Never, during all the days of their sojourn in that "Valley of Despond,"
did our adventurers feel more despondence, than on the afternoon that
succeeded the bursting of their great air-bubble--the balloon. They
felt that in this effort, they had exhausted all their ingenuity; and so
firmly were they convinced of its being the last, that no one thought
about making another. The spirits of all three were prostrate in the
dust, and seemed at length to have surrendered to despair.
Of course, it was not that sort of despair which takes possession of one
conscious of coming and certain death. It was far from being so dire as
this; but for all it was a bitter feeling. They knew they could
continue to live, perhaps as long there, as elsewhere upon the earth;
but what would life be worth to them, cut off from all communication
with the world?--for now, to the fulness of conviction, did they believe
themselves thus isolated.
In disposition not one of the three had the slightest particle of the
hermit. Not one of them, but would have shuddered at the thought of
becoming a Simon Stylites. You might suppose that, with books and
Nature to study, Karl could have made shift. True, with such companions
he might have lived a less irksome life than either of the others; but
even with these to occupy him, it is doubtful whether Karl could have
passed the time; for it is not very certain, that a man--knowing himself
alone in the world, and for ever to be alone--would care either for the
books of men or the book of Nature.
As for Caspar, the thought that their lonely existence was to be
perpetual, was enough at times to send the blood rushing coldly through
his veins.
The Hindoo felt the affliction as much as either of his companions in
misfortune; and sighed as much for his bamboo hut on the hot plains of
Hindostan, as they for their home in the far fatherland of Bavaria.
It is true their situation was not so bad as if each had been left alone
by himself. Many a poor castaway upon a desert island has been
condemned to a far more unhappy fate. They knew and acknowledged this.
Each had the other two for companions; but as they reflected thus, they
could not hinder their thoughts from casting forward into the future--
perhaps not distant--when one of them might leave that valley without
the aid of either rope-ladders or balloons; and then another--leaving
the last of the three lonely and forlorn!
With such sad reflections did they pass the evening of that day, and the
morning and evening of that which followed. They took no heed of time;
and could scarce summon sufficient energy to cook their frugal meals.
The spirit to plan, and the energy to act, seemed both to have departed
from them at once and for ever.
This state of things could not long continue. As already said, the soul
of man holds within itself a power of resuscitation. So long as it
continues to live, it may hope to recover from the heaviest blow.
Broken hearts are more apparent than real; and even those that are worst
shattered have their intervals in which they are restored to a perfect
soundness. The slave in his chains, the prisoner within his dark
dungeon, the castaway on his desert isle, all have their hours of joy--
perhaps as vivid and lasting as those of the king upon his throne, or
the conqueror in his car of triumph.
On earth there is no happiness unmingled with alloy; and, perhaps, there
is no sorrow that may not in time find solace.
On the second clay succeeding their last great disappointment, the
spirits of all three began to revive; and those natural wants--which,
whether we will or not, force themselves upon our attention--commenced
to claim their consideration.
Karl was the first to recognise these necessities. If they were to live
there for life, he reasoned,--and this seemed no longer a doubtful
supposition,--it would be of no use, giving way to despondency--moping
out their days like mutes at a funeral. Better far to lead an active
life; and live well too--by providing plenty to eat and plenty to
drink--which with industry they could easily do. All this might not
make them cheerful; but they would certainly be less a prey to
melancholy while engaged in some active industry, than if they remained
brooding over their fate.
These thoughts, as we have said, arose on the morning of the second day
succeeding that on which the balloon had been abandoned. Karl gave
words to them, in an attempt to cheer his brother Caspar--who had
relapsed into a state of unusual despondency. Ossaroo equally required
cheering; and therefore it devolved on the botanist to attempt
enlivening the spirits of his companions.
For a time, he met with very slight success; but gradually the necessity
of action forced itself upon the attention of all--if only to provide
the means to keep them from starving; and without further loss of time,
they resumed the various branches of industry, by which they had
hitherto been enabled to supply their larder.
To Caspar, as before, the chase was entrusted; while Ossaroo attended to
the fishing; as he, better than either of the others, understood the
management of hooks, lines, and nets.
The botanist busied himself in the old way, exploring the valley, in
search of such seeds, plants, and roots, as might be found wholesome for
food--not neglecting others of a medicinal character, that might serve
in case of sickness. Many such had the young plant-hunter encountered
during his early researches; and had made note of them against the
possibility of their being required.
Fortunately, up to that time there had been no real need for any of the
party to make trial of the natural _Pharmacopoeia_ which the valley
afforded: and it was to be hoped they should never have occasion to test
the virtues of the specifics which the plant-hunter had discovered.
Karl nevertheless collected several kinds; and, after submitting them to
a process necessary for their preservation, had stored them away within
the hut.
Of those vegetable products adapted for food, the chief article obtained
was the nutritive seed yielded by the edible pine (_Pinus Gerardiana_).
The cones of this valuable tree were as large as artichokes; each
yielding several seeds of the size and appearance of pistachio nuts.
The wild cockscomb (_Amaranthus Cruentus_) also furnished a portion of
their supply. Its seeds when parched, and crushed between two stones,
produced a kind of meal, of which cakes of bread were manufactured by
Ossaroo. These, although very far inferior to the real home-bake, or
even to the most ordinary production of the bakehouse, were nevertheless
sufficiently palatable to those who had no other bread.
The lake, besides yielding fish to the nets of Ossaroo, also afforded a
supply of vegetables. On searching it, the botanist discovered several
edible kinds of plants; among others the curious _Trapa bicornis_, or
horned water-nut--known among the natives of the Himalayan countries by
the name _Singara_, and much used by them as an article of wholesome
food.
There was also a splendid water-lily--with very broad leaves and large
flowers of pink and white colour--the seeds and the stalks of which Karl
knew to be edible; as he had read of their being used for this purpose
by the poorer people in the country of Cashmeer. The lily in question,
viz. the _Nelumbium speciosum_, grows plentifully in the lakes of the
far-famed valley so named.
On first observing this beautiful plant growing luxuriantly, as it was,
in their own little valley lake, Karl took occasion to inform his
brother--Ossaroo at the same time listening attentively to his
statement--of the various uses made of it by the inhabitants of
Cashmeer. How the boys sailing about in their boats when the day
chances to be very hot, are in the habit of plucking one of its large
shining leaves out of the water, and spreading it over their crowns, to
protect them from the fervid rays of the sun; and how the petiole of the
leaf, being hollow inside, serves them as a tube for drinking out of.
Many such interesting particulars, in regard to the economy of this fine
aquatic plant, did the young botanist communicate to his companions; but
none more interesting than the fact that both its seeds and stalks are
edible: since this promised them additional security against the danger
of running short in their supply of vegetable food.