Another Trip to the Wreck--Baking
After breakfast the next morning we returned to the seaside to
complete the unloading of the raft, that it might be ready for sea
on the flowing of the tide. We were not long in taking two cargoes
to Falcon’s Stream. At our last trip the water was nearly up to our
craft. I sent back my wife and the boys, and remained with Fritz
till we were quite afloat; when observing Jack still loitering near,
I guessed at his wish, and consented to his embarking with us.
Shortly after, the tide was high enough for us to row off. Instead
of steering for Safety Bay to moor our vessels there securely, I was
tempted by a fresh sea-breeze to go out again to the wreck; but it
was too late to undertake much, and I was unwilling to cause my dear
partner uneasiness by passing another night on board. I therefore
determined to bring away only what could be obtained with ease and
speed: we searched hastily through the ship for any trifling articles
that might be readily removed. Jack was up and down everywhere, at a
loss what to select; and when I saw him again, he drew a wheelbarrow
after him, shouting that he had found a vehicle for carrying our wild
roots.
But Fritz next disclosed still better news, which was, that he had
discovered, behind the bulkhead amidship, a pinnace (i.e. a small
craft, the fore part of which is square), taken to pieces, with
all its appurtenances, and even two small guns for its defence.
This intelligence so delighted me, that I quitted everything else
to run to the bulkhead, when I was convinced of the truth of the
lad’s assertion: but I instantly perceived that to put it together,
and launch it, would be an Herculean task. I collected various
utensils, a copper boiler, some plates of iron, tobacco-graters, two
grinding-stones, a small barrel of gunpowder, and another full of
flints, which I much valued. Jack’s barrow was not forgotten; two
more were afterwards found and added, with straps belonging to them.
All these articles were hurried into the boat, and we re-embarked
with speed, to avoid the land wind that rises in the evening.
Arrived at Falcon’s Stream, my wife exhibited a good store of
tuberous roots, which she had got in during our absence, and a
quantity of the roots I had taken for manioc, and in which I was not
mistaken.
“But now,” said I, “for some supper and repose; and if my little
workmen should be industriously inclined to-morrow, I shall reward
them with the novelty of a new trade to be learned.” This did not
fail to excite the curiosity of all; but I kept my word, and made
them wait till the following day for the explanation I had to give.
I waked the boys very early, reminding them that I had promised to
teach them a new trade.
“What is it? What is it?” exclaimed they, all at once, springing
suddenly out of bed, and hurrying on their clothes.
_Father._--It is the art of the baker, my boys. Hand me those
iron plates that we brought yesterday from the vessel, and the
tobacco-graters also, and we will make our experiment. Ernest, bring
hither the roots you found; but first, my dear, I must request you
to make me a small bag of a piece of strong wrapper cloth.
My wife set instantly to work to oblige me; but having no great
confidence in my talents for making either bread or cakes, she
first filled a copper boiler with roots, and put it on the fire,
that we might not be without something to eat at dinner-time: in
the meanwhile I spread a piece of coarse linen on the ground, and
assembled my young ones round me: I gave each of the boys a grater,
and showed him at the same time how to rest it on the linen, and then
to grate the roots of manioc: in a short time each had produced a
considerable heap of a substance somewhat resembling pollard.
By this time my wife had completed the bag. I had it well filled with
what we called our pollard, and she closed it securely by sewing
up the end. I was now to contrive a kind of press: I cut a long,
straight, stout branch, from a neighbouring tree, and stripped it
of the bark; I then placed a plank across the table we had fixed
between the arched roots of our tree, and which was exactly the right
height for my purpose, and on this I laid the bag; I put other planks
again upon the bag, and then covered all with the large branch, the
thickest extremity of which I inserted under an arch, while to the
other, which projected beyond the planks, I suspended all sorts
of heavy substances, such as lead, our largest hammers, and bars
of iron, which, acting with great force as a press on the bag of
manioc, caused the sap it contained to issue in streams, which flowed
plentifully on the ground.
We then opened the bag, and took out a small quantity of the pollard,
which already was dry enough: we stirred the rest about with a stick,
and then replaced it under the press. The next thing was to fix one
of our iron plates, which was of a round form, and a little hollow,
so as to rest upon two blocks of stone at a distance from each
other; under this we lighted a large fire, and when the iron plate
was completely heated, we placed a portion of the dough upon it with
a wooden spade. As soon as the cake began to be brown underneath, it
was turned, that the other side might be baked also.
When the cake was cold, we broke some of it into crumbs, and gave it
to two of the fowls, and a larger piece to the monkey, who nibbled it
with a perfect relish, making all the time a thousand grimaces, while
the boys stood by envying the preference he enjoyed.
The first thing after dinner was to visit our fowls. Those which had
eaten the manioc were in excellent condition, and no less so was the
monkey. “Now then to the bakehouse, young ones,” said I, “as fast as
you can scamper.” The grated manioc was soon emptied out of the bag,
a large fire was quickly lighted, and I placed the boys where a flat
surface had been prepared for them, and gave to each a plate of iron
and the quantity of a cocoa-nut full to make a cake apiece, and they
were to try who could succeed the best. They were ranged in a half
circle round me, that they might observe how I proceeded, and adopt
the same method for themselves. The result was not discouraging for
a first experiment, though it must be confessed we were now and then
so unlucky as to burn a cake; but there was not a greater number of
these than served to feed the pigeons and the fowls, which hovered
round us to claim their share of the treat.
The rest of the day was employed by the boys in making several turns
with their wheelbarrows, and by myself in different arrangements,
in which the ass and our sledge had a principal share, both being
employed in drawing to Tent House the remaining articles we had
brought from the ship.