Birdlime--A midnight raid--The massacre at Woodlands--Capture of
Molucca pigeons--A pigeon-house--Fritz and I prepare a conjuring
trick--Great success of our experiment--Lichen and nutmegs
discovered--Jack's adventure--The loom manufactured--Winter stores
prepared--The rainy season sets in--Interior of our house
arranged--We study languages--The return of spring--A stranded
whale--An account of coral--We go to work on the whale's
carcass--Remarks on the habits of the whale.
On the following morning we were early astir; and as soon as breakfast
was over, we went regularly to work with the birdlime. The tough,
adhesive mixture of caoutchouc, oil, and turpentine turned out well.
The boys brought rods, which I smeared over, and made them place among
the upper branches, where the fruit was plentiful, and the birds most
congregated.
The prodigious number of the pigeons, far beyond those of last year,
reminded me that we had not then, as now, witnessed their arrival at
their feeding-places, but had seen only the last body of the season, a
mere party of stragglers, compared to the masses which now weighed down
the branches of all the trees in the neighborhood.
The sweet acorns of the evergreen oaks were also patronized; large
flocks were then congregated; and from the state of the ground under the
trees it was evident that at night they roosted on the branches. Seeing
this, I determined to make a raid upon them by torchlight, after the
manner of the colonists in Virginia.
Meantime, the birdlime acted well: the pigeons alighting, stuck fast.
The more they fluttered and struggled, the more completely were they
bedaubed with the tenacious mixture, and at length, with piteous cries,
fell to the ground, bearing the sticks with them. The birds were then
removed, fresh lime spread, and the snare set again.
The boys quickly became able to carry on the work without my assistance;
so, leaving it to them, I went to prepare torches, with pine wood and
turpentine, for the night attack.
Jack presently brought a very pretty pigeon, unlike the rest, to show
me, as he felt unwilling to kill it; and seeing that it must be one of
our own European breed, which we wished to preserve until their numbers
greatly increased, I took the trembling captive, and gently cleansed its
feet and wings with oil and ashes from the stiff, sticky mess with which
it was bedaubed, placing it then in a wicker cage, and telling Jack to
bring me any others like it which were caught. This he did; and we
secured several pairs, greatly to my satisfaction, as having necessarily
let them go free when we landed, they had become quite wild and we
derived no advantage from them: whereas now we would have a cot, and
pigeon-pie whenever we liked.
When evening drew on, we set out for the wood of sweet acorns, provided
merely with long bamboo canes, torches, and canvas sacks.
These weapons appeared very curious and insufficient to the children;
but their use was speedily apparent; for darkness having come upon us
almost before we reached the wood, I lighted the torches, and perceived,
as I expected, that every branch was thickly laden with ortolans and
wild pigeons, who were roosting there in amazing numbers.
Suddenly aroused by the glare of light, confusion prevailed among the
terrified birds, who fluttered helplessly through the branches, dazzled
and bewildered, and many falling, even before we began to use the
sticks, were picked up, and put in the bags. When we beat and struck the
branches, it was as much as my wife and Franz could do to gather up the
quantities of pigeons that soon lay on the ground. The sacks were
speedily quite full. We turned homeward, and on reaching Falconhurst,
put our booty in safety, and gladly withdrew to rest.
The following day was wholly occupied in plucking, boiling, roasting,
and stewing, so that we could find time for nothing else; but next
morning a great expedition to Woodlands was arranged, that measures
might there be taken to prevent a repetition of the monkey invasion.
I hoped, could I but catch the mischievous rascals at their work of
destruction, to inflict upon them such a chastisement as would
effectually make them shun the neighborhood of our farm for the future.
My wife provided us with a good store of provisions, as we were likely
to be absent several days, while she, with Franz and Turk, remained at
home.
I took with me abundance of specially prepared birdlime, far stronger
than that which we used for the pigeons; a number of short posts, plenty
of string, and a supply of cocoanut shells and gourds.
The buffalo carried all these things, and one or two of the boys beside.
I myself bestrode the ass, and in due time we arrived at a convenient
spot in the forest, near Woodlands, well concealed by thick bushes and
underwood, where we made a little encampment, pitching the small tent,
and tethering the animals. The dogs, too, were tied up, lest they should
roam about and betray our presence.
We found the cottage quiet and deserted; and I lost no time in preparing
for the reception of visitors, hoping to be all ready for them and out
of sight before they arrived.
We drove the stakes lightly into the ground, so as to form an irregular
paling round the house, winding string in and out in all directions
between them thus making a kind of labyrinth, through which it would be
impossible to pass without touching either the stakes or the cords.
Everything was plentifully besmeared with birdlime, and basins of the
mixture were set in all directions, strewn with rice, maize, and other
dainties for bait.
Night came without any interruption to our proceedings; and all being
then accomplished, we retired to rest beneath the shelter of our little
tent.
Very early in the morning we heard a confused noise, such as we knew
betokened the approach of a large number of apes. We armed ourselves
with strong clubs and cudgels, and holding the dogs in leash, made our
way silently behind the thickets, till, ourselves unseen, we could
command a view of all that went on; and strange indeed was the scene
which ensued!
The noise of rustling, cracking, and creaking among the branches, with
horrid cries, and shrieks, and chattering, increased to a degree
sufficient to make us perfectly giddy; and then out from the forest
poured the whole disorderly rabble of monkeys, scrambling, springing,
leaping from the trees, racing and tumbling across the grassy space
toward the house; when, at once attracted by the novelties they saw,
they made for the jars and bowls.
They saw innumerable; but the confused, rapid way in which they swarmed
hither and thither, made it difficult to judge accurately of their
numbers. They dashed fearlessly through and over the palings in all
directions, some rushing at the eatables, some scrambling on to the
roof, where they commenced tugging at the wooden pegs, with a view to
forcing an entrance.
Gradually, however, as they rambled over the place, all in turn became
besmeared with our birdlime on head, paws, or back or breast. The
wretched predicament of the apes increased every instant.
Some sat down, and with the most ludicrous gestures, tried to clean
themselves. Others were hopelessly entangled in stakes and cordage,
which they trailed about after them, looking the picture of bewildered
despair.
Others, again, endeavored to help one another, and stuck fast together;
the more they pulled, and tugged, and kicked the worse became their
plight.
Many had the gourds and cocoanut shells lumbering and clattering about
with them, their paws having been caught when they sought to obtain the
rice or fruit we had put for bait.
Most ridiculous of all was the condition of one old fellow, who had
found a calabash containing palm wine, and, eagerly drinking it, was
immediately fitted with a mask, for the shell stuck to his forehead and
whiskers, of course covering his eyes; and he blundered about, cutting
the wildest capers in his efforts to get rid of the encumbrance.
Numbers took to flight; but, as we had spread birdlime on several of the
trees around, many apes found themselves fixed to, or hanging from the
branches, where they remained in woeful durance, struggling and
shrieking horribly.
The panic being now general, I loosed the three dogs, whose impatience
had been almost uncontrollable, and who now rushed to the attack of the
unfortunate monkeys, as though burning with zeal to execute justice upon
desperate criminals.
The place soon had the appearance of a ghastly battlefield; for we were
obliged to do our part with the clubs and sticks, till the din of
howling, yelling, barking, in every conceivable tone of rage and pain,
gave place to an awful silence, and we looked with a shudder on the
shocking spectacle around us.
At least forty apes lay mangled and dead, and the boys began to be quite
sad and down-hearted, till I, fully sharing their feelings, hastened to
turn their thoughts to active employment in removing and burying the
slain, burning the stakes, cordage, bowls, everything concerned in the
execution of our deadly stratagem.
After that we betook ourselves to the task of restoring order to our
dismantled cottage; and seeking for the scattered flock of sheep, goats,
and poultry, we gradually collected them, hoping to settle them once
more peacefully, in their yards and sheds.
While thus engaged, we repeatedly heard a sound as of something heavy
falling from a tree. On going to look, we found three splendid birds,
caught on some of the limed sticks we had placed loose in the branches.
Two of these proved to be a variety of the blue Molucca pigeon; the
third I assumed to be the Nicobar pigeon, having met with descriptions
of its resplendent green, bronze, and steely blue plumage; and I was
pleased to think of domesticating them, and establishing them as first
tenants of a suitable dwelling near the cave.
"First tenants, father!" said Fritz; "do you expect to catch more like
these?"
"Not exactly catch them; I mean to practise a secret art. Much can be
done by magic, Fritz!"
Further explanation I declined to give.
In a few days Woodlands was once more set in order, and everything
settled and comfortable, so that we returned without further adventure
to Falconhurst, where we were joyfully welcomed.
Every one agreed that we must go at once to Tentholm, to make the
proposed pigeon-house in the rock. Several other things there also
requiring our attention, we made arrangements for a prolonged stay.
My plan for the pigeon-house was to hollow out an ample space in the
cliff, facing toward Jackal River, and close to our rocky home, fitting
that up with partitions, perches, and nesting places; while a large
wooden front was fitted on to the opening, with entrance-holes, slides
or shutters, and a broad platform in front, where the birds could rest
and walk about.
When, after the work of a few weeks, we thought it was fit for
habitation, I set the other children to work at some distance from our
cavern, and summoning Fritz:
"Now, my faithful assistant," said I, "it is time to conjure the new
colonists to their settlement here. Yes," I continued, laughing at his
puzzled look, "I mean to play a regular pigeon-dealer's trick. You must
know such gentry are very ingenious, not only in keeping their own
pigeons safe, but in adding to their numbers by attracting those of
other people. All I want is some soft clay, aniseed, and salt, of which
I will compound a mixture which our birds will like very much, and the
smell of which will bring others to share it with them."
"I can easily get you those things, father."
"I shall want some oil of aniseed besides," said I, "to put on the
pigeon-holes, so that the birds' feathers may touch it as they may pass
in and out, and become scented with what will attract the wild pigeons.
This I can obtain by pounding aniseed; therefore, bring me the mortar
and some oil."
When this was strongly impregnated with the aromatic oil from the seeds
(for I did not propose to distill it in regular style), I strained it
through a cloth, pressing it strongly; the result answered my purpose,
and the scent would certainly remain for some days.
All my preparations being completed, the pigeons were installed in their
new residence, and the slides closed. The European birds were by this
time quite friendly with the three beautiful strangers; and when the
other boys came home, and scrambled up the ladder to peep in at a little
pane of glass I had fixed in front, they saw them all contentedly
picking up grain, and pecking at the "magic food," as Fritz called it,
although he did not betray my secret arts to his brothers.
Early on the third morning I aroused Fritz, and directed him to ascend
the rope ladder, and arrange a cord on the sliding door of the dovecot,
by which it could be opened or closed from below. Also he poured fresh
aniseed oil all about the entrance, after which we returned, and awoke
the rest of the family, telling them that if they liked to make haste,
they might see me let the pigeons fly.
Everybody came to the dovecot, understanding that some ceremony was to
attend the event, and I waved a wand with mock solemnity, while I
muttered a seeming incantation, and then gave Fritz a sign to draw up
the sliding panel.
Presently out popped the pretty heads of the captives, the soft eyes
glanced about in all directions; they withdrew, they ventured forth
again, they came timidly out on "the veranda," as little Franz expressed
it; then, as though suddenly startled, the whole party took wing, with
the shrill whizzing sound peculiar to the flight of pigeons, and
circling above us as they rose higher and higher, finally darting quite
out of sight.
While we were yet gazing after them, they reappeared, and settled
quietly on the dovecot; but as we congratulated ourselves on a return
which showed that they accepted this as a home, up sprang the three blue
pigeons, the noble foreigners, for whom chiefly I had planned the house,
and rising in circles high in air, winged their rapid way direct toward
Falconhurst.
Their departure had such an air of determination and resolve about it,
that I feared them lost to us forever.
Endeavoring to console ourselves by petting our four remaining birds, we
could not forget this disappointment, and all day long the dovecot
remained the center of attraction.
Nothing, however, was seen of the fugitive until about the middle of the
next day; when most of us were hard at work inside the cavern, Jack
sprang in full of excitement, exclaiming:
"He is there! He is come! he really is!"
"Who? Who is there? What do you mean?"
"The blue pigeon, to be sure! Hurrah! Hurrah!"
"Oh, nonsense!" said Ernest. "You want to play us a trick."
"Why should it be 'nonsense'?" cried I. "I fully believe we shall see
them all soon!"
Out ran everybody to the dovecot, and there, sure enough stood the
pretty fellow, but not alone, for he was billing and cooing to a mate, a
stranger of his own breed, apparently inviting her to enter his
dwelling; for he popped in and out of the door, bowing, sidling, and
cooing, in a most irresistible manner, until the shy little lady
yielded to his blandishments, and tripped daintily in. "Now, let's shut
the door."
"Pull the cord and close the panel!" shouted the boys, making a rush at
the string.
"Stop!" cried I, "let the string alone! I won't have you frighten the
little darlings. Besides, the others will be coming--would you shut the
door in their faces?"
"Here they come! here they come!" exclaimed Fritz, whose keen eye marked
the birds afar, and to our delight the second blue pigeon arrived,
likewise with a mate, whom, after a pretty little flirtation scene of
real and assumed modesty on her part, he succeeded in leading home.
The third and handsomest of the new pigeons was the last in making his
appearance. Perhaps he had greater difficulty than the others in finding
a mate as distinguished in rank and beauty as himself.
However, we fully expected them, and the boys talked of the arrival of
"Mr. and Mrs. Nicobar" as a matter of course.
Late in the day Franz and his mother went out to provide for supper, but
the child returned directly, exclaiming that we must hasten to the
dovecot to see something beautiful.
Accordingly a general rush was made out of the cave, and we saw with
delight that the third stranger also had returned with a lovely bride,
and encouraged by the presence of the first arrivals, they soon made
themselves at home.
In a short time nest-building commenced, and among the materials
collected by the birds, I observed a long gray moss or lichen, and
thought it might very possibly be the same which, in the West Indies, is
gathered from the bark of old trees, where it grows, and hangs in great
tuft-like beards, to be used instead of horse-hair for stuffing
mattresses.
My wife no sooner heard of it than her active brain devised fifty plans
for making it of use. Would we but collect enough, she would clean and
sort it, and there would be no end to the bolsters, pillows, saddles,
and cushions she would stuff with it.
For the discovery of nutmegs we had also to thank the pigeons, and they
were carefully planted in our orchard.
For some time no event of particular note occurred, until at length
Jack, as usual, got into a scrape, causing thereby no little excitement
at home.
He went off early on one of his own particular private expeditions.
He was in the habit of doing this that he might surprise us with some
new acquisition on his return.
This time, however, he came back in most wretched plight, covered with
mud and green slime; a great bundle of Spanish canes was on his back,
muddy and green like himself; he had lost a shoe, and altogether
presented a ludicrous picture of misery, at which we could have laughed
had he not seemed more ready to cry!
"My dear boy! what has happened to you? Where have you been?"
"Only in the swamp behind the powder magazine, father," replied he. "I
went to get reeds for my wicker-work, because I wanted to weave some
baskets and hencoops, and I saw such beauties a little way off in the
marsh, much finer than those close by the edge, that I tried to get at
them.
"I jumped from one firm spot to another, till at last I slipped and sank
over my ankles; I tried to get on toward the reeds, which were close by,
but in I went deeper and deeper, till I was above the knees in thick
soft mud, and there I stuck!
"I screamed and shouted, but nobody came, and I can tell you I was in a
regular fright.
"At last who should appear but my faithful Fangs! He knew my voice and
came close up to me, right over the swamp, but all the poor beast could
do was to help me to make a row; I wonder you did not hear us! The very
rocks rang, but nothing came of it, so despair drove me to think of an
expedient. I cut down all the reeds I could reach round and round me,
and bound them together into this bundle, which made a firm place on
which to lean, while I worked and kicked about to free my feet and legs,
and after much struggling, I managed to get astride on the reeds.
"There I sat, supported above the mud and slime, while Fangs ran yelping
backward and forward between me and the bank, seeming surprised I did
not follow. Suddenly I thought of catching hold of his tail. He dragged
and pulled, and I sprawled, and crawled, and waded, sometimes on my
reeds like a raft, sometimes lugging them along with me, till we luckily
got back to terra firma. But I had a near squeak for it, I can tell
you."
"A fortunate escape indeed, my boy!" cried I, "and I thank God for it.
Fangs has really acted a heroic part as your deliverer, and you have
shown great presence of mind. Now go with your mother, and get rid of
the slimy traces of your disaster! You have brought me splendid canes,
exactly what I want for a new scheme of mine."
The fact was, I meant to try to construct a loom for my wife, for I knew
she understood weaving, so I chose two fine strong reeds, and splitting
them carefully, bound them together again, that when dry they might be
quite straight and equal, and fit for a frame. Smaller reeds were cut
into pieces and sharpened, for the teeth of the comb. The boys did this
for me without in the least knowing their use, and great fun they made
of "father's monster toothpicks."
In time all the various parts of the loom were made ready, and put
together, my wife knowing nothing of it, while to the incessant
questions of the children, I replied mysteriously.
"Oh, it is an outlandish sort of musical instrument; mother will know
how to play upon it."
And when the time came for presenting it, her joy was only equaled by
the amusement and interest with which the children watched her
movements while "playing the loom," as they always said.
About this time, a beautiful little foal, a son of the onager, was added
to our stud, and as he promised to grow up strong and tractable, we soon
saw how useful he would be. The name of Swift was given to him, and he
was to be trained for my own riding.
The interior arrangements of the cavern being now well forward, I
applied myself to contriving an aqueduct, that fresh water might be led
close up to our cave, for it was a long way to go to fetch it from
Jackal River, and especially inconvenient on washing days. As I wanted
to do this before the rainy season began, I set about it at once.
Pipes of hollow bamboo answered the purpose well, and a large cask
formed the reservoir. The supply was good, and the comfort of having it
close at hand so great, that the mother declared she was as well pleased
with our engineering as if we had made her a fountain and marble basin
adorned with mermaids and dolphins.
Anticipating the setting in of the rains, I pressed forward all work
connected with stores for the winter, and great was the in-gathering of
roots, fruits, and grains, potatoes, rice, guavas, sweet acorns,
pine-cones; load after load arrived at the cavern, and the mother's
active needle was in constant requisition, as the demand for more sacks
and bags was incessant.
Casks and barrels of all sorts and sizes were pressed into the service,
until at last the raft was knocked to pieces, and its tubs made to do
duty in the storerooms.
The weather became very unsettled and stormy.
Heavy clouds gathered in the horizon, and passing storms of wind, with
thunder, lightning, and torrents of rain swept over the face of nature
from time to time.
The sea was in frequent commotion; heavy ground swells drove masses of
water hissing and foaming against the cliffs. Everything heralded the
approaching rains. All nature joined in sounding forth the solemn
overture to the grandest work of the year.
It was now near the beginning of the month of June, and we had twelve
weeks of bad weather before us.
We established some of the animals with ourselves at the salt cave. The
cow, the ass, Lightfoot, Storm, and the dogs, were all necessary to us,
while Knips, Fangs, and the eagle were sure to be a great amusement in
the long evenings.
The boys would ride over to Falconhurst very often to see that all was
in order there, and fetch anything required.
Much remained to be done in order to give the cave a comfortable
appearance, which became more desirable now that we had to live indoors.
The darkness of the inner regions annoyed me, and I set myself to invent
a remedy.
After some thought, I called in Jack's assistance, and we got a very
tall, strong bamboo, which would reach right up to the vaulted roof.
This we planted in the earthen floor, securing well by driving wedges in
round it. Jack ascended this pole very cleverly, taking with him a
hammer and chisel to enlarge a crevice in the roof so as to fix a
pulley, by means of which, when he descended, I drew up a large ship's
lantern, well supplied with oil, and as there were four wicks, it
afforded a very fair amount of light.
Several days were spent in arranging the different rooms.
Ernest and Franz undertook the library, fixing shelves, and setting
books in order.
Jack and his mother took in hand the sitting room and kitchen, while
Fritz and I, as better able for heavy work, arranged the workshops. The
carpenter's bench, the turning lathe, and a large chest of tools were
set in convenient places, and many tools and instruments hung on the
walls.
An adjoining chamber was fitted up as a forge, with fireplace, bellows,
and anvil, complete, all which we had found in the ship, packed,
together, and ready to set up.
When these great affairs were settled, we still found in all directions
work to be done. Shelves, tables, benches, movable steps, cupboards,
pegs, door handles, and bolts--there seemed no end to our requirements,
and we often thought of the enormous amount of work necessary to
maintain the comforts and conveniences of life which at home we had
received as matters of course.
But in reality, the more there was to do the better; and I never ceased
contriving fresh improvements, being fully aware of the importance of
constant employment as a means of strengthening and maintaining the
health of mind and body. This, indeed, with a consciousness of continual
progress toward a desirable end, is found to constitute the main element
of happiness.
Our rocky home was greatly improved by a wide porch which I made along
the whole front of our rooms and entrances, by leveling the ground to
form a terrace, and sheltering it with a veranda of bamboo, supported by
pillars of the same.
Ernest and Franz were highly successful as librarians.
The books, when unpacked and arranged, proved to be a most valuable
collection, capable of affording every sort of educational advantage.
Besides a variety of books of voyages, travels, divinity, and natural
history (several containing fine colored illustrations), there were
histories and scientific works, as well as standard fictions in several
languages; also a good assortment of maps, charts, mathematical and
astronomical instruments, and an excellent pair of globes.
I foresaw much interesting study on discovering that we possessed the
grammars and dictionaries of a great many languages, a subject for which
we all had a taste. With French we were well acquainted. Fritz and
Ernest had begun to learn English at school, and made further progress
during a visit to England. The mother, who had once been intimate with
a Dutch family, could speak that language pretty well.
After a great deal of discussion, we agreed to study different
languages, so that in the event of meeting with people of other nations,
there should be at least one of the family able to communicate with
them.
All determined to improve our knowledge of German and French.
The two elder boys were to study English and Dutch with their mother.
Ernest, already possessing considerable knowledge of Latin, wished to
continue to study it, so as to be able to make use of the many works on
natural history and medicine written in that language.
Jack announced that he meant to learn Spanish, "because it sounded so
grand and imposing."
I myself was interested in the Malay language, knowing it to be so
widely spoken in the islands of the Eastern Seas, and thinking it as
likely as any other to be useful to us.
Our family circle by and by represented Babel in miniature, for scraps
and fragments of all these tongues kept buzzing about our ears from
morning to night, each sporting his newly acquired word or sentence on
every possible occasion, propounding idioms and peculiar expressions
like riddles, to puzzle the rest.
In this way, the labor of learning was very considerably lightened, and
every one came to know a few words of each language.
Occasionally we amused ourselves by opening chests and packages hitherto
untouched, and brought unexpected treasures to light--mirrors,
wardrobes, a pair of console tables with polished marble tops, elegant
writing tables and handsome chairs, clocks of various descriptions, a
musical box, and a chronometer were found; and by degrees our abode was
fitted up like a palace, so that sometimes we wondered at ourselves, and
felt as though we were strutting about in borrowed plumes.
The children begged me to decide on a name for our salt-cave dwelling,
and that of Rockburg was chosen unanimously.
The weeks of imprisonment passed so rapidly, that no one found time hang
heavy on his hands.
Books occupied me so much that but little carpentering was done, yet I
made a yoke for the oxen, a pair of cotton wool carders, and a spinning
wheel for my wife.
As the rainy season drew to a close, the weather for a while became
wilder, and the storms fiercer than ever. Thunder roared, lightning
blazed, torrents rushed toward the sea, which came in raging billows to
meet them, lashed to fury by the tempests of wind which swept the
surface of the deep.
The uproar of the elements came to an end at last.
Nature resumed her attitude of repose, her smiling aspect of peaceful
beauty; and soon all traces of the ravages of floods and storms would
disappear beneath the luxuriant vegetation of the tropics.
Gladly quitting the sheltering walls of Rockburg to roam once more in
the open air, we crossed Jackal River, for a walk along the coast, and
presently Fritz with sharp eyes observed something on the small island
near Flamingo Marsh, which was, he said, long and rounded, resembling a
boat bottom upward.
Examining it with the telescope, I could form no other conjecture, and
we resolved to make it the object of an excursion next day, being
delighted to resume our old habit of starting in pursuit of adventure.
The boat was accordingly got in readiness; it required some repairs, and
fresh pitching, and then we made for the point of interest, indulging in
a variety of surmises as to what we should find.
It proved to be a huge, stranded whale.
The island being steep and rocky, it was necessary to be careful; but we
found a landing-place on the further side. The boys hurried by the
nearest way to the beach where lay the monster of the deep, while I
clambered to the highest point of the islet, which commanded a view of
the mainland, from Rockburg to Falconhurst.
On rejoining my sons, I found them only half-way to the great fish, and
as I drew near they shouted in high glee:
"Oh! father, just look at the glorious shells and coral branches we are
finding. How does it happen that there are such quantities?"
"Only consider how the recent storms have stirred the ocean to its
depths! No doubt thousands of shell-fish have been detached from their
rocks and dashed in all directions by the waves, which have thrown
ashore even so huge a creature as the whale yonder."
"Yes; isn't he a frightful great brute!" cried Fritz. "Ever so much
larger than he seemed from a distance. The worst of it is, one does not
well see what use to make of the huge carcase."
"Why, make train oil, to be sure," said Ernest. "I can't say he's a
beauty, though, and it is much pleasanter to gather these lovely shells,
than to cut up blubber."
"Well, let us amuse ourselves with them for the present," said I, "but
in the afternoon, when the sea is calmer, we will return with the
necessary implements, and see if we can turn the stranded whale to good
account."
We were soon ready to return to the boat, but Ernest had a fancy for
remaining alone on the island till we came back, and asked my permission
to do so, that he might experience, for an hour or two, the sensations
of Robinson Crusoe.
To this, however, I would not consent, assuring him that our fate, as a
solitary family, gave him quite sufficient idea of shipwreck on an
uninhabited island, and that his lively imagination must supply the
rest.
The boys found it hard work to row back, and began to beg of me to exert
my wonderful inventive powers in contriving some kind of rowing machine.
"You lazy fellows!" returned I; "give me the great clockwork out of a
church tower, perhaps I might be able to relieve your labors."
"Oh, father!" cried Fritz, "don't you know there are iron wheels in the
clockwork of the large kitchen-jacks? I'm sure mother would give them
up, and you could make something out of them, could you not?"
"By the time I have manufactured a rowing-machine out of a
roasting-jack, I think your arms will be pretty well inured to the use
of your oars! However, I am far from despising the hint, my dear Fritz."
"Is coral of any use?" demanded Jack suddenly.
"In former times it was pounded and used by chemists; but it is now
chiefly used for various ornaments, and made into beads for necklaces,
etc. As such, it is greatly prized by savages, and were we to fall in
with natives, we might very possibly find a store of coral useful in
bartering with them.
"For the present, we will arrange these treasures of the deep in our
library, and make them the beginning of a Museum of Natural History,
which will afford us equal pleasure and instruction."
"One might almost say that coral belongs at once to the animal,
vegetable, and mineral kingdoms," remarked Fritz; "it is hard like
stone, it has stems and branches like a shrub, and I believe tiny
insects inhabit the cells, do they not, father?"
"You are right, Fritz; coral consists of the calcareous cells of minute
animals, so built up as to form a tree-like structure.
"The coral fishery gives employment to many men in the Persian Gulf, the
Mediterranean Sea, and other places. The instrument commonly used
consists of two heavy beams of wood, secured together at right angles,
and loaded with stones. Hemp and netting are attached to the under side
of the beams, to the middle of which is fastened one end of a strong
rope, by which the apparatus is let down from a boat, and guided to the
spots where the coral is most abundant.
"The branches of the coral become entangled in the hemp and network;
they are broken off from the rock, and are drawn to the surface of the
water.
"Left undisturbed, these coral insects, laboring incessantly, raise
foundations, on which, in course of time, fertile islands appear,
clothed with verdure, and inhabited by man."
"Why, father, here we are at the landing place!" exclaimed Jack. "It has
seemed quite easy to pull since you began to tell us such interesting
things."
"Very interesting, indeed; but did you notice that the wind had changed,
Jack?" remarked Ernest as he shipped his oar.
The animated recital of our adventures, the sight of the lovely shells
and corals, and the proposed work for the afternoon, inspired the mother
and Franz with a great wish to accompany us.
To this I gladly consented, only stipulating that we should go provided
with food, water, and a compass. "For," said I, "the sea has only just
ceased from its raging, and being at the best of times of uncertain and
capricious nature, we may chance to be detained on the island, or forced
to land at a considerable distance from home."
Dinner was quickly dispatched, and preparations set on foot.
The more oil we could obtain the better, for a great deal was used in
the large lantern which burnt day and night in the recesses of the cave;
therefore all available casks and barrels were pressed into the service;
many, of course, once full of pickled herrings, potted pigeons, and
other winter stores, were now empty, and we took a goodly fleet of these
in tow.
Knives, hatchets, and the boys' climbing buskins, were put on board, and
we set forth, the labor of the oar being greater than ever, now that our
freight was so much increased.
The sea being calm, and the tide suiting better, we found it easy to
land close to the whale; my first care was to place the boat, as well as
the casks, in perfect security, after which we proceeded to a close
inspection of our prize.
Its enormous size quite startled my wife and her little boy; the length
being from sixty to sixty-five feet, and the girth between thirty and
forty, while the weight could not have been less than 50,000 pounds.
The color was a uniform velvety black, and the enormous head about
one-third of the length of the entire bulk, the eyes quite small, not
much larger than those of an ox, and the ears almost undiscernible.
The jaw opened very far back, and was nearly sixteen feet in length, the
most curious part of its structure being the remarkable substance known
as whalebone, masses of which appeared all along the jaws, solid at the
base, and splitting into a sort of fringe at the extremity. This
arrangement is for the purpose of aiding the whale in procuring its
food, and separating it from the water.
The tongue was remarkably large, soft, and full of oil; the opening of
the throat wonderfully small, scarcely two inches in diameter.
"Why, what can the monster eat?" exclaimed Fritz; "he never can swallow
a proper mouthful down this little gullet!"
"The mode of feeding adopted by the whale is so curious," I replied,
"that I must explain it to you before we begin work.
"This animal (for I should tell you that a whale is not a fish; he
possesses no gills, he breathes atmospheric air, and would be drowned if
too long detained below the surface of the water); this animal, then,
frequents those parts of the ocean best supplied with the various
creatures on which he feeds. Shrimps, small fish, lobsters, various
molluscs, and medusæ form his diet. Driving with open mouth through the
congregated shoals of these little creatures, the whale engulfs them by
millions in his enormous jaws, and continues his destructive course
until he has sufficiently charged his mouth with prey.
"Closing his jaws and forcing out, through the interstices of the
whalebone, the water which he has taken together with his prey, he
retains the captured animals, and swallows them at his leisure.
"The nostrils, or blow-holes, are placed, you see, on the upper part of
the head, in order that the whale may rise to breathe, and repose on the
surface of the sea, showing very little of his huge carcase.
"The breathings are called 'spoutings,' because a column of mixed vapor
and water is thrown from the blow-holes, sometimes to a height of twenty
feet.
"And now, boys, fasten on your buskins, and let me see if you can face
the work of climbing this slippery mountain of flesh, and cutting it
up."
Fritz and Jack stripped, and went to work directly, scrambling over the
back to the head, where they assisted me to cut away the lips, so as to
reach the whalebone, a large quantity of which was detached and carried
to the boat.
Ernest labored manfully at the creature's side, cutting out slabs of
blubber, while his mother and Franz helped as well as they could to put
it in casks.
Presently we had a multitude of unbidden guests.
The air was filled by the shrill screams and hoarse croaks and cries of
numbers of birds of prey, they flew around us in ever narrowing circles,
and becoming bolder as their voracity was excited by the near view of
the tempting prey, they alighted close to us, snatching morsels greedily
from under the very strokes of our knives and hatchets.
Our work was seriously interrupted by these feathered marauders, who,
after all, were no greater robbers than we ourselves. We kept them off
as well as we could by blows from our tools, and several were killed, my
wife taking possession of them immediately for the sake of the
feathers.
It was nearly time to leave the island, but first I stripped off a long
piece of the skin, to be used for traces, harness, and other
leather-work. It was about three-quarters of an inch thick, and very
soft and oily--but I knew it would shrink and be tough and durable.
I also took a part of the gums in which the roots of the baleen or
whalebone was still embedded, having read that this is considered quite
a delicacy, as well as the skin, which, when properly dressed and cut in
little cubes, like black dice, has been compared, by enthusiastic and
probably very hungry travelers, to cocoanut and cream-cheese.
The boys thought the tongue might prove equally palatable, but I valued
it only on account of the large quantity of oil it contained.
With a heavy freight we put to sea, and made what haste we could to
reach home, and cleanse our persons from the unpleasant traces of the
disgusting work in which we had spent the day.
Next morning we started at dawn.
My wife and Franz were left behind, for our proposed work was even more
horrible than that of the preceding day; they could not assist, and had
no inclination to witness it.
It was my intention to open the carcase completely, and, penetrating the
interior, to obtain various portions of the intestines, thinking that it
would be possible to convert the larger ones into vessels fit for
holding the oil. This time we laid aside our clothes and wore only
strong canvas trousers when we commenced operations, which were
vigorously carried on during the whole of the day; then, satisfied that
we could do so with a clear conscience, we abandoned the remains to the
birds of prey, and, with a full cargo, set sail for land.
On the way, it appeared to strike the boys (who had made not the
slightest objection to the singularly unpleasant task I had set them),
as very strange that I should wish to possess what they had been
working so hard to procure for me.
"What can have made you wish to bring away that brute's entrails,
father? Are they of any use?"
"There are countries," I replied, "where no wood grows of which to make
barrels, and no hemp for thread, string, and cordage. Necessity, the
mother of all the more valuable inventions, has taught the inhabitants
of these countries, Greenlanders, Esquimaux, and others, to think of
substitutes, and they use the intestines of the whale for one purpose,
the sinews and nerves for the other."
We were right glad to land, and get rid, for the present, of our
unpleasant materials, the further preparation of which was work in store
for the following day.
A refreshing bath, clean clothes, and supper, cheered us all up, and we
slept in peace.