“I will spare you the history of the first day,” said my good Elizabeth,
“spent in anxiety about you, and attending to the signals; but this
morning, being satisfied that all was going right, I sought, before the
boys got up, a shady place to rest in, but in vain; I believe this
barren shore has not a single tree on it. Then I began to consider on
the necessity of searching for a more comfortable spot for our
residence; and determined, after a slight repast, to set out with my
children across the river, on a journey of discovery. The day before,
Jack had busied himself in skinning the jackal with his knife, sharpened
on the rock; Ernest declining to assist him in his dirty work, for which
I reproved him, sorry that any fastidiousness should deter him from a
labour of benefit to society.
“Jack proceeded to clean the skin as well as he was able; then procured
from the nail-chest some long flat-headed nails, and inserted them
closely through the long pieces of skin he had cut for collars; he then
cut some sailcloth, and made a double lining over the heads of the
nails; and finished by giving me the delicate office of sewing them
together, which I could not but comply with.
“His belt he first stretched on a plank, nailing it down, and exposing
it to the sun, lest it should shrink in drying.
“Now for our journey: we took our game-bags and some hunting-knives. The
boys carried provisions, and I had a large flask of water. I took a
small hatchet, and gave Ernest a carbine, which might be loaded with
ball; keeping his light gun for myself. I carefully secured the opening
of the tent with the hooks. Turk went before, evidently considering
himself our guide; and we crossed the river with some difficulty.
“As we proceeded, I could not help feeling thankful that you had so
early taught the boys to use fire-arms properly, as the defence of my
youngest boy and myself now depended on the two boys of ten and twelve
years of age.
“When we attained the hill you described to us, I was charmed with the
smiling prospect, and, for the first time since our shipwreck, ventured
to hope for better things. I had remarked a beautiful wood, to which I
determined to make our way, for a little shade, and a most painful
progress it was, through grass that was higher than the children’s
heads. As we were struggling through it, we heard a strange rustling
sound among the grass, and at the same moment a bird of prodigious size
rose, and flew away, before the poor boys could get their guns ready.
They were much mortified, and I recommended them always to have their
guns in readiness, for the birds would not be likely to wait till they
loaded them. Francis thought the bird was so large, it must be an eagle;
but Ernest ridiculed the idea, and added that he thought it must be of
the bustard tribe. We went forward to the spot from which it had arisen,
when suddenly another bird of the same kind, though still larger, sprung
up, close to our feet, and was soon soaring above our heads. I could not
help laughing to see the look of astonishment and confusion with which
the boys looked upwards after it. At last Jack took off his hat, and,
making a low bow, said, ‘Pray, Mr. Bird, be kind enough to pay us
another visit, you will find us very good children!’ We found the large
nest they had left; it was rudely formed of dry grass, and empty, but
some fragments of egg-shells were scattered near, as if the young had
been recently hatched; we therefore concluded that they had escaped
among the grass.
“Doctor Ernest immediately began a lecture. ‘You observe, Francis, these
birds could not be eagles, which do not form their nests on the ground.
Neither do their young run as soon as they are hatched. These must be of
the _gallinaceous_ tribe, an order of birds such as quails, partridges,
turkeys, &c.; and, from the sort of feathered moustache which I observed
at the corner of the beak, I should pronounce that these were bustards.’
“But we had now reached the little wood, and our learned friend had
sufficient employment in scrutinizing, and endeavouring to classify, the
immense number of beautiful, unknown birds, which sung and fluttered
about us, apparently regardless of our intrusion.
“We found that what we thought a wood was merely a group of a dozen
trees, of a height far beyond any I had ever seen; and apparently
belonging rather to the air than the earth; the trunks springing from
roots which formed a series of supporting arches. Jack climbed one of
the arches, and measured the trunk of the tree with a piece of
packthread. He found it to be thirty-four feet. I made thirty-two steps
round the roots. Between the roots and the lowest branches, it seemed
about forty or fifty feet. The branches are thick and strong, and the
leaves are of a moderate size, and resemble our walnut-tree. A thick,
short, smooth turf clothed the ground beneath and around the detached
roots of the trees, and everything combined to render this one of the
most delicious spots the mind could conceive.
“Here we rested, and made our noon-day repast; a clear rivulet ran near
us, and offered its agreeable waters for our refreshment. Our dogs soon
joined us; but I was astonished to find they did not crave for food, but
laid down to sleep at our feet. For myself, so safe and happy did I
feel, that I could not but think that if we could contrive a dwelling on
the branches of one of these trees, we should be in perfect peace and
safety. We set out on our return, taking the road by the sea-shore, in
case the waves had cast up anything from the wreck of the vessel. We
found a quantity of timber, chests, and casks; but all too heavy to
bring. We succeeded in dragging them, as well as we could, out of the
reach of the tide; our dogs, in the mean time, fishing for crabs, with
which they regaled themselves, much to their own satisfaction and to
mine, as I now saw they would be able to provide their own food. As we
rested from our rough labour, I saw Flora scratching in the sand, and
swallowing something with great relish. Ernest watched, and then said,
very quietly, ‘They are turtles’ eggs.’ We drove away the dog, and
collected about two dozen, leaving her the rest as a reward for her
discovery.
“While we were carefully depositing our spoil in the game-bags, we were
astonished at the sight of a sail. Ernest was certain it was papa and
Fritz, and though Francis was in dread that it should be the savages who
visited Robinson Crusoe’s island, coming to eat us up, we were soon
enabled to calm his fears. We crossed the river by leaping from stone to
stone, and, hastening to the landing-place, arrived to greet you on
your happy return.”
“And I understand, my dear,” said I, “that you have discovered a tree
sixty feet high, where you wish we should perch like fowls. But how are
we to get up?”
“Oh! you must remember,” answered she, “the large lime-tree near our
native town, in which was a ball-room. We used to ascend to it by a
wooden staircase. Could you not contrive something of the sort in one of
these gigantic trees, where we might sleep in peace, fearing neither
jackals nor any other terrible nocturnal enemy.”
I promised to consider this plan, hoping at least that we might make a
commodious and shady dwelling among the roots. To-morrow we were to
examine it. We then performed our evening devotions, and retired
to rest.
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