Produced by Anne Wingate
Swiss Family Robinson, by Johann David Wyss
This edition (c)2000
by
Pink Tree Press
PO Box 16536
Salt Lake City, Utah 84116
ISBN 1-930860-50-1
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This edition (c)2000
by
Pink Tree Press
PO Box 16536
Salt Lake City, Utah 84116
ISBN 1-930860-50-1
Foreword
No unabridged edition of <Swiss Family Robinson> exists in English.
Indeed, the book has been rewritten so many times, by so many
editors, that it can legitimately be said that that no complete
edition of the book exists in <any> language.
Johann David Wyss, a Swiss pastor, originally wrote this book
to entertain and instruct his four sons. Years later, his son
Johann (or Jean--accounts differ) Rudolf Wyss, by then a professor
of philosophy, persuaded his father to allow him to complete and
edit the unfinished manuscript. It was published in two volumes
in Zurich in 1812-1813.
Its French translator, Mme de Montholieu, obtained permission
to greatly enlarge the book. It was published in five volumes
from 1824 through 1826. The first English edition, abridged,
was published in 1814; it was followed by several other English
translations of varying quality. In 1849 W. H. G. Kingston
re-translated, and greatly abridged, Mme. De Montholieu's
version. Most English versions are based on Kingston's abridged
version.
Despite a vast number of amusing errors in flora and fauna, the
book has entertained, and warmed the hearts of, many generations.
However, most modern editions omit an incredible amount even of
Kingston's translation by making small cuttings here and there,
some of them maddeningly inept. The Editor's Cut edition from
Pink Tree Press has been based on, and compared with, no fewer
than five previous editions, all of them out of copyright. Most,
though not all, of the cuttings have been restored. The material
that continues to be omitted is of little imaginable interest to
anyone other than a scholar of nineteenth century literature.
Paragraphing has been redone in order to facilitate ease of
reading. Some archaic spelling and grammar have been retained,
as they are part of the flavor of the book; they have been changed
where necessary for clarity. The British-style punctuation has
been retained. The lengthy and unnecessary chapter headings have
been omitted. Some parenthetical information is provided, most
often to define words no longer to be found in many English
dictionaries.
Anne Wingate, Ph.D.
Editor-in-Chief
Pink Tree Press
Chapter 1
For many days we had been tempest-tossed. Six times had the darkness
closed over a wild and terrific scene, and returning light as often
brought but renewed distress, for the raging storm increased in
fury until on the seventh day all hope was lost.
We were driven completely out of our course; no conjecture
could be formed as to our whereabouts. The crew had lost heart,
and were utterly exhausted by incessant labour. The riven masts
had gone by the board, leaks had been sprung in every direction,
and the water, which rushed in, gained upon us rapidly.
Instead of reckless oaths, the seamen now uttered frantic cries to
God for mercy, mingled with strange and often ludicrous vows, to
be performed should deliverance be granted. Every man on board
alternately commended his soul to his Creator, and strove to
bethink himself of some means of saving his life.
My heart sank as I looked round upon my family in the midst of
these horrors. Our four young sons were overpowered by terror.
`Dear children,' said I, `if the Lord will, He can save us even
from this fearful peril; if not, let us calmly yield our lives
into His hand, and think of the joy and blessedness of finding
ourselves for ever and ever united in that happy home above.
Even death is not too bitter, when it does not separate those
who love one another.'
At these words my weeping wife looked bravely up, and, as the
boys clustered round her, she began to cheer and encourage them
with calm and loving words. I rejoiced to see her fortitude,
though my heart was ready to break as I gazed on my dear ones.
We knelt down together, one after another praying with deep
earnestness and emotion. Fritz, in particular, besought help
and deliverance for his dear parents and brothers, as though
quite forgetting himself. Our hearts were soothed by the never-
failing comfort of child-like confiding prayer, and the horrors
of our situation seemed less overwhelming. `Ah,' thought I,
`the Lord will hear our prayer! He will help us.'
Amid the roar of the thundering waves I suddenly heard the cry
of `Land! land!', while at the same instant the ship struck with
a frightful shock, which threw everyone to the deck, and seemed
to threaten her immediate destruction. Dreadful sounds betokened
the breaking up of the ship, and the roaring waters poured in on
all sides.
Then the voice of the captain was heard above the tumult, shouting,
`Lower away the boats! We are lost!'
`Lost!' I exclaimed, and the word went like a dagger to my heart;
but seeing my children's terror renewed, I composed myself,
calling out cheerfully, `Take courage, my boys! We are all above
water yet. There is the land not far off, let us do our best to
reach it. You know God helps those that help themselves! Remain
with your mother, while I go on deck to see what is best to be
done now.' With that, I left them and went on deck.
A wave instantly threw me down; another followed, and then another,
as I contrived to find my footing. The ship was shattered on all
directions, and on one side there was a large hole in the hull.
Forgetting the passengers, the ship's company crowded into the
lifeboats, and the last who entered cut the davit ropes to cast
each boat into the sea.
What was my horror when through the foam and spray I beheld the
last remaining boat leave the ship, the last of the seamen spring
into her and push off, regardless of my cries and entreaties that
we might be allowed to share their slender chance of preserving
their lives. My voice was drowned in the howling of the blast,
and even had the crew wished it, the return of the boat was
impossible, for the waves were mountain-high.
Casting my eyes despairingly around, I became gradually aware
that our position was by no means hopeless, inasmuch as the
stern of the ship containing our cabin was jammed between two
high rocks, and was partly raised from among the breakers which
dashed the fore-part to pieces. As the clouds of mist and rain
drove past, I could make out, through rents in the vaporous
curtain, a line of rocky coast, and, rugged as it was, my heart
bounded towards it as a sign of help in the hour of need.
Yet the sense of our lonely and forsaken condition weighed heavily
upon me as I returned to my family, constraining myself to say
with a smile, `Courage, dear ones! Although our good ship will
never sail more, she is so placed that our cabin will remain
above water, and tomorrow, if the wind and waves abate, I see no
reason why we should not be able to get ashore.'
These few words had an immediate effect on the spirits of my
children, for my family had the habit of trusting in my assurances.
The boys at once regarded our problematical chance of escaping as
a happy certainty, and began to enjoy the relief from the violent
pitching and rolling of the vessel.
My wife, however, perceived my distress and anxiety in spite of
my forced composure, and I made her comprehend our real situation,
greatly fearing the effect of the intelligence on her nerves. Not
for a moment did her courage and trust in Providence forsake her,
and on seeing this, my fortitude revived.
`We must find some food, and take a good supper,' said she, `it
will never do to grow faint by fasting too long. We shall require
our utmost strength tomorrow.'
Night drew on apace, the storm was as fierce as ever, and at
intervals we were startled by crashes announcing further damage
to our unfortunate ship. We thought of the lifeboats, and feared
that all they contained must have sunk under the foaming waves.
`God will help us soon now, won't He, father?' said my youngest
child.
`You silly little thing,' said Fritz, my eldest son, sharply,
`don't you know that we must not settle what God is to do for
us? We must have patience and wait His time.'
`Very well said, had it been said kindly, Fritz, my boy. You too
often speak harshly to your brothers, although you may not mean
to do so.'
A good meal being now ready, my youngsters ate heartily, and
retiring to rest were speedily fast asleep. Fritz, who was of
an age to be aware of the real danger we were in, kept watch
with us. After a long silence, `Father,' said he, `don't you
think we might contrive swimming-belts for mother and the boys?
With those we might all escape to land, for you and I can swim.'
`Your idea is so good,' answered I, `that I shall arrange something
at once, in case of an accident during the night.'
We immediately searched about for what would answer the purpose,
and fortunately got hold of a number of empty flasks and tin
canisters, which we connected two and two together so as to form
floats sufficiently buoyant to support a person in the water, and
my wife and young sons each willingly put one on. I then provided
myself with matches, dry tinder, knives, cord, and other portable
articles, trusting that, should the vessel go to pieces before
daylight, we might gain the shore, not wholly destitute.
Fritz, as well as his brothers, now slept soundly. Throughout the
night my wife and I maintained our prayerful watch, dreading at
every fresh sound some fatal change in the position of the wreck.
At length the faint dawn of day appeared, the long weary night was
over, and with thankful hearts we perceived that the gale had begun
to moderate; blue sky was seen above us, and the lovely hues of
sunrise adorned the eastern horizon.
I aroused the boys, and we assembled on the remaining portion of
the deck, when they, to their surprise, discovered that no one
else was on board.
`Hallo, papa! What has become of everybody? Are the sailors gone?
Have they taken away the boats? Oh, papa! why did they leave us
behind? What can we do by ourselves!'
`My good children,' I replied, `we must not despair, although we
seem deserted. See how those on whose skill and good faith we
depended have left us cruelly to our fate in the hour of danger.
God will never do so. He has not forsaken us, and we will trust
Him still. Only let us bestir ourselves, and each cheerily do his
best. Who has anything to propose?'
`The sea will soon be calm enough for swimming,' said Fritz.
`And that would be all very fine for you,' exclaimed Ernest, `for
you can swim, but think of mother and the rest of us! Why not
build a raft and all get on shore together?'
`We should find it difficult, I think, to make a raft that would
carry us safe to shore. However, we must contrive something, and
first let each try to procure what will be of most use to us.'
Away we all went to see what was to be found, I myself proceeding
to examine, as of greatest consequence, the supplies of provisions
and fresh water within our reach.
My wife took her youngest son, Franz, to help her to attend to the
unfortunate animals on board, who were in a pitiful plight,
having been neglected for several days.
Fritz hastened to the arms chest, Ernest to look for tools;
and Jack went towards the captain's cabin, the door of which
he no sooner opened, than out sprang two splendid large dogs,
who testified their extreme delight and gratitude by such
tremendous bounds that they knocked their little deliverer
completely head over heels, frightening him nearly out of his
wits.
Jack did not long yield either to fear or anger, he presently
recovered himself, the dogs seemed to ask pardon by vehemently
licking his face and hands, and so, seizing the larger by the
ears, he jumped on his back, and, to my great amusement, coolly
rode to meet me as I came up the hatchway. I could not refrain
from laughing at the sight, and I praised his courage, but warned
him to be cautious and remember that animals of this species might,
in a state of hunger, be dangerous.
When we reassembled in the cabin, we all displayed our treasures.
Fritz brought a couple of guns, shot belt, powder-flasks, and
plenty of bullets.
Ernest produced a cap full of nails, a pair of large scissors,
an axe, and a hammer, while pincers, chisels and augers stuck
out of all his pockets.
Even little Franz* carried a box of no small size, and eagerly
began to show us the `nice sharp little hooks' it contained.
His brothers smiled scornfully.
* Some editions translate this to Francis,
apparently to avoid confusion with Fritz.
I see no reason for the change, and am
retaining the original spelling. Ed.
`Well, done, Franz!' cried I, `these fish hooks, which you the
youngest have found, may contribute more than anything else in
the ship to save our lives by procuring food for us. Fritz and
Ernest, you have chosen well.'
`Will you praise me too?' said my dear wife. `I have nothing to
show, but I can give you good news. Some useful animals are still
alive: a donkey, two goats, six sheep, a ram, and a cow and a
fine sow both big with young. I was but just in time to save
their lives by taking food to them. The goats I milked, though
I do not know how I shall preserve the milk in this dreadful heat.'
`All these things are excellent indeed,' said I, `but my friend
Jack here has presented me with a couple of huge hungry useless
dogs, who will eat more than any of us.'
`Oh, papa! They will be of use! Why, they will help us to hunt
when we get on shore!'
`No doubt they will, if ever we do get on shore, Jack; but I
must say I don't know how it is to be done.'
`Can't we each get into a big tub, and float there?' returned he.
`I have often sailed splendidly like that, round the pond at home.'
`My child, you have hit on a capital idea,' cried I. `That is
certainly worth trying. Now, Ernest, let me have your tools,
hammers, nails, saws, augers, and all; and then make haste to
collect any tubs you can find!'
We very soon found four large casks, made of sound wood and
strongly bound with iron hoops; they were floating with many
other things in the water in the hold, but we managed to fish
them out, and place them on the lower deck, which was at that
time scarcely above water. They were exactly what I wanted, and
I succeeded in sawing them across the middle. Hard work it was,
and we were glad enough to stop and refresh ourselves with goat's
milk, wine,* and biscuits.
* Even as late as this book was written, public
water was likely to be polluted. Children as well
as adults drank alcoholic beverages, often
considerably diluted with water, because it had
been observed that children who did not drink
plain water were more likely to survive childhood.
My eight tubs now stood ranged in a row near the water's edge,
and I looked at them with great satisfaction; to my surprise,
my wife did not seem to share my pleasure!
`I shall never,' said she, `muster courage to get into one
of these!'
`Do not be too sure of that, dear wife; when you see my contrivance
completed, you will perhaps prefer it to this immovable wreck.'
I next procured a long thin plank on which my tubs could be fixed,
and the two ends of this I bent upwards so as to form a keel.
Other two planks were nailed along the sides of the tubs; they,
also being flexible, were brought to a point at each end, and
all firmly secured and nailed together, producing a kind of
narrow boat, divided into eight compartments, which I had no
doubt would float adequately in calm water. But when we thought
all was ready for the launch, we found, to our dismay, that the
grand contrivance was so heavy and clumsy that even our united
efforts could not move it an inch.
`I must have a lever,' cried I. `Run and fetch the capstan bar!'
Fritz quickly brought one and, having formed rollers by cutting
up a long spar, I raised the forepart of my boat with the bar,
and my sons placed a roller under it.
`How is it, father,' inquired Ernest, `that with that thing you
alone can do more than all of us together?'
I explained, as well as I could in a hurry, the principle of
Archimedes' lever; from which he said he could move the world
if he had a point from which his mechanism might operate, and
promised to have a long talk on the subject of mechanics when
we should be safe on land.
I now made fast a long rope to the stern of our boat, attaching
the other end to a beam; then placing a second and third roller
under it, we once more began to push, this time with success, and
soon our gallant craft was safely launched: so swiftly indeed did
she glide into the water that, if the rope had not been well
secured, she would have passed beyond our reach. The boys wished
to jump in directly; but, alas, she leaned so much on one side
that they could not venture to do so.
Some heavy things being thrown in, however, the boat righted
itself by degrees, and the boys were so delighted that they
struggled which should first leap in to have the fun of sitting
down in the tubs. But it was plain to me at once that something
more was required to make her perfectly safe, so I contrived
outriggers to preserve the balance, by nailing long poles across
at the stem and stern, and fixing at the ends of each empty
brandy cask.
Then, the boat appearing steady, I got in; and turning it towards
the most open side of the wreck, I cut and cleared away
obstructions, so as to leave a free passage for our departure,
and the boys brought oars to be ready for the voyage. This
important undertaking we were forced to postpone until the
next day, as it was by this time far too late to attempt it.
It was not pleasant to have to spend another night in so precarious
a situation; but, yielding to necessity, we sat down to enjoy a
comfortable supper, for during our exciting and incessant work
all day we had taken nothing but an occasional biscuit and a
little wine.
We prepared for rest in a much happier frame of mind than on the
preceding day, but I did not forget the possibility of a renewed
storm, and therefore made every one put on the belts as before.
I persuaded my wife (not without considerable difficulty), to
put on a sailor's dress, assuring her she would find it much
more comfortable and convenient for all she would have to go
through.
She at last consented to do this, and left us for a short time,
reappearing with much embarrassment and many blushes, in a most
becoming suit, which she had found in a midshipman's chest.* We
all admired her costume, and any awkwardness she felt soon
began to pass off; then we retired to our hammocks, where peaceful
sleep prepared us all for the exertions of the coming day.
* At the time this book was written, women always
wore long skirts. A woman wearing trousers would
be considered so shocking that if she were so garbed
on a public street she would probably be arrested
for indecency.
We rose up betimes, for sleep weighs lightly on the hopeful as
well as on the anxious. After kneeling together in prayer, `Now
my beloved ones,' said I, `with God's help we are about to effect
our escape. Let the poor animals we must leave behind, be well
fed, and put plenty of fodder within their reach: in a few days
we may be able to return, and save them likewise. After that,
collect everything you can think of which may be of use to us.'
The boys joyfully obeyed me; and I selected, from the large
quantity of stores they got together, canvas to make a tent,
a chest of carpenter's tools, guns, pistols, powder, shot,
and bullets, rods and fishing tackle, an iron pot, a case of
portable soup and another of biscuit. These useful articles of
course took the place of the ballast I had hastily thrown in
the day before; even so, the boys had brought so many things
that we were obliged to leave some of them for a future trip.
With a hearty prayer for God's blessing, we now began to take
our seats, each in his tub. Just then we heard the cocks begin
to crow and the chickens to cackle, as though to reproach us
for deserting them.
`Why should not the fowls go with us!' exclaimed I. `If we find
no food for them, they can be food for us!' Ten hens and a couple
of cocks were accordingly placed in one of the tubs, and secured
with some wire-netting over them.
The ducks and geese were set at liberty, and took to the water at
once, while the pigeons, rejoicing to find themselves on the wing,
swiftly made for the shore. My wife, who managed all this for me,
kept us waiting for her some little time, and came at last with a
bag as big as a pillow in her arms. `This is my contribution,'
said she, throwing the bag to little Franz, to be, as I thought,
a cushion for him to sit upon, or to protect himself from being
tossed from side to side.
All being ready, we cast off, and moved away from the wreck. My
good, brave wife sat in the first compartment of the boat; next
her was Franz, a sweet-tempered, affectionate little boy, nearly
six years old. Then came Fritz, a handsome, spirited young fellow
of fourteen; the two centre tubs contained the valuable cargo;
then came our bold, thoughtless Jack, ten years old; next him
twelve-year-old Ernest, my second son, intelligent, well-informed,
and rather indolent. I myself, the anxious, loving father, stood
in the stern, endeavouring to guide the raft with its precious
burden to a safe landing-place.
The elder boys took the oars; everyone wore a float belt, and
had something useful close to him in case of being thrown into
the water.
The tide was flowing, which was a great help to the young oarsmen.
We emerged from the wreck and glided into the open sea. All eyes
were strained to get a full view of the land, and the boys pulled
with a will; but for some time we made no progress, as the boat
kept turning round and round, until I hit upon the right way to
steer it, after which we merrily made for the shore.
We had left the two dogs, Turk and Juno, on the wreck, as being
both large mastiffs we did not care to have their additional
weight on board our craft; but when they saw us apparently
deserting them, they set up a piteous howl, and sprang into
the sea. I was sorry to see this, for the distance to the land
was so great that I scarcely expected them to be able to
accomplish it. They followed us, however, and, occasionally
resting their fore-paws on the outriggers, kept up with us well.
Jack was inclined to deny them this their only chance of safety.
`Stop,' said I, `that would be unkind as well as foolish; remember,
the merciful man regardeth the life of his beast. God has given
the dog to man to be his faithful companion and friend.'
Our passage, though tedious, was safe; but the nearer we approached
the shore the less inviting it appeared; the barren rocks seemed
to threaten us with misery and want.
Many casks, boxes and bales of goods floated on the water around
us. Fritz and I managed to secure a couple of hogsheads, so as
to tow them alongside. With the prospect of famine before us, it
was desirable to lay hold of anything likely to contain provisions.
By-and-by we began to perceive that, between and beyond the
cliffs, green grass and trees were discernible. Fritz could
distinguish many tall palms, and Ernest hoped they would prove
to be cocoanut trees, and enjoyed the thoughts of drinking the
refreshing milk.
`I am very sorry I never thought of bringing away the captain's
telescope,' said I.
`Oh, look here, father!' cried Jack, drawing a little spy-glass
joyfully out of his pocket.
By means of this glass, I made out that at some distance to the
left the coast was much more inviting; a strong current however
carried us directly towards the frowning rocks, but I presently
observed an opening, where a stream flowed into the sea, and saw
that our geese and ducks were swimming towards this place. I
steered after them into the creek, and we found ourselves in a
small bay or inlet where the water was perfectly smooth and of
moderate depth. The ground sloped gently upwards from the low
banks to the cliffs which here retired inland, leaving a small
plain, on which it was easy for us to land. Everyone sprang
gladly out of the boat but little Franz, who, lying packed in
his tub like a potted shrimp, had to be lifted out by his mother.
The dogs had scrambled on shore before us; they received us with
loud barking and the wildest demonstrations of delight. The
chickens, geese and ducks kept up an incessant din, added to
which was the screaming and croaking of flamingoes and penguins,
whose dominion we were invading. The noise was deafening, but far
from unwelcome to me, as I thought of the good dinners the birds
might furnish.
As soon as we could gather our children around us on dry land,
we knelt to offer thanks and praise for our merciful escape, and
with full hearts we commended ourselves to God's good keeping
for the time to come. All hands then briskly fell to the work
of unloading, and, oh, how rich we felt ourselves as we did so!
The poultry we left at liberty to forage for themselves, and
set about finding a suitable place to erect a tent in which to
pass the night. This we speedily did; thrusting a long spar
into a hole in the rock, and supporting the other end by a pole
firmly planted in the ground, we formed a framework over which
we stretched the sailcloth we had brought; besides fastening
this down with pegs, we placed our heavy chests and boxes on
the border of the canvas, and arranged hooks so as to be able
to close up the entrance during the night.
When this was accomplished, the boys ran to collect moss and
grass, to spread in the tent for our beds, while I arranged a
fireplace, surrounded by large flat stones, near the brook which
flowed close by. Dry twigs and seaweed were soon in a blaze on
the hearth, I filled the iron pot with water, and after I gave
my wife several cakes of the portable soup, she established
herself as our cook, with little Franz to help her.
He, thinking his mother was melting some glue for carpentry,
was eager to know `what papa was going to make next?'
`This is to be soup for your dinner, my child. Do you think
these cakes look like glue?'
`Yes, indeed I do!' replied Franz, `And I should not much like
to taste glue soup! Don't you want some beef or mutton, Mamma?'
`Where can I get it, dear?' said she, `we are a long way from a
butcher's shop! But these cakes are made of the juice of good
meat, boiled till it becomes a strong stiff jelly--people take
them when they go to sea, because on a long voyage they can only
have salt meat, which will not make nice soup.'
Fritz, leaving a loaded gun with me, took another himself,* and
went along the rough coast to see what lay beyond the stream; this
fatiguing sort of walk not suiting Ernest's fancy, he sauntered
down to the beach, and Jack scrambled among the rocks searching
for shellfish.
* Even today all adult male Swiss are required by law
to possess, and know how and when to use, firearms.
A father who did not teach his sons these things, as
well as firearms safety, would be very neglectful.
I was anxious to land the two casks which were floating alongside
our boat, but on attempting to do so, I found that I could not
get them up the bank on which we had landed, and was therefore
obliged to look for a more convenient spot. As I did so, I was
startled by hearing Jack shouting for help, as though in great
danger. He was at some distance, and I hurried towards him with
a hatchet in my hand.
The little fellow stood screaming in a deep pool, and as I
approached, I saw that a huge lobster had caught his leg in its
powerful claw. Poor Jack was in a terrible fright; kick as he
would, his enemy still clung on. I waded into the water, and
seizing the lobster firmly by the back, managed to make it
loosen its hold, and we brought it safe to land.
Jack, having speedily recovered his spirits, and anxious to take
such a prize to his mother, caught the lobster in both hands, but
instantly received such a severe blow from its tail, that he flung
it down, and passionately hit the creature with a large stone.
This display of temper vexed me. `You are acting in a very childish
way, my son,' said I. `Never strike an enemy in a revengeful
spirit, or when the enemy is unable to defend itself. The lobster,
it is true, gave you a bite, but then you, on your part, intend
to eat the lobster. So the game is at least equal. Next time,
be both more prudent and more merciful.'
Once more lifting the lobster, Jack ran triumphantly towards
the tent. `Mother, mother! A lobster! A lobster, Ernest! Look
here, Franz! Mind, he'll bite you! Where's Fritz?' All came
crowding round Jack and his prize, wondering at its unusual
size, and Ernest wanted his mother to make lobster soup directly,
by adding it to what she was now boiling.
She, however, begged to decline making any such experiment, and
said she preferred cooking one dish at a time. Having remarked
that the scene of Jack's adventure afforded a convenient place
for getting my casks on shore, I returned thither and succeeded
in drawing them up on the beach, where I set them on end, and
for the present left them.
On my return I resumed the subject of Jack's lobster, and told
him he should have the offending claw all to himself when it was
ready to be eaten, congratulating him on being the first to
discover anything useful.
`As to that,' said Ernest, `I found something very good to eat,
as well as Jack, only I could not get at them without wetting
my feet.'
`Pooh!' cried Jack, `I know what he saw--nothing but some nasty
mussels--I saw them too. Who wants to eat trash like that!
Lobster for me!'
`I believe them to be oysters, not mussels,' returned Ernest
calmly. "They were stuck to the rocks, so I am sure they are
oysters."
`Be good enough, my philosophical young friend, to fetch a few
specimens of these oysters in time for our next meal,' said I.
`We must all exert ourselves, Ernest, for the common good, and
pray never let me hear you object to wetting your feet. See how
quickly the sun has dried Jack and me.'
`I can bring some salt at the same time,' said Ernest, `I remarked
a good deal lying in the crevices of the rocks; it tasted very
pure and good, and I concluded it was produced by the evaporation
of sea water in the sun.'
`Extremely probable, learned sir,' cried I, `but if you had brought
a bag full of this good salt instead of merely speculating so
profoundly on the subject, it would have been more to the purpose.
Run and fetch some directly.'
It proved to be salt sure enough, although so impure that it
seemed useless, till my wife dissolved and strained it, when
it became fit to put in the soup.
`Why not use the sea-water itself?' asked Jack.
`Because,' said Ernest, `it is not only salt, but bitter too.
Just try it.'
`Now,' said my wife, tasting the soup with the stick with which
she had been stirring it, `dinner is ready, but where can Fritz
be?' she continued, a little anxiously. `And how are we to eat
our soup when he does come?' she continued. `We have neither
plates nor spoons. Why did we not remember to bring some from
the ship?'
"Because, my dear, one cannot think of everything at once. We
shall be fortunate if we do not find even more things we have
forgotten."
"But we can scarcely lift the boiling pot to our mouths," she said.
I was forced to agree. We all looked upon the pot with perplexity,
rather like the fox in the fable, to whom the stork served up a
dinner in a jug with a long neck. Silence was at length broken,
when all of us burst into hearty laughter at our own folly in
not remembering that spoons and forks were things of absolute
necessity.
`Oh, for a few cocoanut shells!' sighed Ernest.
`Oh, for half a dozen plates and as many silver spoons!' rejoined
I, smiling.
`Really though, oyster-shells would do,' said he, after a
moment's thought.
`True, that is an idea worth having! Off with you, my boys, get
the oysters and clean out a few shells. And none of you must
complain because the spoons have no handles, and we grease our
fingers a little in baling the soup out.'
Jack was away and up to his knees in the water in a moment
detaching the oysters. Ernest followed more leisurely, and still
unwilling to wet his feet, stood by the margin of the pool and
gathered in his handkerchief the oysters his brother threw him;
as he thus stood he picked up and pocketed a large mussel shell
for his own use. As they returned with a good supply we heard a
shout from Fritz in the distance; we returned it joyfully, and
he presently appeared before us, his hands behind his back, and
a look of disappointment upon his countenance.
`Unsuccessful!' said he.
`Really!' I replied. `Never mind, my boy, better luck next time.'
`Oh, Fritz!' exclaimed his brothers who had looked behind him.
`A sucking-pig, a little sucking-pig. Where did you get it? How
did you shoot it? Do let us see it!'
Fritz then with sparkling eyes exhibited his prize.
`I am glad to see the result of your prowess, my boy,' said I;
`but I cannot approve of deceit, even as a joke; stick to the
truth in jest and earnest.'
Fritz then told us how he had been to the other side of the stream.
`So different from this,' he said, `it is really a beautiful
country, and the shore, which runs down to the sea in a gentle
slope, is covered with all sorts of useful things from the wreck.
Do let us go and collect them. And, father, why should we not
return to the wreck and bring off some of the animals? Just think
of what value the cow would be to us, and what a pity it would be
to lose her. Let us get her on shore, and we will move over the
stream, where she will have good pasturage, and we shall be in
the shade instead of on this desert, and, father, I do wish--'
`Stop, stop, my boy!' cried I. `All will be done in good time.
Tomorrow and the day after will bring work of their own. And tell
me, did you see no traces of our shipmates?'
`Not a sign of them, either on land or sea, living or dead,' he
replied.
`But the sucking-pig,' said Jack, `where did you get it?'
`It was one of several,' said Fritz, `which I found on the shore;
along with some very curious little animals that hopped rather
than walked, and every now and then would squat down on their hind
legs and rub their snouts with their forepaws. Had not I been
afraid of losing all, I would have tried to catch one alive,
they seemed so tame. But this was more easily taken.'
Meanwhile, Ernest had been carefully examining the animal
in question.
`This is no pig,' he said, `and except for its bristly skin,
does not look like one. See, its teeth are not like those of a
pig, but rather those of a squirrel. In fact,' he continued,
looking at Fritz, `your sucking-pig is an agouti.'
`Dear me,' said Fritz, `listen to the great professor lecturing!
He is going to prove that a pig is not a pig!'
`You need not be so quick to laugh at your brother,' said I, in
my turn, `he is quite right. I, too, know the agouti by descriptions
and pictures, and there is little doubt that this is a specimen.
The little animal makes its nest under the roots of trees, and
lives upon fruit. Its meat is white but dry, having no fat, and never
entirely loses a certain wild flavour, which is disagreeable
to Europeans. It is held in great esteem by the natives where
it lives, especially when the animal has been feeding near the
sea on plants impregnated with salt. But, Ernest, the agouti
not only looks something like a pig, but most decidedly grunts
like a porker.'
While we were thus talking, Jack had been vainly endeavouring to
open an oyster with his large knife. `Here is a simpler way,' said
I, placing an oyster on the fire; it immediately opened.
`Now,' I continued, `who will try this delicacy?' All at first
hesitated to partake of them, so unattractive did they appear.
Jack, however, tightly closing his eyes and making a face as
though about to take medicine, gulped one down. We followed his
example, one after the other, each doing so rather to provide
himself with a spoon than with any hope of cultivating a taste
for oysters.
Our spoons were now ready, and gathering round the pot we dipped
them in, not, however, without sundry scalded fingers. Ernest
then drew from his pocket the large shell he had procured for
his own use, and scooping up a good quantity of soup he put it
down to cool, smiling at his own foresight.
`Prudence should be exercised for others, not just for oneself,'
I remarked. `Are you so much better than your brothers? Your cool
soup will do capitally for the dogs, my boy; take it to them, and
then come and eat like the rest of us.'
Ernest winced at this, but silently taking up his shell he placed
it on the ground before the hungry dogs, who lapped up its contents
in a moment; he then returned, and after waiting for the soup to
cool some more, we all went merrily on with our dinner.
While we were thus busily employed, we suddenly discovered that
our dogs, not satisfied with their mouthful of soup, had espied
the agouti, and were rapidly devouring it. The boys all began to
yell, and Fritz first threw a stone at the dogs and then, seizing
his gun, flew to rescue it from their hungry jaws. Before I could
prevent him, he struck one of them with such force that his gun
was bent. The poor beasts ran off howling, followed by a shower of
stones from Fritz, who shouted and yelled at them so fiercely,
that if I had not interfered, it was probable he would have
killed them.
I followed him, and as soon as he would listen to me, represented
to him how despicable as well as wicked was such an outbreak of
temper. `For,' said I, `you have hurt, if not actually wounded,
the dogs; you have distressed and frightened your mother, and
you have spoiled your gun, which would have been so useful.'
Though Fritz's passion was easily aroused it never lasted long,
and speedily recovering himself, immediately he entreated his
mother's pardon, and expressed his sorrow for his fault.
By this time the sun was sinking beneath the horizon, and the
poultry, which had been straying to some little distance, gathered
round us, and began to pick up the crumbs of biscuit which had
fallen during our repast. My wife hereupon drew from her mysterious
bag some handfuls of oats, peas, and other grain, and with them
began to feed the poultry.
She at the same time showed me several other seeds of various
vegetables. `That was indeed thoughtful,' said I, `but pray be
careful of what will be of such value to us; we can bring plenty
of damaged biscuits from the wreck, which though of no use as
food for us, will suit the fowls very well indeed.'
The pigeons now flew up to crevices in the rocks, the fowls
perched themselves on our tent pole, and the ducks and geese
waddled off cackling and quacking to the marshy margin of the
river. We too were ready for repose, and having loaded our guns,
and offered up our prayers to God, thanking him for his many
mercies to us, we commended ourselves to his protecting care,
and as the last ray of light departed, closed our tent and lay
down to rest.
The children remarked the suddenness of nightfall, for indeed
there had been little or no twilight. This convinced me that we
must be not far from the equator, for twilight results from the
refraction of the sun's rays; the more obliquely these rays fall,
the further does the partial light extend, while the more
perpendicularly they strike the earth the longer do they continue
their undiminished force, until when the sun sinks, they totally
disappear, thus producing sudden darkness.