Discovery of a Crystal Grotto--Further
Exploration
We had nothing more to fear from the neighbourhood of the boa; but
I was afraid it might have either left its mate (it was a female)
behind it, or else a nest of little ones, which in time would spread
terror through the land. I resolved, in consequence, to undertake two
expeditions--the one through the marsh, the other toward Falcon’s
Nest, through the passage in the rock, where I supposed the boa had
got through.
We set out loaded with our hunting equipage. We carried, besides our
arms, some boards, and the bladders of sea-dogs, to sustain us on the
water if necessary. The boards we wanted to assist us in our march;
for, by placing one before the other, and taking them up, we made a
solid walk of wood. This was a great convenience, and enabled us to
search the marsh thoroughly. We easily recognized traces of the boa;
the rushes were bent down where it had passed through, and there were
deep spiral impressions in the wet ground where it had rested its
enormous rings. But we discovered nothing that induced us to believe
that the boa had a companion: we found neither eggs, nor little
ones--nothing but a nest of dried rushes, and I did not think that
the boa had constructed even that. Arrived at the end of the marsh,
we made an interesting discovery; it was that of a new grotto, which
opened out of the rock, and out of which flowed a little stream that
passed on among the rushes of the marsh.
The grotto was hung with stalactites, which rose in immense columns
on each side, as if to sustain the vault, and formed themselves into
singular and beautiful designs. We remained some time in admiration
of this miracle of nature, and as we walked on, I remarked that the
ground upon which we trod was composed of an extremely fine and white
sort of earth, which, after examining it, I recognized as being
“fullers’ clay.” I immediately gathered some handfuls, and carefully
placed them in my pocket-handkerchief.
“Here,” said I to my sons, who were regarding me with astonishment,
“here is a discovery that will be very welcome to your mother;
and henceforth, if we bring her dirty clothes, we will bring her
something to wash them with, for here is soap.”
“I thought,” said Ernest, “that soap was the result of human
industry, and not a production of the earth.”
“You thought right; the soap that is ordinarily used is composed of
a certain salt, the acidity of which is corrected by the addition
of grease and so forth, which weakens its power greatly. But this
fabrication is tedious and costly, and men have been so fortunate as
to find a sort of earth in which is united certain qualities of the
soap; it is this we have found, and it is called ‘fullers’ clay,’
because it is used to clean woollen goods.”
We had approached the source of the spring while conversing; and
Fritz, who was a little in advance, cried out that the rock had a
large opening on one side. We ran forward, and soon found ourselves
in a new cavern. We fired off a pistol, and we were able to judge
by the echo that the grotto extended to a great distance. We then
lighted two candles, with which our knapsacks were provided; they
burned without obstacle, and the pure light assured us of the
salubrity of the air. Having left the others behind, Fritz and I
continued to advance, when suddenly we saw our torches reflected from
every side of the rock.
“Ah, papa,” cried Fritz, in a transport of joy, “see! see! a salt
grotto! look at the enormous blocks of salt lying at our feet.”
“You are very much mistaken, indeed,” I answered; “these masses are
not salt; if they were, the water which drips from the rock would
have melted them long ago; instead of salt it is crystal: we are
really in a palace of rock-crystal.”
“Better yet--a palace of crystal! what an immense treasure for us!”
“Yes; such a treasure as the gold mine was to Robinson Crusoe.”
When we reappeared at the entrance of the grotto, we found Jack
alone. He conducted us to the border of the swamp, where we found
Ernest tranquilly employed in making a rush basket such as fishermen
use, consisting of a frame of long stalks, terminated at the end by a
funnel, through which the fish passed, but could not return.
“Quick, quick!” he cried, when he saw us approaching, “I have killed
a young boa.”
We had been talking so much of serpents, etc., that the poor boy
had mistaken a superb eel, four feet in length, for a snake; he had
walked straight up to it, hit it two or three blows on the head with
his gun, with as much courage as would have sufficed to kill a dozen
boas.
The examination that I made of the snake humbled the pride of the
victor; but the eel was a great treat for us, and we returned home to
Felsenheim.
I had as yet only half accomplished my design, and there remained
all the country about the farmhouse yet unexplored; and besides, I
wished, if it were possible, by fortifying the passages in the rock,
to keep out all such visitors as the one we had lately received.
I made sure, before we set out, against any accident that might
happen: we took plenty of provisions, arms, vessels of all sorts,
torches to scare away all intruders on our night encampments, in
short, everything that would render our excursion safer and less
disagreeable.
We advanced in good order along the avenue of Falcon’s Nest, and
discovered the marks of the boa’s progress half effaced by the wind.
We found everything in good order at the Nest; the harvest and the
fruit-trees gave promise of an abundant crop. The goats and sheep
received us joyfully, and came up of their own accord to receive some
salt we threw them in passing. We did not stop, as the Lake farmhouse
was the object of our expedition; and we wished to arrive as soon as
possible, in order to gather, before night, cotton enough to make
some pillows and mattresses that might render our slumbers more
agreeable.
The farther we advanced, the fewer traces we found of the serpent. We
could not see a single monkey in the cocoa-wood; and the crowing of
our cocks, mingled with the bleating of our herds, gave promise of
good order at the farmhouse; and we were not disappointed. As soon as
we arrived, our good housekeeper set about procuring us some dinner,
while we went to gather the cotton.
After dinner I announced that we would immediately commence our
search, and we divided into three parties, each one charged to
explore a part of the country. Ernest and his mother had, for their
division, the guard of the provisions and the collection of all the
ripe blades in the rice-field; to defend them we left our brave dog
Billy. Fritz and Jack, accompanied by Turk and the jackal, took the
right bank of the lake, while I followed the left, with Francis, and
his two young dogs. It was the first time that the little fellow
had shared in any of our expeditions, or had had a gun entrusted to
him; he marched along with his head up, and as proud as a new-made
officer; and he burned with ardour to make trial of his new weapon.
But the noise of our steps among the dried rushes frightened only
some herons, and they flew so suddenly and quickly that it was
impossible to shoot them. Francis began to grow despairing at his
ill success, when suddenly we found ourselves in presence of an
innumerable quantity of wild geese and black swans, which covered the
waters in all directions. Frank was just about to fire into the mass,
when suddenly a sort of deep, prolonged cry, like a bellow, issued
from the middle of the rushes. We stopped, astonished, and a second
after the cry was repeated.
“I am sure,” said Francis, “that it is the little onagra.”
“Impossible,” said I; “he would not leave his mother; and, besides,
we must have heard him as he passed along. It is more likely to be a
swamp-bird, called a bittern.”
I called the dogs to my side, and, setting them in the rushes,
presently heard the report of Francis’s gun. But, instead of firing
in the air, he had discharged his gun right into the thickest part of
the rushes, and I saw the birds that the dogs had disturbed flying
away safe and sound.
“You awkward fellow,” said I; “you have let your game escape you.”
“On the contrary, papa, I have him! I have him!” repeated he, with
passionate emotion. “Look!”
So saying, he pulled out of the rushes an animal resembling an
agouti, and which the little hunter had already christened by that
name.
I examined it with attention, and discovered that there was much
difference between it and the agouti.
This one was about two feet in length, had incisor teeth like the
rabbit, webbed feet, long snout, but no tail at all.
“You have killed a rare and curious beast,” said I to my little boy.
“It is an inhabitant of South America, of the same family as the
agouti and peccaries, but much rarer. It is a cabiai, and what is
more, a cabiai of the largest size.”
“And what sort of an animal is this cabiai? I have never heard of him
before.”
“Oh, yes; you heard him bray just now; for it was his cry that I
attributed to the bittern. This animal profits by the darkness of
night to provide his food: he runs fast, can swim well, and has the
power of remaining a long time under water; he eats seated on his
hind legs; and as to his cry, it sounds exactly like the braying of
an ass.”
But it was now time to return home, and Francis rejoiced at the
prospect of his triumph over his brothers. He took up his cabiai,
threw it over his shoulder, and although I saw that it was much too
heavy for him, I thought I would let him have the merit of the whole
affair.
We found, on returning, Master Ernest tranquilly seated on the bank
of the river, and surrounded by a prodigious number of enormous rats
which he had killed. The phlegmatic philosopher then recounted to us
the history of this massacre.
“We were occupied,” said he, “my mother and I, in collecting the
ripe rice-blades, when I discovered, at a little distance, a sort
of high, solid causeway, which looked like a road constructed in
the middle of the swamp. I immediately set off to discover what it
was, and Master Knips with me. But we had scarcely advanced one step
when he darted from my side in pursuit of an animal that quickly
disappeared in a sort of hole bored in the causeway. I remarked, on
advancing, that the two sides of the bank were pierced all along
with these holes, all of the same form and size. I was curious to
know what they contained, and I introduced into the opening a long
bamboo cane that I had in my hand. I had scarcely drawn it out when
there issued forth a legion of animals similar to the first. Knips
ran after them; but the rice grew so thick that he could not get
along. An idea then occurred to me to place my rice-sack over the
hole. I did so; and beating the top of the causeway with a stick, a
great number ran into the sack. I then began to beat the bag with my
stick, so as to kill the prisoners. But imagine my surprise when I
found myself assailed by a whole army of rats who emerged from every
side, and began to run up my pantaloons. Knips made most desperate
attempts. I could do nothing with my stick, and I cannot tell what
might have happened if Billy had not heard my voice, and come to my
assistance. He rushed bravely upon the army of rats, and made so
terrible a slaughter that the enemy fled in terror. Those that you
behold fell victims to my stick and the formidable teeth of Billy;
the rest of the army took refuge in their holes.”
The narration of Ernest excited my curiosity, and I wished to see for
myself the causeway with its inhabitants, and I recognized a series
of works similar to those of the beaver, with the single difference,
that they were not so extensive. I made my sons observe the
conformity that existed between these animals and the beaver of the
north; both had the same membrane at the feet to facilitate swimming;
both had the flat tail, and both were provided with two little bags
of musk.
Fritz and Jack returned during these conversations; they brought back
a ruffled moor-hen and a nest of eggs: we placed them under one of
our hens that happened to be sitting at the time. We then all united
around a savoury mess of rice that my good wife had prepared. She had
cooked a small piece of the cabiai; but it was detestable, and we
abandoned it to our dogs, who would not taste the flesh of the rats
on account of the smell of musk.
The repast was a merry one. We were all delighted to have found
no traces of the boa; and my mischievous boys showered a flood of
epigrams upon the “Conqueror of Rats,” as they called poor Ernest.
The conversation naturally turned upon what we should do with our
rat-skins; and it was determined upon to make a carpet of them, to
preserve the floor of our house dry. Our first care was to clean them
with sand and ashes, as we were accustomed to do.
Presently Jack and Francis ran to their knapsacks.
“Look here, sir!” said the youngest, as he threw some pine cones
before the philosopher.
“Look here, sir!” said Jack, placing on the table some little shining
apples, of a pale green, which exhaled a strong odour of cinnamon.
A general cry of admiration greeted them.
“Stop!” cried I. “Before tasting this fruit, Master Knips must
undergo the customary trial, for I am afraid these are the fruit of
the manchineel tree; and the manchineel apples produce most terrible
colics.”
I then opened one of the fruit, and discovered that I had been
deceived by the appearance. The manchineel apple has a nut, and these
had very small seeds, like the common apple. While I was showing this
difference to my children, Master Knips snatched one of the apples
from the table and commenced to eat it, smacking his lips as if it
were something excellent. This determined the matter. I distributed
the fruit, and on tasting them we declared them most excellent. Fritz
wished to know their name.
“They are,” said I, “cinnamon apples; I think you gathered them from
a low shrub; did you not, Jack?”
“Oh, yes, yes--shrub--cinnamon. I am falling asleep,” stammered out
the stupid fellow.
I then gave the signal for retiring. We took all necessary
precautions for safety during the night, and we sought, on our
mattresses of cotton, the repose that the fatigues of the day had
rendered necessary.