CHAPTER I

Produced by Juliet Sutherland, Mary Meehan and the Online

Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

The Swiss Family Robinson

OR, Adventures on a Desert Island

JEAN RUDOLPH WYSS

THE WINDERMERE SERIES

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY

MILO WINTER

RAND McNALLY & COMPANY

CHICAGO; NEW YORK

Illustrations

_Copyright, 1916,_

BY RAND MCNALLY & CO.

THE RAND-MCNALLY PRESS

CHICAGO

[Illustration: _There stood Fritz with his gun to his shoulder pointing

it at a huge shark_]

THE CONTENTS

I. SHIPWRECKED

II. THE FIRST EXPLORING EXPEDITION

III. OUR HOME IN THE GIANT TREE

IV. SOME USEFUL DISCOVERIES--A COMICAL INCIDENT

V. A SECOND VISIT TO THE WRECK

VI. HOW WE BUILT THE PINNACE

VII. AT FALCONHURST AGAIN--BAGGING A BUFFALO

VIII. IMPROVING OUR TREE DWELLING

IX. THE SALT PALACE AND THE NEW FARMHOUSE

X. THE WAR WITH THE APES--OUR HOME IN THE SALT PALACE

XI. A DANGEROUS VISITOR AND ITS VICTIM

XII. THE CRYSTAL CAVE--BAGGING A BEAR

XIII. BREAKING IN A REFRACTORY STEED

XIV. BUILDING THE CAJACK--A PLENTIFUL HARAVEST

XV. ADVENTURES OF THE BOYS AT WOODLANDS--THE ELEPHANT TRAIL

XVI. TEN YEARS AFTERWARD--A STRANGE MESSAGE

XVII. HOW FRITZ FOUND THE FAIR STRANGER

XVIII. A SAIL!--FAREWELL TO SHARK ISLAND

THE ILLUSTRATIONS

_There stood Fritz with his gun to his shoulder pointing it at a huge

shark_

_The monkeys seized all the cocoanuts within their reach and sent them

down upon us_

_Jack took the unsuspecting birds by surprise_

_"Help! or he will pull me into the water"_

_So greatly was the speed of the ostrich checked that Jack overtook him_

_Then the walrus sought refuge among these rocks_

_Up rose the hideous head and gaping jaws of a hippopotamus_

_There, with glaring eyes and his great tail swaying to and fro, I saw

an immense tiger_

THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON

CHAPTER I

SHIPWRECKED

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 labor.

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 forever and ever

united in that happy home above."

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 horror 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!" With that, I left them and went on deck.

What was my horror when through the foam and spray I beheld the only

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.

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 forepart 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 toward 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 to-morrow, 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,

who 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 to-morrow."

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. "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, 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, "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 great consequence, the supplies of provisions and fresh

water within our reach.

My wife took her youngest son, Franz, to help her to feed the

unfortunate animals on board, who were in a pitiful plight, having been

neglected for several days.

Fritz hastened to the arm chest, Ernest to look for tools; and Jack went

toward 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 to 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.

When we re-assembled 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, an ax, and a hammer, while pincers,

chisels, and augers stuck out of all his pockets.

Little Franz carried a box, and eagerly began to show us the "nice sharp

little hooks" it contained. "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

cow, a donkey, two goats, six sheep, a ram, and a fine sow. I was but

just in time to save their lives by taking food to them."

"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. "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 drag them to a

suitable place for launching them. 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 wine and biscuits.

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 upward so as to form a keel. Two other

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. I felt satisfied that in smooth water this craft

would be perfectly trustworthy. 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 the lever;

and promised to have a long talk on the subject of Mechanics, should we

have a future opportunity.

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, but for the rope, 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 out-riggers to preserve the balance, by

nailing long poles across at the stem and stern, and fixing at the ends

of each empty brandy casks. Then the boat appearing steady, I got in;

and turning it toward 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 retiring to our

berths, peaceful sleep prepared us all for the exertions of the coming

day.

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.

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, 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.

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 pretty little boy, nearly eight years old. Then came Fritz, a

handsome, spirited young fellow of fifteen; the two center tubs

contained the valuable cargo; then came our bold, thoughtless Jack; next

him Ernest, my second son, intelligent, well-informed, and rather

indolent. I myself, the anxious, loving father, stood in the stern,

endeavoring 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 forepaws on the out-riggers, kept up with us well. Jack

was inclined to deny them this, their only chance to safety. "Stop,"

said I, "that would be unkind as well as foolish; remember, the merciful

man regardeth the life of his beast."

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 spyglass 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 toward 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 toward 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 upward

from the low banks of 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 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 with some

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 giving 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 carpentering, 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, meanwhile, 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

shell-fish.

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 toward 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." Once more lifting the lobster, Jack ran

triumphantly toward 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.

"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

bagful 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.

"How are we to eat our soup when he does come?" I asked; "we have

neither plates nor spoons, and we can scarcely lift the boiling pot to

our mouths. We are in as uncomfortable a position as was the fox to whom

the stork served up a dinner in a jug with a long neck."

"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. What though our spoons have no

handles, and we do burn 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. To-morrow

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; most

curious animals they are; they hopped rather than walked, and every now

and then would squat down on their legs and rub their snouts with their

forepaws. Had not I been afraid of losing them all, I would have tried

to catch one alive, they seemed so tame."

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 is a native of North America, where it makes its nest under the

roots of trees, and lives upon fruit. 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 endeavoring 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," I remarked; "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 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. Fritz, seizing his gun, flew to rescue it

from their hungry jaws, and before I could prevent him, 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 his mother was actually terrified. 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 terrified your mother, and spoiled your gun."

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 farther 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.