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

his capybara. Even he

himself made a face at the peculiar flavour of the meat.

 

`It is the musk which you taste,’ said I; and I described to them the

various animals in which this strange liquid is found; the musk deer,

musk ox, crocodile, muskrat of India (also called soudeli, which taints

a corked bottle of wine, if it only runs across it) concluding with an

account of the civet, also called civet-cat.

 

`The civet,’ said I, `is a handsome black and white animal, and the

perfume obtained from it was formerly considered a valuable medicine;

in the present day it is used chiefly as a scent. This odoriferous

substance is secreted, i.e., formed, in a double glandular pouch near

the tail, and the Dutch keep the creature in captivity, so that it

shall afford them a continual supply.

 

`The method of removing the civet perfume is ingenious. The animal is

very quick and elastic in its movements, and having sharp teeth it is

not pleasant to handle. So it is put into a long, narrow cage in which

it cannot turn around, a horn spoon is then introduced, and the

perfume, a thick, oily stuff something like butter, is coolly scraped

from the pouch, the plundered civet being then released from strait

durance, until the supply is re-formed.’

 

Presently Jack ran for his game-bag, producing some fruit which he had

forgotten. Several pale green apples, quite new to us, excited general

attention.

 

`Why, what are those? Are they good?’ I asked.

 

`I hope so,’ said Jack, `but Fritz and I were afraid of eating some

awful poison or other, like the manchineel, so we brought them for the

inspection of the learned Master Knips.’

 

I took one and cut it in two, remarking that it contained a circle of

seeds or pips, instead of the stone of the manchineel.

 

At that moment Knips slyly came behind me, and snatching up one half,

began to munch it with the liveliest satisfaction, an example which the

boys were so eager to follow that a general scramble ensued, and I had

some trouble in securing a couple of the apples for myself and their

mother.

 

I imagined this to be the cinnamon apple of the Antilles.

 

Everyone seeming wearied by the fatigues of the day, our mattresses and

pillows were arranged, and the inmates of Woodlands betook themselves

to repose.

 

With early light we commenced the next day’s journey, directing our

course to a point between the sugar-brake and the Gap, where we had

once made a sort of arbour of the branches of trees; as this remained

in pretty good condition, we spread a sailcloth over the top of it,

instead of pitching the tent, and made it very comfortable quarters for

the short time I proposed to stay there.

 

Our object being to search the neighbourhood for traces of the boa

constrictor, or any of his kindred, Fritz, Jack, and Franz went with me

to the sugarcane brake, and we satisfied ourselves that our enemy had

not been there. It was long since we had enjoyed the fresh juice of

these canes, and we were refreshing ourselves therewith, when a loud

barking of dogs and loud rustling and rattling through the thicket of

canes disturbed our pleasant occupation, and, as we could see nothing a

yard off where we stood, I hurried to the open ground, and with guns in

readiness we awaited what was coming.

 

In a few minutes a herd of creatures like little pigs issued from the

thicket, and made off in single file at a brisk trot; they were of a

uniform grey colour, and showed short sharp tusks.

 

My trusty double-barrel speedily laid low two of the fugitives which I

felt certain to be peccaries; the others continued to follow the leader

in line, scarcely turning aside to pass the dead bodies of their

comrades, and maintaining the same steady pace, although Fritz and Jack

also fired and killed several.

 

I felt certain that these were peccaries, and recollected that an

odoriferous gland in the back must be removed immediately, otherwise

the meat will become tainted, and quite unfit to eat.

 

This operation, with the help of my boys, I accordingly performed at

once.

 

Presently, hearing shots in the direction of the hut where we had left

Ernest and his mother, I sent Jack to their assistance, desiring him to

fetch the cart, that the booty might be conveyed to our encampment,

employing the time of his absence in opening and cleaning the animals,

thus reducing their weight.

 

Ernest came back with Jack and the cart, and told us that the

procession of peccaries had passed near the hut, and that he, with

Juno’s help, had secured three of them.

 

I was glad to hear this, as I had determined to cure a good supply of

hams, and we made haste to load the cart; the boys adorned it with

flowers and green boughs, and with songs of triumph which made the

woods ring they conveyed the valuable supply of game to the hut, where

their mother anxiously waited for us.

 

After dinner we set to work upon our pigs, singeing and scalding off

the bristles; I cut out the hams, divided the flitches, bestowed

considerable portions of the carcase on the dogs, and diligently

cleansed and salted the meat, while the boys prepared a shed, where it

was to be hung to be cured in the smoke of fires of green wood.

 

This unexpected business of course detained us in the place for some

time. On the second day, when the smoking-shed was ready, the boys were

anxious to cook the smallest porker in the Otaheitean fashion. For this

purpose they dug a hole, in which they burnt a quantity of dry grass,

sticks and weeds, heating stones, which were placed round the sides of

the pit.

 

While the younger boys made ready the oven, Fritz singed and washed his

peccary, stuffing it with potatoes, onions and herbs, and a good

sprinkling of salt and pepper.

 

He then sewed up the opening, and enveloped the pig in large leaves to

guard it from the ashes and dust of its cooking-place.

 

The fire no longer blazed, but the embers and stones were glowing hot;

the pig was carefully placed in the hole, covered over with hot ashes,

and the whole with earth, so that it looked like a big mole heap.

 

Dinner was looked forward to with curiosity, as well as appetite; my

wife, as usual, distrusting our experiments, was not sanguine of

success, and made ready some plain food as a pis aller*.

 

* Last resort, backup, poor substitute.

 

She was well pleased with the curing-hut, which was roomy enough to

hang all our hams and bacon. On a wide hearth in the middle we kindled

a large fire, which was kept constantly smouldering by heaping it with

damp grass and green wood. The hut being closed in above, the smoke

filled it, and penetrated the meat thoroughly: this process it had to

undergo for several days.

 

In a few hours Fritz gave notice that he was going to open his oven.

Great excitement prevailed as he removed the earth, turf, and stones,

and a delicious appetizing odour arose from the opening. It was the

smell of roast pork, certainly, but with a flavor of spices which

surprised me, until I thought of the leaves in which the food had been

wrapped up.

 

The peccary was carefully raised, and when a few cinders were picked

off, it looked a remarkably well-cooked dish. Fritz was highly

complimented on his success, even by his mother.

 

The scented leaves were, I thought, those of a tree which I knew to be

found in Madagascar, called by the natives ravensara, or ‘good leaf.’

It is said to combine the scent of the nutmeg, clove, and cinnamon. The

fruit is a species of nut, possessing the scent of the leaves in a more

delicate degree, and from it an oil or essence is distilled, which is

highly valued in native cookery.

 

During the process of curing our large supply of hams and bacon, which

occupied several days, we roamed about the neighbourhood in all

directions, finding no trace of the serpent, but making many valuable

acquisitions, among which were some gigantic bamboos from fifty to

sixty feet in length, and of proportionate thickness. These, when cut

across near the joints, formed capital casks, tubs, and pots; while the

long sharp thorns, which begirt the stem at intervals, were as strong

and useful as iron nails.

 

One day we made an excursion to the farm at Prospect Hill, and were

grievously provoked to find that the vagabond apes had been there, and

wrought terrible mischief, as before at Woodlands.

 

The animals and poultry were scattered, and everything in the cottage

so torn and dirtied, that it was vain to think of setting things right

that day. We therefore very unwillingly left the disorder as we found

it, purposing to devote time to the work afterwards.

 

When all was in readiness for the prosecution of our journey, we

closed and barricaded the hut, in which, for the present, we left the

store of bacon; and arranging our march in the usual patriarchal style,

we took our way to the Gap, the thorough defence of which defile was

the main object we had in view.

 

Our last halting-place being much enclosed by shrubs, bamboos and

brushwood, we had during our stay opened a path through the cane

thicket in the direction we were about to travel; this we now found of

the greatest assistance, and the loaded cart passed on without

impediment.

 

The ground was open and tolerably level beyond, so that in a few hours

we arrived at the extreme limit of our coast territory.

 

We halted on the outskirts of a little wood behind which, to the

right, rose the precipitous and frowning cliffs of the mountain gorge,

while to the left flowed the torrent, leaving between it and the rocks

the narrow pass we called the Gap, and passing onward to mingle its

waters with the sea.

 

The wood afforded us pleasant shelter and standing high, and within

gunshot of the mouth of the rocky pass, I resolved to make it our

camping-place. We therefore unpacked the cart, and made our usual

arrangements for safety and comfort, not forgetting to examine the wood

itself, so as to ascertain whether it harboured any dangerous animals.

Nothing worse than wild cats was discovered. We disturbed several of

these creatures in their pursuit of birds and small game, but they fled

at our approach.

 

By the time dinner was ready we felt much fatigued, and some hours of

unusually sultry and oppressive heat compelled us to rest until towards

evening, when returning coolness revived our strength. We pitched the

tent, and then occupied ourselves with preparations for the next day,

when it was my intention to penetrate the country beyond the defile,

and make a longer excursion across the savannah, than had yet been

undertaken.

 

All was ready for a start at an early hour; my brave wife consented to

remain in camp with Franz as her companion, while the three elder boys,

and all the dogs, except Juno, went with me.

 

We expected to find it somewhat difficult to make our way through the

narrowest part of the pass, which had been so strongly barricaded and

planted with thorny shrubs, but found on the contrary that the fences

and walls were broken down and disarranged. It was thus very evident

that the great snake, as well as the herd of peccaries, had made an

entrance here.

 

This barricade