beams; but not fixed, as in time
of danger it might be necessary rapidly to re-
move the bridge. My wife and I were as much
excited as the children, and ran across with
delight. Our bridge was at least ten feet broad.

Thoroughly fatigued with our day of labour,
we returned home, supped, and offered thanks to
God, and went to rest.



CHAPTER IX.

Tur next morning, after prayers, I assembled
my family. We took a solemn leave of our first
place of refuge. I cautioned my sons to be
prudent, and on their guard; and especially to
remain together during our journey. We then
prepared for departure. We assembled the cattle :
the bags were fixed across the backs of the cow
and the ass, and loaded with all our heavy baggage ;
our cooking utensils; and provisions, consisting of
biscuits, butter, cheese, and portable soup; our
hammocks and blankets; the captain’s service 0
plate, were all carefully packed in the bags,
equally poised on each side the animals.

All was ready, when my wife came in haste
with her inexhaustible bag, requesting a place for
it. Neither would she consent to leave the poul-
try, as food for the jackals ; above all, Francis
must have a place; he could not possibly walk all
the way. I was amused with the exactions of the
sex; but consented to all, and made a good place
= Francis between the bags, on the back of
the ass.



60 THE SWISS

The elder boys returned in despair,—they could
not succeed in catching the fowls ; but the expe-
rienced mother laughed at them, and said she
would soon capture them.

“If you do,” said my pert little Jack, “TI will
be contented to be roasted in the place of the first
chicken taken.”

“Then, my poor J ack,” said his mother, “ you
will soon be on the spit. Remember, that intel-
lect has always more power than mere bodily
exertion. Look here!” She scattered a few
handfuls of grain before the tent, calling the
fowls; they soon all assembled, including the
pigeons; then throwing more down inside the
tent, they followed her. It was now only neces-
sary to close the entrance; and they were all
soon taken, tied by the wings and feet, and, being
placed in baskets covered with nets, were added
to the rest of our luggage on the backs of the
animals.

Finally, we conveyed inside the tent all we
could not carry away, closing the entrance, and
barricading it with chests and casks, thus con-
fiding all our possessions to the care of God. We
set out on our pugrimage, each carrying a game-
bag and a gun. My wife and her eldest son led
the way, followed by the heavily-laden cow and
ass; the third division consisted of the goats,
driven by Jack, the little monkey seated on the
back of its nurse, and grimacing, to our great
amusement ; next came Ernest, with the sheep;
and I followed, superintending the whole. Our
gallant dogs acted as aides-de-camp, and were
continually passing from the front to the rear
rank.



FAMILY ROBINSON. 61

Our march was slow, but orderly, and quite
patriarchal. ‘“ We are now travelling across the
deserts, as our first fathers did,” said I, “ and as
the Arabs, Tartars, and other nomade nations do
to this day, followed by their flocks and herds.
But these people generally have strong camels to
bear their burdens, instead of a poor ass and cow.
I hope this may be the last of our pilgrimages.”
My wife also hoped that, once under the shade of
her marvellous trees, we should have no tempta-
tion to travel further.

We now crossed our new bridge, and here the
party was happily augmented by a new arrival.
The sow had proved very mutinous at setting out,
and we had been compelled to leave her; she now
voluntarily jomed us, seemg we were actually
departing; but continued to grunt loudly her
disapprobation of our proceedings. After we had
crossed the river, we had another embarrassment.
The rich grass tempted our animals to stray off to
feed, and, but for our dogs, we should never have
been able to muster them again. But, for fear of
further accident, I commanded my advanced
guard to take the road by the coast, which offered
no temptation to our troops.

We had scarcely left the high grass when our
dogs rushed back into it, barking furiously, and
howling as if in combat; Fritz immediately pre-
pared for action, Ernest drew near his mother,
Jack rushed forward with his gun over his shoul-
der, and I cautiously advanced, commanding
them to be discreet and cool. But Jack, with
his usual impetuosity, leaped among the high
grass to the dogs; and immediately returned,
clapping his hands, and crying out, “ Be quick,



62 THE SWISS

papa! a huge porcupine, with quills as long as
my arm!”

When I got up, I really found a porcupine,
whom the dogs were warmly attacking. It made
a frightful noise, erecting its quills so boldly, that
the wounded animals howled with pain after every
attempt to seize it. As we were looking at them
Jack drew a pistol from his belt, and discharged
it directly into the head of the porcupine, which
fell dead. Jack was very proud of his feat, and
Fritz, not a little jealous, suggested that such
a little boy should not be trusted with pistols, as
he might have shot one of the dogs, or even one
ofus. I forbade any envy or jealousy among the
brothers, and declared that all did well who
acted ‘for the public good. Mamma was now
summoned to see the curious animal. her son’s
valour had destroyed. Her first thought was to
dress the wounds made by the quills which had
stuck in the noses of the dogs during their attack.
In the mean time, I corrected my son’s notions on
the power of this animal to lance its darts when
in danger. This is a popular error; nature has
given it a sufficient protection in its defensive and
offensive armour.

As Jack earnestly desired to carry his booty
with him, I carefully imbedded the body in soft
grass, to preserve the quills; then packed it in
strong cloth, and placed it on the ass behind
Francis.

At last, we arrived at the end of our journey,
—and, certainly, the size of the trees surpassed
anything I could have imagined. Jack was cer-
tain they were gigantic walnut-trees ; for my own
part, I believed them to be a species of fig-tree—



FAMILY ROBINSON. 63

probably the Antilles fig. But all thanks were
given to the kind mother who had sought out
such a pleasant home for us; at all events, we
could find a convenient shelter among the roots.
And, if we should ever succeed in perching on the
branches, I told her we should be safe from all
wild beasts. I would defy even the bears of our
native mountains to climb these immense trunks,
totally destitute of branches.

We released our animals from their loads, tying
their fore legs together, that they might not stray ;
except the sow, who, as usual, did her own way.
The fowls and pigeons we released, and left to
their own discretion. We then sat down on the
grass, to consider where we should establish our-
selves. I wished to mount the tree that very
night. Suddenly we heard, to our no slight alarm,
the report of a gun. But the next moment the
voice of Fritz re-assured us. He had stolen out
unnoticed, and shot a beautiful tiger-cat, which he
displayed in great triumph.

“Well done, noble hunter!” said I; “you de-
serve the thanks of the fowls and pigeons; they
would most probably have all fallen a sacrifice to-
night, if you had not slain their deadly foe. Pray
wage war with all his kind, or we shall not have a
chicken left for the pot.”

Ernest then examined the animal with his cus-
tomary attention, and declared that the proper
name was the margay, a fact Fritz did not dispute,
only requesting that Jack might not meddle with
the skin, as he wished to preserve it for a belt. I
recommended them to skin it immediately, and
give the flesh to the dogs. Jack, at the same
time, determined to skin his porcupine, 'to make



64 THE SWISS

dog-collars. Part of its flesh went into the soup-
kettle, and the rest was salted for the next day.
We then sought for some flat stones in the bed of
the charming little river that ran at alittle distance
from us, and set about constructing a cooking-
place. Francis collected dry wood for the fire ;
and, while my wife was occupied in preparing
our supper, I amused myself by making some
packing-needles for her rude work from the quills
of the porcupine. I held a large nail in the fire
till it was red-hot, then, holding the head in wet
linen, I pierced the quills, and made several nee-
dles, of various sizes, to the great contentment of
our indefatigable workwoman.

Still occupied with the idea of our castle in the
air, I thought of making a ladder of ropes; but
this would be useless, if we did not succeed in
getting a cord over the lower branches, to draw it
up. Neither my sons nor myself could throw a
stone, to which I had fastened a cord, over these
branches, which were thirty feet above us. It
was necessary to think of some other expedient.
In the mean time, dinner was ready. The porcu-
pine made excellent soup, and the flesh was well-
tasted, though rather hard. My wife could not
make up her mind to taste it, but contented her-
self with a slice of ham and some cheese.

CHAPTER X.

AFTER dinner, as I found we could not ascend
at present, I suspended our hammocks under the
arched roots of our tree, and, covering the whole



FAMILY ROBINSON. 65

with sailcloth, we had a shelter from the dew and
the insects. }

While my wife was employed making harness
for the cow and ass, I went with my sons to the
shore, to look for wood fit for our use next day.
We saw a great quantity of wreck, but none fit
for our purpose, till Ernest met with a heap of
bamboo canes, half buried in sand and mud.
These were exactly what I wanted. I drew them
out of the sand, stripped them of their leaves, cut
them in pieces of about four or five feet long, and
my sons each made up a bundle to carry home. I
then set out to seek some slender stalks to make
arrows, which I should need in my project.

We went towards a thick grove, which appeared
likely to contain something for my purpose. We
were very cautious, for fear of reptiles or other
dangerous animals, allowing Flora to precede us.
When we got near, she darted furiously among
_ the bushes, and out flew a troop of beautiful
flamingoes, and soared into the air. Fritz, always
ready, fired at them. Two fell ; one quite dead, the
other, slightly wounded in the wing, made use of
its long legs so well that it would have escaped, if
Flora had not seized it and held it till I came up
to take possession. The joy of Fritz was extreme,
to have this beautiful creature alive. He thought
at once of curing its wound, and domesticating it
with our own poultry.

“ What splendid plumage!” said Ernest; “ and
you see he is web-footed, like the goose, and has
long legs like the stork; thus he can run as fast
on land as he can swim in the water.”

“ Yes,” said I, “ and fly as quickly in the air.
These birds are remarkable for the power and

F



66 THE SWISS

strength of their wings. Few birds have so many
advantages.”

My boys occupied themselves in binding their
captive and dressing his wound; while I sought
some of the canes which had done flowering, to
cut off the hard ends, to point my arrows. These
are used by the savages of the Antilles. I then
selected the highest canes I could meet with, to
assist me in measuring, by a geometrical process,
the height of the tree. Ernest took the canes, I
had the wounded flamingo, and Fritz carried his
own game. Very loud were the cries of joy and
astonishment at our approach. ‘The boys all
hoped the flamingo might be tamed, of which I
felt no doubt; but my wife was uneasy, lest it
should require more food than she could spare.
However, I assured her, our new guest would
need no attention, as he would provide for himself
at the river-side, feeding on small fishes, worms,
and insects. His wounds I dressed, and found ~
they would soon be healed ; I then tied him to a
stake, near the river, by a cord long enough to
allow him to fish at his pleasure, and, in fact, in a
few days, he learned to know us, and was quite
domesticated. Meantime, my boys had been
trymg to measure the tree with the long canes
I had brought, and came laughing to report to
me, that I ought to have got them ten times as
long to reach even the lowest branches. “ There
is a simpler mode than that,” said I, “which
geometry teaches us, and by which the highest
mountains can be measured.”

I then showed the method of measuring heights
by triangles and imaginary lines, using canes of
different lengths and cords instead of mathematical



FAMILY ROBINSON, 67

instruments. My result was thirty feet to the
lowest branches. This experiment filled the boys
with wonder and desire to become acquainted with
this useful, exact science, which, happily, I was
able to teach them fully.

I now ordered Fritz to measure our strong cord,
and the little ones to collect all the small string, and
windit. I then took a strong bamboo and made a
bow of it, and some arrows of the slender canes, fill-
ing them with wet sand to give them weight, and
feathering them from the dead flamingo. As soon
as my work was completed, the boys crowded
round me, all begging to try the bow and arrows.
I begged them to be patient, and asked my wife
to supply me with a ball of thick strong thread.
The enchanted bag did not fail us; the very ball
I wanted appeared at her summons. This, my
little ones declared, must be magic; but I ex-
plained to them, that prudence, foresight, and
presence of mind in danger, such as their good
mother had displayed, produced more miracles
than magic.

I then tied the end of the ball of thread to one
of my arrows, fixed it in my bow, and sent it di-
rectly over one of the thickest of the lower
branches of the tree, and, falling to the ground,
it drew the thread after it. Charmed with this
result, I hastened to complete my ladder. Fritz
had measured our ropes, and found two of forty
feet each,—exactly what I wanted. These I
stretched on the ground at about one foot dis-
tance from each other; Fritz cut pieces of cane
two feet long, which Ernest passed to me. I
placed these in knots which I had made in the
cords, at about a foot distance from each other,

F2



68 - (HE SWISS

and Jack fastened each end with a long nail, to
prevent it slipping. In a very short time our
ladder was completed ; and, tying it to the end of
the cord which went over the branch, we drew it
up without difficulty. All the boys were anxious
to ascend; but I chose Jack, as the lightest and
most active. Accordingly, he ascended, while his
brothers and myself held the ladder firm. by the
end of the cord. Fritz followed him, conveying
a bag with nails and hammer. They were soon
perched on the branches, huzzaing to us. Fritz
secured the ladder so firmly to the branch, that I
had no hesitation in ascending myself. I carried
with me a large pulley fixed to the end of a rope,
which I attached to a branch above us, to enable
us to raise the planks necessary to form the
groundwork of our habitation. I smoothed the
branches a little by aid of my axe, sending the
boys down to be out of my way. After com-
pleting my day’s work, I descended by the light
of the moon, and was alarmed to find that Fritz
and Jack were not below; and still more so, when
I heard their clear, sweet voices, at the summit
of the tree, singing the evening hymn, as if to
sanctify our future abode. They had climbed the
tree, instead of descending, and, filled with won-
der and reverence at the sublime view below them,
had burst out into the hymn of thanksgiving to
God.

I could not scold my dear boys, when they
descended, but directed them to assemble the
animals, and to collect wood, to keep up fires
during the night, in order to drive away any wild
beasts that might be near.

My wife then displayed her work,—complete



FAMILY ROBINSON. 69

harness for our two beasts of burden, and, in return,
I promised her we would establish ourselves next
day in the tree. Supper was now ready, one piece
of the porcupine was roasted by the fire, smelling
deliciously ; another piece formed a rich soup; a
cloth was spread on the turf; the ham, cheese,
butter, and biscuits, were placed upon it.

My wife first assembled the fowls, by throwing
some grain to them, to accustom them to the
place. We.soon saw the pigeons fly to roost on .
the higher branches of the trees, while the fowls
perched on the ladder; the beasts we tied to the
roots, close to us. Now, that our cares were over,
we sat down to a merry and excellent repast by
moonlight. Then, after the prayers of the even-
ing, I kindled our watch-fires, and we all lay
down to rest in our hammocks. The boys were
rather discontented, and complained of their
cramped position, longing for the freedom of their
beds of moss; but I instructed them to lie, as the
sailors do, diagonally, and swinging the hammock,
and told them that brave Swiss boys might sleep
as the sailors of all nations were compelled to
sleep. After some stifled sighs and groans, all
sank to rest except myself, kept awake by anxiety
for the safety of the rest.

Co ee em

CHAPTER XI.

My anxiety kept me awake till near morning,
when, after a short sleep, Irose, and we were soon
all at work. My wife, after milking the cow and
goats, harnessed the cow and ass, and set out to



70 THE SWISS

search for drift-wood for our use. In the mean
time, I mounted the ladder with Fritz, and we set
to work stoutly, with axe and saw, to rid ourselves
of all useless branches. Some, about six feet above
our foundation, I left, to suspend our hammocks
from, and others, a little higher, to support the
roof, which, at present, was to be merely sail-
cloth. My wife succeeded in collecting us some
boards and planks, which, with her assistance, and
. the aid of the pulley, we hoisted up. We then
arranged them on the level branches close to each
other, in such a manner as to form a smooth .and
solid floor. I made a sort of parapet round, to
prevent accidents. By degrees, our dwelling began
to assume a distinct form; the sailcloth was
raised over the high branches, forming a roof; and,
being brought down on each side, was nailed to
the parapet. The immense trunk protected the
back of our apartment, and the front was open to
admit the breeze from the sea, which was visible
from this elevation. We hoisted our hammocks
and blankets by the pulley, and suspended them ;
my son and I then descended, and, as our day was
not yet exhausted, we set about constructing a
rude table and some benches, from the remainder
of our wood, which we placed beneath the roots of
the tree, henceforward to be our dining-room.
The little boys collected the chips and pieces of
wood for fire-wood ; while their mamma prepared
supper, which we needed much after the extra-
ordinary fatigues of this day.

The next day, however, being Sunday, we
looked forward to as a day of rest, of recreation,
and thanksgiving to the great God who had pre-
served us,



FAMILY ROBINSON. 71

Supper was now ready, my wife took a large
earthen pot from the fire, which contained a good
stew, made of the flamingo, which Ernest had told
her was an old bird, and would not be eatable, if
dressed any other way. His brothers laughed
heartily, and called him the cook. He was, how-
ever, quite right, the stew, well seasoned, was ex-
cellent, and we picked the very bones. Whilst
we were thus occupied, the living flamingo, ac-
companying the rest of the fowls, and free from
bonds, came in, quite tame, to claim his share of
the repast, evidently quite unsuspicious that we
were devouring his mate; he did not seem at all
inclined to quit us. The little monkey, too, was
quite at home with the boys, leaping from one to
another for food, which he took in his forepaws,
and ate with such absurd mimicry of their actions,
that he kept us in continual convulsions of laugh-
ter. To augment our satisfaction, our great sow,
who had deserted us for two days, returned of her
own accord, grunting her joy at our re-union. My
wife welcomed her with particular distinction,
treating her with all the milk we had to spare;
for, as she had no dairy utensils to make cheese
and butter, it was best thus to dispose of our
superfluity. I promised her, on our next voyage
to the ship, to procure all these necessaries. This
she could not, however, hear of, without shud-
dering.

The boys now lighted the fires for the night.
The dogs were tied to the roots of the tree, as a
protection against invaders, and we commenced
our ascent. My three eldest sons soon ran up the
ladder, my wife followed, with more deliberation,
but arrived safely ; my own journey was more diffi-



72 THE SWISS

cult, as, besides having to carry Francis on my
back, I had detached the lower part of the ladder -
from the roots, where it was nailed; in order to be
able to draw it up during the night. We were thus
as safe in our castle as the knights of old, when
their drawbridge was raised. We retired to our
hammocks free from care, and did not wake till
the sun shone brightly in upon us.



CHAPTER XII.

Next morning, all awoke in good spirits ; I told
them that on this, the Lord’s day, we would do
no work. That it was appointed, not only for a
day of rest, but a day when we must, as much as |
possible, turn our hearts from the vanities of the
world, to God himself; thank him, worship him,
and serve him. Jack thought we could not do
this without a church and a priest ; but Ernest
believed that God would hear our prayers under
his own sky, and papa could give them a sermon;
Francis wished to know if God would like to hear
them sing the beautiful hymns mamma had taught
them, without an organ accompaniment,

“ Yes, my dear children,” said I, “ God is every-
where ; and to bless him, to praise him in all his
works, to submit to his holy will, and to obey
him,—is to serve him. But everything in its
time. Let us first attend to the wants of our
animals, and breakfast, and we will then begin
the services of the day by a hymn.”

We descended, and breakfasted on warm milk,



FAMILY ROBINSON. 73

fed our animals, and then, my children and their
mother seated on the turf, I placed myself on a
little eminence before them, and, after the service of
the day, which I knew by heart, and singing some
portions of the 119th Psalm, I told them a little
allegory.

“There was once on a time a great king, whose
kingdom was called the Land of Light and Reality,
because there reigned there constant light and
incessant activity. On the most remote frontier
of this kingdom, towards the north, there was
another large kingdom, equally subject to his
- rule, and of which none but himself knew the
immense extent. From time immemorial, an
exact plan of this kingdom had been preserved in
the archives. It was called the Land of Obscurity,
or Niyht, because everything in it was dark and
inactive.

“In the most fertile and agreeable part of the
empire of Reality, the kg had a magnificent re-
sidence, called The Heavenly City, where he held
his brilliant court. Millions of servants executed
his wishes — still more were ready to receive his
orders. The first were clothed in glittering robes,
whiter than snow—for white was the colour of the
Great King, asthe emblem of purity. Others were
clothed in armour, shining like the colours of the
rainbow, and carried flaming swords in their hands.
Each, at his master’s nod, flew like lightning to
accomplish his will. All his servants — faithful,
vigilant, bold, and ardent—were united in friend-
ship, and could imagine no happiness greater than
the favour of their master. There were some,
less elevated, who were still good, rich, and happy



74, THE SWISS

in the favours of their sovereign, to whom all his
subjects were alike, and were treated by him as
his children.

“Not far from the frontiers, the Great King
possessed a desert island, which he desired to
people and cultivate, in order to make it, for a
time, the abode of those of his subjects whom he
intended to admit, by degrees, into his Heavenly
City—a favour he wished to bestow on the greatest
number possible.

“This island was called Earthly Abode; and he
who had passed some time there, worthily, was to
be received into all the happiness of the heavenly
city. To attain this, the Great King equipped a
fleet to transport the colonists, whom he chose
from the kingdom of Night, to this island, where
he gave them light and activity—advantages they
had not known before. Think how joyful their
arrival would be! The island was fertile when
cultivated ; and all was prepared to make the time
pass agreeably, till they were admitted to their
highest honours.

“ At the moment of embarkation, the Great
King sent his own son, who spoke thus to them in
His name :—

“My dear children, I have called you from
inaction and insensibility to render you happy by
feeling, by action, by life. Never forget I am
. your king, and obey my commands, by cultivating
the country I confide to you. Every one will
receive his portion of land, and wise and learned
men are appointed to explain my will to you. I
wish you all to acquire the knowledge of my laws,
and that every father should keep a copy,,to read
daily to his children, that they may never be for-



FAMILY ROBINSON. 75

gotten. And on the first day of the week you
must all assemble, as brothers, in one place, to
hear these laws read and explained. Thus it will
be easy for every one to learn the best method of
improving his land, what to plant, and how to
cleanse it from the tares that might choke the
good seed. All may ask what they desire, and
every reasonable demand will be granted, if it be
conformable to the great end.

“ testify it by increased activity, and by occupying
yourself on this day in expressing your gratitude
to me, I will take care this day of rest shall be a
benefit, and not a loss. I wish that all your use-
ful animals, and even the wild beasts of the plains,
' should on this day repose in peace.

“He who obeys my commands in Earthly
Abode, shall receive a rich reward in the Heavenly
City; but the idle, the negligent, and the evil-
disposed, shall be condemned to perpetual slavery,
or to labour in mines, in the bowels of the earth.

“¢From time to time, I shall send ships, to
bring away individuals, to be rewarded or pu-
nished, as they have fulfilled my commands. None
can deceive me; a magic mirror will show me the
actions and thoughts of all.’

“The colonists were satisfied, and eager to begin
their labour. The portions of land and instru-
ments of labour were distributed to them, with
seeds, and useful plants, and fruit-trees. They
were then left to turn these good gifts to profit.

“But what followed? Every one did as he
wished. Some planted their ground with groves
and gardens, pretty and useless. Others planted
wild fruit, instead of the good fruit the Great



76 THE SWISS

King had commanded. A third had sowed good
seed ; but, not knowing the tares from the wheat,
he had torn up all before they reached matu-
rity. But the most part left their land unculti-
vated ; they had lost their seeds, or spoiled their
implements. Many would not understand the
orders of the great king; and others tried, by
subtlety, to evade them.

“A few laboured with courage, as they had been
taught, rejoicing in the hope of the promise given
them. Their greatest danger was in the disbelief
of their teachers. Though every one had a copy
of the law, few read it; all were ready, by some
excuse, to avoid this duty. Some asserted they
knew it, yet never thought on it: some called
these the laws of past times; not of the present.
Other said the Great King did not regard the ac-
tions of his subjects, that he had neither mines
nor dungeons, and that all would certainly be
taken to the Heavenly City. They began to neg-
lect the duties of the day dedicated to the Great
King. Few assembled; and of these, the most
part were inattentive, and did not profit by the -
instruction given them.

“ But the Great King was faithful to his word.
From time to time, frigates arrived, bearing the
name of some disease. These were followed by a
large vessel called The Grave, bearing the terrible
flag of the Admiral Death ; this flag was of two
colours, green and black; and appeared to the
colonists, according to their state, the smiling
colour of Hope, or the gloomy hue of Despair.

“ This fleet always arrived unexpectedly, and was
usually unwelcome. The officers were sent out,



FAMILY ROBINSON. 77

by the admiral, to seize those he pointed out :
many who were unwilling were compelled to go ;
and others whose land was prepared, and even the
harvest ripening, were summoned; but these went
joyfully, sure that they went to happimess. The
fleet being ready, sailed for the Heavenly City.
Then the Great King, in his justice, awarded the
punishments and recompenses. Excuses were now
too late; the negligent and disobedient were
sent to labour in the dark mines; while the faith-
ful and obedient, arrayed in bright robes, were
received into their glorious abodes of happiness.

“TJ have finished my parable, my dear children ;
reflect on it, and profit by it. Fritz, what do you
think of it?” |

“JT am considering the goodness of the Great
King, and the ingratitude of his people,’ ’ answered
he. .

« And how very foolish they were,” said Ernest,
“with a little prudence, they might have kept
their land in good condition, and secured a plea-
sant life afterwards.”

“« Away with them to the mines!” cried Jack,
“they richly deserved such a doom.”

“ How much I should like,” said Francis, “to
see those soldiers in their shining armour !”

“T hope you will see them some day, my dear
boy, if you continue to be good and obedient.” I
then explained my parable fully, and applied the
moral to each of my sons directly.

“ You, Fritz, should take warning from the people
who planted wild fruit, and wished to make them
pass for good fruit. Such are those who are proud
of natural virtues, easy to exercise,—such as bodily



78 THE SWISS

strength, or physical courage; and place these
above the qualities which are only attained by
labour and patience.

“You, Ernest, must remember the subjects who
laid out their land in flowery gardens; like those
who seek the pleasures of life, rather than the
duties. And you, my thoughtless Jack, and little
Francis, think of the fate of those who left their
land untilled, or heedlessly sowed tares for wheat.
These are God’s people who neither study nor re-
flect; who cast to the winds all instruction, and
leave room in their minds for evil. Then let us
all be, like the good labourers of the parable, con-
stantly cultivating our ground, that, when Death
comes for us, we may willingly follow him to the
feet of the Great King, to hear these blessed
words: ‘Good and faithful servants! enter into
the joy of your Lord!’ ”

is made a great impression on my children.
We concluded by singing a hymn. Then my
good wife produced from her unfailing bag, a
copy of the Holy Scripture, from which ] selected
such passages as applied to our situation ; and ex-
plained them to my best aoility. My boys re-
mained for some time thoughtful and serious, and
though they followed their innocent recreations
during the day, they did not lose sight of the
useful lesson of the morning, but, by a more gentle
and amiable manner, showed that my words had
taken effect.

The next morning, Ernest had used my bow,
which I had given him, very skilfully ; bringing
down some dozens of small birds, a sort of ortolan,
from the branches of our tree, where they assem-
bled to feed on the figs. This induced them all



FAMILY ROBINSON. 79

to wish for such a weapon. I was glad to comply
with their wishes, as I wished them to become
skilful in the use of these arms of our forefathers,
which might be of great value to us, when our
ammunition failed. I made two bows; and two
- quivers, to contain their arrows, of a flexible piece
of bark, and, attaching a strap to them, I soon
armed my little archers.

Fritz was engaged in preparing the skin of the
margay, with more care than Jack had shown
with that of the jackal. I showed him how to —
clean it, by rubbing it with sand in the river, till
no vestige of fat or flesh was left; and then ap-
plying butter, to render it flexible.

These employments filled up the morning till
dinner-time came. We had Ernest’s ortolans, and
some fried ham and eggs, which made us a sump-
tuous repast. I gave my boys leave to kill as
many ortolans as they chose, for I knew that, half-
roasted, and put into casks, covered with butter,
they would keep for a length of time, and prove
an invaluable resource in time of need. As 1 con-
tinued my work, making arrows, and a bow for
Francis, I intimated to my wife that the abundant
supply of figs would save our grain, as the poultry
and pigeons would feed on them, as well as the
ortolans. This was a great satisfaction to her.
And thus another day passed, and we mounted to
our dormitory, to taste the sweet slumber that
follows a day of toil.



80 THE SWISS

CHAPTER XIII.

Tue next morning, all were engaged in archery :
I completed the bow for Francis, and at his parti-
cular request made him a quiver too. The delicate
bark of a tree, united by glue, obtained from our
portable soup, formed an admirable quiver; this I
suspended by a string round the neck of my boy,
furnished with arrows; then taking his bow in
his hand, he was as proud as a knight armed at
all points.

After dinner, I proposed that we should give
names to all the parts of our island known to us,
in order that, by a pleasing delusion, we might
fancy ourselves in an inhabited country. My pro-
posal was well received, and then began the dis-
cussion of names. Jack wished for something
high-sounding and difficult, such as Monomotapa or
Zanguebar ; very difficult words, to puzzle any one
that visited our island. But I objected to this, as
we were the most likely to have to use the names
ourselves, and we should suffer from it. I rather
suggested that we should give,in our own language,
such simple names as should point out some cir-
cumstance connected with the spot. I proposed
we should begin with the bay where we landed,
and called on Fritz for his name.

“The Bay of Oysters,” said he,—“ we found so
many there.”

“Oh, no!” said Jack, “let it be Lobster Bay ;
for there I was caught by the leg.”

“Then we ought to call it the Bay of Tears,”





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MAP OF THE HAPPY ISLAND.

A. Tent House. M. Marsh.

B. First Grotto. N. Bamboos.

C. Second Grotto. oO. Sugar Canes.

D. Falcon’s Nest. P. Gourd Wood.

E. Farm. Q. Acorn Wood.

F. Family Bridge. R. Monkey Wood.

G. Bears. S. Sand Hills.

H. Cascades. T. Coral Reefs.

I. Shark’s Island. U. Cotton Wood.

J. Cabbage Palms. V. Flamingo Marsh.
K. Rice Marsh. W. Palm Cocoa Wood.
L. Arcadia. X. Potatoe Plantation.

[To face p. 80.



FAMILY ROBINSON. 81

said Ernest, “to commemorate those you shed on
the occasion.”

“My advice,” said my wife, “is, that in grati-
tude to God we should name it Safety Bay.”

We were all pleased with this name, and pro-
ceeded to give the name of Tent House to our first
abode; Shark Island, to the little island in the
bay, where we had found that animal ; and, at
Jack’s desire, the marshy spot where we had cut
our arrows was named Flamingo Marsh. There
the height from which we had vainly sought traces
of our shipmates, received the name of Cape Dis-
appointment. The river was to be Jackal River,
and the bridge, Family Bridge. The most diffi-
cult point was, to name our present abode. At
last we agreed on the name of Falcon’s Nest (in
German Falken-hoist). This was received with
acclamations, and I poured out for my young nest-
lings each a glass of sweet wine, to drink Prosperity
to Falcon’s Nest. We thus laid the foundation of
the geography of our new country, promising to
forward it to Europe by the first post.

After diner, my sons returned to their occupa-
tion as tanners, Fritz to complete his belt, and
Jack to make a sort of cuirass, of the formidable
skin of the porcupine, to protect the dogs. He
finished by making a sort of helmet from the head
of the animal, as strange as the cuirasses.

The heat of the day being over, we prepared to
set out to walk to Tent House, to renew our stock
of provisions, and endeavour to bring the geese and
ducks to our new residence ; but, instead of going
by the coast, we proposed to go up the river till
we reached the chain of rocks, and continue under

G



82 THE SWISS

their shade till we got to the cascade, where we
could cross, and return by Family Bridge, |

This was approved, and we set out. Fritz, de-
corated with his beautiful belt of skin, Jack in
his porcupine helmet. ach had a gun and
game-bag ; except Francis, who, with his pretty
fair face, his golden hair, and his bow and quiver,
was a perfect Cupid. My wife was loaded with a
large butter-pot for a fresh supply. Turk walked
before us with his coat of mail, and Flora fol-
lowed, keeping at a respectful distance from him,
for fear of the darts. Knips, as my boys called
the monkey, finding this new saddle very incon-
venient, jumped off, with many contortions, but
soon fixed on Flora, who, not being able to shake
him off, was compelled to become his palfrey.

The road by the river was smooth and pleasant.
When we reached the end of the wood, the country
seemed more open; and now the boys, who had
been rambling about, came running up, out of
breath; Ernest was holding a plant with leaves
and flowers, and green apples hanging on it.

“ Potatoes!” said he; “I am certain they are
potatoes !”

“God be praised,” said I 3 “this precious plant
will secure provision for our colony.”

“Well,” said Jack, “if his superior knowledge
discovered them, I will be the first to dig them
up ;” and he set to work so ardently, that we had
soon a bag of fine ripe potatoes, which we carried
on to Tent House,



|

FAMILY ROBINSON. 83

CHAPTER XIV.

We had been much delighted with the new and
lovely scenery of our road: the prickly cactus,
and aloe, with its white flowers ; the Indian fig ;
the white and yellow jasmine; the fragrant
vanilla, throwing round its graceful festoons.
Above all, the regal pine-apple grew in pro-
fusion, and we feasted on it, for the first time, with
avidity.

Among the prickly stalks of the cactus and
aloes, I perceived a plant with large pointed
leaves, which I knew to be the karata. I pointed
out to the boys its beautiful red flowers; the leaves
are an excellent application to wounds, and thread
is made from the filaments, and the pith of the
stem is used by the savage tribes for tinder.

When I showed the boys, by experiment, the
use of the pith, they thought the ¢inder-tree would
be almost as useful as the potatoes.

“ At all events,” I said, “it will be more useful
than the pine-apples; your mother will be thank-
ful for thread, when her enchanted bag is ex-
hausted.”

“ How happy it is for us,” said she, “that you
have devoted yourself to reading and study. In
our ignorance we might have passed this treasure,
without suspecting its value.”

Fritz inquired of what use in the world all
the rest of these prickly plants could be, which
wounded every one that came near.

“ All these have their use, Fritz,” said I; “some
contain juices and gums, which are daily made

G2



84, THE SWISS

use of in medicine; others are useful in the arts,
or in manufactures. The Indian fig, for instance,
is a most interesting tree. It grows in the most arid
soil. The fruit is said to be sweet and wholesome.”

In a moment, my little active Jack was climb-
ing the rocks to gather some of these figs ; but he
had not remarked that they were covered with thou-
sands of slender thorns, finer than the finest needles,
which terribly wounded his fingers. He returned,
weeping bitterly and dancing with pain. Having
rallied him a little for his greediness, I extracted
the thorns, and then showed him how to open the
fruit, by first cutting off the pointed end, as it lay
on the ground ; into this I fixed a piece of stick,
and then pared it with my knife. The novelty of
the expedient recommended it, and they were soon
all engaged eating the fruit, which they declared
was very good.

In the mean time, I saw Ernest examining one
of the figs very attentively. “Oh! papa!” said
he, “what a singular sight ; the fig is covered
with a small red insect. I cannot shake them off.
Can they be the Cochineal?” I recognized at
once the precious insect, of which I explained to
my sons the nature and use. “It is with this
insect,” said I, “that the beautiful and rich
scarlet dyeis made. It is found in America, and
the Europeans give its weight in gold for it.” |

Thus discoursing on the wonders of nature, and
the necessity of increasing our knowledge by
observation and study, we arrived at Tent House,
and found it in the same state as we left it.

We all began to collect necessaries, Fritz
loaded himself with powder and shot, I opened
the butter-cask, and my wife and little Francis



FAMILY ROBINSON. 85

filled the pot. Ernest and Jack went to try and
secure the geese and ducks; but they had become
so wild that it would have been impossible, if
Ernest had not thought of an expedient. He
tied pieces of cheese, for bait, to threads, which
he floated on the water. The voracious creatures
immediately swallowed the cheese and were drawn
out by the thread. They were then securely tied,
and fastened to the game-bags, to be carried home
on our backs. Asthe bait could not be recovered,
the boys contented themselves with cutting off the
string close to the beak, leaving them to digest
the rest.

Our bags were already loaded with potatoes,
but we filled up the spaces between them with
salt; and, having relieved Turk of his armour, we
placed the heaviest on his back. I took the butter-
pot ; and, after replacing everything, and closing
our tent, we resumed our march, with our ludi-
crous incumbrances. The geese and ducks were
very noisy in their adieu to their old marsh; the
dogs barked; and we all laughed so excessively,
that we forgot our burdens till we sat down again
under our tree. My wife soon had her pot of
potatoes on the fire. She then milked the cow
and goat, while I set the fowls at liberty on the
banks of the river. We then-sat down to a
smoking dish of potatoes, a jug of milk, and
butter and cheese. After supper we had prayers,
thanking God especially for his new benefits ; and
we then sought our repose among the leaves.



86 THE SWISS

CHAPTER XV.

I wap observed on the shore, the preceding day,
a quantity of wood, which I thought would suit to
make a sledge, to convey our casks and heavy
stores from Tent House to Falcon’s Nest. At
dawn of day I woke Ernest, whose inclination to
indolence I wished to overcome, and leaving the
rest asleep, we descended, and harnessing the ass
to a strong branch of a tree that was lying near,

we proceeded to the shore. I had no difficulty in
_ Selecting proper pieces of wood; we sawed them
the right length, tied them together, and laid
them across the bough, which the patient animal
drew very contentedly. We added to the load a
small chest we discovered half buried in the sand,
and we returned homewards, Ernest leading the
ass, and I assisted by raising the load with a lever
when we met with any obstruction. My wife had
been rather alarmed; but seeing the result of
our expedition, and hearing of the prospect of a
sledge, she was satisfied. I opened the chest,
which contained only some sailors’ dresses and
some linen, both wetted with sea-water ; but
likely to be very useful as our own clothes
decayed. I found Fritz and Jack had been shoot.
ing ortolans ; they had killed about fifty, but had
consumed so much powder and shot, that I
checked a prodigality so imprudent in our situa-
tion. I taught them to make snares for the
birds of the threads we drew from the karata
leaves we had brought home. My wife and her



FAMILY ROBINSON. 87

two younger sons busied themselves with these,
while I, with my two elder boys, began to construct
the sledge. As we were working, we heard a
great noise among the fowls, and Ernest, looking
about, discovered the monkey seizing and hiding
the eggs from the nests; he had collected a good
store in a hole among the roots, which Ernest
carried to his mother; and Knips was punished
by being tied up, every morning, till the eggs
were collected.

Our work was interrupted by dinner, composed
of ortolans, milk, and cheese. After dinner, Jack
had climbed to the higher branches of the trees
to place his snares, and found the pigeons were ©
making nests. I then told him to look often to
the snares, for fear our own poor birds should be
taken; and, above all, never in future to fire mto
the tree. .

“Papa,” said little Francis, “can we not sow
some gunpowder, and then we shall have plenty?”
This proposal was received with shouts of laugh-
ter, which greatly discomposed the little innocent
fellow. Professor Ernest immediately seized the
opportunity to give a lecture on the composition
of gunpowder.

At the end of the day my sledge was finished.
Two long curved planks of wood, crossed by three
pieces, at a distance from each other, formed the
simple conveyance. The fore and hind parts
were in the form of horns, to keep the load from
falling off. Two ropes were fastened to the front,
and my sledge was complete. My wife was de-
lighted with it, and hoped I would now set out
immediately to Tent House for the butter-cask.



88 THE SWISS

I made no objection to this ; and Ernest and I
prepared to go, and leave Fritz in charge of the
family.

CHAPTER XVI.

WHEN we were ready to set out, Fritz presented
each of us with a little case he had made from the
skin of the margay. They were ingeniously con-
trived to contain knife, fork, and Spoon, and a
small hatchet. We then harnessed the ass and
the cow to the sledge, took a flexible bamboo cane
for a whip, and, followed by Flora, we departed,
leaving Turk to guard the tree.

We went by the shore, as the better road for
the sledge, and crossing Family Bridge, were
soon at Tent House. After unharnessing the
animals, we began to load. We took the cask of
butter, the cheese, and the biscuit ; all the rest of
our utensils, powder, shot, and Turk’s armour,
which we had left there. These labours had so
occupied us, that we had not observed that our
animals, attracted by the pasturage, had crossed
the bridge, and wandered out of sight. I sent
Ernest to seek them, and in the mean time went
to the bay, where I discovered some convenient
little hollows in the rock, that seemed cut out for
baths. I called Emest to come, and till he
arrived, employed myself in cutting some rushes,
which I thought might be useful. When my son
came, I found he had ingeniously removed the
first planks from the bridge, to prevent the
animals straying over again. We then had a



FAMILY ROBINSON. 89

very pleasant bath, and Ernest being out first, I
sent him to the rock, where the salt was accumu-
lated, to fill a small bag, to be transferred to the
large bags on the ass. He had not been absent
long, when I heard him cry out, “ Papa! papa!
a huge fish! I cannot hold it; it will break my
line.” I ran to his assistance, and found him
lymg on the ground on his face, tugging at his
line, to which an enormous salmon was attached,
that had nearly pulled him into the water. I let
it have a little more line, then drew it gently into
a shallow, and secured it. It appeared about fif-
teen pounds weight; and we pleased ourselves
with the idea of presenting this to our good cook.
Ernest said, he remembered having remarked
how this place swarmed with fish, and he took
care to bring his rod with him; he had taken
about a dozen small fishes, which he had in his
handkerchief, before he was overpowered by the
salmon. I cut the fishes open, and rubbed the
inside with salt, to preserve them; then placing
them in a small box on the sledge, and adding
our bags of salt, we harnessed our animals, and
set off homewards.

When we were about half-way, Flora left us, and,
by her barking, raised a singular animal, which
seemed to leap instead of run. The irregular bounds
of the animal disconcerted my aim, and, though
very near, I missed it. Ernest was more for-
tunate; he fired at it, and killed it. It was an
animal about the size of a sheep, with the tail of
a tiger; its head and skin were like those of a
mouse, ears longer than the hare; there was a
curious pouch on the belly; the fore legs were
short, as if imperfectly developed, and armed with



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‘‘ Our first care, was to kneel down and thank God, to whom
we owed our lives.””—P. 14.
THE

SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON:

OR,

ADVENTURES

IN

A DESERT ISLAND.

A NEW EDITION,

COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME, ENTIRELY REVISED AND CORRECTED.

WITH EIGHT ILLUSTRATIONS BY JOHN GILBERT.

LONDON:

GEORGE ROUTLEDGE AND CO., SOHO SQUARE.
1851.
PRINTED BY
COX (BROTHERS) AND WYMAN, GREAT QUEEN STREET,
LINCOLN’S-INN FIELDS.
PREFACE.

———= > —

Many years ago, an English translation of the
first part of this charming tale appeared; and
few books have obtamed such deserved popu-
larity. The gradual progress of the family from
utter destitution and misery, to happiness and
abundance, arising from their own labour, perse-
verance, and obedience, together with the effect
produced on the different characters of the sons
by the stirring adventures they met with, created
a deep and absorbing interest. Every young
reader patronized either the noble Fritz, the stu-
dious Ernest, or the generous Jack, and regarded
him asa familiar personal acquaintance. The book
had but one defect—the death of the talented
author left it unfinished, and every reader regretted
its abrupt termination.

This conclusion was happily supplied by one of
the most accomplished and elegant writers of her
day, the Baroness de Montolieu; and, sanctioned
and approved by the son of the lamented author,
the entire work was published in France, and has
for many years held a distinguished rank in the
1V PREFACE.

juvenile libraries there. For the gratification of a
little family circle, this now appears in English ;
and as, on examining the first part in the original,
it was found, that “some new discoveries might
be made,” it was thought best to re-translate it,
subduing the tone of the whole to English taste.
The unanimous voices of the beloved circle, for
whom the pleasant task was undertaken, have pro-
nounced the result to be eminently successful, and
they generously wish, that the whole of the juve-
nile public of England should share in their satis-
faction, and possess a complete Swiss Robinson.
INTRODUCTION.

Stee camel

Ir is very well known that, some years ago,
Counsellor Horner, a Swiss, made a voyage round
the world in the Russian vessel Le Podesda, com-
manded by Capt. Krusenstern. They discovered
many islands, and, amongst others, one very
large and fertile, till then unknown to naviga-
tors, to the S.W. of Java, near the coast of New
Guinea. They landed here, and to the great
surprise of Mr. Horner, he was received by a
family who spoke to him in German. They were a
father and mother, and four robust and hardy sons.

Their history was very interesting. The father
was a Swiss clergyman, who, in the Revolution of
1798, had lost all his fortune, and had determined
to emigrate, in order to seek elsewhere the means
of supporting his family. He went first to England,
with his wife and children, consisting of four sons,
between the ages of twelve and five. He there
undertook the office of missionary to Otaheite ;
not that he intended to remain on that uncivilized
island, but he wished to proceed from thence to
Port Jackson as a free colonist. He invested his
vl INTRODUCTION.

little capital in seeds of every description, and
some cattle, to take out with him. They had a
prosperous voyage till they were near the coast of
New Guinea, when they were overtaken by a
frightful storm. At this period he commenced
his journal, which he afterwards committed to the
care of Mr. Horner, to be forwarded to his friends
in Switzerland.

Some time before, a boat from an English ves-
sel, the Adventurer, had visited them, and the
father had sent the first part of his journal by
Lieut. Bell to the captain, who remained in the
vessel. A violent tempest arose, which continued
some days, and drove the Adventurer from the
coast. ‘The family concluded the ship was lost;
but this was not the case, as will be seen in the
conclusion.
THE

SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON.

a ee

CHAPTER I.

Tue tempest had raged for six days, and on
the seventh seemed to increase. The ship had
been so far driven from its course, that no one on
board knew where we were. Every one was ex-
hausted with fatigue and watching. The shattered
vessel began to leak in many places, the oaths of
the sailors were changed to prayers, and each
thought only how to save his own life. “Chil-
dren,” said I, to my terrified boys, who were
clinging round me, “ God can save us if he will.
To him nothing is impossible; but if he thinks it
good to call us to him, let us not murmur; we
shall not be separated.” My excellent wife dried
her tears, and from that moment became more
tranquil. We knelt down to pray for the help of
our Heavenly Father; and the fervour and emo-
tion of my innocent boys proved to me that even
children can pray, and find in prayer consolation
and peace.

We rose from our knees strengthened to bear
the afflictions that hung over us. Suddenly we
heard amid the roaring of the waves the cry of
“Land! land!” At that moment the ship

B
2 THE SWISS

struck on a rock; the concussion threw us down.
We heard a loud cracking, as if the vessel was
parting asunder ; we felt that we were aground,
and heard the captain cry, in a tone of despair,
“We are lost! Launch the boats!” These
words were a dagger to my heart, and the lamen-
tations of my children were louder than ever. I
then recollected myself, and said, “ Courage, my
darlings, we are still above water, and the land
is near. God helps those who trust in him. Re-
main here, and I will endeavour to save us.”

I went on deck, and was instantly thrown
down, and wet through by a huge sea; a se-
cond followed. I struggled boldly with the waves,
and succeeded in keeping myself up, when I saw,
with terror, the extent of our wretchedness. The
shattered vessel was almost in two; the crew had
crowded into the boats, and the last sailor was
cutting the rope. I cried out, and prayed them
to take us with them; but my voice was drowned
in the roar of the tempest, nor could they have
returned for us through waves that ran mountains
high. All hope from their assistance was lost ;
but I was consoled by observing that the water
did not enter the ship above a certain height.
The stern, under which lay the cabin which con-
tained all that was dear to me on earth, was im-
movably fixed between two rocks. At the same
time I observed, towards the south, traces of land,
which, though wild and barren, was now the
haven of my almost expiring hopes; no longer
being able to depend on any human aid. I re-
turned to my family, and endeavoured to appear
calm. “Take courage,” cried I, “there is yet
hope for us; ‘the vessel, in striking between the
FAMILY ROBINSON. 3

rocks, is fixed in a position which protects our
cabin above the water, and if the wind should
settle to-morrow, we may possibly reach the land.”

This assurance calmed my children, and as
usual, they depended on all I told them; they
rejoiced that the heaving of the vessel had ceased,
as, while it lasted, they were continually thrown
against each other. My wife, more accustomed
to read my countenance, discovered my uneasi-
ness; and by a sign, I explained to her that I had
lost all hope. I felt great consolation in seeing
that she supported our misfortune with truly
Christian resignation.

“‘ Let us take some food,” said she; “ with the
body, the mind is strengthened; this must be a
night of trial.”

Night came, and the tempest continued its
fury ; tearing away the planks from the devoted
vessel with a fearful crashing. It appeared abso-
lutely impossible that the boats could have out-
lived the storm.

My wife had prepared some refreshment, of
which the children partook with an appetite that
we could not feel. The three younger ones re-
tired to their beds, and soon slept soundly. Fritz,
the eldest, watched with me. ‘“ I have been con-
sidermg,” said he, “ how we could save ourselves.
If we only had some cork jackets, or bladders,
for mamma and my brothers, you and I don’t
need them, we could then swim to land.”

“ A good thought,” said I, “I will try during
the night to contrive some expedient to secure our
safety.” We found some small empty barrels in
the cabin, which we tied two together with our
handkerchiefs, leaving a space between for each

B 9 p ae

a
4, THE SWISS

child ; and fastened this new swimming apparatus
under their arms. My wife prepared the same for
herself. We then collected some knives, string,
tinder-box, and such little necessaries as we could
put in our pockets ; thus, in case the vessel should
fall to pieces during the night, we hoped we might
be enabled to reach land.

At length Fritz, overcome with fatigue, lay
down and slept with his brothers. My wife and
I, too anxious to rest, spent that dreadful night
im prayer, and in arranging various plans. How
gladly we welcomed the light of day, shining
through an opening. The wind was subsiding,
the sky serene, and I watched the sun rise with
renewed hope. I called my wife and children on
deck. The younger ones were surprised to find
we were alone. They inquired what had become
of the sailors, and how we should manage the ship
alone.

“Children,” said I, “one more powerful than
man has protected us till now, and will still ex-
tend a saving arm to us, if we do not give way to
complaint and despair. Let all hands set to work.
Remember that excellent maxim, God helps those
who help themselves. Let us all consider what is
best to do now.”

“ Let us leap into the sea,” cried Fritz, “ and
swim to the shore.”

“ Very well for you,” replied Ernest, “who can
swim; but we should be all drowned. Would it
not be better to construct a raft and go all to-
gether ?”

.“ That might do,” added I, “if we were strong
enough for such a work, and if a raft was not
always so dangerous a conveyance. But away,
FAMILY ROBINSON. 5

boys, look about you, and seek for anything that
may be useful to us.”

We all dispersed to different parts of the vessel.
For my own part I went to the provision-room, to
look after the casks of water and other necessaries
of life ; my wife visited the live stock and fed them,
for they were almost famished; Fritz sought for
arms and ammunition; Ernest for the carpenter’s
tools. Jack had opened the captain’s cabin, and
was immediately thrown down by two large
dogs, who leaped on him so roughly that he cried
out as if they were going to devour him. How-
ever, hunger had rendered them so docile that
they licked his hands, and he soon recovered his
feet, seized the largest by the ears, and mounting
his back, gravely rode up to me as I was coming
from the hold. I could not help laughing; |
applauded his courage; but recommended him
always to be prudent with animals of that kind,
who are often dangerous when hungry.

My little troop began to assemble. Fritz had
found two fowling-pieces, some bags of powder
and shot, and some balls, in horn flasks. Ernest
was loaded with an axe and hammer, a pair of
pincers, a large pair of scissors, and an auger
showed itself half out of his pocket.

Francis had a large box under his arm, from
which he eagerly produced what he called little
pointed hooks. His brothers laughed at his prize.
“ Silence,” said I, “ the youngest has made the
most valuable addition to our stores. These are
fish-hooks, and may be more useful for the pre-
servation of our lives than anything the ship con-
tains. However, Fritz and Ernest have not done
amiss.”
6 THE SWISS

“For my part,” said my wife, “I only contri-
bute good news; I have found a cow, an ass, two
goats, six sheep, and a sow with young. I have
fed them, and hope we may preserve them.”

“ Very well,” said I to my little workmen, “ I
am satisfied with all but Master Jack, who, instead
of anything useful, has contributed two great
eaters, who will do us more harm than good.”

“They can help us to hunt when we get to
land,” said Jack.

“ Yes,” replied I, “but can you devise any
means of our getting there?”

“It does not seem at all difficult,” said the spi-
rited little fellow; “ put us each into a great tub,
and let us float to shore. I remember sailing capi-
tally that way on godpapa’s great pond at S—.”

“A very good idea, Jack; good counsel may
sometimes be given even by a child. Be quick,
boys, give me the saw and auger, with some nails,
we will see what we can do.” I remembered
seeing some empty casks in the hold. We went
down and found them floating. This gave us less
difficulty in getting them upon the lower deck,
which was but just above the water. They were
of strong wood, bound with iron hoops, and exactly
suited my purpose; my sons and I therefore began
to saw them through the middle. After long
labour, we had eight tubs all the same height.
We refreshed ourselves with wine and biscuit,
which we had found in some of the casks. I then
contemplated with delight my little squadron of
boats ranged in a line; and was surprised that my
wife still continued depressed. She looked mourn-
fully on them. “TI can never venture in one of
these tubs,” said she.
FAMILY ROBINSON. 7

“Wait a little, till my work is finished,” replied
I, “and you will see it is more to be depended on
than this broken vessel.”

I sought out a long flexible plank, and arranged
eight tubs on it, close to each other, leaving a piece
at each end to form a curve upwards, like the keel
of a vessel. We then nailed them firmly to the
plank, and to each other. We nailed a plank at
each side, of the same length as the first, and suc-
ceeded in producing a sort of boat, divided into
eight compartments, in which it did not appear
difficult to make a short voyage, over a calm sea.

But, unluckily, our wonderful vessel proved so
heavy, that our united efforts could not move it
an inch. Isent Fritz to bring me the jack-screw,
and, in the mean time, sawed a thick round pole
into pieces; then raising the fore-part of our work
by means of the powerful machine, Fritz placed
one of these rollers under it.

Ernest was very anxious to know how this small
machine could accomplish more than our united
strength. I explained to him, as well as I could,
the power of the lever of Archimedes, with which
he had declared he could move the world, if he
had but a point to rest it on; and I promised my
son to take the machine to pieces when we were
on shore, and explain the mode of operation. I
then told them that God, to compensate for the
weakness of man, had bestowed on him reason,
invention, and skill in workmanship. The result
of these had produced a science which, under the
name of Mechanics, taught us to increase and ex-
tend our limited powers incredibly by the aid of
instruments.

Jack remarked that the jack-screw worked very
slowly.
8 THE SWISS

“ Better slowly, than not at all,” said I. “It
is a principle in mechanics, that what is gained in
time is lost in power. The jack is not meant to
work rapidly, but to raise heavy weights; and
the heavier the weight, the slower the operation.
But, can you tell me how we can make up for this
slowness ?””

“Oh, by turning the handle quicker, to be
sure !”

“ Quite wrong; that would not aid us at all.
Patience and Reason are the two fairies, by whose
potent help I hope to get our boat afloat.”

I quickly proceeded to tie a strong cord to the
after-part of it, and the other end to a beam in
the ship, which was still firm, leaving it long
enough for security; then introducing two more
rollers underneath, and working with the jack, we
succeeded in launching our bark, which passed
into the water with such velocity, that but for our
rope it would have gone out to sea. Unfortu.
nately, it leaned so much on one side, that none
of the boys would venture into it. I was in
despair, when I suddenly remembered it only
wanted ballast to keep it in equilibrium. [
hastily threw in anything I got hold of that was
heavy, and soon had my boat level, and ready for
occupation. They now contended who should
enter first; but I stopped them, reflecting that
these restless children might easily capsize our
vessel. I remembered that Savage nations made
use of an out-rigger, to prevent their canoe over-
setting, and this I determined to add to my work.
I fixed two portions of a topsail-yard, one over
the prow, the other across the stern, in such a
manner that they should not be in the way in
FAMILY ROBINSON. 9

pushing off our boat from the wreck. I forced the
end of each yard into the bunghole of an empty
brandy-cask, to keep them steady during our
progress.

It was now necessary to clear the way for our
departure. I got into the first tub, and managed
to get the boat into the cleft in the ship’s side, by
way of a haven; I then returned, and, with the
axe and saw, cut away right and left all that could
obstruct our passage. Then we secured some
oars, to be ready for our voyage next day.

The day had passed in toil, and we were com-
pelled to spend another night on the wreck,
though we knew it might not remain till morning.
We took a regular meal, for during the day we
had scarcely had time to snatch a morsel of bread
and a glass of wine. More composed than on the
preceding night, we retired to rest. I took the
precaution to fasten the swimming apparatus across
the shoulders of my three younger children and
my wife, for fear another storm might destroy the
vessel, and cast us into the sea. I also advised
my wife to put on a sailor’s dress, as more con-
venient for her expected toils and trials. She
reluctantly consented, and, after a short absence,
appeared in the dress of a youth who had served
as a volunteer in the vessel. She felt very timid
and awkward in her new dress; but I showed her
the advantage of the change, and, at last, she was
reconciled, and joined in the laughter of the chil-
dren at her strange disguise. She then got into
her hammock, and we enjoyed a pleasant sleep, to
prepare us for new labours.
10 THE SWISS

CHAPTER II.

Art break of day we were awake and ready, and
after morning prayer, I addressed my children
thus: “ We are now, my dear boys, with the help
of God, about to attempt our deliverance. Before
we go, provide our poor animals with food for
some days; we cannot take them with us, but if
our voyage succeed, we may return forthem. Are
you ready? Collect what you wish to carry away,
but only things absolutely necessary for our actual
wants.” I planned that our first cargo should
consist of a barrel of powder, three fowling-pieces,
three muskets, two pair of pocket pistols, and one
pair larger, ball, shot, and lead as much as we
could carry, with a bullet-mould; and I wished
each of my sons, as well as their mother, should
have a complete game-bag, of which there were
several in the officers’ cabins. We then set apart
a box of portable soup, another of biscuit, an iron
pot, a fishing-rod, a chest of nails, and one of car-
penter’s tools, also some sailcloth to make a tent.
In fact my boys collected so many things, we were
compelled to leave some behind, though I ex-
changed all the useless ballast for necessaries.

When all was ready, we implored the blessing
of God on our undertaking, and prepared to em-
bark in our tubs. At this moment the cocks
crowed a sort of reproachful farewell to us; we
had forgotten them; I immediately proposed to
take our poultry with us, geese, ducks, fowls and
pigeons, for, as I observed to my wife, if we could
not feed them, they would, at any rate, feed us.
FAMILY ROBINSON. . ll

We placed our ten hens and two cocks in a
covered tub; the rest we set at liberty, hoping
the geese and ducks might reach the shore by
water, and the pigeons by flight.

We waited a little for my wife, who came
loaded with a large bag, which she threw into the
tub that contained her youngest son. I con-
cluded it was intended to steady him, or for a
seat, and made no observation on it. Here follows
the order of our embarkation. In the first divi-
sion, sat the tender mother, the faithful and
pious wife. In the second, our amiable little
Francis, six years old, and of a sweet disposition.

In the third, Fritz, our eldest, fourteen or
fifteen years old, a curly-headed, clever, intelli-
gent and lively youth.

In the fourth, the powder-cask, with the fowls
and the sailcloth.

Our provisions filled the fifth.

In the sixth, our heedless Jack, ten years old,
enterprising, bold, and useful.

In the seventh, Ernest, twelve years of age, well-
informed and rational, but somewhat selfish and
indolent. In the eighth, myself, an anxious father,
charged with the important duty of guiding the
vessel to save my dear family. Each of us had
some useful tools beside us; each held an oar,
and had a swimming apparatus at hand, in case
we were unfortunately upset. The tide was rising
when we left, which I considered might assist my
weak endeavours. We turned our out-riggers
length-ways, and thus passed from the cleft of the
ship into the open sea. We rowed with all our
might, to reach the blue land we saw at a dis-
tance, but for some time in vain, as the boat kept
12 THE SWISS

turning round, and made no progress. At last I
contrived to steer it, so that we went straight
forward.

As soon as our dogs saw us depart, they leaped
into the sea, and followed us ; I could not let
them get into the boat, for fear they should upset
it. I was very sorry, for I hardly expected they
would be able to swim to land; but by occasionally
resting their forepaws on our out-riggers, they
managed to keep up with us. Turk was an
English dog, and Flora of a Danish breed.

We proceeded slowly, but safely. The nearer
we approached the land, the more dreary and un-
promising it appeared. The rocky coast seemed
to announce to us nothing but famine and misery.
The waves, gently rippling against the shore, were
scattered over with barrels, bales, and chests from
the wreck. Hoping to secure some good pro-
visions, I called on Fritz for assistance ; he held a
cord, hammer, and nails, and we managed to seize
two hogsheads in passing, and fastening them
with cords to our vessel, drew them after us to
the shore. |

As we approached, the coast seemed to improve.
The chain of rock was not entire, and Fritz’s hawk
eye made out some trees, which he declared were
the cocoa-nut tree; Ernest was delighted at the
prospect of eating these nuts, so much larger and
better than any grown in Europe. I was regret-
ting not having brought the large telescope from
the captain’s cabin, when Jack produced from his
pocket a smaller one, which he offered me with no
little pride.

This was a valuable acquisition, as I was now
enabled to make the requisite observations, and
FAMILY ROBINSON. 13

direct my course. The coast before us had a wild
and desert appearance,—it looked better towards
the left ; but I could not approach that part, for a
current which drove us towards the rocky and bar-
ren shore. At length we saw, near the mouth of a
rivulet, a little creek between the rocks, towards
which our geese and ducks made, serving us for
guides. This opening formed a little bay of
smooth water, just deep enough for our boat. I
cautiously entered it, and landed at a place where
the coast was about the height of our tubs, and
the water deep enough to let us approach. The
shore spread inland, forming a gentle declivity of
a triangular form, the point lost among the rocks,
and the base to the sea.

All that were able leaped on shore in a moment.
Even little Francis, who had been laid down in
his tub, like a salted herring, tried to crawl out,
but was compelled to wait for his mother’s assist-
ance. The dogs, who had preceded us in landing,
welcomed us in a truly friendly manner, leaping
playfully around us; the geese kept up a loud
cackling, to which the yellow-billed ducks quacked
a powerful bass. This, with the clacking of the
liberated fowls, and the chattering of the boys,
formed a perfect Babel; mingled with these, were the
harsh cries of the penguins and flamingoes, which
hovered over our heads, or sat on the points of the
rocks. They were in immense numbers, and their
notes almost deafened us, especially as they did
not accord with the harmony of our civilized fowls.
However I rejoiced to see these feathered creatures,
already fancying them on my table, if we were
obliged to remain in this desert region.

Our first care, when we stepped in safety on
14 THE SW1SS

land, was to kneel down and thank God, to whom
we owed our lives ; and to resign ourselves wholly
to his Fatherly kindness.

We then began to unload our vessel. How rich
we thought ourselves with the little we had saved !
We sought a convenient place for our tent, under
the shade of the rocks. We then inserted a pole
into a fissure in the rock; this, resting firmly on
another pole fixed in the ground, formed the frame
of the tent. The sailcloth was then stretched
over it, and fastened down at proper distances,
by pegs, to which, for greater security, we added
some boxes of provision ; we fixed some hooks to
the canvas at the opening in front, that we
might close the entrance during the night. I
sent my sons to seek some moss and withered
grass, and spread it in the sun to dry, to form our
beds; and while all, even little Francis, were busy
with this, I constructed a sort of cooking-place,
at some distance from the tent, near the river
which was to supply us with fresh water. It was
merely a hearth of flat stones from the bed of the
stream, fenced round with some thick branches.
I kindled a cheerful fire with some dry twigs, put
on the pot, filled with water and some squares of
portable soup, and left my wife, with Francis for
assistant, to prepare dinner. He took the portable
soup for glue, and could not conceive how mamma
could make soup, as we had no meat, and there
were no butchers’ shops here.

Fritz, in the mean time, had loaded our guns.
He took one to the side of the river ; Ernest de-
clined accompanying him, as the rugged road was
not to his taste; he preferred the seashore. Jack
proceeded to a ridge of rocks on the left, which ran
FAMILY ROBINSON. 15

towards the sea, to get some muscles. I went to
try and draw the two floating hogsheads on shore,
but could not succeed, for our landing-place was
too steep to get them up. Whilst I was vainly
trying to find a more favourable place, I heard my
dear Jack uttering most alarming cries. I seized
my hatchet, and ran to his assistance. I found
him up to the knees in a shallow pool, with a large
lobster holding his leg in its sharp claws. It made
off at my approach ; but I was determined it should
pay for the fright it had given me. Cautiously
taking it up, I brought it out, followed by Jack,
who, now very triumphant, wished to present it
himself to his mother, after watching how I held
it. But he had hardly got it into his hands, when
it gave him such a violent blow on the cheek with
its tail, that he let it fall, and began to cry again.
I could not help laughing at him, and, in his
rage, he seized a stone, and put an end to his
adversary. 1 was grieved at this, and recom-
mended him never to act in a moment of anger,
showing him that he was unjust in being so re-
vengeful ; for, if he had been bitten by the lobster,
it was plain he would have eaten his foe if he had
conquered him. Jack promised to be more dis-
creet and merciful in future, and obtained leave to
bear the prize to his mother.

“Mamma,” said he, proudly, “a lobster! A
lobster, Ernest! Where is Fritz! Take care it
does not bite you, Francis!” They all crowded
round in astonishment. ‘“ Yes,’ added he, tri-
umphantly, “here is the impertinent claw that
seized me; but I repaid the knave.”

* You are a boaster,” saidI. ‘“ You would have
got indifferently on with the lobster, if I had not
16 THE SWISS

come up; and have you forgotten the slap on the
cheek which compelled you to release him? Be-
sides, he only defended himself with his natural
arms; but you had to take a great stone. You
have no reason to be proud, Jack.”

Ernest wished to have the lobster added to the
soup to improve it; but his mother, with a spirit
of economy, reserved it for another day. I then
walked to the spot where Jack’s lobster was
caught, and, finding it favourable for my purpose,
drew my two hogsheads on shore there, and
secured them by turning them on end.

On returning, I congratulated Jack on being
the first who had been successful in foraging.
Ernest remarked, that he had seen some oysters
attached to a rock, but could not get at them
without wetting his feet, which he did not like.

“Indeed, my delicate gentleman !” said I, laugh-
ing, “I must trouble you to return and procure
us some. We must all unite in working for the
public good, regardless of wet feet. The sun will
soon dry us.”

“T might as well bring some salt at the same
time,” said he; “I saw plenty in the fissures of
the rock, left by the sea, I should think, papa?”

“‘ Doubtless, Mr. Reasoner,” replied I; “ where
else could it have come from? the fact was so ob-
vious, that you had better have brought a bagful,
than delayed to reflect about it. But if you wish
to escape insipid soup, be quick and procure some.”

He went, and returned with some salt, so mixed
with sand and earth, that I should have thrown it
away as useless; but my wife dissolved it in fresh
water, and, filtermg it through a piece of canvas,
managed to flavour our soup with it.
FAMILY ROBINSON. 17

Jack asked why we could not have used sea-
water; and I explained to him that the bitter and
nauseous taste of sea-water would have spoiled our
dinner. My wife stirred the soup with a little
stick, and, tasting it, pronounced it very good, but
added, “ We must wait for Fritz. And how shall
we eat our soup without plates or spoons? We
cannot possibly raise this large boiling pot to our
heads, and drink out of it.”’

It was too true. We gazed stupified at our pot,
and, at last, all burst into laughter at our desti-
tution, and our folly in forgetting such useful
necessaries.

“Tf we only had cocoa-nuts,” said Ernest, “ we
might split them, and make basins and spoons.”

“If!” replied I—“ but we have none! We
might as well wish for a dozen handsome silver —
spoons at once, if wishes were of any use.”

“ But,” observed he, “we can use oyster-
shells,” |

“A useful thought, Ernest ; go directly and get
the oysters ; and, remember, gentlemen, no com-
plaints, though the spoons are without handles,
and you should dip your fingers into the bowl.”

Off ran Jack, and was mid-leg in the water
before Ernest got to him. He tore down the
oysters, and threw them to his idle brother, who
filled his handkerchief, taking care to put a large
one into his pocket for his own use; and they
returned with their spoil.

Fritz had not yet appeared, and his mother was
becoming uneasy, when we heard him cheerfully
hailing us at a distance. He soon came up, with
a feigned air of disappointment, and his hands
behind him; but Jack, who had glided round him,

c
18 THE SWISS

cried out, “ A sucking pig! a sucking pig!” And
he then, with great pride and satisfaction, pro-
duced his booty, which I recognized, from the
description of travellers, to be the agouti, common
in these regions, a swift animal, which burrows in
the earth, and lives on fruits and nuts ; its flesh,
something like that of the rabbit, has an unplea-
sant flavour to Europeans.

All were anxious to know the particulars of the
chase; but I seriously reproved my son for his
little fiction, and warned him never to use the least
deceit, even in jest. I then inquired where he
had met with the agouti. He told me he had
been on the other side of the river, “a very dif-
ferent place to this,’ continuedhe. “ The shore
lies low, and you can have no idea of the number
- of casks, chests, planks, and all sorts of things the
sea has thrown up; shall we go and take posses-
sion of them? And to-morrow, father, we ought
to make another trip to the vessel, to look after
our cattle. We might, at least, bring away the
cow. Our biscuit would not be so hard dipped in
milk.” |

“And very much nicer,” added the greedy
Ernest.

“Then,” continued Fritz, “ beyond the river
there is rich grass for pasturage, and a shady
wood. Why should we remain in this barren
wilderness ?”’

“Softly!” replied I, “there is a time for all
things. To-morrow, and the day after to-morrow
will have their work. But first tell me, did you
see anything of our shipmates ?”’

“Not a trace of man, living or dead, on land
or sea; but I saw an animal more like a hog than
FAMILY ROBINSON. 19

this, but with feet like a hare; it leaped among
the grass, sometimes sitting upright, and rubbing
its mouth with its fore-paws; sometimes seeking
for roots, and gnawing them like a squirrel. If I
had not been afraid it would escape me, I would
have tried to take it alive, it seemed so very
tame.”

As we were talking, Jack had been trying, with
many grimaces, to force an oyster open with his
knife. I laughed at his vain endeavours, and
putting some on the fire, showed him them open
of themselves. I had no taste for oysters myself
but as they are everywhere accounted a delicacy,
I advised my sons to try them. They all at first
declined the unattractive repast, except Jack,
who, with great courage, closed his eyes, and
desperately swallowed one as if it had been medi-
cine. The rest followed his example, and then all
agreed with me that oysters were not good. The
shells were soon plunged into the pot to bring out
some of the good soup; but scalding their fingers,
it was who could cry out the loudest. Ernest
took his large shell from his pocket, cautiously
filled it with a good portion of soup, and set it
down to cool, exulting in his own prudence.
“You have been very thoughtful, my dear Er-
nest,” said I; “but why are your thoughts always
for yourself; so seldom for others? As a punish-
ment for your egotism, that portion must be
given to our faithful dogs. We can all dip our
shells into the pot, the dogs cannot. Therefore,
they shall have your soup, and you must wait,
and eat as we do.” My reproach struck his
heart, and he placed his shell obediently on the
ground, which the dogs emptied immediately.

c 2
20 THE SWISS

We were almost as hungry as they were, and were
watching anxiously till the soup began to cool ;
when we perceived that the dogs were tearing
and gnawing Fritz’s agouti. The boys all cried
out; Fritz was in a fury, took his gun, struck
the dogs, called them names, threw stones at
them, and would have killed them if I had not
held him. He had actually bent his gun with
striking them. As soon as he would listen to me,
I reproached him seriously for his violence, and
represented to him how much he had distressed
us, and terrified his mother; that he had spoiled
his gun, which might have been so useful to us,
and had almost killed the poor animals, who
might be more so. “Anger,” said I, “ leads to
every crime. Remember Cain, who killed his
brother in a fit of passion.” “Oh, father !”
said he, in a voice of terror; and, acknowledging
his error, he asked pardon, and shed bitter tears.

Soon after our repast the sun set, and the
fowls gathered round us, and picked up the
scattered crumbs of biscuit. My wife then took
out her mysterious bag, and drew from it some
handfuls of grain to feed her flock. She showed
me also many other seeds of useful vegetables. 1
praised her prudence, and begged her to be very
economical, as these seeds were of great value,
and we could bring from thé vessel some spoiled
biscuit for the fowls.

Our pigeons now flew among the rocks, the
cocks and hens perched on the frame of the tent,
and the geese and ducks chose to roost m a
marsh, covered with bushes, near the sea. We
prepared for our rest; we loaded all our arms,
then offered up our prayers together, thanking
FAMILY ROBINSON. 21

God for his signal mercy to us, and commending
ourselves to his care. When the last ray of light
departed, we closed our tent, and lay down on
our beds, close together. The children had re-
marked how suddenly the darkness came on,
from which I concluded we were not far from the
equator; for I explained to them, the more per-
pendicularly the rays of the sun fall, the less their
refraction ; and consequently night comes on sud-
denly when the sun is below the horizon.

Once more I looked out to see if all was quiet,
then carefully closing the entrance, I lay down.
Warm as the day had been, the night was so cold
that we were obliged to crowd together for
warmth. The children soon slept, and when I
saw their mother in her first peaceful sleep, my
own eyes closed, and our first night on the island
passed comfortably.

CHAPTER III.

At break of day I was waked by the crowing
of the cock. I summoned my wife to council, to
consider on the business of the day. We agreed
that our first duty was to seek for our shipmates,
and to examine the country beyond the river
before we came to any decisive resolution.

My wife saw we could not all go on this expe-
dition, and courageously agreed to remain with
her three youngest sons, while Fritz, as the eldest
and boldest, should accompany me. I begged
her to prepare breakfast immediately, which she
warned me would be scanty, as no soup was pro-
22 THE SWISS

vided. I asked for Jack’s lobster; but it was not
to be found. Whilst my wife made the fire, and
put on the pot, I called the children, and asking
Jack for the lobster, he brought it from a crevice
im the rock, where he had hidden it from the
dogs, he said, who did not despise anything eat-
able.

“T am glad to see you profit by the misfor-
tunes of others,” said I; “and now will you give
up that large claw that caught your leg, and
which I promised you, to Fritz, as a provision for
his journey?” All were anxious to go on this
journey, and leaped round me like little kids.
But I told them we could not all go. They must
remain with their mother, with Flora for a pro-
tector. Fritz and I would take Turk; with him
and a loaded gun I thought we should inspire
respect. I then ordered Fritz to tie up Flora,
and get the guns ready.

Fritz blushed, and tried in vain to straighten
his crooked gun. I let him go on for some time,
and then allowed him to take another; for I saw
he was penitent. The dogs, too, snarled, and
would not let him approach them. He wept, and
begged some biscuit from his mother, declaring he
would give up his own breakfast to make his peace
with the dogs. He fed them, caressed them, and
seemed to ask pardon. The dog is always grate-
ful; Flora soon licked his hands; Turk was more
unrelenting, appearing to distrust him. “ Give
him a claw of the lobster,” said Jack; “ for I
make you a present of the whole for your jour-
ney.”

“ Don’t be uneasy about them,” said Ernest,
“they will certainly meet with cocoa-nuts, as
FAMILY ROBINSON. 23

Robinson did, very different food to your wretched
lobster. Think of an almond as big as my head,
with a large cup full of rich milk.”

« Pray, brother, bring me one, if you find any,”
said Francis.

We began our preparation; we each took a
game-bag and a hatchet. I gave Fritz a pair of
pistols in addition to his gun, equipped myself in
the same way, and took care to carry biscuit and a
flask of fresh water. The lobster proved so hard
at breakfast, that the boys did not object to our
carrying off the remainder ; and, though the flesh
is coarse, it is very nutritious.

I proposed before we departed, to have prayers,
and my thoughtless Jack began to imitate the
sound of church-bells—“ Ding, dong! to prayers!
to prayers! ding, dong!” I was really angry,
and reproved him severely for jesting about sacred
things. Then, kneeling down, I prayed God’s
blessing on our undertaking, and his pardon for
us all, especially for him who had now so grie-
vously sinned. Poor Jack came and kneeled by
me, weeping and begging for forgiveness from me
and from God. I embraced him, and enjoined
him and his brothers to obey their mother. I
then loaded the guns I left with them, and charged
my wife to keep near the boat, their best refuge.
We took leave of our friends with many tears, as
we did not know what dangers might assail us in
an unknown region. But the murmur of the
river, which we were now approaching, drowned
the sound of their sobs, and we bent our thoughts
on our journey.

The bank of the river was so steep, that we
could only reach the bed at one little opening,
24. THE SWISS

near the sea, where we had procured our water ;
but here the opposite side was guarded by a ridge
of lofty perpendicular rocks. We were obliged
to ascend the river to a place where it fell over
some rocks, some fragments of which having fallen,
made a sort of stepping-stones, which enabled us
to cross with some hazard. We made our way,
with difficulty, through the high grass, withered
by the sun, directing our course towards the sea,
in hopes of discovering some traces of the boats,
or the crew. We had scarcely gone a hundred
yards, when we heard a loud noise and rustling in
the grass, which was as tall as we were. We
imagined we were pursued by some wild beast, |
and I was gratified to observe the courage of
Fritz, who, imstead of running away, calmly
turned round and presented his piece. What
was our joy when we discovered that the formid-
able enemy was only our faithful Turk, whom we
had forgotten in our distress, and our friends had
doubtless dispatched him after us! I applauded
my son’s presence of mind; arash act might have
deprived us of this valuable friend.

We continued our way: the sea lay to our left ;
on our right, at a short distance, ran the chain of
rocks, which were continued from our landing-
place, in a line parallel to the sea; the summits
clothed with verdure and various trees. Between
the rocks and the sea, several little woods ex-
tended, even to the shore, to which we kept as
close as possible, vainly looking out on land or
sea for any trace of our crew. Fritz proposed to
fire his gun, as a signal to them, if they should be
near us; but I reminded him that this signal

might bring the savages round us, instead of our
friends.
Wy
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“ We rested in the shade, near a clear stream, and took
some refreshment.”’— P, 25
FAMILY ROBINSON. 25

He then inquired why we should search after
those persons at all, who so unfeelingly abandoned
us on the wreck.

« First,” said I, “we must not return evil for
evil. Besides, they may assist us, or be in need
of our assistance. Above all, remember, they
could save nothing but themselves. We have got
many useful things which they have as much
right to as we.”

“But we might be saving the lives of our
cattle,” said he.

« We should do our duty better by saving the
life of a man,” answered 1; “ besides, our cattle
have food for some days, and the sea is so calm
there is no immediate danger.”

We proceeded, and entering a little wood that
extended to the sea, we rested in the shade, near
a clear stream, and took some refreshment. We
were surrounded by unknown birds, more remark-
able for brilliant plumage than for the charm of
their voice. Fritz thought he saw some monkeys
among the leaves, and Turk began to be restless,
smelling about, and barking very loud. Fritz
was gazing up into the trees, when he fell over a
large round substance, which he brought to me,
observing that it might be a bird’s nest. Ithought
it more likely to be a cocoa-nut. The fibrous
covering had reminded him of the description he
had read of the nests of certain birds; but, on
breaking the shell, we found it was indeed a cocoa-
nut, but quite decayed and uneatable.

Fritz was astonished; where was the sweet
milk that Ernest had talked of ?

I told him the milk was only in the half-ripe
nuts; that it thickened and hardened as the
26 THE SWISS

nut ripened, becoming a kernel. This nut had
perished from remaining above ground. If it had
been in the earth, it would have vegetated, and
burst the shell. I advised my son to try if he
could not find a perfect nut.

After some search, we found one, and sat down
to eat it, keeping our own provision for dinner.
The nut was somewhat rancid ; but we enjoyed it,
and then continued our journey. We were some
time before we got through the wood, being fre-
quently obliged to clear a road for ourselves,
through the entangled brushwood, with our hat-
chets. At last we entered the open plain again,
and had a clear view before us. The forest stil]
extended about a stone’s throw to our right, and
Fritz, who was always on the look-out for dis-
coveries, observed a remarkable tree, here and
there, which he approached #¢o0 examine ; and he
soon called me to see this wonderful tree, with
wens growing on the trunk.

On coming up, I was overjoyed to find this
tree, of which there were a great number, was
the gourd-tree, which bears fruit on the trunk.
Fritz asked if these were sponges. I told him to
bring me one, and I would explain the mystery.

“There is one,” said he, “ very like a pumpkin,
only harder outside.”

“ Of this shell,” said I, “we can make plates,
dishes, basins, and flasks. We call it the gourd-
tree.”

Fritz leaped for joy. “ Now my dear mother
will be able to serve her soup properly.” I asked
him if he knew why the tree bore the fruit on
its trunk, or on the thick branches only. He
immediately replied, that the smaller branches
FAMILY ROBINSON. 27

would not bear the weight of the fruit. He asked
me if this fruit was eatable. ‘“ Harmless, I be-
lieve,” said 1; “but by no means delicate. Its
ereat value to savage nations consists in the shell,
which they use to contain their food, and drink,
and even cook in it.” Fritz could not comprehend
how they could cook in the shell without burnmg
it. I told him the shell was not placed on the
fire; but, being filled with cold water, and the
fish or meat placed in it, red-hot stones are, by
degrees, introduced into the water, till it attains
sufficient heat to cook the food, without injuring
the vessel. We then set about making our dishes
and plates. I showed Fritz a better plan of divi-
ding the gourd than with a knife. I tied a string
tightly round the nut, struck it with the handle of
my knife till an incision was made, then tightened
it till the nut was separated into two equally-sized
bowls. Fritz had spoiled his gourd by cutting it
irregularly with his knife. I advised him to try
and make spoons of it, as it would not do for
basins now. I told him I had learnt my plan
from books of travels. It is the practice of the
savages, who have no knives, to use a sort of
string, made from the bark of trees, for this pur-
pose. “ But how can they make bottles,” said
he. “That requires some preparation,” replied
I. “ They tie a bandage round the young gourd
near the stalk, so that the part at liberty expands
in a round form, and the compressed part remains
narrow. They then open the top, and extract the
contents by putting in pebbles and shaking it.
By this means they have a complete bottle.”

We worked on. Fritz completed a dish and
some plates, to his great satisfaction, but we con-
28 THE SWISS

sidered, that being so frail, we could not carry
them with us. We therefore filled them with
sand, that the sun might not warp them, and left
them to dry, till we returned.

As we went on, Fritz amused himself with cut-
ting spoons from the rind of the gourd, and I tried
to do the same with the fragments of the cocoa-nut 5
but I must confess my performances were inferior
to those I had seen in the museum in London, the
work of the South Sea islanders. We laughed at
our spoons, which would have required mouths
trom ear to ear to eat with them. Fritz declared
that the curve of the rind was the cause of that
defect : if the spoons had been smaller, they would
have been flat; and you might as well eat soup
with an oyster-shell as with a shovel.

While we talked, we did not neglect looking
about for our lost companions, but in vain. At
last, we arrived at a place where a tongue of land
ran to some distance into the sea, on which was
an elevated spot, favourable for observation. We
attained the summit with great labour, and saw
before us a magnificent prospect of land and water ;
but with all the aid our excellent telescope gave
us, we could in no direction discover any trace of
man. Nature only appeared in her greatest
beauty. The shore enclosed a large bay, which
terminated on the other side in a promontory.
The gentle rippling of the waves, the varied ver-
dure of the woods, and the multitude of novelties
around us, would have filled us with delight, but
for the painful recollection of those who, we now
were compelled to believe, were buried beneath
that glittering water. We did not feel less, how-
ever, the mercy of God, who had preserved us, and
FAMILY ROBINSON. 29

given us a home, with a prospect of subsistence
and safety. We had not yet met with any dan-
gerous animals, nor could we perceive any huts of
savages. I remarked to my son that God seemed
to have destined us to a solitary life in this rich
country, unless some vessel should reach these
shores. ‘And His will be done!” added I; “ it
must be for the best. Now let us retire to that
pretty wood to rest ourselves, and eat our dinner,
before we return.”

We proceeded towards a pleasant wood of palm-
trees; but before reaching it, had to pass through
an immense number of reeds, which greatly ob-
structed our road. We were, moreover, fearful of
treading on the deadly serpents who choose such
retreats. We made Turk walk before us to give
notice, and I cut a long, thick cane as a weapon of
defence. I was surprised to see a glutinous juice
oozing from the end of the cut cane ; I tasted it, and
was convinced that we had met with a plantation
of sugar-canes. I sucked more of it, and found
myself singularly refreshed. I said nothing to
Fritz, that he might have the pleasure of making
the discovery himself. He was walking a few paces
before me, and I called to him to cut himself a
cane like mine, which he did, and soon found out
the riches it contained. He cried out in ecstasy,
“Oh, papa! papa! syrup of sugar-cane! delicious !
How delighted will dear mamma, and my brothers
be, when I carry some to them!” He went on,
sucking pieces of cane so greedily, that I checked
him, recommending moderation. He was then
content to take some pieces to regale himself as
he walked home, loading himself with a huge
burden for his mother and brothers. We now
30 THE SWISS

entered the wood of palms to eat our dinner, when
suddenly a number of monkeys, alarmed by our
approach, and the barking of the dog, fled like
lightning to the tops of the trees ; and then grinned
frightfully at us, with load cries of defiance. As
I saw the trees were cocoa-palms, I hoped to ob-
tain, by means of the monkeys, a supply of the
nuts in the half-ripe state, when filled with milk.
I held Fritz’s arm, who was preparing to shoot at
them, to his great vexation, as he was irritated
against the poor monkeys for their derisive ges-
tures; but I told him, that though no patron of
monkeys myself, I could not allow it. We had
no right to kill any amimal except in defence, or
as a means of supporting life. Besides, the monkeys
would be of more use to us living than dead, as I
would show him. I began to throw stones at the
monkeys, not being able, of course, to reach the
place of their retreat, and they, in their anger, and in
the spirit of imitation, gathered the nuts and hurled
them on us in such quantities, that we had some
difficulty in escaping from them. We had soon a
large stock of cocoa-nuts. Fritz enjoyed the suc-
cess of the stratagem, and, when the shower sub-
sided, he collected as many as he wished. We
then sat down, and tasted some of the milk through
the three small holes, which we opened with our
knives. We then divided some with our hatchets,
and quenched our thirst with the liquor, which has
not, however, a very agreeable flavour. We liked
best a sort of thick cream which adheres to the
shells, from which we scraped it with our spoons,
and mixing it with the juice of the sugar-cane, we
produced a delicious dish. Turk had the rest of the
lobster, which we now despised, with some biscuit.
FAMILY ROBINSON. 31

We then got up, I tied some nuts together by
their stems, and threw them over my shoulder.
Fritz took his bundle of canes, and we set out
homewards.

CHAPTER IY.

Fritz groaned heavily under the weight of his
canes as we travelled on, and pitied the poor ne-
groes, who had to carry such heavy burdens of
them. He then, in imitation of me, tried to re-
fresh himself by sucking a sugar-cane, but was
surprised to find he failed in extracting any of the
juice. At last, after some reflection, he said, “ Ah!
I remember, if there is no opening made for the
air, 1 can get nothing out.” I requested him to
find a remedy for this.

J will make an opening,” said he, “ above the
first knot in the cane. If I draw in my breath in
sucking, and thus make a vacuum in my mouth.
the outer air then forces itself through the hole I
have made to fill this vacuum, and carries the juice
along with it; and when this division of the cane
is emptied, I can proceed to pierce above the next
knot. Iam only afraid that going on this way
we shall have nothing but empty canes to carry
to our friends.” I told him, that I was more
afraid the sun might turn the syrup sour before
we got our canes home; therefore we need not
spare them.

“Well, at any rate,” said he, “I have filled
my flask with the milk of the cocoa-nut to regale
them.”
32 THE SWISS

I told him I feared another disappointment ; for
the milk of the cocoa-nut, removed from the shell,
spoiled sooner than the sugar-cane juice. I warned
him that the milk, exposed to the sun in his tin
flask, was probably become vinegar.

He instantly took the bottle from his shoulder
and uncorked it ; when the liquor flew out with a
report, foaming like champaign.

I congratulated him on his new manufacture,
and said, we must beware of intoxication.

“Qh, taste, papa!” said he, “it is delicious,
not at all lke vinegar, but capital new, sweet,
sparkling wine. This will be the best treat, if it
remains in this state.”

“] fear it will not be so,” said I. “ This isthe
first stage of fermentation. When this is over,
and the liquor is cleared, it is a sort of wine, or
fermented liquor, more or less agreeable, accord-
ing to the material used. By applying heat, a
second, and slower fermentation succeeds, and the
liquor becomes vinegar. Then comes ona third
stage, which deprives it of its strength, and spoils
it. I fear, in this burning climate, you will carry
home only vinegar, or something still more offen-
sive. But let us drink each other’s health now,
but prudently, or we shall soon feel the effects of
this potent beverage.”’ Perfectly refreshed, we went
on cheerfully to the place where we had left our
gourd utensils. We found them quite dry, and
hard as bone; we had no difficulty in carrying
them in our game-bags. We had scarcely got
through the little wood where we had breakfasted,
when Turk darted furiously on a troop of monkeys,
who were sporting about, and had not perceived
him. He immediately seized a female, holding a
FAMILY ROBINSON. 33

young one in her arms, which impeded her flight,
and had killed and devoured the poor mother
before we could reach him. The young one had
hidden itself among the long grass, when Fritz
arrived ; he had run with all his might, losing his
hat, bottle, and canes, but could not prevent the
murder of the poor mother.

The little monkey no sooner saw him than it
leaped upon his shoulders, fastening its paws in his
curls, and neither cries, threats, nor shaking could
rid him of it. Iran up to him laughing, for I
saw the little creature could not hurt him, and
tried in vain to disengage it. I told him he must
carry it thus. It was evident the sagacious little
creature, having lost its mother, had adopted him
for a father.

I succeeded, at last, in quietly releasing him,
and took the little orphan, which was no bigger
than a cat, in my arms, pitying its helplessness.
The mother appeared as tall as Fritz.

I was reluctant to add another mouth to the
number we had to feed ; but Fritz earnestly begged
to keep it, offering to divide his share of cocoa-nut
milk with it till we had our cows. I consented,
on condition that he took care of it, and taught it
to be obedient to him.

Turk, in the mean time, was feasting onthe
remains of the unfortunate mother. Fritz would
have driven him off, but I saw we had not food
sufficient to satisfy this voracious animal, and we
might ourselves be in danger from his appetite.

We left him, therefore, with his prey, the little —
orphan sitting on the shoulder of his protector,
while I carried the canes. Turk soon overtook
us, and was received very coldly; we reproached

D
34 THE SWISS

him with his cruelty, but he was quite uncon-
cerned, and continued to walk after Fritz. The
little monkey seemed uneasy at the sight of him,
and crept into Fritz’s bosom, much to his incon-
venience. Buta thought struck him; he tied the
monkey with a cord to Turk’s back, leading the
dog by another cord, as he was very rebellious at
first ; but our threats and caresses at last induced
him to submit to his burden. We proceeded
slowly, and I could not help anticipating the mirth
of my little ones, when they saw us approach like
a pair of show-men.

I advised Fritz not to correct the dogs for
attacking and killing unknown animals. Heaven
bestows the dog on man, as well as the horse, for
a friend and protector. Fritz thought we were
very fortunate, then, in having two such faithful
dogs; he only regretted that our horses had died
on the passage, and only left us the ass.

“ Let us not disdain the ass,” said I; “I wish
we had him here; he is of a very fine breed, and
would be as useful as a horse to us.”

In such conversations, we arrived at the banks
of our river before we were aware. Flora barked
to announce our approach, and Turk answered so
loudly, that the terrified little monkey leaped from
his back to the shoulder of its protector, and
would not come down. Turk ran off to meet his
companion, and our dear family soon appeared on
the opposite shore, shouting with joy at our happy
return. We crossed at the same place as we had
done in the morning, and embraced each other.
Then began such a noise of exclamations. “A
monkey! areal, live monkey! Ah! how delightful !
How glad we are! How did you catch him ?”
FAMILY ROBINSON. 35

“He is very ugly,” said little Francis, who was
almost afraid of him.

“ He is prettier than you are,” said Jack ; “ see
how he laughs! how I should like to see him eat !”’

“Tf we only had some cocoa-nuts,” said Ernest.
“ Have you found any, and are they good?”

“ Have you had any unpleasant adventures? ”
asked my wife.

It was in vain to attempt replying to so many
questions and exclamations. .

At length, when we got a little peace, I told
them that, though I had brought them all sorts of
good things, I had, unfortunately, not met with
any of our companions.

“God’s will be done!” said my wife; “let us
thank Him for saving us, and again bringing us
together now. ‘This day has seemed an age.
But put down your loads, and let us hear your
adventures ; we have not been idle, but we are
less fatigued than you. Boys, assist your father
and brother.”

Jack took my gun, Ernest the cocoa-nuts, Fran-
cis the gourd-rinds, and my wife the game-bag.
Fritz distributed his sugar-canes, and placed the
monkey on Turk’s back, to the amusement of the
children. He begged Ernest to carry his gun, but
he complained of being overloaded with the great
bowls. His indulgent mother took them from
him, and we proceeded to the tent.

Fritz thought Ernest would not have relin-
quished the bowls, if he had known what they
contained, and called out to tell him they were
cocoa-nuts. ;

“Give them to me,” cried Ernest. “I will
carry them, mamma, and the gun too.”

D2
36 THE SWISS

His mother declined giving them.

“T can throw away these sticks,” said he, “and
carry the gun in my hand.”

“I would advise you not,” observed Fritz, “ for
the sticks are sugar-canes,”

“ Sugar-canes!” cried they all, surrounding
Fritz, who had to give them the history, and teach
them the art of sucking the canes.

My wife, who had a proper respect for sugar in
her housekeeping, was much pleased with this
discovery, and the history of all our acquisitions,
which I displayed to her. Nothing gave her so
much pleasure as our plates and dishes, which
were actual necessaries. We went to our kitchen,
and were gratified to see preparations going on
for a good supper. My wife had planted a forked
stick on each side the hearth ; on these rested a
long thin wand, on which all sorts of fish were
roasting, Francis being intrusted to turn the spit.
On the other side was impaled a goose on another
spit, and a row of oyster-shells formed the dripping-
pan: besides this, the iron pot was on the fire,
from which arose the savoury odour of a good soup.
Behind the hearth stood one of the hogsheads,
opened, and containing the finest Dutch cheeses,
enclosed in cases of lead. All this was very tempt-
ing to hungry travellers, and very unlike a supper
on a desert island. I could not think my family

ad been idle, when I saw such a result of their
labours; I was only sorry they had killed the
goose, as I wished to be economical with our
poultry.

“ Have no uneasiness,” said my wife, “this is
not from our poultry-yard, it is a wild goose, killed
by Ernest.”
FAMILY ROBINSON. 37

“Tt is a sort of penguin, I believe,” said Ernest,
“distinguished by the name of booby, and so
stupid, that I knocked it down with a stick. It
is web-footed, has a long narrow beak, a little
curved downwards. I have preserved the head
and neck for you to examine ; it exactly resembles
the penguin of my book of natural history.”

I pointed out to him the advantages of study,
and was making more inquiries about the form
and habits of the bird, when my wife requested
me to defer my catechism of natural history.

“Ernest has killed the bird,’ added she; “I
received it; we shall eat it. What more would
you have? Let the poor child have the pleasure
of examining and tasting the cocoa-nuts.”

“ Very well,” replied I, “ Fritz must teach them
how to open them; and we must not forget the
little monkey, who has lost his mother’s milk.”

“T have tried him,” cried Jack, “and he will
eat nothing.”

I told them he had not yet learnt to eat, and
we must feed him with cocoa-nut milk till we
could get something better. Jack generously
offered all his share, but Ernest and Francis were
anxious to taste the milk themselves.

“ But the monkey must live,” said Jack, petu-
lantly.

“ And so must we all,” said mamma. “Supper
is ready, and we will reserve the cocoa-nuts for
dessert.”

We sat down on the ground, and the supper was
served on our gourd-rind service, which answered
the purpose admirably. My impatient boys had
broken the nuts, which they found excellent, and
they made themselves spoons of the shell. Jack
38 THE SWISS

had taken care the monkey had his share ; they
dipped the corner of their handkerchiefs in the
milk, and let him suck them. They were going
to break up some more nuts, after emptying them
through the natural holes, but I stopped them,
and called for a saw. I carefully divided the nuts
with this instrument, and soon provided us each
with a neat basin for our soup, to the great com-
fort of my dear wife, who was gratified by seeing
us able to eat like civilized beings. Fritz begged
now to enliven the repast by introducing his cham-
paign. TI consented ; requesting him, however, to
taste it himself before he served it. What was his
mortification to find it vinegar! But we consoled
ourselves by using it as sauce to our goose; a
great improvement also to the fish. We had now
to hear the history of our supper. Jack and
Francis had caught the fish at the edge of the sea.
My active wife had performed the most laborious
duty; in rolling the hogshead to: the place and
breaking open the head.
€ sun was going down as we finished supper,
and, recollecting how rapidly night succeeded, we
hastened to our tent, where we found our beds
much more comfortable, from the kind attention
of the good mother, who had collected a large
addition of dried grass. After prayers, we all lay
down ; the monkey between Jack and Fritz, care-
fully covered with moss to keep him warm. The
fowls went to their roost, as on the previous night,
and, after our fatigue, we were all soon in a pro-
found sleep.
We had not slept long, when a great commo-
tion among the dogs and fowls announced the
FAMILY ROBINSON. 39

presence of an enemy. My wife, Fritz, and I,
each seizing a gun, rushed out.

By the light of the moon, we saw a terrible
battle going on: our brave dogs were surrounded
by a dozen jackals, three or four were extended
dead, but our faithful animals were nearly over-
powered by numbers when we arrived. I was
glad to find nothing worse than jackals; Fritz
and I fired on them; two fell dead, and the others
fled slowly, evidently wounded. Turk and Flora
pursued and completed the business, and then,
like true dogs, devoured their fallen foes, regard-
less of the bonds of relationship.

All being quiet again, we retired to our beds;
Fritz obtaining leave to drag the jackal he had
killed towards the tent, to save it from the dogs,
and to show to his brothers next morning. ‘This
he accomplished with difficulty, for it was as big
as a large dog.

We all slept peacefully the remainder of the
night, till the crowing of the cock awoke my wife
and myself to a consultation on the business of
the day.

CHAPTER V.

“Wet, my dear,” I began, “I feel rather
alarmed at all the labours I see before me. A
voyage to the vessel is indispensable, if we wish
to save our cattle, and many other things that
may be useful to us; on the other hand, I should
40 THE SWISS

like to have a more secure shelter for ourselves
and our property than this tent.”

“With patience, order, and perseverance, all
may be done,” said my good counsellor; “and
whatever uneasiness your voyage may give me, I
yield to the importance and utility of it. Let it
be done to-day; and have no care for the mor-
row : sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof, as
our blessed Lord has said.”

It was then agreed that the three youngest
children should remain with my wife; and Fritz,
the strongest and most active, should accompany
me.

I then arose, and woke my children for the im-
portant duties of the day. Fritz jumped up the
first, and ran for his jackal, which had stiffened in
the cold of the night. He placed it on its four
legs, at the entrance of the tent, to surprise his
brothers ; but no sooner did the dogs see it erect,
than they flew at it, and would have torn it to
pieces, if he had not soothed them and called them
off. However, their barking effectually roused the
boys, who rushed out to see the cause. Jack
issued first with the monkey on his shoulder; but
no sooner did the little creature see the jackal,
than he sprang into the tent, and hid himself
among the moss, till only the tip of his nose was
visible. All were astonished to see this large
yellow animal standing ; Francis thought it was
a wolf; Jack said it was only a dead dog, and
Ernest, in a pompous tone, pronounced it to be a
golden fox.

Fritz laughed at the learned professor, who
knew the agouti immediately, and now called a
jackal a golden fox |!
FAMILY ROBINSON. 41

“T judged by the peculiar characteristics,” said
Ernest, examining it carefully.

“ Oh! the characteristics!” said Fritz, ironically,
“don’t you think it may be a golden wolf?”

“ Pray don’t be so cross, brother,” said Ernest,
with tears in his eyes, “perhaps you would not
have known the name, if papa had not told you.”

I reproved Fritz for his ridicule of his brother,
and Ernest for so easily taking offence; and, to
reconcile all, I told them that the jackal partook
of the nature of the wolf, the fox, and the dog.
This discussion terminated, I summoned them to
prayers, after which we thought of breakfast. We
had nothing but biscuit, which was certainly dry
and hard. Fritz begged for a little cheese with
it; and Ernest, who was never satisfied like other
people, took a survey of the unopened hogshead.
He soon returned, crying “If we only had a
httle butter with our biscuit, it would be so good,
papa!”

I allowed it would be good, but it was no use
thinking of such a thing.

“ Let us open the other cask,” said he, display-
ing a piece of butter he had extracted through a
small crack on the side.

“Your instinct for good things has been for-
tunate for us,” saidI. “Come, boys, who wants
bread and butter ?” |

We began to consider how we should come at
the contents of the hogshead, without exposing
the perishable matter to the heat of the sun.
Finally, I pierced a hole in the lower part of the
cask, large enough for us to draw out the butter
as we wanted it, by means of a little wooden
shovel, which I soon made. We then sat down
42 THE SWISS

to breakfast with a cocoa-nut basin filled with
good salt Dutch butter. We toasted our biscuit,
buttered it hot, and agreed that it was excellent.
Our dogs were sleeping by us as we breakfasted ;
and I remarked that they had bloody marks of
the last night’s fray, in some deep and dangerous
wounds, especially about the neck ; my wife in-
stantly dressed the wounds with butter, well
washed in cold water; and the poor animals
seemed grateful for the ease it gave them. Ernest
judiciously remarked, that they ought to have
spiked collars, to defend them from any wild
beasts they might encounter.

“T will make them collars,” said Jack, who
never hesitated at anything. I was glad to em-
- ploy his inventive powers; and, ordering my chil-
dren, not to leave their mother, during our absence,
but to pray to God to bless our undertaking, we
began our preparations for the voyage.

While Fritz made ready the boat, I erected a
signal-post, with a piece of sailcloth for a flag, to
float as long as all was going on well; but if we
were wanted, they were to lower the flag, and fire
a gun three times, when we would immediately
return ; for I had informed my dear wife it might
be necessary for us to remain on board all night ;
and she consented to the plan, on my promising
to pass the night in our tubs, instead of the ves.
sel. We took nothing but our guns and ammu-
nition; relying on the ship’s provisions. Fritz
would, however, take the monkey, that he might
give it some milk from the cow.

We took a tender leave of each other, and em-
barked. When we had rowed into the middle of
FAMILY ROBINSON. 43

the bay, I perceived a strong current formed by
the water of the river which issued at a little dis-
tance, which I was glad to take advantage of, to
spare our labour. It carried us three parts of our
voyage, and we rowed the remainder; and enter-
ing the opening in the vessel, we secured our boat
firmly, and went on board.

The first care of Fritz was to feed the animals,
who were on deck, and who all saluted us after
their fashion, rejoiced to see their friends again,
as well as to have their wants supplied. We put
the young monkey to a goat, which he sucked
with extraordinary grimaces, to our infinite amuse-
ment. We then took some refreshment ourselves,
and Fritz, to my great surprise, proposed that we
should begin by adding a sail to our boat. He
said the current which helped us to the vessel,
could not carry us back, but the wind which blew
so strongly against us, and made our rowing so
fatiguing, would be of great service, if we had a
sail.

I thanked my counsellor for his good advice, and
we immediately set to the task. I selected a strong
pole for a mast, and a triangular sail, which was
fixed to a yard. We made a hole in a plank, to -
receive the mast, secured the plank on our fourth
tub, forming a deck, and then, by aid of a block
used to hoist and lower the sails, raised our mast.
Finally, two ropes fastened by one end to the yard,
and by the other to each extremity of the boat,
enabled us to direct the sail at pleasure. Fritz
next ornamented the top of the mast with a little
red streamer. He then gave our boat the name
of the Deliverance, and requested it might hence-
4,4, THE SWISS

forward be called the little vessel. To complete
its equipment, I contrived a rudder, so that I could
direct the boat from either end.

After signalling to our friends that we should
not return that night, we spent the rest of the day
in emptying the tubs of the stones we had used
for ballast, and replacing them with useful things.
Powder and shot, nails and tools of all kinds,
pieces of cloth; above all, we did not forget knives,
forks, spoons, and kitchen utensils, including a
roasting-jack. In the captain’s cabin we found
some services of silver, pewter plates and dishes,
and a small chest filled with bottles of choice
wines. All these we took, as well as a chest of
eatables, intended for the officers’ table, portable
soup, Westphalian hams, Bologna sausages, &c. ;
also some bags of maize, wheat, and other seeds,
and some potatoes. We collected all the imple-
ments of husbandry we could spare room for, and,
at the request of Fritz, some hammocks and
blankets; two or three handsome guns, and an
armful of sabres, swords, and hunting-knives.
Lastly, I embarked a barrel of sulphur, all the cord
and string I could lay my hands on, and a large
roll of sailcloth. The sulphur was intended to
produce matches with. Our tubs were loaded to
the edge; there was barely room left for us to sit,
and it would have been dangerous to attempt our
return if the sea had not been so calm.

Night arrived, we exchanged signals, to an-
nounce security on sea and land, and, after prayers
for the dear islanders, we sought our tubs, not
the most luxurious of dormitories, but safer than
the ship. Fritz slept soundly; but I could not
FAMILY ROBINSON. 45

close my eyes, thinking of the jackals. I was, how-
ever, thankful for the protection they had in the
dogs.

CHAPTER VI.

As soon as day broke, I mounted on deck, to
look through the telescope. I saw my wife look-
ing towards us; and the flag, which denoted their
safety, floatmg in the breeze. Satisfied on this
important point, we enjoyed our breakfast of
biscuit, ham, and wine, and then turned our
thoughts to the means of saving our cattle. Even
if we could contrive a raft, we could never get all
the animals to remain still on it. We might
venture the huge sow in the water, but the rest
of the animals we found would not be able to
swim to shore. At last Fritz suggested the swim-
ming apparatus. We passed two hours in con-
structing them. For the cow and -ass it was
necessary to have an empty cask on each side,
well bound in strong sailcloth, fastened by
leather thongs over the back and under each
animal, For the rest, we merely tied a piece of
cork under their bodies ; the sow only bemg un-
ruly, and giving us much trouble. We then
fastened a cord to the horns or neck of each
animal, with a slip of wood at the end, for a con-
venient handle. Luckily, the waves had broken
away part of the ship, and left the opening wide
enough for the passage of our troop. We first
launched the ass into the water, by a sudden
46 THE SWISS

push ; he swam away, after the first plunge, very
gracefully. The cow, sheep, and goats, followed
quietly after. The sow was furious, and soon
broke loose from us all, but fortunately reached
the shore long before the rest.

We now embarked, fastening all the slips of
wood to the stern of the boat, thus drawing our
train after us; and the wind fillmg our sail, car-
ried us smoothly towards the shore. — Fritz ex-
ulted in his plan, as we certainly could never have
rowed our boat, loaded as we were. I once more
took out my telescope, and was remarking that
our party on shore seemed making ready for some
excursion, when a loud cry from Fritz filled me
with terror. “We are lost! we are lost! see,
what a monstrous fish !” Though pale with
alarm, the bold boy had seized his gun, and,
encouraged by my directions, he fired two balls
into the head of the monster, as it was preparing
to dart on the sheep. It immediately made its
escape, leaving a long red track to prove that it
was severely wounded.

Being freed from our enemy, I now resumed
the rudder, and we lowered the sail and rowed to
shore. The animals, as soon as the water became
low enough, walked out at their own discretion,
after we had relieved them from their swimming
girdles. We then secured our boat as before, and
landed ourselves, anxiously looking round for our
friends.

We had not long to wait, they came joyfully to
greet us; and, after our first burst of pleasure, we
sat down to tell our adventures in a regular form.
My wife was overjoyed to see herself surrounded
by these valuable animals ; and especially pleased
FAMILY ROBINSON. 47

that her son Fritz had suggested so many useful
plans. We next proceeded to disembark all our
treasures. I noticed that Jack wore a belt of
yellow skin, in which were placed a pair of
pistols, and inquired where he had got his
brigand costume.

“I manufactured it myself,’ said he; “ and
this is not all. Look at the dogs!”

The dogs wore each acollar of the same skin as
his belt, bristling with long nails, the points out-
wards—a formidable defence.

“It is. my own invention,” said he; “ only
mamma helped me in the sewing.”

“ But where did you get the leather, the needle
and thread ?” inquired I.

“ Fritz’s jackal supplied the skin,” said my
wife, “and my wonderful bag the rest. There is
still more to come from it, only say what you
want.”

Fritz evidently felt a little vexation at his
brother’s unceremonious appropriation of the skin
of the jackal, which displayed itself in the tone in
which he exclaimed, holding his nose, “ Keep at a
distance, Mr. Skinner, you carry an intolerable
smell about with you.”

I gave him a gentle hint of his duty in the posi-

tion of eldest son, and he soon recovered his good
humour. However, as the body as well as the
skin of the jackal was becoming offensive, they
united in dragging it down to the sea, while Jack
placed his belt in the sun to dry.
_ As I saw no preparation for supper, I told Fritz
to bring the ham; and, to the astonishment and
joy of all, he returned with a fine Westphalian
ham, which we had cut into in the morning.
48 THE SWISS

“JT will tell you,” said my wife, “ why we have
no supper prepared ; but first, I will make you an
omelet ;” and she produced from a basket a dozen
turtle’s eggs.

“You see,” said Ernest, “they have all the
characteristics of those Robinson Crusoe had in
his island. They are white balls, the skin of
which resembles moistened parchment.”

My wife promised to relate the history of the
discovery after supper, and set about preparing
her ham and omelet, while Fritz and I proceeded
in unloading our cargo, assisted by the useful
ass,

Supper was now ready. A tablecloth was laid
over the butter-cask, and spread with the plates
and spoons from the ship. The ham was in the
middle, and the omelet and cheese at each end ;
and we made a good meal, surrounded by our sub-
jects,—the dogs, the fowls, the pigeons, the sheep,
and the goats, waiting for our notice. The geese
and ducks were more independent, remaining in
their marsh, where they lived in plenty on the
small crabs which abounded there.

After supper, I sent Fritz for a bottle of the
captain’s Canary wine, and then requested my
wife to give us her recital.



CHAPTER VII.

“ I wILu spare you the history of the first day,”
said my good Elizabeth, “ spent in anxiety about
you, and attending to the signals; but this morn-
ing, being satisfied that all was gomg right, I
FAMILY ROBINSON. 49

sought, before the boys got up, a shady place to
rest in, but in vain; I believe this barren shore
has not a single tree on it. Then I began to
consider on the necessity of searching for a more
comfortable spot for our residence; and deter-
mined, after a slight repast, to set out with my
children across the river, on a journey of dis-
covery. The day before, Jack had busied himself
in skinning the jackal with his knife, sharpened
on the rock; Ernest declining to assist him in
his dirty work, for which I reproved him, sorry
that any fastidiousness should deter him from a
labour of benefit to society.

“ Jack proceeded to clean the skin as well as he
was able ; then procured from the nail-chest some
long flat-headed nails, and inserted them closely
through the long pieces of skin he had cut for
collars; he then cut some sailcloth, and made a
double lining over the heads of the nails; and
finished by giving me the delicate office of sewing
them together, which I could not but comply
with.

“ His belt he first stretched on a plank, nailing
it down, and exposing it to the sun, lest it should
shrink in drying.

“Now for our journey: we took our game-
bags and some hunting-knives. The boys carried
provisions, and I had a large flask of water. - I
took a small hatchet, and gave Ernest a carbine,
which might be loaded with ball; keeping his light
gun for myself. I carefully secured the opening
of the tent with the hooks. Turk went before,
evidently considering himself our guide; and we
crossed the river with some difficulty.

“ As we proceeded, I could not help feeling

E
50 THE SWISS

thankful that you had so early taught the boys
to use fire-arms properly, as the defence of my
youngest boy and myself now depended on the
two boys of ten and twelve years of age.

“When we attained the hill you described to us,
I was charmed with the smiling prospect, and, for
the first time since our shipwreck, ventured to
hope for better things. I had remarked a beau-
tiful wood, to which I determined to make our
way, for a little shade, and a most painful pro-
gress it was, through grass that was higher than
the children’s heads. As we were struggling
through it, we heard a strange rustling sound
among the grass, and at the same moment a bird
of prodigious size rose, and flew away, before the
poor boys could get their guns ready. They were
much mortified, and I recommended them always
to have their guns in readiness, for the birds
would not be likely to wait till they loaded them.
Francis thought the bird was so large, it must be
an eagle; but Ernest ridiculed the idea, and
added that he thought it must be of the bustard
tribe. We went forward to the spot from
which it had arisen, when suddenly another bird
of the same kind, though still larger, sprung up,
close to our feet, and was soon soaring above our
heads. I could not help laughing to see the look
of astonishment and confusion with which the
boys looked upwards after it. At last Jack took
off his hat, and, making 4 low bow, said, ‘ Pray,
Mr. Bird, be kind enough to pay us another visit,
you will find us very good children!’ We found
the large nest they had left ; it was rudely formed
of dry grass, and empty, but some fragments of
egg-shells were scattered near, as if the young had
FAMILY ROBINSON. 51

been recently hatched; we therefore concluded
that they had escaped among the grass.

“ Doctor Ernest immediately began a lecture.
‘You observe, Francis, these birds could not be
eagles, which do not form their nests on the
ground. Neither do their young run as soon as
they are hatched. These must be of the gallina-
ceous tribe, an order of birds such as quails, par-
tridges, turkeys, &c.; and, from the sort of
feathered moustache which I observed at the
corner of the beak, I should pronounce that these
were bustards.’

“ But we had now reached the little wood, and
our learned friend had sufficient employment in
scrutinizing, and endeavouring to classify, the
immense number of beautiful, unknown birds,
which sung and fluttered about us, apparently
regardless of our intrusion.

“We found that what we thought a wood was
merely a group of a dozen trees, of a height far
beyond any I had ever seen; and apparently
belonging rather to the air than the earth; the
trunks springing from roots which formed a series
of supporting arches. Jack climbed one of the
arches, and measured the trunk of the tree with
a piece of packthread. He found it to be thirty-
four feet. I made thirty-two steps round the
roots. Between the roots and the lowest branches,
it seemed about forty or fifty feet. The branches
are thick and strong, and the leaves are of a
moderate size, and resemble our walnut-tree. A
thick, short, smooth turf clothed the ground be-
neath and around the detached roots of the trees,
and everything combined to render this one of
the most delicious spots the mind could conceive.

E 2
52 THE SWISS

“Here we rested, and made our noon-day repast;
a clear rivulet ran near us, and offered its agree-
able waters for our refreshment. Our dogs soon
jomed us; but I was astonished to find they did
not crave for food, but laid down to sleep at our
feet. For myself, so safe and happy did I feel,
that I could not but think that if we could con-
trive a dwelling on the branches of one of these
trees, we should be in perfect peace and safety.
We set out on our return, taking the road by the
sea-shore, in case the waves had cast up anything
from the wreck of the vessel. We found a quan-
tity of timber, chests, and casks; but all too
heavy to bring. We succeeded in dragging them,
as well as we could, out of the reach of the tide ;
our dogs, in the mean time, fishing for crabs,
with which they regaled themselves, much to their
own satisfaction and to mine, as I now saw they
would be able to provide their own food. As we
rested from our rough labour, I saw Flora
scratching in the sand, and swallowing something
with great relish. Ernest watched, and then
said, very quietly, ‘ They are turtles’ eggs.’ We
drove away the dog, and collected about two
dozen, leaving her the rest as a reward for her
discovery.

“While we were carefully depositing our spoil in
the game-bags, we were astonished at the sight of
a sail. Ernest was certain it was papa and Fritz,
and though Francis was in dread that it should be
the savages who visited Robinson Crusoe’s island,
coming to eat us up, we were soon enabled to
calm his fears. We crossed the river by leaping
from stone to stone, and, hastening to the land-
FAMILY ROBINSON. 53

ing-place, arrived to greet you on your happy
return.”

“ And I understand, my dear,’ said I, “that
you have discovered a tree sixty feet high, where
you wish we should perch like fowls. But how
are we to get up?”

“Oh! you must remember,” answered she,
“the large lime-tree near our native town, in
which was a ball-room. We used to ascend to it
by a wooden staircase. Could you not contrive
something of the sort in one of these gigantic
trees, where we might sleep in peace, fearing
neither jackals nor any other terrible nocturnal
enemy.”

I promised to consider this plan, hoping at
least that we might make a commodious and
shady dwelling among the roots. To-morrow we
were to examine it. We then performed our
evening devotions, and retired to rest.

CHAPTER VIII.

“Now, my dear Elizabeth,’ said I, waking
early next morning, “let us talk a little on this
grand project of changing our residence ; to which
there are many objections. First, it seems wise
to remain on the spot where Providence has cast
us, where we can have at once means of support
drawn from the ship, and security from all
attacks, protected by the rock, the river, and the
sea on all sides.”

My wife distrusted the river, which could not
‘5A, THE SWISS

protect us from the jackals, and complained of
the intolerable heat of this sandy desert, of her
distaste for such food as oysters and wild geese;
and, lastly, of her agony of mind, when we ven-
tured to the wreck ; willingly renouncing all its
treasures, and begging we might rest content
with the blessings we already had.

“There is some truth in your objections,” said
I, “and perhaps we may erect a dwelling under
the roots of your favourite tree; but among these
rocks we must have a storehouse for our goods,
and a retreat in case of invasion. I hope, by
blowing off some pieces of the rock with powder,
to be able to fortify the part next the river,
leaving a secret passage known only to ourselves.
This would make it impregnable. But before we
proceed, we must have a bridge to convey our
baggage across the river.

“A bridge,” said she, in a tone of vexation;
“then when shall we get from here? Why can-
not we ford it as usual? The cow and ass could
carry our stores.”

I explained to her how necessary it was for our
ammunition and provision to be conveyed over
without risk of wetting, and begged her to
manufacture some bags and baskets, and leave the
bridge to me and my boys. If we succeeded, it
would always be useful; as for fear of danger
from lightning or accident, I intended to make a
powder-magazine among the rocks.

The important question was now decided. I
called up my sons, and communicated our plans
to them. They were greatly delighted, though
somewhat alarmed, at the formidable project of
the bridge; besides, the delay was vexatious;
FAMILY ROBINSON. 55

they were all anxious for a removal into the Land
of Promise, as they chose to call it.

We read prayers, and then thought of break-
fast. The monkey sucked one of the goats, as if
it had been its mother. My wife milked the cow,
and gave us boiled milk with biscuit for our
breakfast ; part of which she put in a flask, for us
to take on our expedition. We then prepared
our boat for a voyage to the vessel, to procure
planks and timber for our bridge. I took both
Ernest and Fritz, as I foresaw our cargo would be
weighty, and require all our hands to bring it to
shore.

We rowed vigorously till we got into the cur-
rent, which soon carried us beyond the bay. We
had scarcely reached a little isle at the entrance,
when we saw a vast number of gulls and other
sea-birds, fluttering with discordant cries over it.
I hoisted the sail, and we approached rapidly ;
and, when near enough, we stepped on shore, and
saw that the birds were feasting so eagerly on the
remains of a huge fish, that they did not even
notice our approach. We might have killed num-
bers, even with our sticks. This fish was the shark
which Fritz had so skilfully shot through the head .
the night before. He found the marks of his three
balls. Ernest drew his ramrod from his gun, and
struck so vigorously right and left among the
birds, that he killed some, and put the rest to
flight. We then hastily cut off some pieces of the
skin of the monster, which I thought might be
useful, and placed them in our boat. But this
was not the only advantage we gained by landing.
I perceived an immense quantity of wrecked tim-
ber lying on the shore of the island, which would
56 THE SWISS

spare us our voyage to the ship. We selected
such planks as were fit for our purpose; then,
by the aid of our jack-screw and some levers we
had brought with us, we extricated the planks
from the sand, and floated them ; and, binding the
spars and yards together with cords, with the
planks above them, like a raft, we tied them to
the stern of our boat, and hoisted our sail.

Fritz, as we sailed, was drying the shark’s skin,
which I hoped to convert into files. And Ernest,
in his usual reflective manner, observed to me,
“What a beautiful arrangement of Providence it
is, that the mouth of the shark should be placed
in such a position that he is compelled to turn
on his back to seize his prey, thus giving it a
chance of escape; else, with his excessive voracity,
he might depopulate the ocean.” |

At last, we reached our landing-place, and,
securing our boat, and calling out loudly, we soon
saw our friends running from the river; each
carried a handkerchief filled with some new ac-
quisition, and Francis had over his shoulder a
small fishing-net. Jack reached us first, and
threw down before us from his handkerchief some
fine crawfish. They had each as many, forming a
provision for many days.

Francis claimed the merit of the discovery.
Jack related, that Francis and he took a walk to
find a good place for the bridge.

_ “Thank you, Mr. Architect,” said I; “then you
must superintend the workmen. Have you fixed
on your place ?”’

“Yes, yes!” cried he; “only listen. When we
got to the river, Francis, who was looking about,
FAMILY ROBINSON. 57

called out, ‘Jack! Jack! Fritz’s jackal is covered
with crabs! Come!— come!’ I ran to tell
mamma, who brought a net that came from the
ship, and we caught these in a few minutes, and
could have got many. more, if you had not come.”

I commanded them to put the smaller ones
back into the river, reserving only as many as we
could eat. I was truly thankful to discover an-
other means of support.

We now landed our timber. I had looked at
Jack’s site for the bridge, and thought my little
architect very happy in his selection ; but it was
at a great distance from the timber. I recollected
the simplicity of the harness the Laplanders used
for their reindeer. I tied cords to the horns of
the cow—as the strength of this animal is in the
head—and then fastened the other ends round the
piece of timber we wanted moving. I placed a
halter round the neck of the ass, and attached the
cords to this. We were thus enabled, by degrees,
to remove all our wood to the chosen spot, where
the sides of the river were steep, and appeared of
equal height.

It was necessary to know the breadth of the
river, to select the proper planks; and Ernest
proposed to procure a ball of packthread from his
mother, to tie a stone to one end of the string,
and throw it across the river, and to measure it
after drawing it back. This expedient succeeded
admirably. We found the breadth to be eighteen
feet ; but, as I proposed to give the bridge strength
by having three feet, at least, resting on each shore,
we chose some planks of twenty-four feet in length.
How we were to get these across the river was
58 THE SWISS

another question, which we prepared to discuss
during dinner, to which my wife now sum-
moned us.

Our dinner consisted of a dish of crawfish, and
some very good rice-milk. But, before we began,
we admired her work. She had made a pair of
bags for the ass, sewed with packthread; but
having no large needles, she had been obliged to
pierce holes with a nail, a tedious and painful
process. Well satisfied with her success, we turned
to our repast, talking of our bridge, which the
boys, by anticipation, named the Nonpareil. We
then went to work.

There happened to be an old trunk of a tree
standing on the shore. To this I tied my main
beam by a strong cord, loose enough to turn round
the trunk. Another cord was attached to the
opposite end of the beam, long enough to cross
the river twice. I took the end of my rope over
the stream, where we had previously fixed the
block, used in our boat, toa tree, by the hook which
usually suspended it. I passed my rope, and
returned with the end to our own side. I then
harnessed my cow and ass to the end of my rope,
and drove them forcibly from the shore. The
beam turned slowly round the trunk, then ad-
vanced, and was finally lodged over the river,
amidst the shouts of the boys; its own weight
keeping it firm. Fritz and Jack leaped on it im-
mediately to run across, to my great fear.

We succeeded in placing four strong beams
in the same way ; and, by the aid of my sons, I
arranged them at a convenient distance from each
other, that. we might have a broad and good
bridge. We then laid down planks close toge-
FAMILY ROBINSON. 59

ther across the beams; but not fixed, as in time
of danger it might be necessary rapidly to re-
move the bridge. My wife and I were as much
excited as the children, and ran across with
delight. Our bridge was at least ten feet broad.

Thoroughly fatigued with our day of labour,
we returned home, supped, and offered thanks to
God, and went to rest.



CHAPTER IX.

Tur next morning, after prayers, I assembled
my family. We took a solemn leave of our first
place of refuge. I cautioned my sons to be
prudent, and on their guard; and especially to
remain together during our journey. We then
prepared for departure. We assembled the cattle :
the bags were fixed across the backs of the cow
and the ass, and loaded with all our heavy baggage ;
our cooking utensils; and provisions, consisting of
biscuits, butter, cheese, and portable soup; our
hammocks and blankets; the captain’s service 0
plate, were all carefully packed in the bags,
equally poised on each side the animals.

All was ready, when my wife came in haste
with her inexhaustible bag, requesting a place for
it. Neither would she consent to leave the poul-
try, as food for the jackals ; above all, Francis
must have a place; he could not possibly walk all
the way. I was amused with the exactions of the
sex; but consented to all, and made a good place
= Francis between the bags, on the back of
the ass.
60 THE SWISS

The elder boys returned in despair,—they could
not succeed in catching the fowls ; but the expe-
rienced mother laughed at them, and said she
would soon capture them.

“If you do,” said my pert little Jack, “TI will
be contented to be roasted in the place of the first
chicken taken.”

“Then, my poor J ack,” said his mother, “ you
will soon be on the spit. Remember, that intel-
lect has always more power than mere bodily
exertion. Look here!” She scattered a few
handfuls of grain before the tent, calling the
fowls; they soon all assembled, including the
pigeons; then throwing more down inside the
tent, they followed her. It was now only neces-
sary to close the entrance; and they were all
soon taken, tied by the wings and feet, and, being
placed in baskets covered with nets, were added
to the rest of our luggage on the backs of the
animals.

Finally, we conveyed inside the tent all we
could not carry away, closing the entrance, and
barricading it with chests and casks, thus con-
fiding all our possessions to the care of God. We
set out on our pugrimage, each carrying a game-
bag and a gun. My wife and her eldest son led
the way, followed by the heavily-laden cow and
ass; the third division consisted of the goats,
driven by Jack, the little monkey seated on the
back of its nurse, and grimacing, to our great
amusement ; next came Ernest, with the sheep;
and I followed, superintending the whole. Our
gallant dogs acted as aides-de-camp, and were
continually passing from the front to the rear
rank.
FAMILY ROBINSON. 61

Our march was slow, but orderly, and quite
patriarchal. ‘“ We are now travelling across the
deserts, as our first fathers did,” said I, “ and as
the Arabs, Tartars, and other nomade nations do
to this day, followed by their flocks and herds.
But these people generally have strong camels to
bear their burdens, instead of a poor ass and cow.
I hope this may be the last of our pilgrimages.”
My wife also hoped that, once under the shade of
her marvellous trees, we should have no tempta-
tion to travel further.

We now crossed our new bridge, and here the
party was happily augmented by a new arrival.
The sow had proved very mutinous at setting out,
and we had been compelled to leave her; she now
voluntarily jomed us, seemg we were actually
departing; but continued to grunt loudly her
disapprobation of our proceedings. After we had
crossed the river, we had another embarrassment.
The rich grass tempted our animals to stray off to
feed, and, but for our dogs, we should never have
been able to muster them again. But, for fear of
further accident, I commanded my advanced
guard to take the road by the coast, which offered
no temptation to our troops.

We had scarcely left the high grass when our
dogs rushed back into it, barking furiously, and
howling as if in combat; Fritz immediately pre-
pared for action, Ernest drew near his mother,
Jack rushed forward with his gun over his shoul-
der, and I cautiously advanced, commanding
them to be discreet and cool. But Jack, with
his usual impetuosity, leaped among the high
grass to the dogs; and immediately returned,
clapping his hands, and crying out, “ Be quick,
62 THE SWISS

papa! a huge porcupine, with quills as long as
my arm!”

When I got up, I really found a porcupine,
whom the dogs were warmly attacking. It made
a frightful noise, erecting its quills so boldly, that
the wounded animals howled with pain after every
attempt to seize it. As we were looking at them
Jack drew a pistol from his belt, and discharged
it directly into the head of the porcupine, which
fell dead. Jack was very proud of his feat, and
Fritz, not a little jealous, suggested that such
a little boy should not be trusted with pistols, as
he might have shot one of the dogs, or even one
ofus. I forbade any envy or jealousy among the
brothers, and declared that all did well who
acted ‘for the public good. Mamma was now
summoned to see the curious animal. her son’s
valour had destroyed. Her first thought was to
dress the wounds made by the quills which had
stuck in the noses of the dogs during their attack.
In the mean time, I corrected my son’s notions on
the power of this animal to lance its darts when
in danger. This is a popular error; nature has
given it a sufficient protection in its defensive and
offensive armour.

As Jack earnestly desired to carry his booty
with him, I carefully imbedded the body in soft
grass, to preserve the quills; then packed it in
strong cloth, and placed it on the ass behind
Francis.

At last, we arrived at the end of our journey,
—and, certainly, the size of the trees surpassed
anything I could have imagined. Jack was cer-
tain they were gigantic walnut-trees ; for my own
part, I believed them to be a species of fig-tree—
FAMILY ROBINSON. 63

probably the Antilles fig. But all thanks were
given to the kind mother who had sought out
such a pleasant home for us; at all events, we
could find a convenient shelter among the roots.
And, if we should ever succeed in perching on the
branches, I told her we should be safe from all
wild beasts. I would defy even the bears of our
native mountains to climb these immense trunks,
totally destitute of branches.

We released our animals from their loads, tying
their fore legs together, that they might not stray ;
except the sow, who, as usual, did her own way.
The fowls and pigeons we released, and left to
their own discretion. We then sat down on the
grass, to consider where we should establish our-
selves. I wished to mount the tree that very
night. Suddenly we heard, to our no slight alarm,
the report of a gun. But the next moment the
voice of Fritz re-assured us. He had stolen out
unnoticed, and shot a beautiful tiger-cat, which he
displayed in great triumph.

“Well done, noble hunter!” said I; “you de-
serve the thanks of the fowls and pigeons; they
would most probably have all fallen a sacrifice to-
night, if you had not slain their deadly foe. Pray
wage war with all his kind, or we shall not have a
chicken left for the pot.”

Ernest then examined the animal with his cus-
tomary attention, and declared that the proper
name was the margay, a fact Fritz did not dispute,
only requesting that Jack might not meddle with
the skin, as he wished to preserve it for a belt. I
recommended them to skin it immediately, and
give the flesh to the dogs. Jack, at the same
time, determined to skin his porcupine, 'to make
64 THE SWISS

dog-collars. Part of its flesh went into the soup-
kettle, and the rest was salted for the next day.
We then sought for some flat stones in the bed of
the charming little river that ran at alittle distance
from us, and set about constructing a cooking-
place. Francis collected dry wood for the fire ;
and, while my wife was occupied in preparing
our supper, I amused myself by making some
packing-needles for her rude work from the quills
of the porcupine. I held a large nail in the fire
till it was red-hot, then, holding the head in wet
linen, I pierced the quills, and made several nee-
dles, of various sizes, to the great contentment of
our indefatigable workwoman.

Still occupied with the idea of our castle in the
air, I thought of making a ladder of ropes; but
this would be useless, if we did not succeed in
getting a cord over the lower branches, to draw it
up. Neither my sons nor myself could throw a
stone, to which I had fastened a cord, over these
branches, which were thirty feet above us. It
was necessary to think of some other expedient.
In the mean time, dinner was ready. The porcu-
pine made excellent soup, and the flesh was well-
tasted, though rather hard. My wife could not
make up her mind to taste it, but contented her-
self with a slice of ham and some cheese.

CHAPTER X.

AFTER dinner, as I found we could not ascend
at present, I suspended our hammocks under the
arched roots of our tree, and, covering the whole
FAMILY ROBINSON. 65

with sailcloth, we had a shelter from the dew and
the insects. }

While my wife was employed making harness
for the cow and ass, I went with my sons to the
shore, to look for wood fit for our use next day.
We saw a great quantity of wreck, but none fit
for our purpose, till Ernest met with a heap of
bamboo canes, half buried in sand and mud.
These were exactly what I wanted. I drew them
out of the sand, stripped them of their leaves, cut
them in pieces of about four or five feet long, and
my sons each made up a bundle to carry home. I
then set out to seek some slender stalks to make
arrows, which I should need in my project.

We went towards a thick grove, which appeared
likely to contain something for my purpose. We
were very cautious, for fear of reptiles or other
dangerous animals, allowing Flora to precede us.
When we got near, she darted furiously among
_ the bushes, and out flew a troop of beautiful
flamingoes, and soared into the air. Fritz, always
ready, fired at them. Two fell ; one quite dead, the
other, slightly wounded in the wing, made use of
its long legs so well that it would have escaped, if
Flora had not seized it and held it till I came up
to take possession. The joy of Fritz was extreme,
to have this beautiful creature alive. He thought
at once of curing its wound, and domesticating it
with our own poultry.

“ What splendid plumage!” said Ernest; “ and
you see he is web-footed, like the goose, and has
long legs like the stork; thus he can run as fast
on land as he can swim in the water.”

“ Yes,” said I, “ and fly as quickly in the air.
These birds are remarkable for the power and

F
66 THE SWISS

strength of their wings. Few birds have so many
advantages.”

My boys occupied themselves in binding their
captive and dressing his wound; while I sought
some of the canes which had done flowering, to
cut off the hard ends, to point my arrows. These
are used by the savages of the Antilles. I then
selected the highest canes I could meet with, to
assist me in measuring, by a geometrical process,
the height of the tree. Ernest took the canes, I
had the wounded flamingo, and Fritz carried his
own game. Very loud were the cries of joy and
astonishment at our approach. ‘The boys all
hoped the flamingo might be tamed, of which I
felt no doubt; but my wife was uneasy, lest it
should require more food than she could spare.
However, I assured her, our new guest would
need no attention, as he would provide for himself
at the river-side, feeding on small fishes, worms,
and insects. His wounds I dressed, and found ~
they would soon be healed ; I then tied him to a
stake, near the river, by a cord long enough to
allow him to fish at his pleasure, and, in fact, in a
few days, he learned to know us, and was quite
domesticated. Meantime, my boys had been
trymg to measure the tree with the long canes
I had brought, and came laughing to report to
me, that I ought to have got them ten times as
long to reach even the lowest branches. “ There
is a simpler mode than that,” said I, “which
geometry teaches us, and by which the highest
mountains can be measured.”

I then showed the method of measuring heights
by triangles and imaginary lines, using canes of
different lengths and cords instead of mathematical
FAMILY ROBINSON, 67

instruments. My result was thirty feet to the
lowest branches. This experiment filled the boys
with wonder and desire to become acquainted with
this useful, exact science, which, happily, I was
able to teach them fully.

I now ordered Fritz to measure our strong cord,
and the little ones to collect all the small string, and
windit. I then took a strong bamboo and made a
bow of it, and some arrows of the slender canes, fill-
ing them with wet sand to give them weight, and
feathering them from the dead flamingo. As soon
as my work was completed, the boys crowded
round me, all begging to try the bow and arrows.
I begged them to be patient, and asked my wife
to supply me with a ball of thick strong thread.
The enchanted bag did not fail us; the very ball
I wanted appeared at her summons. This, my
little ones declared, must be magic; but I ex-
plained to them, that prudence, foresight, and
presence of mind in danger, such as their good
mother had displayed, produced more miracles
than magic.

I then tied the end of the ball of thread to one
of my arrows, fixed it in my bow, and sent it di-
rectly over one of the thickest of the lower
branches of the tree, and, falling to the ground,
it drew the thread after it. Charmed with this
result, I hastened to complete my ladder. Fritz
had measured our ropes, and found two of forty
feet each,—exactly what I wanted. These I
stretched on the ground at about one foot dis-
tance from each other; Fritz cut pieces of cane
two feet long, which Ernest passed to me. I
placed these in knots which I had made in the
cords, at about a foot distance from each other,

F2
68 - (HE SWISS

and Jack fastened each end with a long nail, to
prevent it slipping. In a very short time our
ladder was completed ; and, tying it to the end of
the cord which went over the branch, we drew it
up without difficulty. All the boys were anxious
to ascend; but I chose Jack, as the lightest and
most active. Accordingly, he ascended, while his
brothers and myself held the ladder firm. by the
end of the cord. Fritz followed him, conveying
a bag with nails and hammer. They were soon
perched on the branches, huzzaing to us. Fritz
secured the ladder so firmly to the branch, that I
had no hesitation in ascending myself. I carried
with me a large pulley fixed to the end of a rope,
which I attached to a branch above us, to enable
us to raise the planks necessary to form the
groundwork of our habitation. I smoothed the
branches a little by aid of my axe, sending the
boys down to be out of my way. After com-
pleting my day’s work, I descended by the light
of the moon, and was alarmed to find that Fritz
and Jack were not below; and still more so, when
I heard their clear, sweet voices, at the summit
of the tree, singing the evening hymn, as if to
sanctify our future abode. They had climbed the
tree, instead of descending, and, filled with won-
der and reverence at the sublime view below them,
had burst out into the hymn of thanksgiving to
God.

I could not scold my dear boys, when they
descended, but directed them to assemble the
animals, and to collect wood, to keep up fires
during the night, in order to drive away any wild
beasts that might be near.

My wife then displayed her work,—complete
FAMILY ROBINSON. 69

harness for our two beasts of burden, and, in return,
I promised her we would establish ourselves next
day in the tree. Supper was now ready, one piece
of the porcupine was roasted by the fire, smelling
deliciously ; another piece formed a rich soup; a
cloth was spread on the turf; the ham, cheese,
butter, and biscuits, were placed upon it.

My wife first assembled the fowls, by throwing
some grain to them, to accustom them to the
place. We.soon saw the pigeons fly to roost on .
the higher branches of the trees, while the fowls
perched on the ladder; the beasts we tied to the
roots, close to us. Now, that our cares were over,
we sat down to a merry and excellent repast by
moonlight. Then, after the prayers of the even-
ing, I kindled our watch-fires, and we all lay
down to rest in our hammocks. The boys were
rather discontented, and complained of their
cramped position, longing for the freedom of their
beds of moss; but I instructed them to lie, as the
sailors do, diagonally, and swinging the hammock,
and told them that brave Swiss boys might sleep
as the sailors of all nations were compelled to
sleep. After some stifled sighs and groans, all
sank to rest except myself, kept awake by anxiety
for the safety of the rest.

Co ee em

CHAPTER XI.

My anxiety kept me awake till near morning,
when, after a short sleep, Irose, and we were soon
all at work. My wife, after milking the cow and
goats, harnessed the cow and ass, and set out to
70 THE SWISS

search for drift-wood for our use. In the mean
time, I mounted the ladder with Fritz, and we set
to work stoutly, with axe and saw, to rid ourselves
of all useless branches. Some, about six feet above
our foundation, I left, to suspend our hammocks
from, and others, a little higher, to support the
roof, which, at present, was to be merely sail-
cloth. My wife succeeded in collecting us some
boards and planks, which, with her assistance, and
. the aid of the pulley, we hoisted up. We then
arranged them on the level branches close to each
other, in such a manner as to form a smooth .and
solid floor. I made a sort of parapet round, to
prevent accidents. By degrees, our dwelling began
to assume a distinct form; the sailcloth was
raised over the high branches, forming a roof; and,
being brought down on each side, was nailed to
the parapet. The immense trunk protected the
back of our apartment, and the front was open to
admit the breeze from the sea, which was visible
from this elevation. We hoisted our hammocks
and blankets by the pulley, and suspended them ;
my son and I then descended, and, as our day was
not yet exhausted, we set about constructing a
rude table and some benches, from the remainder
of our wood, which we placed beneath the roots of
the tree, henceforward to be our dining-room.
The little boys collected the chips and pieces of
wood for fire-wood ; while their mamma prepared
supper, which we needed much after the extra-
ordinary fatigues of this day.

The next day, however, being Sunday, we
looked forward to as a day of rest, of recreation,
and thanksgiving to the great God who had pre-
served us,
FAMILY ROBINSON. 71

Supper was now ready, my wife took a large
earthen pot from the fire, which contained a good
stew, made of the flamingo, which Ernest had told
her was an old bird, and would not be eatable, if
dressed any other way. His brothers laughed
heartily, and called him the cook. He was, how-
ever, quite right, the stew, well seasoned, was ex-
cellent, and we picked the very bones. Whilst
we were thus occupied, the living flamingo, ac-
companying the rest of the fowls, and free from
bonds, came in, quite tame, to claim his share of
the repast, evidently quite unsuspicious that we
were devouring his mate; he did not seem at all
inclined to quit us. The little monkey, too, was
quite at home with the boys, leaping from one to
another for food, which he took in his forepaws,
and ate with such absurd mimicry of their actions,
that he kept us in continual convulsions of laugh-
ter. To augment our satisfaction, our great sow,
who had deserted us for two days, returned of her
own accord, grunting her joy at our re-union. My
wife welcomed her with particular distinction,
treating her with all the milk we had to spare;
for, as she had no dairy utensils to make cheese
and butter, it was best thus to dispose of our
superfluity. I promised her, on our next voyage
to the ship, to procure all these necessaries. This
she could not, however, hear of, without shud-
dering.

The boys now lighted the fires for the night.
The dogs were tied to the roots of the tree, as a
protection against invaders, and we commenced
our ascent. My three eldest sons soon ran up the
ladder, my wife followed, with more deliberation,
but arrived safely ; my own journey was more diffi-
72 THE SWISS

cult, as, besides having to carry Francis on my
back, I had detached the lower part of the ladder -
from the roots, where it was nailed; in order to be
able to draw it up during the night. We were thus
as safe in our castle as the knights of old, when
their drawbridge was raised. We retired to our
hammocks free from care, and did not wake till
the sun shone brightly in upon us.



CHAPTER XII.

Next morning, all awoke in good spirits ; I told
them that on this, the Lord’s day, we would do
no work. That it was appointed, not only for a
day of rest, but a day when we must, as much as |
possible, turn our hearts from the vanities of the
world, to God himself; thank him, worship him,
and serve him. Jack thought we could not do
this without a church and a priest ; but Ernest
believed that God would hear our prayers under
his own sky, and papa could give them a sermon;
Francis wished to know if God would like to hear
them sing the beautiful hymns mamma had taught
them, without an organ accompaniment,

“ Yes, my dear children,” said I, “ God is every-
where ; and to bless him, to praise him in all his
works, to submit to his holy will, and to obey
him,—is to serve him. But everything in its
time. Let us first attend to the wants of our
animals, and breakfast, and we will then begin
the services of the day by a hymn.”

We descended, and breakfasted on warm milk,
FAMILY ROBINSON. 73

fed our animals, and then, my children and their
mother seated on the turf, I placed myself on a
little eminence before them, and, after the service of
the day, which I knew by heart, and singing some
portions of the 119th Psalm, I told them a little
allegory.

“There was once on a time a great king, whose
kingdom was called the Land of Light and Reality,
because there reigned there constant light and
incessant activity. On the most remote frontier
of this kingdom, towards the north, there was
another large kingdom, equally subject to his
- rule, and of which none but himself knew the
immense extent. From time immemorial, an
exact plan of this kingdom had been preserved in
the archives. It was called the Land of Obscurity,
or Niyht, because everything in it was dark and
inactive.

“In the most fertile and agreeable part of the
empire of Reality, the kg had a magnificent re-
sidence, called The Heavenly City, where he held
his brilliant court. Millions of servants executed
his wishes — still more were ready to receive his
orders. The first were clothed in glittering robes,
whiter than snow—for white was the colour of the
Great King, asthe emblem of purity. Others were
clothed in armour, shining like the colours of the
rainbow, and carried flaming swords in their hands.
Each, at his master’s nod, flew like lightning to
accomplish his will. All his servants — faithful,
vigilant, bold, and ardent—were united in friend-
ship, and could imagine no happiness greater than
the favour of their master. There were some,
less elevated, who were still good, rich, and happy
74, THE SWISS

in the favours of their sovereign, to whom all his
subjects were alike, and were treated by him as
his children.

“Not far from the frontiers, the Great King
possessed a desert island, which he desired to
people and cultivate, in order to make it, for a
time, the abode of those of his subjects whom he
intended to admit, by degrees, into his Heavenly
City—a favour he wished to bestow on the greatest
number possible.

“This island was called Earthly Abode; and he
who had passed some time there, worthily, was to
be received into all the happiness of the heavenly
city. To attain this, the Great King equipped a
fleet to transport the colonists, whom he chose
from the kingdom of Night, to this island, where
he gave them light and activity—advantages they
had not known before. Think how joyful their
arrival would be! The island was fertile when
cultivated ; and all was prepared to make the time
pass agreeably, till they were admitted to their
highest honours.

“ At the moment of embarkation, the Great
King sent his own son, who spoke thus to them in
His name :—

“My dear children, I have called you from
inaction and insensibility to render you happy by
feeling, by action, by life. Never forget I am
. your king, and obey my commands, by cultivating
the country I confide to you. Every one will
receive his portion of land, and wise and learned
men are appointed to explain my will to you. I
wish you all to acquire the knowledge of my laws,
and that every father should keep a copy,,to read
daily to his children, that they may never be for-
FAMILY ROBINSON. 75

gotten. And on the first day of the week you
must all assemble, as brothers, in one place, to
hear these laws read and explained. Thus it will
be easy for every one to learn the best method of
improving his land, what to plant, and how to
cleanse it from the tares that might choke the
good seed. All may ask what they desire, and
every reasonable demand will be granted, if it be
conformable to the great end.

“ testify it by increased activity, and by occupying
yourself on this day in expressing your gratitude
to me, I will take care this day of rest shall be a
benefit, and not a loss. I wish that all your use-
ful animals, and even the wild beasts of the plains,
' should on this day repose in peace.

“He who obeys my commands in Earthly
Abode, shall receive a rich reward in the Heavenly
City; but the idle, the negligent, and the evil-
disposed, shall be condemned to perpetual slavery,
or to labour in mines, in the bowels of the earth.

“¢From time to time, I shall send ships, to
bring away individuals, to be rewarded or pu-
nished, as they have fulfilled my commands. None
can deceive me; a magic mirror will show me the
actions and thoughts of all.’

“The colonists were satisfied, and eager to begin
their labour. The portions of land and instru-
ments of labour were distributed to them, with
seeds, and useful plants, and fruit-trees. They
were then left to turn these good gifts to profit.

“But what followed? Every one did as he
wished. Some planted their ground with groves
and gardens, pretty and useless. Others planted
wild fruit, instead of the good fruit the Great
76 THE SWISS

King had commanded. A third had sowed good
seed ; but, not knowing the tares from the wheat,
he had torn up all before they reached matu-
rity. But the most part left their land unculti-
vated ; they had lost their seeds, or spoiled their
implements. Many would not understand the
orders of the great king; and others tried, by
subtlety, to evade them.

“A few laboured with courage, as they had been
taught, rejoicing in the hope of the promise given
them. Their greatest danger was in the disbelief
of their teachers. Though every one had a copy
of the law, few read it; all were ready, by some
excuse, to avoid this duty. Some asserted they
knew it, yet never thought on it: some called
these the laws of past times; not of the present.
Other said the Great King did not regard the ac-
tions of his subjects, that he had neither mines
nor dungeons, and that all would certainly be
taken to the Heavenly City. They began to neg-
lect the duties of the day dedicated to the Great
King. Few assembled; and of these, the most
part were inattentive, and did not profit by the -
instruction given them.

“ But the Great King was faithful to his word.
From time to time, frigates arrived, bearing the
name of some disease. These were followed by a
large vessel called The Grave, bearing the terrible
flag of the Admiral Death ; this flag was of two
colours, green and black; and appeared to the
colonists, according to their state, the smiling
colour of Hope, or the gloomy hue of Despair.

“ This fleet always arrived unexpectedly, and was
usually unwelcome. The officers were sent out,
FAMILY ROBINSON. 77

by the admiral, to seize those he pointed out :
many who were unwilling were compelled to go ;
and others whose land was prepared, and even the
harvest ripening, were summoned; but these went
joyfully, sure that they went to happimess. The
fleet being ready, sailed for the Heavenly City.
Then the Great King, in his justice, awarded the
punishments and recompenses. Excuses were now
too late; the negligent and disobedient were
sent to labour in the dark mines; while the faith-
ful and obedient, arrayed in bright robes, were
received into their glorious abodes of happiness.

“TJ have finished my parable, my dear children ;
reflect on it, and profit by it. Fritz, what do you
think of it?” |

“JT am considering the goodness of the Great
King, and the ingratitude of his people,’ ’ answered
he. .

« And how very foolish they were,” said Ernest,
“with a little prudence, they might have kept
their land in good condition, and secured a plea-
sant life afterwards.”

“« Away with them to the mines!” cried Jack,
“they richly deserved such a doom.”

“ How much I should like,” said Francis, “to
see those soldiers in their shining armour !”

“T hope you will see them some day, my dear
boy, if you continue to be good and obedient.” I
then explained my parable fully, and applied the
moral to each of my sons directly.

“ You, Fritz, should take warning from the people
who planted wild fruit, and wished to make them
pass for good fruit. Such are those who are proud
of natural virtues, easy to exercise,—such as bodily
78 THE SWISS

strength, or physical courage; and place these
above the qualities which are only attained by
labour and patience.

“You, Ernest, must remember the subjects who
laid out their land in flowery gardens; like those
who seek the pleasures of life, rather than the
duties. And you, my thoughtless Jack, and little
Francis, think of the fate of those who left their
land untilled, or heedlessly sowed tares for wheat.
These are God’s people who neither study nor re-
flect; who cast to the winds all instruction, and
leave room in their minds for evil. Then let us
all be, like the good labourers of the parable, con-
stantly cultivating our ground, that, when Death
comes for us, we may willingly follow him to the
feet of the Great King, to hear these blessed
words: ‘Good and faithful servants! enter into
the joy of your Lord!’ ”

is made a great impression on my children.
We concluded by singing a hymn. Then my
good wife produced from her unfailing bag, a
copy of the Holy Scripture, from which ] selected
such passages as applied to our situation ; and ex-
plained them to my best aoility. My boys re-
mained for some time thoughtful and serious, and
though they followed their innocent recreations
during the day, they did not lose sight of the
useful lesson of the morning, but, by a more gentle
and amiable manner, showed that my words had
taken effect.

The next morning, Ernest had used my bow,
which I had given him, very skilfully ; bringing
down some dozens of small birds, a sort of ortolan,
from the branches of our tree, where they assem-
bled to feed on the figs. This induced them all
FAMILY ROBINSON. 79

to wish for such a weapon. I was glad to comply
with their wishes, as I wished them to become
skilful in the use of these arms of our forefathers,
which might be of great value to us, when our
ammunition failed. I made two bows; and two
- quivers, to contain their arrows, of a flexible piece
of bark, and, attaching a strap to them, I soon
armed my little archers.

Fritz was engaged in preparing the skin of the
margay, with more care than Jack had shown
with that of the jackal. I showed him how to —
clean it, by rubbing it with sand in the river, till
no vestige of fat or flesh was left; and then ap-
plying butter, to render it flexible.

These employments filled up the morning till
dinner-time came. We had Ernest’s ortolans, and
some fried ham and eggs, which made us a sump-
tuous repast. I gave my boys leave to kill as
many ortolans as they chose, for I knew that, half-
roasted, and put into casks, covered with butter,
they would keep for a length of time, and prove
an invaluable resource in time of need. As 1 con-
tinued my work, making arrows, and a bow for
Francis, I intimated to my wife that the abundant
supply of figs would save our grain, as the poultry
and pigeons would feed on them, as well as the
ortolans. This was a great satisfaction to her.
And thus another day passed, and we mounted to
our dormitory, to taste the sweet slumber that
follows a day of toil.
80 THE SWISS

CHAPTER XIII.

Tue next morning, all were engaged in archery :
I completed the bow for Francis, and at his parti-
cular request made him a quiver too. The delicate
bark of a tree, united by glue, obtained from our
portable soup, formed an admirable quiver; this I
suspended by a string round the neck of my boy,
furnished with arrows; then taking his bow in
his hand, he was as proud as a knight armed at
all points.

After dinner, I proposed that we should give
names to all the parts of our island known to us,
in order that, by a pleasing delusion, we might
fancy ourselves in an inhabited country. My pro-
posal was well received, and then began the dis-
cussion of names. Jack wished for something
high-sounding and difficult, such as Monomotapa or
Zanguebar ; very difficult words, to puzzle any one
that visited our island. But I objected to this, as
we were the most likely to have to use the names
ourselves, and we should suffer from it. I rather
suggested that we should give,in our own language,
such simple names as should point out some cir-
cumstance connected with the spot. I proposed
we should begin with the bay where we landed,
and called on Fritz for his name.

“The Bay of Oysters,” said he,—“ we found so
many there.”

“Oh, no!” said Jack, “let it be Lobster Bay ;
for there I was caught by the leg.”

“Then we ought to call it the Bay of Tears,”


afee Disafpotatnent

co

ee —
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ee,
° "O60,
ws te,

. "eas
. : “4 "
4 os * en agentt lane tae,

‘aay W) P

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—— ee







MAP OF THE HAPPY ISLAND.

A. Tent House. M. Marsh.

B. First Grotto. N. Bamboos.

C. Second Grotto. oO. Sugar Canes.

D. Falcon’s Nest. P. Gourd Wood.

E. Farm. Q. Acorn Wood.

F. Family Bridge. R. Monkey Wood.

G. Bears. S. Sand Hills.

H. Cascades. T. Coral Reefs.

I. Shark’s Island. U. Cotton Wood.

J. Cabbage Palms. V. Flamingo Marsh.
K. Rice Marsh. W. Palm Cocoa Wood.
L. Arcadia. X. Potatoe Plantation.

[To face p. 80.
FAMILY ROBINSON. 81

said Ernest, “to commemorate those you shed on
the occasion.”

“My advice,” said my wife, “is, that in grati-
tude to God we should name it Safety Bay.”

We were all pleased with this name, and pro-
ceeded to give the name of Tent House to our first
abode; Shark Island, to the little island in the
bay, where we had found that animal ; and, at
Jack’s desire, the marshy spot where we had cut
our arrows was named Flamingo Marsh. There
the height from which we had vainly sought traces
of our shipmates, received the name of Cape Dis-
appointment. The river was to be Jackal River,
and the bridge, Family Bridge. The most diffi-
cult point was, to name our present abode. At
last we agreed on the name of Falcon’s Nest (in
German Falken-hoist). This was received with
acclamations, and I poured out for my young nest-
lings each a glass of sweet wine, to drink Prosperity
to Falcon’s Nest. We thus laid the foundation of
the geography of our new country, promising to
forward it to Europe by the first post.

After diner, my sons returned to their occupa-
tion as tanners, Fritz to complete his belt, and
Jack to make a sort of cuirass, of the formidable
skin of the porcupine, to protect the dogs. He
finished by making a sort of helmet from the head
of the animal, as strange as the cuirasses.

The heat of the day being over, we prepared to
set out to walk to Tent House, to renew our stock
of provisions, and endeavour to bring the geese and
ducks to our new residence ; but, instead of going
by the coast, we proposed to go up the river till
we reached the chain of rocks, and continue under

G
82 THE SWISS

their shade till we got to the cascade, where we
could cross, and return by Family Bridge, |

This was approved, and we set out. Fritz, de-
corated with his beautiful belt of skin, Jack in
his porcupine helmet. ach had a gun and
game-bag ; except Francis, who, with his pretty
fair face, his golden hair, and his bow and quiver,
was a perfect Cupid. My wife was loaded with a
large butter-pot for a fresh supply. Turk walked
before us with his coat of mail, and Flora fol-
lowed, keeping at a respectful distance from him,
for fear of the darts. Knips, as my boys called
the monkey, finding this new saddle very incon-
venient, jumped off, with many contortions, but
soon fixed on Flora, who, not being able to shake
him off, was compelled to become his palfrey.

The road by the river was smooth and pleasant.
When we reached the end of the wood, the country
seemed more open; and now the boys, who had
been rambling about, came running up, out of
breath; Ernest was holding a plant with leaves
and flowers, and green apples hanging on it.

“ Potatoes!” said he; “I am certain they are
potatoes !”

“God be praised,” said I 3 “this precious plant
will secure provision for our colony.”

“Well,” said Jack, “if his superior knowledge
discovered them, I will be the first to dig them
up ;” and he set to work so ardently, that we had
soon a bag of fine ripe potatoes, which we carried
on to Tent House,
|

FAMILY ROBINSON. 83

CHAPTER XIV.

We had been much delighted with the new and
lovely scenery of our road: the prickly cactus,
and aloe, with its white flowers ; the Indian fig ;
the white and yellow jasmine; the fragrant
vanilla, throwing round its graceful festoons.
Above all, the regal pine-apple grew in pro-
fusion, and we feasted on it, for the first time, with
avidity.

Among the prickly stalks of the cactus and
aloes, I perceived a plant with large pointed
leaves, which I knew to be the karata. I pointed
out to the boys its beautiful red flowers; the leaves
are an excellent application to wounds, and thread
is made from the filaments, and the pith of the
stem is used by the savage tribes for tinder.

When I showed the boys, by experiment, the
use of the pith, they thought the ¢inder-tree would
be almost as useful as the potatoes.

“ At all events,” I said, “it will be more useful
than the pine-apples; your mother will be thank-
ful for thread, when her enchanted bag is ex-
hausted.”

“ How happy it is for us,” said she, “that you
have devoted yourself to reading and study. In
our ignorance we might have passed this treasure,
without suspecting its value.”

Fritz inquired of what use in the world all
the rest of these prickly plants could be, which
wounded every one that came near.

“ All these have their use, Fritz,” said I; “some
contain juices and gums, which are daily made

G2
84, THE SWISS

use of in medicine; others are useful in the arts,
or in manufactures. The Indian fig, for instance,
is a most interesting tree. It grows in the most arid
soil. The fruit is said to be sweet and wholesome.”

In a moment, my little active Jack was climb-
ing the rocks to gather some of these figs ; but he
had not remarked that they were covered with thou-
sands of slender thorns, finer than the finest needles,
which terribly wounded his fingers. He returned,
weeping bitterly and dancing with pain. Having
rallied him a little for his greediness, I extracted
the thorns, and then showed him how to open the
fruit, by first cutting off the pointed end, as it lay
on the ground ; into this I fixed a piece of stick,
and then pared it with my knife. The novelty of
the expedient recommended it, and they were soon
all engaged eating the fruit, which they declared
was very good.

In the mean time, I saw Ernest examining one
of the figs very attentively. “Oh! papa!” said
he, “what a singular sight ; the fig is covered
with a small red insect. I cannot shake them off.
Can they be the Cochineal?” I recognized at
once the precious insect, of which I explained to
my sons the nature and use. “It is with this
insect,” said I, “that the beautiful and rich
scarlet dyeis made. It is found in America, and
the Europeans give its weight in gold for it.” |

Thus discoursing on the wonders of nature, and
the necessity of increasing our knowledge by
observation and study, we arrived at Tent House,
and found it in the same state as we left it.

We all began to collect necessaries, Fritz
loaded himself with powder and shot, I opened
the butter-cask, and my wife and little Francis
FAMILY ROBINSON. 85

filled the pot. Ernest and Jack went to try and
secure the geese and ducks; but they had become
so wild that it would have been impossible, if
Ernest had not thought of an expedient. He
tied pieces of cheese, for bait, to threads, which
he floated on the water. The voracious creatures
immediately swallowed the cheese and were drawn
out by the thread. They were then securely tied,
and fastened to the game-bags, to be carried home
on our backs. Asthe bait could not be recovered,
the boys contented themselves with cutting off the
string close to the beak, leaving them to digest
the rest.

Our bags were already loaded with potatoes,
but we filled up the spaces between them with
salt; and, having relieved Turk of his armour, we
placed the heaviest on his back. I took the butter-
pot ; and, after replacing everything, and closing
our tent, we resumed our march, with our ludi-
crous incumbrances. The geese and ducks were
very noisy in their adieu to their old marsh; the
dogs barked; and we all laughed so excessively,
that we forgot our burdens till we sat down again
under our tree. My wife soon had her pot of
potatoes on the fire. She then milked the cow
and goat, while I set the fowls at liberty on the
banks of the river. We then-sat down to a
smoking dish of potatoes, a jug of milk, and
butter and cheese. After supper we had prayers,
thanking God especially for his new benefits ; and
we then sought our repose among the leaves.
86 THE SWISS

CHAPTER XV.

I wap observed on the shore, the preceding day,
a quantity of wood, which I thought would suit to
make a sledge, to convey our casks and heavy
stores from Tent House to Falcon’s Nest. At
dawn of day I woke Ernest, whose inclination to
indolence I wished to overcome, and leaving the
rest asleep, we descended, and harnessing the ass
to a strong branch of a tree that was lying near,

we proceeded to the shore. I had no difficulty in
_ Selecting proper pieces of wood; we sawed them
the right length, tied them together, and laid
them across the bough, which the patient animal
drew very contentedly. We added to the load a
small chest we discovered half buried in the sand,
and we returned homewards, Ernest leading the
ass, and I assisted by raising the load with a lever
when we met with any obstruction. My wife had
been rather alarmed; but seeing the result of
our expedition, and hearing of the prospect of a
sledge, she was satisfied. I opened the chest,
which contained only some sailors’ dresses and
some linen, both wetted with sea-water ; but
likely to be very useful as our own clothes
decayed. I found Fritz and Jack had been shoot.
ing ortolans ; they had killed about fifty, but had
consumed so much powder and shot, that I
checked a prodigality so imprudent in our situa-
tion. I taught them to make snares for the
birds of the threads we drew from the karata
leaves we had brought home. My wife and her
FAMILY ROBINSON. 87

two younger sons busied themselves with these,
while I, with my two elder boys, began to construct
the sledge. As we were working, we heard a
great noise among the fowls, and Ernest, looking
about, discovered the monkey seizing and hiding
the eggs from the nests; he had collected a good
store in a hole among the roots, which Ernest
carried to his mother; and Knips was punished
by being tied up, every morning, till the eggs
were collected.

Our work was interrupted by dinner, composed
of ortolans, milk, and cheese. After dinner, Jack
had climbed to the higher branches of the trees
to place his snares, and found the pigeons were ©
making nests. I then told him to look often to
the snares, for fear our own poor birds should be
taken; and, above all, never in future to fire mto
the tree. .

“Papa,” said little Francis, “can we not sow
some gunpowder, and then we shall have plenty?”
This proposal was received with shouts of laugh-
ter, which greatly discomposed the little innocent
fellow. Professor Ernest immediately seized the
opportunity to give a lecture on the composition
of gunpowder.

At the end of the day my sledge was finished.
Two long curved planks of wood, crossed by three
pieces, at a distance from each other, formed the
simple conveyance. The fore and hind parts
were in the form of horns, to keep the load from
falling off. Two ropes were fastened to the front,
and my sledge was complete. My wife was de-
lighted with it, and hoped I would now set out
immediately to Tent House for the butter-cask.
88 THE SWISS

I made no objection to this ; and Ernest and I
prepared to go, and leave Fritz in charge of the
family.

CHAPTER XVI.

WHEN we were ready to set out, Fritz presented
each of us with a little case he had made from the
skin of the margay. They were ingeniously con-
trived to contain knife, fork, and Spoon, and a
small hatchet. We then harnessed the ass and
the cow to the sledge, took a flexible bamboo cane
for a whip, and, followed by Flora, we departed,
leaving Turk to guard the tree.

We went by the shore, as the better road for
the sledge, and crossing Family Bridge, were
soon at Tent House. After unharnessing the
animals, we began to load. We took the cask of
butter, the cheese, and the biscuit ; all the rest of
our utensils, powder, shot, and Turk’s armour,
which we had left there. These labours had so
occupied us, that we had not observed that our
animals, attracted by the pasturage, had crossed
the bridge, and wandered out of sight. I sent
Ernest to seek them, and in the mean time went
to the bay, where I discovered some convenient
little hollows in the rock, that seemed cut out for
baths. I called Emest to come, and till he
arrived, employed myself in cutting some rushes,
which I thought might be useful. When my son
came, I found he had ingeniously removed the
first planks from the bridge, to prevent the
animals straying over again. We then had a
FAMILY ROBINSON. 89

very pleasant bath, and Ernest being out first, I
sent him to the rock, where the salt was accumu-
lated, to fill a small bag, to be transferred to the
large bags on the ass. He had not been absent
long, when I heard him cry out, “ Papa! papa!
a huge fish! I cannot hold it; it will break my
line.” I ran to his assistance, and found him
lymg on the ground on his face, tugging at his
line, to which an enormous salmon was attached,
that had nearly pulled him into the water. I let
it have a little more line, then drew it gently into
a shallow, and secured it. It appeared about fif-
teen pounds weight; and we pleased ourselves
with the idea of presenting this to our good cook.
Ernest said, he remembered having remarked
how this place swarmed with fish, and he took
care to bring his rod with him; he had taken
about a dozen small fishes, which he had in his
handkerchief, before he was overpowered by the
salmon. I cut the fishes open, and rubbed the
inside with salt, to preserve them; then placing
them in a small box on the sledge, and adding
our bags of salt, we harnessed our animals, and
set off homewards.

When we were about half-way, Flora left us, and,
by her barking, raised a singular animal, which
seemed to leap instead of run. The irregular bounds
of the animal disconcerted my aim, and, though
very near, I missed it. Ernest was more for-
tunate; he fired at it, and killed it. It was an
animal about the size of a sheep, with the tail of
a tiger; its head and skin were like those of a
mouse, ears longer than the hare; there was a
curious pouch on the belly; the fore legs were
short, as if imperfectly developed, and armed with
90 THE SWISS

strong claws, the hind legs long, like a pair of stilts,
After Ernest’s pride of victory was a little sub-
dued, he fell back on his science, and began to
examine his spoil.

“ By its teeth,” said he, “it should belong to
the family of rodentes, or gnawers ; by its legs, to
the jumpers; and by its pouch, to the Opossum
tribe.”

This gave me the right clue. « Then,” said I,
“this must be the animal Cook first discovered in
New Holland, and it is called the kangaroo.”

We now tied the legs of the animal together,
and, putting a stick through, carried it to the
sledge very carefully, for Ernest was anxious to
preserve the beautiful skin. Our animals were
heavily laden ; but, giving them a little rest and
some fresh grass, we once more started, and in a
short time reached Falcon’s Nest.

My wife had been employed during our absence
in washing the clothes of the three boys, clothing
them in the mean time from the sailor’s chest we
had found a few days before. Their appearance
was excessively ridiculous, as the garments neither
suited their age nor size, and caused great mirth
to us all; but my wife had preferred this disguise
to the alternative of their going naked.

We now began to display our riches, and relate
our adventures. The butter and the rest of the
provisions were very welcome, the salmon still
more so, but the sight of the kangaroo produced
Screams of admiration. Fritz displayed a little
jealousy, but soon surmounted it by an exertion
of his nobler feelings; and only the keen eye of a
father could have discovered it, He congratulated
FAMILY ROBINSON. 9]

Ernest warmly, but could not help begging to
accompany me next time.

“T promise you that,” said I, “as a reward for
the conquest you have achieved over your jealousy
of your brother. But, remember, I could not
have given you a greater proof of my confidence,
than in leaving you to protect your mother and
brothers. A noble mind finds its purest joy in
the accomplishment of its duty, and to that wil-
lingly sacrifices its inclination. But,” I added, in
a low tone, lest I should distress my wife, “ I pro-
pose another expedition to the vessel, and you must
accompany me.”

We then fed our tired animals, giving them
some salt with their grass, a great treat to them.
Some salmon was prepared for dinner, and the
rest salted. After dinner, I hung up the kan-
garoo till next day, when we intended to salt and
smoke the flesh. Evening arrived, and an excel-
lent supper of fish, ortolans, and potatoes refreshed
us; and, after thanks to God, we retired to rest.

CHAPTER XVII.

I ross early, and descended the ladder, a little
uneasy about my kangaroo, and found I was but just
in time to save it, for my dogs had so enjoyed their
repast on the entrails, which I had given them the
night before, that they wished to appropriate the
rest. They had succeeded in tearing off the head,
which was in their reach, and were devouring it in a
sort of growling partnership. As we had no store-
92 THE SWISS

room for our provision, I decided to administer a
little correction, as a warning to these gluttons.
I gave them some smart strokes with a cane, and
they fled howling to the stable under the roots.
Their cries roused my wife, who came down; and,
though she could not but allow the chastisement
to be just and prudent, she was so moved by com-
passion, that she consoled the poor sufferers with
some remains of last night’s supper.

I now carefully stripped the kangaroo of his
elegant skin, and washing myself, and changing
my dress after this unpleasant operation, I joined
my family at breakfast. I then announced m
plan of visiting the vessel, and ordered Fritz to
make preparations. My wife resigned herself
mournfully to the necessity. When we were
ready to depart, Ernest and Jack were not to be
found ; their mother suspected they had gone to
get potatoes. This calmed my apprehension ; but
I charged her to reprimand them for going without
leave. We set out towards Tent House, leaving
Flora to protect the household, and taking our
guns as usual.

We had scarcely left the wood, and were ap-
proaching Jackal River, when we heard piercing
cries, and suddenly Ernest and Jack leaped from
a thicket, delighted, as Jack said, in having suc-
ceeded in their plan of accompanying us, and,
moreover, in making us believe we were beset with
savages. They were, however, disappointed. I
gave them a severe reproof for their disobedience,
and sent them home with a message to their mo-
ther that I thought we might be detained all
night, and begged she would not be uneasy.

They listened to me in great confusion, and
FAMILY ROBINSON. 93

were much mortified at their dismissal; but I
begged Fritz to give Ernest his silver watch, that
they might know how the time passed; and I
knew that I could replace it, as there was a case
of watches in the ship. This reconciled them a
little to their lot, and they left us. We went for-
ward to our boat, embarked, and, aided by the
current, soon reached the vessel.

My first care was to construct some more con-
venient transport-vessel than our boat. Fritz
proposed a raft, similar to those used by savage
nations, supported on skins filled with air. These
we had not; but we found a number of water-
hogsheads, which we emptied, and closed again,
and threw a dozen of them into the sea, between
the ship and our boat. Some long planks were
laid on these, and secured with ropes. We added
a raised edge of planks to secure our cargo, and
thus had a solid raft, capable of conveying any
burden. This work occupied us the whole day,
scarcely interrupted by eating a little cold meat
from our game-bags. Exhausted by fatigue, we
were glad to take a good night’s rest in the cap-
tain’s cabin on an elastic mattress, of which our
hammocks had made us forget the comfort.
Karly next morning we began to load our raft.

We began by entirely stripping our own cabin
and that of the captain. We carried away even the
doors and windows. The chests of the carpenter
and the gunner followed. There were cases of rich
jewellery, and caskets of money, which at first
tempted us, but were speedily relinquished for
objects of real utility. I preferred a case of young
plants of European fruits, carefully packed in moss
for transportation. I saw, with delight, among
94, THE SWISS

these precious plants, apple, pear, plum, orange,
apricot, peach, almond, and chesnut trees, and
some young shoots of vines. How I longed to
plant these familiar trees of home in a foreign
soil. We secured some bars of iron and pigs of
lead, grindstones, cart-wheels ready for mounting,
tongs, shovels, plough-shares, packets of copper
and iron wire, sacks of maize, peas, oats, and
vetches ; and even a small hand-mill. The vessel
had been, in fact, laden with everything likely to
be useful in a new colony. We found a saw-mill
in pieces, but marked, so that it could be easily
put together. It was difficult to select, but we
took as much as was safe on the raft, adding a
large fishing-net and the ship’s compass. Fritz
begged to take the harpoons, which he hung by
the ropes over the bow of our boat ; and J indulged
his fancy. We were now loaded as far as pru-
dence would allow us; so, attaching our raft
firmly to the boat, we hoisted our sail, and made
slowly to the shore.



CHAPTER XVIII.

Tae wind was favourable, but we advanced
slowly, the floating mass that we had to tng re-
tarding us. Fritz had been some time regarding
a large object in the water; he called me to steer a
little towards ‘it, that he might see what it was.
I went to the rudder, and made the movement;
immediately I heard the whistling of the cord, and
felt a shock; then a second, which was followed
by arapid motion of the boat. -
FAMILY ROBINSON. 95

“We are going to founder!” cried I. ‘“ What
is the matter ?” ,

“T have caught it,’ shouted Fritz; “I have
harpooned it in the neck. It is a turtle.”

I saw the harpoon shining at a distance, and
the turtle was rapidly drawing us along by the
line. I lowered the sail, and rushed forward to
cut the line; but Fritz besought me not to do it.
He assured me there was no danger, and that he
himself would release us if necessary. I reluc-
tantly consented, and saw our whole convoy drawn
by an animal whose agony increased its strength.
As we drew near the shore, I endeavoured to steer
so that we might not strike and be capsized. I
saw after a few minutes that our conductor again
wanted to make out to sea; I therefore hoisted
the sail, and the wind being in our favour, he
found resistance vain, and, tugging as before, fol-
lowed up the current, only taking more to the
left, towards Falcon’s Nest, and landing us in a
shallow, rested on the shore. I leaped out of the
boat, and with a hatchet soon put our powerful
conductor out of his misery. ,

Fritz uttered a shout of joy, and fired off his
gun, as a signal of our arrival. All came running
to greet us, and great was their surprise, not only
at the value of our cargo, but at the strange mode
by which it had been brought into harbour. My
first care was to send them for the sledge, to re-
move some of our load without delay, and as the
ebbing tide was leaving our vessels almost dry on
the sand, I profited by the opportunity to secure
them. By the aid of the jack-screw and levers,
we raised and brought to the shore two large pieces
of lead from the raft. These served for anchors,
96 THE SWISS

and, connected to the boat and raft by strong
cables, fixed them safely.

As soon as the sledge arrived, we placed the
turtle with some difficulty on it, as it weighed
at least three hundredweight. We added some
lighter articles, the mattresses, some small chests,
&c., and proceeded with our first load to Falcon’s
Nest in great spirits. As we walked on, Fritz told
them of the wondrous cases of jewellery we had
abandoned for things of use; Jack wished Fritz
had brought him a gold snuff-box, to hold curious
seeds; and Francis wished for some of the money
to buy gingerbread: at the fair! Everybody
laughed at the little simpleton, who could not help
jaughing himself, when he remembered his dis-
tance from fairs. Arrived at home, our first care
was to turn the turtle on his back, to get the
excellent meat out of the shell. With my hatchet
I separated the cartilages that unite the shells:
the upper shell is convex, the lower one nearly
flat.

We had some of the turtle prepared for dinner,
though my wife felt great repugnance in touching
the green fat, notwithstanding my assurance of
its being the chief delicacy to an epicure.

We salted the remainder of the flesh, and gave
the offal to the dogs. The boys were all clamo-
rous to possess the shell; but I said it belonged to
Fritz, by right of conquest, and he must dispose
of it as he thought best.

“Then,” said he, “I will make a basin of it,
and place it near the river, that my mother may
always keep it full of fresh water.”

“Very good,” said I, “and we will fill our
FAMILY ROBINSON, 97

basin, as soon as we find some clay to make a solid
foundation.”

“T found some this morning,” said Jack,—“a
whole bed of clay, and I brought these balls home
to show you.”

“ And I have made a discovery too,” said
Ernest. “Look at these roots, like radishes; I
have not eaten any, but the sow enjoys them
very much.” !

“A most valuable discovery, indeed,” said I;
“if I am not mistaken, this is the root of the
manioc, which with the potatoes will insure us
from famine. Of this root they make in the West
Indies a sort of bread, called cassava bread. In
its natural state it contains a violent poison,
but by a process of heating it becomes wholesome.
The nutritious tapioca is a preparation from this
root.”

By this time we had unloaded, and proceeded
to the shore to bring a second load before night
came on. We brought up two chests of our own
clothes and property, some chests of tools, the
cart-wheels, and the hand-mill, likely now to be
of use for the cassava. After unloading, we sat
down to an excellent supper of turtle, with pota-
toes, instead of bread. After supper, my wife
said, smiling, “ After such a hard day, I think I
can give you something to restore you.” She then
brought a bottle and glasses, and filled us each a
glass of clear, amber-coloured wine. I found it
excellent Malaga. She had been down to the
shore the previous day, and there found a small
cask thrown up by the waves. This, with the
assistance of her sons, she had rolled up to the

H
98 THE SWISS

foot of our tree, and there covered it with leaves
to keep it cool till our arrival.

We were so invigorated by this cordial, that we
set briskly to work to hoist up our mattresses to
our dormitory, which we accomplished by the aid
of ropes and pulleys. My wife received and ar-
ranged them, and after our usual evening devo-
tions, we gladly lay down on them, to enjoy a
night of sweet repose.

CHAPTER XIX.

I rosE before daylight, and, leaving my family
sleeping, descended, to go to the shore to look
after my vessels. I found all the animals moving.
The dogs leaped about me; the cocks were crow-
ing ; the goats browsing on the dewy grass. The
ass alone was sleeping; and, as he was the as-
sistant I wanted, I was compelled to rouse him, a
preference which did not appear to flatter him.
Nevertheless, I harnessed him to the sledge, and,
followed by the dogs, went forward to the coast,
where I found my boat and raft safe at anchor.
I took up a moderate load and came home to
breakfast ; but found all still as I left them. I
called my family, and they sprung up ashamed of
their sloth ; my wife declared it must have been
the good mattress that had charmed her.

I gave my boys a short admonition for their sloth.
We then came down to a hasty breakfast, and
returned to the coast to finish the unloading the
boats, that I might, at high water, take them
round to moor at the usual place in the Bay of
FAMILY ROBINSON. 99

Safety. I sent my wife up with the last load, while
Fritz and I embarked, and, seeing Jack watching
us, I consented that he should form one of the
crew, for I had determined to make another visit
to the wreck before I moored my craft. When
we reached the vessel, the day was so far advanced
that we had only time to collect hastily anything
easy to embark. My sons ran over the ship.
Jack came trundling a wheelbarrow, which he
said would be excellent for fetching the pota-
toes In.

But Fritz brought me good news: he had found,
between decks, a beautiful pinnace (a small vessel,
of which the prow is square), taken to pieces, with
all its fittings, and even two small guns. I saw
that all the pieces were numbered, and placed in
order ; nothing was wanting. I felt the importance
of this acquisition; but it would take days of
labour to put it together ; and then how could we
launch it? At present, I felt I must renounce
the undertaking. I returned to my loading. It
consisted of all sorts of utensils: a copper boiler,
some plates of iron, tobacco-graters, two grind-
stones, a barrel of powder, and one of flints. Jack
did not forget his wheelbarrow ; and we found
two more, which we added to our cargo, and then
sailed off speedily, to avoid the land-wind, which
rises in the evening.

As we drew near, we were astonished to see a
row of little creatures standing on the shore, ap-
parently regarding us with much curiosity. They
were dressed in black, with white waistcoats, and
thick cravats; their arms hung down carelessly ;
but from time to time they raised them as if they
wished to bestow on us a fraternal embrace.

. H2
100 THE SWISS

“ T believe,” said I, laughing, “this must be
the country of pigmies, and they are coming to
welcome us.”

“They are the Lilliputians, father,” said Jack ;
“TI have read of them; but I thought they had
been less.”

“ As if Gulliver’s Travels was true!” said
Fritz, in a tone of derision.

“Then are there no pigmies ?” asked he.

“ No, my dear boy,” said I; “all these stories
are either the mvention or the mistakes of ancient
navigators, who have taken troops of monkeys for
men, or who have wished to repeat something
marvellous. But the romance of Gulliver is an
allegory, intended to convey great truths.”

“And now,” said Fritz, “I begin to see our
pigmies have beaks and wings.”

“ You are right,” said I; “ they are penguins,
as Ernest explained to us some time since. They
are good swimmers; but, unable to fly, are very
helpless on land.”

I steered gently to the shore, that I might not
disturb them; but Jack leaped into the water
up to his knees, and, dashing among the pen-
guins, with a stick struck right and left, knocking
down half a dozen of the poor stupid birds before
they were aware. Some of these we brought
away alive. The rest, not liking such a reception,
took to the water, and were soon out of sight. I
scolded Jack for his useless rashness, for the flesh
of the penguin is by no means a delicacy.

We now filled our three wheel-barrows with
such things as we could carry, not forgetting the
sheets of iron and the graters, and trudged home.
Our dogs announced our approach, and all rushed
FAMILY ROBINSON, 101

out to meet us. A curious and merry examina-
tion commenced. They laughed at my graters ;
but I let them laugh, for I had a project in my
head. The penguins I intended for our poultry-
yard ; and, for the present, I ordered the boys to
tie each of them by a leg to one of our geese or
ducks, who opposed the bondage very clamor-
ously ; but necessity made them submissive.

My wife showed me a large store of potatoes
and manioc roots, which she and her children had
dug up the evening before. We then went to
supper, and talked of all we had seen in the
vessel, especially of the pinnace, which we had
been obliged to leave. My wife did not feel much
regret on this account, as she dreaded maritime
expeditions, though she agreed she might have
felt less uneasiness if we had had a vessel of this
description. I gave my sons a charge to rise early
next morning, as we had an important business on
hand; and curiosity roused them all in very good
time. After our usual preparations for the day, I
addressed them thus: “ Gentlemen, I am going
to teach you all a new business,—that of a baker.
Give me the plates of iron and the graters we
brought yesterday.” My wife was astonished ;
but I requested her to wait patiently and she
should have bread, not perhaps light buns, but
eatable flat cakes. But first she was to make me
two small bags of sail-cloth. She obeyed me;
but, at the same time, I observed she put the
potatoes on the fire, a proof she had not much
faith in my bread-making. I then spread a cloth
over the ground, and, giving each of the boys a
grater, we began to grate the carefully-washed
manioc roots, resting the end on the cloth. Ina
102 THE SWISS

short time we had a heap of what appeared to be
moist white sawdust ; certainly not tempting to
the appetite; but the little workmen were
amused with their labour, and jested no little
about the cakes made of scraped radishes.

“Laugh now, boys,” said I; “we shall see,
after a while. But you, Ernest, ought to know
that the manioc is one of the most precious of
alimentary roots, forming the principal sustenance
of many nations of America, and often preferred
by Europeans, who inhabit those countries, to
wheaten bread.

When all the roots were grated, I filled the
two bags closely with the pollard, and my wife
sewed the ends up firmly. It was now neces-
sary to apply strong pressure to extract the juice
from the root, as this juice is a deadly poison. I
selected an oak beam, one end of which we fixed
between the roots of our tree; beneath this I
placed our bags on a row of little blocks of wood ;
I then took a large bough, which I had cut from
a tree, and prepared for the purpose, and laid it
across them. We all united then in drawing
down the opposite end of the plank over the
bough, till we got it to a certain point, when we
suspended to it the heaviest substances we pos-
sessed ; hammers, bars of iron, and masses of
lead. This acting upon the manioc, the sap
burst through the cloth, and flowed on the ground
copiously. When I thought the pressure was
complete, we relieved the bags from the lever,
and opening one, drew out a handful of the pol-
lard, still rather moist, resembling coarse maize-
flour.

*“Tt only wants a little heat to complete our
FAMILY ROBINSON. 103

success,” said I, in great delight. I ordered a
fire to be lighted, and fixing one of our iron
plates, which was round in form, and rather
concave, on two stones placed on each side of the
fire, I covered it with the flour which we took
from the bag with a small wooden shovel. It
soon formed a solid cake, which we turned, that
it might be equally baked.

It smelled so good, that they all wished to com-
mence eating immediately ; and I had some diffi-
culty in convincing them that this was only a
trial, and that our baking was still imperfect.
Besides, as I told them there were three kinds of
manioc, of which one contained more poison than
the rest, I thought it prudent to try whether we
had perfectly extracted it, by giving a small
quantity to our fowls. As soon, therefore, as the
cake was cold, I gave some to two chickens,
which I kept apart ; and also some to Master Knips,
the monkey, that he might, for the first time, do
us a little service. He ate it with so much relish,
and such grimaces of enjoyment, that my young
party were quite anxious to share his feast ; but 1
ordered them to wait till we could judge of
the effect, and, leaving our employment, we
went to our dinner of potatoes, to which my wife
had added one of the penguins, which was truly
rather tough and fishy; but as Jack would not
allow this, and declared it was a dish fit for a
king, we allowed him to regale on it as much as
he liked. During dinner, I talked to them of the
various preparations made from the manioc; I
told my wife we could obtain an excellent starch
from the expressed juice; but this did not interest
her much, as at present she usually wore the
104 THE SWISS

dress of a sailor, for convenience, and had neither
caps nor collars to starch. |

The cake made from the root is called by the
natives of the Antilles cassava, and in no savage
nation do we find any word signifying bread; an
article of food unknown to them.

We spoke of poisons; and I explained to my
sons the different nature and effects of them.
Especially I warned them against the manchineel,
which ought to grow in this part of the world.
I described the fruit to them, as resembling
a tempting yellow apple, with red spots, which is
one of the most deadly poisons: it is said that
even to sleep under the tree is dangerous. I for-
bade them to taste any unknown fruit, and they
promised to obey me.

On leaving the table, we went to visit the
victims of our experiment. Jack whistled for
Knips, who came in three bounds from the sum-
mit of a high tree, where he had doubtless been
plundering some nest ; and his vivacity, and the
peaceful cackling of the fowls, assured us our pre-
paration was harmless.

“ Now, gentlemen,” said I, laughing, “ to the
bakehouse, and let us see what we can do.” I
wished them each to try to make the cakes. They
immediately kindled the fire and heated the iron
plate. In the mean time, I broke up the grated
cassava, and mixed it with a little milk; and
giving each of them a cocoa-nut basin filled with
the paste, I showed them how to pour it with a
spoon upon the plate, and spread it about ; when
the paste began to puff up, I judged it was baked
on one side, and turned it, like a pancake, with a
fork ; and after a little time, we had a quantity of
FAMILY ROBINSON. 105

nice yellow biscuits, which, with a jug of milk, made
us a delicious collation; and determined us, with-
out delay, to set about cultivating the manioc.

The rest of the day was employed in bringing
up the remainder of our cargo, by means of the
sledge and the useful wheelbarrows.

Co ee

CHAPTER XX.

Tuer next morning I decided on returning to
the wreck. The idea of the pinnace continually
haunted my mind, and left me no repose. But it
was necessary to take all the hands I could raise,
and with difficulty I got my wife’s consent to take
my three elder sons, on promising her we would
return in the evening. We set out, taking provi-
sion for the day, and soon arrived at the vessel,
when my boys began to load the raft with all
manner of portable things. But the great matter
was the pinnace. It was contained in the after-
hold of the vessel, immediately below the officers’
berths. My sons, with all the ardour of their
age, begged to begin by clearing a space in the
vessel to put the pinnace together, and we might
afterwards think how we should launch it. Under
any other circumstances I should have shown them
the folly of such an undertaking; but in truth, I
had myself a vague hope of success, that encou-
raged me, and I cried out, “To work! to work!”
The hold was lighted by some chinks in the
ship’s side. We set diligently to work, hacking,
cutting, and sawing away all obstacles, and before
evening we had aclear space round us. But now
106 THE SWISS

it was necessary to return, and we put to sea with
our cargo, purposing to continue our work daily.
On reaching the Bay of Safety, we had the plea-
sure of finding my wife and Francis, who had
established themselves at Tent House, intending
to continue there till our visits to the vessel were
concluded; that they might always keep us in
sight, and spare us the unnecessary labour of a
walk after our day’s work.

I thanked my wife tenderly for this kind sacri-
fice, for I knew how much she enjoyed the cool
shade of Falcon’s Nest; and in return I showed
her the treasures we had brought her from the
vessel, consisting of two barrels of salt butter,
three hogsheads of flour, several bags of millet,
rice, and other grains, and a variety of useful
household articles, which she conveyed with great
delight to our storehouse in the rocks.

For a week we spent every day in the vessel,
returning in the evening to enjoy a good supper,
and talk of our progress; and my wife, happily
engrossed with her poultry and other household
cares, got accustomed to our absence. With much
hard labour, the pinnace was at last put together.
Its construction was light and elegant, it looked
as if it would sail well; at the head was a short
half-deck ; the masts and sails were like those of a
brigantine. We carefully caulked all the seams
with tow dipped in melted tar; and we even
indulged ourselves by placing the two small guns
in it, fastened by chains.

And there stood the beautiful little bark, im-
movable on the stocks. We admired it inces-
santly ; but what could we do to get it afloat ?
The difficulty of forcing a way through the mighty
FAMILY ROBINSON. 107

timbers lined with copper, that formed the side of
the ship, was insurmountable.

Suddenly, suggested by the excess of my despair,
a bold but dangerous idea presented itself to me,
in which all might be lost, as well as all gained.
I said nothing about this to my children, to avoid
the vexation of a possible disappointment, but
began to execute my plan.

I found a cast-iron mortar, exactly fitted for
my purpose, which I filled with cunpowder. I then
took a strong oak plank to cover it, to which
I fixed iron hooks, so that they could reach the
handles of the mortar. I cut a groove in the side
of the plank, that I might introduce a long match,
which should burn at least two hours before it
reached the powder. I placed the plank then
_ over the mortar, fastened the hooks through the
handles, surrounded it with pitch, and then bound.
some strong chains round the whole, to give it
greater solidity. I proceeded to suspend this
infernal machine against the side of the ship near
our work, taking care to place it where the recoil
from the explosion should not injure the pinnace.
When all was ready, I gave the signal of depar-
ture, my sons having been employed in the boat,
and not observing my preparations. | remained
a moment to fire the match, and then hastily
joined them with a beating heart, and proceeded
to the shore.

As soon as we reached our harbour, I detached
the raft, that I might return in the boat as soon
as I heard the explosion. We began actively to
unload the boat, and while thus employed, a
report like thunder washeard. All trembled, and
threw down their load in terror.
108 THE SWISS

“What .can it be?” cried they. “Perhaps a
signal from some vessel in distress. Let us go to
their assistance.”

“Tt came from the vessel,” said my wife. “It
must have blown up. You have not been careful
of fire; and have left some near a barrel of
gunpowder.”

“At all events,” said I, “we will go and ascer-
tain the cause. Who’ll go with me?”

By way of reply, my three sons leaped into the
boat, and consoling the anxious mother by a pro-
mise to return immediately, away we rowed. We
never made the voyage so quickly. Curiosity
quickened the movements of my sons, and I was
all impatience to see the result of my project. As
we approached, I was glad to see no appearance of
flames, or even smoke. The position of the vessel
did not seem altered. Instead of entering the
vessel as usual, we rounded the prow, and came
opposite the other side. The greater part of the
side of the ship was gone. The sea was covered
with the remains of it. In its place stood our
beautiful pinnace, quite uninjured, only leaning a
little over the stocks. At the sight I cried out,
in a transport that amazed my sons, “ Victory !
victory! the charming vessel is our own ; it will
be easy now to launch her.”

“Ah! I comprehend now,” said Fritz, “ Papa
has blown up the ship ; but how could you manage
to do it so exactly ?”

I explained all to him, as we entered through the
broken side of the devoted vessel. I soon ascer-
tained that no fire remained ; and that the pin-
nace had escaped any injury. We set to work to
clear away all the broken timbers in our way, and,
FAMILY ROBINSON. 109

by the aid of the jack-screw and levers, we moved
the pinnace, which we had taken care to build on
rollers, to the opening; then attaching a strong
cable to her head, and fixing the other end to the
most solid part of the ship, we easily launched
her. It was too late to do any more now, except
carefully securing our prize. And we returned to
the good mother, to whom, wishing to give her an
agreeable surprise, we merely said, that the side
of the vessel was blown out with powder ; but we
were still able to obtain more from it; at which
she sighed, and, in her heart, I have no doubt,
wished the vessel, and all it contained, at the
bottom of the sea,

We had two days of incessant: labour in fitting
and loading the pimnace ; finally, after putting up
our masts, ropes, and sails, we selected a cargo
of things our boats could not bring. When all
was ready, my boys obtained permission, as a re-
ward for their industry, to salute their mamma,
as we entered the bay, by firmg our, two guns.
Fritz was captain, and Ernest and Jack, at his
command, put their matches to the guns, and
fired. My wife and little boy rushed out in
alarm; but our joyful shouts soon re-assured
them; and they were ready to welcome us with
astonishment and delight. Fritz placed a plank
from the pinnace to the shore, and, assisting his
mother, she came on board. They gave her a new
salute, and christened the vessel The Elizabeth,
after her.

My wife praised our skill and perseverance, but
begged we would not suppose that Francis and
she had been idle during our long absence. We
moored the little fleet safely to the shore}:and fol-
110 THE SWISS

lowed her up the river to the cascade, where we
Saw a neat garden laid out in beds and walks,

“This is our work,” said she ; “the soil here,
being chiefly composed of decayed leaves, is light
and easy to dig. There I have my potatoes ; there
manioc roots: these are sown with peas, beans
and lentils; in this row of beds are sown lettuces,
radishes, cabbages, and other European vegetables.
I have reserved one part for sugar-canes; on the
high ground I have transplanted pine-apples, and
sown melons. Finally, round every bed, I have
sown a border of maize, that the high, bushy
stems may protect the young plants from the
sun.” |

I was delighted with the result of the labour
and industry of a delicate female and a child, and
could scarcely believe it was accomplished in so
short a time.

“T must confess I had no great hope of success
at first,” said my wife, “and this made me averse
to speaking of it. Afterwards, when I suspected
you had a secret, I determined to have one, too,
and give you a surprise.” :

After again applauding these useful labours, we
returned to discharge our cargo; and as we went,
my good Elizabeth, still full of horticultural plans,
reminded me of the young fruit-trees we had
brought from the vessel. I promised to look after
them next day, and to establish my orchard near
her kitchen-garden.

We unloaded our vessels ; placed on the sledge
all that might be useful at Falcon’s Nest ; and,
arranging the rest under the tent, fixed our pin-
nace to the shore, by means of the anchor and a
cord fastened to“a heavy stone ; and at length set
FAMILY ROBINSON. lll

out to Falcon’s Nest, where we arrived soon, to
the great comfort of my wife, who dreaded the
burning plain at Tent House.

Cet ee

CHAPTER XXI.

Arter our return to Falcon’s Nest, I requested
my sons to continue their exercises in gymnastics.
I wished to develope all the vigour and energy
that nature had given them; and which, in our
situation, were especially necessary. I added to
archery, racing, leaping, wrestling, and climbing
trees, either by the trunks, or by a rope suspended
from the branches, as sailors climb. I next taught
them to use the /asso, a powerful weapon, by aid
of which the people of South America capture
savage animals. I fixed two balls of lead to the
ends of a cord about a fathom in length. The
Patagonians, I told them, used this weapon with
wonderful dexterity. Having no leaden balls, they
attach a heavy stone to each end of a cord about
thirty yards long. If they wish to capture an
animal, they hurl one of the stones at it with sin-
gular address. By the peculiar art with which
the ball is thrown, the rope makes a turn or two
round the neck of the animal, which remains en-
tangled, without the power of escaping. In order
to show the power of this weapon, I took aim at
the trunk of a tree which they pointed out. My
throw was quite successful. The end of the rope
passed two or three times round the trunk of the
tree, and remained firmly fixed to it. If the
tree had been the neck of a tiger, I should have
112 THE SWISS

been absolute master of it. This experiment de-
cided them all to learn the use of the lasso. Fritz
was soon skilful in throwing it, and I encouraged
the rest to persevere in acquiring the same facility,
as the weapon might be invaluable to us when our
ammunition failed.

The next morning I saw, on looking out, that
the sea was too much agitated for any expedition
in the boats; I therefore turned to some home
employments. We looked over our stores for
winter provision. My wife showed me a cask of
ortolans she had preserved in butter, and a quan-
tity of loaves of cassava bread, carefully prepared.
She pointed out, that the pigeons had built in
the tree, and were sitting on their eggs. We
then looked over the young fruit-trees brought
from. Europe, and my sons and I immediately laid
out a piece of ground, and planted them.

The day passed in these employments; and as
we had lived only on potatoes, cassava bread, and
milk for this day, we determined to go off next
morning in pursuit of game to recruit our larder.
At dawn of day we all started, including little
Francis and his mother, who wished to take this
opportunity of seeing a little more of the country.
My sons and I took our arms, I harnessed the
ass to the sledge which contained our provision
for the day, and was destined to bring back
the products of the chase. Turk, accoutred in his
coat of mail, formed the advanced guard ; my sons
followed with their guns; then came my wife with
Francis leading the ass; and at a little distance I
closed the procession, with Master Knips mounted
on the patient Flora.

We crossed Flamingo Marsh, and there my
FAMILY ROBINSON. 113

wife was charmed with the richness of the vegeta-
tion and the lofty trees. Fritz left us, thinking
this a favourable spot for game. We soon heard
the report of his gun, and an enormous bird fell a
few paces from us. I ran to assist him, as he had
much difficulty m securing his prize, which was
only wounded in the wing, and was defending
itself vigorously with its beak and claws. I threw
a handkerchief over its head, and, confused by the
darkness, I had no difficulty in binding it, and
conveying it in triumph to the sledge. We were
all in raptures at the sight of this beautiful crea-
ture, which Ernest pronounced to be a female of
the bustard tribe. My wife hoped that the bird
might be domesticated among her poultry, and,
attracting some more of its species, might enlarge
our stock of useful fowls. We soon arrived at the
Wood of Monkeys, as we called it, where we had
obtained our cocoa-nuts; and Fritz related the
laughable scene of the stratagem to his mother
and brothers. Ernest looked up wistfully at the
nuts, but there were no monkeys to throw them
down.

“Do they never fall from the trees?” and
hardly had he spoken, when a large cocoa-nut fell
at his feet, succeeded by a second, to my great
astonishment, for I saw no animal in the tree, and
I was convinced the nuts in the half-ripe state, as
these were, could not fall of themselves.

“It is exactly like a fairy tale,” said Ernest ;
“T had only to speak, and my wish was accom-
plished.”

“And here comes the magician,” said I, as,
after a shower of nuts, I saw a huge land-crab
descending the tree quietly, and quite regardless

I
114 THE SWISS

of our presence. Jack boldly struck a blow at
him, but missed, and the animal, opening its
enormous claws, made up to its opponent, who
fled in terror. But the laughter of his brothers
made him ashamed, and recalling his courage, he
pulled off his coat, and threw it over the back of
the crab ; this checked its movements, and going
to his assistance, I killed it with a blow of my
hatchet.

They all crowded round the frightful animal,
anxious to know what it was. I told them it was
a land-crab—which we might call the cocoa-nut
crab, as we owed sucha storetoit. Being unable
to break the shell of the nut, of which they are
very fond, they climb the tree, and break them
off, in the unripe state. They then descend to
enjoy their feast, which they obtain by inserting
their claw through the small holes in the end, and
abstracting the contents. They sometimes find
them broken by the fall, when they can eat them
at pleasure.

The hideousness of the animal, and the mingled
terror and bravery of Jack, gave us subject of
conversation for some time. We placed our booty
on the sledge, and continued to go on through
the wood. Our path became every instant more
intricate, from the amazing quantity of creeping
plants which choked the way, and obliged us to
use the axe continually. The heat was excessive,
and we got on slowly, when Ernest, always ob-
serving, and who was a little behind us, cried out,
“Halt! a new and important discovery!” We
returned, and he showed us, that from the stalk
of one of the creepers we had cut with our axe,
there was issuing clear, pure water, It was the
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“ Suddenly we saw Ernest running to us, in great terror, crying,
‘ A wild boar, papa! a great wild boar!’ ”—P. 115.
FAMILY ROBINSON. 115

liane rouge, which, in America, furnishes the hun-
ter such a precious resource against thirst. Ernest
was much pleased ; he filled a cocoa-nut cup with
the water, which flowed from the cut stalks like a
fountain, and carried it to his mother, assuring
her she might drink fearlessly ; and we all had the
comfort of allaying our thirst, and blessing the
Gracious Hand who has placed this refreshing
plant in the midst of the dry wilderness for the
benefit of man.

We now marched on with more vigour, and
soon arrived at the Gourd Wood, where my wife
and younger sons beheld with wonder the growth
of this remarkable fruit. Fritz repeated all the
history of our former attempts, and cut some
gourds to make his mother some egg-baskets, and
a large spoon to cream the milk. But we first sat
down under the shade, and took some refresh-
ment; and afterwards, while we all worked at
making baskets, bowls, and flasks, Ernest, who
had no-taste for such labour, explored the wood.
Suddenly we saw him running to us, in great
terror, crying, “A wild boar! Papa; a great wild
boar!” Fritz and I seized our guns, and ran to
the spot he pointed out, the dogs preceding us.
We soon heard barking and loud grunting, which
proved the combat had begun, and, hoping for
a good prize, we hastened forward; when, what
was our vexation, when we found the dogs holding
by the ears, not a wild boar, but our own great
sow, whose wild and intractable disposition had
induced her to leave us, and live in the woods!
We could not but laugh at our disappointment,
after a while, and I made the dogs release the
poor sow, who immediately resumed her feast on

12
116 THE SWISS

a small fruit, which had fallen from the trees, and,
scattered on the ground, had evidently tempted
the voracious beast to this part. I took up one
of these apples, which somewhat resembled a
medlar, and opening it, found the contents of a
rich and juicy nature, but did not venture to taste
it till we had put it to the usual test. We col-
lected a quantity—I even broke a loaded branch
from the tree, and we returned to our party.
Master Knips no sooner saw them than he seized
on some, and crunched them up with great enjoy-
ment. ‘This satisfied me that the fruit was whole-
some, and we regaled ourselves with some. My
wife was especially delighted when I told her this
must be the guava, from which the delicious jelly
is obtained, so much prized in America.

« But, with all this,’ said Fritz, “we have a
poor show of game. Do let us leave mamma with
the young ones, and set off, to see what we can
meet with.”

I consented, and we left Ernest with his mother
and Francis, Jack wishing to accompany us. We
made towards the rocks at the right hand, and
Jack preceded us a little, when he startled us by
crying out, “ A crocodile, papa !—a crocodile !”

“You simpleton!” said I, “a crocodile in a
place where there is not a drop of water !”

“ Papa !—I see it !”” said the poor child, his eyes
fixed on one spot; “it is there, on this rock,
sleeping. I am sure it is a crocodile!”

As soon as I was near enough to distinguish it,
I assured him his crocodile was a very harmless
lizard, called the iguana, whose eggs and flesh
were excellent food. Fritz would immediately
have shot at this frightful creature, which was
FAMILY ROBINSON. 117

about five feet in length. I showed him that his
scaly coat rendered such an attempt useless. [
then cut a strong stick and a light wand. To the
end of the former I attached a cord with a noose ;
this I held in my right hand, keeping the wand in
my left. I approached softly, whistling. The
animal awoke, apparently listening with pleasure.
I drew nearer, tickling him gently with the wand.
He lifted up his head, and opened his formidable
jaws. I then dexterously threw the noose round
his neck, drew it, and, jumping on his back, by
the aid of my sons, held him down, though he
succeeded in giving Jack a desperate blow with
his tail. Then, plunging my wand up his nostrils,
a few drops of blood came, and he died apparently
without pain.

We now carried off our game. I took him on
my back, holding him by the fore-claws, while my
boys carried the tail behind me; and, with shouts
of laughter, the procession returned to the sledge.

Poor little Francis was in great dismay when he
saw the terrible monster we brought, and began
to cry; but we rallied him out of his cowardice,
and his mother, satisfied with our exploits, begged
to return home. As the sledge was heavily laden,
we decided to leave it till the next day, placing on
the ass the iguana, the crab, our gourd vessels,
and a bag of the guavas, little Francis being also
mounted. The bustard we loosed, and, securing
it by a string tied to one of its legs, led it with us.

We arrived at home in good time. My wife
prepared part of the iguana for supper, which was
pronounced excellent. The crab was rejected as
tough and tasteless. Our new utensils were then
tried, the egg-baskets and the milk-bowls, and
118 THE SWISS

Fritz was charged to dig a hole in the earth, to be
covered with boards, and serve as a dairy, till
something better was thought of. Finally, we
ascended our leafy abode, and slept in peace.

Oe eee

CHAPTER XXII.

I prosecTep an excursion with my eldest son,
to explore the limits of our country, and satisfy
ourselves that it was an island, and not a part of
the continent. We set out, ostensibly, to bring
the sledge we had left the previous evening. I
took Turk and the ass with us, and left Flora with
my wife and children, and, with a bag of provi-
sions, we left Falcon’s Nest as soon as breakfast
was over.

In crossing a wood of oaks, covered with the
sweet, eatable acorn, we again met with the sow ;
our service to her in the evening did not seem to
be forgotten, for she appeared tamer, and did not
run from us. A little farther on, we saw some
beautiful birds. Fritz shot some, among which I
recognized the large blue Virginian jay, and some
different kinds of parrots. As he was reloading
his gun, we heard at a distance a singular noise,
like a muffled drum, mingled with the sound made
in sharpening a saw. It might be savages; and
we plunged into a thicket, and there discovered the
cause of the noise in a brilliant green bird, seated
on the withered trunk of a tree. It spread its
wings and tail, and strutted about with strange
contortions, to the great delight of its mates, who
seemed lost in admiration of him. At the same
FAMILY ROBINSON. 119

time, he made the sharp cry we heard, and, strik-
ing his wing against the tree, produced the drum-
like sound. I knew this to be the ruffed grouse,
one of the greatest ornaments of the forests of
America. My insatiable hunter soon put an end
to the scene; he fired at the bird, who fell dead,
and his crowd of admirers, with piercing cries,
took to flight.

I reprimanded my son for so rashly killing
everything we met with without consideration,
and for the mere love of destruction. He seemed
sensible of his error, and, as the thing was done, I
thought it as well to make the best of it, and sent
him to pick up his game.

“What a creature !” said he, as he brought it ;
“how it would have figured in our poultry-yard,
if I had not been in such a hurry.”

We went on to our sledge in the Gourd Wood,
and, as the morning was not far advanced, we
determined to leave all here, and proceed in our
projected excursion beyond the chain of rocks.
But we took the ass with us to carry our provi-
sions, and any game or other object we should
meet with in the new country we hoped to pene-
trate. Amongst gigantic trees, and through grass
of a prodigious height, we travelled with some
labour, looking right and left to avoid danger, or
to make discoveries. Turk walked the first, smell-
ing the air; then came the donkey, with his grave
and careless step; and we followed, with our guns
in readiness. We met with plains of potatoes and
of manioc, amongst the stalks of which were sport-~
ing tribes of agoutis ; but we were not tempted by
- such game.

We now met with a new kind of bush covered
120 THE SWISS

with small white berries about the size of a pea.
On pressing these berries, which adhered to my fin-
gers, I discovered that this plant was the Myrica
cerifera, or candle-berry myrtle, from which a
wax is obtained that may be made into candles.
With great pleasure I gathered a bag of these
berries, knowing how my wife would appreciate
this acquisition; for she often lamented that we
were compelled to go to bed with the birds, as
soon as the sun set.

We forgot our fatigue, as we proceeded, in con-
templation of the wonders of nature, flowers of
marvellous beauty, butterflies of more dazzling
colours than the flowers, and birds graceful in
form, and brilliant in plumage. Fritz climbed a
tree, and succeeded in securing a young green
parrot, which he enveloped in his handkerchief,
with the intention of bringing it up, and teaching
it to speak. And now we met with another
wonder: a number of birds who lived in a com-
munity, in nests, sheltered by a common roof, in
the formation of which they had probably laboured
jointly. This roof was composed of straw and dry
sticks, plastered with clay, which rendered $f
equally impenetrable to sun or rain. Pressed as
we were for time, I could not help stopping to
admire this feathered colony. This leading us to
speak of natural history, as it relates to animals
who live in societies, we recalled in succession the
ingenious labours of the beavers and the marmots ;
the not less marvellous constructions of the bees,
the wasps, and the ants; and I mentioned parti-
cularly those immense ant-hills of America, of
which the masonry is finished with such skill and
FAMILY ROBINSON. 121

solidity that they are sometimes used for ovens, to
which they bear a resemblance.

We had now reached some trees quite unknown
to us. They were from forty to sixty feet in
height, and from the bark, which was cracked in
many places, issued small balls of a thick gum.
Fritz got one off with difficulty, it was so hardened
by the sun. He wished to soften it with his hands,
but found that heat only gave it the power of ex-
tension, and that by pulling the two extremities,
and then releasing them, it immediately resumed
its first form.

Fritz ran to me, crying out, “I have found
some India-rubber !”’

“If that be true,” said I, “you have made a
most valuable discovery.”

He thought I was laughing at him, for we had
no drawing to rub out here.

I told him this gum might be turned to many
useful purposes ; among the rest we might make
excellent shoes of it. This interested him. How
could we accomplish this ?

“The caoutchouc,” said I, “is the milky sap
which is obtained from certain trees of the
Euphorbium kind, by incisions made in the bark.
It is collected in vessels, care being taken to
agitate them, that the liquid may not coagulate.
In this state they cover little clay bottles with
successive layers of it, till it attains the required
thickness. It is then dried in smoke, which gives
it the dark brown colour. Before it is quite dry,
it is ornamented by lines and flowers drawn with
the knife. Finally, they break the clay form, and
extract it from the mouth; and there remains the
122 THE SWISS

India-rubber bottle of commerce, soft and flexible.
Now, this is my plan for shoemaking; we will
fill a stocking with sand, cover it with repeated
layers of the gum till it is of the proper thickness ;
then empty out the sand, and, if I do not deceive
myself, we shall have perfect boots or shoes.”

Comfortable in the hope of new boots, we ad-
vanced through an interminable forest of various
trees. The monkeys on the cocoa-nut trees
furnished us with pleasant refreshment, and a
small store of nuts besides. Among these trees I
saw some lower bushes, whose leaves were covered
with a white dust. I opened the trunk of one of
these, which had been torn up by the wind, and
found in the interior a white farimaceous sub-
stance, which, on tasting, I knew to be the sago
imported into Europe. This, as connected with
our subsistence, was a most important affair, and
my son and I, with our hatchets, laid open the
tree, and obtained from it twenty-five pounds of
the valuable sago.

This occupied us an hour; and, weary and
hungry, I thought it prudent not to push our
discoveries farther this day. We therefore re-
turned to the Gourd Wood, placed all our trea-
sures on the sledge, and took our way home. We
arrived without more adventures, and were warmly
greeted, and our various offerings gratefully wel-
comed, especially the green parrot. We talked of
the caoutchouc, and new boots, with great delight
during supper; and, afterwards, my wife looked
with exceeding content at her bag of candle-ber-
ries, anticipating the time when we should not
have to go to bed, as we did now, as soon as the
sun set.
FAMILY ROBINSON. 123

CHAPTER XXIII.

Tue next morning my wife and children be-
sought me to begin my manufacture of candles.
I remembered having seen the chandler at work,
and I tried to recall all my remembrances of the
process. I put into a boiler as many berries as
it would hold, and placed it over a moderate fire:
the wax melted from the berries, and rose to the
surface, and this I carefully skimmed with a large
flat spoon and put in a separate vessel placed near
the fire; when this was done, my wife supplied
me with some wicks she had made from the
threads of sail-cloth ; these wicks were attached,
four at a time, to a small stick; I dipped them
into the wax, and placed them on two branches of
a tree to dry; I repeated this operation as often
as necessary to make them the proper thickness,
and then placed them in a cool spot to harden.
But we could not forbear trying them that very
night; and, thought somewhat rude in form, it
was sufficient that they reminded us of our Euro-
pean home, and prolonged our days by many
useful hours we had lost before.

This encouraged me to attempt another enter-
prise. My wife had long regretted that she had
not been able to make butter. She had attempted
to beat her cream in a vessel, but either the heat
of the climate, or her want of patience, rendered
her trials unsuccessful. I felt that I had not skill
enough to make a churn; but I fancied that by
some simple method, like that used by the Hot-
tentots, who put their cream in a skin and shake
124 THE SWISS

it till they produce butter, we might obtain the
same result. I cut a large gourd in two, filled
it with three quarts of cream, then united the
parts, and secured them closely. I fastened a
stick to each corner of a square piece of sail-cloth,
placed the gourd in the middle, and, giving a corner
to each of my sons, directed them to rock the
cloth with a slow, regular motion, as you would a
child’s cradle. This was quite an amusement for
them; and at the end of an hour, my wife had
the pleasure of placing before us some excellent
butter. I then tried to make a cart, our sledge
being unfitted for some roads; the wheels I had
brought from the wreck rendered this less diffi-
cult; and I completed a very rude vehicle, which
was, nevertheless, very useful to us.

While I was thus usefully employed, my wife
and children were not idle. They had trans-
planted the European trees, and thoughtfully
placed each in the situation best suited to it. I
assisted with my hands and counsels. The vines
we planted round the roots of our trees, and
hoped in time to form a trellis-work. Of the
chesnut, walnut, and cherry-trees, we formed an
avenue from Falcon’s Nest to Family Bridge,
which, we hoped, would ultimately be a shady
road between our two mansions. We made a
solid road between the two rows of trees, raised
in the middle and covered with sand, which we
brought from the shore in our wheelbarrows. I
also made a sort of tumbril, to which we harnessed
the ass, to lighten this difficult labour.

We then turned our thoughts to Tent House,
our first abode, and which still might form our
FAMILY ROBINSON. 125

refuge in case of danger. Nature had not favoured
it; but our labour soon supplied all deficiencies.
We planted round it every tree that requires ardent
heat ; the citron, pistachio, the almond, the mul-
berry, the Siamese orange, of which the fruit is as
large as the head of a child, and the Indian fig,
with its long prickly leaves, all had a place here.
These plantations succeeding admirably, we had,
after some time, the pleasure of seeing the dry
and sandy desert converted into a shady grove,
rich in flowers and fruit. As this place was the
magazine for our arms, ammunition, and provi-
sions of all sorts; we made a sort of fortress of it,
surrounding it with a high hedge of strong, thorny
trees ; so that not only to wild beasts, but even to
human enemies, it was inaccessible. Our bridge
was the only poit of approach, and we always
carefully removed the first planks after crossing
it. We also placed our two cannon on a little
elevation within the enclosure; and, finally, we
planted some cedars, near our usual landing-place,
to which we might, at a future time, fasten our
vessels. These labours occupied us three months,
only interrupted by a strict attention to the devo-
tions and duties of the Sunday. Iwas most espe-
cially grateful to God for the robust health we all
enjoyed, in the midst of our employments. All
went on well in our little colony. We had an
abundant and certain supply of provisions; but
our wardrobe, notwithstanding the continual re-
pairmg my wife bestowed on it, was in a most
wretched state, and we had no means of renewing
it, except by again visiting the wreck, which I
knew still contaied some chests of clothes, and
126 THE SWISS

bales of cloth. This decided me to make another
voyage; besides I was rather anxious to see the
state of the vessel.

We found it much in the same condition we
had left it, except being much more shattered by
the winds and waves.

We selected many useful things for our cargo ;
the bales of linen and woollen cloth were not
forgotten; some barrels of tar; and everything
portable that we could remove; doors, windows,
tables, benches, locks and bolts, all the ammu-
nition, and even such of the guns as we could
move. In fact we completely sacked the vessel ;
carrying off, after several days’ labour, all our
booty, with the exception of some weighty articles,
amongst which were three or four immense boilers,
intended for a sugar-manufactory. These we tied
to some large empty casks, which we pitched com-
pletely over, and hoped they would be able to
float m the water.

When we had completed our arrangements, I
resolved to blow up the ship. We placed a large
barrel of gunpowder in the hold, and arranging a
long match from it, which would burn some hours,
we lighted it, and proceeded without delay to
Safety Bay to watch the event. I proposed to
my wife to sup on a point of land where we could
distinctly see the vessel. Just as the sun was
going down, a majestic rolling, like thunder, suc-
ceeded by a column of fire, announced the destruc-
tion of the vessel, which had brought us from
Europe, and bestowed its great riches onus. We
could not help shedding tears, as we heard the last
mournful cry of this sole remaining bond that con-
FAMILY ROBINSON. 127

nected us with home. We returned sorrowfully to
Tent House, and felt as if we had lost an old friend.

We rose early next morning, and hastened to
the shore, which we found covered with the wreck,
which, with a little exertion, we found it easy to
collect. Amongst the rest, were the large boilers.
We afterwards used these to cover our barrels of
gunpowder, which we placed in a part of the rock,
where, even if an explosion took place, no damage
could ensue.

My wife, in assisting us with the wreck, made
the agreeable discovery, that two of our ducks,
and one goose, had hatched each a brood, and
were leading their noisy young families to the
water, This reminded us of all our poultry and
domestic comfort, at Falcon’s Nest, and we deter-
mined to defer, for some time, the rest of our
work at Tent House, and to return the next day
to our shady summer home.

Ott ee es

CHAPTER XXIV,

As we went along the avenue of fruit-trees, I
was concerned to see my young plants beginning
to droop, and I immediately resolved to proceed
to Cape Disappointment the next morning, to cut
bamboos to make props for them. It was deter-
mined we should all go, as, on our arrival at Fal-
con’s Nest, we discovered many other supplies
wanting. The candles were failing: we must have
more berries, for now my wife sewed by candle-
light, while I wrote my journal. She wanted,
128 THE SWISS

also, some wild-fowls’ eggs to set under her hens.
Jack wanted some guavas, and Francis wished for
some sugar-canes. So we made a family tour of
it, taking the cart, with the cow and ass, to con-
tain our provision, and a large sail-cloth, to make
atent. The weather was delightful, and we set
out singing, in great spirits.

We crossed the potato and manioc plantations,
and the wood of guavas, on which my boys feasted
to their great satisfaction. The road was rugged,
but we assisted to move the cart, and rested fre-
quently. We stopped to see the bird colony,
which greatly dehghted them all, and Ernest
declared they belonged to the species ‘of Lowxia
gregaria, the sociable grosbeak. He pointed out
to us their wonderful instinct in forming their
colony in the midst of the candle-berry bushes, on
which they feed. We filled two bags with these
berries, and another with guavas, my wife pro-
posing to make jelly from them.

We then proceeded to the caoutchouc-tree, and
here I determined to rest awhile, to collect some
of the valuable gum. I had brought some large
gourd-shells with me for the purpose. I made
incisions in the trees, and placed these bowls to
receive the gum, which soon began to run out in a
milky stream, and we hoped to find them filled on
our return. We turned a little to the left, and
entered a beautiful and fertile plain, bounded on
one side by the sugar-canes, behind which rose a
wood of palms, on the other by the bamboos ; and
before us was Cape Disappointment, backed by the
ocean—a magnificent picture.

We at once decided to make this our resting-
FAMILY ROBINSON. 129

place; we even thought of transferring our resi-
dence from Falcon’s Nest to this spot; but we
dismissed the thought, when we reflected on the
perfect security of our dear castle in the air. We
contented ourselves with arranging to make this
always our station for refreshment in our excur-
sions. We loosed our animals, and allowed them
to graze on the rich grass around us. We arranged
to spend the night here, and, taking a light re-
past, we separated on our several employments—
some to cut sugar-canes, others bamboos, and,
after stripping them, to make them into bundles,
and place them in the cart. This hard work made
the boys hungry; they refreshed themselves with
sugar-canes, but had a great desire to have some
cocoa-nuts. Unfortunately, there were neither
monkeys nor crabs to bestow them, and the many
attempts they made to climb the lofty, bare trunk
of the palm ended only in disappointment and
confusion. I went to their assistance. I gave them
pieces of the rough skin of the shark, which I had
brought for the purpose, to brace on their legs,
and showing them how to climb, by the aid of a
cord fastened round the tree with a running noose,
a method practised with success by the savages,
my little climbers soon reached the summit of
the trees; they then used their hatchets, which
they had carried up in their girdles, and a shower
of cocoa-nuts fell down. These furnished a plea-
sant dessert, enlivened by the jests of Fritz and
Jack, who, being the climbers, did not spare
Doctor Ernest, who had contented himself with
looking up at them; and even now, regardless of
their banter, he was lost in some new idea.
K
130 THE SWISS

Rising suddenly, and looking at the palms, he took
a cocoa-nut cup, and a tin flask with a handle, and
gravely addressed us thus :—

“Gentlemen and lady! this exercise of climbing
is really very disagreeable and difficult ; but since
it confers so much honour on the undertakers, I
should like also to attempt an adventure, hoping
to do something at once glorious and agreeable to
the company.” .

He then bound his legs with the pieces of
shark’s skin, and with singular vigour and agility
sprung up a palm which he had long been atten-
tively examining. His brothers laughed loudly at
his taking the trouble to ascend a tree that had
not a single nut on it. Ernest took no notice of
their ridicule, but, as soon as he reached the top,
struck with his hatchet, and a tuft of tender yellow
leaves fell at our feet, which I recognized as the
product of the cabbage-palm, a delicate food, highly
valued in America. His mother thought it a
mischievous act, to destroy the tree thus; but he
assured her his prize was worth many cocoa-nuts.
But our hero did not descend; and I asked him if |
he wanted to replace the cabbage he had cut off?

“Wait a little,” said he; “Iam bringing you
some wine to drink my health; but it comes
slower than I could wish.”

He now descended, holding his cocoa-cup, into
which he poured from the flask a clear rose-
coloured liquor, and, presenting it to me, begged
me to drink. It was, indeed, the true palm-wine,
which is as pleasant as champaign, and, taken
moderately, a great restorative.

We all drank; and Ernest was praised and
FAMILY ROBINSON. 131

thanked by all, till he forgot all the scoffs he had
received.

As it was getting late, we set about putting up
our tent for the night, when suddenly our ass,
who had been quietly grazing near us, began to
bray furiously, erected his ears, kicking right and
left, and, plunging into the bamboos, disappeared.
This made us very uneasy. I could not submit
to lose the useful animal; and, moreover, I was
afraid his agitation announced the approach of
some wild beast. The dogs and I sought for any
trace of it in vain; I therefore, to guard against
any danger, made a large fire before our tent,
which I continued to watch till midnight, when,
all being still, I crept into the tent, to my bed of
moss, and slept undisturbed till morning.

In the morning we thanked God for our health
and safety, and then began to lament our poor don-
key, which, I hoped, might have been attracted by
the light of our fire, and have returned ; but we saw
nothing of him, and we decided that his services
were so indispensable, that I should go, with one
of my sons, and the two dogs, in search of him,
and cross the thickets of bamboo. I chose to take
Jack with me, to his great satisfaction, for Fritz
and Ernest formed a better guard for their mother
in a strange place. We set out, well armed, with
bags of provisions on our back, and after an
hour’s fruitless search among the canes, we
emerged beyond them, in an extensive plain on
the borders of the great bay. We saw that the
ridge of rocks still extended on the right till
it nearly reached the shore, when it abruptly ter-
minated ina perpendicular precipice. A consider-

K2
132 THE SWISS

able river flowed into the bay here, and between
the river and the rock was a narrow passage,
which at high water would be overflowed. We
thought it most likely that our ass had passed by
this defile; and I wished to see whether these
rocks merely bordered or divided the island; we
therefore went forward till we met with a stream,
which fell in a cascade from a mass of rocks into
the river. We ascended the stream till we found
a place shallow enough to cross. Here we saw
the shoemarks of our ass, mingled with the foot-
steps of other animals, and at a distance we saw a
herd of animals, but could not distinguish what
they were. We ascended a little hill, and,
through our telescope, saw a most beautiful and
fertile country, breathing peace and repose. To
our right rose the majestic chain of rocks that
divided the island. On our left a succession of
beautiful green hills spread to the horizon.
Woods of palms and various unknown trees were
scattered over the scene. The beautiful stream
meandered across the valley like a silver ribbon,
bordered by rushes and other aquatic plants.
There was no trace of the footstep of man. The
country had all the purity of its first creation; no
living creatures but some beautiful birds and
brilliant butterflies appeared.

But, at a distance, we saw some specks, which
I concluded were the animals we had first seen,
and I resolved to go nearer, in hopes our ass
might have joined them. We made towards the
spot, and, to shorten the road, crossed a little wood
of bamboos, the stalks of which, as thick as a man’s
thigh, rose to the height of thirty feet. I suspected
this to be the giant reed of America, so useful for
FAMILY ROBINSON. 133

the masts of boats and canoes. I promised Jack
to allow him to cut some on our return ; but at
present the ass was my sole care. When we had
crossed the wood, we suddenly came face to face
on a herd of buffaloes, not numerous certainly,
but formidable in appearance. At the sight, I was
absolutely petrified, and my gun useless. Fortu-
nately the dogs were in the rear, and the animals,
lifting their heads, and fixing their large eyes on
us, seemed more astonished than angry—we were
the first men probably they had ever seen.

We drew back a little, prepared our arms, and
endeavoured to retreat, when the dogs arrived,
and, notwithstanding our efforts to restrain them,
flew at the buffaloes. It was no time now to re-
treat ; the combat was begun. The whole troop
uttered the most frightful roars, beat the ground
with their feet, and butted with their horns. Our
brave dogs were not intimidated, but marched
straight upon the enemy, and, falling on a young
buffalo that had strayed before the rest, seized it
by the ears. The creature began to bellow, and
struggle to escape; its mother ran to its assist-
ance, and, with her, the whole herd. At that
moment,—I tremble as I write it, I gave the signal
to my brave Jack, who behaved with admirable
coolness, and at the same moment we fired on the
herd. The effect was wonderful: they paused a
moment, and then, even before the smoke was
dissipated, took to flight with incredible rapidity,
forded the river, and were soon-out of sight.
My dogs still held their prize, and the mother,
though wounded by our shot, tore up the ground
in her fury, and was advancing on the dogs to
destroy them; but I stepped forward, and dis-
134 THE SWISS

charging a pistol between the horns, put an end
to her life.

We began to breathe. We had looked death
in the face,—a most horrible death; and thanked
God for our preservation. I praised Jack for his
courage and presence of mind ; any fear or agita-
tion on his part would have unnerved me, and
rendered our fate certain. The dogs still held the
young calf by the ears, it bellowed incessantly,
and I feared they would either be injured or lose
their prize. I went up to their assistance. I
hardly knew how to act. I could easily have
killed it; but I had a great desire to carry it off
alive, and try to tame it, to replace our ass, whom
I did not intend to follow farther. A happy idea
struck Jack: he always carried his lasso in his
pocket ; he drew it out, retired a little, and flung
it so dexterously that he completely wound it
round the hind legs of the calf, and threw it
down. I now approached; I replaced the lasso
by a stronger cord, and used another to bind his
fore legs loosely. Jack cried victory, and already
thought how his mother and brothers would be
delighted, when we presented it ; but that was no
- easy matter. At last I thought of the method
used in Italy to tame the wild bulls, and I re-
solved to try it, though it was a little cruel.

I began by tying to the foot of a tree the cords
that held the legs; then making the dogs seize
him again by the ears, I caught hold of his
mouth, and with a sharp knife perforated the
nostril, and quickly passed a cord through the
opening. This cord was to serve as my rein, to
guide the animal. The operation was successful ;
and, as soon as the blood ceased to flow, I took
FAMILY ROBINSON. 135

the cord, uniting the two ends, and the poor
suffering creature, completely subdued, followed
me without resistance.

I was unwilling to abandon the whole of the
buffalo I had killed, as it is excellent meat; I
therefore cut out the tongue, and some of the
best parts from the loin, and covered them well
with salt, of which we had taken a provision with
us. I then carefully skinned the four legs, re-
membering that the American hunters use these
skins for boots, beg remarkably soft and flexible.
We permitted the dogs to feast on the remainder ;
and while they were enjoying themselves, we
washed ourselves, and sat down under a tree to
rest and refresh ourselves. But the poor beasts
had soon many guests at their banquet. Clouds
of birds of prey came from every part ; an inces-
sant combat was kept up; mo sooner was one
troop of brigands satisfied, than another suc-
ceeded; and soon all that remained of the poor
buffalo was the bones. I noticed amongst these
ravenous birds the royal vulture, an elegant bird,
remarkable for a brilliant collar of down. We
could easily have killed some of these robbers, but
I thought it useless to destroy for mere curiosity,
and I preferred employing our time in cutting,
with a small saw we had brought, some of the
gigantic reeds. that grew round us. We cut
several of the very thick ones, which make ex-
cellent vessels when separated at the joints ; but I
perceived that Jack was cutting some of small
dimensions, and I inquired if he was going to
make a Pandean pipe, to celebrate his triumphal
return with the buffalo.

“ No,” said he; “I don’t recollect that Robin-
136 THE SWISS

son Crusoe amused himself with music in his
island; but I have thought of something that will
be useful tomamma. Iam cutting these reeds to
make moulds for our candles.”

“An excellent thought, my dear boy !” said I ;
“and if even we break our moulds in getting out
the candles, which I suspect we may, we know
where they grow, and can come for more.”

We collected all our reeds in bundles, and then
set out. The calf, intimidated by the dogs, and
galled by the rein, went on tolerably well. We
crossed the narrow pass in the rocks, and here our
dogs killed a large jackal which was coming from
her den in the rock. The furious animals then
entered the den, followed by Jack, who saved,
with difficulty, one of the young cubs, the others
being immediately worried. It was a pretty little
gold-coloured creature, about the size of a cat.
Jack petitioned earnestly to have it to bring up ;
and I made him happy by granting his request.

In the mean time I had tied the calf to a low
tree, which I discovered was the thorny dwarf
palm, which grows quickly, and is extremely
useful for fences. It bears an oblong fruit, about
the size of a pigeon’s egg, from which is extracted
an oil which is an excellent substitute for butter.
I determined to return for some young plants of
this palm to plant at Tent House.

It was almost night when we joined our family ;
and endless were the questions the sight of the
buffalo produced, and great was the boasting of
Jack the dauntless. I was compelled to lower his
pride a little by an unvarnished statement, though
I gave him much credit for his coolness and reso-
lution; and, supper-time arriving, my wife had
FAMILY ROBINSON. 137

time to tell me what had passed while we had been
on our expedition.

CHAPTER XXV.

My wife began by saying they had not been
idle in my absence. They had collected wood,
and made torches for the night. Fritz and Ernest
had even cut down an immense sago-palm, seventy
feet high, intending to extract its precious pith ;
but this they had been unable to accomplish
alone, and waited for my assistance. But while
they were engaged in this employment, a troop of
monkeys had broken into the tent and_pillaged
and destroyed everything; they had drunk or
overturned the milk, and carried off or spoiled all
our provisions; and even so much injured the
palisade I had erected round the tent, that
it took them an hour, after they returned, to
repair the damage. Fritz had made also a beau-
tiful capture, in a nest he had discovered in the
rocks at Cape Disappointment. It was a superb
bird, and, though very young, quite feathered.
Ernest had pronounced it to be the eagle of
Malabar, and I confirmed his assertion; and as
this species of eagle is not large, and does not re-
quire much food, I advised him to train it as
a falcon, to chase other birds. I took this oppor-
tunity to announce that henceforward every one
must attend to his own live stock, or they should
be set at liberty, mamma having sufficient to
manage in her own charge.

_ We then made a fire of green wood, in the
138 THE SWISS

smoke of which we placed the buffalo-meat
we had brought home, leaving it during the
night, that it might be perfectly cured. We had
had some for supper, and thought it excellent.
The young buffalo was beginning to graze, and
we gave him a little milk to-night, as well
as to the jackal. Fritz had taken the precaution
to cover the eyes of his eagle, and tying it fast by
the leg to a branch, it rested very tranquilly.
We then retired to our mossy beds, to recruit our
strength for the labours of another day.

At break of day we rose, made a light break-
fast, and I was about to give the signal of depar-
ture, when my wife communicated to me the diffi-
culty they had had in cutting down the palm-tree,
and the valuable provision that might be obtained
from it with a little trouble. I thought she was —
right, and decided to remain here another day ;
for it was no trifling undertaking to split up a
tree seventy feet long. I consented the more
readily, as I thought I might, after removing the
useful pith from the trunk, obtain two large
spouts or channels to conduct the water from
Jackal River to the kitchen garden.

Such tools as we had we carried to the place
where the tree lay. We first sawed off the head ;
then, with the hatchet making an opening at each
end, we took wedges and mallets, and the wood
being tolerably soft, after four hours’ labour, we
succeeded in splitting it completely. When parted,
we pressed the pith with our hands, to get the whole
into one division of the trunk, and began to make
our paste. At one end of the spout we nailed one
of the graters, through which we intended to force
the paste, to form the round seeds. My little bakers


FAMILY ROBINSON. 139

set vigorously to work, some pouring water on the
pith, while the rest mixed it into paste. When
sufficiently worked, I pressed it strongly with my
hand against the grater ; the farinaceous parts
passed easily through the holes, while the igneous
part, consisting of splinters of wood, &c., was
left behind. ‘This we threw into a heap, hoping
mushrooms might spring from it. My wife now
carefully spread the grains on sailcloth, in the
sun, to dry them. I also formed some vermicelli,
by giving more consistence to the paste, and
forcing it through the holes m little pipes. My
wife promised with this, and the Dutch cheese, to
make us a dish equal to Naples maccaroni. We
were now contented ; we could at any time obtain
more sago by cutting down a tree, and we were
anxious to get home to try our water-pipes.
We spent the rest of the day im loading the
cart with our utensils and the halves of the
tree. We retired to our hut at sunset, and slept
in peace.

The next morning the whole caravan began to
move at an early hour. The buffalo, harnessed to
the cart, by the side of his nurse, the cow, took
the place of our lost ass, and began his appren-
ticeship as a beast of draught. We took the same
road on our return, that we might carry away the
candle-berries and the vessels of India-rubber.
The vanguard was composed of Fritz and Jack,
who pioneered our way, by cutting down the
underwood to make a road for the cart. Our
water-pipes, being very long, somewhat impeded
our progress ; but we happily reached the candle-
berry trees without accident, and placed our sacks
on the cart. We did not find more than a quart
140 THE SWISS

of the caoutchouc gum; but it would be sufficient
for our first experiment, and I carried it off.

In crossing the little wood of guavas, we sud-
denly heard our dogs, who were before us with
Fritz and Jack, uttermg the most frightful howl-
ings. I was struck with terror lest they should
have encountered a tiger, and rushed forward
ready to fire. The dogs were endeavouring to
enter a thicket, in the midst of which Fritz
declared he had caught a glimpse of an animal
larger than the buffalo, witha black, bristly skin.
I was just about to discharge my gun into the
thicket, when J ack, who had lain down on the
ground, to look under the bushes, burst into a
loud laugh. “It is another trick of that vexatious
animal, our old sow! she is always making fools of
us,’ cried he. Half merry and half angry, we
made an opening into the thicket, and there dis-
covered the lady lying, surrounded by seven little
pigs, only a few days old. We were very glad to
see our old friend so attended, and stroked her,
She seemed to recognize us, and grunted ami-
cably. We supplied her with some potatoes,
Sweet acorns, and cassava bread; intending, in
return, to eat her young ones, when they were
ready for the spit, though my dear wife cried out
against the cruelty of the idea. At present we
left them with her, but proposed afterwards to
take away two, to be brought up at home, and
leave the rest to support themselves on acorns in
the woods, where they would become game for us.
At length we arrived at Falcon’s Nest, which we
regarded with all the attachment of home. Our
domestic animals crowded round us, and noisily
welcomed us. We tied up the buffalo and jackal,




FAMILY ROBINSON. 141

as they were not yet domesticated. Fritz fastened
his eagle to a branch by a chain long enough to
allow it to move freely, and then imprudently
uncovered its eyes; it immediately raised its
head, erected its feathers, and struck on all sides
with its beak and claws; our fowls took to flight,
but the poor parrot fell in his way, and was torn
to pieces before we could assist it. Fritz was very
angry, and would have executed the murderer ;
but Ernest begged he would not be so rash, as
parrots were more plentiful than eagles, and
it was his own fault for uncovering his eyes; the
falconers always keeping their young birds hooded
six weeks, till they are quite tamed. He offered
to train it, if Fritz would part with it; but this
Fritz indignantly refused. I told them the fable
of the dog in the manger, which abashed Fritz ;
and he then besought his brother to teach him
the means of training this noble bird, and pro-
mised to present him with his monkey.

Ernest then told him that the Caribs subdue
the largest birds by making them inhale tobacco
smoke. Fritz laughed at this; but Ernest brought
a pipe and some tobacco he had found in the ship,
and began to smoke gravely under the branch
where the bird was perched. It was soon calm,
and on his continuing to smoke it became quite
motionless. Fritz then easily replaced the band-
age, and thanked his brother for his good service.

The next morning we set out early to our young
plantation of fruit-trees, to fix props to support
the weaker plants. We leaded the cart with the
thick bamboo canes and our tools, and harnessed
the cow to it, leaving the buffalo in the stable, as
I wished the wound in his nostrils to be perfectly
142 THE SWISS

healed before I put him to any hard work. I left
Francis with his mother, to prepare our dinner,
begging them not to forget the maccaroni.

We began at the entrance of the avenue to
Falcon’s Nest, where all the trees were much bent
by the wind. We raised them gently by a crow-
bar; I made a hole in the earth, in which one of
my sons placed the bamboo props, driving them
firmly down with a mallet, and we proceeded to
another, while Ernest and Jack tied the trees to
them with a long, tough, pliant plant, which I
suspected was a species of Jlana. As we were
working, Fritz inquired if these fruit-trees were
wild.

“A pretty question!” cried Jack. “Do you
think that trees are tamed like eagles or buffaloes?
You perhaps could teach them to bow politely, so
that we might gather the fruit !”

“You fancy you are a wit,” said I, “but you
speak like a dunce. We cannot make trees bow
at our pleasure; but we can make a tree, which
by nature bears sour and uneatable fruit, produce
what is sweet and wholesome. This is effected by
grafting into a wild tree a small branch, or even
a bud, of the sort you wish. I will show you this
method practically at some future time, for by
these means we can procure all sorts of fruit ;
only we must remember, that we can only graft a
tree with one of the same natural family ; thus,
we could not graft an apple on a cherry-tree, for
one belongs to the apple tribe, and the other to the
plum tribe.”

“Do we know the origin of all these European
fruits?” asked the inquiring Ernest.

“All our shell fruits,” answered I, “such as the


FAMILY ROBINSON. 143

nut, the almond, and the chesnut, are natives of
the East; the peach, of Persia; the orange and
apricot, of Armenia; the cherry, which was un-
known in Europe sixty years before Christ, was
brought by the proconsul Lucullus from the
southern shores of the Euxine; the olives come
from Palestine. The first olive-trees were planted
on Mount Olympus, and from thence were spread
through the rest of Europe ; the fig is from Lydia;
the plums, your favourite fruit, with the exception
of some natural sorts that are natives of our forests,
are from Syria, and the town of Damascus has
given its name to one sort, the Damascene, or
Damson. The pear is a fruit of Greece; the
ancients called it the fruit of Peloponnesus; the
mulberry is from Asia; and the quince from the
island of Crete.”

Our work progressed as we talked thus, and we
had soon propped all our valuable plants. It was
now noon, and we returned to Falcon’s Nest very
hungry, and found an excellent dinner prepared,
of smoked beef, and the tender bud of the cabbage-
palm, the most delicious of vegetables.

After dinner, we began to discuss a plan I had
long had in my head ; but the execution of it pre-
sented many difficulties. It was, to substitute a
firm and solid staircase for the ladder of ropes,
which was a source of continual fear to my wife.
It is true, that we only had to ascend it to go to
bed; but bad weather might compel us to remain
in our apartment ; we should then have frequently
to ascend and descend, and the ladder was very
unsafe. But the immense height of the tree, and
the impossibility of procuring beams to sustain
a.staircase round it, threw me into despair. How-
144, THE SWIss

ever, looking at the monstrous trunk of the tree,
I thought, if we cannot succeed outside, could we
not contrive to mount within ?

“ Have you not said there was a swarm of bees
in the trunk of the tree ’” T inquired of my wife,

“Yes,” said little Francis, “ they stung my face

came out of, to try how deep it was,”

“ Now, then,” cried I, “I see through my diffi-
culties. Let us find out how far the tree is hollow ;
we can increase the size of the tunnel, and I have
already planned the sort of staircase I can con.
struct.” I had hardly spoken, when the boys
leaped like Squirrels, some upon the arched roots,
Some on the steps of the ladder, and began to
strike with sticks and mallets to sound the tree.

Jack, who, having placed himself Just before the
opening, and striking violently, the whole swarm,
alarmed at an attack, which probably shook their
palace of wax, issued forth, and revenged them-
selves amply on all the assailants. N othing was
heard but cries and stamping of feet. My wife
hastened to cover the stings with moist earth,
which rather relieved them ; but it was some hours
before they could open their eyes, They begged
me to get them the honey from their foes, and I

now bedtime, and we deferred our attack on the
ra a ee i a ee

FAMILY ROBINSON. 145

CHAPTER XXVI.

An hour before day, I waked my sons to assist
me in removing the bees to the new abode I had
prepared for them. I commenced by plastering
up the entrance to their present dwelling with
clay, leaving only room to admit the bowl of my
pipe. This was necessary, because I had neither
masks nor gloves, as the regular bee-takers have.
I then began to smoke briskly, to stupify the bees.
At first we heard a great buzzing in the hollow,
like the sound of a distant storm: the murmur
ceased by degrees, and a profound stillness suc-
ceeded, and I withdrew my pipe without a single
bee appearing. Fritz and I then, with a chisel
and small axe, made an opening about three feet
square, below the bees’ entrance. Before we de-
tached this, I repeated the fumigation, lest the
noise and the fresh air should awake the bees ;
but there was no fear of such a thing,—they were
quite stupified. We removed the wood, and
through this opening beheld, with wonder and ad-
miration, the work of this insect nation. There was
such a store of wax and honey, that we feared we
should not have vessels to contain it. The interior
of the tree was filled with the honeycombs; I
cut them carefully, and placed them in the gourds
the boys brought me. As soon as I had made a
little space, I placed the upper comb, on which
the bees were hanging in clusters, in the new hive,
and put it on the plank prepared for it; I then
descended with the rest of the honeycomb, and
filled a cask with it, which I had previously washed

L
146 THE SWISS

in the stream; this we covered with sail-cloth and
planks, lest the bees, attracted by the smell, should
come to claim their own. We left out some comb
for a treat at dinner, and my wife carefully put
by the rest.

To prevent the bees returning to their old
abode, we placed some burning tobacco in the hol-
low, the smell and fumes of which drove them
from the tree, when they wished to enter ; and,
finally, they settled in the new hive, where the
queen bee, doubtless, had fixed herself,

We now began our work 3 we emptied the cask
of honey intoa large boiler, except a little reserved
for daily use; we added a little water, placed the
boiler on a slow fire, and reduced it to a liquid
mass; this was strained through a bag into the
cask, and left standing all night to cool. The
next morning the wax had risen to the top, and
formed a hard and solid cake, which we easily
removed; and beneath was the most pure and
delicious honey. The barrel was then carefully
closed, and placed in a cool place. We now pro-
ceeded to examine the interior of the tree. I took
a long pole, and tried the height from the window
I had made ; and tied a stone to a string to sound
the depth. To my surprise, the pole penetrated
without resistance to the very branches where our
dwelling was, and the stone went to the roots.
It was entirely hollow, and I thought I could
easily fix a winding staircase in this wide tunnel.
It would seem, that this huge tree, like the willow
of our country, is nourished through the bark, for
it was flourishing in luxuriant beauty.

We began by cutting a doorway, on the side
facing the sea, of the size of the door we had


FAMILY ROBINSON. 147

brought from the captain’s cabin, with its frame-
work, thus securing ourselves from invasion on
that side. We then cleansed, and perfectly smooth-
ed the cavity, fixing in the middle the trunk of a
tree about ten feet high, to serve for the axis of
the staircase. We had prepared, the evening be-
fore, a number of boards from the staves of a
large barrel, to form our steps. By the aid of
the chisel and mallet, we made deep notches in
the inner part of our tree, and corresponding
notches in the central pillar ; I placed my steps in
these notches, riveting them with large nails; I
raised myself in this manner step after step, but
always turning round the pillar, till we got to the
top. We then fixed on the central pillar another
trunk of the same height, prepared beforehand, and
continued our winding steps. Four times we had to
repeat this operation, and, finally, we reached our
branches, and terminated the staircase on the
level of the floor of our apartment. I cleared the
entrance by some strokes of my axe. To render
it more solid, I filled up the spaces between the
steps with planks, and fastened two strong cords
from above, to each side of the staircase, to hold
by. Towards different points, I made openings ;
in which were placed the windows taken from the
cabin, which gave light to the interior, and fa-
voured our observations outside.

The construction of this solid and convenient
staircase occupied us during a month of patient
industry ; not that we laboured like slaves, for we
had no one to constrain us; we had in this time
completed several works of less importance ; and
many events had amused us amidst our toil.

A few days after we commenced, Flora pro-

L2
148 THE SWISS

duced six puppies; but the number being too
large for our means of support, I commanded that
only a male and female should be preserved, that
the breed might be perpetuated; this was done,
and the little jackal being placed with the re-
mainder, Flora gave it the same privileges as her
own offspring. Our goats also, about this time,
gave us two kids; and our sheep some lambs. We
saw this increase of our flock with great satisfac-
tion; and for fear these useful animals should take
it into their heads to stray from us, as our ass had
done, we tied round their necks some small bells
we had found on the wreck, intended to propitiate
the savages, and which would always put us on the
track of the fugitives,

The education of the young buffalo was one of
the employments that varied our labour as car-
penters. Through the incision in his nostrils, I
had passed a small stick, to the ends of which IT
attached a strap. This formed a kind of bit, after
the fashion of those of the Hottentots ; and by this
I guided him as I chose ; though not without
much rebellion on his part. It was only after
Fritz had broken it in for mounting, that we
began to make it carry. It was certainly a re-
markable instance of patience and perseverance
surmounting difficulties, that we not only made it
bear the wallets we usually placed on the ass, but
Ernest, Jack, and even little Francis, took lessons
in horsemanship, by riding him, and, hencefor-
ward, would have been able to ride the most spi-
rited horse without fear ; for it could not be worse
than the buffalo they had assisted to subdue.

In the midst of this, Fritz did not neglect the
training of his young eagle. The royal bird began
FAMILY ROBINSON. 149

already to pounce very cleverly on the dead game
his master brought, and placed before him ; some-
times between the horns of the buffalo, sometimes
on the back of the great bustard, or the flamingo ;
sometimes he put it on a board, or on the end of
a pole, to accustom it to pounce, like the falcon,
on other birds. He taught it to settle on his
wrist at a call, or a whistle; but it was some time
before he could trust it to fly, without a long
string attached to its leg, for fear its wild nature
should carry it from us for ever. Even the in-
dolent Ernest was seized with the mania of in-
structing animals. He undertook the education
of his little monkey, who gave him sufficient em-
ployment. It was amusing to see the quiet, slow,
studious Ernest obliged to make leaps and gam-
bols with his pupil to accomplish his instruction.
He wished to accustom Master Knips to carry a
pannier, and to climb the cocoa-nut trees with it on
his back ; Jack and he wove a small light pannier
of rushes, and fixed it firmly on his back with
three straps. This was intolerable to him at first ;
he ground his teeth, rolled on the ground, and
leaped about in a frantic manner, trying in vain
to release himself. They left the pannier on his
back night and day, and only allowed him to eat
what he had previously put into it. After a little
time, he became so accustomed to it, that he re-
belled if they wished to remove it, and threw into
it everything they gave him to hold. He was very
useful to us, but he obeyed only Ernest, who had
- properly taught him equally to love and fear
im. :

Jack was not so successful with his jackal ; for,
though he gave him the name of “ The Hunter,”
150 THE SWISS

yet, for the first six months, the carnivorous ani-
mal chased only for himself, and, if he brought
anything to his master, it was only the skin of the
animal he had just devoured ; but I charged him
not to despair, and he continued zealously his
instructions.

During this time I had perfected my candle
manufacture ; by means of mixing the bees’ wax
with that obtained from the candle-berry, and by
using cane moulds, which Jack first suggested to
me, I succeeded in giving my candles the round-
ness and polish of those of Europe. The wicks
were for some time an obstacle. I did not wish
to use the small quantity of calico we had left,
but my wife happily proposed to me to substitute
the pith of a species of elder, which answered my
purpose completely. |

I now turned myself to the preparation of the
caoutchouc, of which we had found several trees.
I encouraged the boys to try their ingenuity in
making flasks and cups, by covering moulds of
clay with the gum, as I had explained to them.
For my part, I took a pair of old stockings, and
filled them with sand for my mould, which I
covered with a coating of mud, and left to dry
in the sun. I cut out a pair of soles of buffalo
leather, which I first hammered well, and then
fastened with small tacks to the sole of the stock-
ing, filling up the spaces left with the gum,.so as
to fix it completely. Then, with a brush of goat’s
hair, I covered it with layer upon layer of the
elastic gum, till I thought it sufficiently thick. It
was easy after this to remove the sand, the stock-
ing, and the hardened mud, to shake out the dust,


FAMILY ROBINSON. 151

and I had a pair of water-proof boots, without
seam, and fitting as well as if I had employed an
English shoemaker. My boys were wild with joy,
and all begged for a pair; but I wished first to try
their durability, compared with those of buffalo
leather. I began to make a pair of boots for Fritz,
using the skin drawn from the legs of the buffalo
we had killed; but I had much more difficulty than
with the caoutchouc. I used the gum to cover the
seams, so that the water might not penetrate. They
were certainly not elegant as a work of art, and the
boys laughed at their brother’s awkward move-
ments inthem; but their own productions, though
useful vessels, were not models of perfection.

We then worked at our fountain, a great source
of pleasure to my wife and toallofus. We raised,
in the upper part of the river, a sort of dam, made
with stakes and stones, from whence the water
flowed into our channels of the sago-palm, laid
down a gentle declivity nearly to our tent, and
there it was received into the shell of the turtle,
which we had raised on some stones of a conve-
nient height, the hole which the harpoon had
made serving to carry off the waste water through
a cane that was fitted to it. On two crossed sticks
were placed the gourds that served us for pails,
and thus we had always the murmuring of the
water near us, and a plentiful supply of it, always
pure and clean, which the river, troubled by our
water-fowl and the refuse of decayed leaves, could
not always give us. The only inconvenience of these
open channels was, that the water reached us
warm and unrefreshing ; but this I hoped to re-
medy in time, by using bamboo pipes buried in
152 THE SWISS

the earth. In the mean time, we were grateful for
this new acquisition, and gave credit to Fritz, who
had suggested the idea.



CHAPTER XXVII.

ONE morning, as we were engaged in giving the
last finish to our staircase, we were alarmed at
hearing at a distance strange, sharp, prolonged
sounds, like the roars of a wild beast, but mingled
with an unaccountable hissing. Our dogs erected
their ears, and prepared for deadly combat. I
assembled my family; we then ascended our tree,
closing the lower door, loaded our guns, and
looked anxiously round, but nothing appeared.
I armed my dogs with their porcupine coats of
mail and collars, and left them below to take care
of our animals.

The horrible howlings seemed to approach nearer
to us; at length, Fritz, who was leaning forward
to listen as attentively as he could, threw down
his gun, and bursting into a loud laugh, cried out,
“It is our fugitive, the ass, come back to us, and
singing his song of joy on his return!” We
listened, and were sure he was right, and could
not but feel a little vexation at being put into such

a fright by a donkey. Soon after, we had the ©

pleasure of seeing him appear among the trees ;
and, what was still better, he was accompanied by
another animal of his own species, but infinitely
more beautiful. I knew it at once to be the
onagra, or wild ass, a most important capture, if
we could make it; though all naturalists have

be —

STE
FAMILY ROBINSON. 153

declared it impossible to tame this elegant crea-
ture, yet I determined to make the attempt.

I went down with Fritz, exhorting his brothers
to remain quiet, and I consulted with my privy
counsellor on the means of taking our prize. [
also prepared, as quickly as possible, a long cord
with a noose, kept open by a slight stick, which
would fall out as soon as the animal’s head en-
tered, while any attempt to escape would only
draw the noose closer; the end of this cord was
tied to the root of a tree. I took then a piece of
bamboo, about two feet long, and splitting it up,
tied it firmly at one end, to form a pair of pin-
cers for the nose of the animal. In the mean
time, the two animals had approached nearer, our
old Grizzle apparently doing the honours to his
visitor, and both grazing very comfortably.

By degrees we advanced softly to them, con-
cealed by the trees ; Fritz carrying the lasso, and I
the pincers. The onagra, as soon as he got sight
of Fritz, who was before me, raised his head, and
started back, evidently only in surprise, as it was
probably the first man the creature had seen.
Fritz remained still, and the animal resumed his
browsing. Fritz went up to our old servant, and
offered him a handful of oats mixed with salt ; the
ass came directly to eat its favourite treat; its
companion followed, raised its head, snuffed the
air, and came so near, that Fritz adroitly threw
the noose over its head. The terrified animal at-
tempted to fly, but that drew the cord so tight as
almost to stop his respiration, and he lay down,
his tongue hanging out. I hastened up and re-
laxed the cord, lest he should be strangled. I
threw the halter of the ass round his neck, and
154 THE SWISS

placed the split cane over his nose, tying it firmly
below with a string. I subdued this wild animal
by the means that blacksmiths use the first time
they shoe a horse. I then took off the noose, and
tied the halter by two long cords to the roots of
two separate trees, and left him to recover him-
self.

In the mean time, the rest of the family had
collected to admire this noble animal, whose
graceful and elegant form, so superior to that of
the ass, raises it almost to the dignity of a horse.
After a while it rose, and stamped furiously with
its feet, trying to release itself; but the pain in its
nose obliged it to lie down again. Then my eldest
son and I, approaching gently, took the two cords,
and led or dragged it between two roots very near
to each other, to which we tied the cords so short,
that it had little power to move, and could not
escape. We took care our own donkey should
not stray again, by tying his fore-feet loosely, and
putting on him a new halter, and left him near
the onagra.

I continued, with a patience I had never had
in Europe, to use every means I could think of
with our new guest, and at the end of a month he
was so far subdued, that I ventured to begin his
education. This was a long and difficult task.
We placed some burdens on his back; but the
obedience necessary before we could mount him;
it seemed impossible to instil into him. At last,
I recollected the method they use in America to
tame the wild horses, and I resolved to try it. In
spite of the bounds and kicks of the furious ani-
mal, I leaped on his back, and seizing one of his
long ears between my teeth, I bit it till the
FAMILY ROBINSON. 155

blood came. In a moment he reared himself
almost erect on his hind-feet, remained for a while
stiff and motionless, then came down on his fore-
feet slowly, I still holding on his ear. At last
I ventured to release him ; he made some leaps,
but soon subsided into a sort of trot, I having
previously placed loose cords on his fore-legs.
From that time we were his masters; my sons
mounted him one after another; they gave him
the name of Lightfoot, and never animal deserved
his name better. As a precaution, we kept the
cords on his legs for some time; and as he never
would submit to the bit, we used a snaffle, by
which we obtained power over his head, guiding
him by a stick, with which we struck the right or
left ear, as we wished him to go.

During this time, our poultry-yard was in-
creased by three broods of chickens. We had at
least forty of these little creatures chirping and
pecking about, the pride of their good mistress’s
heart. Part of these were kept at home, to supply
the table, and part she allowed to colonize in the
woods, where we could find them when we wanted -
them. “These,” she said, “are of more use than
_ monkeys, jackals, and eagles, who do nothing

ut eat, and would not be worth eating themselves,
if we were in need.” However, she allowed there
was some use in the buffalo, who carried burdens,
and Lightfoot, who carried her sons so well. The
fowls, which cost us little for food, would be always
ready, she said, either to supply us with eggs or
chickens, when the rainy season came on —the
winter of this climate.

This reminded me that the approach of that
dreary season permitted me no longer to defer avery
156 THE SWISS

necessary work for the protection of our animals.
This was to construct, under the roots of the trees,
covered houses for them. We began by making
a kind of roof above the vaulted roots of our tree,
We used bamboo canes for this purpose ; the
longer and stouter were used for the supports, like
columns, the slighter ones bound together closely
formed the roof. The intervals we filled up with
moss and clay, and spread over the whole a coat-
ing of tar. The roof was so firm, that it formed
a platform, which we surrounded with a railing ;
and thus we had a balcony, and a pleasant prome-
nade. By the aid of some boards nailed to the
roots, we made several divisions in the interior,
each little enclosure being appropriated to some
useful purpose; and thus, stables, poultry-houses,
dairy, larder, hay-house, store-room, &c., besides
our dining-room, were all united under one roof.
This occupied us some time, as it was necessary to
fill our store-room before the bad weather came ;
and our cart was constantly employed in bringing
useful stores.

One evening, as we were bringing home a load
of potatoes on our cart, drawn by the ass, the cow,
and the buffalo, I saw the cart was not yet full ;
I therefore sent home the two younger boys with
their mother, and went on with Fritz and Ernest
to the oak wood, to collect a sack of sweet acorns
— Fritz mounted on his onagra, Ernest followed
by his monkey, and I carrying the bag. On
arriving at the wood, we tied Lightfoot to a tree,
and all three began to gather the dropped acorns,
when we were startled by the cries of birds, and a
loud flapping of wings, and we concluded that a
brisk combat was going on between Master Knips
FAMILY ROBINSON. 157

and the tenants of the thickets, from whence the
noise came. Ernest went softly to see what was
the matter, and we soon heard him calling out,
“ Be quick! a fine heath-fowl’s nest, full of eggs!
Knips wants to suck them, and the mother is beat-
ing him.”

Fritz ran up, and secured the two beautiful
birds, who fluttered, and cried out furiously, and
returned, followed by Ernest, carrying a large
nest filled with eggs. The monkey had served us
well on this occasion ; for the nest was so hidden
by a bush with long leaves, of which Ernest held
his hand full, that, but for the instinct of the
animal, we could never have discovered it. Er-
nest was overjoyed to carry the nest and eggs
for his dear mamma, and the long, pointed leaves
he intended for Francis, to serve as little toy-
swords.

We set out on our return, placing the sack of
acorns behind Fritz on Lightfoot ; Ernest carried.
the two fowls, and I charged myself with the care
of the eggs, which I covered up, as I found they
were warm, and I hoped to get the mother to
resume her brooding when we got to Falcon’s
Nest. We were all delighted with the good news
we should have to carry home, and Fritz, anxious
to be first, struck his charger with a bunch of the
pomted leaves he had taken from Ernest: this
terrified the animal so much, that he took the bit
in his teeth, and flew out of sight like an arrow.
We followed, in some uneasiness, but found him
safe. Master Lightfoot had stopped of himself
when he reached his stable. My wife placed the
valuable eggs under a sitting hen, the true mother
refusing to fulfil her office. She was then put
158 THE SWISS

into the cage of the poor parrot, and hung in our
dining-room, to accustom her to society. Ina few
days the eggs were hatched, and the poultry-yard
had an increase of fifteen little strangers, who fed
greedily on bruised acorns, and soon became as
tame as any of our fowls, though I plucked the
large feathers out of their wings when they were
full-grown, lest their wild nature should tempt
them to quit us.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

Francis had soon become tired of playing with
the long leaves his brother had brought him, and
they were thrown aside. Fritz happened to take
some of the withered leaves up, which were soft
and flexible as a ribbon, and he advised Francis to
make whiplashes of them, to drive the goats and
sheep with, for the little fellow was the shepherd.
He was pleased with the idea, and began to split
the leaves into strips, which Fritz platted together
ito very good whiplashes. I remarked, as they
were working, how strong and pliant these strips
seemed, and, examining them closely, I found
they were composed of long fibres, or filaments,
which made me suspect it to be Phormium tenax,
or New Zealand flax, a most important discovery
to us, and which, when I communicated it to my
wife, almost overwhelmed her with joy. “ Brin
me all the leaves you can without delay,” cried
she, “and I will make you stockings, shirts, coats,
sewing-thread, cords—in fact, give me but flax
and work-tools, and I can manage all.” I could
FAMILY ROBINSON. 159

not help smiling at the vivacity of her imagination,
roused at the very name of flax; but there was
still great space between the leaves lying before
us and the linen she was already sewing in idea.
But my boys, always ready to second the wishes
of their beloved mother, soon mounted their
coursers, Fritz on Lightfoot, and Jack on the
great buffalo, to procure supplies.

Whilst we waited for these, my wife, all life and
animation, explaimed to me all the machines I
must make, to enable her to spin and weave, and
make linen to clothe us from head to foot; her
eyes sparkled with delight as she spoke, and |
promised her all she asked.

In a short time, our young cavaliers returned
from their foraging expedition, conveying on their
steeds huge bundles of the precious plant, which
they laid at the feet of their mother. She gave
up everything to begin her preparation. The first
operation necessary was to steep the flax, which is
usually done by exposing it in the open air in the
rain, the wind, and the dew, so as, in a certain
degree, to dissolve the plant, rendering the sepa-
ration of the fibrous and ligneous parts more easy.
It can then be cleaned and picked for spinning.
But, as the vegetable glue that connects the two
parts 1s very tenacious, and resists for a long time
the action of moisture, it is often advisable to
steep it in water, and this, in our dry climate,
_ I considered most expedient.

My wife agreed to this, and proposed that we
should convey it to Flamingo Marsh; and we
spent the rest of the day in tying up the leaves in
bundles. Next morning, we loaded our cart, and
proceeded to the marsh : we there untied our bun-
160 THE SWISS

dies, and spread them in the water, pressing them
down with stones, and leaving them till it was
time to take them out to dry. We could not but
admire here the ingenious nests of the flamingo;
they are of a conical form, raised above the level
of the marsh, having a recess above, in which the
eggs are deposited, out of the reach of danger, and
the female can sit on them with her legs in the
water. These nests are of clay, and so solid, that
they resist the water till the young are able to
swim.

_ In a fortnight the flax was ready to be taken
out of the water; we spread it in the sun, which
dried it so effectually, that we brought it to
Falcon’s Nest the same evening, where it was
stored till we were ready for further operations.
At present we laboured to lay up provision for the
rainy season, leaving all sedentary occupations to
amuse us in our confinement. We brought
in continually loads of sweet acorns, manioc,
potatoes, wood, fodder for the cattle, sugar-canes,
fruit, indeed everything that might be useful
during the uncertain period of the rainy season.
We profited by the last few days to sow the
wheat and other remaining European grains, that
the rain might germinate them. We had already
had some showers; the temperature was variable,
the sky became cloudy, and the wind rose. The
season changed sooner than we expected; the
winds raged through the woods, the sea roared,
mountains of clouds were piled in the heavens.
They soon burst over our heads, and torrents of
rain fell night and day, without intermission ; the
rivers swelled till their waters met, and turned
the whole country around us into an immense
FAMILY ROBINSON. 161

lake. Happily we had formed our little esta-
blishment on a spot rather elevated above the rest
of the valley; the waters did not quite reach our
tree, but surrounded us about two hundred yards
off, leaving us on a sort of island in the midst
of the general inundation. We were reluctantly
obliged to descend from our aérial abode ; the rain
entered it on all sides, and the hurricane threat-
ened every moment to carry away the apartment,
and all that were in it. We set about our removal,
bringing down our hammocks and bedding to the
sheltered space under the roots of the trees that
we had roofed for the animals. We were pain-
fully crowded in the small space; the stores of
provisions, the cooking-utensils, and especially the
neighbourhood of the animals, and the various
offensive smells, made our retreat almost insup-
portable. We were choked with smoke if we
lighted a fire, and inundated with rain if we
opened a door. For the first time since our mis-
fortune, we sighed for the comforts of our native
home; but actton was necessary, and we set
about endeavouring to amend our condition.

The winding staircase was very useful to us;
the upper part was crowded with things we did
not want, and my wife frequently worked in the
lower part, at one of the windows. We crowded
our beasts a little more, and gave a current of air
to the places they had left. I placed outside the
enclosure the animals of the country, which could
bear the inclemency of the season; thus I gave
a half-liberty to the buffalo and the onagra, tying
their legs loosely, to prevent them straying, the
boughs of the tree affording them a shelter. We
made as few fires as possible, as, fortunately, it

M
162 THE SWISS

was never cold, and we had no provisions that
required a long process of cookery. We had
milk in abundance, smoked meat, and fish, the
preserved ortolans, and cassava cakes. As we
sent out some of our animals in the morning, with
bells round their necks, Fritz and I had to seek
them and bring them in every evening, when we
were invariably wet through. This induced my
ingenious Elizabeth to make us a sort of blouse
and hood out of old garments of the sailors, which
we covered with coatings of the caoutchouc, and
thus obtained two capital waterproof dresses; all
that the exhausted state of our gum permitted us
to make.

The care of our animals occupied us great part
_ of the morning, then we prepared our cassava,
and baked our cakes on iron plates. — Though we
had a glazed door to our hut, the gloominess of
the weather, and the obscurity caused by the
vast boughs of the tree, made night come on
early. We then lighted a candle, fixed in a gourd
on the table, round which we were all assembled.
The good mother laboured with her needle, mend-
ing the clothes; I wrote my journal, which Ernest
copied, as he wrote a beautiful hand ; while Fritz
and Jack taught their young brother to read and
write, or amused themselves with drawing the
animals or plants they had been struck with.
We read the lessons from the Bible in turns, and
concluded the evening with devotion. We then
retired to rest, content with ourselves and with
our innocent and peaceful life. Our kind house.
keeper often made us a little feast of a roast
chicken, a pigeon, or a duck, and once in four or
five days we had fresh butter made in the gourd
FAMILY ROBINSON. 163

churn; and the delicious honey which we ate to
our cassava bread might have been a treat to
European epicures. |

The remains of our repast was always divided
among our domestic animals. We had four dogs,
the jackal, the eagle, and the monkey, who relied
on their masters, and were never neglected. But
if the buffalo, the onagra, and the sow had not
been able to provide for themselves, we must have
killed them, for we had no food for them.

We now decided that we would not expose
ourselves to another rainy season in such an
unsuitable habitation; even my gentle Elizabeth
got out of temper with the inconveniences, and
begged we would build a better winter house ;
stipulating, however, that we should return to our
tree in summer. We consulted a great deal on this ~
matter ; Fritz quoted Robinson Crusoe, who had
cut a dwelling out of the rock, which sheltered
him in the inclement season ; and the idea of
making our home at Tent House naturally came
into my mind, It would probably be a long and
difficult undertaking, but with time, patience, and
perseverance, we might work wonders. We
resolved, as soon as the weather would allow us,
to go and examine the rocks at Tent House.

_ The last work of the winter was, at my wife’s
incessant request, a beetle for her flax, and some
carding-combs. ‘The beetle was easily made, but
the combs cost much trouble. I filed large nails
till they were round and pointed, I fixed them,
slightly inclined, at equal distances, in a sheet of
tin, and raised the edge like a box; I then
poured melted lead between the nails and the
edge, to fix them more firmly. I nailed this on @
M 2
164 THE SWISS

board, and the machine was fit for use, and my
wife was all anxiety to begin her manufacture,



CHAPTER XXIX.

I cannor describe our delight when, after long
and gloomy weeks, we saw at length the sky
clear, and the sun, dispersing the dark clouds of
winter, spread its vivifying rays over all nature ;
the winds were lulled, the waters subsided, and
the air became mild and serene. We went out,
with shouts of joy, to breathe the balmy air, and
gratified our eyes with the sight of the fresh ver-
dure already springing up around us. Nature
seemed in her youth again, and amidst the charms
that breathed on every side, we forgot our suffer-
ings, and, like the children of Noah coming forth
from the ark, we raised a hymn of thanksgiving
to the Giver of all good.

All our plantations and seeds had prospered.
The corn was springing, and the trees were covered
with leaves and blossoms. The air was perfumed
with the odour of countless beautiful flowers ; and
lively with the songs and cries of hundreds of
brillant birds, all busy building their nests. This
was really spring in all its glory.

We began our summer occupation by cleaning
and putting in order our dormitory in the tree,
which the rain and the scattered leaves had greatly
deranged ; and in a few days we were able to in-
habit it again. My wife immediately began with
her flax; while my sons were leading the cattle to
the pasture, I took the bundles of flax into the
FAMILY ROBINSON. 165

open air, where I constructed a sort of oven of
stone, which dried it completely. We began that
very evening to strip, beat, and comb it; and I
drew out such handfuls of soft, fine flax, ready
for spinning, that my wife was overjoyed, and
begged me to make her a wheel, that she might
commence.

I had formerly had a little taste for turning,
and though I had now neither lathe nor any other
of the tools, yet I knew how a spinning-wheel and
reel should be made, and, by dint of application, I
succeeded in completing these two machines to her
satisfaction. She began to spin with so much
earnestness, that she would hardly take a walk,
and reluctantly left her wheel to make dinner
ready. She employed Francis to reel off the
thread as she spun it, and would willingly have
had the elder boys to take her place when she was
called off; but they rebelled at the effeminate
work, except Ernest, whose indolent habits made
him prefer it to more laborious occupation.

In the mean time we walked over to Tent
House to see the state of things, and found that
winter had done more damage there than at
Falcon’s Nest. The storm had overthrown the
tent, carried away some of the sail-cloth, and
injured our provisions so much, that great part
was good for nothing, and the rest required to be
immediately dried. Fortunately our beautiful
pinnace had not suffered much,—it was still safe
at anchor, and fit for use; but our tub boat was
entirely destroyed.

Our most important loss was two barrels of gun-
powder, which had been left in the tent, instead
of under the shelter of the rock, and which the
166 THE SWISS

rain had rendered wholly useless. This made us
feel still more strongly the necessity of securing
for the future a more suitable shelter than a
canvas tent, or a roof of foliage. Still I had
small hope from the gigantic plan of Fritz or the
boldness of Jack. I could not be blind to the
difficulties of the undertaking. The rocks which
surrounded Tent House presented an unbroken
surface, like a wall without any crevice, and, to all
appearance, of so hard a nature as to leave little
hopes of success. However, it was necessary to
try to contrive some sort of cave, if only for our
gunpowder. I made up my mind, and selected
the most perpendicular face of the rock as the
place to begin our work. It was a much plea-
santer situation than our tent, commanding a
view of the whole bay, and the two banks of
Jackal River, with its picturesque bridge. |
marked out with chalk the dimension of the en-
trance I wished to give to the cave; then my
sons and I took our chisels, pickaxes, and heavy
miner’s hammers, and began boldly to hew the
stone.

Our first blows produced very little effect; the
rock seemed impenetrable, the sun had so har-
dened the surface; and the sweat poured off our
brows with the hard labour. Nevertheless, the
efforts of my young workmen did not relax.
Every evening we left our work advanced, per-
haps, a few inches; and every morning returned
to the task with renewed ardour. At the end of
five or six days, when the surface of the rock was
removed, we found the stone become easier to
work; it then seemed calcarious, and, finally,
only a sort of hardened clay, which we could re.
FAMILY ROBINSON. 167

move with spades; and we began to hope. After
afew days’ more labour, we found we had advanced
about seven feet. Fritz wheeled out the rubbish,
and formed a sort of terrace with it before the
opening ; while I was working at the higher part,
Jack, as the least, worked below. One morning
he was hammering an iron bar, which he had
pointed at the end, into the rock, to loosen the
earth, when he suddenly cried out—

“ Papa! papa! I have pierced through r

“ Not through your hand, child?” asked I.

“No, papa !” cried he ; “ I have pierced through
the mountain! Huzza!”

Fritz ran in at the shout, and told him he had
better have said at once that he had pierced
through the earth! But Jack persisted that,
however his brother might laugh, he was quite
sure he had felt his iron bar enter an empty space
behind. I now came down from my ladder, and,
moving the bar, I felt there was really a hollow
into which the rubbish fell, but apparently very
little below the level we were working on. I took
a long pole and probed the cavity, and found that
it must be of considerable size. My boys wished to
have the opening enlarged and to enter immediately,
but this I strictly forbade; for, as I leaned forward
to examine it through the opening, a rush of
mephitic air gave me a sort of vertigo. “ Come
away, children,” cried I, in terror; “ the air you
would breathe there is certain death.” I explained
to them that, under certain circumstances, car-
bonic acid gas was frequently accumulated in caves
or grottoes, rendering the air unfit for respira-
tion ; producing giddiness of the head, fainting,
and eventually death. I sent them to collect
168 THE SWISS

some hay, which I lighted and threw into the
cave; this was immediately extinguished ; we re-
peated the experiment several times with the same
result. I now saw that more active means must
be resorted to.

We had brought from the vessel a box of fire-
works, intended for signals; I threw into the cave,
by a cord, a quantity of rockets, grenades, &c.,
and scattered a train of gunpowder from them ;
to this I applied a long match, and we retired to
a little distance. This succeeded well ; a great
explosion agitated the air, a torrent of the car-
bonic acid gas rushed through the opening, and
was replaced by the pure air; we sent in a few
more rockets, which flew round like fiery dragons,
disclosing to us the vast extent of the cave. A
shower of stars, which concluded our experiment,
made us wish the duration had been longer. It
seemed as if a crowd of winged genii, carrying
each a lamp, were floating about in that enchanted
cavern. When they vanished, I threw in some
more lighted hay, which blazed in such a lively
manner, that I knew all danger was over from the
gas; but, for fear of deep pits, or pools of water,
I would not venture in without lights. I there-
fore despatched J ack, on his buffalo, to report this
discovery to his mother, and bring all the candles
she had made. I purposely sent Jack on the
errand, for his lively and poetic turn of mind
would, I hoped, invest the grotto with such charms,
that his mother would even abandon her wheel to
come and see it.

Delighted with his commission, Jack leaped
upon his buffalo, and, waving his whip, galloped off
with an intrepidity that made my hair stand on
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‘‘ This succeeded well; a great explosion agitated the air—a torrent of
r_—P, 168.

tlie carbonic acid gas rushed through the opening.
FAMILY ROBINSON. 169

end. During his absence, Fritz and I enlarged
the opening, to make it easy of access, removed all
the rubbish, and swept a road for mamma. We
had just finished, when we heard the sound of
wheels crossing the bridge, and the cart appeared,
drawn by the cow and ass, led by Ernest. Jack
rode before on his buffalo, blowing through his
hand to imitate a horn, and whipping the lazy
cow and ass. He rode up first, and alighted from
his huge courser, to help his mother out.

I then lighted our candles, giving one to each,
with a spare candle and flint and st»el in our
pockets. We took our arms, and proceeded in a
solemn manner into the rock. I walked first, my
sons followed, and their mother came last, with
Francis. We had not gone on above a few steps,
when we stopped, struck with wonder and admi-
ration; all was glittering around us; we were in
a grotto of diamonds! From the height of the
lofty vaulted roof hung innumerable crystals,
which, uniting with those on the walls, formed
colonnades, altars, and every sort of gothic orna-
ment of dazzling lustre, creating a fairy palace, or
an illuminated temple.

When we were a little recovered from our first
astonishment, we advanced with more confidence.
The grotto was spacious, the floor smooth, and
covered with a fine dry sand. [Irom the appear-
ance of these crystals, I suspected their nature,
and, on breaking off a piece and tasting it, I found,
to my great joy, that we were in a grotto of rock
salt, which is found in large masses in the earth,
usually above a bed of gypsum, and surrounded
by fossils. We were charmed with this discovery,
of which we could no longer have a doubt. What
170 THE SWISS

an advantage this was to our cattle, and to our-
selves! We could now procure this precious com-
modity without care or labour. The acquisition
was almost as valuable as this brilliant retreat was
in itself, of which we were never tired of admiring
the beauty. My wife was struck with our good
fortune in opening the rock precisely at the right
spot ; but I was of opinion, that this mine was of
great extent, and that we could not well have
missed it. Some blocks of salt were scattered on
the ground, which had apparently fallen from the
vaulted roof. I was alarmed; for such an acci-
dent might destroy one of my children; but, on
examination, I found the mass above too solid to
be detached spontaneously, and I concluded that
the explosion of the fireworks had given this shock
to the subterranean palace, which had not been
entered since the creation of the world. I feared
there might yet be some pieces loosened; I there-
fore sent out my wife and younger sons. Fritz and
I remained, and, after carefully examining the
suspected parts, we fired our guns, and watched
the effect ; one or two pieces fell, but the rest re-
mained firm, though we struck with long poles as
high as we could reach. We were now satisfied
of the security of our magnificent abode, and be-
gan to plan our arrangements for converting it
into a convenient and pleasant habitation. The
majority were for coming here immediately, but
the wiser heads determined that, for this year,
Falcon’s Nest was to continue our home. There
we went every night, and spent the day at Tent
House, contriving and arranging our future winter
dwelling.
FAMILY ROBINSON. 171

CHAPTER XXX.

Tu last bed of rock, before we reached the
cave which Jack had pierced, was so soft, and
easy to work, that we had little difficulty im pro-
portioning and opening the place for our door; I
hoped that, being now exposed to the heat of the
sun, it would soon become as hard as the original
surface. The door was that we had used for the
staircase at Falcon’s Nest; for as we only intended
to make a temporary residence of our old tree,
there was no necessity for solid fittings ; and, be-
sides, I intended to close the entrance of the tree by
a door of bark, more effectually to concéal it, in
case savages should visit us. I then laid out the
extent of the grotto at pleasure, for we had ample
space. We began by dividing it into two parts ;
that on the right of the entrance was to be our
dwelling ; on the left were, first, our kitchen, then
the workshop and the stables; behind these were
the store-rooms and the cellar. In order to give
light and air to our apartments, it was necessary
to insert in the rock the windows we had brought
from the ship; and this cost us many days of
labour. The right-hand portion was subdivided
into three rooms: the first our own bedroom ; the
middle, the common sitting-room, and beyond the
boys’ room. As we had only three windows, we
appropriated one to each bedroom, and the third
to the kitchen, contenting ourselves, at present,
with a grating in the dining-room. I constructed
a sort of chimney in the kitchen, formed of four
boards, and conducted the smoke thus, through a
172 THE SWISS

hole made in the face of the rock. We made our
work-room spacious enough for us to carry on all
our manufactures, and it served also for our cart-
house. Finally, all the partition-walls were put
up, Communicating by doors, and completing our
commodious habitation. These various labours,
the removal of our effects, and arranging them
again, all the confusion of a change when it was
necessary to be at once workmen and directors,
took us a great part of summer; but the recollec-
tion of the vexations we should escape in the
rainy season gave us energy.

We passed nearly all our time at Tent House,
the centre of our operations; and, besides the
gardens and plantations which surrounded it, we
found many advantages which we profited by.
Large turtles often came to deposit their eggs in
the sand, a pleasant treat for us; but we raised
our desires to the possession of the turtles them-
selves, living, to eat when we chose. As soon as
we saw one on the shore, one of my sons ran to cut
off its retreat. We then hastened to assist, turned
the creature on its back, passed a long cord
through its shell, and tied it firmly to a post close
to the water. We then placed it on its legs, when
of course it made for the water, but could only
ramble the length of its cord ; it seemed, however,
very content, and we had it in readiness when we
wanted it. The lobsters, crabs, muscles, and every
sort of fish which abounded on the coast, plenti-
fully supplied our table. One morning, we were
struck with an extraordinary spectacle: a large
portion of the sea appeared in a state of ebullition,
and immense flocks of marine birds were hovering
FAMILY ROBINSON. 173

over it, uttering piercing cries, and plunging into
the waves. From time to time the surface, on
which the rising sun now shone, seemed covered
with little flames, which rapidly appeared and
vanished. Suddenly, this extraordinary mass ad-
vanced to the bay; and we ran down, full of curi-
osity. We found, on our arrival, that this strange
phenomenon was caused by a shoal of herrings.
These shoals are so dense, that they are often
taken for sand-banks, are many leagues in extent,
and several feet in depth : they spread themselves
over the seas, carrying to barren shores the re-
sources that nature has denied them.

These brilliant, scaly creatures had now entered
the bay, and my wife and children were lost in
admiration of the wonderful sight ; but I reminded
them, that when Providence sends plenty, we
ought to put forth our hands to take it. I sent
immediately for the necessary utensils, and or-
ganized my fishery. Fritz and Jack stood in the
water, and such was the thickness of the shoal,
that they filled baskets, taking them up as you
would water in a pail; they threw them on the
sand; my wife and Ernest cut them open, cleaned
them, and rubbed them with salt; I arranged
them in small barrels, a layer of herrings and a
layer of salt; and when the barrel was full, the
ass, led by Francis, took them up to the store-
house. This labour occupied us several days, and
at the end of that time we had a dozen barrels of
excellent salt provision against the winter season.

The refuse of this fishery, which we threw into
the sea, attracted a number of sea-dogs; we killed
several for the sake of the skin and the oil, which
174 THE SWISS

would be useful to burn in lamps, or even as an
ingredient in soap, which I hoped to make at some
future time.

At this time I greatly improved my sledge, by
placing it on two small wheels belonging to the
guns of the ship, making it a light and commo-
dious carriage, and so low, that we could easily
place heavy weights on it. Satisfied with our la-
bours, we returned very happy to Falcon’s Nest,
to spend our Sunday, and to thank God heartily
for all the blessings he had given us.

CHAPTER XXXI.

We went on with our labours but slowly, as
many employments diverted us from the great
work. I had discovered that the crystals of salt
in our grotto had a bed of gypsum for their base,
from which I hoped to obtain a great advantage.
I was fortunate enough to discover, behind a pro-
jectmg rock, a natural passage leading to our
store-room, strewed with fragments of gypsum.
I took some of it to the kitchen, and by repeated
burnings calcined it, and reduced it to a fine white
powder, which I put into casks, and carefully pre-
served for use. My intention was, to form our
partition-walls of square stones, cemented with the
gypsum. J employed my sons daily to collect this,
till we had amassed a large quantity ; using some,
in the first place, effectually to cover our herring-
barrels. Four barrels were salted and covered in
this way ; the rest my wife smoked in a little hut
of reeds and branches, in the midst of which the
FAMILY ROBINSON. 175

herrings were laid on sticks, and exposed to the
smoke of a fire of green moss kindled below.
This dried them, and gave them the peculiar flavour
so agreeable to many.

We were visited by another shoal of fish a month
after that of the herrings. Jack first discovered them
at the mouth of Jackal River, where they had appa-
rently come to deposit their eggs among the scat-
tered stones. They were so large, that he was
sure they must be whales. I found them to be
pretty large sturgeons, besides salmon, large trout,
and many other fishes. Jack immediately ran for
his bow and arrows, and told me he would kill
them all. He fastened the end of a ball of string
to an arrow, with a hook at the end of it; he tied
the bladders of the dog-fish at certain distances to
the string; he then placed the ball safe on the
shore, took his bow, fixed the arrow in it, and
aiming at the largest salmon, shot it in the side ;
the fish tried to escape; I assisted him to draw
the cord ; it was no easy task, for he struggled
tremendously ; but at length, weakened by loss of
blood, we drew him to land, and despatched him.

The other boys came running up to congratu-
late the young fisherman on his imvention, and
as it was to be feared that the rest, alarmed by
this attack, might take their departure, we deter-
mined to abandon everything for the fishery.
Fritz threw his harpoon, and landed, by means of
the reel, some large salmon ; Ernest took his rod,
and caught trout; and I, armed like Neptune
with an iron trident, succeeded in striking, amongst
the stones, some enormous fish. The greatest
difficulty was to land our booty ; Fritz had struck
a sturgeon at least eight feet long, which resisted
176 THE SWISS

our united efforts, till my wife brought the buf-
falo, which we harnessed to the line, and made
ourselves masters of this immense prize.

We had a great deal of labour in opening and
cleaning all our fish: some we dried and salted ;
some my wife boiled in oil, as they preserve the
tunny. ‘The spawn of the sturgeon, a huge mass,
weighing not less than thirty pounds, I laid
aside to prepare as caviare, a favourite dish in
Holland and Russia. I carefully cleansed the
eggs from the skin and fibres that were mixed
with them, washed them thoroughly in sea-water,
slightly sprinkled them with salt, then put them
in a gourd pierced with small holes to let the
water escape, and placed weights on them to press
them completely for twenty-four hours. We then
removed the caviare in solid masses, like cheeses,
took it to the smoking-hut to dry, and in a few
days had this large addition to our winter provi-
sion.

My next employment was the preparation of
the valuable isinglass. I took the air-bladder and
sounds of the fish, cut them in strips, twisted
them in rolls, and dried them in the sun. This 18
all that is necessary to prepare this excellent glue.
It becomes very hard, and, when wanted for use, |
is cut up in small pieces, and dissolved over a slow
fire. The glue was so white and transparent, that
I hoped to make window-panes from it instead of

lass.
: After this work was finished, we began to plan
a boat to replace our tub raft. I wished to try to
make one of bark, as the savage nations do, and I
proposed to make an expedition in search of a tree
for our purpose. All those in our own neigh-
FAMILY ROBINSON. 177

bourhood were too precious to destroy; some for
their fruits, others for their shade. We resolved
to search at a distance for trees fit for our purpose,
taking in our road a survey of our plantations
and fields. Our garden at Tent House produced
abundantly continual successions of vegetables in
that virgin soil, and in a climate which recognized
no change of season. The peas, beans, lentils, and
lettuces were flourishing, and only required water,
and our channels from the river brought this
plentifully to us. We had delicious cucumbers
and melons ; the maize was already a foot high, the
sugar-canes were prospering, and the pine-apples
on the high ground promised us a rich treat.

We hoped our distant plantations were going on
as well, and all set out one fine morning to Fal-
con’s Nest, to examine the state of things there.
We found my wife’s corn-fields were luxuriant in
appearance, and for the most part ready for cutting.
There were barley, wheat, oats, beans, millet, and
lentils. We cut such of these as were ready,
sufficient to give us seeds for another year. The
richest crop was the maize, which suited the soil.
But there were a quantity of gatherers more eager
to taste these new productions than we were;
these were birds of every kind, from the bustard
to the quail, and from the various establishments
they had formed round, it might be presumed
they would not leave much for us.

After our first shock at the sight of these rob-
bers, we used some measures to lessen the number
of them. Fritz unhooded his eagle, and pointed
out the dispersing bustards. The well-trained
bird immediately soared, and pounced on a superb
bustard, and laid it at the feet of its master. The

N
178 THE SWISS

jackal, too, who was a capital pointer, brought to
his master about a dozen little fat quails, which
furnished us with an excellent repast ; to which
my wife added a liquor of her own invention, made
of the green maize crushed in water, and mingled
with the juice of the sugar-cane ; a most agree-
able beverage, white as milk, sweet and refreshing.

We found the bustard, which the eagle had
struck down, but slightly wounded ; we washed
his hurts with a balsam made of wine, butter, and
water, and tied him by the leg in the poultry-
yard, as a companion to our tame bustard.

We passed the remainder of the day at Falcon’s
Nest, putting our summer abode into order, and
thrashing out our grain, to save the precious seed
for another year. The Turkey wheat was laid by
in sheaves, till we should have time to thrash and
winnow it ; and then I told Fritz that it would be
necessary to put the hand-mill in order, that we
had brought from the wreck. Fritz thought we
could build a mill ourselves on the river ; but this
bold scheme was, at present, impracticable.

The next day we set out on an excursion in the
neighbourhood. My wife wished to establish colo-
nies of our animals at some distance from Falcon’s
Nest, at a convenient spot, where they would be
secure, and might find subsistence. She selected
from her poultry-yard twelve young fowls ; I took
four young pigs, two couple of sheep, and two
goats. These animals were placed in the cart, in
which we had previously placed our provisions of
every kind, and the tools and utensils we might
need, not forgetting the rope ladder and the port-
able tent ; we then harnessed the buffalo, the cow,
and the ass, and departed on our tour.
FAMILY ROBINSON. 179

Fritz rode before on Lightfoot, to reconnoitre
the ground, that we might not plunge into any
difficulties; as, this time, we went in a new direc-
tion, exactly in the midst between the rocks and
the shore, that we might get acquainted with the
whole of the country that stretched to Cape Dis-
appointment. We had the usual difficulty, at first,
in getting through the high grass, and the under-
wood embarrassed our road, till we were com-
pelled to use the axe frequently. I made some
trifling discoveries that were useful, while engaged
in this labour ; amongst others, some roots of trees
curved like saddles, and yokes for beasts of
draught. I cut away several of these, and placed
them on the cart. When we had nearly passed
the wood, we were struck with the singular ap-
pearance of a little thicket of low bushes, appa-
rently covered with snow. Francis clapped his
hands with joy, and begged to get out of the cart
that he might make some snowballs. Fritz gal-
loped forward, and returned, bringing me a branch
loaded with this beautiful white down, which, to
my great joy, I recognized to be cotton. It was
a discovery of inestimable value to us, and my
wife began immediately to enumerate all the ad-
vantages we should derive from it, when I should
have constructed for her the machines for spinning
and weaving the cotton. We soon gathered as
much as filled three bags, intending afterwards to
collect the seeds of this marvellous plant, to sow
in the neighbourhood of Tent House.

After crossing the plain of the cotton-trees, we
reached the summit of a hill, from which the eye
rested on a terrestrial paradise. Trees of every
sort covered the sides of the hill, and a murmur-

N 2
180 THE SWISS

ing stream crossed the plain, adding to its beauty
and fertility. The wood we had just crossed formed
a shelter against the north winds, and the rich
pasture offered food for our cattle. We decided
at once that this should be the site of our farm.

We erected our tent, made a fireplace, and set
about cooking our dinner. While this was going
on, Fritz and I sought a convenient spot for our
structure; and we met with a group of beau-
tiful trees, at such a distance one from another, as
to form natural pillars for our dwelling’; we carried
all our tools here ; but as the day was far advanced,
we delayed commencing our work till next day.
We returned to the tent, and found my wife and
her boys picking cotton, with which they made
Some very comfortable beds, and we slept peace-
fully under our canvass roof. ‘



CHAPTER XXXII.

Tue trees which I had chosen for my farm-
house were about a foot in diameter in the trunk.
They formed a long square; the long side facing
the sea. The dimensions of the whole were about
twenty-four feet by sixteen. I cut deep mortices in
the trees, about ten feet distant from the ground,
and again ten feet higher, to form a second story ;
I then placed in them strong poles: this was the
skeleton of my house—solid, if not elegant ; I
placed over this arude roof of bark, cut in squares,
and placed sloping, that the rain might run off.
We fastened these with the thorn of the acacia, as
our nails were too precious to be lavished. While
FAMILY ROBINSON. 181

procuring the bark, we made many discoveries.
The first was that of two remarkable trees,—the
Pistacia terebinthus and the Pistacia atlantica ;
the next, the thorny acacia, from which we got
the substitute for nails.

The instinct of my goats led us also to find out,
among the pieces of bark, that of the cimnamon,
not perhaps equal to that of Ceylon, but very
fragrant and agreeable. But this was of little
value, compared to the turpentine and mastic I
hoped to procure from the pistachios, to compose
a sort of pitch to complete our intended boat.

We continued our work at the house, which
occupied us several days. We formed the walls of
thin laths interwoven with long pliant reeds for
about six feet from the ground ; the rest was merely
a sort of light trellis-work, to admit light and air.
The door opened on the front to the sea. The
interior consisted simply of a series of compart-
ments, proportioned to the guests they were to
contain. One small apartment was for ourselves,
when we chose to visit our colony. On the upper
story was a sort of hayloft for the fodder. We
projected plastering the walls with clay ; but these
finishing touches we deferred to a future time,
contented that we had provided a shelter for our
cattle and fowls. To accustom them to come to
this shelter of themselves, we took care to fill their
racks with the food they liked best, mingled with
salt; and this we proposed to renew at intervals,
till the habit of coming to their houses was fixed.
We all laboured ardently, but the work proceeded
slowly, from our inexperience ; and the provisions
we had brought were nearly exhausted. I did
not wish to return to Falcon’s Nest till I had
182 THE SWISS

completed my new establishment, and therefore
determined to send Fritz and Jack to look after
the animals at home, and bring back a fresh stock
of provisions. Our two young couriers set out,
each on his favourite steed, Fritz leading the ass
to bring back the load, and Jack urging the indo-
lent animal forward with his whip.

During their absence, Ernest and I made a little
excursion, to add to our provision —if we could
meet with them, some potatoes and cecoa-nuts.
We ascended the stream for some time, which led
us to a large marsh, beyond which we discovered
a lake abounding with water-fowl. This lake was
surrounded by tall, thick grass, with ears of a grain,
which I found to be a very good, though small,
sort of rice. As to the lake itself, it is only a
Swiss, accustomed from his infancy to look on
such smooth, tranquil waters, that can compre-
hend the happiness we felt on looking upon this.
We fancied we were once more in Switzerland,
our own dear land; but the majestic trees and
luxuriant vegetation soon reminded us we were no
longer in Europe, and that the ocean separated us
from our native home.

In the mean time, Ernest had brought down
several birds, with a skill and success that sur-
prised me. A little after, we saw Knips leap off
the back of his usual palfrey, Flora, and, making
his way through the rich grass, collect and carry
rapidly to his mouth something that seemed par-
ticularly to please his palate. We followed him,
and, to our great comfort, were able to refresh
ourselves with that delicious strawberry called in
Europe the Chili or pineapple strawberry. We
ate plentifully of this fruit, which was of enormous
FAMILY ROBINSON. 183

size; Ernest especially enjoyed them, but did not
forget the absent; he filled Knips’s little pannier
with them, and I covered them with large leaves,
which I fastened down with reeds, lest he should
take a fancy to help himself as we went home. I
took, also, a specimen of rice, for the inspection
of our good housekeeper, who would, I knew,
rejoice in such an acquisition.

We proceeded round the lake, which presented
a, different scene on every side. This was one
of the most lovely and fertile parts we had yet
seen of this country. Birds of all kinds abounded ;
but we were particularly struck with a pair of
black swans, sailing majestically on the water.
Their plumage was perfectly black and glossy,
except the extremity of the wings, which was
white. Ernest would have tried his skill again, but
I forbade him to disturb the profound tranquil-
lity of this charming region.

But Flora, who probably had not the same taste
for the beauties of nature that I had, suddenly
darted forward like an arrow, pounced upon a
creature that was swimming quietly at the edge of
the water, and brought it to us. It was a most
curious animal. It resembled an otter in form,
but was web-footed, had an erect bushy tail like
the squirrel, small head, eyes and ears almost
invisible. A long, flat bill, like that of a duck,
completed its strange appearance. We were com-
pletely puzzled—even Ernest, the naturalist, could
not give its name. I boldly gave it the name of
the beast with a bill. I told Ernest to take it, as
I wished to stuff and preserve it.

“Tt will be,” said the little philosopher, “ the
first natural object for our museum.”
184 THE SWISS

“ Exactly,” replied I; “and, when the esta-
blishment is fully arranged, we will appoint you
curator.”

But, thinking my wife would grow uneasy at
our protracted absence, we returned by a direct
road to the tent. “Our two messengers arrived
about the same time, and we all sat down together
to a cheerful repast. Every one related his feats.
Ernest dwelt on his discoveries, and was very
pompous in his descriptions, and I was obliged to
promise to take Fritz another time. I learnt,
with pleasure, that all was going on well at Fal.
con’s Nest, and that the boys had had the fore-
thought to leave the animals with provisions for
ten days. This enabled me to complete my farm-
house. We. remained four days longer, in which
time I finished the interior, and my wife arranged
in our own apartment the cotton mattresses, to be
ready for our visits, and put into the houses the
fodder and grain for their respective tenants. We
then loaded our cart, and began our march. The
animals wished to follow us, but Fritz, on Light-
foot, covered our retreat, and kept them at the
farm till we were out of sight.

We did not proceed directly, but went towards
the wood of monkeys. These mischievous creatures
assaulted us with showers of the fir-apples ; but a
few shots dispersed our assailants.

Fritz collected some of these new fruits they had
flung at us, and I recognized them as those of the
stone Pine, the kernel of which is good to eat, and
produces an excellent oil. We gathered a bag of
these, and continued our journey till we reached
the neighbourhood of Cape Disappointment.
There we ascended a little hill, from the summit
FAMILY ROBINSON. 185

of which we looked upon rich plains, rivers, and
woods clothed with verdure and brilliant flowers,
and gay birds that fluttered among the bushes.
“ Here, my children,” cried I, “ here we will build
our summer house. This is truly Arcadia.” Here
we placed our tent, and immediately began to
erect a new building, formed in the same manner
as the Farm House, but now executed more
quickly. We raised the roof in the middle, and
made four sloped sides. The interior was divided
into eating and sleeping apartments, stables,
and a store-room for provisions; the whole was
completed and provisioned in ten days; and we
had now another mansion for ourselves, and a
shelter for new colonies of animals. This new
erection received the name of Prospect Hill, to
gratify Ernest, who thought it had an English ap-
pearance.

However, the end for which our expedition was
planned was not yet fulfilled. I had not yet met
with a tree likely to suit me for a boat. We re-
turned then to inspect the trees, and I fixed on a
sort of oak, the bark of which was closer than that
of the European oak, resembling more that of the
cork-tree. The trunk was at least five feet in
diameter, and I fancied its coating, if I could
obtain it whole, would perfectly answer my pur-
pose. I traced a circle at the foot, and with a
small saw cut the bark entirely through ; Fritz,
by means of the rope ladder we had brought with
us, and attached to the lower branches of the tree,
ascended, and cut a similar circle eighteen feet
above mine. We then cut out, perpendicularly, a
slip the whole length, and, removing it, we had
room to imsert the necessary tools, and, with
186 THE SWISS

wedges, we finally succeeded in loosening the
whole. ‘The first part was easy enough, but there
was greater difficulty as we advanced. We sus-
tained it as we proceeded with ropes, and then
gently let it down on the grass. I immediately
began to form my boat while the bark was fresh
and flexible. My sons, in their impatience,
thought it would do very well if we nailed a
board at each end of the roll; but this would
have been merely a heavy trough, inelegant and
unserviceable ; I wished to have one that would
look well by the side of the pinnace; and this idea
at once rendered my boys patient and obedient.
We began by cutting out at each end of the roll
of bark a triangular piece of about five feet long ;
then, placing the sloping parts one over the other,
I united them with pegs and strong glue, and
thus finished the ends of my boat in a pointed
form. This operation having widened it too much
in the middle, we passed strong ropes round it,
and drew it into the form we required. We then
exposed it to the sun, which dried and fixed it in
the proper shape.

As many things were necessary to complete my
work, I sent Fritz and Jack to Tent House for the
sledge, to convey it there, that we might finish it
more conveniently. I had the good fortune to
meet with some very hard, crooked wood, the
natural curve of which would be admirably suit-
able for supporting the sides of the boat. We
found also a resinous tree, which distilled a sort
of pitch, easy to manage, and which soon hardened
im the sun. My wife and Francis collected suffi-
cient of it for my work. It was almost night when
FAMILY ROBINSON. 187

our two messengers returned. We had only
time to sup and retire to our rest.

We were all early at work next morning. We
loaded the sledge, placing on it the canoe, the
wood for the sides, the pitch, and some young
trees, which I had transplanted for our plantation
at Tent House, and which we put into the boat.
But, before we set out, I wished to erect a sort of
fortification at the pass of the rock, for the double
purpose of securing us against the attacks of wild
beasts or of savages, and for keeping enclosed, in
the savannah beyond the rocks, some young pigs,
that we wished to multiply there, out of the way
of our fields and plantations.

As we crossed the sugar-cane plantation, I saw
some bamboos larger than any I had ever met
with, and we cut down one for a mast to our
canoe. We now had the river to our left, and
the chain of rocks to our right, which here ap-
proached the river, leaving only a narrow pass. At
the narrowest part of this we raised a rampart
before a deep ditch, which could only be crossed by
a drawbridge we placed there. Beyond the bridge,
we put a narrow gate of woven bamboos, to enable
us to enter the country beyond, when we wished.
We planted the side of the rampart with dwarf
palms, India fig, and other thorny shrubs, making
a winding path through the plantation, and dig-
ging in the midst a hidden pitfall, known to our-
selves by four low posts, intended to support a
plank bridge when we wished to cross it. After
this was completed, we built a little chalet of bark
m that part of the plantation that faced the
_ Stream, and gave it the name of the Hermitage,
188 THE SWISS

intending it for a resting-place. After several
days of hard labour, we returned to Prospect Hill,
and took a little relaxation. The only work we
did was to prepare the mast, and lay it on the
sledge with the rest.

The next morning we returned to Tent House,
where we immediately set to work on our canoe
with such diligence that it was soon completed.
It was solid and elegant, lined through with wood,
and furnished with a keel. We provided it with
brass rings for the oars, and stays for the mast.
Instead of ballast, I laid at the bottom a layer of
stones covered with clay, and over this a flooring
of boards. The benches for the rowers were laid
across, and in the midst the bamboo mast rose
majestically, with a triangular sail. Behind I
fixed the rudder, worked by a tiller; and I could
boast now of having built a capital canoe.

Our fleet was now in good condition. For
distant excursions we could take the pinnace, but
the canoe would be invaluable for the coasting
service.

Our cow had, in the mean time, given us a
young male calf, which I undertook to train for
service, as I had done the buffalo, beginning by
piercing its nostrils; and the calf promised to be
docile and useful; and, as each of the other boys
had his favourite animal to ride, I bestowed the
bull on Francis, and intrusted him with its edu-
cation, to encourage him to habits of boldness
and activity. He was delighted with his new
charger, and chose to give him the name of
Valiant.

We had still two months before the rainy sea-
son, and this time we devoted to completing the °
FAMILY ROBINSON. 189

comforts of our grotto. We made all the parti-
tions of wood, except those which divided us from
the stables, which we built of stone, to exclude
any smell from the animals. We soon acquired
skill in our works; we had a plentiful supply of
beams and planks from the ship ; and by practice
we became very good plasterers. We covered the
floors with a sort of well-beaten mud, smoothed
it, and it dried perfectly hard. We then con-
trived a sort of felt carpet. We first covered the
floor with sailcloth ; we spread over this wool and
goats’ hair mixed, and poured over it isinglass
dissolved, rolling up the carpet, and beating it
well. When this was dry, we repeated the pro-
cess, and in the end had a felt carpet. We made
one of these for each room, to guard against any
damp that we might be subject to in the rainy
season. :

The privations we had suffered the preceding
winter increased the enjoyment of our present
comforts. The rainy season came on ; we had now
a warm, well-lighted, convenient habitation, and
abundance of excellent provision for ourselves and
our cattle. In the morning, we could attend to their
wants without trouble, for the rain-water, carefully
collected in clean vessels, prevented the necessity
of going to the river. We then assembled in the
dining-room to prayers. After that we went to
our work-room. My wife took her wheel, or her
loom, which was a rude construction of mine, but
in which she had contrived to weave some useful
cloth of wool and cotton, and also some linen,
which she had made up for us. Everybody
worked ; the workshop was never empty. I con-
trived, with the wheel of a gun, to arrange a sort
190 THE SWISS

of lathe, by means of which I and my sons pro-
duced some neat furniture and utensils. Ernest
surpassed us all in this art, and made some elegant
little things for his mother.

After dinner, our evening occupations com-
menced ; our room was lighted up brilliantly ; we
did not spare our candles, which were so easily
procured, and we enjoyed the reflection in the
elegant crystals above us. We had partitioned
off a little chapel in one corner of the grotto,
which ‘we had left untouched, and nothing could
be more magnificent than this chapel lighted
up, with its colonnades, portico, and altars. We
had divine service here every Sunday. I had
erected a sort of pulpit, from which I delivered a
short sermon to my congregation, which I endea-
voured to render as simple and as instructive as
possible.

Jack and Francis had a natural taste for music.
I made them flageolets of reeds, on which they
acquired considerable skill. They accompanied
their mother, who had a very good voice; and
this music in our lofty grotto had a charming
effect.

We had thus made great steps towards civiliza-
tion ; and, though condemned, perhaps, to pass our
lives alone on this unknown shore, we might yet
be happy. We were placed in the midst of abun-
dance. We were active, industrious, and content ;
blessed with health, and united by affection, our
minds seemed to enlarge and improve every day.
We saw around us on every side traces of the
Divine wisdom and beneficence; and our hearts
overflowed with love and veneration for that Al-
mighty hand which had so miraculously saved, and
FAMILY ROBINSON. 191

continued to protect us. I humbly trusted in
Him, either to restore us to the world, or send
some beings to joi us in this beloved island,
where for two years we had seen no trace of man.
To Him we committed our fate. We were happy
and tranquil, looking with resignation to the future.

END OF THE FIRST PART OF THE JOURNAL.

POSTSCRIPT BY THE EDITOR.

Ir is necessary to explain how this first part of
the journal of the Swiss pastor came into my
hands.

Three or four years after the family had been
cast on this desert coast, where, as we see, they
lived a happy and contented life, an English trans-
port was driven by a storm upon the same shore.
This vessel was the Adventurer, Captain Johnson,
and was returning from New Zealand to the
eastern coast of North America, by Otaheite, to
fetch a cargo of furs for China, and then to pro-
ceed from Canton to England. A violent storm,
which lasted several days, drove them out of their
course. For many days they wandered in un-
known seas, and the ship was so injured by the
storm, that the captain looked out for some port
to repair it. They discovered a rocky coast, and,
as the violence of the wind was lulled, ventured to
approach the shore. At a short distance they
anchored, and sent a boat to examine the coast.
Lieutenant Bell, who went with the boat, knew a
little German. They were some time before they
192 THE SWISS

could venture to land among the rocks which
guarded the island, but, turning the promontory,
they saw Safety Bay, and entering it, were asto-
nished to see a handsome pinnace and boat at
anchor, near the strand a tent, and in the rock
doors and windows, like those of a European house.

They landed, and saw a middle-aged man com-
ing to meet them, clothed in European fashion,
and well armed. After a friendly salutation, they
first spoke in German and then in English. This
was the good father ; the family were at Falcon’s
Nest, where they were spending the summer.
He had seen the vessel in the morning through
his telescope, but, unwilling to alarm, or to en-
courage hopes that might be vain, he had not:
spoken of it, but come alone towards the coast.

After much friendly conference, the party were
regaled with all hospitality at Tent House, the
good Swiss gave the Lieutenant this first part of
his journal for the perusal of Captain J ohnson,
and, after an hour’s conversation, they separated,
hoping to have a pleasant meeting next day.

But Heaven decreed it otherwise. During the
night, another fearful storm arose ; the Adventurer
lost its anchor, and was driven out to sea; and,
after several days of anxiety and danger, found
itself so far from the island, and so much shat-
tered, that all thoughts of returning were given
up for that time, and Captain Johnson reluctantly
relinquished the hope of rescuing the interesting
family.

Thus it happened that the first part of this
journal was brought to England, and from thence
sent to me, a friend of the family, in Switzerland,
accompanied by a letter from the Captain, declar-
FAMILY ROBINSON. 193

ing, that he could have no rest till he found, and
became acquainted with, this happy family ; that
he would search for the island in his future voy-
ages, and either bring away the family, or, if they
preferred to remain, he would send out from Eng-
land some colonists, and everything that might
be necessary to promote their comfort. A rough
map of the island is added to the journal, executed
by Fritz, the eldest son.
194 THE SWISS

CONTINUATION OF THE JOURNAL.

——— <> ____

CHAPTER XXXIII.

I vert the reader at the moment in which I
had placed the first part of my journal in the hands
of Lieutenant Bell, to deliver to Captain Johnson,
of the English vessel the Adventurer, expecting
him to return the next day with Lieutenant Bell.
We separated in this hope, and I thought it
necessary to inform my family of this expected
visit, which might decide their future lot. My
wife and elder sons might wish to seize this only
occasion that might occur to revisit their native
country—to quit their beloved island, which would
doubtless cost them much sorrow at the last mo-
ment, but was necessary to their future comfort.
I could not help feeling distressed at the prospect
of my dear children’s solitary old age, and I deter-
mined, if they did not wish to return with Captain
Johnson, to request him to send some colonists
out to people our island.

It will be remembered that I had left home
alone, and at an early hour, having perceived a
vessel from the top of our tree with my telescope.
I had set out without breakfast, without giving
my sons their tasks, or making any arrangements
for the labours of the day. My conference with
Lieutenant Bell had been long; it was now past
noon, and knowing how prompt my wife was to
FAMILY ROBINSON. 195

alarm. herself, I was surprised that I did not meet
her, nor any of my sons. I began to be uneasy,
and on my arrival I hastily mounted the tree, and
found my faithful partner extended on her bed,
surrounded by her four sons, and apparently in
great pain. I demanded, with a cry of grief, what
had happened ; all wished to speak at once, and it
was with some difficulty I learned, that my dear
wife, in descending the staircase, had been seized
with a giddiness in her head, and had fallen down
and injured herself so much, that she was unable
to rise without assistance ; she was now enduring
great pain in her right leg and in her left foot.
“ Ernest and I,” added Fritz, “ carried her with-
out delay to her bed, though not without diffi-
culty, for the staircase is so narrow ; but she con-
tinued to get worse, and we did not know what
to do.”

Jack. I have rubbed her foot continually, but
it swells more and more, as well as her leg, which
I dare not touch, it hurts her so much.

Ernest. I remember, father, that of the chests
that we brought from the ship there is one un-
opened, which is marked “ medicines,”’—may it
not contain something that will relieve mamma ?

Father. Perhaps it may, my son. You did well
to remember it; we will go to Tent House for it.
Fritz, you shall accompany me to assist in bring-
ing it.

I wished to be alone with Fritz, to consult him
about the English vessel, and was glad of this
opportunity. Before I left my wife, I intended to:
examine her leg and foot, which were exceedingly
painful. When I was preparing to enter’ the
Church, I had studied medicine and practical sur-

0 2
196 THE SWISS

gery, in order to be able to administer to the
bodily afflictions of my poor parishioners, as well
as to their spiritual sorrows. I knew how to bleed,
and could replace a dislocated limb. T had often
made cures; but since my arrival at the island [
had neglected my medical studies, which happily
had not been needed. I hoped now, however, to
recall as much of my knowledge as would be suffi-
cient to cure my poor wife, I examined her foot
first, which I found to be violently sprained. She
begged me then to look at her leg, and what was
my distress when I saw it was fractured above the
ancle ; however, the fracture appeared simple,
without splinters, and easy to cure. I sent Fritz
without delay to procure me two pieces of the
bark of a tree, between which I placed the leg,
after having, with the assistance of my son, stretched
it till the two pieces of broken bone united; I
then bound it with bandages of linen, and tied the
pieces of bark round the leg, so that it might not
be moved. I bound the sprained foot very tightly,
till I could procure the balsam which I expected
to find in the chest. I felt assured, that the giddi-
ness of the head, which had caused her fall, pro-
ceeded from some existing cause, which I sus-
pected, from the pulse and the complexion, must
be a fulness of blood; and it appeared to be neces-
sary to take away some ounces, which I persuaded
her to allow me to do, when I should have brought
my medicine-chest and instruments from Tent
House. I left her, with many charges, to the care
of my three younger sons, and proceeded to Tent
House with Fritz, to whom I now related my
morning adventure, and consulted him how we
should mention it to his mother. Fritz was asto-
FAMILY ROBINSON. 197

nished. I saw how his mind was employed; he
looked round on our fields and plantations, in-
creasing and prospering.

“ We must not tell her, father,” said he. “I will
be at Tent House early in the morning ; you must
give me some commission to execute ; I will await
the arrival of the Captain, and tell him that my
dear mother is ill,—and that he may return as he
came.”

“You speak rashly, Fritz,’ answered I. “I
have told you that this ship has suffered much
from the storm, and needs repairs. Have you not
often read the golden rule of our divine Master,
Do unto others as you would have others do unto
you? Our duty is to receive the Captain into our
island, and to assist him in repairing and refitting
his vessel.”

“ And he will find,” said he, “ we know some-
thing of that kind of work. Did you show him
our beautiful pinnace and canoe? But can sucha
large vessel enter our Bay of Safety ?”

“No,” replied I; “1 fear there will not be
sufficient water; but we will show the captain the
large bay at the other end of the island, formed
by Cape Disappointment; he will find there a
beautiful harbour.”

‘“ And he and his officers may live at the farm,
and we can go over every day to assist in repair-
ing their vessel,” continued Fritz.

“Very well,” said I; “ and when it is finished,
he will, in return, give us a place in it to return
to Europe.”

“To return to Europe, father!” cried he;
“to leave our beautiful winter dwelling, Tent
House, and our charming summer residence,
198 THE SWISS

Falcon’s Nest; our dear, good animals; our
crystals of salt; our farms; so much that is our
own, and which nobody covets, to return into
Europe to poverty, to war, to those wicked soldiers
who have banished us! We want nothing. Dear
father, can you consent to leave our beloved
island ?”

“ You are right, my dear son,” said I. “Would
to God we might always remain here happily to-
gether ; but we are of different ages, and by the
law of nature we must one day be separated. Con-
sider, my dear son, if you should survive your
brothers, how cheerless it would be to live quite
alone on this desert island, without any one to
close your eyes. But let us look at these trees ;
I see they are tamarind-trees ; their fruit contains
a pulp which is very useful in medicine, and which
will suit your mother, I think, as well as the juice
of the orange or lemon. We shall find some of
the latter at our plantation near Tent House ;
but, in the mean time, do you climb the tamarind-
tree, and gather some of those pods which re-
semble those of beans, fill one side of the bag
with them, the other we will reserve for the
oranges and lemons. Not to lose any time, I will
go on to Tent House to seek for the two chests,
and you can follow me.”

Fritz was up the tamarind-tree in a moment.
I crossed Family Bridge, and soon reached the
grotto. I lighted a candle, which I always kept
ready, entered the magazine, and found the two
chests, labelled.

They were neither large nor heavy, and, having
tied cords round them for the convenience of
carrying them, I proceeded to visit the orange
FAMILY ROBINSON. 199

and lemon trees, where I found the fruit suffi-
ciently ripe for lemonade. Fritz came to meet
me, with a good supply of tamarinds. We filled
the other end of his sack with oranges and lemons.
He threw it over his shoulder, and, neither of us
being overloaded, we pursued our way homewards
very quickly, notwithstanding the heat, which was
excessively oppressive, though the sun was hidden
under the thick clouds, which entirely concealed
the sea from us. Nothing was to be seen but the
waves breaking against the rocks. Fritz expressed
his fears that a storm was coming on, which might
prove fatal to the vessel, and wished to take out
the pinnace and endeavour to assist Captain
Johnson. Delighted as I felt with his fearless
humanity, I could not consent; I reminded him
of the situation of his mother. “ Forgive me,
dear father,” said he; “I had forgotten every-
thing but the poor vessel. But the captain may
do as we did, leave his ship between the rocks,
and come, with all in the vessel, to establish them-
selves here. We will give them up a corner of our
islands ; and if there should be any ladies amongst
them, how pleasant it would be for mamma to have
a friend !”

‘The rain now fell in torrents, and we proceeded.
with great difficulty. After crossing the bridge,
we saw at a distance a very extraordinary figure
approaching us; we could not ascertain what
species of animal it was. It appeared taller than
any of the monkeys we had seen, and much
larger, of a black or brown colour. We could
not distinguish the head, but it seemed to have
two thick and moveable horns before it, We had
fortunately taken no gun with us, or Fritz would
200 THE SWISS

certainly have fired at this singular animal. But
as it rapidly approached us, we soon recognized
the step, and the cry of pleasure which hailed us.
“It is Jack,” we exclaimed ; and in fact it was he,
who was hurrying to meet us with my large cloak
and water-proof caoutchoue boots. I had neg-
lected to take them, and my dear little fellow had
volunteered to bring them to Tent House. To
protect himself on the way, he had put the cloak
on, covering his head with the hood, and my
boots being too large for him, he had put one on
each arm, which he held up to secure the hood.
Conceive what a singular figure he made. Not-
withstanding our uneasiness, and our wretched
condition, for we were wet to the skin, we could
not but laugh heartily at him. I would not con.
sent to use the coverings he had brought ; neither
Fritz nor T could be worse for the distance we had
to go, and Jack was younger and more delicate ;
I obliged him therefore to retain his curious pro-
tection ; and asked how he had left his mother.
“ Very uneasy,” said he, “ about you; else I think
she must be much better, for her cheeks are very
red, and her eyes very bright, and she talks inces.
santly. She would have come herself to seek you,
but could not rise; and when I told her I would
come, she bid me be very quick; but when I was
coming down stairs, I heard her call me back for
fear of the rain and the thunder ; I would not
hear her, but ran as fast as I could, hoping to
reach Tent House. Why did you come back so
soon?”

“To spare you half your journey, my brave
little man,” said I, hastening on; for Jack’s ac-
count of his mother made me uneasy. I perceived
FAMILY ROBINSON. 201

she must be labouring under fever, and the blood
ascending to her head. My children followed me,
and we soon reached the foot of our castle in
the air.

—_—_——

CHAPTER XXXIV.

We entered our apartment literally as if we
had come out of the sea, and I found my poor
Elizabeth much agitated. ‘“ Heaven be praised !”
said she; “but where is Jack, that rash little
fellow ?”

“Here I am, mamma,” said he, “as dry as
when I left you. I have left my dress below, that
I might not terrify you ; for if Mr. Fritz had had
his gun, I might have been shot as a rhinoceros,
and not been here to tell you my story.”

The good mother then turned her thoughts on
Fritz and me, and would not suffer us to come
near her till we had changed our drenched gar-
ments. To oblige her, we retired to a little closet
I had contrived between two thick branches
at the top of the staircase, which was used to
contain our chests of linen, our dresses, and our
provisions. Our dress was soon changed; we
hung up the wet garments, and I returned to my
companion, who was suffering from her foot, but
still more from a frightful headache. She had a
burning fever. I concluded that bleeding was
urgently needed, but commenced by assuaging
her thirst with some lemonade. I then opened
my box of surgical instruments, and approached
the opening to the east which served us for a win-
202 THE SWISS

dow, and which we could close by means of a
curtain, that was now entirely raised to give air
to our dear invalid, and to amuse my children,
who were watching the storm. The mighty waves
that broke against the rocks, the vivid lightning
bursting through the castles of murky clouds, the
majestic and incessant rolling of the thunder,
formed one of those enchanting spectacles to
which they had been from infancy accustomed. As
in the Swiss mountains we are liable to frightful
storms, to which it is necessary to familiarize one-
self, as one cannot avoid them, I had accustomed
my wife and children, by my own example, to be-
hold, not only without fear, but even with admira-
tion, these great shocks of the elements,—these
convulsions of nature.

I had opened the chest, and my children had
directed their attention to the instruments it con-
tained ; the first were a little rusty, and I handed
them to Ernest, who, after examining them,
placed them on a table inside the window. I was
searching for a lancet in good condition, when a
clap of thunder, such as I had never heard in my
life, terrified us all so much, that we nearly fell
down. This burst of thunder had not been pre-
ceded by any lightning, but was accompanied by
two immense forked columns of fire, which seemed
to stretch from the sky to our very feet. We all
cried out, even my poor wife; but the silence of
terror succeeded, and seemed to be the silence of
death. I flew to the bedside, and found my dear
patient in a state of total insensibility. I was
convinced that she was dead, and I was dumb
with despair. Iwas roused from my stupor by
the voice of my children. I then remembered
FAMILY ROBINSON. 203

that I had not lost all: there still remained duties
to fulfil, and affection to console me. “ My chil-
dren,” cried I, extending my arms to them,
‘“eome and comfort your unfortunate father :
come and lament with him the best of wives and
mothers.” ‘Terrified at the appearance of their
mother, they surrounded her bed, calling on her
in piercing accents. At that moment I saw my
little Francis was missing, and my grief was aug-
mented by the fear that he had been killed by the
lightning. I hastily turned to the window, ex-
pecting to find my child dead, and our dwelling
in flames. Fortunately, all was safe; but, in my
distraction, I scarcely thanked God for His mercy,
at the very moment even when he graciously re-
stored to me my lost treasures. Francis, frightened
by the storm, had hidden himself in his mother’s
bed, and fallen asleep; awaked by the thunder,
he had not dared to move, fearing it announced
the arrival of the savages; but at last, the cries
of his brothers roused him, and raising his pretty
fair head, supposing his mother sleeping, he flung
his arms round her neck, saying, “Wake, mamma,
we are all here,—papa, my brothers, and the
storm, too, which is very beautiful, but frightens
me. Open your eyes, mamma; look at the bright
lightning, and kiss your little Francis.” Either
his sweet voice, or the cries of her elder chil-
dren, restored her faculties: she gradually reco-
vered, and called me to her. The excess of my
joy threatened to be almost as fatal as my grief.
With difficulty I controlled my own feelings and
those of my boys; and, after I had sent them from
the bed, I ascertained that she was not only really
living, but much better. The pulse was calm,
204 THE SWISS

and the fever had subsided, leaving only a weak-
ness that was by no means alarming. I relin-
quished, joyfully, the intention of bleeding her,
the necessity of which I had trembled to contem.
plate, and contented myself with employing the
boys to prepare a cooling mixture, composed of
the juice of the lemon, of barley, and tamarinds,
which they completed to the great satisfaction of
their mother. I then ordered Fritz to descend to
the yard, to kill a fowl, pluck and boil it, to make
broth,—a wholesome and hight nourishment for
our dear invalid. I told one of his brothers to
assist him, and Jack and Francis, frequently
employed under their mother, were ready in a
moment. Ernest alone remained quietly on his
seat, which I attributed to his usual indolence,
and tried to make him ashamed of it. Ernest,”
said I, “you are not very anxious to oblige your
mother; you sit as if the thunderbolt had struck
you.”

“It has, indeed, rendered me unfit to be of any
service to my good mother,” said he, quietly ;
and, drawing his right hand from under his waist.
coat, he showed it to me, most frightfully black
and burnt.

This dear child, who must have suffered very
much, had never uttered a complaint, for fear of
alarming his mother; and even now he made a
sign to me to be silent, lest she should hear, and
discover the truth. She soon, however, fell into
a sleep, which enabled me to attend to poor
Ernest, and to question him about the accident.
I learned that a long and pointed steel instru-
ment, which he was examining near the large
window, stooping over it to see it better, had
FAMILY ROBINSON. 205

attracted the lightning, which, falling partly on
the hand in which he held it, had caused the mis-
fortune. ‘There were traces on his arm of the
electric fire, and his hair was burnt on one side.
By what miracle the electric fluid had been di-
verted, and how we, dwelling in a tree, had been
preserved from a sudden and general conflagra-
tion, I knew not. My son assured me he had
seen the fire run along the instrument he held,
and from thence fall perpendicularly to the earth,
where it seemed to burst with a second explosion.
I was impatient to examine this phenomenon, and
to see if any other traces were left, except those on
the hand of my son, which it was necessary, in the
first place, to attend to. Iremembered frequently
to have applied with success in burns the most sim-
ple and easy of remedies, which everybody can
command : this is, to bathe the hand affected in cold
water, taking care to renew it every eight or ten
minutes. I placed Ernest between two tubs of
cold water, and, exhorting him to patience and
perseverance, I left him to bathe his hand, and
approached the opening, to try and discover what
had preserved us, by averting the direction of the
lightning, which one might have expected would
have killed my son, and destroyed our dwelling.
I saw only some light traces on the table; but,
on looking more attentively, I found that the
greater part of the surgical instruments which
Ernest had placed upon it were either melted
or much damaged. In examining them sepa-
rately, I remarked one much longer than the
rest, which projected beyond the edge of the
table, and was much marked by the fire. I could
not easily take it up; it had adhered somewhat in
206 THE SWISS

melting, and, in endeavouring to disengage it, I
saw that the point, which was beyond the open-
ing, touched a thick wire, which seemed to be
suspended from the roof of our tent. All was
now explained to me; except that I could in no
way account for this wire, placed expressly to serve
as a conductor for the lightning. It seemed to be
the work of magic. The evening was too far ad-
vanced for me to distinguish how it was fastened,
and what fixed it below; therefore, enjoining
Ernest to call loudly if he needed me, I hastened
down. I saw my three cooks very busy, as I
passed through, preparing the broth for their
mother—they assured me it would be excellent.
Fritz boasted that he had killed the fowl with all
speed, Jack that he had plucked it without tearing
it much, and Francis that he had lighted and kept
up the fire. They had nothing to employ them
just then, and I took them with me to have some
one to talk to on the phenomenon of the lightning.
Below the window I found a large packet of iron
wire, which I had brought from Tent House some
days before, intending on some leisure day to
make a sort of grating before our poultry-yard.
By what chance was it here, and hooked by one
end to the roof of our house? Some time before
I had replaced our cloth canopy by a sort of roof
covered with bark nailed upon laths; the cloth
still enclosed the sides and front; all was so in-
flammable, that, but for the providential conductor,
we must have been in flames in an instant. I
thanked God for our preservation ; and little
Francis, seeing me so happy, said—

“Ts it quite true, papa, that this wire has pre-
served us?”
‘FAMILY ROBINSON, 207

“Yes, it is true, my darling; and I wish to
know what good genius has placed it there, that I
may be thankful,” said I.

“Ah! father,” said my little fellow, “ embrace
me, but do not thank me; for I did not know that
I was doing good.”

Astonished at this information, I requested my
boy to tell me why and how he had fixed the wire ?

“I wanted to reach some figs,” said he, “ when
you and Fritz were at Tent House, and Jack and
Ernest were nursing mamma; I wished to do some
good for her. I thought she would like some of
our sweet figs; but there were none in my reach,
and I had no stick long enough to beat them
down. I went below, and found that great roll
of wire. I tried to break a piece off, but could
not ; and I then determined to carry the whole
up to our dwelling, and to bend one end intoa
hook, by which I might catch some of the
branches, and bring them near me to gather the
figs. Iwas very successful at first, and secured
one or two figs. I had my packet of wire on the
table by the window, and stood near it myself. I
thought I could reach a branch that hung over
our roof, loaded with fruit. I leaned forward,
and extended my hook to the branch; I felt I had
secured it, and joyfully began to pull. You know,
papa, they bend, and don’t break ; but it remained
immovable, as well as my hook, which was held
by one of the laths of the roof. I pulled with all
my strength, and, in my efforts, I struck my foot
against the roll of wire, which fell down to the
ground without detaching the hook. You may
judge how.firm it is, for it is no triflmg leap from
our house to the ground.”
208 THE SWISS

“A good work, indeed, my boy,” said I, “is
yours, for it has saved us. God has inspired you,
and has made use of the hand of a child for our
preservation. Your conductor shall remain where
you have so happily placed it; we may still have
need of it. The sky still looks very threatening ;
let us return to your mother, and take a light
with us.”

I had contrived a sort of portable lantern,
made of isinglass, which lighted us in our offices.
Moreover, a calibash pierced with small holes, with
a candle inside, was placed at the top of the wind-
ing staircase, and lighted it entirely, so that we
were able to descend without danger by night as
well as by day. I was, however, uneasy about the
way we should bring my wife down, if we found
it necessary to remove her during her sickness ; I
named it to Fritz.

“ Have no uneasiness, father,” said he, “ Ernest
and I are very strong now, and we can carry
mamma like a feather.”

“You and I might, my dear boy,” said I; “ but
Ernest cannot be of much assistance to us at
present.”

I then related his misfortune to them. They
were distressed and astonished, not comprehending
the cause, which I promised to explain. They
wished now, however, to see their brother. Fritz
then requested, in a low tone of voice, that he might
go to Tent House, to see if the vessel and the
captain had arrived. Seeing his brothers listening
with curiosity, I thought it best to tell them the
affair, requesting them, however, not to name it
to their mother at present. Jack, who was now
about fourteen years of age, listened with the
FAMILY ROBINSON. 209

most intense interest, his eyes sparkling with joy
and surprise.

“A vessel! — people from Europe! Do you
think they have come to seek us? Perhaps they
are our relations and friends.”

“ How glad should I be,” said Francis, “if my
good grandmamma were there; she loved me so
much, and was always giving me sweetmeats.”
This was the mother of my dear wife, from whom
she had parted with extreme regret ; I knew that
a single word from the child would have revived
all her sorrows, and would in her present state be
dangerous. I therefore forbade him naming such
a thing to his mother, even if we mentioned the
vessel.

We ascended, and found our dear patient awake,
with Ernest at her side, his hand tied up, and
somewhat relieved; though, from not having ap-
plied the water immediately, there were several
blisters, which he requested me to open. It was
necessary to tell his mother he had had a burn;
she named several remedies, and I was hesitating
which to use, when Fritz, giving me a significant
glance, said, “ Don’t you think, father, that the
leaves of the karata, which cured Jack’s leg so
well, would be as serviceable to Ernest’s hand ?”

“T have no doubt of it,” said 1; “but we have
none here.”

“| know very well where they grow,” said he.
“Come, Jack, we shall soon be there; we shall
have a little rain, but what of that? we shall not
be melted, and we can have a bath.”

My wife was divided between her desire to re-
lieve Ernest, and her fear of the boys venturing
out in such a stormy night. She agreed at last,

P
210 THE SWISS

provided Jack had my cloak, and Fritz the boots,
and that they should take the lantern. Thus
equipped, they set out; I accompanied them out-
side the tree; Fritz assurimg me they would be
back in three hours, at most. He intended to
proceed along the rocks towards Tent House, to
make what observations he could; for, as he told
me, he could not get the poor captain and his
vessel out of his head. It was now seven o’clock ;
I gave them my blessing, and left them with in-
junctions to be prudent, and returned with an
anxious heart to my invalids.

CHAPTER XXXV.

On entering, I found Francis sitting on his
mother’s bed, telling her the story of the light-
ning, of the wire which was called a conductor, of
the figs that he was going to gather for her, and
that papa had called him—little Francis—the pre-
server of the whole family. Having briefly explained
to them the results of Francis’s fortunate device,
I procured some raw potato to apply to Ernest’s
hand, which still gave him great pain, and bathed
my wife’s foot with some eau d’arquebusade, which
I procured from my medicine-chest ; here I also
met with some laudanum, a few drops of which I
infused into the lemonade, wishing her to sleep
till her sons returned. She soon was in a sweet
slumber ; the boys followed her example, and I
was left alone with my anxieties ; happy, however,
to see them at rest after such an evening of agita-
tion. The hours passed, still my children returned
FAMILY ROBINSON. 211

not. Iwas continually at the window, listening
for their steps or the sound of their voices ; I heard
only the rain falling in torrents, the waves break-
ing against the rocks, and the wind howling fright-
fully. I could not help thinking of the danger
they ran, having twice to cross the river, which
was doubtless swoln by the rain. I was not so
much alarmed for Fritz, a strong, bold youth of
nineteen years of age, and a determined hunter:
as for poor Jack, bold even to rashness, and having
neither strength nor experience to secure him, I
could not help fancying him carried away by the
stream, and his brother not daring to return with-
out him. My wife occasionally awoke, but the
narcotic stupified her; she did not perceive the
absence of her sons. Francis slept tranquilly ; but
when Ernest awoke, and heard the tempest so
terribly augmented, he was almost distracted ; all
his selfishness, all his indolence disappeared. He
entreated me to allow him to go in search of his
brothers, and with difficulty I detained him. To
convince him that he was not the sole cause of the
danger of Fritz and Jack, I related to him, for the
first time, the history of the boat and the vessel,
and assured him that the great cause of their
anxiety to go over to Tent House, was to search
for some traces of the unfortunate seamen and
their vessel, exposed to that furious sea.

“ And Fritz, also, is exposed to that sea,” cried
Ernest. “I know it; I am sure that he is at this
moment in his canoe, struggling against the
waves !”

“ And Jack, my poor Jack !” sighed I, infected
with his fears.

“No, father,” added Ernest ; “be composed ;
P 2
212 THE SWISS

Fritz will not be so imprudent ; he will have left
Jack in our house at the rock; and, probably,
seeing the hopelessness of his undertaking, he is
returned himself now, and is waiting there till the
stream subsides a little; do allow me to go, dear
father ; you have ordered me cold water for my
burnt hand, and it will certainly cure it to get well
wet.”

I could not consent to expose my third son to
the tempest, which was now become frightful ; the
sailcloth which covered our window was torn into
a thousand pieces, and carried away; the rain,
like a deluge, forced itself into our dwelling, even
to the bed where my wife and child were lying. I
could neither make up my mind to leave them
myself in this perilous situation, nor to spare my
boy, who could not even be of any use to his bro-
thers. I commanded him to remain, succeeded
in persuading him of their probable safety, and _
induced him to lie down to rest. Now, in my
terrible solitude, I turned to Him, “ who tempers
the wind to the shorn lamb ;” who forbids us not
to address Him in the trials he sends us, to be-
seech Him to soften them, or to give us strength
to bear them. Kneeling down, I dared to suppli-
cate Him to restore me my children, submissively
adding, after the example of our blessed Saviour,
“Yet, not my will, but thine be done, O Lord.”

My prayers appeared to be heard; the storm
gradually abated, and the day began to break. I
awoke Ernest, and having dressed his wounded
hand, he set out for Tent House, in search of his
brothers. I followed him with my eyes as far as
I could see; the whole country appeared one vast
jake, and the road to Tent House was like the bed


FAMILY ROBINSON. 213

of ariver; but, protected by his good gaiters of
buffalo-skin, he proceeded fearlessly, and was soon
out of my sight.

I was recalled from the window by the voice of
my wife, who was awake, and anxiously inquiring
for her sons.

«They are gone,” said I, “ to gather the leaves
of the karata for Ernest’s burnt hand, and he
wished to go too.”

Her deep sleep had entirely chased from her
memory all the events of the previous evening,
and I was glad to allow Francis to repeat his little
tale of the burn and his conductor, in order to gain
time. She was astonished and uneasy to hear of
Ernest’s accident, and was afraid they would get
wet in searching for the karata, little aware of the
hours of. anguish I had endured waiting and
watching for those she believed had only just
left home. At that moment, the dear and well-
known voices were heard under the great window.

“ Father, I am bringing back my brothers,”
cried Ernest. !

“Yes, papa, we are all alive, and as wet as
fishes,” added the sweet voice of Jack.

“But not without having had our troubles,”
said the manly voice of Fritz.

I rushed down the staircase to meet them, and,
embracing them, I led them, trembling with emo-
tion, to the bed of their mother, who could not
comprehend the transport of joy I expressed.

“ Dear Elizabeth,” said I, “ here are our sons ;
God has given them to us a second time.”

“ Have we then been in any danger of losing
them?” said she. “What is the meaning of this ?”

They saw their mother was unconscious of their
214 THE SWISS

long absence, and assured her it was only the
storm which had so completely wetted them, that
had alarmed me. I hastened to get them to
change their clothes, and go to bed a little while
to rest themselves; as, however anxious I was
myself, I wished to prepare my wife for their
recital, and also to tell her of the vessel. Jack
would not go till he had produced his bundle of
the karata leaves.

“There is enough for six-and-thirty thunder-
storms,” said he; “and I will prepare them. I
have had some experience with my own, and I
know the best method.”

He soon divided one of the leaves with his
knife, after cutting away the triangular thorn
from the end, and applied it to his brother’s hand,
binding it with his handkerchief. Having com-
pleted this dressing, he threw off his clothes, and,
jumping into his bed, he and his brothers were
sound asleep in ten minutes.

I then sat down by my wife, and began my tale ;
from my first view of the vessel, and my anxious
watching for intercourse with it, in order that we
might take the opportunity to return to Europe.

“ But why should we return to Europe?” said
she; “ we want nothing here now, since I have
got flax, cotton, and a wheel. Our children lead
an active, healthy, and innocent life, and live
with us, which they might not do in the world.
For four years we have been happy here, and
what shall we find in Europe to compensate us
for what we leave here?—poverty, war, and none
of those things which we have here abundantly.”

““ But we should find grandmamma,” said little
Francis; and stopped, recollecting my prohibi-
tion.
FAMILY ROBINSON. 215

He had, however, said sufficient to bring tears
to his mother’s eyes.

“ You are right, my darling,” said she, “ that
is my sole regret; but my dear parent was aged
and infirm, in all probability I should no longer
fnd her in this world; and if removed to Heaven,
she watches over us in this island, as well as if
we were in Europe.”

After my dear wife had subdued the agitation
this remembrance caused her, I pursued the con-
versation as follows:—



CHAPTER XXXVI.

“TJ sex, my dear wife,” said I, “ that you, as
well as the rest of my family, are contented to re-
main on this island, where it seems it is the will
of God for us to dwell, as it is improbable that in
such a tempest Captain Johnson would risk ap-
proaching the island, if indeed it has not been
already fatal to him. I am impatient to learn if
Fritz has any tidings of him; for it was on the
shore near Tent House that he and Jack passed
the night.”

“ Well done, my good and courageous boys!”
said their mother ; “ they might at any rate have
given assistance to them if wrecked.”

“ You are more courageous than I am, my dear
Elizabeth,” answered 1; “ Ihave passed the whole
night mourning for my children, and you think
only of the good they might have done to their
fellow-creatures.”

My sons were awake by this time, and I eagerly
216 THE SWISS

inquired if they had discovered any traces of the
vessel. Fritz said they had not; but he feared it
would never be able to resist the fury of the
tempest.

“ No, indeed,” said Jack; “ those mountains of
waves, which were not fixtures like other moun-
tains, came full gallop to swallow up Fritz the
great, Jack the little, and their fine canoe.”

My wife nearly fainted when she heard they
had ventured on that terrible sea; and I reminded
Fritz that I had forbidden him to do this.

“ But you have often said to me, papa,”’ said he,
“do unto others as you would they should do
unto you; and what a happiness it would have
been to us, when our vessel was wrecked, if we
had seen a canoe !”

“ With two bold men coming to our assist-
ance,” said Jack ;—“ but go on with your story,
Fritz.”

Fritz contmued : “ We proceeded first to the
rocks, and, with some difficulty, and not until Jack
had shed some blood in the cause, we secured the
karata-leaves, with their ugly thorns at the end.
When our sack was full, we proceeded along the
rocks towards Tent House. From this height I
tried to discover the ship, but the darkness
obscured everything. Once I thought I per-
ceived at a great distance a fixed light, which
was neither a star nor the lightning, and which I
lost sight of occasionally. .We had now arrived
at the cascade, which, from the noise, seemed
much swoln by the rain—our great stones were
quite hidden by a boiling foam. I would have
attempted to cross, if I had been alone; but, with
Jack on my shoulders, I was afraid of the risk. I
FAMILY ROBINSON. 217

therefore prepared to follow the course of the
river to Family Bridge. The wet ground con-
tinually brought us on our knees, and with great
difficulty we reached the bridge. But judge of our
consternation! the river had risen so much that
the planks were covered, and, as we conceived,
the whole was destroyed. I then told Jack to re-
turn to Falcon’s Nest with the karata-leaves, and
I would swim across the river. I returned about
a hundred yards up the stream to find a wider and
less rapid part, and easily crossed. Judge of my
surprise when I saw a human figure approaching
to meet me; I had no doubt it was the captain of
the vessel, and—”

“And it was Captain Jack, sans peur et sans
reproche,’ said the bold little fellow. “I was
determined not to return home a poltroon who
was afraid of the water. When Fritz was gone, I
tried the bridge, and soon found there was not
sufficient water over it to risk my being drowned.
I took off my boots, which might have made me
slip, and my cloak, which was too heavy, and,
making a dart, I ran with all my strength across,
and reached the other side. I put on my boots,
which I had in my hands, and advanced to
meet Fritz, who called out, as soon as he saw
me, “Is it you, captain?” I tried to say, “ Yes,
certainly,” in a deep tone, but my laughter be-
trayed me.

“To my great regret;” said Fritz, “I should
truly have preferred meeting Captain Johnson ;
but I fear he and his people are at the bottom of
the sea. After meeting with Jack, we proceeded
to Tent House, where we kindled a good fire, and
dried ourselves a little. We then refreshed our-
218 THE SWISS

selves with some wine which remained on the
table where you had entertained the captain, and
proceeded to prepare a signal to inform the vessel
we were ready to receive them. We procured
a thick bamboo cane from the magazine; I fixed
firmly to one end of it the large lantern of the
fish’s bladder you gave us to take; I filled the
lamp with oil, and placed in it a thick cotton-
wick, which, when lighted, was very brilliant.
Jack and I then placed it on the shore, at the en-
trance of the bay. We fixed it before the rock,
where the land-wind would not reach it, sunk it
three or four feet into the ground, steadied it
with stones, and then went to rest over our fire,
after this long and difficult labour. After drying
ourselves a little, we set out on our return, when,
looking towards the sea, we were startled by the
appearance of the same light we had noticed be-
fore ; we heard, at the same time, the distant report
of a gun, which was repeated three or four times
at irregular intervals. We were persuaded that
it was the vessel calling to us for aid, and, remem-
bering the command of our Saviour, we thought
you would forgive our disobedience if we pre-
sented to you in the morning the captain, the
lieutenant, and as many as our canoe would con-
tain. We entered it then without any fear, for
you know how light and well-balanced it is ; and,
rowing into the bay, the sail was spread to the
wind, and we had no more trouble. I then took
the helm; my own signal-light shone clearly on
the shore; and, except for the rain which fell in
torrents, the waves which washed over our canoe,
and uneasiness about the ship and about you, and
our fear that the wind might carry us into the
FAMILY ROBINSON. 219

open sea, we should have had a delightful little
maritime excursion. When we got out of the
bay, I perceived the wind was driving us towards
Shark’s Island, which, being directly before the
bay, forms two entrances to it. I intended to go
round it, and disembark there, if possible, that
I might look out for some trace of the ship, but
we found this impossible; the sea ran too high ;
besides, we should have been unable to moor our
canoe, the island not affording a single tree or
anything we could lash it to, and the waves would
soon have carried it away. We had now lost sight
of the light, and hearing no more signals, I began
to think on your distress when we did not arrive
at the hour we promised. I therefore resolved to
return by the other side of the bay, carefully
avoiding the current, which would have carried us
into the open sea. I lowered the sail by means
of the ropes you had fixed to it, and we rowed
into port. We carefully moored the canoe, and,
without returning to Tent House, took the road
home. We crossed the bridge as Jack had done,
found the waterproof cloak and bag of karata-
leaves where he had left them, and soon after met
Ernest. As it was daylight, I did not take him
for the captain, but knew him immediately, and
felt the deepest remorse when I heard from him
in what anxiety and anguish you had passed the
night. Our enterprise was imprudent, and alto-
gether useless; but we might have saved life,
which would have been an ample remuneration.
I fear all is hopeless. What do you think, father,
of their fate ?”’

“TI hope they are far from this dangerous
coast,” said I; “but if still in our neighbour-
220 THE SWISS

hood, we will do all we can to assist them. As
soon as the tempest is subsided, we will take the
pinnace and sail round the island. You have long
urged me to this, Fritz; and who knows but on
the opposite side we may find some traces of our
own poor sailors,—perhaps even meet with them?”
The weather gradually clearing, I called my
sons to go out with me. My wife earnestly be-
sought me not to venture on the sea; I assured
her it was not sufficiently calm, but we must exa-
mine our plantations, to ascertain what damage
was done, and at the same time we might look
out for some traces of the wreck; besides, our
animals were becoming clamorous for food ; there-
fore, leaving Ernest with her, we descended to
administer in the first place to their wants.

On

CHAPTER XXXVII.

Our animals were impatiently expecting us;
they had been neglected during the storm, and
were ill-supplied with food, besides being half-
sunk in water. The ducks and the flamingo liked
it well enough, and were swimming comfortably
in the muddy water; but the quadrupeds were com-
plaining aloud, each in his own proper language,
and making a frightful confusion of sounds.
Vahant, especially,—the name Francis had be-
stowed on the calf I had given him to bring up,
—bleated incessantly for his young master, and
could not be quieted till he came. It is wonderful
how this child, only twelve years old, had tamed
and attached this animal; though sometimes so
FAMILY ROBINSON. 221

fierce, with him he was mild asa lamb. The boy
rode on his back, guiding him with a little stick,
with which he just touched the side of his neck
as he wished him to move; butif his brothers had
ventured to mount, they would have been cer-
tainly thrown off. A pretty sight was our cavalry:
Fritz on his handsome onagra, Jack on his huge
buffalo, and Francis on his young bull. There was
nothing left for Ernest but the donkey, and its slow
and peaceful habits suited him very well.

Francis ran up to his favourite, who showed
his delight at seeing him as well as he was able,
and at the first summons followed his master from
the stable. Fritz brought out Lightfoot, Jack his
buffalo, and I followed with the cow and the ass.
We left them to sport about at liberty on the
humid earth, till we removed the water from their
stable, and supplied them with fresh food. We
then drove them in, considering it advisable to
pursue our expedition on foot, lest the bridge
should still be overflowed. Francis was the su-
perintendent of the fowls, and knew every little
chicken by name; he called them out and scat-
tered their food for them, and soon had his beau-
tiful and noisy family fluttering round him.

After having made all our animals comfortable,
and given them their breakfast, we began to think
of our own. Francis made a fire and warmed
some chicken broth for his mother; for ourselves,
we were contented with some new milk, some salt
herrings, and cold potatoes. I had often searched
in my excursions for the precious bread-fruit tree,
so highly spoken of by modern travellers, which
I had hoped might be found in our island, from
its favourable situation; but I had hitherto been
222 THE SWISS

unsuccessful. We were unable to procure the
blessing of bread, our ship biscuit had long been
exhausted, and though we had sown our Euro-
pean corn, we had not yet reaped any.

After we had together knelt down to thank
God for his merciful protection through the ter-
rors of the past night, and besought him to con-
tinue it, we prepared to set out. The waves still
ran high, though the wind had subsided, and we
determined merely to go along the shore, as the
roads still continued impassable from the rain,
and the sand was easier to walk on than the wet
grass; besides, our principal motive for the excur-
sion was to search for any traces of a recent ship-
wreck. At first we could discover nothing, even
with the telescope; but Fritz, mounting a high
rock, fancied he discovered something floating
towards the island. He besought me to allow him
to take the canoe, which was still where he left it
the preceding night. As the bridge was now easy
to cross, I consented, only insisting on accom-
panying him to assist in managing it. Jack, who
was much afraid of being left behind, was the first
to leap in and seize an oar. There was, however,
no need of it; I steered my little boat into the
current, and we were carried away with such ve-
locity as almost to take our breath. Fritz was at
the helm, and appeared to have no fear; I will
not say that his father was so tranquil. I held
Jack, for fear of accidents, but he only laughed,
and observed to his brother that the canoe gal-
loped better than Lightfoot. We were soon in
the open sea, and directed our canoe towards the
object we had remarked, and which we still had
in sight. We were afraid it was the boat upset,
FAMILY ROBINSON. 223

but it proved to be a tolerably large cask, which
had probably been thrown overboard to lighten
the distressed vessel ; we saw several others, but
neither mast nor plank to give us any idea that
the vessel and boat had perished. Fritz wished
much to have made the circuit of the island, to
assure ourselves of this, but I would not hear of
it; I thought of my wife’s terror; besides, the
sea was still too rough for our frail bark, and we
had, moreover, no provisions. If my canoe had
not been well built, it would have run great risk
of being overset by the waves, which broke
over it. Jack, when he saw one coming, lay down
on his face, saying he preferred having them on
his back rather than in his mouth; he jumped up
as soon as it passed, to help to empty the canoe,
till another wave came to fill it again ; but, thanks
to my outriggers, we preserved our balance very
well, and I consented to go as far as Cape Dis-
appointment, which merited the name a second
time, for we found no trace here of the vessel,
though we mounted the hill, and thus commanded
a wide extent of view. As we looked round the
country, it appeared completely devastated : trees
torn up by the roots, plantations levelled with
the ground, water collected into absolute lakes,—
all announced desolation ; and the tempest seemed
to be renewing. The sky was darkened, the wind
arose, and was unfavourable for our return; nor
could I venture the canoe on the waves, every in-
stant becoming more formidable. We moored our
bark to a large palm-tree we found at the foot of
the hill, near the shore, and set out by land to our
home. We crossed the Gourd Wood and the
Wood of Monkeys, and arrived at our farm, which
224, THE SWISS

we found, to our great satisfaction, had not suf.
fered much from the storm. The food we had
left in the stables was nearly consumed; from
which we concluded that the animals we had left
here had sheltered themselves during the storm.
We refilled the mangers with the hay we had pre-
served in the loft, and observing the sky getting
more and more threatening, we set out without
delay for our house, from which we were yet a
considerable distance. To avoid Flamingo Marsh,
which was towards the sea, and Rice Marsh, to-
wards the rock, we determined to go through
Cotton Wood, which would save us from the wind,
which was ready to blow us off our feet. I was
still uneasy about the ship, which the heutenant
had told me was out of repair ; but I indulged a
hope that they might have taken refuge in some
bay, or found anchorage on some hospitable shore,
where they might get their vessel into order.

Jack was alarmed lest they should fall into the
hands of the anthropophagi, who eat men like
hares or sheep, of whom he had read in some book
of travels, and excited the ridicule of his brother,
who was astonished at his ready belief of travellers’
tales, which he asserted were usually false.

“But Robinson Crusoe would not tell a false-
hood,” said Jack, indignantly ; “and there were
cannibals came to his island, and were going to
eat Friday, if he had not saved him.”

“Oh! Robinson could not tell a falsehood,”
said Fritz, “ because he never existed. The whole
history is a romance—is not that the name, father,
that is given to works of the imagination ?”

“It is,” said I; “but we must not call Robin-
son Crusoe a romance ; though Robinson himself,
FAMILY ROBINSON. 225

and all the circumstances of his history are pro-
bably fictitious, the details are all founded on
truth—on the adventures and descriptions of voy-
agers who may be depended on, and unfortunate
individuals who have actually been wrecked on
unknown shores. If ever our journal should be
printed, many may believe that it is only a ro-
mance—a mere work of the imagination.”

My boys hoped we should not have to introduce
any savages into our romance, and were astonished
that an island so beautiful had not tempted any
to inhabit it; in fact, I had often been myself
surprised at this circumstance; but I told them
many voyagers had noticed islands apparently
fertile, and yet uninhabited ; besides, the chain of
rocks which surrounded this might prevent the
approach of savages, unless they had discovered
the little Bay of Safety where we had landed.
Fritz said he anxiously desired to circumnavigate
the island, in order to ascertain the size of it, and
if there were similar chains of rocks on the oppo-
site side. I promised him, as soon as the stormy
weather was past, and his mother well enough to
remove to Tent House, we would take our pin-
nace, and set out on our little voyage.

We now approached the marsh, and he begged
me to let him go and cut some canes, as he pro-
jected making a sort of carriage for his mother.
As we were collecting them, he explained his
scheme to me. . He wished to weave of these
reeds, which were very strong, a large and long sort
of pannier, in which his mother might sit or re-
cline, and which-might be suspended between two
strong bamboo-canes by handles of rope. He
then purposed to yoke two of our most gentle

Q
226 THE SWISS

animals, the cow and the ass, the one before and
the other behind, between these shafts, the leader
to be mounted by one of the children as director ;
the other would follow naturally, and the good
mother would thus be carried, as if in a liter,
without any danger of jolting. I was pleased
with this idea, and we all set to work to load our-
selves each with a huge burden of reeds. They
requested me not to tell my wife, that they might
give her an agreeable surprise. It needed such
affection as ours to induce us to the undertaking
in such unpropitious weather. It rained in tor-
rents, and the marsh was so soft and wet, that we
were in danger of sinking at every step. How-
ever, I could not be less courageous than my sons,
whom nothing daunted, and we soon made up our
bundles, and, placing them on our heads, they
formed a sort of umbrella, which was not without
its benefits. We soon arrived at Falcon’s Nest.
Before we reached the tree, I saw a fire shine to
such a distance, that I was alarmed; but soon
found it was only meant for our benefit by our
kind friends at home. When my wife saw the
rain falling, she had instructed her little assistant
to make a fire in our usual cooking-place, at a little
distance from the tree, and protected by a canopy
of waterproof cloth. from the ram. The young
cook had not only kept up a good fire to dry us
on our return, but had taken the opportunity of
roasting two dozen of those excellent little birds
which his mother had preserved in butter, and
which, all ranged on the old sword which served
us for a spit, were just ready on, our arrival, and
the fire and feast were equally grateful to the
FAMILY ROBINSON. 227

hungry, exhausted, and wet travellers, who sat
down to enjoy them.

However, before we sat down to our repast, we
went up to see our invalids, whom we found
tolerably well, though anxious for our return.
Ernest, with his sound hand, and the assistance
of Francis, had succeeded in forming a sort of
‘rampart before the opening into the room, com-
posed of the four hammocks in which he and his
brothers slept, placed side by side, on end. This
sufficiently protected them from the rain, but ex-
cluded the light, so that they had been obliged to
light a candle, and Ernest had been reading to
his mother in a book of voyages that had formed
part of the captain’s small library. It was a sin-
gular coincidence, that while we were talking of
the savages on the way home, they were also read-
ing of them; and I found my dear wife much
agitated by the fears these accounts had awakened
in her mind, After soothing her terrors, I re-
turned to the fire to dry myself, and to enjoy my
repast. Besides the birds, Francis had prepared
fresh eggs and potatoes for us. He told me that
his mamma had given up her office of cook to
him, and assured me that he would perform the
duties to our satisfaction, provided he was fur-
nished with materials. Fritz was to hunt, Jack
to fish, I was to order dinner, and he would make
it ready. ‘‘ And when we have neither game nor
fish,” said Jack, “we will attack your poultry-
yard.” This was not at all to the taste of poor
little Francis, who could not bear his favourites to
be killed, and who had actually wept over the
chicken that was slaughtered to make broth for

Q 2
228 THE SWISS

his mother. We were obliged to promise him
that, when other resources failed, we would apply
to our barrels of salt-fish. He, however, gave us
Jeave to dispose as we liked of the ducks and
geese, which were too noisy for him.

After we had concluded our repast, we carried
a part of it to our friends above, and proceeded to
give them an account of our expedition. I then
secured the hammocks somewhat more firmly, to
save us from the storm that was still raging, and
the hour of rest being at hand, my sons estab-
lished themselves on mattresses of cotton, made by
their kind mother, and in spite of the roaring of
the winds, we were soon in profound repose.



CHAPTER XXXVIII.

Tax storm continued to rage the whole of the
following day, and even the day after, with the
same violence. Happily our tree stood firm,
though several branches were broken; amongst
others, that to which Francis’s wire was suspended.
I replaced it with more care, carried it beyond our
roof, and fixed at the extremity the pointed instru-
ment which had attracted the lightning. I then
substituted for the hammocks before the window,
strong planks, which remained from my building,
and which my sons assisted me to raise with pul-
leys, after having sawed them to the proper length.
Through these I made loop-holes, to admit the
light and air. In order to carry off the rain, I fixed
a sort of spout, made of the wood of a tree I had
met with, which was unknown to me, though ap-
FAMILY ROBINSON. 229

parently somewhat like the elder. The whole of
the tree, almost to the bark, was filled up with a
sort of pith, easily removed. From this tree I made
the pipes for our fountain, and the remainder was
now useful for these rain-spouts. I employed
those days in which I could not go out, in sepa-
rating the seeds and grain, of which I saw we
should have need, and in mending our work-tools ;
my sons, in the mean time, nestled under the tree
among the roots, were incessantly employed in the
construction of the carriage for their mother. The
karatas had nearly completed the cure of Ernest’s
hand, and he was able to assist his brothers in
preparing the canes, which Fritz and Jack wove
between the flat wooden wands, with which they
had made the frame of their pannier; they suc-
ceeded in making it so strong and close, that they
might have carried liquids in it. My dear wife’s
foot and leg were gradually improving; and I
took the opportunity of her confinement, to rea-
son with her on her false notion of the dangers of
the sea, and to represent to her the gloomy pro-
spect of our sons, if they were left alone in the
island. She agreed with me, but could not re-
solve to leave it; she hoped God would send some
vessel to us, which might leave us some society ;
and after all, if our sons were left, she pointed
out to me, that they had our beautiful pinnace,
and might at any time, of their own accord, leave
the island.

“ And why should we anticipate the evils of
futurity, my dear friend?” said she. “ Let us
think only of the present. J am anxious now to
know if the storm has spared my fine kitchen-
garden.”
230 THE SWISS

“You must wait a little,’ said I. “Iam as
uneasy as you, for my maize-plantations, my sugar-
canes, and my corn-fields.”

At last, one night, the storm ceased, the clouds
passed away, and the moon showed herself in all
her glory. How delighted we were! My wife
got me to remove the large planks I had placed
before the opening, and the bright moonbeams
streamed through the branches of the tree into our
room; a gentle breeze refreshed us, and so de- .
lighted were we in gazing on that sky of promise,
that we could scarcely bear to go to bed, but spent
half the night in projects for the morrow; the
good mother alone said, that she could not join in
our excursions. Jack and Francis smiled at each
other, as they thought of their litter, which was
now nearly finished. |

A bright sun awoke us early next morning.
Fritz and Jack had requested me to allow them
to finish their carriage; so, leaving Ernest with
his mother, I took Francis with me to ascertain
the damage done to the garden at Tent House,
about which his mother was so anxious. We
easily crossed the bridge, but the water had car-
ried away some of the planks; however, my little
boy leaped from one plank to another with great
agility, though the distance was sometimes con-
siderable. He was so proud of being my sole
companion, that he scarcely touched the ground
as he ran on before me; but he had a sad shock
when he got to the garden; of which we could
not find the slightest trace. All was destroyed ;
the walks, the fine vegetable-beds, the plantations
of pines and melons—all had vanished. Francis
FAMILY ROBINSON. 231

stood like a marble statue, as pale and still; till,
bursting into tears, he recovered himself.

“Oh! my good mamma,” said he; “ what will
she say when she hears of this misfortune? But
she need not know it, papa,” added he, after a
pause ; “it would distress her too much; and if
you and my brothers will help me, we will repair
the damage before she can walk. The plants may
not be so large; but the earth is moist, and they
will grow quickly, and I will work hard to get it
into order.”

I embraced my dear boy, and promised him
this should be our first work. I feared we should
have many other disasters to repair; but a child
of twelve years old gave me an example of resig-
nation and courage. We agreed to come next
day to begin our labour, for the garden was too
well situated for me to abandon it. It was ona
gentle declivity, at the foot of the rocks, which
sheltered it from the north wind, and was conve-
niently watered from the cascade. I resolved to
add a sort of bank, or terrace, to protect it from
the violent rains; and Francis was so pleased with
the idea, that he began to gather the large stones
which were scattered over the garden, and to carry
them to the place where I wished to build my
terrace. He would have worked all day, if I
would have allowed him; but I wanted to look
after my young plantations, my sugar-canes and
my fields, and, after the destruction I had just
witnessed, I had everything to fear. I proceeded
to the avenue of fruit-trees that led to Tent House,
and was agreeably surprised. All were half-bowed
to the ground, as well as the bamboos that sup-
232 THE SWISS

ported them, but few were torn up; and I saw
that my sons and I, with the labour of two or
three days, could restore them. Some of them
had already begun to bear fruit, but all was de-
stroyed for this year. This was, however, a trifling
loss, compared with what I had anticipated ; for,
having no more plants of European fruits, I could
not have replaced them. Besides, having resolved
to inhabit Tent House at present, entirely,—being
there defended from storms,—it was absolutely
necessary to contrive some protection from the
heat. My new plantations afforded little shade
yet, and I trembled to propose to my wife to come
and inhabit these burning rocks. Francis was
gathering some of the beautiful unknown flowers
of the island for his mother, and when he had
formed his nosegay, bringing it to me,—

“See, papa,” said he, “how the rain has re-
freshed these flowers. I wish it would rain still,
it is so dreadfully hot here. Oh! if we had but
a little shade.”

“That is just what I was thinking of, my dear,”
said I; “we shall have shade enoug&. when my
trees are grown; but, in the mean time uf

“Tn the mean time, papa,” said Francis, “I
will tell you what you must do. You must make
a very long, broad colonnade before our house,
covered with cloth, and open before, so that
mamma may have air and shade at once.”

I was pleased with my son’s idea, and promised
him to construct a gallery soon, and call it the
Franciade in honour of him. My little boy was
delighted that his suggestion should be thus ap-
proved, and begged me not to tell his mamma, as


FAMILY ROBINSON. 233

he wished to surprise her, as much as his brothers
did with their carriage; and he hoped the Fran-
ciade might be finished before she visited Tent
House. I assured him I would be silent; and we
took the road hence, talking about our new colon-
nade. I projected making it in the most simple
and easy way. A row of strong bamboo-canes
planted at equal distances along the front of our
house, and united by a plank of wood at the top
cut into arches between the canes; others I would
place sloping from the rock, to which I would
fasten them by iron cramps; these were to be
covered with sailcloth, prepared with the elastic
gum, and well secured to the plank. This build-
ing would not take much time, and I anticipated
the pleasure of my wife when she found out that
it was an invention of her little favourite, who, of
a mild and reflecting disposition, was beloved by
us all. As we walked along, we saw something
approaching, that Francis soon discovered to be
his brothers, with their new carriage; and, con-
cluding that his mamma occupied it, he hastened
to meet them, lest they should proceed to the
garden. But on our approach, we discovered that
Ernest was in the litter, which was borne by the
cow before, on which Fritz was mounted, and by
the ass behind, with Jack on it. Ernest declared
the conveyance was so easy and delightful that he
should often take his mother’s place.

“T like that very much,” said Jack; “ then I
will take care that we will harness the onagra
and the buffalo for you, and they will give you a
pretty joltmg, I promise you. The cow and ass
are only for mamma. Look, papa, is it not com-
234 THE SWISS

plete? We wished to try it as soon as we finished
it, so we got Ernest to occupy it, while mother
was asleep.”

Ernest declared it only wanted two cushions,
one to sit upon, the other to recline against, to
make it perfect ; and though I could not help
smiling at his love of ease, I encouraged the
notion, in order to delay my wife’s excursion till
our plans were completed. I then put Francis
into the carriage beside his brother; and ordering
Fritz and Jack to proceed with their equipage to
inspect our corn-fields, I returned to my wife, who
was still sleeping. On her awaking, I told her the
garden and plantations would require a few days’
labour to set them in order, and I should leave
Ernest, who was not yet in condition to be a
labourer, to nurse her and read to her. My sons
returned in the evening, and gave me a melancholy
account of our corn-fields; the corn was com-
pletely destroyed, and we regretted this the more,
as we had very little left for seed. We had anti-
cipated a feast of real bread, but we were obliged
to give up all hope for this year, and to content
ourselves with our cakes of cassava, and with pota-
toes. The maize had suffered less, and might
have been a resource for us, but the large, hard
grain was so very difficult to reduce to flour fine
enough for dough. Fritz often recurred to the
necessity of building a mill near the cascade at
Tent House; but this was not the work of a
moment, and we had time to consider of it; for
at present we had no corn to grind. As I found
Francis had let his brothers into all our secrets, it
was agreed that I, with Fritz, Jack, and Francis,
should proceed to Tent House next morning.


FAMILY ROBINSON. 235

Francis desired to be of the party, that he might
direct the laying out of the garden, he said, with
an important air, as he had been his mother’s
assistant on its formation. We arranged our bag
of vegetable-seeds, and having bathed my wife’s
foot with a simple embrocation, we offered our
united prayers, and retired to our beds to prepare
ourselves for the toils of the next day.

nr

CHAPTER XXXIX..

We rose early; and, after our usual morning
duties, we left our invalids for the whole day,
taking with us, for our dinner, a goose and some
potatoes, made ready the evening before. We
harnessed the bull and the buffalo to the cart, and
I sent Fritz and Jack to the wood of bamboos,
with orders to load the cart with as many as it
would contain; and, especially, to select some very
thick ones for my colonnade ; the rest I intended
for props for my young trees; and this I proposed
to be my first undertaking. Francis would have
preferred beginning with the Franciade, or the
garden, but he was finally won over by the
thoughts of the delicious fruits, which we might
lose by our neglect; the peaches, plums, pears,
and, above all, the cherries, of which he was very
fond. He then consented to assist me in holding
the trees whilst I replaced the roots; after which
he went to cut the reeds to tie them. Suddenly
I heard him cry, “ Papa, papa, here is a large
chest come for us; come and take it.” I ran to
him, and saw it was the very chest we had seen
236 THE SWIss

floating, and which we had taken for the boat at a
distance; the waves had left it in our bay, en-
tangled in the reeds, which grew abundantly here,
It was almost buried in the sand. We could

and it was pretty well advanced when the tired _
and hungry party returned with their cart-load of —
bamboos. ‘ We rested, and sat down to eat our +
goose. Guavas and sweet acorns, which had escaped
the storm, and which my sons brought, completed ~
our repast. Fritz had killed a large bird in the marsh,
which I took at first for a young flamingo; but it
was a young “assowary, the first I had seer, in the
island. This bird is remarkable for its extraordi-
nary size, and for its plumage, so short and fine
that it seems rather to be hair than feathers, |

bird, which, if standing on its webbed feet, would
ave been four feet high ; I therefore forbade them
to meddle with it. }

€ ate, we talked of the chest, and our cu-


fi/

LL

iy) M4



* Fritz, with a strong hatchet forced the chest open, and we all

eagerly crowded to see the contents.”—P, 237.
FAMILY ROBINSON. 237

Jack, who was somewhat fond of dress, and had
notions of elegance, declared in favour of clothes,
and particularly of linen, finer and whiter than
that which his mother wove; if Ernest had been
there, books would have been his desire; for my
own part, there was nothing I was more anxious
for than European seeds, particularly corn ; Francis
had a lingering wish that the chest might contain
some of those gingerbread cakes which his grand-
mamma used to treat him with in Europe, and
which he had often regretted ; but he kept this
wish to himself, for fear his brothers should call
him “little glutton,” and assured us that he
should like a little pocket-knife, with a small saw,
better than anything in the world; and he was
the only one who had his wish. The chest was
opened, and we saw that it was filled with a
number of trifling things hkely to tempt savage
nations, and to become the means of exchange,—
principally glass and iron ware, coloured beads,
pins, needles, looking-glasses, children’s toys,
constructed as models, such as carts, and tools of
every sort; amongst which we found some likely
to be useful, such as hatchets, saws, planes, gim-
lets, &c.; besides a collection of knives, of which
Francis had the choice; and scissors, which were
reserved for mamma, her own being nearly worn
out. I had, moreover, thé pleasure of finding a
quantity of nails of every size and kind, besides
iron hooks, staples, &c., which I needed greatly.
After we had examined the contents, and selected
what we wanted immediately, we closed up the
chest, and conveyed it to our magazine at Tent
House. We had spent so much time in our exa-
mination, that we had some difficulty to finish ©
ee

——— OO eee ee eee eeeerl le eh lh

238 THE SWISS

propping our trees, and to arrive at home before
it was dark. We found my wife somewhat uneasy
at our lengthened absence, but our appearance
soon calmed her. “ Mother,” said I, “I have
brought back all your chickens to crowd under
your wing.”

“ And we have not come back empty-handed,”
said Jack. ‘“ Look, mamma; here are a beautiful
pair of scissors, a large paper of needles, another
of pis, and athimble! How rich you are now!
And when you get well, you can make me a pretty
waistcoat and a pair of trousers, for I am in great
want of them.”

“And I, mamma,” said Francis, “have brought
you a mirror, that you may arrange your cap;
you have often been sorry papa did not remember
to bring one from the ship. This was intended
for the savages, and I will begin with you.”

“T believe I rather resemble one now,” said
my good Elizabeth, arranging the red and yellow
silk handkerchief which she usually wore on her
head.

“ Only, mamma,” said Jack, “ when you wear
the comical pointed bonnet which Ernest made

ou.”
“ What matters it,” said she, “whether it be
pomted or round? It will protect me from the .
sun, and it is the work of my Ernest, to whom I
am much obliged.”

Ernest, with great ingenuity and patience, had
endeavoured to plait his mother a bonnet of the
rice-straw ; he had succeeded; but not knowing
how to form the round crown, he was obliged to
finish it in a point, to the great and incessant di-
version of his brothers.




FAMILY ROBINSON. 239

“ Mother,” said Ernest, in his usual grave and
thoughtful tone, “Ishould not like you to look
like a savage; therefore, as soon as I regain the
use of my hand, my first work shall be to make
you a bonnet, which I will take care shall be
formed with a round crown, as you will lend me
one of your large needles, and I will take, to sew
the crown on, the head of either Jack or Francis.”

“What do you mean? My head!” said they
both together.

“Oh, I don’t mean to take it off your shoul-
ders,” said he; “it will only be necessary that
one of you should kneel down before me, for a
day perhaps, while I use your head as a model ;
and you need not ery out much if I should chance
to push my needle in.”

This time the philosopher had the laugh on his
side, and his tormentors were silenced.

We now explained to my wife where we had
found the presents we had brought her. My of-
ferings to her were a light axe, which she could
use to cut her firewood with, and an iron kettle,
smaller and more convenient than the one she
had. Fritz had retired, and now came in drag-
ging with difficulty his huge cassowary. “ Here,
mamma,” said he, “I have brought you a little
chicken for your dinner ;” and the astonishment
and laughter again commenced. The rest of the
evening was spent in plucking the bird, to pre-
pare part of it for next day. We then retired to
rest, that we might begin our labour early next
morning. Ernest chose to remain with his books
and his mother, for whom he formed with the mat-
tresses a sort of reclining chair, in which she was
able to sit up in bed and sew. Thus she endured.
940 THE SWISS

a confinement of six weeks, without complaint,
and in that time got all our clothes put into good
order. Francis had nearly betrayed our secret
once, by asking his mamma to make him a mason’s
apron. “A mason’s apron!” said she; “are you
going to build a house, child?”

“T meant to say a gardener’s apron,” said he.

His mamma was satisfied, and promised to com-
ply with his request.

In the mean time, my three sons and I laboured
assiduously to get the garden into order again,
and to raise the terraces, which we hoped might
be a defence against future storms. Fritz had
also proposed to me to construct a stone conduit,
to bring the water to our kitchen-garden from
the river, to which we might carry it back, after it
had passed round our vegetable-beds. This was a
formidable task, but too useful an affair to be
neglected; and, aided by the geometrical skill of
Fritz, and the ready hands of my two younger
boys, the conduit was completed. I took an
opportunity, at the same time, to dig a pond above
the garden, into which the conduit poured the
water ; this was always warm with the sun, and,
by means of a sluice, we were able to disperse it
in little channels to water the garden. The pond
would also be useful to preserve small fish and
crabs for use. We next proceeded to our em-
bankment. This was intended to protect the gar-
den from any extraordinary overflow of the river,
and from the water running from the rocks after
heavy rains. We then laid out our garden on the
same plan as before, except that I made the walks
wider, and not so flat; I carried one directly to
our house, which, in the autumn, I intended to


FAMILY ROBINSON. 241

plant with shrubs, that my wife might have a
shady avenue to approach her garden; where I
also planned an arbour, furnished with seats, as a
resting-place for her. The rocks were covered
with numerous climbing plants, bearing every
variety of elegant flower, and I had only to make
my selection.

All this work, with the enclosing the garden
with palisades of bamboo, occupied us about a
fortnight, in which time our invalids made great
progress towards their recovery. After the whole
was finished, Francis entreated me to begin his
gallery. My boys approved of my plan, and Fritz
declared that the house was certainly comfortable
and commodious, but that it would be wonderfully
improved by a colonnade, with a little pavilion at
each end, and a fountain in each pavilion.

“T never heard a word of these pavilions,”
said I.

“No,” said Jack, “they are our own invention.
The colonnade will be called the Franciade; and
we wish our little pavilions to be named, the one
Fritzia, the other Jackia, if you please.”

I agreed to this reasonable request, and only
begged to know how they would procure water
for their fountams. Fritz undertook to bring the
water, if I would only assist them in completing
this little scheme, to give pleasure to their be-
loved mother. Iwas charmed to see the zeal and
anxiety of my children to oblige their tender
mother. Her illness seemed to have strengthened
their attachment ; they thought only how to con-
sole and amuse her. She sometimes told me she
really blessed the accident, which had taught her
how much she was valued by all around her.

R
242 THE SWISS

CHAPTER XL.

Tue next day was Sunday,—our happy Sabbath
for repose and ‘quiet conversation at home. After
passing the day in our usual devotions and sober
reading, my three elder boys requested my per-
mission to walk towards our farm in the evening.
On their return, they informed me it would be
necessary to give a few days’ labour to our plan-
tations of maize and potatoes. I therefore de-
termined to look to them.

Though I was out early next morning, I found
Fritz and Jack had been gone some time, leaving
only the ass in the stables, which I secured for my
little Francis. I perceived, also, that they had
dismounted my cart, and carried away the wheels,
from which I concluded that they had met with
some tree in their walk the preceding evening,
suitable for the pipes for their fountains, and that
they had now returned to cut it down, and convey
it to Tent House. As I did not know where to
meet with them, I proceeded with Francis on the
ass to commence his favourite work. I drew my
plan on the ground first. At the distance of
twelve feet from the rock which formed the front
of our house, I marked a straight line of fifty feet,
which I divided into ten spaces of five feet each
for my colonnade; the two ends were to be re-
served for the two pavilions my sons wished to
build. I was busy in my calculations, and Francis
placing stakes in the places where I wished to
dig, when the cart drove up with our two good
labourers. They had, as I expected, found the
FAMILY ROBINSON. 243

evening before a species of pine, well adapted for
their pipes. They had cut down four, of fifteen or
twenty feet in length, which they had brought on
the wheels of the cart, drawn by the four animals.
They had had some difficulty in transporting them
to the place; and the greatest still remained—the
boring the trunks, and then uniting them firmly.
I had neither augers nor any tools fit for the pur-
pose. I had, certainly, constructed a little foun-
tain at Falcon’s Nest; but the stream was near at
hand, and was easily conveyed by cane pipes to
our tortoise-shell basin. Here the distance was
considerable, the ground unequal, and, to have the
water pure and cool, underground pipes were ne-
cessary. I thought of large bamboos, but Fritz
pointed out the knots, and the difficulty of join-
ing the pieces, and begged me to leave it to him,
as he had seen fountains made in Switzerland, and
had no fears of success. In the mean time, all
hands set to work at the arcade. We selected
twelve bamboos of equal height and thickness, and
fixed them securely in the earth, at five feet from
each other. These formed a pretty colonnade, and
were work enough for one day.

We took care to divert all inquiries at night, by
discussing the subjects which our invalids had been
reading during the day. The little library of our
captain was very choice ; besides the voyages and
travels, which interested them greatly, there was
a good collection of historians, and some of the
best poets, for which Ernest had no little taste.
However, he requested earnestly that he might be
of our party next day, and Francis, good-naturedly,
offered to stay with mamma, expecting, no doubt,
Ernest’s congratulations on the forward state of

R 2
244, THE SWISS

the Franciade. The next morning Ernest and I
set out, his brothers having preceded us. Poor
Ernest regretted, as we went, that he had no share
in these happy schemes for his mother. I re-
minded him, however, of his dutiful care of her
during her sickness, and all his endeavours to
amuse her. “And, besides,’ added I, “ did you
not make her a straw bonnet ?”

“ Yes,” said he, “and I now remember what a
frightful shape it was. I will try to make a better,
and will go to-morrow morning to choose my
straw.”

As we approached Tent House, we heard a most
singular noise, echoing at intervals amongst the
rocks. Wesoon discovered the cause; m a hollow
of the rocks I saw a very hot fire, which Jack was
blowing through a cane, whilst Fritz was turning
amidst the embers a bar of iron. When it was
red hot, they laid it on an anvil I had brought
from the ship, and struck it alternately with ham-
mers to bring it to a point.

“ Well done, my young smiths,” said I; “we
ought to try all things, and keep what is good.
Do you expect to succeed in making your auger?
I suppose that is what you want.”

“ Yes, father,” said Fritz; “ we should succeed
well enough if we only had a good pair of bel-
lows; you see we have already got a tolerable
point.”

Now Fritz could not believe anything was im-
possible. He had killed a kangaroo the evening
before, and skinned it. The flesh made us a
dinner ; of the skin he determined to make a pair
of bellows. He nailed it, with the hair out, not
having time to tan it, to two flat pieces of wood,
FAMILY ROBINSON. 245

with holes in them ; to this he added a reed for
the pipe; he then fixed it by means of a long
cord and a post, to the side of his fire, and Jack,
with his hand or his foot, blew the fire, so that the
iron was speedily red hot, and quite malleable.
I then showed them how to twist the iron into
a screw,—rather clumsy, but which would answer
the purpose tolerably well. At one end they
formed a ring, in which we placed a piece of
wood transversely, to enable them to turn the
screw. We then made a trial of it. We placed
a tree on two props, and Fritz and I managed
the auger so well, that we had our tree pierced
through in a very little time, working first at one
end and then at the other. Jack, im the mean
time, collected the shavings we made, which he
deposited in the kitchen for his mother’s use, to
kindle the fire. Ernest, meanwhile, was walking
about, making observations, and giving his advice
to his brothers on the architecture of their pavi-
lions, till, seemg they were going to bore another
tree, he retired into the garden to see the embank-
ment. He returned delighted with the improve-
ments, and much disposed to take some employ-
ment. He wanted to assist in boring the tree,
but we could not all work at it. I undertook
this labour myself, and sent him to blow the
bellows, while his brothers laboured at the forge,
the work not being too hard for his lame hand.
My young smiths were engaged in flattening the
iron to make joints to unite their pipes; they
succeeded very well, and then began to dig the
ground to lay them. Ernest, knowing something
of geometry and land-surveying, was able to give
them some useful hints, which enabled them to
246 THE SWISS

complete their work successfully. Leaving them
to do this, I employed myself in covering in my
long colonnade. After I had placed on my co-
lumns a plank cut in arches, which united them,
and was firmly nailed to them, I extended from it
bamboos, placed sloping against the rock, and se-
cured to it by cramps of iron, the work of my
young smiths. When my bamboo roof was so-
lidly fixed, the canes as close as possible, I filled
the interstices with a clay I found near the river,
and poured gum over it; I had thus an imper-
vious and brilliant roof, which appeared to be
varnished, and striped green and brown. I then
raised the floor a foot, in order that there might
be no damp, and paved it with the square stones
I had preserved when we cut the rock. It must
be understood that all this was the work of many
days. I was assisted by Jack and Fritz, and by
Ernest and Francis alternately, one always re-
maining with his mother, who was still unable to
walk. Ernest employed his time, when at home,
in making the straw bonnet, without either bor-
rowing his brother’s head for a model, or letting
any of them know what he was doing. Never-
theless, he assisted his brothers with their pavi-
lions by his really valuable knowledge. They
formed them very elegantly,—something like a
Chinese pagoda. They were exactly square, sup-
ported on four columns, and rather higher than
the gallery. The roofs terminated in a point, and
resembled a large parasol. The fountains were in
the middle; the basins, breast-high, were formed
of the shells of two turtles from our reservoir,
which were mercilessly sacrificed for the purpose,
and furnished our table abundantly for some days.
FAMILY ROBINSON. 24:7

They succeeded the cassowary, which had supplied
us very seasonably : its flesh tasted like beef, and
made excellent soup.

But to return to the fountains. Ernest sug-
gested the idea of ornamenting the end of the
perpendicular pipe, which brought the water to
the basin, with shells; every sort might be col-
lected on the shore, of the most brilliant colours,
and curious and varied shapes. He was passion-
ately devoted to natural history, and had made
a collection of these, endeavouring to classify
them from the descriptions he met with in the
books of voyages and travels. Some of these, of
the most dazzling beauty, were placed round the
pipe, which had been plastered with clay ; from
thence the water was received into a volute, shaped
like an antique urn, and again was poured grace-
fully into the large turtle-shell; a small channel
conveyed it then out of the pavilions. The whole
was completed in less time than I could have
imagined, and greatly surpassed my expectations ;
conferring an inestimable advantage on our dwell-
ing, by securing us from the heat. All honour
was rendered to Master Francis, the inventor, and
The Franciade was written in large letters on the
middle arch; Fritzia and Jackia were written in
the same way over the pavilions. “Ernest alone
was not named; and he seemed somewhat affected
by it. Hehad acquired a great taste for rambling
and botanizing, and had communicated it also to
Fritz, and now that our labours were ended at
Tent House, they left us to nurse our invalid, and
made long excursions together, which lasted some-
times whole days. As they generally returned
with some game, or some new fruit, we pardoned
248 THE SWISS

their absence, and they were always welcome.
Sometimes they brought a kangaroo, sometimes
an agouti, the flesh of which resembles that of a
rabbit, but is richer ; sometimes they brought wild
ducks, pigeons, and even partridges. These were
contributed by Fritz, who never went out without
his gun and his dogs. Ernest brought us natural
curiosities, which amused us much,—stones, crys-
tals, petrifactions, insects, butterflies of rare beauty,
and flowers, whose colours and fragrance no one
in. Europe can form an idea of. Sometimes he
brought fruit, which we always administered first
to our monkey, as taster: some of them proved
very delicious. ‘T'wo of his discoveries, especially,
were most valuable acquisitions, — the guajaraba,
on the large leaf of which one may write with a
pointed instrument, and the fruit of which, a sort
of grape, is very good to eat; also the date-palm,
every part of which is so useful, that we were truly
thankful to Heaven, and our dear boys, for the
discovery. Whilst young, the trunk contains a
sort of marrow, very delicious. The date-palm is
crowned by a head, formed of from forty to eighty
leafy branches, which spread round the top. The
dates are particularly good about half-dried; and
my wife immediately began to preserve them.
My sons could only bring the fruit now, but we
purposed to transplant some of the trees them-
selves near our abode. We did not discourage our
sons in these profitable expeditions; but they had
another aim, which I was yet ignorant of. Inthe
mean time, [usually walked with one of my younger
sons towards Tent House, to attend to our garden,
and to see if our works continued in good condi-
tion to receive mamma, who daily improved ; but


FAMILY ROBINSON. 249

I insisted on her being completely restored, before
she was introduced tothem. Our dwelling looked
beautiful amongst the picturesque rocks, sur-
rounded by trees of every sort, and facing the
smooth and lovely Bay of Safety. The garden
was not so forward as I could have wished ; but we
were obliged to be patient, and hope for the best.



CHAPTER XLI.

One day, having gone over with my younger
sons to weed the garden, and survey our posses-
sions, I perceived that the roof of the gallery
wanted a little repair, and called Jack to raise for
me the rope ladder which I had brought from
Falcon’s Nest, and which had been very useful
while we were constructing the roof; but we
sought for it everywhere; it could not be found ;
and as we were quite free from robbers in our
island, I could only accuse my elder sons, who
had doubtless carried it off to ascend some tall
cocoa-nut tree. Obliged to be content, we walked
into the garden by the foot of the rocks. Since
our arrival, I had been somewhat uneasy at
hearing a dull, continued noise, which appeared
to proceed from this side. The forge we had
passed, now extinguished, and our workmen were
absent. Passing along, close to the rocks, the
noise became more distinct, and I was truly
alarmed. Could it be an earthquake? Or perhaps
it announced some volcanic explosion. I stopped
before that part of the rock where the noise
was loudest; the surface was firm and level;
250 THE SWISS

but from time to time, blows and falling stones
seemed to strike our ears. I was uncertain what
to do; curiosity prompted me to stay, but a sort
of terror urged me to remove my child and myself.
However, Jack, always daring, was unwilling to
go till he had discovered the cause of the pheno-
menon. “If Francis were here,” said he, “he
would fancy it was the wicked gnomes, work-
ing under-ground, and he would be in a fine
fright. For my part, I believe it is only people
come to collect the salt in the rock.”

“People!” said I; “ you don’t know what you
are saying, Jack; I could excuse Francis and his
gnomes,—it would be at least a poetic fancy, but
yours is quite absurd. Where are the people to
come from ?”

“ But what else can it be?” said he. “ Hark!
you may hear them strike the rock.”

“ Be certain, however,” said I, “there are no
people.” At that moment, I distinctly heard
human voices, speaking, laughing, and apparently
clapping their hands. I could not distinguish any
words; I was struck with a mortal terror; but
Jack, whom nothing could alarm, clapped his
hands also, with joy, that he had guessed right.
“What did I say, papa? WasI not right? Are
there not people within the rock ?—friends, I
hope.” He was approaching the rock, when it
appeared to me to be shaking; a stone soon fell
down, then another. I seized hold of Jack, to
drag him away, lest he should be crushed by the
fragments of rock. At that moment another
stone fell, and we saw two heads appear through
the opening, — the heads of Fritz and Ernest.
Judge of our surprise and joy! Jack was soon
FAMILY ROBINSON. 251

through the opening, and assisting his brothers to
enlarge it. As soon as I could enter, I stepped
in, and found myself in a real grotto, of a round
form, with a vaulted roof, divided by a narrow
crevice, which admitted the light and air. It
was, however, better lighted by two large gourd
lamps. I saw my long ladder of ropes suspended
from the opening at the top, and thus compre-
hended how my sons had penetrated into this
recess, which it was impossible to suspect the
existence of from the outside. But how had they
discovered it? and what were they making of it?
These were my two questions. Ernest replied at
once to the last. “1 wished,” said he, “to make
a resting-place for my mother, when she came to
her garden. My brothers have each built some
place for her, and called it by their name. I had
a desire that some place in our island might be
dedicated to Ernest, and I now present you the
Grotto Ernestine.”

“And after all,” said Jack, “it will make a
pretty dwelling for the first of us that marries.’ ,

“ Silence, little giddy-pate,” said I; “where do
you expect to find a wife in this island? Do you
think you shall discover one among the rocks,
as your brothers have discovered the grotto? But
tell me, Fritz, what directed you here.”

“Our good star, father,” said he. “ Ernest and
I were walking round these rocks, and talking of his
wish for a resting-place for my mother on her way
to the garden. He projected a tent; but the path
was too narrow to admit it; and the rock, heated
by the sun, was like a stove. We were consider-
ing what we should do, when I saw on the sum-
mit of the rock a very beautiful little unknown
252 THE SWISS

quadruped. From its form I should have taken it
for a young chamois, if I had been in Switzerland ;
but Ernest reminded me that the chamois was
peculiar to cold countries, and he thought it was
a gazelle or antelope; probably the gazelle of
Guinea or Java, called by naturalists the chevro-
tam. You may suppose I tried to climb the
rock on which this little animal remained stand-
ing, with one foot raised, and its pretty head
turning first to one side and then to the other ;
but it was useless to attempt it here, where the
rock was smooth and perpendicular ; besides, I
should have put the gazelle to flight, as it is a
timid and wild animal. I then remembered there
was a place near Tent House where a considerable
break occurred in the chain of rocks, and we found
that, with a little difficulty, the rock might be scaled
by ascending this ravine. Ernest laughed at me,
and asked me if I expected the antelope would
wait patiently till I got to it? No matter, I
determined to try, and I told him to remain ;
but he soon determined to accompany me, for he
fancied that in the fissure of a rock he saw a
flower of a beautiful rose-colour, which was un-
known to him. My learned botanist thought it
must be an erica, or heath, and wished to ascer-
tain the fact. One helping the other, we soon
got through all difficulties, and arrived at the
summit ; and here we were amply repaid by the
beautiful prospect on every side. We will talk of
that afterwards, father; I have formed some idea
of the country which these rocks separate us
from. But to return to our grotto. I went along,
first looking for my pretty gazelle, which I saw
licking a piece of rock, where doubtless she


FAMILY ROBINSON. 253

found some salt. I was hardly a hundred yards
from her, my gun ready, when I was suddenly
stopped by a crevice, which I could not cross,
though the opening was not very wide. The
pretty quadruped was on the rock opposite to me ;
but of what use would it have been to shoot
it, when I could not secure it. I was obliged to
defer it till a better opportunity offered, and
turned to examine the opening, which appeared
deep ; still I could see that the bottom of the cavity
was white, like that of our former grotto. I called
Ernest, who was behind me, with his plants and
stones, to impart to him an idea that suddenly
struck me. It was, to make this the retreat for
my mother. I told him that I believed the floor
of the cave was nearly on a level with the path
that led to the garden, and we had only to make
an opening in the form of a natural grotto, and it
would be exactly what he wished. Ernest was
much pleased with the idea, and said he could
easily ascertain the level by means of a weight
attached to a string; but though he was startled
at the difficulty of descending to our labour every
day, and returning in the evening, he would not
agree to my wish of beginning at the outside of
the rock, as we had done in our former grotto.
He had several reasons for wishing to work from
within. ‘In the first place,’ said he, ‘it will be
so much cooler this summer weather ; we should
be soon unable to go on labouring before the
burning rock; then our path is so narrow, that
we should not know how to dispose of the rub-
bish ; in the interior, it will serve us to make a
bench round the grotto; besides, I should have
such pleasure in completing it secretly, and
254 THE SWISS

unsuspected, without any assistance or advice
except yours, my dear Fritz, which I accept with
all my heart; so pray find out some means of
descending and ascending readily.’

“ TI immediately recollected your rope ladder,
father ; it was forty feet long, and we could easily
fasten it to the poimt of the rock. Ernest was
delighted and sanguine. We returned with all
speed. We took first a roll of cord and some
candles; then the rope ladder, which we rolled up
as well as we could, but had great difficulty in
conveying it up the rock ; once or twice, when the
ascent was very difficult, we were obliged to
fasten a cord to it, and draw it up after us; but
determination, courage, and perseverance over-
came all obstacles. We arrived at the opening,
and, on sounding it, we were glad to find our
ladder would be long enough to reach the bottom.
We then measured the outside of the rock, and
ascertained that the floor of the grotto was near the
same level as the ground outside. We remembered
your lessons, father, and made some experiments
to discover if it contained mephitic air. We first
lighted some candles, which were not extin-
guished; we then kindled a large heap of sticks
and dried grass, which burned well, the smoke
passing through the opening like a chimney.
Having no uneasiness about this, we deferred our
commencement till the next day. Then we lighted
the forge, and pomted some iron bars we found in
the magazine; these were to be our tools to break
open the rock. We secured, also, your chisel, as
well as some hammers, and all our tools were
thrown down below; we then arranged two
gourds to serve us for lamps; and when all was
FAMILY ROBINSON. 255

ready, and our ladder firmly fixed, we descended
ourselves; and we have nothing more to tell you,
except that we were very glad when we heard
your voices outside, at the very time when our
work was drawing toanend. We were sure, when
we distinguished your voices so clearly, that we
must be near the external air; we redoubled our
efforts, and heré we are. Now tell us, father, are
you pleased with our idea? and will you forgive
us for making a mystery of it ?”

I assured them of my forgiveness, and my cor-
dial approbation of their manly and useful enter-
prise; and made Ernest happy by declaring that
it should always be called the Grotto Ernestine.

“Thanks to you all, my dear children,” said I;
“your dear mamma will now prefer Tent House
to Falcon’s Nest, and will have no occasion to
risk breaking a limb in descending the winding
staircase. I will assist you to enlarge the open-
ing, and as we will leave it all the simplicity of a
natural grotto, it will soon be ready.”

We all set to work; Jack carried away the
loosened stones and rubbish, and formed benches
on each side the grotto. With what had fallen
outside, he also made two seats in the front of the
rock, and before evening all was complete. Fritz
ascended to unfasten the ladder, and to convey it
by an easier road to Tent House; he then re-
joined us, and we returned to our castle in the
air, which was henceforward only to be looked on
as a pleasure-house. We resolved, however, to
establish here, as we had done at our farm, a
colony of our cattle, which increased daily : we had
now a number of young cows, which were most
useful for our support. We wished, however, for
256 THE SWISS

a female buffalo, as the milk of that animal makes
excellent cheese. Conversing on our future plans,
we soon reached home, and found all well.

Oe

CHAPTER XLII.

In a few days we completed the Grotto Ernes-
tine. It contained some stalactites; but not so
many as our former grotto. We found, however,
a beautiful block of salt, which resembled white
marble, of which Ernest formed a sort of altar,
supported by four pillars, on which he placed a
pretty vase of citron-wood, which he had turned
himself, and in which he arranged some of the
beautiful erica which had been the cause of his
discovering the grotto. It was one of those occa-
sions when his feelings overcame his natural
indolence, when he became for a time the most
active of the four, and brought forward all his
resources, which were many. This mdolence was
merely physical; when not excited by any sudden
circumstance, or by some fancy which soon
assumed the character of a passion, he loved ease,
and to enjoy life tranquilly m study. He im-
proved his mind continually, as well by his excel-
lent memory, as by natural talent and application.
He reflected, made experiments, and was always
successful. He had at last succeeded in making
his mother a very pretty bonnet. He had also
composed some verses, which were intended to
celebrate her visit to Tent House ; and this joyful
day being at last fixed, the boys all went over,
the evening before, to make their preparations.


FAMILY ROBINSON. 257

The flowers that the storm had spared were
gathered to ornament the fountains, the altar, and
the table, on which was placed an excellent cold
dinner, entirely prepared by themselves. Fritz
supplied and roasted the game,—a fine bustard,
the flesh of which resembles a turkey, and a
brace of partridges. Ernest brought pines, melons,
and figs; Jack should have supplied the fish, but
was able only to procure oysters, crabs, and tur-
tles’ eggs. Francis had the charge of the dessert,
which consisted of a dish of strawberries, honey-
comb, and the cream of the cocoa-nut. I had
contributed a bottle of Canary wine, that we
might drink mamma’s health. All was arranged
on a table in the middle of the Franciade, and my
sons returned to accompany the expedition next
day.

The morning was beautiful, and the sun shone
brightly on our emigration. My wife was anxious
to set out, expecting she should have to return to
her aérial dwelling. Though her leg and foot
were better, she still walked feebly, and she
begged us to harness the cow and ass to the cart,
and to lead them as gently as possible.

“JT will only go a little way the first day,” said
she, “for 1 am not strong enough to visit Tent
House yet.”

We felt quite convinced she would change her
opinion when once in her litter. I wished to
carry her down the staircase; but she declined,
and descended very well with the help of my arm.
When the door was opened, and she found herself
once more in the open air, surrounded by her
children, she thanked God, with tears of gratitude,
for her recovery, and all his mercies to us. Then

8
258 THE SWISS

the pretty osier carriage arrived. They had har-
nessed the cow and young bull to it; Francis
answering for the docility of Valiant, provided he
guided him himself. Accordingly, he was mounted
before, his cane in his hand, ai his bow and
quiver on his back, very proud -he mamma’s
charioteer. My other three boys, mounted on
their animals, were ready before, to form the
advanced guard, while I proposed to follow, and
watch over the whole. My wife was moved even
to tears, and could not cease admiring her new
carriage, which Fritz and Jack presented to her as
their own work. Francis, howe\er, boasted that
he had carded the cotton for the soft cushion on
which she was to sit, and I, that I had made it.
I then lifted her in, and as soon as she was seated
Ernest came to put her new bonnet on her head,
which greatly delighted her; it was of fine straw,
and so thick and firm that it might even defend
her from the rain. But what p’ cd her most
was, that it was the shape ne 1¢ Swiss pea-
sants in the Canton of Vaud, where my dear wife
had resided some time in her youth. She thanked
all her dear children, and felt so easy and com-
fortable in her new conveyance, that we arrived at
Family Bridge without her feelmg the least
fatigue. Here we stopped.

“Would you like to cross here, my dear?” said
I; “and as we are very near, look in at your con-
venient Tent House, where you will have no stair-
case to ascend. And we should like to know, too,
if you approve of our management of your
garden.”

« As you please,” said she; “in fact, 1 am so
comfortable in my carriage, that if it were neces-
FAMILY ROBINSON. 259

sary, I could make the tour of the island. I
should like to see my house again; but it will be
so very hot at this season, that we must not stay
long.”

© But you must dine there, my dear mother,”
said Fritz; “it is too late to return to dinner at
Falcon’s Nest’; consider, too, the fatigue it would
occasion you.”

“T would be very glad, indeed, my dear,” said
she; “ but what are we to dine on? We have
prepared no provision, and I fear we shall all be
hungry.” |

“What matter,’ said Jack, “ provided you
dine with us? You must take your chance. I will
go and get some oysters, that we may not die
with hunger ;” and off he galloped on his buffalo.
Fritz followed him, on some pretence, on Light-
foot. Mamma wished she had brought a vessel to
carry some water from the river, for she knew we
could get none at Tent House. Francis reminded
her we could milk the cow, and she was satisfied,
and enjoyed her journey much. At last we
arrived before the colonnade. My wife was
dumb with wonder for some moments.

“ Where am I, and what do I see?” said she,

- when she could speak.

“You see the Franciade, mamma,” said her
little boy; “this beautiful colonnade was my
invention, to protect you from the heat; stay,
read what is written above: Francis to his dear
mother. May this colonnade, which is called the
Franciade, be to her a temple of happiness. Now
mamma, lean on me, and come and see my bro-
thers’ gifts—much better than mine ;” and he led
her to Jack’s pavilion, who was standing by the

s 2
260 THE SWISS

fountain. He held a shell in his hand, which he
filled with water, and drank, saying, “To the
health of the Queen of the Island; may she have
no more accidents, and live as long as her chil-
dren! Long live Queen Elizabeth, and may she
come every day to Jackia, to drink her son Jack’s
health.”

I supported my wife, and was almost as much
affected as herself. She wept and trembled with
joy and surprise. Jack and Ernest then joined
their hands, and carried her to the other pavilion,
where Fritz was waiting to receive her, and the
same scene of tenderness ensued. “ Accept this
pavilion, dear mother,” said he ; “and may Fritzia
ever make you think on Fritz.”

The delighted mother embraced them all, and
observing Ernest’s name was not commemorated
by any trophy, thanked him again for her beauti-
ful bonnet. She then drank some of the delicious
water of the fountain, and returned to seat her-
self at the repast, which was another surprise for
her. We all made an excellent dinner; and at
the dessert, I handed my Canary wine round in
shells; and then Ernest rose and sung us very
prettily, to a familiar air, some little verses he had
composed :—

On this festive happy day,

Let us pour our grateful lay ;

Since Heaven has hush’d our mother’s pain,
And given her to her sons again.

Then from this quiet, lovely home

Never, never, may we roam.

All we love around us smile :

Joyful is our desert isle.

When o’er our mother’s couch we bent,
Fervent prayers to Heaven we sent,
FAMILY ROBINSON. 261

And God has spared that mother dear,
To bless her happy children here.
Then from this quiet, lovely home,
Never, never, may we roam ;

All we love around us smile,

Joyful is our desert isle.

We all joined in the chorus, and none of us
thought of the ship, of Europe, or of anything
that was passing in the world. The island was
our universe, and Tent House was a palace we
would not have exchanged for any the world con-
tained. This was one of those happy days that
God grants us sometimes on earth, to give us an
idea of the bliss of Heaven; and most fervently
did we thank Him, at the end of our repast, for
all his mercies and blessings to us.

After dinner, I told my wife she must not
think of returning to Falcon’s Nest, with all its
risks of storms and the winding staircase, and she
could not better recompense her sons for their
labours than by living among them. She was of
the same opinion, and was very glad to be so near
her kitchen and her stores, and to be able to walk
alone with the assistance of a stick in the colon-
nade, which she could do already ; but she made
me promise to leave Falcon’s Nest as it was. It
would be a pretty place to walk to, and besides,
this castle in the air was her own invention. We
agreed that this very evening she should take pos-
session of her own pretty room, with the good felt
carpet, on which she could walk without fear ;
and that the next day, I should go with my elder
sons and the animals to bring the cart, such uten-
sils as we needed, and above all, the poultry.
Our dogs always followed their masters, as well as
262 THE SWISS

the monkey and jackal, and they were so domes-
ticated, we had no trouble with them.

I then prevailed on my wife to go into her
room and rest for an hour, after which we were
to visit the garden. She complied, and after her
repose found her four sons ready to carry her in
her litter as in a sedan-chair. They took care to
bring her straight to the grotto, where I was
waiting for her. This was a new surprise for the
good mother. She could not sufficiently express
her astonishment and delight, when Jack and
Francis, taking their flageolets, accompanied their
brothers, who sung the following verse, which
Ernest had added to his former attempt.

Dear mother, let this gift be mine,
Accept the Grotto Ernestine.

May all your hours be doubly blest
Within this tranquil place of rest.
Then from this quiet, lovely home
Never, never may we roam ;

All we love around us smile.
Joyful is our desert isle !

What cause had we to rejoice in our children !
we could not but shed tears to witness their affec-
tion and perfect happiness. im

Below the vase of flowers, on the block of salt,
Ernest had written :— ‘a a

Ernest, assisted by his brother Fritz,
Has prepared this grotto,

As a retreat for his beloved mother,
When she visits her garden.

Ernest then conducted his mother to one of the
benches, which he had covered with soft moss, as a
seat for her, and there she rested at her ease to
hear the history of the discovery of the grotto.
It was now my turn to offer my present ; the gar-
eet Ol

FAMILY ROBINSON. 263

den, the embankment, the pond, and the arbour.
She walked, supported by my arm, to view her
little empire, and her delight was extreme; the
pond, which enabled her to water her vegetables,
particularly pleased her, as well as her shady
arbour, under which she found all her gardening
tools, ornamented with flowers, and augmented
by two light watering-pans, constructed by Jack
and Francis, from two gourds. They had canes
for spouts, with the gourd bottles at the end,
pierced with holes, through which the water came
‘a the manner of a watering-pan. The embank-
ment was also a great surprise; she proposed
to place plants of pines and melon on it, and
I agreed to it. Truly did she rejoice at. the
appearance of the vegetables, which promised us
some excellent European provision, a great com-
fort to her. After expressing her grateful feel-
ings, she returned to the grotto, and seating her-
self in her sedan-chair, returned to Tent House,
to enjoy the repose she needed, after such a day
of excitement. We did not, however, lie down
before we had together thanked God for the mani-
fold blessings he had given us, and for the pleasure
of that day.

“Tf I had been in Europe,” said my dear wife,
“on the festival of my recovery, I should have
received a nosegay, a ribbon, or some trinket ;
here I have had presented a carriage, a colonnade,
pavilions, ornamental fountains, a large grotto, a
garden, a pond, an arbour, and a straw bonnet !”
264. THE SWISS

CHAPTER XLII.

THE next and following days were spent in re-
moving our furniture and property, particularly
our poultry, which had multiplied greatly. We
also constructed a poultry-yard, at a sufficient
distance from our house to save our sleep from
disturbance, and still so near that we could easily
tend them. We made it as a continuation of the
colonnade, and on the same plan, but enclosed in
the front by a sort of wire trellis-work, which
Fritz and Jack made wonderfully well. Fritz,
who had a turn for architecture and mechanics,
gave me some good hints, especially one, which
we put into execution. This was to carry the water
from the basin of the fountain through the poul-
try-yard, which enabled us also to have a little
pond for our ducks. The pigeons had their abode
above the hen-roosts, in some pretty baskets,
which Ernest and Francis made, similar to those
made by the savages of the Friendly Isles, of
which they had seen engravings in Cook’s Voy-
ages. When all was finished, my wife was de-
lighted to think that even in the rainy season she
could attend to her feathered family and collect
their eggs.

“What a difference,” said she, admiring the
elegance of our buildings, — “what a difference
between this Tent House and the original dwelling
that suggested the name to us, and which was
our only shelter four years ago. What a sur-
prising progress luxury has made with us in that
time! Do you remember, my dear, the barrel


FAMILY ROBINSON. 265

which served us for a table, and the oyster-shells for
spoons, the tent where we slept, crowded together
on dried leaves, and without undressing, and the
river half a mile off, where we were obliged to go to
drink if we were thirsty ? Compared to what we
were then, we are now great lords.”

“ Kings, you mean, mamma,” said Jack, “for all
this island is ours, and it is quite like a kingdom.”

“And how many millions of subjects does
Prince Jack reckon in the kingdom of his august
father ?”’ said I.

Prince Jack declared he had not yet counted the
parrots, kangaroos, agoutis, and monkeys. The
laughter of his brothers stopped him. I then agreed
with my wife that our luxuries had increased ; but I
explained to her that this was the result of our
industry. All civilized nations have commenced as
we did; necessity has developed the intellect which
God has given to man alone, and by degrees the
arts have progressed, and knowledge has extended
more perhaps than is conducive to happiness.
What appeared luxury to us now was still sim-
plicity compared with the luxury of towns, or even
villages, among civilized nations. My wife de-
clared she had everything she wished for, and
should not know what more to ask for, as we now
had only to rest and enjoy our happiness.

I declared against spending our time in rest
and indolence, as the sure means of ending our
pleasure ; and I well knew my dear wife was, like
myself, an enemy to idleness; but she dreaded
any more laborious undertakings.

“ But, mamma,” said Fritz, “ you must let me
make a mill under the cascade ; it will be so useful
when our corn grows, and even now for the maize.
266 THE SWISS

L also think of making an oven in the kitchen,
which will be very useful for you to bake your
bread in.”’

“These would indeed be useful labours,” said
the good mother, smiling ; “ but can you accom-
plish them ?”

“ T hope so,” said Fritz, “with the help of God
and that of my dear brothers.”

Ernest promised his best aid, in return for his
brother’s kind services in forming his grotto, only
requesting occasional leisure for his natural history
collections. His mother did not see the utility of
these collections, but, willing to indulge her kind
and attentive Ernest, she offered, till she could walk
well, to assist him in arranging and labelling his
plants, which were yet in disorder, and he grate-
fully consented. In procuring her some paper for
the purpose, of which I had brought a large
quantity from the vessel, I brought out an un-
opened packet, amongst which was a piece of some
fabric, neither paper nor stuff apparently. We
examined it together, and at length remembered it
was a piece of stuff made at Otaheite, which our
captain had bought of a native at an island where
we had touched on our voyage. Fritz appearing
much interested in examining this cloth, Ernest
said gravely, “ I can teach you how to make it ;”
and immediately bringing Cook’s Voyages, where
a detailed description is given, he proceeded to
read it. Fritz was disappointed to find it could
only be made of the bark of three trees—of these
our island produced only one. These trees were
the mulberry-tree, the bread fruit, and the wild
fig. We had the last in abundance, but of the
two former we had not yet discovered a single

j

'

;
:
|
i


FAMILY ROBINSON. 267

plant. Fritz was not, however, discouraged.
“They ought to be here,” said he, “ since they
are found in all the South-Sea Islands. Perhaps
we may find them on the other side of the rocks,
where I saw some superb unknown trees from the
height where we discovered the grotto ; and who
knows but I may find my pretty gazelle there
again. The rogue can leap better than I can over
those rocks. 1 had a great wish to descend them,
but found it impossible ; some are very high and
perpendicular ; others have overhanging summits ;
I might, however, get round as you did by the
pass, between the torrent and the rocks at the
Great Bay.”

Jack offered to be his guide, even with his eyes
shut, into that rich country where he conquered
and captured his buffalo; and Ernest begged to be
of the party. As this was an expedition I had
long projected, I agreed to accompany them next
day, their mother being content to have Francis
left with her as a protector. I cautioned Fritz
not to fire off his gun when we approached the
buffaloes, as any show of hostility might render
them furious; otherwise the animals, unaccus-
tomed to man, have no fear of him, and will not
harm him. “In general,” added I, “ I cannot
sufficiently recommend to you to be careful of
your powder; we have not more than will last us
a year, and there may be a necessity to have re-
course to it for our defence.”

“T have a plan for making it,” said Fritz, who
never saw a difficulty in anything. “I know it is
composed of charcoal, saltpetre, and sulphur—
and we ought to find all these materials in the
island. It is only necessary to combine them, and
268 THE SWISS

to form it into little round grains. This is my only
difficulty ; but I will consider it over; and I have
my mill to think on first. I have a confused re-
collection of a powder manufactory at Berne:
there was some machinery which went by water ;
this machinery moved some hammers, which
pounded and mixed the ingredients—was not
this the case, father ? ”

“Something like it,” said I; “but we have
many things to do before making powder. First,
we must go to sleep ; we must set out before day-
break, if we intend to return to-morrow evening.”
We did indeed rise before the sun, which would
not rise for us. The sky was very cloudy, and
shortly we had an abundant and incessant rain,
which obliged us to defer our journey, and put us
all in bad humour, but my wife, who was not
sorry to keep us with her, and who declared this
gracious rain would water her garden, and bring
it forward. Fritz was the first who consoled him-
self; he thought on nothing but building mills,
and manufacturing gunpowder. He begged me
to draw him a mill; this was very easy, so far as
regards the exterior,—that is, the wheel, and the
waterfall that sets it in motion ; but the interior,—
the disposition of the wheels, the stones to bruise
the grain, the sieve, or bolter, to separate the flour
from the bran; all this complicated machinery
was difficult to explain ; but he comprehended all,
adding his usual expression,—“I will try, and I
shall succeed.” Not to lose any time, and to
profit by this rainy day, he began by making
sieves of different materials, which he fastened to
a circle of pliant wood, and tried by passing through
them the flour of the cassava ; he made some with


C—O Cl ee

a cP tragrsono ieee

FAMILY ROBINSON. 269

sailcloth, others with the hair of the onagra, which
is very long and strong, and some of the fibres
of bark. His mother admired his work, which he
continued to improve more and more ; she assured
him the sieve would be sufficient for her; it was
useless to have the trouble of building a mill.

“ But how shall we bruise the grain, mamma ?”
said he; “it would be tedious and hard work.”

“ And you think there will be no hard work in
building your mill?” said Jack. “I am curious
to see how you will contrive to form that huge
stone, which is called the millstone.”

“You shall see,” said Fritz; “ only find me the
stone, and it shall soon be done. Do you think,
father, that of our rock would be suitable?”

I told him I thought it would be hard enough,
but it would be difficult to cut from the rock
a piece large enough for the purpose. He made
his usual reply,—

“JT will try. Ernest and Jack will assist me ;
and perhaps you, papa.”

I declared my willingness, but named him the
master-mason; we must only be his workmen.
Francis was impatient to see the mill in operation.

“Oh!” said Jack, “you shall soon have that
pleasure. It is a mere trifle; we only want stone,
wood, tools, and science.”

_ At the word “ science,” Ernest, who was reading
im a corner, without listening to us, raised his
head suddenly, saying,—

“ What science are you in need of ?”

“Of one you know nothing of, Mr. Philoso-
pher,” said Jack. ‘Come, tell us, do you know
how to build a mill?”

“ A mill?” answered Ernest ; “ of what descrip-
270 THE SWISS

tion? There are many sorts. I was just looking
in my dictionary for it. There are corn-mills, and
powder-mills, oil-mills, wind-mills, water-mills,
hand-mills, and saw-mills; which do you want ?”

Fritz would have liked them all.

“You remind me,” said I, “that we brought
from the vessel a hand-mill and a saw-mill, taken
to pieces, to be sure, but numbered and labelled,
so that they could be easily united: they should
be in the magazine, where you found the anvil
and iron bars; I had forgotten them.”

“Let us go and examine them,” said Fritz,
hghting his lantern ; “I shall get some ideas from
them.”

“Rather,” said his mother, “they will spare
you the trouble of thinking and labouring.”

I sent them all four to seek these treasures,
which, heaped in an obscure corner of the store-
room, had escaped my recollection. When we
were alone, I seriously besought my wife not to
Oppose any occupations our children might plan,
however they might seem beyond their power;
the great point being, to keep them continually
occupied, so that no evil or dangerous fancies
might fill their minds. “Let them,” I said, “ cut
stone, fell trees, or dig fountains, and bless God
that their thoughts are so innocently directed.”
She understood me, and promised not to dis-
courage them, only fearing the excessive fatigue
of these undertakings.

Our boys returned from the magazine, de-
lighted with what they had found, and loaded with
work-tools. Those of the masons,—the chisel, the
short hammer, and the trowel, were not to be
found, and rarely are taken out to sea; but they
FAMILY ROBINSON. 271

had collected a great number of carpenters’ tools,—
saws, planes, rules, &c. And now that Fritz was
a smith, he had no difficulty in making any tool
he wanted. He was loaded on each shoulder, and
in each hand he brought a specimen of gun-
powder ; one sort was in good condition, and they
had found a barrel of it; the other was much
damaged by the water. Jack and Francis were also
bending under the weight of various articles ;
among which I saw some pieces of the hand-mill
Fritz wished to examine. Ernest, always rather
idle, came proudly on, with a leather belt across
his shoulders, to which was suspended a large tin
box for plants, and a leather portmanteau for
stones, minerals, and shells. His brothers, even
Francis, rallied him unmercifully on his immense
burden; one offered to help him, another to go
and bring the ass; he preserved his grave and
thoughtful air, and extended himself on a seat
near his mother, who was occupied with his spe-
cimens of natural history. Jack deposited his load
in a corner, and ran out; we soon saw him return
with a huge screw-machine on his head, which he
placed before Ernest, saying, with an air of
respect,—

“T have the honour to bring for his Highness
the Prince of the Idle Penguins, the press for his
august plants, which his Highness doubtless found
too heavy ; and, truly, it is no little weight.”

Ernest did not know whether to thank him or
to be angry, but he decided to join in the jest,
and, therefore, answered gravely that he was dis-
tressed that his Highness the Prince of the Monkeys
should have taken so much trouble to oblige him,
that he ought to have employed some of his docile
272 THE SWISS

subjects to do it; after all, he confessed that the
press, which he had not noticed, gave him great
pleasure, and he placed some plants in it im-
mediately, which he had collected the evening
before.

The rain ceasing for a short time, I went with
Fritz and Jack to examine our embankment, and
to open the sluices of the pond. We found all
right, and our garden looking beautiful after the
rain. On our return, we looked in at the Grotto
Ernestine, which we found imundated from the
opening above. We proposed to make a trench,
or little channel, to carry off the rain-water from
it. We returned home, and retired to bed, in
hopes of being able to set out next morning. We
were, however, again disappointed, and for a longer
period than we expected. The rain continued
some days, and the country was again a complete
lake; we had, however, no storm or wind, and our
possessions did not suffer; so we resolved to wait
patiently till the weather would permit us to go.
My wife was delighted to be in her comfortable
abode, and to have us round her; neither did we
waste the time. Ernest finished the arrangement
of his collection with his mother and Francis.
Fritz and Jack prepared the tools that would be
wanted in their great undertaking — the first
attempt was to be a saw-mill. In order to pre-
pare the planks they wished, a very large saw,
which they had found amongst the tools, would
serve their purpose; but it was necessary to
set it in motion by water, and here was the
difficulty. Fritz made several models from the
thin wood of our chests, and the wheels of our
guns, but they were too small. In the mean
FAMILY ROBINSON. 273

time, the mind of my young mechanic was exer-
cised, his ideas were enlarged and improved; and,
as this science was so necessary in our situation, I
allowed him to go on with his experiments. Not-
withstanding the rain, protected by my cloak, he
went several times to the cascade to look out for
a place where he should place his mills to the
best advantage, and have a constant supply of
water. Ernest assisted him by his advice, and
promised his labour when it should be needed.
Jack and Francis were helping their mother to
card cotton, of which she had made a large collec-
tion, intending to spin it for our clothing; and I
exercised my mechanical talents in turning a large
wheel for her, which it was necessary should re-
volve very easily, her leg being still stiff; and a
reel, by which four bobbins were filled at once by
turning a handle.

These different occupations aided us to pass the
rainy season, which visited us earlier this year,
and did not remain so long. My wife knew
something of dyemg cloth; and, some of the
plants she had helped Ernest to dry having left
their colour on the papers, she made some ex-
periments, and succeeded in obtaining a very
pretty blue to dye our clothes with; and, with the
cochineal from our fig-tree, a beautiful red brown,
with which she had dyed for herself a complete
dress.

Thus passed several weeks. Ernest read to us
from some amusing or instructive work every
evening ; and, when his collections were all put in
order, he worked at his lathe, or at the business
of weaving. At last the sun appeared; we spent
some days enjoying it in our delightful colonnade..

T
274 THE SWISS

We went to visit the grotto and the garden, where
all was going on well—the embankment had pre-
vented the inundation. Satisfied with our work,
we now fixed our departure for the next day, once
more hoping the rain would not come again to
disappoint us.



CHAPTER XLIV.

Tue next day the weather was delightful. We
rose before daybreak. My eldest sons took their
work-tools, which we might want, and their guns
also, but under the condition that they should
not use them till I gave the word, “ Fire!” I car-
ried the bag of provisions. Our flock of sheep
had increased so much at the farm, that we
allowed ourselves to kill one, and my wife had
roasted a piece for us the preceding evening ; to
this we added a cake of Cassava, aud for our dessert
we depended on the fruits of the trees we might
discover. But, previous to our departure, while I
was taking leave of my wife and Francis, I heard
a dispute in the colonnade, which I hastened to
learn the cause of. I found it was a question
between Fritz and J ack, whether we should make
the tour of the island by sea or land; and each
was anxious for my support. Fritz complained
that, since their two expeditions in the canoe, Jack
believed himself the first sailor in the world, and
that they had given him the name of Lord of the
Waves, because he was constantly saying—

“When I was under the waves — when the
waves were washing over me, do you think that
they left me dry ?”


FAMILY ROBINSON. 275

“No, Mr. Sportsman,” said Jack, “you got
enough of them, and that’s the reason you don’t
wish to try them again. For my part, I love the
waves, and I sing, ‘The sea! the sea! it was the
sea that brought us here !’”

“What a boaster you are,” said Fritz: “it was
only yesterday you said to me, ‘I will guide you;
I know the way by the rocks; I got my buffalo
there, and I intend to have another.’ Was it in
the pinnace you intended to pass the defile, and
pursue buffaloes ?”

“No, no! I meant on foot,” said Jack; “but
I thought we should be only two then. But, as
we are four—papa at the helm, and three bold
rowers, why should we fatigue ourselves in making
the tour of the island on our legs, when we have a
good vessel to carry us? What says Mr. Philo-
sopher, the prince of idlers, to it ?”

“For my part,” said Ernest, quietly, “ I am
quite indifferent whether I use my legs in walking,
or my arms in rowing, it is equally fatiguing ; but
walking gives me more chance of filling my plant-
box and my game-bag.”

“ And does he think,” added Fritz, “ that the
mulberry and bread-fruit trees, which we shall
certainly find on the other side, grow on the sea?
without naming my gazelle, which does not run
over the waves.”

“ No, it is waiting, without moving, for you to
shoot it,” said Jack; “and Ernest, perhaps you
may find on the sea some of those curious things
half plants, half animals, which you were showing
me in a book.”

“The zoophytes, or polypi; for they are the
same family, though there are more than a thou-

T 2
276 . THE SWISS

sand species,” said Ernest, charmed to display his
knowledge ; but I stopped him by saying: “ We
will dispense with the thousand names at present.
After hearing all your arguments, attend to mine ;
even Jack must yield to them. Our principal
aim now being to search for the trees we are in
need of, and to examine the productions of the
island, our most sensible plan will be to walk.”
Jack still contended that we might land oc-
casionally ; but I showed him the danger of this,
the island being, in all probability, surrounded by
reefs, which might extend so far into the sea as to
take us out of the sight of the island; this I in-
tended to ascertain some day ; and in the mean
time I proposed to them that we should endeavour
to find a pass round the rocks on our side, from
whence we could walk to the defile at the other
end, take our canoe, which we had left at anchor
near the Great Bay, and return to Tent House.
Jack was in ecstasies; he declared the pass
must be very well concealed that escaped his
search, and, seizing his lasso and his bow, rushed
out the first, singing “ The sea! the sea!”
“There goes a sailor formed by nature,”
thought I, as we followed the course of the chain
of rocks to the left of our dwelling. It conducted
us first to the place of our landing, that little un-
cultivated plain of triangular form, of which the
base was washed by the sea, and the point was
lost among the rocks. I found here some traces
of our first establishment; but how wretched all
appeared, compared with our present comforts !
We tried here in vain to find a passage to cross
the rocks—the chain was everywhere like an im-
penetrable wall. We arrived at the ravine Fritz °


FAMILY ROBINSON. 277

and Ernest had scaled when they discovered their
grotto; and, truly, nothing but the courage and
rashness of youth could have undertaken this en-
terprise, and continued it daily for three weeks.
It appeared to me almost impossible ; Fritz offered
to ascend, to show me how they accomplished it ;
but I would not consent, as it could serve no useful
purpose. I thought it better for us to proceed to
the border of the island, where it was not impos-
sible there might be a small space on the strand
between the rocks and the sea, round which we
could pass ; from my sons being able to distinguish
from the summit the country on the other side,
it was evident the chain of rocks could not be
very broad. Suddenly Fritz struck his forehead,
and, seizing Ernest by the arm—“ Brother,” said
he, “ what fools we have been !”

Ernest inquired what folly they had been
guilty of. |

“ Why did we not,” said Fritz, “ when we were
working within our grotto, attempt to make the
opening on the other side? We should not have
had much difficulty, I am persuaded, and if our
tools had not been sufficient, a little [powder
would have opened us a door on the other side.
Only consider, father, the convenience of bringing
the cart loaded with the trees we wanted through
our grotto, and to be able to go a-hunting without
having I don’t know how many miles to go.”

“ Well, we can still do that,” said Ernest, in
his usual calm, grave manner ; “if we do not find
another passage, we will make one through the
Grotto Ernestine, with mamma’s permission, as
it is her property.”

This idea of my son appeared good. It was
278 THE SWISS

quite certain, from our experience at Tent House
and in the grotto, that the cavity in the rocks was
of very great extent, and it did not appear difficult
to pierce through to the other side; but some
other chain of rocks, some gigantic tree, some
hill, at the end of our tunnel, might render all
our labour useless. I proposed that we should
defer our work till we had examined the nature of
the ground on the other side; my sons agreed,
and we proceeded with renewed courage, when we
were suddenly checked by the sight of the sea
beating against a perpendicular rock of terrific
height, which terminated our island on this side,
and did not give us a chance of going on. I saw
the rock did not extend far ; but how to get round
it, I could not devise. I did not conceive we could
get the pinnace round, as the coast seemed sur-
rounded by reefs ; masses of rock stood up in the
sea, and the breakers showed that more were hid-
den. After much consideration and many plans,
Ernest proposed that we should swim out to the
uncovered rocks, and endeavour to pass round.
Fritz objected, on account of his arms and ammu-
nition; but Ernest suggested that the powder
should be secured in the pockets of his clothes,
which he might carry on his head, holding his
gun above the water.

With some difficulty we arranged our incum-
brances, and succeeded in reaching the range of
outer rocks, without swimming, as the water was
not above our shoulders. We rested here awhile,
and, putting on some of our clothes, we com-
menced our walk over sharp stones, which
wounded our feet. In many places, where the
rocks lay low, we were up to the waist in the


FAMILY ROBINSON. 279

water. Ernest, the proposer of the plan, en-
couraged us, and led the way for some time ; but
at last he fell behind, and remained so long, that
I became alarmed, and calling aloud, for I had
lost sight of him, he answered me, and at last I
discovered him stretched on the rock, endeavour-
ing to separate a piece from it with his knife.

“ Father,” said he, “ I am now certain that this
bed of rocks, over which we are walking, and
which we fancied was formed of stone or flints, is
nothing but the work of those remarkable zo0o-
phytes, called coral insects, which form coral and
many other extraordinary things; they can even
make whole islands. Look at these little points and
hollows, and these stars of every colour and every
form; I would give all the world to have a speci-
men of each kind.”

He succeeded in breaking off a piece, which was
of a deep orange-colour inside ; he collected also,
and deposited in his bag, some other pieces, of
various forms and colours. These greatly enriched
his collection; and, idle as he was, he did not
complain of any difficulty in obtaining them. He
had given his gun to Jack, who complained much
of the ruggedness of our road. Our march was
truly painful, and I repented more than once of
having yielded to the idea; besides the misery of
walking along these shelly rocks, which presented
points like the sharp teeth of a saw, tearing our
shoes and even our skin, the sea, in some of the
lower places, was so high as to bar our passage, and
we were obliged, in the interval between two
waves, to rush across, with the water to our chins.
We had some difficulty to avoid being carried away.
I trembled especially for Jack; though small and
280 THE SWISS

light, he preferred facing the wave to avoiding it.
I was several times obliged to catch hold of him,
and narrowly escaped destruction along with him.
Happily, our march was not above half a mile,
and we gained the shore at last without any serious
accident, but much fatigued and foot-sore ; and
we made a resolution never more to cross the
coral reefs.

After dressing ourselves, resting, and taking a
slight refreshment on the beach, we resumed our
march more at' our ease into the interior of the
island ; but though the long grass was not so sharp
as the coral, it was almost as troublesome, twisting
round our legs, and threatening to throw us down
every step we took. Ernest, loaded with his bag
of fragments of rock, coral, and zoophytes, had
given his gun to Jack; and, fearing an accident
among the long grass, I thought it prudent to
discharge it. In order to profit by it, I fired at a
little quadruped, about the size of a squirrel, and
killed it. It appeared to me to be the animal
called by naturalists the palm-squirrel, because it
climbs the cocoa and date-palms, hooks itself by
its tail, which is very long and flexible, to the upper
branches, and feeds at pleasure on the fruit, of
which it is very fond. We amused ourselves by
details of the habits of this animal, occasionally
separating to make more discoveries, but agreeing
on a particular call, which was to assemble us
when necessary,—a precaution by no means use-
less, as it turned out.

Fritz, with his head raised, went on examining
all the trees, and occasionally giving a keen look
after his gazelle. Ernest, stooping down, exa-
mined plants, insects, and, occasionally pursuing



ee
FAMILY ROBINSON. 281

rare and beautiful butterflies, was filling his bag
and plant-box with various curiosities. Jack, with
his lasso in his hand, prepared himself to fling it
round the legs of the first buffalo he met with,
and was vexed that he did not see any. For my
own part, I was engaged in surveying the chain of
rocks, in order to discover that which contained
the Grotto Ernestine. It was easy to recognize it,
from its summit cleft in two; and I wished to ascer-
tain, as nearly as possible, if the cleft extended to
the base of the rock, as this would render our
work much easier. This side of the island did
not resemble that near the Great Bay, with which
Jack and I had been so much charmed. The
island was much narrower here, and instead of the
wide plain, crossed by a river, divided by delight-
ful woods, giving an idea of paradise on earth ; we
were journeying through a contracted valley, lying
between the rocky wall which divided the island,
and a chain of sandy hills, which hid the sea and
sheltered the valley from the wind. Fritz and I
ascended one of these hills, on which a few pines
and broom were growing, and perceived beyond
them a barren tract, stretching to the sea, where
the coral reefs rose to the level of the water, and
appeared to extend far into the sea. Any navi-
gators, sailing along these shores, would pronounce
the island inaccessible and entirely barren. This is
not the fact ; the grass is very thick, and the trees
of noble growth ; we found many unknown to us,
some loaded with fruit; also, several beautiful
shrubs covered with flowers; the dwarf orange-
tree, the elegant melaleuca, the nutmeg-tree, and
the Bengal rose blending its flowers with the fra-
grant jasmine. I should never finish, if I were to
282 THE SWISS

try and name all the plants found in this shady
valley, which might be called the botanic garden
of Nature. Ernest was in ecstasies; he wished to
carry away everything, but he did not know how
to dispose of them.

“Ah!” said he, “if only our grotto were open
to this side !”

At this moment Fritz came running out of
breath, crying out, “The bread-fruit tree! I have
found the bread-fruit tree! Here is the fruit,—
excellent, delicious bread. Taste it, father ; here,
Ernest ; here, Jack ;” and he gave us each a part
of an oval fruit, about the size of an ordinary
melon, which really seemed very good and nou-
rishing.

“There are many of these trees,” continued he,
“loaded with fruit. Would that we had our grotto
opened, that we might collect a store of them, now
that they are ripe.”

My boys pointed out to me exactly the situa-
tion of the grotto, judging from the rock above,
and longed for their tools, that they might eom-
mence the opening directly. We proceeded to
make our way through a border of trees and bushes,
that separated us from the rock, that we might
examine it, and judge of the difficulties of our
undertaking. Jack preceded us, as usual, after
giving Ernest his gun; Fritz followed him, and
suddenly turning to me, said,—

“I believe kind Nature has saved us much
trouble; the rock appears to be divided from top
to bottom; at the foot I see a sort of cave, or
grotto, already made.”

At this moment Jack uttered a piercing cry,
and came running to us, his lasso in his hand:

fee Ee ae

~~ US

CK. RB

OOO ee ee a ee ee a
, \ Nie wiles y

ANY) f ey /



‘* We saw
saw at the e
ntrance of the cave two large brown b
mn bears.”—P. 283
Ee rere

FAMILY ROBINSON. 283

“Two monstrous beasts!” cried he. “ Help! help!”
We rushed forward, our guns ready, and saw at
the entrance of the cave two large brown bears.
The black bear, whose fur is most valued, is only
found in cold and mountainous countries; but
the brown prefers the south. It is a carnivorous
animal, considered very ferocious. The black bear
lives only on vegetables and honey. Of these, the
one I judged to be the female seemed much irri-
tated, uttering deep growls, and furiously gnashing
her teeth. As I knew something of these ani-
mals, having met with them on the Alps, I re-
membered having heard that a sharp whistling
terrifies and checks them. I therefore whistled
as long and loudly as I could, and immediately
saw the female retire backwards into the cave,
while the male, raising himself on his hind legs,
stood quite still, with his paws closed. My two
elder sons fired into his breast: he fell down, but
being only wounded, turned furiously on us. I
fired a third shot at him, and finished him. We
then hastened to load our guns again, to be ready
to receive his companion. Jack wished to use his
lasso; but I explained to him that the legs of the
bear were too short and thick for such a measure
to be successful. He related to us, that having
entered the cave, he saw something moving at the
bottom ; he took up a stone, and threw it with all
his strength at the object ; immediately he heard
a frightful growling, and saw two large beasts
coming towards him ; he had barely time to escape
and call for help, and then to hide himself behind
a tree. To save ourselves from the other bear, it
was necessary that we should take some prompt
measures; we therefore advanced, and formed a line
Pages
284-285
Missing

From
Original
286 THE SWISS

the whole valley, which could not be. It was
a gentle stream, gushing from a perpendicular
rock, which reminded me of the source of the
river Orbe, in the Canton of Vaud; it issued
forth in its full width, rolling at first over a rocky
bed; then forming a graceful bend, it took its
course towards the great bay, and fell in a cas-
cade into the sea. We remained some time here
to fill our gourds, drinking moderately, and taking
a bath, which refreshed us all greatly.

The evening was approaching, and we began to
fear we should not reach home before night.
I had warned my wife that there was a possibility
that we might be delayed, though I could not
then anticipate the cause of our delay. We
endeavoured, however, by walking as quickly as
we could, and resting no more, to reach our farm
at any rate. We followed the course of the river,
on the opposite shore of which rose a wide plain,
where we saw the herd of buffaloes quietly
grazing, ruminating, and drinking, without pay-
ing the slightest attention to us. We thought we
distinguished some other quadrupeds amongst
them, which Fritz was certain were zebras or
onagras ; but certainly not his dear gazelle, for
which he had incessantly looked round. Jack
was in despair that the river separated us from
the buffaloes, so that he could not cast his lasso
round the legs of one of them, as he had promised
Ernest. He even wished to swim across the
stream, to have a hunt; but I forbade him, en-
couraging him to hope that perhaps a single
buffalo might cross to our side, and throw itself in
the way of his lasso. I was far from wishing such
a thing myself, for we had no time to lose, nor






FAMILY ROBINSON. 287

any means to secure and lead it home, should we
succeed in capturing one, not having any cords
with us; and moreover, intending to return from
the bay in the canoe. When we arrived at the
bay, the night, which comes on rapidly im equi-
noctial countries, had almost closed. We were
scarcely able to see, without terror, the changes
that the late storm had occasioned; the narrow
pass which led from the other side of the island,
between the river and a deep stream that flowed
from the rocks, was entirely obstructed with
rocks and earth fallen upon it; and to render our
passage practicable, it was necessary to under-
take a labour that the darkness now prevented,
and which would at any time be attended by
danger. We were obliged then to spend the
night in the open air, and separated from our
dear and anxious friends at Tent House. Fortu-
nately, Fritz had collected a store of bread-fruit
for his mother, with which he had filled his own
pockets and those of his brothers. These, with
water from the river, formed our supper; for we had
nothing but the bone of our leg of mutton left.
We turned back a little way, to establish ourselves
under a clump of trees, where we were in greater
safety; we loaded our muskets, we kindled a
large fire of dry branches, and recommending
ourselves to the protection of God, we lay our-
selves down on the soft moss to wait for the first
rays of light. With the exception of Jack, who
from the first slept as if he had been in his bed,
we none of us could rest. The night was beauti-
ful; a multitude of stars shone over our heads in
the ethereal vault. Ernest was never tired of gazing
on them. After some questions and suppositions
288 THE SWISS

on the plurality of worlds, their courses and their
distances, he quitted us to wander on the borders
of the river, which reflected them in all their bril-
hancy. From this night his passion for astronomy
commenced, a passion which he carried beyond
all others. This became his favourite and conti-
nual study, nor did he fall far short of Duval,
whose history he had read. Whilst he was
engaged in contemplation, Fritz and I conversed
on our projects for tunnelling to the grotto, and on
the utility of such a passage, as this side of the
island was quite lost to us, from the difficulty in
reaching it. “And yet,” said I, “it is to this
difficulty we owe the safety we have enjoyed.
Who can say that the bears and the buffaloes may
not find the way through the grotto? I confess
I am not desirous of their visits, nor even of those
of the onagras. Who knows but they might per-
suade your favourite Lightfoot to return and live
amongst them? Liberty has many charms. Till
now, we have been very happy on our side of the
island, without the productions of this. My dear
boy, there is a proverb, ‘ Let well alone.’ Let us
not have too much ambition,—it has ruined greater
states than ours.”

Fritz seemed grieved to give up his plan, and
suggested that he could forge some strong bars of
iron to place before the opening, which could be
removed at will.

“ But,” said I, “they will not prevent the
snakes from passing underneath. I have noticed
some with terror, as they are animals I have
a great antipathy to; and if your mother saw one
craw] into her grotto, she would never enter it
again; even if she did not die of fright.”





Z ee


FAMILY ROBINSON. 289

“Well, we must give it up,” said Fritz;
“but it is a pity. Do you thmk, father, there
are more bears in the island than those we
killed?” oo

“Tn all probability,” said I; “it is scarcely to
be supposed that there should only be two. I
cannot well account for their bemg here. They
can swim very well, and perhaps the abundance of
fruit in this part of the island may have attracted
them.” I then gave my son a short account of
their manners and habits, from the best works on
the history of these animals.

————

CHAPTER XLVI.

WHILst we continued to talk and to admire the
beauty of the stars, they at length began to fade
away before the first ight of morning. Ernest
returned to us, and we awoke Jack, who had slept
uninterruptedly, and was quite unconscious where
he was. We returned to the pass, which now, by
the light of day, seemed to us in a more hopeless
state than in the dusk of evening. I was struck
with consternation: it appeared to me that we
were entirely enclosed at this side; and I shud-
dered to think of crossing the island again, to pass
round at the other end, of the risk we should run
of meeting wild beasts, and of the painful and
perilous passage along the coral reefs. At that
moment I would gladly have consented to open a
passage through the grotto, at the hazard of any
visitors, in order to get through myself, that I
might relieve the anxious feelings of my dear wife

U
290 THE SWISS

and boy. The thoughts of their agony unnerved
me, and took away all courage for the commence-
ment of a labour which seemed impossible, our
only utensils being a small saw, and a little dibble
for taking up plants, which Ernest had been un-
willing to leave behind us. The path by which
Jack and I had passed was covered with rocks and
masses of soil, which obstructed even the course
of the stream ; we could not discover the place we
had forded, the river had opened itself a wider
course, far beyond its former one.

“Jt is impossible,” said Fritz, gazing on the
ruins, “that we can remove all these immense
stones without proper tools; but, perhaps, with a
little courage, we may cross over them, the rivulet
being widened cannot be very deep. At all events,
it cannot be worse than the coral reefs.”

“ Let us try ; but I fear it will be impossible,
at least for him,” said I, pointing to Jack.

“‘ Him, indeed, papa, and why not ?” said the
bold fellow ; “he is perhaps as strong, and more
active, than some of them; ask Fritz what he
thinks of his workman. Shall I go the first to
show you the way ?”

And he was advancing boldly, but I checked

him, and said, that before we undertook to scale
these masses of rock, absolutely bare, where we had
nothing to support us, or to hold by, it would be
as well to examine if, by descending lower, we
could not find a less dangerous road. We
descended to the narrow pass, and found our
drawbridge, plantation, all our fortification that
my boys were so proud of, and where, at Fritz’s
request, I had even planted a small cannon, all,
all destroyed ; the cannon swallowed up with the

CE na Rescue =
hinge:

Fa LS A AR PION,
BN Seer, hin



FAMILY ROBINSON. 291

rest. My boys deplored their disappointment ;
but I showed them how useless such a defence
must ever be. Nature had provided us with a
better fortification than we could construct, as we
just now bitterly experienced.

We had descended several yards lower with in-
credible difficulty, plunged in a wet, heavy soil,
and obliged to step across immense stones, when
Fritz, who went first, cried out, joyfully—

«The roof, papa! the roof of our chalet ! it is
quite whole; it will be a bridge for us if we can
only get to it.”

« What roof? What chalet ?” said I, in astonish-
ment.

“The roof of our little hermitage,” said he,
“ which we had covered so well with stones, like
the Swiss chalets.”

I then recollected that I had made this little
hut, after the fashion of the Swiss chalet, of bark,
with a roof nearly flat and covered with stones, to
secure it against the winds. It was this circum-
stance, and its situation, that had saved it in the
storm. I had placed it opposite the cascade,
that we might see the fall in all its beauty, and,
consequently, a little on one side of the passage
filled up by the fall of the rocks. Some fragments
reached the roof of the hut, and we certainly could
not have entered it; but the chalet was supported
by this means, and the roof was still standing
and perfectly secure. We contrived to slide along
‘the rock which sustained it; Jack was the first
to stand on the roof and sing victory. It was
very easy to descend on the other side, holding by
the poles and pieces of bark, and we soon found

ourselves safe in our own island. Ernest had lost

uv 2
292 THE SWISS

his gun in the passage: not being willing to resign
his bag of curiosities, he had dropped the gun into
the abyss.

“You may take the gun I left in the canoe,”
said Fritz; “ but, another time, throw away your
stones, and keep your gun—you will find it a good
friend in need.”

“Let us embark in our canoe,” cried Jack.
“The sea! the sea! Long live the waves! they
are not so hard as the stones.”

I was very glad to have the opportunity of con-
veying my canoe back to the port of Tent House ;
our important occupations had prevented me till
now, and everything favoured the plan: the sea
was calm, the wind favourable, and we should
arrive at home sooner, and with less fatigue, than
by land. We skirted the great Bay to the Cab-
bage-palm Wood. I had moored the canoe so
firmly to one of the palms, that I felt secure of it
being there. We arrived at the place, and no
canoe was there! The mark of the cord which
fastened it was still to be seen round the tree, but
the canoe had entirely disappeared. Struck with
astonishment, we looked at each other with terror,
and without being able to articulate a word.
What was become of it ?

“Some animal,—the jackals; a monkey, per-
haps,—might have detached it,” said J ack; “ but
they could not have eaten the canoe.” And we
could not find a trace of it, any more than of the
gun Fritz had left in it.

This extraordinary circumstance gave mea great
deal of thought. Savages, surely, had landed on
our island, and carried off our canoe. We could
no longer doubt it when we discovered on the




FAMILY ROBINSON. 293

sands the print of naked feet! It is easy to be-
lieve how uneasy and agitated I was. I hastened
to take the road to Tent House, from which we
were now more than three leagues distant. I for-
bade my sons to mention this event, or our suspi-
cions, to their mother, as I knew it would rob her
of all peace of mind. I tried to console myself. It
was possible that chance had conducted them to
the Bay, that they had seen our pretty canoe, and
that, satisfied with their prize, and seeing no inha-
bitants, they might not return. Perhaps, on the
contrary, these islanders might prove kind and
humane, and become our friends. There was no
trace of their proceedings further than the shore.
We called at The Farm, on purpose to examine.
All appeared in order ; and certainly, if they had
reached here, there was much to tempt them:
our cotton mattresses, our osier seats, and some
household utensils that my wife had left here.
Our geese and fowls did not appear to have been
alarmed, but were pecking about as usual for
worms and insects. I began to hope that we
might get off with the loss of our canoe,—a loss
which might be repaired. We were a sufficient
number, being well armed, not to be afraid of
a few savages, even if they penetrated further into
the island, and showed hostile intentions. I ex-
horted my sons to do nothing to irritate them ;
on the contrary, to meet them with kindness and
attention, and to commit no violence against them
unless called on to defend their lives. I also
recommended them to select from the wrecked
chest, some articles likely to please the savages,
and to carry them always about with them. “ And
I beseech you, once more,’ added I, “not to
294. THE SWISS

alarm your mother.” They promised me ; and we
continued our road unmolested to Falcon’s Nest.
Jack preceded us, delighted, he said, to see our
castle again, which he hoped the savages had not
carried away. Suddenly, we saw him return,
running, with terror painted on his countenance.

« They are there!” said he; “they have taken
possession of it; our dwelling is full of them. Oh!
how frightful they are! What a blessing mamma
:s not there; she would have died of fright to see
them enter.”

I confess I was much agitated ;. but, not wish-
ing to expose my children to danger before I had
done all in my power to prevent it, I ordered them
to remain behind till I called them. I broke a
branch from a tree hastily, which I held im one
hand, and in the other some long nails, which 1
found by chance in the bottom of my pocket ; and
I advanced thus to my Tree-Castle. I expected
to have found the door of my staircase torn open
and broken, and our new guests ascending and
descending ; but 1 saw at once it was closed as I
had left it; being of bark, it was not easily dis-
tinguished. How had these savages reached the
dwelling, forty feet from the ground? I had
placed planks before the great opening ; they were
no longer there; the greater part of them had
been hurled down to the ground, and I heard such
a noise in our house, that I could not doubt Jack’s
report. I advanced timidly, holding up in the
air the branch and my offerings, when I disco-
vered, all at once, that I was offermg them to a
troop of monkeys, lodged in the fortress, which
they were amusing themselves by destroying. We
had numbers of them in the island; some large
FAMILY ROBINSON. 295

and mischievous, against whom we had some diffi-
culty in defending ourselves when crossing the
woods, where they principally dwelt. The fre-
quent report of firearms round our dwelling had
kept them aloof till now, when, emboldened by
our absence, and enticed by the figs on our tree,
they had come in crowds. These vexatious ani-
mals had got through the roof, and, once i, had
thrown down the planks that covered the opening ;
they made the most frightful grimaces, throwing
down everything they could seize.

Although this devastation caused me much vexa-
tion, I could not help laughing at their antics,
and at the humble and submissive manner 1
which I had advanced to pay homage to them. I
called my sons, who laughed heartily, and rallied
“the prince of the monkeys” without mercy, for
not knowing his own subjects. Fritz wished much
to discharge his gun amongst them, but I forbade
him. 1 was too anxious to reach Tent House, to
be able to turn my thoughts on these depredators
just now.

We continued our journey —but I pause here;
my heart is oppressed. My feelings when I reached
home require another chapter to describe them,
and I must summon courage for the task.





CHAPTER XLVILI.

We soon arrived at Family Bridge, where I had
some hopes of meeting Francis, and perhaps his
mother, who was begining to walk very well;
but I was disappointed—they were not there. Yet
296 THE SWISS

I was not uneasy, for they were neither certain of
the hour of our return, nor of the way we might
take. I expected, however, to find them in the
colonnade—they were not there. I hastily en-
tered the house; I called aloud, “ Elizabeth!
Francis! where are you?” No one answered.
A mortal terror seized me—and for a moment
I could not move.

“They will be in the grotto,” said Ernest.

“ Or in the garden,” said Fritz.

‘ Perhaps on the shore,” cried Jack; “my mo-
ther likes to watch the waves, and Francis may be
gathering shells.” |

These were possibilities. My sons flew in all
directions in search of their mother and brother.
I found it impossible to move, and was obliged to
sit down. I trembled, and my heart beat till I |
could scarcely breathe. I did not venture to dwell
on the extent of my fears, or, rather, I had no
distinct notion of them. I tried to recover myself.
I murmured, “ Yes — at the grotto, or the garden
—they will return directly.” Still, I could not
compose myself. I was overwhelmed with a sad
presentiment of the misfortune which impended
over me. It was but too soon realized. My sons
returned in fear and consternation. They had no
occasion to tell me the result of their search; I
saw it at once, and, sinking down motionless, I
cried, “ Alas! they are not there !”

Jack returned the last, and in the most fright-
ful state; he had been at the sea-shore, and,
throwing himself into my arms, he sobbed out—

“The savages have been here, and carried away
my mother and Francis; perhaps they have de-
FAMILY ROBINSON. 297

voured them; I have seen the marks of their hor-
rible feet on the sands, and the print of dear Fran-
cis’s boots.”

This account at once recalled me to strength
and action.

“Come, my children, let us fly to save them.
God will pity our sorrow, and assist us. He will
restore them. Come, come!”

They were ready in a moment. But a distract-
ing thought seized me. Had they carried off the
pinnace? if so, every hope was gone. Jack, in
his distress, had never thought of remarking this ;
but, the instant I named it, Fritz and he ran to
ascertain the important circumstance, Ernest, in
the mean time, supporting me, and endeavouring
to calm me.

“ Perhaps,” said he, “ they are still in the island.
Perhaps they may have fled to hide themselves in
some wood, or amongst the reeds. Even if the
pinnace be left, it would be prudent to search the
island from end to end before we leave it. Trust
Fritz and me, we will do this ; and, even if we find
them in the hands of the enemy, we will recover
them. Whilst we are off on this expedition, you
can be preparing for our voyage, and we will
search the world from one end to the other, every
country and every sea, but we will find them.
And we shall succeed. Let us put our whole
trust in God. He is our Father, he will not try
_us beyond our strength.”

_T embraced my child, and a flood of tears re-
lieved my overcharged heart. My eyes and hands
were raised to Heaven; my silent prayers winged |
their flight to the Almighty, to him who tries us
298 THE SWISS

and consoles us. A ray of hope seemed to visit
my mind, when I heard my boys cry out, as they
approached—

“The pinnace is here! they have not carried
that away !”

I fervently thanked God —it was a kind of
miracle ; for this pretty vessel was more tempting
than the canoe. Perhaps, as it was hidden in a
little creek between the rocks, it had escaped their
observation ; perhaps they might not know how to
manage it ; or they might not be numerous enough.
No matter, it was there, and might be the means
of our recovering the beloved objects those bar-
barians had torn from us. How gracious is God,
to give us hope to sustain us in our afflictions !
Without hope, we could not live; it restores and
revives us, and, even if never realized below, ac-
companies us to the end of our life, and beyond
the grave !

I imparted to my eldest son the idea of his bro-
ther, that they might be concealed in some part
of the island; but I dared not rely on this sweet
hope. Finally, as we ought not to run the risk of
abandoning them, if they were still here, and per-
haps in the power of the savages, I consented that
my two eldest sons should go to ascertain the fact.
Besides, however impatient I was, I felt that a
voyage such as we were undertaking into unknown
seas might be of long duration, and it was neces-
sary to make some preparations—I must think on
food, water, arms, and many other things. There
are situations in life which seize the heart and soul,
rendering us insensible to the wants of the body—
this we now experienced. We had just come from
a painful journey, on foot, of twenty-four hours,


FAMILY ROBINSON. 299

during which we had had little rest, and no sleep.
Since morning we had eaten nothing but some
morsels of the bread-fruit ; it was natural that we
should be overcome with fatigue and hunger. But
we none of us had even thought of our own state
—we were supported, if I may use the expression,
by our despair. At the moment that my sons
were going to set out, the remembrance of their
need of refreshment suddenly occurred to me, and
I besought them to rest a little, and take some-
thing; but they were too much agitated to con-
sent. I gave Fritz a bottle of Canary, and some
slices of roast mutton I met with, which he put m
his pocket. They had each a loaded musket, and
they set out, taking the road along the rocks,
where the most hidden retreats and most impe-
netrable woods lay ; they promised me to fire off
their pieces frequently to let their mother know
they were there, if she was hidden among the
rocks—they took also one of the dogs. Flora we
could not find, which made us conclude she had
followed her mistress, to whom she was much
attached.

As soon as my eldest sons had left us, I made
Jack conduct me to the shore where he had seen
the footmarks, that I might examine them, to
judge of their number and direction. I found
many very distinct, but so mingled, I could come
to no positive conclusion. Some were near the
sea, with the foot pointing to the shore; and
amongst these Jack thought he could distinguish
the boot-mark of Francis. My wife wore very
light boots also, which I had made for her ; they
rendered stockings unnecessary, and strengthened
her ankles. I could not find the trace of these; but
300 THE SWISS

I soon discovered that my poor Elizabeth had been
here, from a piece torn from an apron she wore, made
of her own cotton, and dyed red. Thad now not
the least doubt that she was in the canoe with her
son. It was a sort of consolation to think they
were together ; but how many mortal fears accom-
panied this consolation | Oh! was I ever to see
again these objects of my tenderest affection !
Certain now that they were not in the island, I
was impatient for the return of my sons, and I
made every preparation for our departure. The
first thing I thought of was the wrecked chest,
which would furnish me with means to conciliate
the savages, and to ransom my loved ones. I
added to it everything likely ‘to tempt them;
utensils, stuffs, trinkets ; I even took with me gold
and silver coin, which was thrown on one side as
useless, but might be of service to us on this oc-
casion. I wished my riches were three times as
much as they were, that I might give all in ex-
change for the life and liberty of my wife and son.
I then turned my thoughts on those remaining to
me: I took, in bags and gourds, all that we had
left of cassava-bread, manioc-roots, and potatoes ;
a barrel of salt-fish, two bottles of rum, and
several jars of fresh water. Jack wept as he filled
them at his fountain, which he perhaps might
never see again, any more than his dear Valiant,
whom I set at liberty, as well as the COW, ass,
buffalo, and the beautiful Onagra. These docile
animals were accustomed to us and our attentions,
and they remained in their places, surprised that
they were neither harnessed nor mounted. We
opened the poultry-yard and pigeon-cote. The
flamingo would not leave us, it went and came


SO Bowed “aoe ae Saat = ig: bs a ee ee ae ee are mes J
= se a yee ae a ae eS alk nee ea ee ~~
wo eigen eile a ag nin the SE E : .
eR a A se Pe '

FAMILY ROBINSON. 301

with us from the house to the pinnace. We took
also oil, candles, fuel, and a large iron pot to cook
our provisions in. For our defence, I took two
more guns, and a small barrel of powder, all we
had left. I added besides some changes of linen,
not forgettmg some for my dear wife, which I
hoped might be needed. ‘The time fled rapidly
while we were thus employed; night came on,
and my sons returned not. My grief was incon-
ceivable ; the island was so large and woody, that
they might have lost themselves, or the savages
might have returned and encountered them.
After twenty hours of frightful terror, I heard
the report of a gun—alas! only one report! it was
the signal agreed on if they returned alone; two

_ if they brought their mother ; three if Francis also

accompanied them; but I expected they would

_ return alone, and I was still grateful. I ran to



meet them; they were overcome with fatigue and

vexation.

They begged to set out immediately, not to lose
one precious moment; they were now sure the
island did not- contain those they lamented, and
they hoped I would not return without discovering
them, for what would the island be to us without
our loved ones? Fritz, at that moment, saw his
dear Lightfoot capering round him, and could not

: help sighing as he caressed him, and took leave of

him.

“May I find thee here,” said he, “where I
leave thee in such sorrow; and I will bring back

_ thy young master,” added he, turning to the bull,

who was also approaching him.

He then begged me again to set out, as the
moon was Just rising in all her majesty.
302 THE SWISS

“The queen of night,” said Ernest; “ will
guide us to the queen of our island, who is perhaps
now looking up to her, and calling on us to help
her.”

“ Most assuredly,” said I, “ she is thinking on
us; but it is on God she is calling for help. Let
us joi her in prayer, my dear children, for herself
and our dear Francis.”

They fell on their knees with me, and I uttered
the most fervent and earnest prayer that ever
human heart poured forth; and I rose with con-
fidence that our prayers were heard. I proceeded
with new courage to the creek that contained our
pinnace, where Jack arranged all we had brought ;
we rowed out of the creek, and when we were in
the bay, we held a council to consider on which
side we were to commence our search. I thought
of returning to the great bay, from whence our
canoe had been taken; my sons, on the contrary,
thought that these islanders, content with their
acquisition, had been returning homewards, coast-
ing along the island, when an unhappy chance had
led their mother and brother to the shore, where
the savages had seen them, and carried them off.
At the most, they could but be a day before us;
but that was long enough to fill us with dreadful
anticipations. I yielded to the opinion of my
sons, which had a great deal of reason on its side,
besides the wind was favourable in that direction ;
and, abandoning ourselves in full confidence to
Almighty God, we spread our sails, and were soon
in the open sea.
FAMILY ROBINSON. 303

CHAPTER XLVIII.

A GENTLE wind swelled our sails, and the cur-
rent carried us rapidly into the open sea. I then
seated myself at the helm, and employed the little
knowledge I had gained during our voyage from
Europe in directing our bark, so that we might
avoid the rocks and coral banks that surrounded
our island. My two eldest sons, overcome with
fatigue, had no sooner seated themselves on a
bench, than they fell into.a profound sleep, not-
withstanding their sorrows. Jack held out the
best; his love of the sea kept him awake, and I
surrendered the helm to him till 1 took a momen-
tary slumber, my head resting against the stern.
A happy dream placed me in the midst of my
family in our dear island; but a shout from
Ernest awoke me, he was calling on Jack to leave
the helm, as he was contriving to run the vessel
among the breakers on the coast. I seized the
helm, and soon set all right, determined not to
trust my giddy son again.

Jack, of all my sons, was the one who evinced
most taste for the sea; but being so young when
we made our voyage, his knowledge of nautical
affairs was very scanty. My elder sons had learnt
more. Ernest, who had a great thirst for know-
ledge of every kind, had questioned the pilot on
all he had seen him do. He had learned a great
deal in theory, but of practical knowledge he had
none. The mechanical genius of Fritz had drawn
conclusions from what he saw; this would have
induced me to place much trust in him in case of
304 THE SWISS

that danger which I prayed Heaven might be
averted. What a situation was mine for a father |
Wandering through unknown and dangerous seas
with my three sons, my only hope, in search of a
fourth, and of my beloved helpmate; utterly
ignorant which way we should direct our course,
or where to find a trace of those we sought. How
often do we allay the happiness granted us below
by vain wishes! I had at one time regretted that
we had no means of leaving our island ; Now we
had left it, and our sole wigh was to recover those
we had lost, to bring them back to it, and never
to leave it more. I sometimes regretted that I
had led my sons into this danger. I might have
ventured alone ; but I reflected that I could not
have left them, for Fritz had said, “If the
savages had carried off the pmnace, I would
have swum from isle to isle till I had found
them.” My boys all endeavoured to encourage
and console me. Fritz placed himself at the rud-
der, observing that the pinnace was new and well
built, and likely to resist a tempest. Ernest
stood on the deck silently watching the stars,
only breaking his silencé*by telling me he should
be able by them to supply the want of the com-
pass, and point out how we should direct our
course. Jack climbed dexterously up the mast
to let me see his skill; we called him the cabin-
boy, Fritz was the pilot, Ernest the astronomer,
and I was the captain and commander of the
expedition. Daybreak showed us we had passed
far from our island, which now only appeared a
dark speck. I, as well as Fritz and J ack, was of
opinion that it would be advisable to go round it,
and try our fortune on the opposite coast; but






FAMILY ROBINSON. 305

Ernest, who had not forgotten his telescope, was
certain he saw land in a direction he pointed out
tous. We took the glass, and were soon con-
vinced he was right. As day advanced, we saw
the land plainly, and did not hesitate to sail
towards it.

As this appeared the land nearest to our island,
we supposed the savages might have conveyed
their captives there. But more trials awaited us
before we arrived there. It being necessary to
shift the sail, in order to reach the coast in view,
my poor cabin-boy, Jack, ran up the mast, hold-
ing by the ropes; but before he reached the sail,
the rope which he held broke suddenly; he was
precipitated into the sea, and disappeared in a
moment; but he soon rose to the surface, trying
to swim, and mingling his cries with ours. Fritz,
who was the first to see the accident, was in the
water almost as soon as Jack, and s®izing him
by the hair, swam with the other hand, calling on
him to try and keep afloat, and hold by him.
When I saw my two sons thus struggling with the
waves, that were very strong from a land wind, I
should, in my despair, have leaped in after them ;
but Ernest held me, and implored me to remain
to assist in getting them into the pinnace. He
had thrown ropes to them, and a bench which he
had torn up with the strength of despair. Fritz
had contrived to catch one of the ropes and fasten
it round Jack, who still swam, but feebly, as if
nearly exhausted. Fritz had been considered an
excellent swimmer in Switzerland; he preserved
all his presence of mind, calling to us to draw the
rope gently, while he supported the poor boy, and
pushed him towards the pinnace. At last I was

x
306 THE SWISS

able to reach and draw him up; and when I saw
him extended, nearly lifeless, at the bottom of the
pinace, I fell down senseless beside him. How
precious to us now was the composed mind of
Ernest! In the midst of such a scene, he was
calm and collected ; promptly disengaging the
rope from the body of Jack, ‘he flung it back to
Fritz, to help him in reaching the pinnace,
attaching the other end firmly to the mast. This
done, quicker than I can write it, he approached
us, raised his brother so that he might relieve
himself from the quantity of water he had
swallowed ; then turning to me, restored me to
my senses by administering to me some drops of
rum, and by saying, “ Courage, father! you have
saved Jack, and I will save Fritz. He has hold
of the rope; he is swimming strongly; he is
coming ; he is here! ”

He left me to assist his brother, who was soon
in the vessel, and in my arms. Jack, perfectly
recovered, joined him; and fervently did I thank
God for granting me, in the midst of my trials,
such a moment of happiness. We could not help
fancying this happy preservation was an augury of
Our success in our anxious search, and that we
should bring back the lost ones to our island.

“Oh, how terrified mamma would have been,”
said Jack, “to see me sink! I thought I was
going, like a stone, to the bottom of the sea; but
I pushed out my arms and legs with all my
strength, and up I rose.”

He as well as Fritz was quite wet. I had by
chance brought some changes of clothes, which I
made them put on, after giving each a little rum.
They were so much fatigued, and I was so over-



Sar aa pee

eS
ag ee aed
wien TE Reaeenny he


FAMILY ROBINSON. 307

come by my agitation, that we were obliged to
relinquish rowing, most unwillingly, as the skies
threatened a storm. We gradually began to dis-
tinguish clearly the island we wished to approach ;
and the land-birds, which came to rest on our
sails, gave us hopes that we should reach it before
night; but, suddenly, such a thick fog arose, that
it hid every object from us, even the sea itself, and
we seemed to be sailing among the clouds. I
thought it prudent to drop our anchor, as, fortu-
nately, we had a tolerably strong one; but there
appeared so little water, that I feared we were
near the breakers, and I watched anxiously for
the fog to dissipate, and permit us to see the coast.
It finally changed into a heavy rain, which we
could with difficulty protect ourselves from; there
was, however, a half-deck to the pimnace, under
which we crept, and sheltered ourselves. Here,
crowded close together, we talked over the late
accident. Fritz assured me he was never in any
danger, and that he would plunge again into the
sea that moment, if he had the least hope that it
would lead him to find his mother and Francis.
We all said the same ; though Jack confessed that
his friends, the waves, had not received his visit
very politely, but had even beat him very rudely.

“ But I would bear twice as much,” said he,
“to see mamma and dear Francis again. Do you
think, papa, that the savages could ever hurt
them? Mamma is so good, and Francis is so
pretty ! and then, poor mamma is so lame yet ; I
hope they would pity her, and carry her.”

Alas! I could not hope as my boy did; I feared
that they would force her to walk. I tried to con-
ceal other horrible fears, that almost threw me

x2
308 THE SWISS

into despair. I recalled all the cruelties of the
cannibal nations, and shuddered to think that
my Elizabeth and my darling child were perhaps
in their ferocious hands. Prayer and confidence
in God were the only means, not to console, but
to support me, and teach me to endure my heavy
affliction with resignation. I looked on my three
sons, and endeavoured, for their sakes, to hope
and submit. The darkness rapidly increased, till
it became total; we concluded it was night. The
rain having ceased, I went out to strike a light, as
I wished to hang the lighted lantern to the mast,
when Ernest, who was on deck, called out loudly,
“ Father! brothers! come! the sea is on fire!”
And, indeed, as far as the eye could reach, the
surface of the water appeared in flames ; this light,
of the most brilliant, fiery red, reached even to
the vessel, and we were surrounded by it. It was
a sight at once beautiful, and almost terrific.
Jack seriously inquired, if there was not a volcano
at the bottom of the sea; and I astonished him
much by telling him, that this light was caused
by a kind of marine animals, which in form re-
sembled plants so much, that they were formerly
considered such ; but naturalists and modern voy-
agers have entirely destroyed this error, and fur-
nished proofs that they are organized beings, having
all the spontaneous movements peculiar to animals.
They feel when they are touched, seek for food,
seize and devour it; they are of various kinds and
colours, and are known under the general name
of zoophytes.

“ And this which glitters in such beautiful co-
lours on the sea, is called pyrosoma,” said Ernest.
“See, here are some I have caught in my hat;
FAMILY ROBINSON. 309

you may see them move. How they change
colour—orange, green, blue, like the rainbow ;
and when you touch them, the flame appears still
more brilliant ; now they are pale yellow.”

They amused themselves some time with these
bright and beautiful creatures, which appear to have
but a half-life. They occupied a large space on
the water, and their astonishing radiance, in the
midst of the darkness of the atmosphere, had such
a striking and magnificent effect, that for a few
moments we were diverted from our own sad
thoughts ; but an observation from Jack soon re-
called them.

«Tf Francis passed this way,” said he, “ how he
would be amused with these funny creatures,
which look like fire, but do not burn; but I know
he would be afraid to touch them; and how much
afraid mamma would be, as she likes no animals
she does not know. Ah! how glad I shall be to
tell her all about our voyage, and my excursion
into the sea, and how Fritz dragged me by the
hair, and what they call these fiery fishes ; tell
me again, Ernest ; py—py—’

«“ Pyrosoma, Mr. Peron calls them,” said Ernest.
«The description of them is very interesting in his
voyage, which I have read to mamma ; and as she
would recollect it, she would not be afraid.”

“T pray to God,” replied I, “that she may have
nothing more to fear than the pyrosoma, and that
we may soon see them again, with her and Francis.”

We all said Amen; and, the day breaking, we
decided to weigh the anchor, and endeavour to
find a passage through the reefs to reach the
island, which we now distinctly saw, and which
seemed an uncultivated and rocky coast. I re-
310 THE SWISS

sumed my place at the helm, my sons took the
oars, and we advanced cautiously, sounding every
minute. What would have become of us if our
pinnace had been injured! The sea was perfectly
calm, and, after prayer to God, and a slight
refreshment, we proceeded forward, looking care-
fully round for any canoe of the savages—it might
be, even our own; but, no! we were not fortunate
enough to discover any trace of our beloved
friends, nor any symptom of the isle being inha-
bited ; however, as it was our only point of hope,
we did not wish to abandon it. By dint of search-
ing, we found a small bay, which reminded us of
our own. It was formed by a river, broad and
deep enough for our pinnace to enter. We
rowed in; and having placed our vessel in a
creek, where it appeared to be secure, we began
to consider the means of exploring the whole
island.

CHAPTER XLIX.

I pip not disembark on this unknown shore
without great emotion: it might be inhabited by
a barbarous and cruel rate, and I almost doubted
the prudence of thus risking my three remaining
children in the hazardous and uncertain search
after our dear lost ones. I think I could have
borne my bereavement with Christian resignation,
if I had seen my wife and child die in my arms ;
I should then have been certain they were happy
m the bosom of their God; but to think of them
in the power of ferocious and idolatrous savages,
FAMILY ROBINSON. 311

who might subject them to cruel tortures and
death, chilled my very blood. I demanded of my
sons, if they felt courage to pursue the difficult
and perilous enterprise we had commenced. They
all declared they would rather die than not find
their mother and brother. Fritz even besought
me, with Ernest and Jack, to return to the island,
-n case the wanderers should come back, and be
terrified to find it deserted; and to leave him the
arms, and the means of trafficking with the sa-
vages, without any uneasiness about his prudence
and discretion.

Lassured him I did not distrust his courage and
prudence, but I showed him the futility of hoping
that the savages would voluntarily carry back their
victims, or that they could escape alone. And
should he meet with them here, and succeed, how
could he carry his recovered treasures to the
island ?

“No, my children,” said I, “ we will all search,
in the confidence that God will bless our efforts.”

“And perhaps sooner than we think,” said
Ernest. “ Perhaps they are in this island.”

Jack was running off immediately to search, but
I called my little madcap back, till we arranged
our plans. I advised that two of us should re-
main to watch the coast, while the other two
penetrated into the interior. The first thing neces-
sary to ascertain was if the island was inhabited,
which might easily be done, by climbing some tree
that overlooked the country, and remarking if
there were any traces of the natives, any huts, or
fires lighted, &c. Those who made any discovery
were immediately to inform the rest, that we might
go in a body to recover our own. If nothing an-
312 THE SWISS

nounced that the island was inhabited, we were
to leave it immediately, to search elsewhere. All
wished to be of the party of discovery. At length,
Ernest agreed to remain with me, and watch for
any arrivals by sea. Before we parted, we all
knelt to invoke the blessing of God on our endea-
vours. Fritz and Jack, as the most active, were
to visit the interior of the island, and to return
with information as soon as possible. To be pre-
pared for any chance, I gave them a game-bag
filled with toys, trinkets, and pieces of money, to
please the savages; [also made them take somefood.
Fritz took his gun, after promising me he would
not fire it, except to defend his life, lest he should
alarm the savages, and induce them to remove
their captives. Jack took his lasso, and they set
out with our benedictions, accompanied by the
brave Turk, on whom I depended much to discover
his mistress and his companion Flora, if she was
still with her friends.

As soon as they were out of sight, Ernest and I
set to work to conceal as much as possible our
pmnace from discovery. We lowered the masts,
and hid with great care under the deck the
precious chest with our treasure, provisions, and
powder. We got our pinnace with great difficulty,
the water being low, behind a rock, which com-
pletely concealed it on the land-side, but it was
still visible from the sea. Ernest suggested that
we should entirely cover it with branches of trees,
so that it might appear like a heap of bushes;
and we began to cut them immediately with two
hatchets we found in the chest, and which we
speedily fitted with handles. We found also a large
iron staple, which Ernest succeeded, with a ham-
FAMILY ROBINSON. 313

mer and pieces of wood, in fixing in the rock to
moor the pinnace to. We had some difficulty in
finding branches within our reach; there were
many trees on the shore, but their trunks were
bare. We found, at last, at some distance, an
extensive thicket, composed of a beautiful shrub,
which Ernest recognized to be a species of mi-
mosa. The trunk of this plant is knotty and
stunted, about three or four feet high, and spreads
its branches horizontally, clothed with beautiful
foliage, and so thickly interwoven, that the little
quadrupeds who make their dwellings in these
thickets are obliged to open covered roads out of
the entangled mass of vegetation.

At the first blow of the hatchet, a number of
beautiful little creatures poured forth on all sides.
They resembled the kangaroos of our island, but
were smaller, more elegant, and remarkable for
the beauty of their skin, which was striped like
that of the zebra.

“Tt is the striped kangaroo,” cried Ernest,
“described in the voyages of Peron. How I long
to have one. The female should have a pouch to
contain her young ones.”

He lay down very still at the entrance of the
thicket, and soon had the satisfaction of seizing
two, which leaped out almost into his arms. This
animal is timid as the hare of our country. They
endeavoured to escape, but Ernest held them fast.
One was a female, which had her young one in her
pouch, which my son took out very cautiously.
It was an elegant little creature, with a skin like
its mother, only more brilliant — it was full of
graceful antics. The poor mother no longer
wished to escape ; all her desire seemed to be to
314 THE SWISS

recover her offspring, and to replace it in its nest.
At last, she succeeded in seizing and placing it
carefully in security. Then her desire to escape
was so strong, that Ernest could scarcely hold her.
He wished much to keep and tame her, and asked
my permission to empty one of the chests for a
dwelling for her, and to carry her off in the pin-
nace; but I refused him decidedly. I explained
to him the uncertainty of our return to the island,
and the imprudence of adding to our cares, and,
“certainly,” added I, “you would not wish this
poor mother to perish from famine and con-
finement, when your own mother is herself a
prisoner ?”

His eyes filled with tears, and he declared he
would not be such a savage as to keep a poor
mother in captivity. “Go, pretty creature,” said
he, releasing her, “and may my mother be as for-
tunate as you.” She soon profited by his permis-
sion, and skipped off with her treasure.

We continued to cut down the branches of the
mimosa; but they were so entangled, and the
foliage so light, that we agreed to extend our
search for some thicker branches.

As we left the shore, the country appeared more
fertile: we found many unknown trees, which bore
no fruit ; but some covered with delicious flowers.
Ernest was in his element, he wanted to collect
and examine all, to endeavour to discover their
names, either from analogy to other plants, or
from descriptions he had read. He thought he
recognized the melaleuca, several kinds of mimosa,
and the Virginian pine, which has the largest and
thickest branches. We loaded ourselves with as
much as we could carry, and, in two or three
FAMILY ROBINSON. 315

journeys, we had collected sufficient to cover the
vessel, and to make a shelter for ourselves, if we
were obliged to pass the night on shore. I had
given orders to my sons that both were to return
before night, at all events; and if the least hope
appeared, one was to run with all speed to tell us.
All my fear was that they might lose their way nm
this unknown country: they might meet with
lakes, marshes, or perplexing forests; every mo-
ment I was alarmed with the idea of some new
danger, and never did any day seem so long.
Ernest endeavoured, by every means in his power,
to comfort and encourage me; but the buoyancy
of spirit, peculiar to youth, prevented him dwell-
ing long on one painful thought. He amused his
mind by turning to search for the marine pro-
ductions with which the rocks were covered:
sea-weed, mosses of the most brillant colours,
zoophytes of various kinds, occupied his attention.
He brought them to me, regretting that he could
not preserve them.

“Oh! if my dear mother could see them,” said
he, “or if Fritz could paint them, how they would
amuse Francis!”

This recalled our sorrows, and my uneasiness
increased.

CHAPTER L.

Aut was so still around us, and our pinnace was
so completely hidden with its canopy of verdure,
that I could not help regretting that I had not ac-
companied my sons. It was now too late, but my
316 THE SWISS

steps involuntarily turned to the road I had seen
them take, Ernest remaining on the rocks im search
of natural curiosities ; but I was suddenly recalled
by a cry from Ernest—

“ Father, a canoe! a canoe!”

“ Alas! is it not ours?”’.I said, rushing to the
shore, where, indeed, I saw beyond the reefs a
canoe, floating lightly, apparently filled with the
islanders, easy to distinguish from’ their dark
complexion. This canoe did not resemble ours ;
it was longer, narrower, and seemed to be com-
posed of long strips of bark, quite rough, tied
together at each end, which gave somewhat of a
graceful form to it, though it evidently belonged
to the infancy of the art of navigation. It is
almost inconceivable how these frail barks resist
the slightest storm; but these islanders swim so
well, that even if the canoe fills, they jump out,
empty it, and take their places again. When landed,
one or two men take up the canoe and carry it to
their habitation. This, however, appeared to be
provided with out-riggers, to preserve the equili-
brium, and six savages, with a sort of oars, made
it fly like the wind. When it passed the part of
the island where we were, we hailed it as loudly
as we could; the savages answered by frightful
cries, but showed no intention of approaching us
or entering the bay; on the contrary, they went
on with great rapidity, continuing their cries. I
followed them with my eyes as far as I could in
speechless emotion ; for either my fancy deceived
me, or I faintly distinguished a form of fairer com-
plexion than the dark-hued beings who sur-
rounded him—features or dress I could not see;
on the whole, it was a vague impression, that I
FAMILY ROBINSON. 317

trembled alike to believe or to doubt. Ernest,
more active than I, had climbed a sand-bank, and,
with his telescope, had commanded a better view
of the canoe. He watched it round a point of
land, and then came down almost as much agi-
tated as myself. I ran to him and said—

“Ernest, was it your mother?”

“No, papa; I am certain it was not my
mother,” said he. “ Neither was it Francis.”

Here he was silent: a cold shuddering came
over me.

“Why are you silent?” said 1; “ what do you
think ?”

“ Indeed, papa, I could distinguish nothing,”
said he, “ even with the telescope, they passed so
quickly. Would that it were my mother and
brother, we should then be sure they were living,
and might follow them. But a thought strikes
me: let us free the pinnace, and sail after the
canoe. We can go quicker than they with the
sail; we shall overtake them behind the cape, and
then we shall at least be satisfied.”

I hesitated, lest my sons should come back ;
but Ernest represented to me that we were only
fulfillmg the wishes of Fritz; besides, we should
return in a short time; he added, that he would
soon disencumber the pinnace.

“ Soon,” cried I, “ when we have been at least
two hours in covering it.”

“Yes,” said he; “but we had a dozen journeys
to make to the trees then; I will have it ready in
less than half an hour.”

I assisted him as actively as I could, though
not with good heart, for I was uneasy about
abandoning my sons. I would have given worlds
318 THE SWISS

to see them arrive before our departure; to have
their assistance, which was of much consequence
in the pinnace, and to know they were safe. I
often left off my work to take a glance into the
interior of the island, hoping to see them. Fre-
quently I mistook the trees in the twilight, which
was now coming on, for moving objects. At last,
I was not deceived, I saw distinctly a figure walk-
ing rapidly.

«They are here!” I cried, running forward,
followed by Ernest; and we soon saw a dark-
coloured figure approaching. I concluded it was
a savage, and, though disappomted, was not
alarmed, as he was alone. I stopped, and begged
Ernest to recollect all the words he had met with
in his books, of the language of the savages. The
black man approached ; and conceive my surprise
when I heard him cry, in my own language—

“ Don’t be alarmed, father, it is 1, your son
Fritz.”

“Ts it possible,” said I; “can I believe it?
and Jack? What have you done with my Jack?
Where is he? Speak... .”

Ernest did not ask. Alas! he knew too well;
he had seen with his telescope that it was his dear
brother Jack that was in the canoe with the
savages ; but he had not dared to tell me. I was
in agony. Fritz, harassed with fatigue, and over-
whelmed with grief, sunk down on the ground.

“Oh father!’ said he, sobbing, “I dread to
appear before you without my brother! I have
lost him. Can you ever forgive your unfortunate
Fritz ?”’

“ Oh yes, yes; we are all equally unfortunate,”
cried I, sinking down beside my son, while Ernest
FAMILY ROBINSON. 319

seated himself on the other side to support me.
I then besought Fritz to tell meif the savages had
murdered my dear boy. He assured me that he
was not killed, but carried off by the savages ;
still he hoped he was safe. Ernest then told me
he had seen him seated in the canoe, apparently
without clothes, but not stained black as Fritz
was.

“T earnestly wish he had been,” said Fritz;
“to that I attribute my escape. But I am truly
thankful to God that you have seen him, Ernest.
Which way have the monsters gone?”

Ernest pointed out the cape, and Fritz was
anxious that we should embark without delay,
and endeavour to snatch him from them.

“ And have you learned nothing of your mother
and Francis?” said I.

“ Alas! nothing,” said he; “though I think I
recognized a handkerchief, belonging to dear
mamma, on the head of a savage. I will tell you
all my adventure as we go. You forgive me, dear
father ?”’

“Yes, my dear son,” said I; “I forgive and
pity you; but are you sure my wife and Francis
are not on the island ?”

“ Quite sure,” said he. “In fact the island is
entirely uninhabited; there is no fresh water, nor
game, and no quadrupeds whatever, but rats and
kangaroos ; but plenty of fruit. I have filled my
bag with bread-fuit, which is all we shall need:
let us go.”

We worked so hard, that in a quarter of an
hour the branches were removed, and the pinnace
ready to receive us. The wind was favourable for
carrying us towards the cape the savages had
320 THE SWISS

turned ; we hoisted our sail, I took my place at
the helm; the sea was calm, and the moon
lighted our way. After recommending ourselves
to the protection of God, I desired Fritz to com-
mence his melancholy recital.

“Tt will be melancholy, indeed,” said the poor
boy, weeping; “if we do not find my dear Jack,
I shall never forgive myself for not having stained
his skin before my own; then he should have been
with you now —”

“ But I have you, my dear son, to console your
father,” said I. “I can do nothing myself, in my
sorrow. I depend on you, my two eldest, to
restore to me what I have lost. Go on, Fritz.”

“ We went on,” continued he, “with courage
and hope; and as we proceeded, we felt that you
were right in saying we ought not to judge of the
island by the borders. You can form no idea of
the fertility of the island, or of the beauty of the
trees and shrubs we met with at every step, quite
unknown to me; some were covered with fragrant
flowers, others with tempting fruits; which, how-
ever, we did not venture to taste, as we had not
Knips to try them.”

“Did you see any monkeys?” asked Ernest.

“ Not one,” replied his brother, “to the great
vexation of Jack; but we saw parrots, and all
sorts of birds of the most splendid plumage.
Whilst we were remarking these creatures, I did
not neglect to look carefully about for any trace
that might aid our search. I saw no hut, no
sort of dwelling, nor anything that could indicate
that the island was inhabited, and not the slightest
appearance of fresh water; and we should have
been tormented with thirst if we had not found
FAMILY ROBINSON. 321

some cocoa-nuts containing milk, and an acid
fruit, full of juice, which we have in our own is-
Jand—Ernest calls it the carambolier ; we quenched
our thirst with this, as well as with the plant, which
we also have, and which contains water in the stem.
The country is flat and open, and its beautiful trees
stand at such a distance from each other, that no
one could hide amongst them. But if we found
no dwellings, we often discovered traces of the
savages,—extinguished fires, remains of kangaroos
and of fish, cocoa-nut shells, and even entire
nuts, which we secured for ourselves; we re-
marked, also, footmarks on the sand. We both
wished anxiously to meet with a savage, that we
might endeavour to make him comprehend, by
signs, whom we were in search of, hoping that
natural affection might have some influence even
with these untaught creatures. I was only fear-
ful that my dress and the colour of my skin
might terrify them. In the mean time, Jack,
with his usual rashness, had climbed to the sum-
mit of one of the tallest trees, and suddenly
cried out, ‘ Fritz, prepare your signs, the savages
are landing. Oh! what black ugly creatures they
are, and nearly naked! you ought to dress your-
self like them, to make friends with them. You
can stain your skin with these,’ throwing me
down branches of a sort of fruit of a dark purple
colour, large as a plum, with a skin like the mul-
berry. ‘I have been tasting them, they are very
nauseous, and they have stained my fingers black ;
rub yourself well with the juice of this fruit, and
you will be a perfect savage.’ ,

“Tagreed immediately. He descended from the
tree while I undressed, and with his assistance I

Y
322 THE SWISS

stained myself from head to foot, as you see me;
but don’t be alarmed, a single dip in the sea will
make me a European again. The good-natured
Jack then helped to dress me in a sort of tunic
made of large leaves, and laughed heartily when |
he looked at me, calling me Omnibou, of whom
he had seen a picture, which he declared I exactly
resembled. I then wished to disguise him in the
same way, but he would not consent ; he declared
that, when he met with mamma and Francis, he
should fly to embrace them, and that he should
alarm and disgust them in such a costume. He
said I could protect him if the savages wished to
devour him: they were now at hand, and we went
forward, Jack following me with my bundle of
clothes under his arm. I had slung my kan-
garoo-skin bag of powder and provision on my
shoulders, and I was glad to see that most of the
savages wore the skin of that animal, for the most
part spread out like a mantle over their shoulders ;
few of them had other clothes, excepting one, who
appeared to be the chief, and had a tunic of green
rushes, neatly woven. I tried to recollect all the
words of savage language I could, but very few
occurred to me. I said at first ‘tayo, tayo” I
don’t know whether they comprehended me, but
they paid me great attention, evidently taking me
for a savage; only one of them wished to seize
my gun; but I held it firmly, and on the chief
speaking a word to him, he drew back. They
spoke very rapidly, and | saw by their looks
they spoke about us; they looked incessantly at
Jack, repeating, ‘To maiti tata’ Jack imitated
all their motions, and made some grimaces which
FAMILY ROBINSON. 323:

seemed to amuse them. I tried in vain to attract
their attention. I had observed a handkerchief
twisted round the head of him who seemed the
chief, that reminded me much of the one my
mother usually wore. I approached him, touched
the handkerchief, saying expressively, ‘ Metoua
ainé mere, et tata frere ;’ I added, pointing to the
sea, ‘pay canot” But, alas! they did not appear
to understand my words. The chief thought |
wished to rob him of his handkerchief, and re-
pelled me roughly. I then wished to retire, and
T told Jack to follow me; but four islanders seized
him, opened his waistcoat and shirt, and cried
out together, ‘ Alea téa tata” In an instant he
was stripped, and his clothes and mme were put
on in a strange fashion by the savages. Jack,
mimicking all their contortions, recovered his
shirt from one of them, put it on, and began to
dance, calling on me to do the same, and, in a
tone as if singing, repeated, ‘Make your escape,
Fritz, while I am amusing them; I will then run
off and join you very soon.’ As if I could fora
moment think of leaving him in the hands of
these barbarians! However, I recollected at
that moment the bag you had given me of toys
and trinkets; we had thoughtlessly left it under
the great tree where I had undressed. I told
Jack, in the same tone, I would fetch it, if he
could amuse the savages till I returned, which he
might be certain would be very soon. I ran off
with all speed, and without opposition arrived at
the tree, found my bag well guarded, indeed,
father ; for what was my surprise to find our two
faithful dogs, Turk and Flora, sitting over it.”
YÂ¥ 2
324. THE SWISS

“ Plora!” cried I, “she accompanied my dear
wife and child into their captivity; they must be
in this island—why have we left it !”

“My dear father,” continued Fritz, “depend
on it, they are not there; but I feel convinced
that the wretches who have carried off Jack, hold
dear mamma and Francis in captivity; therefore
we must, at all events, pursue them. The meet-
ing between Flora and me was truly joyful, for I
was now convinced that my mother and Francis
were not far off, though certainly not on the same
island, or their attached friend would not have
quitted them. I concluded that the chief who had
taken my mamma’s handkerchief had also taken
her dog, and brought her on this excursion, and
that she had here met with her friend Turk, who
had rambled from us.

“ After caressing Flora, and taking up my bag,
I ran off full speed to the spot where my dear
Jack was trying to divert the barbarians. As I
approached, I heard cries,—not the noisy laughter
of the savages, but cries of distress from my be-
loved brother,—cries for help, addressed to me. I
did not walk—I flew till I reached the spot, and
I then saw him bound with a sort of strong cord,
made of gut; his hands were fastened behind
his back, his legs tied together, and these cruel
men were carrying him towards their canoe, while
he was crying out, ‘ Fritz, Fritz, where are you?’
I threw myself desperately on the six men who
were bearing him off. In the struggle, my gun,
which I held in my hand, caught something, and
accidentally went off, and—O, father, it was my
own dear Jack that I wounded! I cannot tell
how I survived his cry of ‘You have killed me!’
FAMILY ROBINSON. 325

And when I saw his blood flow, my senses for-
sook me, and I faimted. When I recovered, I
was alone; they had carried him off. I rose, and
following the traces of his blood, arrived fortu-
nately at the shore just as they were embarking.
God permitted me to see him again, supported by
one of the savages, and even to hear his feeble
voice cry, ‘Console yourself, Fritz, 1 am not
dead; I am only wounded im the shoulder; it is
not your fault; go, my kind brother, as quick as
possible to papa, and you will both’ the canoe
sailed away so swiftly, that I heard no more; but
I understood the rest ‘you will both come and
rescue me. But will there be time? Will they
dress his wound? Oh! father, what have I done!
Can you forgive me?”

Overwhelmed with grief, I could only hold out
my hand to my poor boy, and assure him I could
— possibly blame him for this distressing acci-

ent.

Ernest, though greatly afflicted, endeavoured
to console his brother; he told him a wound in
the shoulder was not dangerous, and the savages
certainly intended to dress his wound, or they
would have left him to die, Fritz, somewhat
comforted, begged me to allow him to bathe, to
divest himself of the colouring, which was now
become odious to him, as being that of these ruth-
less barbarians. I was reluctant to consent; I
thought it might still be useful, in gaining access
to the savages ; but he was certain they would
recognize him in that disguise as the bearer of the
thunder, and would distrust him. I now recol-
lected to ask what had become of his gun, and
was sorry to learn that they had carried it off




326 THE SWISS

whilst he lay insensible; he himself considered
that it would be useless to them, as they had for-
tunately left him the bag of ammunition. Ernest,
however, regretted the loss to ourselves, this being
the third we had lost—the one we had left in the
canoe being also in the possession of the savages.
The dogs we missed, too, and Fritz could give no
account of them; we concluded they had either
followed the savages, or were still in the island.
This was another severe sorrow ; it seemed as if
every sort of misfortune was poured out upon us.
L rested on the shoulder of Ernest in my anguish.
Fritz took advantage of my silence, and leaped out
of the pinnace to have a bath. I was alarmed at
first ; but he was such an excellent swimmer, and
the sea was so calm, that I soon abandoned my
fears for him.



CHAPTER LI.

Fritz was now swimming far before us, and ap-
peared to have no idea of turning, so that I was at
once certain he projected swimming on to the
poimt where we had lost sight of the savages, to
be the first to discover and aid his brother. Al-
though he was an excellent swimmer, yet the dis-
tance was so great, that I was much alarmed ; and
especially for his arrival by night in the midst of
the savages. This fear was much increased by a very
extraordinary sound, which we now heard gradually
approaching us ; it was a sort of submarine tempest.
The weather was beautiful; there was no wind,
the moon shone in a cloudless sky, yet the waves
FAMILY ROBINSON. 327

were swoln as if by a storm, and threatened to
swallow us; we heard at the same time a noise
like violent rain. ‘Terrified at these phenomena,
I cried out aloud for Fritz to return; and though
it was almost impossible my voice could reach
him, we saw him swimming towards us with all
his strength. Ernest and I used all our power in
rowing to meet him, so that: we soon got to him.
The moment he leaped in, he uttered im a stifled
voice, pointing to the mountains of waves, “They
are enormous marine monsters! whales, I believe!
such an immense shoal! They will swallow us
u 1?

“ No,” said Ernest, quietly ; “ don’t be alarmed ;
the whale is a gentle and harmless animal, when
not attacked. I am very glad to see them so
near. We shall pass as quietly through the midst
of these colossal creatures, as we did through
the shining zoophytes: doubtless the whales are
searching for them, for they constitute a principal
article of their food.”

They were now very near us, sporting on the
surface of the water, or plunging into its abysses,
and forcing out columns of water through their
nostrils to a great height, which occasionally fell
on us, and wetted us. Sometimes they raised
themselves on their huge tail, and looked like
giants ready to fall on us and crush us; then
they went down again into the water, which
foamed under their immense weight. Then they
seemed to be going through some military evolu-
tions, advancing in a single line, like a body of
regular troops, one after another swimming with
grave dignity ; still more frequently they were in
lines of two and two. This wonderful sight partly
328 THE SWISS

diverted us from our own melancholy thoughts.
Fritz had, however, seized his oar, without giving
himself time to dress, whilst I, at the rudder,
steered as well as I could through these monsters,
who are, notwithstanding their appearance, the
mildest animals that exist. They allowed us to
pass so closely, that we were wetted with the water
they spouted up, and might have touched them ;
and with the power to overturn us with a stroke
of their tail, they never noticed us; they seemed
to be satisfied with each other’s society. We were
truly sorry to see their mortal enemy appear
amongst them, the sword-fish of the south, armed
with its long saw, remarkable for a sort of fringe
of nine or ten inches long, which distinguishes it
from the sword-fish of the north. They are both
terrible enemies to the whale, and next to man,
who wages an eternal war with them, its most
formidable foes. The whales in our South Seas
had only the sword-fish to dread ; as soon as they
saw him approach, they dispersed, or dived into
the depths of the ocean. One only, very near us,
did not succeed in escaping, and we witnessed
a combat, of which, however, we could not see the
event. These two monsters attacked each other
with equal ferocity; but as they took an opposite
direction to that we were going, we soon lost
sight of them, but we shall never forget our
meeting with these wonderful giants of the deep.
We happily doubled the promontory behind
which the canoe had passed, and found ourselves
in an extensive gulf, which narrowed as it entered
the land, and resembled the mouth of a river.
We did not hesitate to follow its course. We
went round the bay, but found no traces of man,
FAMILY ROBINSON. 329

but numerous herds of the amphibious animal,
called sometimes the sea-lion, the sea-dog, or the
sea-elephant, or trunked phoca: modern voyagers
give it the last name. These animals, though of
enormous size, are gentle and peaceful, unless
roused by the cruelty of man. They were in such
numbers on this desert coast, that they would
have prevented our approach if we had intended
it. They actually covered the beach and the
rocks, opening their huge mouths, armed with
very sharp teeth, more frightful than dangerous.
As it was night when we entered the bay, they
were all sleeping, but they produced a most deafen-
ing noise with their breathing. We left them to
their noisy slumber ; for us, alas! no such com-
fort remained. The continual anxiety attending
an affliction like ours destroys all repose, and for
three days we had not slept an hour. Since the
new misfortune of Jack’s captivity, we were all
kept up by a kind of fever. Fritz was in a most
incredible state of excitement, and declared he
would never sleep till he had rescued his beloved
brother. His bath had partially removed the
colouring from his skin, but he was still dark
enough to pass for a savage, when arrayed like
them. The shores of the strait we were navigating
were very steep, and we had yet not met with any
place where we could land; however, my sons
persisted in thinking the savages could have taken
no other route, as they had lost sight of their canoe
round the promontory. As the strait was narrow
and shallow, I consented that Fritz should throw
off the clothes he had on, and swim to reconnoitre a
place which seemed to be an opening in the rocks or
hills that obstructed our passage, and we soon had
330 THE SWISS

the pleasure of seeing him standing on the shore,
motioning for us to approach. The strait was now
so confined, that we could not have proceeded any
further with the pinnace ; we could not even bring
it to the shore. Ernest and I were obliged to step
into the water up to the waist; but we took the
precaution to tie a long and strong rope to the
prow, and when we were aided by the vigorous
arm of Fritz, we soon drew the pinnace near
enough to fix it by means of the anchor.

There were neither trees nor rocks on that
desert shore to which we could fasten the pinnace ;
but, to our great delight and encouragement, we
found, at a short distance from our landing-place,
a bark canoe, which my sons were certain was that
in which Jack had been carried off. We entered
it, but at first saw only the oars; at last, however,
Ernest discovered, in the water which half filled
the canoe, part of a handkerchief, stained with
blood, which they recognized as belonging to
Jack. This discovery, which relieved our doubts,
caused Fritz to shed tears of joy. We were cer-
tainly on the track of the robbers, and might trust
that they had not proceeded farther with their
barbarity. We found on the sand, and in the
boat, some cocoa-nut shells and fish-bones, which
satisfied us of the nature of their repasts. We
resolved to continue our search into the interior
of the country, following the traces of the steps of
the savages. We could not find any traces of
Jack’s foot, which would have alarmed us, if Fritz
had not suggested that they had carried him, on
account of his wound. We were about to set
out, when the thoughts of the pinnace came over
us; it was more than ever necessary for us to
FAMILY ROBINSON. 331

preserve this, our only means of return, and which
moreover contained our goods for ransom, our
ammunition, and our provisions, still untouched,
for some bread-fruit Fritz had gathered, some
muscles, and small, but excellent, oysters, had
been sufficient for us. It was fortunate that we
had brought some gourds of water with us, for we
had not met with any. We decided that it would
be necessary to leave one of our party to guard
the precious pinnace, though this would be but an
insufficient and dangerous defence, in case of the
approach of the natives. My recent bereavements
made me tremble at the idea of leaving either of
my sons. I cannot yet reflect on the agony of
that moment without horror—yet it was the
sole means to secure our vessel; there was not a
creek or a tree to hide it, and the situation of the
canoe made it certain the savages must return
there to embark. My children knew my thoughts,
by the distracted glances with which I alternately
regarded them and the pinnace, and, after consult-
ing each other’s looks, Ernest said—

“ The pinnace must not remain here unguarded,
father, to be taken, or, at any rate, pillaged by
the natives, who will return for their canoe.
Either we must all wait till they come, or you
must leave me to defend it. I see, Fritz, that you
could not endure to remain here.”

In fact, Fritz impatiently stamped with his
foot, saying—

“T confess, I cannot remain here; Jack may
be dying of his wound, and every moment 8
precious. I will seek him — find him — and save
him! I have a presentiment I shall; and if I
discover him, as I expect, in the hands of the
332 THE SWISS

savages, I know the way to release him, and to
prevent them carrying off our pinnace.”

I saw that the daring youth, in the heat of his
exasperation, exposed alone to the horde of bar-
barians, might also become their victim. I saw
that my presence was necessary to restrain and
aid him ; and I decided, with a heavy heart, to
leave Ernest alone to protect the vessel. His
calm and cool manner made it less dangerous for
him to meet the natives. He knew several words
of their language, and had read of the mode of
addressing and conciliating them. He promised
me to be prudent, which his elder brother could
not be. We took the bag of toys which Fritz had
brought, and left those in the chest, to use if
necessary ; and, praying for the blessing of Heaven
on my son, we left him. My sorrow was great;
but he was no longer a child, and his character
encouraged me. Fritz embraced his brother, and
promised him to bring Jack back in safety.

CHAPTER LII.

Arter having traversed for some time a de-
sert, sandy plain without meeting a living crea-
ture, we arrived at a thick wood, where we lost the
traces we had carefully followed. We were obliged
to direct our course by chance, keeping no fixed
road, but advancing as the interwoven branches
permitted us. The wood was alive with the most
beautiful birds of brillant and varied plumage;
but, in our anxious and distressed state, we should
have been more interested in seeing a savage than
FAMILY ROBINSON. 333

a bird. We passed at last through these verdant
groves, and reached an arid plain extending to
the shore. We again discovered numerous foot-
steps ; and, whilst we were observing them, we saw
a large canoe pass rapidly, filled with islanders : and
this time I thought that, in spite of the distance,
I could recognize the canoe we had built, and which
they had robbed us of. Fritz wished to swim
after them, and was beginning to undress him-
self, and I only stopped him by declaring that if
he did, I must follow him, as I had decided not to
be separated from him. I even proposed that we
should return to Ernest, as I was of opinion that
the savages would stop at the place where we had
disembarked, to take away the boat they had left,
and we might then, by means of the words Ernest
had acquired, learn from them what had become
of my wife and children. Fritz agreed to this,
though he still persisted that the easiest and
quickest mode of return would have been by
swimming. We were endeavouring to retrace
our road, when, to our great astonishment, we
saw, at a few yards’ distance, a man clothed in a
long black robe advancing towards us, whom we
immediately recognized as a European.

“Kither I am greatly deceived,” said I, “ or
this is a missionary, a worthy servant of God, come
into these remote regions to make Him known to
the wretched idolators.”

We hastened to him. I was not wrong. He
was one of those zealous and courageous Christians
who devote their energies and their lives to the
instruction and eternal salvation of men born in
another hemisphere, of another colour, uncivilized,
but not less our brothers. I had quitted Europe
304 THE SWISS

with the same intention, but Providence had or-
dered it otherwise ; yet I met with joy one of my
Christian brethren, and, unable to speak from
emotion, I silently embraced him. He spoke to
me in English —a language I had fortunately
learned myself, and taught to my children — and
his words fell on my soul like the message of the
angel to Abraham, commanding him to spare his
son.

“You are the person I am seeking,” said he, in
a mild and tender tone, “and I thank Heaven
that I have met with you. This youth is Fritz,
your eldest son, I conclude; but where have you
left your second son, Ernest ?”

“"Reverend man,’ cried Fritz, seizing his
hands, “you have seen my brother Jack. Per-
haps my mother? You know where they are.
Oh! are they living?”

“Yes, they are living, and well taken care of,”
said the missionary ; “come, and I will lead you
to them.”

It was, indeed, necessary to lead me; I was so
overcome with joy,.that I should have fainted, but
the good missionary made me inhale some volatile
salts which he had about him; and supported by
him and my son, I managed to walk. My first
words were a thanksgiving to God for his mercy ;
then I implored my good friend to tell me if I
should indeed see my wife and children again.
He assured me that an hour’s walk would bring
me to them; but I suddenly recollected Ernest,
and refused to present myself before the beloved
ones while he was still in danger. The missionary
smiled, as he told me he expected this delay, and
wished to know where we had left Ernest. I re-
FAMILY ROBINSON. 335

counted to him our arrival in the island, and the
purpose for which we had left Ernest ; with our
intention of returning to him as soon as we saw
the canoe pass, hoping to obtain some intelligence
from the savages.

“But how could you have made yourselves
understood?” said he; “are you acquainted with
their language ?”’

I told him Ernest had studied the vocabulary
of the South Sea islanders.

“Doubtless that of Tahiti, or the Friendly
Islands,’ said he; “but the dialect of these
islanders differs much from theirs. I have resided
here more than a year, and have studied it, so
may be of use to you; let us go. Which way did

ou come ?”

“Through that thick wood,” replied I; “where
we wandered a long time; and I fear we shall
have some difficulty in finding our way back.”

“ You should have taken the precaution to notch
the trees as you came,” said our worthy friend ;
“without that precaution, you were in danger of
being lost ; but we will find my marks, which will
lead us to the brook, and following its course we
shall be safe.”

‘We saw no brook,” remarked Fritz.

“There is a brook of excellent water, which
you have missed in crossing the forest; if you
had ascended the course of the stream, you would
have reached the hut which contains your dear
friends; the brook runs before it.”

Fritz struck his forehead with vexation.

“God orders all for the best,” said I to the
good priest ; “we might not have met with you;
we should have been without Ernest; you might
336 THE SWISS

have sought us all day in vain. Ah! good man,
it is under your holy auspices that our family
ought to meet, in order to increase our happiness.
Now please to tell me” —

« But first,’ interrupted Fritz, “pray tell me
how Jack is? He was wounded, and ”—

“Be composed, young man,” said the calm
man of God; “the wound, which he confesses
he owes to his own imprudence, will have no evil
consequences ; the savages had applied some heal-
ing herbs to it, but it was necessary to extract
a small ball, an operation which I performed yes-
terday evening. Since then he suffers less; and
will be soon well, when his anxiety about you is
relieved.”

Fritz embraced the kind missionary, entreating
his pardon for his rashness, and adding, “ Did
my brother talk to you of us, sir?”

“He did,” answered his friend; “ but I was
acquainted with you before; your mother talked
continually of her husband and children. What
mingled pain and delight she felt yesterday even-
ing when the savages brought to her dear Jack,
wounded! I was fortunately in the hut to com-
fort her, and assist her beloved boy.”

“ And dear Francis,” said I, “ how rejoiced he
would be to see his brother again !”

“ Francis,” said the missionary, smiling, “ will be
the protector of you all. He is the idol of the savages
now ; an idolatry permitted by Christianity.”

We proceeded through the wood as we con-
versed, and at last reached the brook. I hada
thousand questions to ask, and was very anxious
to know how my wife and Francis had been
brought to this island, and how they met with the
FAMILY ROBINSON. 337

missionary. The five or six days we had been
separated seemed to me five or six months. We
walked too quickly for me to get much informa-
tion. The English minister said little, and re-
ferred me to my wife and son for all details. On
the subject of his own noble mission he was less
reserved.

« Thank God,” said he, “ I have already suc-
ceeded in giving this people some notions of hu-
manity. They love their black friend, as they
call me, and willingly listen to my preaching, and
the singing of some hymns. When your little
Francis was taken, he had his reed flageolet in his
pocket, and his playing and graceful manners have
so captivated them that I fear they will with reluct-
ance resign him. The king is anxious to adopt him.
But do not alarm yourself, brother; 1 hope to
arrange all happily, with the divine assistance. I
have gained some power over them, and I will
avail myself of it. A year ago, I could not have
answered for the life of the prisoners; now I
believe them to be in safety. But how much is
there yet to teach these simple children of nature,
who listen only to her voice, and yield to every
impression! Their first impulse is good, but they
are so unsteady that affection may suddenly change
to hatred; they are inclined to theft, violent in
their anger, yet generous and affectionate. You
will see an instance of this in the abode where a
woman, more unfortunate than your wife, since
she has lost her husband, has found an asylum.”

He was silent, and I did not question him
farther on this subject. We were approaching
the arm of the sea where we had left our pinnace,
and my heart, at ease about the rest, became now

Z
338 THE SWISS

anxious solely for Ernest. Sometimes the hills
concealed the water from us; Fritz climbed them,
anxious to discover his brother, at last I heard
him suddenly cry out “ Ernest, Ernest . . . —

He was answered by shouts, or rather howls,
amongst which I could not distinguish the voice
of my son. ‘Terror seized me.

« These are the islanders,” said I to the mis-
sionary ; “and these frightful cries . . . Pie

« Are cries of joy,” said he, “ which will be in-
creased when they see you. This path will con-
duct us to the shore. Call Fritz; but l do not
see him; he will, doubtless, have descended the
hill, and joined them. Have no fears; recommend
your sons to be prudent. The black friend will
speak to his black friends, and they will hear
him.”

We proceeded towards the shore, when, at some
distance, I perceived my two sons on the deck of
the pinnace, which was covered with the islanders,
to whom they were distributing the treasures of
the chest, at least those we had put apart im the
bag ; they had not been so imprudent as to open
the chest itself, which would soon have been
emptied ; it remained snugly below the deck, with
the powder-barrel. At every new acquisition, the
savages uttered cries of joy, repeating mona, mona,
signifying beautiful. The mirrors were at first
received with the most delight, but this soon
changed into terror; they evidently conceived
there was something magical about them, and
flung them all into the sea. The coloured glass
beads had then the preference, but the distribu-
tion caused many disputes. Those who had not
obtained any, wished to deprive the rest of them
FAMILY ROBINSON. 839

by force. The clamour and quarrelling were in-
creasing, when the voice of the missionary was
heard, and calmed them as if by enchantment.
All left the pinnace, and crowded round him; he
harangued them in their own language, and
pointed me out to them, naming me, me touatane,
that is, father, which they repeated in their turn.
Some approached me, and rubbed their noses
against mine, which, the pastor had informed me,
was a mark of respect. In the mean time, Fritz
had informed Ernest that his mother and brothers
were found, and that the man who accompanied us
was a European. Ernest received the intelligence
with a calm joy; it was only by the tears m his
eyes you could discover how much his heart was
affected ; he leaped from the pmnace and came
to thank the missionary. I had my share of his
gratitude too, for coming to seek him, before I
had seen the dear lost ones.

We had now to think of jommg them. We
unanimously decided to proceed by water; in the
first place, that we might bring our pinnace as
near as possible to my dear Elizabeth, who was still
suffering from her fall, her forced voyage, and,.
above all, from her anxiety; besides, I ‘confess
that I felt a little fatigue, and should have re-
luctantly set out to cross the wood a third time ;
but, in addition to this, 1 was assured that it was
the promptest mode of reaching our friends, and
this alone would have decided me. The pinnace
was then loosened, the sail set, and we entered
with thankfulness. Dreading the agitation of my
wife if she saw us suddenly, I entreated our new
friend to precede us, and prepare her. He con-
sented; but, as he was coming on board, he was

Z2
340 THE SWISS

suddenly stopped by the natives, and one of them
addressed him for some time. The missionary
listened till he had concluded, with calmness and
dignity ; then, turning to me, he said—

“ You must answer for me, brother, the request
which Parabéry makes: he wishes me, in the name
of the whole, to wait a few moments for their
chief, to whom they give the title of kmg. Bara-
ourou, as he is called, has assembled them here
for a ceremony, at which all his warriors must as-
sist. I have been anxious to attend, fearing it might
be a sacrifice to their idols, which I have always
strongly opposed, and wishing to seize this occa-
sion to declare to them the one true God. Bara-
ourou is not wicked, and I hope to succeed in
touching his heart, enlightening his mind, and
converting him to Christianity ; his example would
certainly be followed by the greatest part of his
subjects, who are much attached to him. Your
presence, and the name of God uttered by you,
with the fervour and in the attitude of profound
veneration and devotion, may aid this work of
charity and love. Have you sufficient self-com-
* mand to delay, for perhaps a few hours, the meeting
with your family? Your wife and children, not ex-
pecting you, will not suffer from suspense. If you
do not agree to this, I will conduct you to them,
and return, I hope in time, to fulfil my duty. I
wait your decision to reply to Parabéry, who is
already sufficiently acquainted with the truth, to
desire that his king and his brethren should know
it also.”

Such were the words of this true servant of
God; but I cannot do justice tothe expression of
his heavenly countenance. Mr. Willis, for such
FAMILY ROBINSON. 341

was his name, was forty-five or fifty years of age,
tall and thin; the labours and fatigues of his
divine vocation had, more than years, left their
traces on his noble figure and countenance; he
stooped a little, his open and elevated forehead
was slightly wrinkled, and his thin hair was pre-
maturely grey; his clear blue eyes were full of
intelligence and kindness, reading your thoughts,
and showing you all his own. He usually kept
his arms folded over his breast, and was very calm
in speaking ; but when his extended hand pointed
to heaven, the effect was irresistible; one might
have thought he saw the very glory he spoke of.
His simple words to me seemed a message from
God, and it would have been impossible to resist
him. It was indeed a sacrifice; but I made it
without hesitation. I glanced at my sons, who
had their eyes cast down; but I saw Fritz knit-
ting his brows. “I shall stay with you, father,”
said I, “happy if I can assist you in fulfillmg your
sacred duties.”

“ And you, young people,” said he, “are you of
the same opinion ?”

Fritz came forward, and frankly said, “ Sir, it
was, unfortunately, I who wounded my brother
Jack; he has been generous enough to conceal
this ; you extracted the ball which I discharged into
his shoulder ; I owe his life to you, and mine is at
your disposal; I can refuse you nothing; and,
however impatient, I must remain with you.”

“JT repeat the same,” said Ernest; ‘ you pro-
tected our mother and brothers, and, by God’s
permission, you restore them to us. We will all
remain with you; you shall fix the time of our
meeting, which will not, I trust, be long delaved.”’
342 THE SWISS

I signified my approbation, and the mission
gave them his hand, assuring them that their joy
on meeting their friends would be greatly increased
by the consciousness of this virtuous self-denial.

We soon experienced this. Mr. Willis learned
from Parabéry, that they were going to fetch their
king in our pretty canoe when we saw it pass.
The royal habitation was situated on the other
side of the promontory, and we soon heard a joy-
ful cry, that they saw the canoe coming. While
the savages were engaged in preparing to meet
their chief, I entered the pinnace, and descending
beneath the deck, I took from the chest what
I judged most fitting to present to his majesty.
I chose an axe, a saw, a pretty, small, ornamented
sabre, which could not do much harm, a packet of
nails, and one of glass-beads. I had scarcely put
aside these articles, when my sons rushed to me in
great excitement. )

“Oh! father,” cried they, at once, “look ! look !
summon all your fortitude ; see! there is Francis
himself in the canoe; oh! how curiously he is
dressed !”

I looked, and saw, at some distance, our canoe
ascending the strait ; it was decorated with green
branches, which the savages, who formed the
king’s guard, held in their hand; others were
rowing vigorously ; and the chief, wearing a red
and yellow handkerchief, which had belonged to
my wife, as a turban, was seated at the stern, and
a pretty, little, blooming, flaxen-haired boy was
placed on his right shoulder. With what delight
did I recognize my child. He was naked above
the waist, and wore a little tunic of woven leaves,
which reached to his knees, a necklace and brace-
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“ Two savages took Francis on their shoulders, and two others
took the king in the same way.”—P. 343.
FAMILY ROBINSON. 343

lets of shells, and a variety of coloured feathers
mingled with his bright curls; #ome of these fell
over his face, and doubtless prevented him from
seeing us. The chief seemed much engaged with
him, and continually took some ornament from
his own dress to decorate him. “ It is my child!”
said I, in great terror, to Mr. Willis, “ my dearest
and youngest! They have taken him from his
mother. What must be her grief! He is her
Benjamin—the child of her love. Why have they
taken him? Why have they adorned him in this
manner? Why have they brought him here?”

“ Have no fear,” said the missionary; “ they
will do him no harm. I promise you they shall
restore him, and you shall take him back to his
mother. Place yourselves at my side, with these
branches in your hands.”

He took some from Parabéry, who held a bundle
of them, and gave us each one; each of the savages
took one also. They were from a tree which had
slender, elegant leaves, and rich scarlet flowers—
a species of mimosa; the Indians call it the tree
of peace. They carry a branch of it when they
have no hostile intentions; in all their assemblies,
when war is proclaimed, they make a fire of these
branches, and if all are consumed, it is considered
an omen of victory.

While Mr. Willis was explaining this to us, the
canoe approached. ‘Two savages took Francis on
their shoulders, two others took the king in the
same way, and advanced gravely towards us.
What difficulty I had to restrain myself from
snatching my child from his bearers, and embrac-
ing him! My sons were equally agitated ; Fritz
was darting forward, but the missionary restrained
344 THE SWISS

him. Francis, somewhat alarmed at his position,
had his eyes castadown, and had not yet seen us.
When the king was within twenty yards of us,
they stopped, and all the savages prostrated them-
selves before him; we alone remained standing.
Then Francis saw us, and uttered a piercing
cry, calling out, “Papa! dear brothers!” He
struggled to quit the shoulders of his bearers, but
they held him too firmly. It was impossible to
restrain ourselves longer; we all cried out, and
mingled our tears and lamentations. I said to
the good missionary,—a little too harshly, per-
haps,—“ Ah! if you were a father!”

“Tam,” said he, “the father of all this flock,
and your children are mine; I am answerable
for all. Command your sons to be silent ; request
the child to be composed, and leave the rest
to me.”

I immediately took advantage of the permission
to speak. “ Dear Francis,” said I, holding out
my arms, “we are come to seek you and your
mother ; after all our dangers, we shall soon meet

ain, to part no more. But be composed, my
child, and do not risk the happiness of that mo-
ment by any impatience. Trust in God, and in
this good friend that He has given us, and who
has restored to me the treasures without which I
could not live.’ We then waved our hands to
him, and he remained still, but wept quietly,
murmuring our names: “ Papa, Fritz, Ernest,—
tell me about mamma,” said he, at last, in an
inquiring tone.

“She does not know we are so near her,” said
I. “ How did you leave her ?”
FAMILY ROBINSON. 345

“Very much grieved,” said he, “that they
brought me away; but they have not done me
any harm,—they are so kind ; and we shall soon
all go back to her. Oh! what joy for her and
our friends !”

“ One word about Jack,” said Fritz; “ how does
his wound go ont”

“Oh, pretty well,’ answered he; “he has no
pain now, and Sophia nurses him and amuses him.
How little Matilda would weep when the savages
carried me off! If you knew, papa, how kind and
good she is!”

I had no time to ask who Sophia and Matilda
were. They had allowed me to speak to my son
to tranquillize him, but the king now commanded.
silence, and, still elevated on the shoulders of his
people, began to harangue the assembly. Hewas
a middle-aged man, with striking features; his
thick lips, his hair tinged with red paint, his dark
brown face, which, as well as his body, was
tattooed with white, gave him a formidable
aspect; yet his countenance was not unpleasant,
and announced no ferocity. In general, these
savages have enormous mouths, with long white
teeth; they wear a tunic of reeds or leaves from
the waist to the knees. My wife’s handkerchief,
which I had recognized at first, was gracefully
twisted round the head of the king; his hair was
fastened up high, and ornamented with feathers,
but he had nearly removed them all to deck my
boy. He placed him at his side, and frequently
pointed him out during his speech. I was on
thorns. As soon as he had concluded, the savages
shouted, clapped their hands, and surrounded my
346 THE SWISS

child, dancing, and presenting him fruit, flowers,
and shells, crying out, Ouraki! a cry in which
the king, who was now standing, joined also.

“What does the word Ouraki mean?” said I
to the missionary.

“Tt is the new name of your son,” answered
he; “or rather of the son of Bara-ourou, who has
just adopted him.”

“Never!” cried I, darting forward. “ Boys,
let us rescue your brother from these barbarians !”
We all three rushed towards Francis, who, weep-
ing, extended his arms to us. The savages at-
tempted to repulse us; but at that moment the
missionary pronounced some words in a loud
voice; they immediately prostrated themselves on
their faces, and we had no difficulty in securing
the child. We brought him to our protector,
who still remained in the same attitude in which
he had spoken, with his eyes and his right hand
raised towards heaven. He made a sign for the
savages to rise, and afterwards spoke for some
time to them. What would I have given to have
understood him! But I formed some idea from
the effect of his words. He frequently pomted
to us, pronouncing the'word éroué, and particu-
larly addressed the king, who listened motionless
to him. At the conclusion of his speech, Bara-
ourou approached, and attempted to take hold of
Francis, who threw himself into my arms, where
I firmly held him.

“Let him now go,” said Mr. Willis, “and fear
nothing.”

I released the child; the king lifted him up,
pressed his own nose to his; then, placing him on
FAMILY ROBINSON. 347

the ground, took away the feathers and necklace
with which he had decked him, and replaced him
in my arms, rubbing my nose also, and repeat-
ing several words. In my first emotion, I threw
myself on my knees, and was imitated by my two
sons.

“Tt is well!” cried the missionary, again rais-
ing his eyes and hands. “ Thus should you
offer thanks to heaven. The king, convinced it
is the will of God, restores your child, and wishes
to become your friend: he is worthy to be so, for
he adores and fears your God. May he soon
learn to know and believe all the truths of Chris-
tianity! Let us pray together that the time may
come when, on these shores, where paternal love
has triumphed, I may see a temple rise to the
Father of all,—the God of peace and love.”

He kneeled down, and the king and all his
people followed his example. Without under-
standing the words of his prayer, I joined in the
spirit of it with all my heart and soul.

I then presented my offerings to the king, in-
creasing them considerably. I would willingly
have given all my treasures in exchange for him
he had restored to me. My sons also gave some-
thing to each of the savages, who incessantly
cried tayo, tayo. I begged Mr. Willis to tell the
king I gave him my canoe, and hoped he would
use it to visit us in our island, to which we were
returning. He appeared pleased, and wished to
accompany us in our pinnace, which he seemed
greatly to admire; some of his people followed
him on board to row, the rest placed themselves
in the canoes. We soon entered the sea again,
348 THE SWISS

and, doubling the second point, we came to an
arm of the sea much wider, and deep enough for
our pinnace, and which conducted us to the object
of our dearest hopes.

CHAPTER LIII.

WE were never weary with caressing our dear
Francis. We were very anxious to learn from him
all the particulars of the arrival of the savages in
our island, the seizure of his mother and himself,
their voyage, and their residence here, and who
were the friends they had met with; but it was
impossible, his tawny majesty never left us for a
moment, and played with-the boy as if he had
been a child himself. Francis showed him all the
toys from our chest; he was extremely amused
with the small mirrors, and the dolls. A painted
carriage, driven by a coachman who raised his
whip when the wheels turned, appeared miracu-
lous to him. He uttered screams of delight as he
pointed it out to his followers. The ticking of my
watch also charmed him; and as I had several
more, I gave him it, showing him how to wind it
up. But the first time he tried to do it, he broke
the spring, and when it was silent he cared no
longer for it, but threw it on one side. However,
as the gold was very glitterimg, he took it up
again, and suspending it from the handkerchief
that was wound round his head, it hung over his
nose, and formed a striking ornament. Francis
showed him his face in a mirror, which royal
amusement made him laugh heartily. He asked
FAMILY ROBINSON. 349

the missionary if it was the invisible and Almighty
God who had made all these wonderful things.
Mr. Willis replied, that it was he who gave men
the power to make them. I do not know whether
Bara-ourou comprehended this, but he remained
for some time in deep thought. I profited by this
to ask the missionary what were the words which
had terrified them so when they wished to keep
my son from me, and which had compelled them
to surrender him ?

“T told them,’ answered he, “that the
Almighty and unseen God, of whom I spoke to
them daily, ordered them, by my voice, to restore
a son to his father; I threatened them with his
anger if they refused, and promised them his
mercy if they obeyed; and they did obey. The
first step is gained, they know the duty of adoring
and obeying God ; every other truth proceeds from
this, and I have no doubt that my savages will one
day become good Christians. My method of in-
struction is suited to their limited capacity. I
prove to them that their wooden idols, made by
their own hands, could neither create, hear them,
nor protect them. I have shown them God in his
works, have declared him to be as good as he is
powerful, hating evil, cruelty, murder, and canni-
balism, and they have renounced all these. In
their late wars they have either released or adopted
their prisoners. If they carried off your wife and
son, they intended it for a good action, as you
will soon understand.”

I could not ask Francis any questions, as Bara-
ourou continued playing with him, so turning to
Ernest, I asked him what passed when the
savages joined him?
350 THE SWISS

“When you left me,” said he, “I amused my-
self by searching for shells, plants, and zoophytes,
with which the rocks abound, and I have added
a good deal to my collection. I was at some dis-
tance from the pimnace, when I heard a confused
sound of voices, and concluded that the savages
were coming ; in fact, ten or a dozen issued from
the road you had entered, and I cannot compre-
hend how you missed meeting them. Fearing
they would attempt to take possession of my pin-
nace, I returned speedily, and seized a loaded
musket, though I determined to use it only to de-
fend my own life, or the pinnace. I stood on the
deck in an attitude as bold and imposing as |
could command; but I did not succeed in intimi-
dating them. They leaped, one after the other, on
deck, and surrounded me, uttering loud cries. I
could not discover whether they were cries of joy or
of fury; but I showed no fear, and addressed them
in a friendly tone, in some words from Capt. Cook’s
vocabulary; but they did not seem to compre-
hend me, neither could I understand any of theirs
except écroué (father), which they frequently re-
peated, and tara-tawo (woman). One of them
had Fritz’s gun, from which I concluded they
were of the party that had carried off Jack.
I took it, and showing him mine, endeavoured to
make him understand that it also belonged to me.
He thought I wished to exchange, and readily
offered to return it, and take mine. This would
not have suited me; Fritz’s gun was discharged,
and I could not let them have mine loaded. To
prevent accident, surrounded as I was, I decided
to give them a fright, and seeing a bird flying
above us, I took aim so correctly, that my
FAMILY ROBINSON. 351

shot brought down the bird, a blue pigeon.
They were for a moment stupified with terror ;
then immediately all left the pinace, except Para-
béry; he seemed to be pleased with me, often
pointing to the sky, saying mété, which means
good, 1 believe. His comrades were examining
the dead bird. Some touched their own shoulders,
to try if they were wounded as well as the bird
and Jack had been, which convinced me they had
carried him off. I tried to make Parabéry under-
stand my suspicion, and I think I succeeded, for
he made me an affirmative sign, pomting to the
interior of the island, and touching his shoulder
with an air of pity. I took several things from
the chest, and gave them to him, making signs
that he should show them to the others, and
induce them to return to me. He comprehended
me very well, and complied with my wishes. I
was soon surrounded by the whole party, begging
of me. I was busy distributing beads, mirrors,
and small knives when you came, and we are now
excellent friends. T'wo or three of them returned
to the wood, and brought me cocoa-nuts and
bananas. But we must be careful to hide our
guns, of which they have a holy horror. And
now, dear father, I think we ought not to call
these people savages. They have the simplicity
of childhood; a trifle irritates them, a trifle
appeases them ; they are grateful and affectionate.
I find them neither cruel nor barbarous. They
have done me no harm, when they might easily
have killed me, thrown me into the sea, or carried
me away.”

“We must not,” said I, “judge of all savage
people by these, who have had the benefit of a
352 THE SWISS

virtuous teacher. Mr. Willis has already cast
into their hearts the seeds of that divine religion,
which commands us to do unto others as we would
they should do unto us, and to pardon and love
our enemies.”

While we were discoursing, we arrived at a spot
where the canoes had already landed; we were
about to do the same, but the king did not seem
inclined to quit the pinnace, but continued speak-
ing to the missionary. I was still fearful that he
wished to keep Francis, to whom he seemed to be
more and more attached, holding him eonstantly
on his knee; but at last, to my great joy, he
placed him in my arms.

“He keeps his word with you,” said Mr. Willis.
“You may carry him to his mother ; but, in re-
turn, he wishes you to permit him to go in your
pinnace to his abode on the other side of the
strait, that he may show it to the women, and he
promises to bring it back; perhaps there would
be danger in refusing him.”

I agreed with him; but still there was a diffi-
culty in granting this request. If he chose to
keep it, how should we return? Besides, it con-
tained our only barrel of powder, and all our
articles of traffic, and how could we expect it
would escape pillage ?

Mr. Willis confessed he had not yet been able
to cure their fondness for theft, and suggested, as
the only means of security, that 1 should accom-
pany the king, and bring the pinnace back, which
was then to be committed to the charge of Para-
béry, for whose honesty he would be responsible.

Here was another delay; the day was so far
advanced, that I might not, perhaps, be able to
FAMILY ROBINSON. 353

return before night. Besides, though my wife did
not know we were so near her, she knew they had
carried away Francis, and she would certainly be
very uneasy about him. Bara-ourou looked very
impatient, and as it was necessary to answer him,
I decided at once; I resigned Francis to the mis-
sionary, entreating him to take him to his mother,
to prepare her for our approach, and to relate the
cause of our delay. I told my sons, it was my
desire they should accompany me. Fritz agreed
rather indignantly, and Ernest with calmness.
Mr. Willis told the king, that in gratitude to him,
and to do him honour, I and my sons wished to
accompany him. He appeared much flattered at
this, made my sons seat themselves on each side
of him, endeavoured to pronounce their names,
and finished by exchanging names as a token of
friendship, calling Fritz, Bara; Ernest, Ourou ;
and himself, Fritz-Ernest. Mr. Willis and Fran-
cis left us; our hearts were sad to see them go
where all our wishes centred; but the die was
cast. The king gave the signal to depart; the
canoes took the lead, and we followed. Inan hour
we saw the royal palace. It was a tolerably large
hut, constructed of bamboos and palm-leaves, very
neatly. Several women were seated before it,
busily employed in making the short petticoats of
reeds which they’all wore. Their hair was very
carefully braided in tufts on the crown of the
head; none were good-looking, except two daugh-
ters of the king, about ten and twelve years old,
who, though very dark, were graceful: these, no
doubt, he intended for wives for my Francis. We
disembarked about a hundred yards from the hut.
The women came to meet us, carrying a branch
2A
354 THE SWISS

of the mimosa in each hand; they then performed
a singular kind of dance, entwining their arms and
shaking their feet, but never moving from the
spot ; this they accompanied with a wild chant,
which was anything but musical. The king seemed
pleased with it; and, calling his wives and daugh-
ters, he showed them his tayo, Bara and Ourou,
calling himself Fritz-Ernest; he then joimed in
the dance, dragging my sons with him, who ma-
naged it pretty well. As for me, he treated me
with great respect, always calling me écroué—
father, and made me sit down on a large trunk of
a tree before his house ; which was, doubtless, his
throne, for he placed me there with great cere-
mony, rubbing his royal nose against mine. After
the dance was concluded, the women retired to
the hut, and returned to offer us a collation,
served up in the shells of cocoa-nuts. It was
a sort of paste, composed, I believe, of different
sorts of fruit, mixed up with a kind of flour and
the milk of the cocoa-nut. This mixture was de-
testable to me; but I made up for it with some
kernel of cocoa-nuts and the bread-fruit. Per-
ceiving that I liked these, Bara-ourou ordered
some of them to be gathered, and carried to the
pinnace. .

The hut was backed by a wood of palms and
other trees, so that our provision was readily
made.. Still there was time for my sons to run
to the pinnace, attended by Parabéry, and bring
from the chest some beads, mirrors, scissors,
needles and pins, to distribute to the ladies. When
they brought the fruit they had gathered, I made
a sign to Bara-ourou to take them to see the pin-


FAMILY ROBINSON. 355

nace; he called them, and they followed him
timidly, and submitting to his wishes in every-
thing. They carried the fruit two and two, in a
sort of baskets, very skilfully woven in rushes,
which appeared to have a European form. They
had no furniture in their dwelling but mats, which
were doubtless their beds, and some trunks of
trees, serving for seats and tables. Several baskets
were suspended to the bamboo which formed the
walls, and also lances, slings, clubs, and other
similar weapons; from which I concluded they
were a nation of warriors. I did not observe
much, however, for my thoughts were in the fu-
ture, and I was very impatient for our departure.
I hastened to the pinnace, and my sons distributed
their gifts to the females, who did not dare to
express their delight ; but it was evident in their
countenances. They immediately began to adorn
themselves with their presents, and appeared to
value the mirrors much more than their husbands
had done. They soon understood their use, and
employed them to arrange with taste the strings
of beads round their necks, heads, and arms.

At last the signal was given for our departure ;
I rubbed my nose against that of the kmg. I
added to my presents a packet of nails, and one of
gilt buttons, which he seemed to covet. I went
on board my pinnace, and, conducted by the good.
Parabéry, we took our way to that part of the
coast where the dear ones resided whom I so
anxiously desired to see. Some of the savages
accompanied us in their own canoe; we should
have preferred having only our friend Parabéry,
but we were not the masters.

2A2
356 THE SWISS

Favoured by the wind, we soon reached the
shore we had formerly quitted, and found our
excellent missionary waiting for us.

“Come,” said he, “you are now going to re-
ceive your reward. Your wife and children im-
patiently expect you; they would have come to
meet you, but your wife is still weak, and Jack
sufferimg—your presence will soon cure them.”

I was too much affected to answer. Fritz gave
me his arm, as much to support me as to restrain
himself from rushing on before. Ernest did the
same with Mr. Willis; his mildness pleased the
good man, who also saw his taste for study, and
tried to encourage it. After half an hour’s walk,
the missionary told us we were now near our good
friends. I saw no sign of a habitation, nothing
but trees and rocks; at last I saw a hight smoke
among the trees, and at that.moment Francis, who
had been watching, ran to meet us.

“ Mamma is expecting you,” said he, showing
us the way through a grove of shrubs, thick enough
to hide entirely the entrance into a kind of grotto ;
we had to stoop to pass into it. It resembled
much the entrance of the bear’s den, which we
found in the remote part of our island. A mat
of rushes covered the opening, yet permitted the
light to penetrate it. Francis removed the mat-
ting, calling—

“ Mamma, here we are!’

A lady, apparently about twenty-seven years of
age, of a mild and pleasing appearance, came
forward to meet me. She was clothed in a robe
made of palm-leaves sewed together, which reached
from her throat to her feet, leaving her beautiful


FAMILY ROBINSON. 357

arms uncovered. Her light hair was braided and
fastened up round her head.

“ You are welcome,” said she, taking my hand ;
“ you will be my poor friend’s best physician.”

We entered, and saw my dear wife seated on a
bed of moss and leaves; she wept abundantly,
pointing out to me our dear boy by her side. A
little nymph of eleven or twelve years old was
endeavouring to raise him. ,

« Here are your papa and brothers, Jack,” said
she; “ you are very happy in having what I have
not: but your papa will be mine, and you shall
be my brother.”

Jack thanked her affectionately. Fritz and
Ernest, kneeling beside the couch, embraced their
mother. Fritz begged her to forgive him for
hurting his brother; and then tenderly inquired
of Jack after his wound. For me, I cannot de-
scribe my gratitude and agitation ; I could scarcely
utter a word to my dear wife, who, on her part,
sunk down quite overcome on her bed. The lady,
who was, I understood, named Madame Hirtel,
approached to assist her. When she recovered,
she presented to me Madame Hirtel and her two
daughters. The eldest, Sophia, was attending on
Jack; Matilda, who was about ten or eleven years
of age, was playing with Francis ; while the good
missionary, on his knees, thanked God for having
re-united us.

“ And for life,’ cried my dear wife. ‘“ My dear
husband, I well knew you would set out to seek
me; but how could I anticipate that you would ever
succeed in finding me? We will now separate no
more ; this beloved friend has agreed to accom-
358 THE SWISS

pany us to the Happy Island, as I intend to call
it, if I ever have the happiness to reach it again
with all Llove in the world. How graciously God
permits us to derive blessings from our sorrows.
See what my trial has produced me : a friend and
two dear daughters, for henceforward we are only
one family.”

We were mutually delighted with this arrange-_
ment, and entreated Mr. Willis to visit us often,
and to come and live in the Happy Island when
his mission was completed.

“TI will consent,” said he, “if you will come
and assist me in my duties; for which purpose you
and your sons must acquire the language of these
islanders. We are much nearer your island than
you think, for you took a very circuitous course,
and Parabéry, who knows it, declares it is only a
day’s voyage with a fair wind. And, moreover, he
tells me, that he is so much delighted with you
and your sons, that he cannot part with you, and
wishes me to obtain your permission to accompany
you, and remain with you. He will be exceed-
ingly useful to you: will teach the language to
you all, and will be a ready means of communica-
tion between us.”

I gladly agreed to take Parabéry with us as
a friend; but it was no time yet to think of de-
parting, as Mr. Willis wished to have Jack some
days longer under his care; we therefore arranged
that I and my two sons should become his guests,
as his hut was but a short distance off. We had
many things to hear; but, as my wife was yet too
weak to relate her adventures, we resolved first to
have the history of Madame Hirtel. Night coming


FAMILY ROBINSON. 359

on, the missionary lighted a gourd lamp, and,
after a light collation of bread-fruit, Madame
Hirtel began her story.

———$—$—$——$_

CHAPTER LIV.

“ My life,” she began, “ passed without any re-
markable events, till the misfortune occurred which
brought me to this island. I was married, when
very young, to Mr. Hirtel, a merchant at Ham-
burg, an excellent man, whose loss I have deeply
felt. I was very happy in this union, arranged
by my parents, and sanctioned by reason. We
had three children, a son and two daughters, in
the first three years of our marriage; and M.
Hirtel, seeing his family increase so rapidly,
wished to increase his income. An advantageous
establishment was offered him in the Canary
Islands; he accepted it, and prevailed on me to
settle there, with my family, for some years. My
parents were dead, I had no tie to detain me in
Europe. I was going to see new regions, those
fortunate isles I had heard so much of, and I set
out joyfully with my husband and children, little
foreseeing the misfortunes before me. __

“ Our voyage was favourable; the children, like
myself, were delighted with the novelties of it. I
was then twenty-three years old; Sophia, seven ;
Matilda, six; and Alfred, our pretty, gentle boy,
not yet five. Poor child! he was the darling and
the plaything of all the crew.”
360 THE SWISS

She wept bitterly for a few moments, and then
resumed her narration.

“He was as fair as your own Francis, and
greatly resembled him. We proceeded first to
Bourdeaux, where my husband had a corre-
spondent, with whom he had large dealings ; by
his means my husband was enabled to raise large
sums for his new undertaking. We carried
with us, in fact, nearly his whole fortune. We
re-embarked under the most favourable auspices
—the weather delightful, and the wind fair ; but
we very soon had a change; we were met by a
terrible storm and hurricane, such as the sailors
had never witnessed. For a week our ship was
tossed about by contrary winds, driven into un-
known seas, lost all its rigging, and was at last so
broken, that the water poured in on all sides,

was lost, apparently; but, in this extremity,
my husband made a last attempt to save us. He
tied my daughters and myself firmly to a plank,
taking the charge of my boy himself, as he feared
the additional weight would be too much for our
raft. His intention was to tie himself to another
plank, to fasten this to ours, and, taking his son
in his arms, to give us a chance of being carried
to the shore, which did not appear far off. Whilst
he was occupied in placing us, he gave Alfred to
the care of a sailor who was particularly attached
to him. I heard the man say, ‘ Leave him with
me, I will take care to save him” On this,
M. Hirtel insisted on his restoring him, and I
cried out that he should be given tome. At that
moment the ship, which was already fallen on its
side, filled rapidly with water, plunged, and dis-


FAMILY ROBINSON. 361

appeared with all on board. The plank on which
I and my daughters were fixed alone floated, and
I saw nothing but death and desolation round
me.”

Madame Hirtel paused, almost suffocated by
the remembrance of that awful moment. |

“ Poor woman !” said my wife, weeping, “ it is
five years since this misfortune. It was at the
same time as our shipwreck, and was doubtless
caused by the same storm. But how much more
fortunate was 1! I lost none that were dear to
me, and we even had the vessel left for our use.
But, my dear, unfortunate friend, by what miracle
were you saved ?”

“Tt was He who only can work miracles,” said
the missionary, “ who cares for the widow and the
orphan, and without whose word not a hair of
the head can perish, who at that moment gave
courage to the Christian mother.”

“My strength,” continued she, “‘ was nearly ex-
hausted, when, after being tossed about by the
furious waves, 1 found myself thrown upon what I
supposed to be a sand-bank with my two children.
I envied the state of my husband and son. If I had
not been a mother, I should have wished to have
followed them; but my two girls lay senseless at
my side, and I was anxious, as I perceived they
still breathed, to recover them. At the moment
M. Hirtel pushed the raft into the water, he threw
upon it a box bound with iron, which I grasped
mechanically, and still held, when we were left on
shore. It was not locked, yet it was with some
difficulty, in my confined position, that I succeeded
in opening it. It contaimed a quantity of gold
362 THE SWISS

and bank-notes, which I looked upon with contempt
and regret. But there was something useful in —
the box. In the morocco portfolio which contained _
the bank-notes, there were the usual little instru. |
ments—a knife, scissors, pencils, stiletto, and also
a small bottle of Eau de Cologne, which was par-
ticularly serviceable in restoring my children. [
began by cutting the cords that tied us. J] then
rubbed my dear children with the Eau de Cologne,
made them inhale it, and even swallow a little,
The wind was still blowing, but the clouds began
to break, and the sun appeared, which dried and
warmed us. My poor children opened their eyes,
and knew me, and I felt I was not utterly com-
fortless ; but their first words were to ask for their
father and brother. I could not tell them they
were no more. I tried to deceive myself, to sup-
port my strength, by a feeble and delusive hope.
M. Hirtel swam well, the sailor stil] better ; and
the last words I had heard still rung in my ears
—‘Do not be uneasy, I will save the child’ If I
saw anything floating at a distance, my heart began
to beat, and I ran towards the water; but I saw it
was only wreck, which I could not even reach.
Some pieces were, however, thrown on shore, and
with these and our own raft I was enabled to make
a sort of shelter, by resting them against a rock.
My poor children, by crouching under this, shel-
tered themselves from the rain, or from the rays of
the sun. I had the good fortune to preserve a large
beaver hat, which I wore at the time, and this
protected me; but these resources gave me little
consolation ; my children were complaining of hun-
ger, and I felt only how much we were in want of,
I had seen a shell-fish on the shore, resembling the
FAMILY ROBINSON. 363

oyster, or muscle. I collected some, and, opening
them with my knife, we made a repast on them,
which sufficed for the first day. Night came—my
children offered up their evening prayer, and I
earnestly besought the succour of the Almighty.
I then lay down beside my babes on our raft, as
conveniently as we could, and they soon slept.
The fearful thoughts of the past, and dreadful
anticipations of the future, prevented me from
sleeping. My situation was indeed melancholy ;
but I felt, as a mother, I ought not to wish for
death.

“ As soon as day broke, I went close to the
shore, to seek some shell-fish for our - breakfast.
In crossing the sand, I nearly plunged my foot
into a hole, and fancied I heard a crash. I stooped,
and putting my hand into the opening, found it
was full of eggs; E had broken two or three,
which I tasted, and thought very good. From
the colour, form, and taste, I knew them to be
turtle’s eggs; there were at least sixty, so I had
no more care about food. I carried away in my
apron as many as I could preserve from the rays
of the sun: this I endeavoured to effect by bury-
ing them in the sand, and covering them with
one end of our plank, and succeeded very well.
Besides these, there were as many to be found on
the shore as we required; I have sometimes found
as many as ninety together. ‘These were our sole
support while we remained there: my children
liked them very much. I forgot to add, that I
was fortunate enough to discover a stream of fresh
water, running into the sea; it was the same
which runs past this house, and which conducted
me here. The first day we suffered greatly from
364 THE SWISS

thirst, but on the second we met with the stream
which saved us. I will not tire you by relating
day by day our sad life; every one was the same,
and took away by degrees every hope from me.
As long as I dared to indulge any, I could not
bear to leave the shore; but at last it became
msupportable to me. I was worn out with gazing
continually on that boundless horizon, and that
moving crystal which had swallowed up my hopes.
I pined for the verdure and shade of trees. Al-
though I had contrived to make for my daughters
little hats of a marine rush, they suffered much
from the extreme heat,—the burning rays of a
tropical sun. I decided at last to abandon that
sandy shore ; to penetrate, at all risks, into the
country, in order to seek a shady and cooler
abode, and to escape from the view of that sea
which was so painful to nft. I resolved not to
quit the stream which was so precious to us, for,
not having any vessel to contain water, I could
not carry it with us. Sophia, who is naturally
quick, formed, from a large leaf, a sort of goblet,
which served us to drink from; and I filled my
pockets with turtles’ eggs, as provision for a few
days. I then set off with my two children, after
praying the God of all mercy to watch over US ;
and, taking leave of the vast tomb which held my
husband and my son, I never lost sight of the -
stream ; if any obstacle obliged me to turn a little
way from it, I soon recovered my path. My eldest
daughter, who was very strong and robust, fol-
lowed me stoutly, as I took care not to walk too
far without resting ; but I was often compelled to
carry my little Matilda on my shoulders. Both
were delighted with the shade of the woods, and
FAMILY ROBINSON. 365

were so amused with the delightful birds that in-
habited them, and a pretty little sportive green
monkey, that they became as playful as ever.
They sang and prattled; but often asked me if
papa and Alfred would not soon return to see
these pretty creatures, and if we were going to
seek them. These. words rent my heart, and I
thought it best then to tell them they would meet
no more on earth, and that they were both gone
to heaven, to that good God to whom they prayed
morning and evening. Sophia was very thought-
ful, and the tears ran down her cheeks: ‘1 will
pray to God more than ever, said she, ‘that he
may make them happy, and send them back to
us” ‘Mamma,’ said Matilda, ‘have we left the
sea to go to heaven? Shall we soon be there ?
And shall we see beautiful birds like these?”? We
walked on very slowly, making frequent rests, till
night drew on, and it was necessary to find a place
for repose. I fixed on.a sort of thick grove, which
I could only enter by stooping; it was formed of
one tree, whose branches, reaching the ground,
take root there, and soon produce other stems,
which follow the same course, and become, im
time, an almost impenetrable thicket. Here I
found a place for us to lie down, which appeared
sheltered from wild beasts or savages, whom I
equally dreaded. We had still some eggs, which
we ate; but I saw with fear that the time ap-
proached when we must have more food, which I
knew not where to find. I saw, indeed, some
fruits on the trees, but I did not know them, and
feared to give them to my children, who wished to
have them. I saw also cocoa-nuts, but quite out
of my reach; and even if I could have got them,
366 THE SWISS

I did not know how to open them. The tree
under whose branches we had found. protection
was, I conjectured, an American fig-tree ; it bore
a quantity of fruit, very small and red, and like
the European fig. I ventured to taste them, and
found them inferior to ours,—insipid and soft,—
but, I thought, quite harmless. I remarked that
the little green monkeys ate them greedily, so I
had no more fear, and allowed my children to
regale themselves. I was much more afraid of
wild beasts during the night; however, I had
seen nothing worse than some little quadrupeds
resembling the rabbit or squirrel, which came in
numbers to shelter themselves during the night
under our tree. The children wished to catch
one, but I could not undertake to increase my
charge. We had a quiet night, and were early
awaked by the songs of the birds. How delighted
I was to have escaped the noise of the waves, and
to feel the freshness of the woods, and the per-
fume of the flowers, with which my children made
garlands, to decorate my head and their own!
These ornaments, during this time of mourning
and bereavement, affected me painfully, and I was
weak enough to forbid them this innocent plea-
sure; I tore away my garland, and threw it into
the rivulet. ‘Gather flowers, said I, ‘but do
not dress yourselves in them; they are no fitting
ornaments for us; your father and Alfred cannot
see them.’ They were silent.and sad, and threw
their garlands into the water, as I had done.
“We followed the stream, and passed two more
nights under the trees. We had the good fortune
to find more figs; but they did not satisfy us, and
our eggs were exhausted. In my distress I almost


FAMILY ROBINSON. 367

decided to return to the shore, where we might at
least meet with that nourishment. As I sat by
the stream, reflecting mournfully on our situation,
the children, who had been throwing stones into
the water, cried out, ‘ Look, mamma, what pretty
fishes |? [saw, indeed, a quantity of small salmon-
trout in the river; but how could I take them?
I tried to seize them with my hands, but could
not catch them; necessity, however, is the mother
of invention. I cut a number of branches with
my knife, and wove them together to make a kind
of light hurdle, the breadth of the stream, which
was very narrow just here. I made two of these ;
my daughters assisted me, and were soon very
skilful. We then undressed ourselves, and took a
bath, which refreshed us much. I placed one of
my hurdles upright across the rivulet, and the
second a little lower. The fishes who remained
between attempted to pass, but the hurdles were
woven too close. We watched for them attempt-
ing the other passage ; many escaped us, but we
captured sufficient for our dinner. We threw
them out upon the grass, at a distance from the
stream, so that they could not leap back. My
daughters had taken more than I; but the sensible
Sophia threw back those we did not require,
to give them pleasure, she said, and Matilda did
the same, to see them leap. We then removed our
hurdles, dressed ourselves, and I began to consi-
der how I should cook my fish; for I had no fire,
and had never kindled one myself. However, I had
often seen Mr, Hirtel, who was a smoker, light
his pipe by means of the flint and steel; they were
in the precious morocco case, together with tinder
and matches. I tried to strike a light, and after
368 THE SWISS

some difficulty succeeded. I collected the frag.
ments of the branches used for the hurdles, the
children gathered some dry leaves, and I had soon
a bright, lively fire, which I was delighted to see, .
notwithstanding the heat of the climate. I scraped
the scales from the fish with my knife, washed
them in the rivulet, and then placed them on the
fire to broil; this was my apprenticeship in the
art of cookery. I thought how useful it would be
to give young ladies some knowledge of the useful
arts; for who can foresee what they may need?
Our European dinner delighted us as much as the
bath and the fishing which had preceded it. I
decided to fix our residence at the side of the rivu-
let, and beneath the fig-trees; my only objection
being the fear of missing some passing vessel
which might carry us back to Europe. But can
you understand my feelings, when I confess to you
that, although overcome by sorrow and desolation,
having lost husband, son, and fortune, knowing
that in order to support myself and bring up my
children I must depend upon my friends, and to
attain this having to hazard again the dangers of
the sea, the very thought of which made me
shudder, I should prefer to remain where Provi-
dence had brought me, and live calmly without
obligation to any one? I might certainly have
some difficulty in procuring the means of support-
ing a life which was dear to me for the sake of my
children ; but even this was an employment and
an amusement. My children would early learn to
bear privations, to content themselves with a sim-
ple and frugal life, and to labour for their own
support. I might teach them all that I knew
would. be useful to them in future, and above all,
FAMILY ROBINSON. 369

impress upon their young minds the great truths
of our holy religion. By brmging this constantly
before their unsophisticated understanding, I
might hope they would draw from it the necessary
virtues of resignation and contentment. I was
only twenty-three years of age, and might hope,
by God’s mercy, to be spared to them some time,
and in the course of years who knew what might
happen? Besides we were not so far from the sea
but that I might visit it sometimes, if it were only to
seck for turtles’ eggs. I remained then under
our fig-tree at night, and by day on the borders
of the stream.”

“Jt was under a fig-tree, also,” said my wife, “that
Thave spent four happy years of my life. Unknown
to each other, our fate has been similar; but
henceforward I hope we shall not be separated.”

Madame Hirtel embraced her kind friend, and
observing that the evening was advanced, and that
my wife, after such agitation, needed repose, we
agreed to defer till next day the conclusion of the
interesting narrative. My elder sons and myself
followed the missionary to his hut, which resem-
bled the king’s palace, though it was smaller; it
was constructed of bamboos, bound together, and
the intervals filled with moss and clay; it was
covered in the same way, and was tolerably solid.
A mat in one corner, without any covering,
formed his bed; but he brought out a bear’s skin,
which he used in winter, and which he now spread
on the ground for us. I had observed a similar
one in the grotto, and he told us we should hear
the history of these skins next day, in the con-
tinuation of the story of Emily, or Mimi, as she
was affectionately called by all. We retired to

2B
370 THE SWISS

our couch, after a prayer from Mr. Willis; and
for the first time since my dear wife was taken
from me, I slept in peace.

-_:

CHAPTER LV.

WE went to the grotto early in the morning, and
found our two invalids much improved : my wife
had slept better, and Mr. Willis found Jack’s
wound going on well. Madame Mimi told her
daughters to prepare breakfast: they went out
and soon returned, with a native woman and a boy
of four or five years old, carrying newly-made rush
baskets filled with all sorts of fruit : figs, guavas,
strawberries, cocoa-nuts, and the bread-fruit.

“I must introduce you,” said Emily, “to the
rest of my family : this is Canda, the wife of your
friend Parabéry, and this is their son, Minou-
minou, whom I regard as my own. Your Eliza-
beth is already attached to them, and bespeaks
your friendship for them. They will follow us to
the Happy Island.”

“ Oh, if you knew,” said Francis, “what a well-
behaved boy Minou is! He can climb trees, run,
and leap, though he is less than I am. He must
be my friend.”

“And Canda,” said Elizabeth, “shall be our
assistant and friend.”

She gave her hand to Canda, I did the same, and
caressed the boy, who seemed delighted with me,
and, to my great suprise, spoke to me in very
good German—the mother, too, knew several
words of the language. They busied themselves
FAMILY ROBINSON. 371

with our breakfast: opened the cocoa-nuts, and
poured the milk into the shells, after separating
the kernel ; they arranged the fruits on the trunk
of a tree, which served for a table, and did great
credit to the talent of their mstructress.

“J should have liked to have offered you
coffee,” said Madame Hirtel, “which grows in
this island, but having no utensils for roasting,
grinding, or preparing it, it has been useless to
me, and I have not even gathered it.”

“Do you think, my dear, that it would grow
n our island?” said my wife to me, im some
anxiety.

I then recollected, for the first time, how fond
my wife was of coffee, which, in Europe, had
always been her favourite breakfast. There would.
certainly be in the ship some bags, which I might
have brought away; but I had never thought of
it, and my unselfish wife, not seeing it, had never
named it, except once wishing we had some to
plant in the garden. Now that there was a pro-
bability of obtaining it, she confessed that coffee
and bread were the only luxuries she regretted.
I promised to try and cultivate it mm our island ;
foreseeing, however, that it would probably not be
of the best quality, I told her she must not ex-
pect Mocha; but her long privation from this
delicious beverage had made her less fastidious,
and she assured me it would be a treat to her.
After breakfast, we begged Madame Hirtel to re-
sume her interesting narrative. She continued:

“ After the reflections on my situation, which 1
told you of last night, 1 determined only to return
to the sea-shore, when our food failed us in the
woods ; but I acquired other means of procuring

2B2
372 THE SWISS

it. Encouraged by the success of my fishing, I
made a sort of net from the filaments of the bark
of a tree anda plant resembling hemp. With these
I succeeded in catching some birds: one, resem-
bling our thrush, was very fat, and of delicious
flavour. I had the greatest difficulty in over-
coming my repugnance to taking away their life ;
nothing but the obligation of preserving our own
could have reconciled me to it. My children
plucked them ; I then spitted them on a slender
branch and roasted them before the fire. I also
found some nests of eggs, which J concluded were
those of the wild ducks which frequented our
stream. I made myself acquainted with all the
fruits which the monkeys and parroquets eat, and
which were not out of my reach. I found a sort
of acorn which had the flavour of a nut. The
children also discovered plenty of large straw-
berries, a delicious repast; and I found a quan-
tity of honeycomb in the hollow of a tree, which
I obtained by stupifying the bees with a smoking
brand.

“ T took care to mark down every day on the
blank leaves of my pocket-book. I had now
marked thirty days of my wandering life on the
border of the river, for I never strayed beyond the
sound of its waters. Still I kept continually ad-
vancing towards the interior of the island. I had
yet met with nothing alarming, and the weather
had been most favourable; but we were not long
to enjoy this comfort. The rainy season came
on: and one night, to my great distress, I heard
it descend in torrents. We were no longer under
our fig-tree, which would have sheltered us for a
FAMILY ROBINSON. 373
t

considerable time. The tree under which we now
were had tempted me by having several cavi-
ties between the roots, filled with soft moss,
which formed natural couches, but the foliage was
very thin, and we were soon drenched completely.
I crept near my poor children to protect them a-
little, but in vain; our little bed was soon filled
with water, and we were compelled to leave it.
Our clothes were so heavy with the rain that we
could scarcely stand; and the night was so dark that
we could see no road, and ran the risk of falling,
or striking against some tree, if we moved. My
children wept, and I trembled for their health,
and for my own, which was so necessary to them.
This was one of the most terrible nights of my
pilgrimage. My children and I knelt down, and
I prayed to our Heavenly Father for strength to
bear this trial, if it was his will to continue it. I
felt consolation and strength from my prayers,
and rose with courage and confidence ; and though
the rain continued unabated, I waited with resigna-
tion the pleasure of the Almighty. I reconciled
my children to our situation; and Sophia told me
she had asked her father, who was near the
eracious God, to entreat Him to send no more
rain, but let the sun come back. I assured them
God would not forget them ; they began to be
accustomed to the rain, only Sophia begged they
might take off their clothes, and then it would be
like a bath in the brook. I consented to this,
thinking they would be less liable to suffer than
by wearing their wet garments.

“The day began to break, and I determined
to walk on without stopping, in order to warm
374 THE SWISS

ourselves by the motion; and to try to find some
cave, some hollow tree, or some tree with thick
foliage, to shelter us the next night.

“ T undressed the children, and made a bundle
of their clothes, which I would have carried my-
self, but I found they would not be too heavy for
them, and I judged it best to accustom them early
to the difficulties, fatigue, and labour, which would
be their lot; and to attend entirely on them-
selves ; I, therefore, divided the clothes into two
unequal bundles, proportioned to their strength,
and having made a knot in each, I passed a slender
branch through it, and showed them how to carry
it on their shoulders,

“ When I saw them walking before me in this
savage fashion, with their little white bodies ex-
posed to the storm, I could not refrain from tears.
I blamed myself for condemning them to such an
existence, and thought of returning to the shore,
where some vessel might rescue us; but we were
now too far off to set about it. | continued
to proceed with much more difficulty than my
children, who had nothing on but their shoes and
large hats. I carried the valuable box, in which
I had placed the remains of our last night’s sup-
per, an act of necessary prudence, as there was
neither fishing nor hunting now.

“As the day advanced, the rain diminished,
and even the sun appeared above the horizon.

“* Look, my darlings,’ said I, ‘God has heard
us, and sent his sun to warm and cheer us. Let
us thank him.’

“Papa has begged it of him !? said Matilda.
; h! mamma, let us pray him to send Alfred

ack !?
FAMILY ROBINSON. 375

“My poor little girl bitterly regretted the loss
of her brother. Even now she can scarcely hear
his name without tears. When the savages
brought Francis to us, she at first took him for her
brother. ‘Oh, how you have grown in heaven!”
cried she ; and, after she discovered he was not
her brother, she often said to him, ‘ How I wish
your name was Alfred !

« Forgive me for dwelling so long on the details
of my wretched journey, which was not without
its comforts, in the pleasure I took in the deve-
lopment of my children’s minds, and in forming
plans for their future education. Though any-
thing relating to science, or the usual accom-
plishments, would be useless to them, I did not
wish to bring them up like young savages ; I
hoped to be able to communicate much useful
knowledge to them, and to give them juster ideas
of this world and that to come.

« Ag soon as the sun had dried them, I made
them put on their dresses, and we continued our
walk by the brook, till we arrived at the grove
which is before this rock. Iremoved the branches
to pass through it, and saw beyond them the en-
trance to this grotto. It was very low and narrow ;
but I could not help uttering a cry of joy, for this
was the only sort of retreat that could securely
shelter us. I was going to enter it without
thought, not reflecting there might be in it some
ferocious animal, when I was arrested by a plaintive
cry, more like that of a child than a wild beast ; L
advanced with more caution, and tried to find out
what sort of an inhabitant the cave contained. It
was indeed a human being !—an infant, whose age
I could not discover; but it seemed too young to
376 THE SWISS

walk, and was, besides, tied up in leaves and moss,
enclosed in a piece of bark, which was much torn
and rent. ‘The poor infant uttered the most
piteous cries, and I did not hesitate a moment to
enter the cave, and to take the mnocent little
creature in my arms; it ceased its cries a8 soon as
+t felt the warmth of my cheek; but it was evi-
dently in want of food, and I had nothing to give
it but some figs, of which I pressed the juice into
its mouth; this seemed to satisfy it, and, rocking
it in my arms, it soon went to sleep. I had then
time to examine it, and to look round the cave.
From the size and form of the face, T concluded
it might be older than I had first thought ; and I
recollected to have read that the savages carried
their children swaddled up in this way, even till
they could walk. The complexion of the child
was a pale olive, which I have since discovered 1s
the natural complexion of the natives, before the
exposure to the heat of the sun gives them the
bronze hue you have seen ; the features were good,
except that the lips were thicker and the mouth
larger than those of the Europeans. My two
girls were charmed with it, and caressed it with
great joy. I left them to rock it gently in its
cradle of bark, till I went round this cave, which
I intended for my palace, and which I have never
quitted. You see it — the form is not changed ;
but, since Heaven has sent me a friend,”’ looking
at the missionary, “it is adorned with furniture
and utensils which have completed my comforts.
But to return.

“The grotto was spacious, and irregular in form.
In a hollow I found, with surprise, a sort of bed,
carefully arranged with moss, dry leaves, and small
FAMILY ROBINSON. 377

twigs. I was alarmed. Was this grotto inhabited
by men or by wild beasts? In either case, it
was dangerous to remain here. I encouraged a
hope, however, that, from the infant being here,
the mother must be the inhabitant, and that, on
her return, finding me nursing her child, she
might be induced to share her asylum with us. I
could not, however, reconcile this hope with the
circumstance of the child being abandoned in this
open cave.

«Ag I was considering whether I ought to
remain, or leave the cave, I heard strange cries at
a distance, mingled with the screams of my chil-
dren, who came running to me for protection,
bringing with them the young savage, who for-
tunately was only half awaked, and soon went to
sleep again, sucking a fig. I laid him gently on
the bed of leaves, and told my daughters to remain
near him in a dark corner; then, stepping cau-
tiously, I ventured to look out to discover what
was passing, without being seen. The noise ap-
proached nearer, to my great, alarm, and I could
perceive, through the trees, a crowd of men armed
with long pointed lances, clubs, and stones ; they
appeared furious, and the idea that they might
enter the cave froze me with terror. I had an
idea of taking the little native babe, and holding
it in my arms, as my best shield; but this time
my fears were groundless. The whole troop
passed outside the wood, without even looking on
the same side as the grotto; they appeared to
follow some traces they were looking out for on
the ground. I heard their shouts for some time,
but they died away, and I recovered from my fears.
Still, the dread of meeting them overcame even
378 THE SWISS

hunger. I had nothing left in my box but some
figs, which I kept for the infant, who was satisfied
with them, and I told my daughters we must go
to bed without supper. The sleeping infant
amused them so much, that they readily con-
sented to give up the figs. He awoke smiling,
and they gave him the figs to suck. In the mean
time, I prepared to release him from his bondage
to make him more comfortable; and I then saw
that the outer covering of bark was torn by the
teeth of some animal, and even the skin of the
child slightly grazed. I ventured to carry him to
the brook, into which I plunged him two or three
times, which seemed to give him great pleasure.
“T ran back to the cave, which is, you see, not
more than twenty yards distant, and found Sophia
and Matilda very much delighted at a treasure
they had found under the dry leaves in a corner.
This was a great quantity of fruits of various
kinds, roots of some unknown plant, and a good
supply of beautiful honey, on which the little
gluttons were already feasting. They came di-
rectly to give some on their fingers to their little
doll, as they called the babe. This discovery
made me very thoughtful. Was it possible that
we were in a bear’s den! I had read that they
sometimes carried off infants, and that they were
very fond of fruits and of honey, of which they
generally had a hoard. I remarked on the earth,
and especially at the entrance, where the rain had
made it soft, the impression of large paws, which
left me no doubt. The animal would certamly
return to his den, and we were in the greatest
danger ; but where could we go? The sky, dark
with clouds, threatened a return of the storm;
FAMILY ROBINSON. 379

and the troop of savages might still be wandering
about the island. I had not courage, just as night
set in, to depart with my children; nor could I
leave the poor infant, who was now sleeping peace-
fully, after his honey and figs. His two nurses
soon followed his example ; but for me there was
no rest; the noise of the wind among the trees,
and of the rain pattering on the leaves,—the mur-
mur of the brook,—the light bounds of the kan-
garoo,—all made my heart beat with fear and
terror; I fancied it was the bear returning to
devour us. I had cut and broken some branches
to place before the entrance ; but these were but
a weak defence against a furious and probably
famished animal; and if he even did no other
harm to my children, I was sure their terror at
the sight of him would kill them. I paced back-
wards and forwards, from the entrance to the
bed, in the darkness, envying the dear sleepers
their calm and fearless rest ; the dark-skinned baby
slept soundly, nestled warmly between my daugh-
ters, till day broke at last, without anything
terrible occurring. Then my little people awoke,
and cried out with hunger. We ate of the fruits
and honey brought us by our unknown friend, feed-
ing, also, our little charge, to whom my daughters
gave the pet name of Minou, which he still keeps.

“| busied myself with his toilette. There was
no need to go to the brook for a bath, for the
rain came down incessantly. I then folded
Matilda’s apron round him, which pleased her
greatly. The rain ceased for a while, and they
set off for flowers to amuse him. They were
scarcely gone when I heard the cries of the
savages again; but this time they seemed rather
380 THE SWISS

shouts of joy and triumph; they sung and
chaunted a sort of chorus; but were still at such
distance that I had time to recal my daughters,
and withdrew them out of sight. I took Minou
with me as a mediator, and placed myself in an
angle of the rock, where I could see without
beimg seen. They passed, as before, beyond the
wood, armed, and two of them bore at the end of
their lances something very large and dark, which
I could not distinguish, but thought might be
some wild beast they had destroyed; afterwards,
I flattered myself it might be the bear, whose
return I so greatly dreaded. Following the
train was a woman, naked, with her hair hanging
down, uttering loud cries, and tearing her face
and breast. No one attempted to soothe her ; but
occasionally one of the bearers of the black mass
pointed it out to her; she then became furious,
threw herself on it, and tried to tear it with her
teeth and nails. I was quite overcome with
horror and pity.

“That woman, my friends, was Canda, whom
you have just seen. Canda, usually so mild and
gentle, was rendered frantic by the loss of her
child,—her first-born,—whom she believed was
devoured by the bear. Parabéry, her husband,
tried to console her, but was himself in great
sorrow. ‘These bears, as I have since learnt, for
there were two of them, had come from a moun-
tam, at the foot of which was Parabéry’s hut.
They had only this son, and Canda, according to
the custom of the country, tying it in a piece of
bark, carried it on her back. One morning, after
having bathed him in the stream, which has its
source near their abode, she placed him on the
FAMILY ROBINSON. 381

turf a few moments, while she was employed in
some household duties. She soon heard his
cries, mingled with a sort of growl; she ran to the
spot, and saw a frightful beast holding her child
in its mouth, and running off with it. It was
then more than twenty yards off; her cries
brought her husband ; she pointed to the horrible
animal, and darted after it, determined to save
her child or perish. Her husband only stopped
to seize his javelin, and followed her, but did not
overtake her till fatigue and the heat of the day
made her fall, almost senseless, on the ground.
Stopping for a moment to raise and encourage
her, he lost sight of the bear, and could not
recover the track. All the night,—that dreadful
night of rain, when I was weeping and murmur-
ing, thinking myself the most unfortunate of
women,—was Canda exposed, without clothes, to
that frightful storm, hopelessly seeking her only
child, and not even feeling that it did rain.
Parabéry, not less afflicted, but more composed,
went to relate his misfortune to his neighbours,
who, arming themselves, set out, with Parabéry
at their head, following the track of the animal
over the wet ground. They discovered it next
morning with another bear, so busy devouring a
swarm of bees and their honey, that the savages
were able to draw near them. Parabéry pierced
one with his spear, and despatched him with a
blow of his club; one of his comrades killed the
other, and Parabéry tasted the truly savage Joy
of vengeance. But the poor mother could not
be so comforted. After wandering through the
rain all night, she reached the party as they were
skinning the bear and dividing the flesh. Para-
382 THE SWISS

béry only asked and obtained the skins, to recom-
pense him for the loss of his son. They returned
home in triumph, Canda following them with
bitter cries, tearing her face with a shark’s tooth.
From observation of these circumstances, I con-
cluded that Canda must be the mother of my
little protégé. My heart sympathized with her,
and I even made some steps forward to restore
him; but the sight of the savage crowd, with
their tattooed bodies, filled me with such terror,
that I retreated involuntarily to the grotto, where
my children, alarmed by the noise, were hiding
themselves.

““ “Why do the people cry out so?’ said Sophia,
‘they frighten me. Don’t let them come here,
mamma, or they may carry Minou away.’

“* Certainly, said I; ‘and I should have no
right to forbid them. I think they are his friends
who are distressed at losing him; I wish I could
restore him to them.’

“*Oh, no! mamma,’ said Matilda. ‘ Pray
don’t give him back; we like him so much, and
we will be his little mammas. He will be far
happier with us than with those ugly savages, who
tied him up like a parcel in the bark, with the
moss which pricked him so much; he is much
more comfortable in my apron. How he moves
his legs as if he wanted to walk; Sophia and I
will teach him. Do let us keep him, mimi.’

“ Even if I had decided, it was now too late; the
savages had passed on to some distance. I, how-
ever, explained to Matilda the beauty of the di-
vine precept, ‘Do unto others as you would they
should do unto you;’ asking her how she would
have liked to be detained by the savages, and
FAMILY ROBINSON. 383

what, then, would be the suffering of her own
mamma? She was thoughtful for a moment, and
then, embracing Minou and me, ‘ You are right,
mamma mimi; but if she loves her baby, let her
come and seek him,’ said the little rebel. In the
mean time, Sophia had been out, and returned
with some brilliant flowers, fresh after the rain,
with which they made garlands to dress up the
infant. ‘Oh! if his mamma saw him, she would
be glad to let us have him, said Matilda. She
then explained to her sister who this mamma was,
and Sophia shed tears to think of the sorrow of
the poor mother. ‘But how do you know, mam-
ma, that she was Minou’s mother?’ demanded
she. This question proved that her judgment was
forming, and I took the opportunity of teaching
her what information one may derive from obser-
vation. She understood me very well; and when
I told her on what I had founded my idea, she
trembled to think he had been brought here by a
bear, and asked me if the bear would have eaten
him.

«“¢T cannot answer for it, said I, ‘if it had
been pressed by hunger; they tell us, that the
bear does no harm to man unless attacked, and is
especially fond of children. But, notwithstanding
this, I should not lke to trust it. At all events,
the poor babe would have died, if we had not
found him.’

“« Poor babe, he shall not die of hunger now,’
said she. ‘Let us give him some figs; but these
are not good; we must go and seek some more.’

“The rain having ceased, I consented, passing
through the grove, where there are no fig-trees,
to search farther. My daughters had fed the
384. THE SWISS

child with honey and water; it appeared quite
reconciled to us, and had ceased to cry. I judged
it might be about eight months old. We soon
found some trees covered with the violet-coloured
figs. Whilst I gathered them, the girls made a
pretty bed of moss, adorned with flowers, for their
little favourite, and fed him with the fresh fruit,
which he enjoyed much ; and with their fair hair
and rosy faces, and the little negro between them,
with his arch, dark countenance, they formed a
charming picture, which affected me greatly.



CHAPTER LVI.

“We had been more than an hour under the
tree, when I heard cries again; but this time I
was not alarmed, for I distinguished the voice of
the disconsolate mother, and I knew that I could
comfort her. Her grief brought her back to the
spot where she thought her child had been de-
voured ; she wished, as she afterwards told us,
when we could understand her, to search for some
remains of him,—his hair, his bones, or even a
piece of the bark that bound him; and here he
was, full of life and health. She advanced slowly,
sobbing, and her eyes turned to the ground. She
was so absorbed in her search, that she did not
see us when we were but twenty yards from her.
Suddenly, Sophia darted like an arrow to her,
took her hand, and said, ‘Come, Minou is here.’

“Canda neither knew what she saw nor what she
heard ; she took my daughter for something super-
natural, and made no resistance, but followed her
FAMILY ROBINSON. 385

to the fig-tree. Even then she did not recognize
the little creature, released from his bonds, half-
clothed, covered with flowers, and surrounded by
three divinities, for she took us for such, and
wished to prostrate herself before us. She was
still more convinced of it when I took up her son,
and placed him in her arms: she recognized him,
and the poor little infant held out his arms to her.
I can never express to you the transport of the
mother; she screamed, clasped her child till he
was half-suffocated, rapidly repeating words which
we could not understand, wept, laughed, and was
in a delirium of delight that terrified Minou. He
began to cry, and held out his arms to Sophia,
who, as well as Matilda, was weeping at the sight.
Canda looked at them with astonishment; she
soothed the child, and put him to her breast,
which he rejected at first, but finally seized it, and
his mother was happy. I took the opportunity to
try and make her comprehend, that the great
animal had brought him here ; that we had found
him, and taken care of him; and I made signs
for her to follow me, which she did without hesi-
tation, till we reached the grotto, when, without
entering, she fled away with her infant with such
rapidity, that it was impossible to overtake her,
and was soon out of sight.

“T had some difficulty in consoling my daugh-
ters for the loss of Minou; they thought they
should see him no more, and that his mother was
very ungrateful to carry him off, without even
letting them take leave of him. They were still
weeping and complaining, when we saw the ob-
jects of our anxiety approaching; but Canda was
now accompanied by a man, who was carrying the

2 C
386 THE SWISS

child. They entered the grotto, and prostrated
themselves before us. You know Parabéry ; his
countenance pleased and tranquillized us. As a
relation of the king, he was distinguished by wear-
ing a short tunic of leaves ; his body was tattooed
and stained with various colours; but not his face,
which expressed kindness and gratitude, united
with great intelligence. He comprehended most
of my signs. I did not succeed so well in under-
standing him ; but saw he meant kindly. In the
mean time my daughters had a more intelligible
conversation with Canda and Minou; they half-
devoured the latter with caresses, fed him with
figs and honey, and amused him so much, that he
would scarcely leave them. Canda was not jea-
lous of this preference, but seemed delighted with
it; she, in her turn, caressed my daughters,
admired their glossy hair and fair skin, and
pointed them out to her husband; she repeated
Minou after them, but always added another
Minou, and appeared to think this name beauti-
ful. After some words with Parabéry, she placed
Minou-Minou in Sophia’s arms, and they both
departed, making signs that they would return ;
‘but we did not see them for some time after.
Sophia and Matilda had their full enjoyment of
their favourite; they wished to teach him to walk
and to speak, and they assured me he was making
great progress. They were beginning to hope his
. parents had left him entirely, when they came in
sight, Parabéry bending under the weight of two
bear-skins, and a beautiful piece of matting to
close the entrance to my grotto; Canda carried a
basket on her head filled with fine fruit; the
cocoa, the bread-fruit (which they call rima),
FAMILY ROBINSON. 387

pine-apples, figs, and, finally, a piece of bear’s
flesh, roasted at the fire, which I did not like;
but I enjoyed the fruits and the milk of the
cocoa-nut, of which Minou-Minou had a good
share. They spread the bear-skins in the midst
of the grotto; Parabéry, Canda, and the infant,
between them, took possession of one without
ceremony, and motioned to us to make our bed
of the other. But the bears having only been
killed the evening before, these skins had an
intolerable smell. I made them comprehend
this, and Parabéry immediately carried them off
and placed them in the brook, secured by stones.
He brought us in exchange a heap of moss and
leaves, on which we slept very well.

«“ From this moment we became one family.
Canda remained with us, and repaid to my daugh-
ters all the care and affection they bestowed on
Minou-Minou. ‘There never was a child had
more indulgence; but he deserved it, for his
quickness and docility. At the end of a few
months he began to lisp a few words of German,
as well as his mother, of whom I was the teacher,
and who made rapid progress. Parabéry was very
little with us, but he undertook to be our pur-
veyor, and furnished us abundantly with every-
thing necessary for our subsistence. Canda
taught my daughter to’make beautiful baskets,—
some, of a flat form, served for our plates and
dishes. Parabéry made us knives from sharp
stones. My daughters, in return, taught Canda
to sew. At the time of our shipwreck we had,
each of us, in her pocket, a morocco housewife,
with a store of needles and thread. By means of
these we had mended our linen, and we now

22
388 THE SWISS

made dresses of palm-leaves. The bear-skins,
washed in the stream, and thoroughly dried in the
burning sun, have been very useful to us in the
cold and rainy season. Now that we had guides,
we made, in the fine season, excursions to
different parts of the island. Mimou-Minou
soon learned to walk, and being strong, like all
these islanders, would always accompany us. We
went one day to the sea-shore. I shuddered at
the sight, and Canda, who knew that my husband
and child had perished in the sea, wept with me.
We now spoke each other’s language well enough
to converse. She told me that a black friend (Emily
bowed to Mr. Willis) had arrived in a neighbour-
ing island, to announce to them that there was a
Being, almighty and all-merciful, who lived in
Heaven, and heard all they said. Her compre-
hension of this truth was very confused, and I
endeavoured to make it more clear and positive.

“ «YT see very well,’ said she, ‘that you know
him. Is it to Him that you speak every morning
and evening, kneeling as we do before our king
Bara-ourou ?’

“ ¢ Ves, Canda,’ said I, ‘it is before Him who
is the King of Kings, who gave us our life, who
preserves it, and bestows on us all good, and who
promises us still more when this life is past.’

«Was it he who charged you to take care of
Minou-Minou, and to restore him to me?’ asked
she.

“ «Yes, Canda; all that you or I do that is
good, is put mto our hearts by Him.’

“| thus tried to prepare the simple mind of
Canda for the great truths that Mr. Willis was to
teach her.”
FAMILY ROBINSON. 389

“You left me little to do,” said Mr. Willis.
“TJ found Parabéry and Canda prepared to believe,
with sincere faith, the holy religion I came to
teach—the God of the white people was the only
one they adored. I knew Parabéry, he had come
to hunt seals in the island where I was established,
and I was struck by his appearance. What was
my astonishment to find, that when I spoke to
him of the one true God, he was no stranger to
the subject. He had even some ideas of a Saviour,
and of future rewards and punishments.

“ me this; she teaches Canda and Minou-minou,
whose life she saved, and whom she is bringing up
to be good like herself.’

“Thad a great desire,” continued Mr. Willis,
“ to become acquainted with my powerful assistant
in the great work of my mission. I told Para-
béry this, who offered to bring me here in his
canoe; I came and found, in a miserable cave, or
rather in a bear’s den, all the virtues of mature
age united to the charms of youth; a resigned
and pious mother, bringing up her children, as
women should be brought up, in simplicity, for-
bearance, and love of industry ; teaching them, as
the best knowledge, to love God with all their
heart, and their neighbour as themselves. Under
the inspection of their mother, they were educating
the son of Parabéry. This child, then four years
and a half old, spoke German well, and knew his
alphabet, which Madame Hirtel traced on the
floor of the grotto; in this way she taught her
daughters to read; they taught Minou-minou,
who, in his turn, teaches his parents. Parabéry
often brings his friends to the grotto, and Madame
390 THE SWISS

Hirtel, having acquired the language, casts into
their hearts the good seed, which I venture to
hope will not be unfruitful.

“ Findimg these people in such a good state,
and wishing to enjoy the society of a family, like
myself, banished to a remote region, I decided to
take up my abode in this island.

“* Parabéry soon built me a hut in the neigh-
bourhood of the grotto; Madame Hirtel com-
pelled me to take one of her bear-skins. I have
by degrees formed my establishment, dividing
with my worthy neighbour the few useful articles
I brought from Europe, and we live a tranquil
and happy life.

“ And now comes the time that brought about
our meeting. Some of our islanders, in a fishing
expedition, were driven by the wind on your
island. At the entrance of a large bay, they
found a small canoe of bark, carefully moored to
atree. Hither their innate propensity for theft,
or the notion that it had no owner, prevailed over
them, and they brought it away. I was informed
of this, and was curious to see it ; L recognized at
once that it was made by Europeans : the careful
finish, the neat form, the oars, rudder, mast, and
triangular sail, all showed that it had not been
made by savages. The seats of the rowers were
made of planks, and were painted, and what
further convinced me was, that I found in it a
capital gun, loaded, and a horn of powder in a
hole under one of the seats. I then made parti-
cular inquiries about the island from whence they
had brought the canoe ; and all their answers con-
firmed my idea that it must be inhabited by a
FAMILY ROBINSON. 391

European, from whom they had perhaps taken his
only means of leaving it.

& Restless about this fancy, I tried to persuade
them to return and discover if the island was
inhabited. I could not prevail on them to restore
the canoe; but, seeing me much agitated, they
resolved secretly to procure me a great pleasure
as they thought, by returning to the island and
bringing away any one they could meet with,
whether he would or not. Parabéry, always the
leader in perilous enterprises, and who was so at-
tached to me, would not be left out m one which
was to produce me such pleasure. They set out,
and you know the result of their expedition. I
leave it to your wife to tell you how she was
brought away, and pass on to the time of their
arrival. My people brought them to me m
triumph, and were vexed that they had only
found one woman and a child, whom I might
give to the white lady. This | did promptly.
Your wife was ill and distressed, and I carried
her immediately to the grotto. There she found
a companion who welcomed her with joy; Francis
replaced her own lost Alfred, and the two good
mothers were soon intimate friends. But, not-
withstanding this solace, your Elizabeth was in-
consolable at the separation from her husband
and children, and terrified at the danger to which
you would expose yourself in searching for her.
We were even afraid she would lose her reason,
when the king came to take away Francis. He
had seen him on his arrival, and was much taken
with his appearance ; he came again to see him,
and resolved to adopt him as his son. You know
392 THE SWISS

what passed on this subject ; and now you are
Once more united to all those who are dear to
you.

“ Bless God, brother, who knows how to pro-
duce good from what we think evil, and acknow-
ledge the wisdom of his ways. You must return
all together to your island; I am too much in-
terested in the happiness of Emily to wish to
detain her; and if God permits me, when my
missions are completed, I will come to end my
days with you, and to bless your rising colony.”

I suppress all our reflections on this interesting
history, and our gratitude for the termination of
our trials, and hasten to the recital, which, at
my particular entreaty, my wife proceeded to
give us.

_

CHAPTER LVII.

“ My story,” she began, “will not be long. I
might make it in two words,—you have lost me,
and you have found me. I have every reason to
thank Heaven for a circumstance, which has proved
to me how dear I am to you, and has given me
the happiness of gaining a friend and two dear
daughters. Can one complain of an event which
has produced such consequences, even though it
was attended with some violence? But I ought
to do the savages justice,—this violence was as
gentle as it could be. I need only tell you Para-
béry was there, to convince you I was well treated,
and it was solely the sorrow of being parted from
you that affected my health. I shall be well now,
FAMILY ROBINSON. 393

‘and as soon as Jack can walk, I shall be ready to
embark for our happy island. I will now tell you
how I was brought away.

“When you and our three sons left, to make
the tour of the island, I was very comfortable ;
you had told me you might return late, or pro-
bably not till next day, and when the evening
passed away without seeing you, I was not uneasy.
Francis was constantly with me; we went toge-
ther to water the garden, and rested in the Grotto
Ernestine ; then I returned to the house, took
my wheel, and placed myself in my favourite colon-
nade, where I should be the first to see your return.
Francis, seeing me at work, asked if he might go
as far as the bridge to meet you ; to which I readily
consented. He set out, and I was sitting, think-
ing of the pleasure I should have im seeing you
again, and hearing you relate your voyage, when
I saw Francis running, crying out, ‘Mamma!
mamma! there is a canoe on the sea; I know it is
ours ; it is full of men, perhaps savages.’

“¢ Silly little fellow!’ said I, ‘it is your father
and brothers ; if they are in the canoe, there can
be no doubt of it. Your father told me he would
bring it, and they would return by water; I had
forgotten this when I let you go. Now you can
go and meet them on the shore; give me your
arm, and I will go too;’ and we set off very joy-
fully to meet our captors. I soon, alas! saw my
error; it was, indeed, our canoe, but, instead
of my dear ones, there were in it six half-naked
savages, with terrible countenances, who landed
and surrounded us. My blood froze with fright,
and if I had wished to flee, I was unable. I fell on
the shore, nearly insensible ; still, I heard the cries
394 THE SWISS

of my dear Francis, who clung to me, and held me
with all his strength; at last my senses quite
failed me, and I only recovered to find myself
lying at the bottom of the canoe. My son, weep-
ing over me, was trying to recover me, assisted by
one of the savages, of less repulsive appearance
than his companions, and who seemed the chief ;
this was Parabéry. He made me swallow a few
drops of a detestable fermented liquor, which,
however, restored me.. I felt, as I recovered, the
extent of my disaster, and your grief, my dears,
when you should find me missing. I should have
been wholly disconsolate, but that Francis was left
to me, and he was continually praying me to live
for his sake. I received some comfort from a vague |
notion that as this was our canoe, the savages had
already carried you off, and were taking us to you.

“T was confirmed in this hope, when I saw that
the savages, instead of making to sea, continued
to coast the island, till they came to the Great
Bay. I had then no doubt but that we should
meet with you; but this hope was soon destroyed.
Two or three more of the Savages were waiting
there on the shore ; they spoke to their friends in
the canoe; and I understood from their gestures,
that they were saying they could not find any-
body there. I have since learnt from Canda, that
part of them landed at the Great Bay, with in-
structions to search that side of the island for
inhabitants, whilst the rest proceeded with the
canoe to examine the other side, and had suc-
ceeded but too well. The night came on, and they
were anxious to return, which, doubtless, pre-
vented them pillaging our house. I believe, more-
over, that none of them could have reached Tent


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‘Six savages with terrible countenances, landed and
surrounded us.”—P. 394.
FAMILY ROBINSON. 395

House, defended by our strong palisade, and hid-
den by the rocks amidst which it is built; and
the other party, finding us on the shore, would
not penetrate further.

“When all had entered the canoe, they pushed
off, by the light of the stars, into the open sea.
I think I must have sunk under my sorrow, but
for Francis, and, I must confess it, my dear dog
Flora, who had never left me. Francis told me,
that she had tried to defend me, and flew at the
savages; but one of them took my apron, tore it,
and tied it over her mouth like a muzzle, bound
her legs, and then threw her into the canoe, where
the poor creature lay at my feet, moaning piteously.
She arrived with us in this island, but I have not
seen her since; I have often inquired of Parabéry,
but he could not tell me what had become of
her.”

“ But I know,” said Fritz, “ and have seen her.
We brought Turk with us, and the savages had
carried Flora to that desert part of the island,
from whence Jack was carried off; so the two
dogs met. When I had the misfortune to wound
Jack, I quite forgot them; they were rambling off,
in chase of kangaroos ; we left them, and no doubt
they are there still. But we must not abandon
the poor beasts; if my father will permit me, I
will go and seek them in Parabéry’s canoe.”

As we were obliged to wait a few days for Jack’s
recovery, I consented, on condition that Parabéry
accompanied them, and the next day was fixed for
the expedition. Ernest begged to be of the party,
that he might see the beautiful trees and flowers
they had described. I then requested the narra-
tion might be continued, which had been inter-
396 THE SWISS

rupted by this episode of the two dogs. Francis
resumed it where his mother had left off.

“We had a favourable passage—the sea was
calm, and the boat went so smoothly, that both
mamma and I went to sleep. You must have
come a much longer round than necessary, papa,
as your voyage lasted three days, and we arrived
here the day after our departure. Mamma
was then awake, and wept constantly, believing
she should never more see you or my brothers.
Parabéry seemed very sorry for her, and tried to
console her; at last, he addressed to her two or
three words of German, pointing to heaven. His
words were very plain—Almighty God, good ; and
then black friend, and white lady ; adding the words
Canda, bear, and Minou-minou. We did not un-
derstand what he meant ; but he seemed so pleased
at speaking these words, that we could not but be
pleased too; and to hear him name God in German
gave us confidence, though we could. not compre-
hend where or how he had learnt the words.
‘Perhaps,’ said mamma, ‘he has seen your papa
and brothers.’ I thought so too; still, it appeared
strange that, in so short a time, he could acquire
and remember these words. However it might be,
mamma was delighted to have him near her, and
taught him to pronounce the words Sather, mother,
and son, which did not seem strange to him, and
he soon knew them. She pointed to me and to
herself, as she pronounced the words, and he
readily comprehended them, and said to us, with
bursts of laughter, showing his large ivory teeth,
Canda, mother ; Minou-minou, son ; Parabéry, fa-
ther ; white lady, mother. Mamma thought he re-
ferred to her, but it was to MadameEmily. He tried


FAMILY ROBINSON. 397

to pronounce this name and two others, but could
not succeed ; at last, he said, girls, girls, and almost
convinced us he must know some Europeans, which
was a great comfort to us.

“When I saw mamma more composed, I took
out my flageolet to amuse her, and played the air
to Ernest’s verses. This made her weep again very
much, and she begged me to desist ; the savages,
however, wished me to continue, and I did not
know whom to obey. I changed the air, playing
the merriest 1 knew. They were in ecstasies ; they
took me in their arms one after the other, saying,
Bara-ourou, Bara-ourou. 1 repeated the word
after them, and they were still more delighted.
But mamma was so uneasy to see me in their
arms, that I broke from them, and returned to
her.

« At last we landed. ‘They carried mamma,
who was too weak to walk. About a hundred
yards from the shore, we saw a large building of
‘vood and reeds, before which there was a crowd
of savages. One who was very tall came to
receive us. He was dressed in a short tunic, much
ornamented, and wore a necklace of pierced shells.
He was a little disfigured by a white bone passed
through his nostrils. But you saw him, papa,
when he wanted to adopt me; it was Bara-ourou,
the king of the island. I was presented to him,
and he was pleased with me, touched the end of
my nose with his, and admired my hair very much.
My conductors ordered me to play on the flageolet.
I played some lively German airs, which made
them dance and leap, till the king fell down with
fatigue, and made a sign for me to desist. He
then spoke for some time to the savages, who
398 THE SWIss

stood in a circle round him. He looked at mamma,
who was seated in a corner, near her protector
Parabéry. He called the latter, who obliged
yamma to rise, and presented her to the king.
Bara-ourou looked only at the red and yellow
India handkerchief which she wore on her head ;
he took it off, very unceremoniously, and put it

on his own head, Saying, miti, which means beau-

flageolet, which he attempted to play by blowing
it through his nose, but did not succeed. After
turning round a point which seemed to divide the
island into two, we landed on a sandy beach.
Parabéry and another Savage proceeded into the
interior, carrying my mother, and we followed.
We arrived at a hut similar to the king’s, but not
so large. There we were received by Mr. Willis,
whom we judged to be the black friend, and from
that time we had no more fears. He took us under
his protection, first speaking to the king and to
Parabéry in their own language. He then ad-
dressed mamma in German, mixed with a few
English words, which we understood very well.

us to a friend who would take care of us, and
nurse poor mamma, who looked very ill. She was
obliged to be carried to the grotto; but, after that,

“r cares were over, and her pleasure without
alloy; for the black Friend had promised to seek you.

he white lady received us like old friends, and
Sophia and Matilda took me at first for their own


FAMILY ROBINSON. 399

brother, and still love me as if 1 was. We only
wished for you all. Madame Mimi made mamma
lie down on the bear-skin, and prepared her a
pleasant beverage from the milk of the cocoa-nut.
Sophia and Matilda took me to gather strawberries,
and figs, and beautiful flowers; and we caught
fish in the brook, between two osier hurdles. We
amused ourselves very well with Minou-minou,
while Canda and Madame Emily amused mamma.

«The king came the next day to see his little
favourite; he wished me to go with him to ano-
ther part of the island, where he often went to
hunt; but I would not leave mamma and my new
friends. I was wrong, papa; for you were there,
and my brothers; it was there Jack was wounded
and brought away. I might have prevented all
that, and you would then have returned to us. —
How sorry I have been for my obstinacy! It
was I, more than Fritz, who was the cause of his
being wounded.

« Bara-ourou returned in the evening to the
grotto; and think, papa, of our surprise, our
delight, and our distress, when he brought us
poor Jack, wounded and in great pain, but still
all joy at finding us again! The king told Mr.
Willis he was sure Jack was my brother, and he
made us a present of him, adding, that he gave
him in exchange for mamma’s handkerchief.
Mamma thanked him earnestly, and placed Jack
beside her. From him she learned all you had
done to discover us. He informed Mr. Wilhs
where he had left you, and he promised to seek and
bring you to us. He then examined the wound,
which Jack wished him to think he had himself
caused with Fritz’s gun; but this was not proba-
4.00 THE SWISS

ble, as the ball had entered behind, and lodged in
the shoulder. Mr. Willis extracted it with some
difficulty, and poor Jack suffered a good deal ;
but all is now going on well. What a large party
we shall be, papa, when we are all settled in our
island ; Sophia and Matilda, Minou-Minou, Canda,
Parabéry, you, papa, and two mammas, and Mr.
Willis! ”

My wife smiled as the little orator concluded.
Mr. Willis then dressed Jack’s wound, and
thought he might be removed in five or six days.

“ Now, my dear Jack,” said I, “it is your turn
to relate your history. Your brother left off
where you were entertaining the savages with
your buffooneries ; and certainly they were never
better introduced. But how did they suddenly
think of carrying you away ?”

“ Parabéry told me,” said Jack, “that they were
struck with my resemblance to Francis as soon as
I took my flageolet. After I had played a minute
or two, the savage who wore mamma’s handker-
chief, whom I now know to be the king, inter-
rupted me by crying out and clapping his hands.
He spoke earnestly to the others, pointing to my
face, and to my flageolet, which he had taken ;
he looked also at my jacket of blue cotton, which
one of them had tied round his shoulders like a
mantle; and doubtless he then gave orders for me
to be carried to the canoe. They seized upon me ; I
screamed like amadman, kickedthem and scratched
them ; but what could I do against seven or eight
great savages? They tied my legs together, and
my hands behind me, and carried me like a
parcel. I could then do nothing but cry out for
Fritz; and the knight of the gun came rather too


FAMILY ROBINSON. 401

soon. In attempting to defend me, some way OF
other, off went his gun, and the ball took up its
abode in my shoulder. I can assure you an Wh-
pleasant visitor 1s that same ball; but here he is,
the scoundrel! Father Willis pulled him out by
the same door as that by which he went in; and
since his departure, all goes on well.

“Now for my story. When poor Fritz saw
that I was wounded, he fell down as if he had
been shot at the same time. The savages, think-
ing he was dead, took away his gun, and carried
me into the canoe. I was in despair more for the
death of my brother than from my wound, which I
almost forgot, and was wishing they would throw
me into the sea, when I saw Fritz running at full
speed to the shore; but we pushed off, and I
could only call out some words of consolation.
The savages were very kind to me, and one of
them held me up seated on the outrigger ; they
washed my wound with sea-water, sucked it, tore
my pocket-handkerchief to make a bandage, and
as soon as we landed, squeezed the juice of some
herb into it. We sailed very quickly, and passed
the place where we had landed in the morning. I
knew it again, and could see Ernest standing on a
sandbank ; he was watching us, and I held out
my arms to him. I thought I also saw you, papa,
and heard you call; but the savages yelled, and
though I cried with all my strength, it was in
vain. I little thought they were takmg me to
mamma. As soon as we had disembarked, they
brought me to this grotto; and I thought I must
have died of surprise and joy when I was met by
mamma and Francis, and then by Sophia,
Matilda, mamma Emily, and Mr. Willis, who 1s

2D
402 THE SWISS

a second father to me. This is the end of my
story. And a very pretty end it is, that brings us
all together. What matters it to have had a little
vexation for all this pleasure? I owe it all to you,
Fritz ; if you had let me sink to the bottom of
the sea, instead of dragging me out by the hair, I
should not have been here so happy as I am; I
am obliged to the gun, too; thanks to it, I was
the first to reach mamma, and see our new
friends.”

The next day, Fritz and Ernest set out on their
expedition with Parabéry, in his canoe, to seek
our two valued dogs. The good islander carried
his canoe on his back to the shore. I saw them
set off, but not without some dread, in such a
frail bark, into which the water leaked through
every seam. But my boys could swim well; and
the kind, skilful, and bold Parabéry undertook to
answer for their safety. I therefore recommended
them to God, and returned to the grotto, to
tranquillize my wife’s fears. Jack was inconsola-
ble that he could not form one of the party ; but
Sophia scolded him for wishing to leave them, to
go upon the sea, which had swallowed up poor
Alfred.

In the evening we had the pleasure of seeing our
brave dogs enter the grotto. They leaped on us
in a way that terrified the poor little girls at first,
who took them for bears; but they were soon re-
conciled to them when they saw them fawn round
us, lick our hands, and pass from one to the other
t® be caressed. My sons had had no difficulty in
finding them ; they had run to them at the first
call, and seemed delighted to see their masters

again.


FAMILY ROBINSON. 403

The poor animals had subsisted on the remains
of the kangaroos, but apparently had met with no
fresh water, for they seemed dying with thirst,
and rushed to the brook as soon as they discovered
it, and returned again and again. Then they fol-
lowed us to the hut of the good missionary, who
had been engaged all day in visiting the dwellings
of the natives, and teaching them the truths of
religion. I had accompanied him, but, from
ignorance of the language, could not aid him.
I was, however, delighted with the simple and
earnest manner in which he spoke, and the eager-
ness with which they heard him. He finished by
a prayer, kneeling, and they all imitated him,
lifting up their hands and eyes to heaven. He
told me he was trying to make them celebrate the
Sunday. He assembled them in his tent, which
he wished to make a temple for the worship of the
true God. He intended to consecrate it for this
purpose, and to live in the grotto, after our de-
parture.

«“ The day arrived at last. Jack’s shoulder was
nearly healed, and my wife, along with her hap-
piness, recovered her strength. The pinnace had
been so well guarded by Parabéry and his friends,
that it suffered no injury. I distributed among ©
the islanders everything I had that could please
them, and made Parabéry invite them to come and
see us in our island, requesting we might live on
friendly terms. Mr. Willis wished much to see
it, and to complete our happiness he promised to
accompany and spend some days with us; and
Parabéry said he would take him back when he
wished it.

We embarked, then, after taking leave of Bara-

2D2
404 THE SWISS

ourou, who was very liberal in his presents,
giving us, besides fruits of every kind, a whole
hog roasted, which was excellent.

We were fourteen in number; sixteen, reckon-
ing the two dogs. The missionary accompanied us,
and a young islander, whom Parabéry had pro-
cured to be his servant, as he was too old and too
much occupied with his mission to attend to his
own wants. This youth was of a good disposi-
tion and much attached to him. Parabéry took
him to assist in rowing when he returned.

Emily could not but feel rather affected at
leaving the grotto, where she had passed four
tranquil, if not happy years, fulfillmg the duties
of a mother. Neither could she avoid a painful
sensation when she once more saw the sea that
had been so fatal to her husband and son; she
could scarcely subdue the fear she had of trusting
all she had left to that treacherous element. She
held her daughters in her arms, and prayed for
the protection of Heaven. Mr. Willis and I
spoke to her of the goodness of God, and pointed
out to her the calmness of the water, the security
of the pinnace, and the favourable state of the
wind. My wife described to her our establish-
ment, and promised her a far more beautiful grotto
than the one she had left, and at last she became
more reconciled.

After seven or eight hours’ voyage, we arrived at
Cape Disappointment, and we agreed the bay
should henceforth be called the Bay of the Happy
Return.

The distance to Tent House from hence was
much too great for the ladies and children to go on
foot. My intention was to take them by water to
the other end of the island near our house; but


FAMILY ROBINSON. 405

my elder sons had begged to be landed at the bay,
to seek their live stock, and take them home,
left them there with Parabéry ; Jack recommended
his buffalo to them, and Francis his bull, and all
were found. We coasted the island, arrived at
Safety Bay, and were soon at Tent House, where
we found all, as we had left it, in good condition.

Notwithstanding the description my wife had
given them, our new guests found our establish-
ment far beyond their expectation. With what
delight Jack and Francis ran up and down the
colonnade with their young friends! What stories
they had to tell of all the surprises they had pre-
pared for their mother ! They showed them Fritzia,
Jackia, the Franciade, and gave their friends water
from their beautiful fountain. Absence seemed to
have improved everything; and I must confess I
had some difficulty to refrain from demonstrating
my joy as wildly as my children. Minou-minou,
Parabéry, and Canda, were lost in admiration,
calling out continually, mii! beautiful! My
wife was busied in arranging a temporary lodging
for our guests. The work-room was given up to
Mr. Willis; my wife and Madame Emily had our
apartment, the two little girls being with them, to
whom the hammocks of the elder boys were appro-
priated. Canda, who knew nothing about beds,
was wonderfully. comfortable on the carpet. Fritz,
Ernest, and the two natives, stowed themselves
wherever they wished, in the colonnade, or in
the kitchen; all was alike to them. I slept on
moss and cotton in Mr. Willis’s room, with my
two younger sons. very one was content, wait-
ing till our ulterior arrangements were com-
pleted.
406 THE SWISS

CONCLUSION.

I must conclude my journal here. We can
scarcely be more happy than we are, and I feel no
cares about my children. Fritz is so fond of the
chase and of mechanics, and Ernest of study, that
they will not wish to marry ; but I please myself
by hoping at some time to see my dear Jack and
Francis happily united to Sophia and Matilda.
What remains for me to tell? The details of
happiness, however sweet in enjoyment, are often
tedious in recital.

I will only add, that after passing a few days
with us, Mr. Willis returned to his charge, pro-
mising to visit us, and eventually to join us. The
Grotto Ernestine, fitted up by Fritz and Parabéry,
made a pretty abode for Madame Hirtel and her
daughters, and the two islanders. Minou-minou
did not leave his young mammas, and was very
useful to them. I must state, also, that my son
Ernest, without abandoning the study of natural
history, applied himself to astronomy, and mounted
the large telescope belonging to the ship; he ac-
quired considerable knowledge of this sublime
science, which his mother, however, considered
somewhat useless. The course of the other pla-
nets did not interest her, so long as all went on
well in that which she inhabited; and nothing
now was wanting to her happiness, surrounded as
she was by friends.

The following year we had a visit from a Rus-
sian vessel, the Neva, commanded by Captain
Krusenstern, a countryman and distant relation
FAMILY ROBINSON. 407

of mine. The celebrated Horner, of Zurich, ac-
companied him as astronomer. Having read the
first part of our journal, sent into Europe by Cap-
tain Johnson, he had come purposely to see us.
Delighted with our establishment, he did not
advise us to quit it. Captain Krusenstern invited,
us to take a passage in his vessel; we declined his
offer; but my wife, though she renounced her
country for ever, was glad of the opportunity of
making inquiries about her relations and friends.
As she had concluded, her good mother had died
some years before, blessmg her absent children.
My wife shed some tears, but was consoled by the
certainty of her mother’s eternal felicity, and the
hope of their meeting in futurity.

One of her brothers was also dead; he had left
a daughter, to whom my wife had always been at-
tached, though she was very young when we left.
Henrietta Bodmer was now sixteen, and, Mr.
Horner assured us, a most amiable girl. My wife
wished much to have her with us.

Ernest would not leave Mr. Horner a moment,
he was so delighted to meet with one so eminently
skilful in his favourite science. Astronomy made
them such friends, that Mr. Horner petitioned me
to allow him to take my son to Europe, promising |
to bring him back himself in a few years. This
was a great trial to us, but I felt that his taste for
science required a larger field than our island.
His mother was reluctant to part with him, but
consoled herself with a notion, that he might bring
his cousin Henrietta back with him.

Many tears were shed at our parting; indeed,
the grief of his mother was so intense, that my
son seemed almost inclined to give up his inclina-
408 THE SWISS

tion; but Mr. Horner made some observations
about the transit of Venus, so interesting that Ernest
could not resist. He left us, promising to bring
us back everything we wished for. In the mean
time Captain Krusenstern left us a good supply
of powder, provisions, seeds, and some capital
tools, to the great delight of Fritz and Jack. They
regretted their brother greatly, but diverted their
minds from sorrow by application to mechanics,
assisted by the intelligent Parabéry. They have
already succeeded in constructing, near the cas-
cade, a corn-mill and a saw-mill, and have built a
very good oven. 7

We miss Ernest very much. Though his taste
for study withdrew him a good deal from us, and
he was not so useful as his brothers, we found his
calm and considerate advice often of value, and
his mildness always spread a charm over our circle,
n joy or in trouble.

Except this little affliction, we are very happy.
Our labours are divided regularly. Fritz and Jack
manage the Board of Works. They have opened a
passage through the rock which divided us from
the other side of the island; thus doubling our
domain and our riches. At the same time, they
formed a dwelling for Madame Hirtel near our
own, from the same excavation in th