Swiss Family Robinson - Johann David Wyss (poetry books to read txt) 📗

quarter of an hour, Fritz and Jack

made their appearance at a brisk trot, and gave a circumstantial

account of their mission.

 

*****NOTE: To get supplies, about fourteen paragraphs earlier.

But what else did they do? Something is left out.

 

I was pleased to see that they had fulfilled their orders

intelligently, carrying out my intentions in the spirit and not

blindly to the letter.

 

Next morning we quitted the farm (which we named Woodlands), after

providing amply for the wants of the animals, sheep, goats and poultry,

which we left there.

 

Shortly afterwards, on entering a wood, we found it tenanted by an

enormous number of apes, who instantly assailed us with showers of

fir-cones, uttering hideous and angry cries, and effectually checking

our progress, until we put them to flight by a couple of shots, which

not a little astonished their weak minds.

 

Fritz picked up some of their missiles, and, showing them to me, I

recognized the cone of the stone-pine.

 

`By all means gather some of these cones, boys,’ said I; `you will find

the kernel has a pleasant taste, like almonds, and from it we can, by

pressing, obtain an excellent oil. Therefore I should like to carry

some home with us.’

 

A hill, which seemed to promise a good view from its summit, next

attracted my notice, and, on climbing it we were more than repaid for

the exertion by the extensive and beautiful prospect which lay spread

before our eyes.

 

The situation altogether was so agreeable, that here also I resolved to

make a settlement, to be visited occasionally, and, after resting

awhile and talking the matter over we set to work to build a cottage

such as we had lately finished at Woodlands.

 

Our experience there enabled us to proceed quickly with the work, and

in a few days the rustic abode was completed, and received, by Ernest’s

choice, the grand name of Prospect Hill.

 

My chief object in undertaking this expedition had been to discover

some tree from whose bark I could hope to make a useful light boat or

canoe. Hitherto I had met with none at all fit for my purpose, but, not

despairing of success, I began, when the cottage was built, to examine

carefully the surrounding woods, and, after considerable trouble, came

upon two magnificent tall straight trees, the bark of which seemed

something like that of the birch.

 

Selecting one whose trunk was, to a great height, free from branches,

we attached to one of the lower of these boughs the rope ladder we had

with us, and, Fritz ascending it, cut the bark through in a circle; I

did the same at the foot of the tree, and then, from between the

circles, we took a narrow perpendicular slip of bark entirely out, so

that we could introduce the proper tools by which gradually to loosen

and raise the main part, so as finally to separate it from the tree

uninjured and entire. This we found possible, because the bark was

moist and flexible.

 

Great care and exertion were necessary, as the bark became detached, to

support it, until the whole was ready to be let gently down upon the

grass. This seemed a great achievement; but our work was by no means

ended, nor could we venture to desist from it, until, while the

material was soft and pliable, we had formed it into the shape we

desired for the canoe.

 

In order to do this, I cut a long triangular piece out of each end of

the roll, and, placing the sloping parts one over the other, I drew the

ends into a pointed form and secured them with pegs and glue.

 

This successful proceeding had, however, widened the boat, and made it

too flat in the middle, so that it was necessary to put ropes round it,

and tighten them until the proper shape was restored, before we could

allow it to dry in the sun.

 

This being all I could do without a greater variety of tools, I

determined to complete my work in a more convenient situation, and

forthwith dispatched Fritz and Jack with orders to bring the sledge

(which now ran on wheels taken from gun-carriages) that the canoe might

be transported direct to the vicinity of the harbour at Tentholm.

 

During their absence I fortunately found some wood naturally curved,

just suited for ribs to support and strengthen the sides of the boat.

 

When the two lads returned with the sledge, it was time to rest for the

night; but with early dawn we were again busily at work.

 

The sledge was loaded with the new boat, and everything else we could

pack into it, and we turned our steps homewards, finding the greatest

difficulty, however, in getting our vehicle through the woods. We

crossed the bamboo swamp, where I cut a fine mast for my boat, and came

at length to a small opening or defile in the ridge of rocks, where a

little torrent rushed from its source down into the larger stream

beyond; here we determined to make a halt, in order to erect a great

earth wall across the narrow gorge, which, being thickly planted with

prickly pear, Indian-fig, and every thorny bush we could find, would in

time form an effectual barrier against the intrusion of wild beasts,

the cliffs being, to the best of our belief, in every other part

inaccessible.

 

For our own convenience we retained a small winding path through this

barrier, concealing and defending it with piles of branches and thorns,

and also we contrived a light drawbridge over the stream, so that we

rendered the pass altogether a very strong positron, should we ever

have to act on the defensive.

 

This work occupied two days, and continuing on our way, we were glad to

rest at Falconhurst before arriving (quite tired and worn out) at

Tentholm.

 

It took some time to recruit our strength after this long and

fatiguing expedition, and then we vigorously resumed the task of

finishing the canoe. The arrangements, I flattered myself, were

carried out in a manner quite worthy of a shipbuilder; a mast, sails

and paddles were fitted, but my final touch, although I prized it

highly and considered it a grand and original idea, would no doubt have

excited only ridicule and contempt had it been seen by a naval man.

 

My contrivance was this: I had a couple of large airtight bags, made

of the skins of the dog-fish, well tarred and pitched, inflated, and

made fast on each side of the boat, just above the level of the water.

These floats, however much she might be loaded, would effectually

prevent either the sinking or capsizing of my craft.

 

I may as well relate in this place what I omitted at the time of its

occurrence. During the rainy season our cow presented us with a

bull-calf, and that there might never be any difficulty in managing

him, I at a very early age, pierced his nose and placed a short stick

in it, to be exchanged for a ring when he was old enough. The question

now came to be, who should be his master, and to what should we train

him?

 

`Why not teach him,’ said Fritz, `to fight with wild animals and

defend us, like the fighting bulls of the Hottentots? That would be

really useful!’

 

`I am sure I should much prefer a gentle bull to a fighting one!’

exclaimed his mother. `But do you mean to say tame oxen can be taught

to act rationally on the defensive?’

 

`I can but repeat what I have heard or read,’ replied I, `as regards

the race of Hottentots who inhabit the south of Africa, among all sorts

of wild and ferocious animals.

 

`The wealth of these people consists solely in their flocks and herds,

and for their protection, they train their bulls to act as guards.

 

`These courageous animals keep the rest from straying away, and when

danger threatens, they give instant notice of it, drive the herd

together in a mass, the calves and young cows being placed in the

centre; around them the bulls and strong oxen make a formidable circle

with their horned heads turned to the front, offering determined

resistance to the fiercest foe.

 

`These fighting bulls will even sometimes rush with dreadful bellowing

to meet the enemy; and should it be a mighty lion or other strong and

daring monster, sacrifice their own lives in defence of the herd.

 

`It is said that formerly, when Hottentot tribes made war on one

another, it was not unusual to place a troop of these stout-hearted

warriors in the van of the little army, when their heroism led to

decisive victory on one side or the other.

 

`But,’ continued, I, `although I can see you are all delighted with my

description of these fine warlike animals, I think we had better train

this youngster to be a peaceable bull. Who is to have charge of him?’

 

Ernest thought it would be more amusing to train his monkey than a

calf. Jack, with the buffalo and his hunting jackal, had quite enough

on his hands. Fritz was content with the onager. Their mother was voted

mistress of the old grey donkey. And I myself being

superintendent-in-chief of the whole establishment of animals, there

remained only little Franz to whose special care the calf could be

committed.

 

`What say you, my boy—will you undertake to look after this little

fellow?’

 

`Oh yes, father!’ he replied. `Once you told me about a strong man, I

think his name was Milo, and he had a tiny calf, and he used to carry

it about everywhere. It grew bigger and bigger, but still he carried it

often, till at last he grew so strong that when it was quite a great

big ox, he could lift it as easily as ever. And so you see, if I take

care of our wee calf and teach it to do what I like, perhaps when it

grows big I shall still be able to manage it, and then—oh, papa—do

you think I might ride upon it?’

 

I smiled at the child’s simplicity, and his funny application of the

story of Milo of Crotona.

 

`The calf shall be yours, my boy. Make him as tame as you can, and we

will see about letting you mount him some day; but remember he will be

a great bull long before you are nearly a man. Now what will you call

him?’

 

`Shall I call him “Grumble”, father? Hear what a low muttering noise he

makes!’

 

`“Grumble” will do famously.’

 

`Grumble, Grumble. Oh, it beats your buffalo’s name hollow, Jack!’

 

`Not a bit,’ said he, `why, you can’t compare the two names. Fancy

mother saying, “Here comes Franz on Grumble, but Jack riding on the

Storm.” Oh, it sounds sublime!’

 

We named the two puppies Bruno and Fawn, and so ended this important

domestic business.

 

For two months we worked steadily at our salt-cave, in order to

complete the necessary arrangement of partition walls, so as to put the

rooms and stalls for the animals in comfortable order for the next long

rainy season, during which time, when other work would be at a

standstill, we could carry on many minor details for the improvement of

the abode.

 

We levelled the floors first with clay; then spread gravel mixed with

melted gypsum over that, producing a smooth hard surface, which did

very well for most of the apartments; but I was ambitious of having one

or two carpets, and set about making a kind of felt in the following

way.

 

I