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

their legs,

then giving them salt to lick, they soon obtained a supply of excellent

milk which was poured from the cocoanut shells they used into calabash

flasks, so that we could take with us what was not required at dinner.

 

The fowls were enticed by handfuls of grain and rice, and my wife

caught as many as she wished for.

 

We were by this time very ready for dinner, and the cold provisions we

had with us were set forth, the chief dish consisting of the piece of

whale’s tongue, which, by the boys’ desire, had been cooked with a

special view to this entertainment.

 

But woeful was the disappointment when the tongue was tasted! One

after another, with dismal face, pronounced it ‘horrid stuff,’ begged

for some pickled herring to take away the taste of train-oil, and

willingly bestowed on Fangs the cherished dainty.

 

Fortunately there was a sufficient supply of other eatables, and the

fresh, delicious cocoanuts and goat’s milk put everyone in good humour

again.

 

While the mother packed everything up, Fritz and I got some sugarcane

shoots which I wished to plant, and then returned to the shore and

again embarked.

 

Before returning to Whale Island, I felt a strong wish to round Cape

Disappointment and survey the coast immediately beyond, but the

promontory maintained the character of its name, and we found that a

long sandbank, as well as hidden reefs and rocks, ran out a great way

into the sea.

 

Fritz espying breakers ahead, we put about at once, and aided by a

light breeze, directed our course towards Whale Island.

 

On landing, I began at once to plant the sugarcane shoots we had

brought. The boys assisted me for a while, but wearied somewhat of the

occupation, and one after another went off in search of shells and

coral, leaving their mother and me to finish the work.

 

Presently Jack came back, shouting loudly:

 

`Father! Mother! Do come and look. There is an enormous skeleton lying

here; the skeleton of some fearful great beast—a mammoth, I should

think.’

 

`Why Jack!’ returned I laughing, `have you forgot our old

acquaintance, the whale? What else could it be?’

 

`Oh no, father, it is not the whale. This thing has not fish bones, but

real good, honest, huge, beast bones. I don’t know what can have become

of the whale—floated out to sea most likely. This mammoth is ever so

much bigger. Come and see!’

 

As I was about to follow the boy, a voice from another direction

suddenly cried:

 

`Father! Father! A great enormous turtle! Please make haste. It is

waddling back to the sea as hard as it can go, and we can’t stop it.’

 

This appeal being more pressing, as well as more important, than

Jack’s, I snatched up an oar and hastened to their assistance.

 

Sure enough a large turtle was scrambling quickly towards the water,

and was within a few paces of it, although Ernest was valiantly holding

on by one of its hind legs.

 

I sprang down the bank, and making use of the oar as a lever, we

succeeded with some difficulty in turning the creature on its back.

 

It was a huge specimen, fully eight feet long, and being now quite

helpless, we left it sprawling, and went to inspect Jack’s mammoth

skeleton, which, of course, proved to be neither more nor less than

that of the whale. I convinced him of the fact by pointing out the

marks of our feet on the ground, and the broken jaws where we had

hacked out the whalebone.

 

`What can have made you take up that fancy about a mammoth, my boy?’

 

`Ernest put it into my head, father. He said there seemed to be the

skeleton of an antediluvian monster there, so I ran to look closer, and

I never thought of the whale, when I saw no fish bones. I suppose

Ernest was joking.’

 

`Whales are generally considered as fishes by those little acquainted

with the animal kingdom, but they belong to the class of mammals, which

comprises man, the monkey tribes, the bats, the dogs and cats, all

hoofed animals, whales and their allies, with other animals, the last

on the list being the sloth.

 

`The name by which they are distinguished is derived from the Latin

word “mama,” a breast, and is given to them because all the species

belonging to this class are furnished with a set of organs called the

mammary glands, secreting the liquid known as milk, by which the young

are nourished.

 

`The bones of the whale differ from those of animals, simply in being

of a hollow construction, and filled with air so as to render the

carcase more buoyant. The bones of birds are also hollow, for the same

reason, and in all this we see conspicuously the wisdom and goodness of

the great Creator.’

 

`What a marvellous structure it is, father!’ said Fritz. `What a

ponderous mass of bones! Can we not make use of any of them?’

 

`Nothing strikes me at this moment; we will leave them to bleach here

yet awhile, and perhaps by sawing them up afterwards, make a few

chairs, or a reading-desk for the museum. But now it is time to return

home. Bring the boat round to where the turtle awaits his fate; we must

settle how to deal with him.’

 

It was soon decided that he must swim. I fastened the empty water-cask

to a long line, one end of which was made fast to the bow of the boat,

the other carefully passed round the neck and forepaws of the

creature, who was then lifted, so as to let him regain his feet; when

he instantly made for the water, plunged in, the cask floated after

him, and prevented his sinking.

 

We were all on board in a moment; and the worthy fellow, after vainly

attempting to dive, set himself diligently to swim right forwards,

towing us comfortably after him. I was ready to cut the line on the

least appearance of danger, and kept him on the course for Safety Bay

by striking the water with a boat-hook right or left, according as the

turtle was disposed to turn too much one way or the other.

 

The boys were delighted with the fun, and compared me to Neptune in his

car, drawn by dolphins, and accompanied by Amphitrite and attendant

Tritons.

 

We landed safely at the usual place, near Rockburg, and the turtle was

condemned and executed soon afterwards; the shell, which was quite

eight feet long, and three broad, was, when cleaned and prepared, to

form a trough for the water supply at the cave, and the meat was

carefully salted, and stored up for many a good and savoury meal.

 

It had been my intention to bring a piece of land under cultivation

before the next rainy season, to be sown with different sorts of grain;

but many unforeseen circumstances had intervened to hinder this, and

our animals, unaccustomed to the yoke, were not available for the

plough.

 

I therefore gave up the idea for the present, and applied myself, with

Ernest’s assistance, to completing the loom, which, although the

workmanship was clumsy, I succeeded in making quite fit for use. I had

fortunately in my younger days spent many hours in the workshops of

weavers and other artisans, and therefore I understood more than might

have been expected of their various crafts.

 

Paste or size was required to smear over the threads; but we could not

spare flour for such a purpose, and I used isinglass, which kept the

warp moist perfectly well, and spared us the necessity of setting up

the loom in a damp uncomfortable place, which has often to be done to

prevent the overdrying of the web.

 

Of this isinglass I also made thin plates, to be used as window-panes;

they were at least as transparent as horn, and when fixed deep in the

rock and beyond the reach of rain, did good service in admitting light.

 

Success encouraging me to persevere, I next began harness-making; the

spoils of the chase having furnished us with plenty of leather, with

which I covered light frames of wood, using the hairy moss or lichen

for stuffing, and ere long the animals were equipped with saddles,

stirrups, bridles, yokes and collars, to the very great satisfaction of

their youthful riders and drivers.

 

This occupation was followed by a great deal of work connected with the

annual return of the herring shoals which now took place; to them

succeeding, as on former occasions, shoals of other fish, and many

seals. More than ever aware of the value of all of these, we did not

fail to make good use of our opportunities, and captured large numbers.

 

The boys were getting anxious for another shooting expedition; but

before undertaking that, I wished to do some basket-making, as sacks

were beginning to fail us, and there was constant demand for baskets in

which to carry and keep our roots and fruits. Our first attempts were

clumsy enough; but, as usual, perseverance was rewarded, and we

produced a good supply of all sorts and sizes. One very large basket I

furnished with openings through which to pass a strong stick, so that

it might, when heavily laden, be carried by two persons.

 

No sooner did the children see the force of this idea, than they got a

bamboo, and popping little Franz into the basket, carried him about in

triumph.

 

This amusement suggested a fresh notion to Fritz. `Oh, father,’ cried

he, `don’t you think we might make something like this for mother, and

carry her much more comfortably than jolting along in the cart?’

 

The boys shouted with glee at the proposal, and though their mother

thought the plan feasible enough, she confessed that she did not much

like the thought of sitting in the middle of a basket, and just looking

out now and then over the rim.

 

However, I assured her it should be a well-shaped comfortable

sedan-chair, or litter; and the next question was how it should be

carried, since the boys could not play the part of Indian

palanquin-bearers, either with safety to their mother, or with any

pleasure to themselves.

 

`The bull and the buffalo!’ cried Jack. `Why not use them for it?

Let’s go and try them now!’

 

Off ran the boys, and in a short time the basket was securely hung

between Storm and Grumble. Fritz and Jack sprang into their saddles,

and Ernest very gingerly deposited himself in the `cradle’, as Franz

called it; they set forth at a most sober pace, the animals, who were

perfectly docile, appearing only a little surprised at the new

arrangement.

 

`Oh, it is so pleasant, mother, it is a delightful motion,’ cried

Ernest, as they passed us. `It swings and rocks really soothingly.

Quicker, Fritz! Go quicker!’ And the trot pleasing him equally well,

the pace gradually quickened, till the animals were going along at a

rate which shook and jolted the basket about most fearfully.

 

Ernest called and screamed in vain for a halt. His brothers thought it

capital fun to `shake up’ the `professor’, and made the circuit of the

level ground near Rockburg, finally pulling up in front of us, like

performers stopping to receive the applause of spectators.

 

It was impossible to help laughing, the scene was so ridiculous, but

Ernest was very angry with his brothers, his reproaches provoked high

words in reply, and a quarrel was imminent, but I interfered, and

showed them how easily a joke carried too far would lead to disputes

and bad feeling, urging them to avoid on