As soon as their mirth had fairly subsided, Karl and Caspar resumed the
conversation, which had been broken off so abruptly.
"And so, brother," said Karl, who was the first to return to the
subject, "you say there is a bird of the eagle genus, that might carry a
rope over the cliff for us. Of what bird are you speaking?"
"Why, Karl, you are dull of comprehension this morning. Surely the
presence of the two _kites_ should have suggested what I mean."
"Ha! you mean a kite, then?"
"Yes, one with a very broad breast, a very thin body, and a very long
tail: such as you and I used to make not so many years ago."
"A _paper kite_," said Karl, repeating the phrase mechanically, at the
same time settling down, into a reflecting attitude. "True, brother,"
he added, after a pause; "there might be something in what you have
suggested. If we had a paper kite--that is, a very large one--it is
possible it would carry a rope over the summit of the cliff; but,
alas!--"
"You need not proceed further, Karl," said Caspar, interrupting him. "I
know what you are going to say: that we have no paper out of which to
make the kite; and that, of course, puts an end to the matter. It's no
use our thinking any more about it: since we have not got the materials.
The body and bones we could easily construct; and the tail too. But
then the wings--ah, the wings. I only wish we had a file of old
newspapers. But what's the use of wishing? We haven't."
Karl, though silent, did not seem to hear, or at all events heed, what
Caspar had been just saying. He appeared to be buried either in a
reverie, or in some profound speculation.
It was the latter: as was very soon after made manifest by his speech.
"Perhaps," said he, with a hopeful glance towards the wood, "we may not
be so deficient in the material of which you have spoken."
"Of paper, do you mean?"
"We are in the very region of the world where it grows," continued Karl,
without heeding the interrogation.
"What! where paper _grows_?"
"No," replied Karl, "I do not mean that the paper itself grows here; but
a `fabric' out of which that useful article may be made."
"What is that, brother?"
"It is a tree, or rather a shrub, belonging to the order of the
_Thymelaceae_, or `Daphnads.' The plants of this order are found in
many countries; but chiefly in the cooler regions of India and South
America. There are even representatives of the order in England: for
the beautiful `spurge laurel' of the woods and hedges--known as a remedy
for the toothache--is a true daphnad. Perhaps the most curious of all
the Thymelaceae is the celebrated Lagetta, or lace-bark tree of Jamaica;
out of which the ladies of that island know how to manufacture cuffs,
collars, and berthas, that, when cut into the proper shapes, and
bleached to a perfect whiteness, have all the appearance of real lace!
The Maroons, and other runaway negroes of Jamaica, before the abolition
of slavery, used to make clothing out of the lagetta; which they found
growing in plenty in the mountain forests of the island. Previous also
to the same abolition of slavery, there was another, and less gentle,
use made of the lace-bark, by the masters of these same negroes. The
cruel tyrants used to spin its tough fibres into thongs for their
slave-whips."
"And you think that paper can be made out of these trees?" asked Caspar,
impatient to know whether there might be any chance of procuring some
for the covering of a kite.
"There are several species of daphnads," replied the botanist, "whose
bark can be converted into paper. Some are found at the Cape of Good
Hope, and others in the island of Madagascar; but the best kinds for the
purpose grow in these very mountains, and in China. There is the
`Daphne Bholua,' in Nepaul; from which the Nepaulese make a strong,
tough, packing-paper; and I have reason to believe that it also grows in
the Bhotan Himalayas--at no very great distance from our position here.
Besides, in China and Japan, on the other side of these mountains, there
are two or three distinct kinds of the same plant--out of which the
Chinese make the yellowish-coloured paper, you may have seen in their
books, and pasted upon their tea-chests. So then," added the botanist,
looking wistfully towards the woods, "since the paper-yielding daphne
grows in China, to the east of us, and in Nepaul and Bhotan to the west,
it is but reasonable to conclude that some species of it may be found in
this valley--where the climate is just that which it affects. Its seed
may have been transported hither by birds: since many species of birds
are fond of its berries, and eat them without receiving any injury;
though, strange to say, they are poisonous to all kinds of quadrupeds!"
"Do you think you would know the shrub, if you saw it, brother?"
"Well, to say the truth, I do not think I could recognise it by its
general appearance; but if I had a flower of the _daphne_, I could no
doubt tell it by its botanical characteristics. The leaves of the
paper-yielding species are of a lanceolate form and purplish hue,
glabrous and shining, like the leaves of laurels--to which genus the
_daphne_ is closely allied. Unfortunately, the shrub would not be in
flower at this season; but if we can find one of the berries, and a leaf
or two, I fancy I shall be able to identify it. Besides, the bark,
which is very tough, would help to guide us. Indeed, I have some reason
to think that we shall find it not far off; and that is why I speak with
such confidence, in saying, that we might not be so deficient in the
materials for paper-making."
"What reason, brother Karl? Perhaps you have seen something like it?"
"I have. Some time ago, when I was strolling about, I passed through a
thicket of low shrubs--the tops of which reached up to my breast. They
were then in flower--the flowers being of a lilac colour, and growing at
the tops of the branches in little cymes. They had no corolla--only a
coloured calyx. Now these characters correspond with those of the
daphne. Besides, the leaves were lanceolate, velvety on the surface,
and of purplish colour; and the flowers were of an exceedingly sweet
scent--as is the case with all the daphnads. I did not think of
examining them at the time; but, now that I recall these
characteristics, I feel almost certain that the shrubs were of this
genus."
"Do you think you can find the thicket again?"
"Oh! yes, easily enough. It is not very distant from the place, where
we were so near fighting that fearful duel."
"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed Caspar, in reply to the significant remark of the
botanist. "But, brother!" continued he, "suppose it should prove to be
the shrub you speak of, what good would there be in our finding it, so
long as we don't understand the process of manufacturing it into paper?"
"How do you know that we don't?" said Karl, challenging the too positive
declaration of Caspar. "I am not so sure that we don't. I have read
the whole account of the process, as given by one of the old writers
upon China. It is very simple; and I think I remember enough to be able
to follow it. Perhaps not to make fine paper, that one might write
upon; but something that would serve our purpose just as well. We don't
want the best `cream-laid.' Unfortunately, we have no post-office here.
I wish we had. If we can fabricate anything as fine as the coarsest
packing-paper, it will do well enough for a kite, I fancy."
"True," replied Caspar. "It would be all the better to be coarse and
strong. But, dear Karl, suppose we go at once, and see if we can
discover the trees."
"That is just what we shall do," replied Karl, rising as he spoke, and
preparing to set out in search of the daphne.
All, of course, went together: for Ossaroo was as much interested in the
result of the exploration as any of them; and Fritz, from within the
hut, perceiving that they were about to depart upon some new expedition,
managed partially to coax himself out of his ill-humour; and, sallying
forth from his hiding-place, trotted silently after them.