House in the Salt Rock--Turtles
The lucky discovery of a previously existing cavern in the rock had,
as must be supposed, considerably lessened our labour; excavation
was no longer requisite. I had more room than was wanted for the
construction of our dwelling: to render it habitable was the present
object, and to do this did not seem a difficult task. The upper bed
of the rock, in front of the cavern, through which my little Jack had
dug so easily, was of a soft nature, and to be worked with moderate
effort. I hoped also that, being now exposed to the air and heat of
the sun, it would become by degrees as hard and compact as the first
layer that had given me so much trouble. From this consideration I
began, while it retained its soft state, to make openings for the
doors and windows of the front. This I regulated by the measurement
of those I had fixed in my winding stair-case, which I had removed
for the purpose of placing them in our winter tenement. I had
previously marked out the openings to be cut for the frames, which
were received into grooves for greater convenience and solidity. I
took care not to break the stone taken from the apertures, or at
least to preserve it in large pieces, and these I cut with the saw
and chisel into oblongs an inch and a half in thickness, to serve
as tiles. I laid them in the sun, and was gratified in seeing they
hardened quickly; I then removed them, and my sons placed them in
order against the side of the rock, till they were wanted for our
internal arrangements.
When I could enter the cavern freely with a good doorway, and it was
sufficiently lighted by the windows, I erected a partition, for the
distribution of our apartments and other conveniences. The extent
of the place afforded ample room for my design, and even allowed
me to leave several spaces in which salt and other articles could
be stored. I laid out the interior in the following manner: A very
considerable space was first partitioned off in two divisions; the
one on the right was appropriated to our residence, that on the
left was to contain the kitchen, stables, and work-room. At the
end of the second division, where windows could not be placed, the
cellar and store-room were to be formed; the whole separated by
partition-boards, with doors of communication, so as to give us a
pleasant and comfortable abode.
The side we designed to lodge in was divided into three apartments;
the first, next the door, was the bedroom for my wife and me, the
second a dining-parlour, and the last a bedroom for the boys. As we
had only three windows, we put one in each sleeping-room; the third
was fixed in the kitchen, where my wife would often be. A grating
for the present fell to the lot of our dining-room, which when too
cold was to be exchanged for one of the other apartments. I contrived
a good fireplace in the kitchen near the window; I pierced the
rock a little above, and four planks nailed together, and passing
through this opening, answered the purpose of a chimney. We made
the work-room near the kitchen of sufficient dimensions for the
performance of undertakings of some magnitude; it served also to keep
our cart and sledge in. Lastly, the stables, which were formed into
four compartments, to separate the different species of animals,
occupied all the bottom of the cavern on this side; on the other were
the cellar and magazine.
The long stay we made at Tent House, during these employments,
furnished us an opportunity of perceiving several advantages we had
not reckoned upon. Immense turtles were often seen on the shore,
where they deposited their eggs in the sand, and they regaled us
with a rich treat; but, extending our wishes, we thought of getting
possession of the turtles themselves for livestock, and of feasting
on them whenever we pleased. As soon as we saw one on the sands,
one of my boys was despatched to cut off its retreat; meanwhile we
approached the animal, and quietly, without doing it any injury,
turned it on its back, then passed a long cord through the shell,
and tied the end of it to a stake, which we fixed close to the edge
of the water. This done, we set the prisoner on its legs again; it
hastened into the sea, but could not go beyond the end of the cord;
apparently it was all the happier, finding food with more facility
along shore than out at sea; and we enjoyed the idea of being able to
take it when wanted.
A number of sea-dogs came into Safety Bay, and ascended the river in
search of prey, sporting in the water along shore, without evincing
any fear of us. The fish presented no attraction to the palate, but
its skin, tanned and dressed, makes excellent leather. I was in great
need of it for straps and harness, to make saddles for Fritz and
Jack to ride the onagra and buffalo, and in short for our own use to
cut up into soles, belts, and pantaloons, of which articles we much
wanted a fresh supply; besides, I knew the fat yielded good lamp oil,
that might be substituted for tapers in the long evenings of winter;
and that it would be further useful in tanning and rendering the
leather pliant.
At this time I likewise made some improvements in our sledge, to
facilitate the carrying of stores from Falcon’s Stream to our
dwelling in the rock at Tent House. I raised it on two beams,
on axle-trees, at the extremities of which I put on the four
gun-carriage wheels I had taken off the cannon from the vessel;
by this alteration I obtained a light and convenient vehicle, of
moderate height, on which boxes and casks could be placed. Pleased
with the operations of the week, we set out all together with
cheerful hearts for Falcon’s Stream, to pass our Sunday there,
and once more offer our pious thanks to the Almighty, for all the
benefits He had bestowed upon His defenceless creatures.