The Boat-propeller or Rowing Machine--A
Turtle Drive
The day had scarcely dawned when we were all up and ready for work.
The four tubs of fat were raised from the ground, and, a strong
pressure being applied, we squeezed out as much of the oil as
possible; and as this was the finest and purest, we filled one or two
of the entrails with it.
The rest was emptied into a large iron kettle, and, a slow fire being
applied, it was soon reduced to a liquid state. A large iron spoon,
which we had saved from the wreck, and which had been originally
intended for the sugar factory, served us to empty the oil into
the entrails from the kettle. All these works were carried on at
a distance from Felsenheim, as we did not wish to perfume the air
around our habitation with the fœtid odour of whale oil.
While we were occupied in our manufacture of oil, my wife made me
a proposition which met my hearty approbation: it was to establish
a new colony on the island of the whale. “We will put some fowls
there,” said she; “they will be safe from their two great plagues,
the monkeys and the jackals.”
I liked the project of my wife very much; and the children were so
enchanted that they wanted to start immediately, and put it into
execution. But it was now too late, and I calmed their ardour by
mentioning an idea I had conceived of fitting a propelling machine to
the canoe.
“Oh,” cried Jack, “the canoe will go along without any rowing; how
fine it will be!”
“Stop, stop,” said I; “not so fast. All that I can do will be to save
your arms some labour, and quicken our speed.”
I immediately commenced the work. All my materials consisted of the
wheel of a smoke-jack and an iron-toothed axle upon which it turned.
The machine that I constructed was not a masterpiece of execution;
but it answered the purpose very well. A handle attached to the wheel
put the machine in motion, and two large flat pieces of whalebone,
nailed together in the form of a cross, and fixed at each end of
the axle, resembled the wheels of a steamboat. When the handle was
turned, the wings of whalebone beat against the surface of the water,
and drove the canoe forward. Its velocity was in proportion to the
power imparted to the wheel.
I will not attempt to describe the transports of joy that my children
evinced when they saw the canoe gliding over the surface of the
water. I was astonished myself at the rapidity of our course. We
had scarcely touched the land, when every one was in the boat, and
begging me to make an excursion to the island of the whale. But the
day was too far advanced to admit of such a thing, and I promised
them that we would make, on the morrow, a grand trial of our vessel
by an excursion, by sea, to the farmhouse at Prospect Hill, for the
purpose of inspecting our colony there.
My proposition was well received, and we immediately began to
prepare our arms and provisions, so that we could start early on the
morrow.
At the first dawning of the day everybody was ready. We did not
forget provisions; and my wife put up, in a double envelope of fresh
leaves, a piece of the whale’s tongue, which, by the recommendation
of doctor Ernest, she had cooked and spiced as a delicate viand.
We gaily quitted the shore, and the strong current of the Jackal’s
River soon brought us into the sea; the breeze was good, and
everything promised a favourable sail. We soon perceived Shark
Island, the bank of sand where the whale had been stranded; and so
well did our machine work, that in a short time we found ourselves in
sight of Prospect Hill. I had kept at some distance from the coast,
as I was afraid that there might be some hidden rocks inshore, which
might destroy our frail bark.
When we had arrived opposite the “Wood of Monkeys,” I ran the
boat into a little creek, and landed, to replenish our stock of
cocoa-nuts. It was with feelings of the keenest pleasure that we
heard the crowing of the cocks through the woods, announcing the
neighbourhood of the farmhouse. We re-embarked and rapidly neared
Prospect Hill, and could plainly distinguish the bleating of our
little herd. We landed, and directed our course toward the farmhouse.
Everything was in order; but what greatly astonished us was the
wildness of the sheep and goats, who fled on all sides at our
approach. My sons began to run after them; but as the long-bearded
ladies were far more agile than they were, they soon grew tired of
the chase, and, drawing from their pockets the strings with balls
attached, they soon captured three or four of the fugitives. We
distributed some potatoes and a handful of salt among them, in
return for which they yielded us several bowls of most delicious milk.
We dined at Prospect Hill. The cold meats we had brought had composed
our repast; but the whale’s tongue was unanimously pronounced most
detestable and only fit for a sailor. We gave it to Jack’s jackal,
the only one of our domestic animals who had followed us.
I left my wife to make the preparations for our departure, and
started out with Fritz to gather some sugar-cane. I also dug up some
roots of this precious article to plant on Whale Island.
We weighed anchor, or, at least, we pulled up the stone that secured
us, and coasted along in the direction of Cape Disappointment, which
I wished to double; but the cape still justified its name, and a
long bank of sand stretching out prevented our progress, and we were
obliged to turn back. I hoisted the sail, we redoubled our labours at
the wheel, and, thanks to a little breeze that sprang up, were soon
in sight of Whale Island.
On landing, my first care was to plant the roots I had brought from
Prospect Hill; but my companions, on whose assistance I had counted,
did not think the plantation of sufficient consequence for them, and
ran off to the beach to gather shells. My good wife supplied their
places, and we two began our labours. We had scarcely commenced when
Jack came running up to us, all out of breath. “Papa, papa,” cried
he, “come here--quick, I have discovered the skeleton of a mammoth!”
I burst into a laugh, and informed my little boy that his skeleton
was nothing more than the carcass of our whale.
“No, no,” replied he; “they are not fish bones, but those of some
immense animal; and, besides, they lie a great deal farther up on the
sand than the whale did.”
Jack implored and entreated so earnestly that I consented at last to
go; but another voice soon stopped my progress.
“Run, run--this way,” screamed Fritz, from some distance, waving his
hand to hasten my arrival. “Quick--a monstrous turtle that we are
not strong enough to turn.” I caught up two handspikes and ran, as
fast as possible, to the spot, where I found Ernest struggling with
a monstrous turtle, which he held by one leg, but which, despite all
his efforts, had reached the border of the sea. I arrived just in
time; and, throwing one of the spikes to Fritz, we were able to turn
the enormous animal on its back.
It really was of prodigious size, about eight feet and a half in
length, and could not possibly weigh less than five hundred pounds.
I did not know how we should be able to carry it away; however, the
position in which we had placed it gave us time for reflection.
But Jack had not forgotten his mammoth, and continued teasing me to
go and see it. I soon perceived that it really was our whale; but the
birds of prey had not left a morsel of flesh on the bones, which had
blanched in the sun. I showed him our footprints in the sand, and
some morsels of whalebone which we had forgotten.
“Can we not,” said Fritz, in considering the skeleton of a whale,
“draw from this mountain of bones some utility?”
“I do not know,” said I, “what use we can make of them; the
Hollanders make palings of them, and also rustic chairs, which
produce a fine effect; and we will one day, when we have leisure,
make a philosophical chair for our museum.” Discussing in this
manner, we arrived at our plantation. I perceived that it was
too late to finish our work that night. We buried the roots,
yet unplanted, in the ground, and deferred till another day this
important occupation. The giant turtle was now our grand object:
I brought the boat round to where he lay extended on his back,
and, forming a circle around him, we debated as to the means of
transporting him.
“Zounds! gentlemen,” said I, striking my forehead, “we need not
embarrass ourselves _much_; instead of carrying this monster, let him
conduct _us_ back to Felsenheim. A turtle makes an excellent equipage
on the sea: Fritz and I have tried the experiment.”
My idea was a happy one, and every one was glad. I commenced by
emptying out the barrel of water we had brought; then, turning the
turtle over on his feet, we fastened the barrel to his back, so that
it was impossible for him to sink and draw us with him; a cord,
passed through a hole which we broke in the upper shell, served me
for reins; and without losing time we all embarked for home. I placed
myself in the prow of the canoe, with a hatchet to cut the cord in
case of need.
Our course was accomplished rapidly and safely: a handspike that I
held in my hand served me for a whip, and a blow well applied would
rectify any deviation from the track. Master Ernest, the professor,
compared us to Neptune gliding over the waves drawn by dolphins.
We arrived safely at Felsenheim, and our first care was to secure
our turtle, and to replace the empty barrel by strong ropes. But as
we could not keep him long in this way, we finished his life the
next morning, and his enormous shell was destined to serve as a
basin to our fountain in the grotto. The work cost some trouble and
time, as it was very difficult to detach the flesh from the shell.
It was a superb piece of meat, full six feet by three, and afforded
us material for many a delicious pot of soup. We inquired into all
our works on natural history, and we came to the conclusion (the
professor and I) that our turtle was the giant green turtle, the
largest of all.