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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/6692-h.zip b/6692-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a626bc5 --- /dev/null +++ b/6692-h.zip diff --git a/6692-h/6692-h.htm b/6692-h/6692-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a1716bf --- /dev/null +++ b/6692-h/6692-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3305 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="us-ascii"?> + +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd" > + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en"> + <head> + <title> + The Swiss Family Robinson, by Mary Godolphin + </title> + <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + + body { margin:5%; background:#faebd0; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; } + hr { width: 50%; text-align: center;} + .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; } + blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .mynote {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;} + .toc { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;} + .toc2 { margin-left: 20%;} + div.fig { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; } + div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; } + .figleft {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;} + .figright {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;} + .pagenum {display:inline; font-size: 70%; font-style:normal; + margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%; + text-align: right;} + pre { font-style: italic; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 10%;} + +</style> + </head> + <body> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Swiss Family Robinson Told in Words of +One Syllable, by Mary Godolphin + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Swiss Family Robinson Told in Words of One Syllable + +Author: Mary Godolphin + +Release Date: June 3, 2009 [EBook #6692] +Last Updated: January 25, 2013 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON *** + + + + +Produced by Bruce Miller, and David Widger + + + + + + +</pre> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h1> + THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON + </h1> + <h2> + TOLD IN WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE + </h2> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h2> + By Mary Godolphin + </h2> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <h2> + Contents + </h2> + <table summary="" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto"> + <tr> + <td> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0001"> CHAPTER I. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0002"> CHAPTER II. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0003"> CHAPTER III. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0004"> CHAPTER IV. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0005"> CHAPTER V. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0006"> CHAPTER VI. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0007"> CHAPTER VII. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0008"> CHAPTER VIII. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0009"> CHAPTER IX. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0010"> CHAPTER X. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0011"> CHAPTER XI. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0012"> CHAPTER XII. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0013"> CHAPTER XIII. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0014"> CHAPTER XIV. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2HCH0015"> CHAPTER XV. </a> + </p> + </td> + </tr> + </table> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2HCH0001" id="link2HCH0001"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <h2> + CHAPTER I. + </h2> + <p> + WHEN one has a good tale to tell, he should try to be brief, and not say + more than he can help ere he makes a fair start; so I shall not say a word + of what took place on board the ship till we had been six days in a storm. + The barque had gone far out of her true course, and no one on board knew + where we were. The masts lay in splints on the deck, a leak in the side of + the ship let more in than the crew could pump out, and each one felt that + ere long he would find a grave in the deep sea, which sent its spray from + side to side of what was now but a mere hulk. + </p> + <p> + "Come, boys," said I to my four sons, who were with me, "God can save us + if it please Him so to do; but, if this is to be our last hour, let us bow + to His will—we shall at least go down side by side." + </p> + <p> + My dear wife could not hide the tears that fell down her cheeks as I thus + spoke to my sons, but she was calm, and knelt down to pray, while the boys + clung round her as if they thought she could help them. + </p> + <p> + Just then we heard a cry of "Land! land!" felt a shock, and it was clear + that we had struck on a rock, for we heard a loud cry from one of the men, + "We are lost! Launch the boat; try for your lives!" + </p> + <p> + I went at once on deck, and found that all the boats had been let down, + and that the last of the crew had just left the ship. I cried out for the + men to come back and take us with them, but it was in vain. + </p> + <p> + I then thought that our last chance was gone. Still, as I felt the ship + did not sink, I went to the stern, and found, to my joy, that she was held + up by a piece of rock on each side, and made fast like a wedge. At the + same time I saw some trace of land, which lay to the south, and this made + me go back with some hope that we had still a faint chance. As soon as I + got down stairs I took my wife by the hand, and said, "Be of good cheer, + we are at least safe for some time, and if the wind should veer round, we + may yet reach the land that lies but a short way off." + </p> + <p> + I said this to calm the fears of my wife and sons, and it did so far more + than I had a right to hope. + </p> + <p> + "Let us now take some food," said my wife. "We are sure to need it, for + this will no doubt be a night to try our strength." + </p> + <p> + My wife got some food for her boys, which we were glad to see them eat, + poor as it was; but we could not share their meal. Three out of the four + were put to bed in their berths, and soon went to sleep; but Fritz, who + was our first child, would not leave us. He said, like a good son, that he + would try to be of some use, and think what could be done. + </p> + <p> + "If we could but find some cork," said Fritz to me in a low tone, "we + might make floats. You and I will not need them, for we can swim, but the + rest will want some such means to keep them up." + </p> + <p> + "A good thought," said I. "Let us try to find what things there are in the + ship that we can thus make use of." + </p> + <p> + We soon found some casks and ropes, and with these we made a kind of float + for each of the three boys, and then my wife made one for her own use. + This done, we got some knives, string, and such things as we could make + fast to our belts. We did not fail to look for and find a flint and steel, + and the box in which the burnt rags were kept, for these were at that time + in use as the means to strike a light. + </p> + <p> + Fritz, who was now well-nigh worn out, lay down on his bed and slept like + the rest. As for me and my poor wife, we kept watch, each in fear lest the + next wave should lift the ship off the rock and break it up. + </p> + <p> + I need not tell you how glad we were when we saw the first gleam of light. + At dawn the wind did not blow so strong, the sky was clear of clouds, and + we saw the sun rise, and with it rose our hopes. I soon had my wife and + sons on deck. + </p> + <p> + "Where are the men?" said they. "How can we steer the ship?" + </p> + <p> + "My dear boys," said I, "He who has kept us safe till now will still aid + us. Let all hands set to work, and leave the rest to God." + </p> + <p> + At these words we all went to work with a will. My wife went to feed the + live stock; Fritz set off in search of arms, and the means to make use of + them; and Ernest made his way to the tool chest. Jack ran to pick up what + he could find, but as he got to one of the doors he gave it a push, and + two huge dogs sprang out and leaped at him. He thought at first that they + would bite him, but he soon found that they meant him no harm, and one of + them let him get on his back and ride up to me as I came from the hold of + the ship. + </p> + <p> + When the boys had done their search, and the spoil was brought on deck, we + thought we had found all that we should need. "As for me," said my wife, + "I have brought good news, for I find we have still on board a cow, an + ass, two goats, six sheep, a ram, a pig, and a sow, and I have found food + for them all." + </p> + <p> + "All that you bring will be of use," said I; "but I fear that Jack's dogs + will do us more harm than good." + </p> + <p> + "Not at all," said Jack, "for they can help us to hunt when we get to + land." + </p> + <p> + "Well said, Jack. And now let us see what we can do that will aid us to + get there." + </p> + <p> + We then took the casks that we had found, and Ernest and I soon cut them + in half. With these tubs we made a kind of raft, though it was no slight + task. The tubs, in fact, were a fleet of eight small round boats, made so + fast to some planks that no one of them could float from the rest. The + next thing to be done was to launch the raft. This we at length did, and + when the boys saw it slide down the side of the ship and float on the sea, + they gave a loud shout, and each one tried who should be the first to get + on it. I made it fast to the ship, and there left it. + </p> + <p> + I then told my wife to change her dress for that of one of the crew which + she had found, as her skirts would have got in her way when she had to + climb. She did not at first like this, but did so as soon as she saw the + truth of what I told her. + </p> + <p> + At last, when all was done, we went to bed, and slept as sound as if we + had been on land. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0002" id="link2HCH0002"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER II. + </h2> + <p> + WE were all up at the break of day, and knelt down to thank God that He + had kept us from harm through the night. + </p> + <p> + We then put all the things on the raft, and ten live hens and two cocks + were put in one of the tubs. Some ducks and geese we let go, in the hope + that they would swim to the shore; and a pair of doves were set free, as + they could fly to the land. + </p> + <p> + There was a place in the raft for each of us. In the first tub sat my + wife; in the next Frank, who was eight years old; in the third Fritz, not + quite twice the age of Frank; in the fourth were the fowls, and some old + sails that would make us a tent; the fifth was full of good things in the + way of food; in the sixth stood Jack, a bold lad, ten years old; in the + next Ernest, twelve years of age, well taught, but too fond of self, and + less fond of work than the rest; while I sat in the eighth, to guide the + raft that was to save all that was dear to me in the world. + </p> + <p> + As soon as the dogs (Bill and Turk by name) saw us push off from the ship + they leaped in the sea, swam near the raft, and kept well up with us. + </p> + <p> + The sea was calm; so that we felt quite safe. We made good use of the + oars, and the raft bore its freight straight to the land; but as we drew + near to the shore the sight of the bare rocks led us to think that we + might still be in need of food and drink when that which we had was gone. + </p> + <p> + As we got near, the coast lost its bare look, and we were glad to see that + there was no lack of trees. We soon found a bay, to which the ducks and + geese had found their way, and here we saw a place where we could land. + </p> + <p> + As soon as we had made the raft fast with a strong rope, we took out all + our wealth, and made a tent with the old sail cloth we had brought with + us, and stuck a pole in the ground to keep it up. This done, I sent the + boys to get some moss and dry grass to make our beds with. With the flint + and steel we soon set fire to some dry twigs, and my wife made a pot of + soup with what she had brought from the ship. + </p> + <p> + Fritz, who had charge of the guns, chose one, and took a stroll by the + side of a stream, while Jack went in search of shell fish, which he + thought he might find on the rocks. My share of the work was to save two + large casks which were near the shore. While I was up to my knees in the + sea I heard a shrill cry, which I knew to come from Jack. I got out at + once, took up an axe, and ran to his help. I found him with his legs in a + rock pool, where a large crab held him by his toes. It soon made off as I + came near; but I struck at it with the axe, and brought it out of the + pool. Jack then took it up, though it gave him a pinch or two ere he found + out how to hold it, and ran off in high glee to show what he had caught. + </p> + <p> + When I got back to the tent, I found that Ernest had brought us news that + he had seen salt in the chinks of the rocks, and that shell fish were not + scarce. + </p> + <p> + "Well, my boy, if you are sure you saw them, I will ask you to go back for + some. We must each do some work for the good of all." + </p> + <p> + He went, and soon found the salt, left by the sea on the rocks, which the + sun had made quite dry. There was some sand with it, but my wife did not + take long to find a way to cure that. She had been to a fresh stream with + a large jug; from this I saw her pour some on the salt, strain it through + a cloth, and let it drip in a cup, so that all the sand was left on the + cloth. + </p> + <p> + When the soup was made hot we had each a taste, and all said that it was + good. + </p> + <p> + "Be not in too great haste," said my wife, "we must wait for Fritz; but if + he were here, I do not see how we are to take our soup, for we have no + plates nor spoons." + </p> + <p> + "If we had but some large nuts," said Ernest, "we might cut them in half, + and they would make good bowls." + </p> + <p> + "Quite true," said I; "but as there are none, we may as well wish for delf + bowls and real spoons at once." + </p> + <p> + "Now I have it," quoth Ernest. "Let us use the shells I saw on the shore." + </p> + <p> + Off ran Jack to the shore, with Ernest at his heels, and back they both + came with large and small shells for us all. + </p> + <p> + Just then Fritz came in, with a look of gloom on his face, which I could + see was a sham. + </p> + <p> + "You do not mean to tell me you have come back with nought?" said I, as he + put out his hands as if to prove that such was the case. But Jack, who had + been round him, cried out, "No, no! he's got a pig!—such a fine one. + Tell us where you found it." + </p> + <p> + Fritz now brought forth his prize. When I saw it, I knew, from what I had + read, that it was not a pig, but a swift beast, known in these parts, that + lives on fruit and nuts, and hides in the earth. (*The Agouti.) + </p> + <p> + "I like the place much more than I do this spot," said he. "The shore lies + low, and there are planks, casks, chests, and all sorts of things, that + the sea has thrown up. Why not leave this place at once, and go there?" + </p> + <p> + "There is a time for all things," said I. "We must at least rest here for + one night." + </p> + <p> + We all sat down to take our soup with the shell spoons. Ernest took from + his coat a large shell, which he had hid till now, put it in the soup, and + then set it down to cool. + </p> + <p> + "You do not show want of thought," said I to him. "But I am not glad to + see that you think so of your-self, and do so much for your own ease, when + all the rest do so much for yours. Now, that shell full of soup you must + give to our two dogs. We can all dip our small shells in the pot, and you + must do as we do." + </p> + <p> + I knew he felt hurt at this, but he gave it to the dogs at once, and they + soon made quick work of their share of the soup. + </p> + <p> + The sun was low when our meal came to an end. The fowls came round us to + pick up the stray crumbs we had let fall, and my wife took out her bag of + grain and fed the cocks and hens, and sent them to roost on the top of our + tent. + </p> + <p> + We took care to load our fire-arms, in case we might need them in the + night; sang a hymn of praise to God, and then left our fate in His hands. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0003" id="link2HCH0003"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER III. + </h2> + <p> + As soon as I heard the cock crow, and saw by the light that it was break + of day, I got out of bed and spoke to my wife as to what we should do + next. + </p> + <p> + "First," said I, "Fritz and I will make a tour of the coast and try to + find some of the men who left the ship, for if they are here they may be + in want." + </p> + <p> + "But," said Fritz, who had heard me from his bed, "why should we search + for those who left us to die on the wreck?" + </p> + <p> + "Well, I will tell you," said I. "First, we should do to them as we would + wish them to do to us, not as they have done; next, we know that they took + no food with them, and we should not leave them to starve; and last, it + may be that they can help us, though now they stand more in need of our + aid." + </p> + <p> + The boys were soon up, and we all sat down to a good meal. That done, + Fritz and I got our guns. I put a pair of small arms in his belt, gave him + a game bag, and told him to take an axe. I took some food for us both, and + a full flask, out of which we could drink if we should stray far from a + stream. + </p> + <p> + When we took our leave, my wife and the three boys were in tears. The dog + Bill we left to guard the tent, but Turk went with us, and ran by our + side. + </p> + <p> + We soon got to the banks of a stream; but then had to make our way down + its course. It took us some time to reach the sea shore. There was not a + boat to be seen, or any sign that the ship's crew had found the land. We + left the shore, and went through a wood full of tall trees. Here Fritz + struck some hard thing on the ground with his foot, which we found to be a + CO-COA NUT. He gave it a blow with his axe, and broke the shell, and we + both sat down to rest, and eat the nut. + </p> + <p> + At the end of the wood we came to a plain which gave us a clear view of + the place. Fritz, who was on the look out, ran off with Turk to some + strange trees that he saw on the right. + </p> + <p> + When I got up to him, it gave me no small joy to find that it was a gourd + tree. + </p> + <p> + "Try," said I, "if you can get hold of one of those queer lumps that grow + on it." + </p> + <p> + With that he brought one down, and we had a look at it. + </p> + <p> + "Now, of this," said I, "we can make a plate, a dish, or a flask. Wild men + set great store by its shell, which they use to hold their food and + drink." + </p> + <p> + We then set to work to make plates of the gourds. When we had made some + eight or ten bowls, and some flat ones for plates, we laid them out in the + sun to dry, and then went on our way. + </p> + <p> + We could see, not far off, a grove of fine palm trees, but to reach them + we should have to pass through reeds and long grass. I knew this was just + the place to find snakes, so we each cut a cane, that we might beat them + off should we meet with any. As I took hold of my staff, I felt a gum or + juice ooze out of the end. I put my tongue to it, and found it of a sweet + taste. This led me to suck the reed, and I then knew that we had met with + the SUG-AR CANE. By this time Fritz had done the same, for I could see + that he held his cane to his mouth. + </p> + <p> + "Do not suck too much of it," said I, "or it will make you ill; but let us + cut some of the best and take them back with us, for those at home will + prize so great a treat." + </p> + <p> + It did not take us long to reach the place where the palms grew, and then + we sat down in the shade to eat the food we had brought with us. + </p> + <p> + "Do you see those nuts at the top of the trees, Fritz?" said I. + </p> + <p> + "To be sure I do; but they are far too high to reach. Look, look!" he + cried, "there are some MON-KEYS; let me have a shot at them." "Do not do + that," I said, and held his arm; "it will do us no good to kill them, and + I think I can make use of them." With that I threw some stones up at the + tree where they were, though they had got safe out of my reach. They then + made a loud noise, took hold of the nuts that were near, and flung them + straight at us. The trick made Fritz laugh, who soon had hard work to pick + up the nuts that were thrown at him. + </p> + <p> + We broke some of the nuts, and put the juice of the canes in the thick + white cream which forms close to the shell; and this made us a dish that + Fritz said was fit for a king. + </p> + <p> + Fritz and I then made fast some nuts to a string, which I tied round my + waist, while he took up his canes, and we both set off on our road home. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0004" id="link2HCH0004"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER IV. + </h2> + <p> + ON our way back we took up the gourd bowls and plates, which we found + quite dry and hard as bone, and put them in our bags. We had scarce got + through the wood, when Turk made a dart in front of us, and we saw a troop + of apes rush out of the way. But he gave a leap and brought down one that + could not climb so fast as the rest, for she had a young one in her arms. + Turk made short work of the poor thing, for ere Fritz could call the dog + off, the ape was dead. The young one, as soon as it saw Fritz, sprang on + his back, put its paws in his curls, and would not let go. I at length got + the ape from Fritz's back, and took it up in my arms like a child. We + found that it was too young to seek its own food, and, as Fritz said he + should like to take it home, we put it on Turk's back. Turk did not at + first like this, but we soon got him to bear the ape, which held so tight + by the hair on the dog's neck that it could not well fall off. Fritz then + led Turk with a string, that he might not stray out of sight, or throw off + his charge, which I think he would have done had we not been on the watch. + </p> + <p> + It did not take us long to reach the bank of the stream near to our home. + </p> + <p> + I need not tell you how glad my wife and sons were to see us safe back, or + with what joy the boys took the "real live ape" out of Fritz's arms. + </p> + <p> + At length, when they got more staid, I told them that we had brought them + all sorts of good things, but that we had not met with any of the men of + whom we went in search. "God's will be done," said my wife, "let us thank + Him that you have come back safe to us. This day to me has been an age; + but put down your loads, for we must now go in and hear what you have to + tell." + </p> + <p> + Fritz and I then told them, by turns, where we found the things we brought + with us, how we made and dried the plates and bowls, cut the canes, and + caught the ape in the wood. Our tales had not come to an end when we were + told that it was time to sup. Ernest had shot a wild goose, and some fish + had been caught in the stream. With these, and the Dutch cheese that we + brought from the ship, we made a good meal; but the boys would not rest + till we broke some of the nuts, from which they drank the milk, made sweet + with the juice of the canes. I must tell you that we ate our food in great + state from our gourd rind plates, which my wife said she should prize more + than if they were made of pure gold. + </p> + <p> + That night the ape went to bed with Jack and Fritz, and we all slept in + peace till the cocks on the roof of the tent woke us up. + </p> + <p> + Next day Fritz and I went back to the wreck to save the live stock, and + get what else we had left that might be of use to us. We found it no light + task, for we had to make floats for the cow, the ass, the sheep, and the + goats, throw them in the sea, and tie them with ropes to our raft. We put + on board the raft a vast deal of food that had not been spoiled by the + sea, though the waves had made a breach in the sides of the wreck. We then + put to sea with our train of live stock made fast to the stern. + </p> + <p> + We had not gone far when I heard a loud cry of fear from Fritz, "We are + lost! We are lost! See what a great shark is on its way to us!" + </p> + <p> + Though pale with fright, he took aim with his gun, and shot the fish in + the head. It sank at once, but left a track of blood in the sea, which I + knew to be a sign that we were once more safe. We then got to land, and + made fast our freight to the shore. Ere we had done this our friends came + to give us what help they could to get the beasts out of the stream, and + take them up to the tent. The poor things were well nigh worn out; but we + took good care of them, and put them to rest on some dry grass that my + wife had laid out for them. + </p> + <p> + That night we did not sup on the ground. My wife had spread a cloth on the + top of a cask, and we each sat on a tub. With the knives and forks that we + had found in the ship we ate a dish of hot ham and eggs, nor did we fail + to test the wine that I had brought with me in a small cask from the + wreck. + </p> + <p> + Ere bed-time my wife had told me that while I was at the wreck she had + gone in search of some place in which we could build a house. + </p> + <p> + "And did you find one, my dear?" I said. + </p> + <p> + "Oh, yes," said she. "We can take you to a great tree that will serve us + well, if we can but get across the stream with our goods." + </p> + <p> + "But would you have us roost, like fowls, in a tree? How do you think we + could get up to our perch?" + </p> + <p> + "Was there not a large lime tree in our town in which they built a ball + room, with stairs up the trunk?" + </p> + <p> + "To be sure there was," said I; "and if we can not build in it, we can at + least make use of its shade, and dwell in a hut on the roots." + </p> + <p> + Ernest said that he took a string, and found that it was twelve yards + round. This led me to think that my wife's scheme was by no means a bad + one, and that I would have a look at the tree the next day. + </p> + <p> + When I had heard all they had to tell, we knelt down to pray, and then + sought a good night's rest, which the toils of the day made us much in + need of. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0005" id="link2HCH0005"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER V. + </h2> + <p> + WHEN I rose from my bed the next day, I said to my wife: "Does it not + seem, my dear, as if God had led us to this place, and that we should do + wrong to leave it?" + </p> + <p> + "What you say may be quite true, so far as it goes," she said; "but I must + tell you that the mid-day heat is more than we can bear, and that if we + stay here we may have to keep watch at night, for there are, no doubt, + wild beasts of some kind that will find us out; and we should not trust + too much to our dogs, who may lose their lives in a fight with them." + </p> + <p> + "I dare say you are right," said I; "but I do not yet see how we can cross + the stream. We shall first have to build a bridge." + </p> + <p> + The boys were now all out of their beds; and while my wife went to milk + the cow and cook some food, I made my plans known to them. They were all + glad when they heard that we were to leave, and each said he, would help + to build the bridge. + </p> + <p> + The first thing to be done was to find some strong planks; and Fritz, + Ernest, and I went down to the shore, and got in the boat, which the tide + took down to the bay. + </p> + <p> + On a piece of land which lay to the left we could see some large dark + thing, round which flew a flock of sea gulls. We put up a sail and caught + a gust of wind which had sprung up, and this soon brought the boat to the + spot. We made no noise, but crept up the shore step by step, and we got so + near that Ernest brought down some of the birds with a stick. Fritz was + the first to find out that what the sea gulls had just left was the huge + fish he had shot in the sea. We cut off some rough skin, which we thought + might serve for files, and then went back to the boat. I took a glance at + the shore ere I got in, and to my great joy saw some of the planks and + spars from the wreck lay on the ground not far off. Our next care was to + bind these so as to make a raft, which we tied to the stern of the boat, + and then, by the use of our oars, soon made our way up the stream to the + place where the bridge was to be built. Our young friends were glad to see + us back so soon, and ran to meet us; Jack had a cloth in his hand, in + which was a store of cray fish and crabs just caught in some of the nooks + of a rock up the stream. + </p> + <p> + "Do not fail to give God thanks," said I, "that our lot has been cast + where we can pick up more food than we can eat." + </p> + <p> + It would take a long time to tell how we brought all the wood up to the + spot, built piers of stone in the stream, and put the planks one by one in + the place; it was late at night when we left off work, and once more + sought our tent. + </p> + <p> + The next day we saw the sun rise, and took our first meal in haste, for we + knew we should have a long day's toil. All the stores that we could not + take with us were laid by in the tent, the door of which was made safe by + a row of casks, that we put round it. My wife and Fritz soon led the way; + the cow went next; then the ass, with Frank on its back. Jack led the + goats, and on the back of one of them sat the ape. Ernest took charge of + the sheep, and I brought up the rear as chief guard. We took care to cross + the bridge one at a time, and found it bore our weight well; but once or + twice we thought the cow would step in the stream, or fall off the boards, + when she went to the sides to drink. + </p> + <p> + Just as we had left the bridge, Jack cried out, "Be quick! here is a + strange beast with quills as long as my arm." The dogs ran, and I with + them, and found a large POR-CU-PINE, in the grass. It made a loud noise, + and shot out its quills at the dogs, and made them bleed. At this Jack + shot at the beast, which fell dead on the spot. My wife's first thought + was to dress the wounds made by the quills, which had stuck in the nose of + one of the dogs, while the boys made haste to pluck some of the quills + from the skin of their strange prize. + </p> + <p> + At last our march came to an end, and I saw for the first time the great + trees that my wife had told me of. They were of vast size, and were, I + thought, fig trees. "If we can but fix our tent up there," I said, "we + shall have no cause to dread, for no wild beasts can reach us." We sent + Frank off to find sticks, with which to make a fire, and my wife made some + soup of the flesh of the beast we had slain, though we did not like it so + well as we did the ham and cheese we brought with us. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0006" id="link2HCH0006"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER VI. + </h2> + <p> + THE meal at an end, my first thought was to make some steps by means of + which we could reach the first strong branch of the tree. Ernest and I + went in search of some thick canes that grew in the sands hard by. These + we cut down, bound them to four long poles, and thus made a pair of steps + that would, we thought, reach far up the trunk. + </p> + <p> + On our way back from the sands, one of the dogs made a dart at a clump of + reeds, and a troop of large birds rose on the wing with a loud noise. + Fritz let fly at them, and brought down two at a shot. One of them fell + quite dead, but its mate, though hurt in the wing, made use of its long + legs so well that it would have got off if Bill had not held it. The joy + of Fritz, to have caught such a strange bird, was so great that he would + have us at once bind it by the neck and take it back with us. "Look," said + Ernest, "what fine plumes he has, and you see he has web feet like a + goose, and has long legs like a stork: thus he can run on land as fast as + he can swim." + </p> + <p> + "Yes," said I, "and he can fly with more speed through the air, for these + birds have great strength in their wings. In fact, few birds have such + means of flight as the FLA-MIN-GO." + </p> + <p> + My wife thought the great bird might need more food than we could spare. I + told her that it would feed on small fish and worms, and not rob our geese + of their grain. I then tied him to a stake near the stream; and in a few + days we were glad to find that he knew us, and would come at a call, like + a tame bird. + </p> + <p> + While I sat on the grass with my sons, late in the day, I thought I would + try to make a bow and thus save our shot. This I did with a long cane and + a piece of string, and then made a dart with a sharp point, which I shot + off and found it would go straight. The branch of the tree on which we + were to fix our hut was so high that our steps would not near reach it. I + tied some strong thread to the dart, and shot it over the branch; then + tied a piece of rope to the end of the thread, and drew that up, and at + last made a long row of cane steps, with a rope at each side, which we + drew up to the first strong branch. The boys were now all in haste to + climb the tree, but I chose that Jack, who was light of build and sure of + foot, should go up first and try the strength of our work. Fritz went up + next with some nails, and made the ropes fast to the tree, while I drove + stakes in the ground to keep them firm at the foot. It was now time for me + to mount, and up I went with an axe to lop off the twigs and smooth the + bough that was to form the ground of our new house. I sent the boys down + out of my way, and kept hard at work till it was late, for the sky was + clear, and the moon lent me her beams of light to see by. + </p> + <p> + When I came down my wife spread a good meal on the ground, which we ate as + best we could, and then made our beds of dry moss, round which we put + heaps of twigs. These we set light to, as watch fires to keep off wild + beasts and snakes. The toils of the day had made the boys tired, and they + were soon in a sound sleep, but my wife and I took it in turns to watch + through the whole night. + </p> + <p> + We were all out of bed as soon as light was in the sky, and set to work to + hoist up the planks that were to form the floor of our hut. These we laid + down on the branch, with their ends made fast to a cross piece of wood + that we had to fix to the trunk of the tree. Our nails were long, and we + drove each one of them home, so that we had no cause to fear the strength + of our work. By the time we had done this the day was far spent, and we + were all glad to lay by our tools and rest our limbs. That night we lit + our fires round the tree, tied the dogs to the roots, and went up to sleep + out of harm's way for the first time since we left the ship. When the + steps were drawn up we all felt that we were now safe at last, and that we + had brought the toils of the day to a good end. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0007" id="link2HCH0007"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER VII. + </h2> + <p> + WE did not wake next day till the sun shone in upon us. I told my wife and + sons that as it was the Lord's day we would do no work. Our beasts and + birds had first to be fed. This was done by my wife, who then brought us + some hot milk, and made us sit down on the grass and take it. When our + meal was done, I got on a log in front of my sons, and we all sang a psalm + we knew by heart. Then I sought to teach them and spoke to them thus: + </p> + <p> + "There was once on a time a Great King, who had two vast realms, the Land + of Light and Truth, and the Land of Night and Sloth. Those who dwelt in + the first were full of life and joy. The King held his court at the Place + of Rest where all was bright. + </p> + <p> + "This King had a land, not far off, where those for whom he had so much + love should dwell ere they went one by one to the Place of Rest. This land + was the Home of Earth. He gave to his Son the right to rule the host that + dwelt in the Home of Earth, and set forth to think what they were to do, + and all the ills that would come to them if they did not do as they were + bid. + </p> + <p> + "At first they were all glad to hear the way in which they were to live, + and the terms on which they could reach the Land of Light and Truth. Sad + to tell, they soon broke the King's laws, and paid no heed to what they + knew to be his will. Still there were a few who did as they had been + taught, and dwelt in peace, in the hope that they would please the King + and at last reach the place where he held his court. + </p> + <p> + "From time to time ships came to the Home of Earth, and at last a great + ship was sent, the name of which was The Grave, which bore the flag of + Death. To the good it was a sign of hope, but the bad were thrown by the + sight of it into a state of gloom. These ships were not seen till they + came close to the shore, and then the crew were sent forth to find those + whom they were told to seize. Some went back with them full of joy, but + most were seen to weep and mourn their fate. So soon as they were brought + in sight of the Great King, the Prince took those who had done well, and + put a white robe on them; but those who went their own way when on the + Home of Earth, he sent down to toil in deep, dark mines till time shall be + no more." + </p> + <p> + When my sons had heard my tale to the end they all knew what it meant; I + then drew from them their views of what they ought to do to please and + serve the Great King. We then sang a hymn; and my wife drew from her bag + the BIBLE, which I gave to one of the boys, who read from it in a clear, + loud voice. When this was brought to a close, we all knelt down on the + grass to pray, and to ask God to bless the means we took to learn His + will. + </p> + <p> + We did no work that day, but took a long stroll up the banks of the + stream. + </p> + <p> + The next day Ernest and Jack tried their skill with the bow, and brought + down some small birds that came to the great tree in quest of figs. I gave + them leave to kill what they could; for I knew if put in casks made air + tight with grease, they would keep for a time, and might prove a boon, if + our stock of food should get low. + </p> + <p> + When we sat down to dine, the thought struck me that it would be well to + give some name to each part of the land that was known to us. This was at + first the source of some fun, for Fritz said we should call the bay where + we had found the shell spoons by the name of Spoon Bay; but Jack, who + still had a mark on his toe where the crab gave him a pinch, thought we + ought to term it Crab Bay. + </p> + <p> + "If you will let me give it a name," said my wife, "I should wish to know + it by some term that will make us bear in mind how good God was to lead + our raft there, and I don't think Safe Bay will be a bad name for it." + </p> + <p> + "So let it be," said I; and from that time Safe Bay had a name. "What + shall be the name of the spot where we spent our first night on shore? You + shall give that its name," said I to Fritz. + </p> + <p> + "Let us call it Tent House." + </p> + <p> + "That will do," said I. "And now for the spot at the mouth of Safe Bay, + where we found our planks?" + </p> + <p> + "Sharp Point," said Ernest. The place from which Fritz and I sought for a + trace of out ship mates was to be known as No Man's Cape. Then we had the + Boys' Bridge, which name I gave it from a wish to please my sons, who had + done so much to build it. + </p> + <p> + "But what shall we call the place which is most dear to us all?" + </p> + <p> + "Now, my dear," said I to my wife, "it is your turn. What shall we say?" + </p> + <p> + "Let us call it The Nest," said she; and with that I gave each of my young + birds a glass of sweet wine. + </p> + <p> + "Here's to 'The Nest,'" said I; "and may we live long to bless the day and + the means that brought us here." + </p> + <p> + When the heat of the day was past, I told my sons that I should be glad to + take a walk with them. My wife said that she should like to go with us; so + we left The Nest in charge of Turk, and bent our course to the banks of + the stream. On our way we went past some shrubs and rare herbs, which my + wife knew well how to make use of should we fall sick; and Ernest found a + large spot of ground on which grew a fine kind of PO-TA-TO. At these the + boys set to work with such zeal, that we soon had a full bag of the ripe + fruit. We then went on to Tent House, which we found in the same state as + when we left it to cross the stream on our way to the great tree. + </p> + <p> + We found that our ducks and geese had grown so wild that they would not + come near us; so, while my wife and I went to pick up such things as we + thought we might take back with us, Ernest and Fritz were sent to catch + them, and to tie their legs and wings, and in this way we got them at last + to The Nest. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0008" id="link2HCH0008"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER VIII. + </h2> + <p> + IT took the whole of the next day to make a sledge, to which we tied the + ass, and drove to Tent House. On our sledge we put such of the casks which + held food, and took them back to The Nest. Fritz and I went once more to + the wreck, and this time we brought off chests of clothes, pigs of lead, + cart wheels, sacks of maize, oats, peas, and wheat. With a strong bar we + broke down some of the doors, and took such parts of the ship as we + thought would aid us to build our house, which as yet was far less safe + than I could wish. These we bound with cords, and made them float back at + the stern of the raft. + </p> + <p> + When we got to the shore my wife and the three boys were there to greet + us. My first care was to send for the sledge, and with this we took most + of our new wealth up to The Nest. + </p> + <p> + The next day I told my sons that they must now learn to run, to leap, to + climb, and to throw stones straight at a mark, as all these things would + be of great use to them in their new mode of life. + </p> + <p> + I next taught them to use the LAS-SO, by means of which men catch the wild + horse on the vast plains of the New World. I tied two stones to the ends + of a cord some yards in length, and flung off one of them at the trunk of + a young tree; the cord went round and round it in a coil and bound it so + tight that I could have drawn it to me had it not been fast in the ground. + This trick the boys were not slow to learn; and Fritz, in a short time, + could take an aim as well with a stone as he could with his gun. + </p> + <p> + As yet we had not seen much of the isle; for it took most of our time to + build the house. But one day we made up our minds that we would all start + on a tour. We rose at dawn, put the ass in the sledge, took what food we + thought we should need, and set out from The Nest just as the sun rose. + </p> + <p> + When we came to the wood where Fritz found the ape, he told them by what + means we got the nuts, but now there were no apes there to throw them + down. + </p> + <p> + "Oh, if one would but fall from the trees," he said. + </p> + <p> + The words had but just left his lips when a large nut fell at his feet. He + made a start back, and two more came down near the same spot. + </p> + <p> + As the nuts were far from ripe, I was at a loss to know how they could + fall off the tree, for I could not see an ape nor a bird near. + </p> + <p> + I went close up to the tree, and saw a large land crab on its way down the + trunk. Jack struck a blow at him with a stick, but did not hit the beast. + He then took off his coat and threw it on the crab's head, while I made an + end of him with an axe. I told them that these crabs climb the trees and + break off the nuts, as we had seen, and then come down to feast on them at + their ease. + </p> + <p> + "But how do they crack the nuts?" said Jack. + </p> + <p> + "They make a hole through the shell at the thin end, and then suck them + dry." + </p> + <p> + The dead crab was put in the sledge, and we went on through the wood. When + we came to the Gourd Wood, we sat down to make some more bowls and flasks + to take back with us. Ernest had gone to try what new thing he could find, + but he had not been from us long, when we heard him call out, + </p> + <p> + "A wild boar! A great wild boar! Come here, pray!" + </p> + <p> + We took up our guns, and went at once with the dogs to the spot. We soon + heard Turk give a loud bark, and just then we heard Ernest laugh, and saw + the two dogs come through a clump of brush wood, with our old sow fast by + the ears. She did not seem to like the way in which they had put an end to + her feast of fruit, so she ran back as soon as we told the dogs to let go + their hold of her ears. + </p> + <p> + "But with all our sport," said Fritz, "we have a poor show of game. Let us + leave the young ones, and set off to see what we can meet with." Ernest + sat down with Frank, and we left them and my wife at the gourd tree, while + Fritz and Jack set off with me to a high rock which we saw on the right. + </p> + <p> + "Fritz, look here," said Jack, as he made his way to the rock. + </p> + <p> + "What have you found now?" said Fritz. + </p> + <p> + "I don't know what it is, but it's a fine prize." + </p> + <p> + When I went up I saw at once that it was a large I-GUA-NA, the flesh and + eggs of which are both good for food. I had heard that these and such like + beasts will stand still if you play an air on a pipe. So I crept near, and + made a low sound with my lips, while I held in my right hand a stout + stick, to which I had tied a cord with a noose, and in my left hand a + slight wand. I saw it first move its tail, and then draw its head from + side to side, as if to look where the sound came from. I then threw the + noose round its neck, drew it tight, got on its back with a leap and + thrust the wand up its nose, which is the sole part of the beast where + there are no hard scales. It bled at once, and was soon dead, nor did it + seem to feel any pain. Our prize, which was near five feet long was no + slight weight to lift. I got it at last on my back, and thus we went back + to the gourd tree, where we found the rest quite safe. + </p> + <p> + It took us a long time to reach The Nest that night. My wife did her best + to dress some of the flesh of the land crab, but it was tough, and did not + taste so nice as the soup made from the beast that we had caught by the + nose. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0009" id="link2HCH0009"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER IX. + </h2> + <p> + FRITZ and I spent the whole of the next day in the woods. We took the ass + and one of the dogs with us, but left all else at home. + </p> + <p> + Our way first lay through a dense wood, where we saw no end of small + birds, but such game could not now tempt Fritz to waste his shot. We then + had to cross a vast plain, and to wade through the high grass, which we + did with care, lest we should tread on some strange thing that might turn + and bite us. + </p> + <p> + We came at last to a grove of small trees, and in their midst I saw a + bush, which I knew to be the wax tree, for the wax grew on it like white + beads. I need not say how glad I was to find so great a prize. We had up + to this time gone to bed as soon as the sun went down, for we had no lamp + to use; but as we could now make wax lights, I told Fritz that we had + found what would add two or three hours per day to our lives. We took as + much of the wax as would serve us for some time, and then made our way out + of the grove. + </p> + <p> + "How came you," said Fritz, "to know so much of the queer beasts, trees, + and plants that we have found here?" + </p> + <p> + "When young," said I, "I used to read all the books that fell in my way; + and those that told of strange lands and what was to be seen in them had + for me as great a charm as they have for Ernest, who has read a great + deal, and knows more of plants than you do." + </p> + <p> + "Well," said he, "I will do the same if I but get the chance. Can you tell + what is the name of that huge tree on the right? See, there are balls on + the bark." + </p> + <p> + We went close to it, and found that these balls were of thick gum, which + the sun had made quite hard. Fritz tried to pull one of them off, but felt + that it clung tight to the bark, though he could change its shape with his + warm hands. "Look," said he, "I feel sure that this is the IN-DI-A RUB-BER + which we used to clean our school books." I took a piece of it in my hand, + and said, "To be sure it is. What shall we not find in this rich land?" I + then told him how the men in the New World made flasks of this gum, in + which form it is sent to all parts of the world. "And I do not see why we + should not make boots of it in the same way. We have but to fill a sock + with sand, then put gum all round it, while in a soft state, till it is as + thick as we need, then pour the sand out, and we shall have made a shoe or + a boot that will at least keep out the damp, and that is more than mine do + just now." + </p> + <p> + Not far from this we came to a bush, the leaves of which were strewn with + a white dust; and close by were two or three more in the same state. I cut + a slit in the trunk of one of these, and found it full of the white dust, + which I knew by the taste to be SA-GO. We took all of this that we could + get out of the tree, for it would add to our stock of food; and when our + bags were full we laid them on the back of the ass, and set off to find + our way back to The Nest. + </p> + <p> + "Each day brings us fresh wealth," said my wife; "but I think we might now + try to add to our goods." I knew that she had some fear lest we should one + day get lost in the woods, or meet with wild beasts, so I at once said + that we would now stay at home, at least for some days. + </p> + <p> + My first work was to make some wax lights, for my wife could then mend our + clothes at night, while we sat down to talk. This done, the next task they + gave me was to make a churn. I took a large gourd, made a small hole in + the side, and cut out as much as I could, so as to leave but the rind. In + this I put the cream, laid a piece on the hole, and bound it up so that + none could come out. The boys then held a cloth, and on it I put the + gourd, which they rolled from side to side. They kept up this game with + great mirth for near an hour, when my wife took off the string, and found + that the churn had done its work well. + </p> + <p> + As our sledge was not fit to use on rough roads, my next work was to make + a cart. I had brought a pair of wheels from the wreck, so that my task did + not prove a hard one. + </p> + <p> + While I was thus at work, my wife and the boys took some of the fruit + trees we had brought with us, and put them in the ground where they + thought they would grow best. On each side of the path that led from The + Nest to the Boy's Bridge they put a row of young nut trees. To make the + path hard we laid down sand from the sea shore, and then beat it down with + our spades. + </p> + <p> + We were for six weeks at this and such like work. We were loth to spare + any pains to make The Nest, and all that could be seen near it, look neat + and trim, though there were no eyes but our own to view the scene. + </p> + <p> + One day I told my sons that I would try to make a flight of stairs in + place of the cane steps with rope sides, which were, to tell the truth, + the worst part of our house. As yet we had not used them much, but the + rain would some day force us to keep in The Nest, and then we should like + to go up and down stairs with more ease than we could now climb the rude + steps. I knew that a swarm of bees had built their nest in the trunk of + our tree, and this led me to think that there might be a void space in it + some way up. "Should this prove to be the case," I said, "our work will be + half done, for we shall then have but to fix the stairs in the tree round + the trunk." The boys got up and went to the top of the root to tap the + trunk, and to judge by the sound how far up the hole went. But they had to + pay for their want of thought; the whole swarm of bees came out as soon as + they heard the noise, stung their cheeks, stuck to their hair and clothes, + and soon put them to flight. + </p> + <p> + We found that Jack, who was at all times rash, had struck the bees' nest + with his axe, and was much more hurt by them than the rest. Ernest, who + went to his work in his slow way, got up to it last, and thus did not get + more than a sting or two, but the rest were some hours ere they could see + out of their eyes. I took a large gourd, which had long been meant to + serve for a hive, and put it on a stand, We then made a straw roof to keep + it from the sun and wind, and as by this time it grew dark, we left the + hive there for the night. + </p> + <p> + Next day, the boys, whose wounds were now quite well, went with me to help + to move the bees to the new home we had made for them. Our first work was + to stop with clay all the holes in the tree but one through which the bees + were wont to go in to their nest. To this I put the bowl of a pipe, and + blew in the smoke of the weed as fast as I could. At first we heard a loud + buzz like the noise of a storm afar off; but the more I blew my pipe the + less grew the sound, till at last the bees were quite still. + </p> + <p> + We now cut out a piece of the trunk, three feet square, and this gave us a + full view of the nest. Our joy was great to find such a stock of wax, for + I could see the comb reached far up the tree. I took some of the comb, in + which the bees lay in swarms, and put it by on the plank. + </p> + <p> + We then put the gourd on the comb that held the swarm, and took care that + the queen bee was not left out. By these means we soon got a hive of fine + bees, and the trunk of the tree was left free for our use. + </p> + <p> + We had now to try the length of the hole. This we did with a long pole, + and found it reached as far up as the branch on which our house stood. + </p> + <p> + We now cut a square hole in that side of the trunk next the sea shore, and + made one of the doors that we had brought from the ship to fit in the + space. We then made the sides smooth all the way up, and with planks and + the staves of some old casks, built up the stairs round a pole which we + made fast in the ground. To do this we had to make a notch in the pole and + one in the side of the trunk for each stair, and thus go up step by step + till we came to the top. Each day we spent a part of our time at what we + could now call the farm, where the beasts and fowls were kept, and did odd + jobs as well, so that we should not make too great a toil of the flight of + stairs, which took us some six weeks to put up. + </p> + <p> + One day Fritz caught a fine EA-GLE, which he tied by the leg to a branch + of the tree, and fed with small birds. It took him a long while to tame, + but in time he taught it to perch on his wrist, and to feed from his hand. + He once let it go, and thought he would have lost it, but the bird knew it + had a good friend, for it came back to the tree at night. From that time + it was left free, though we thought that some day its love of war and wild + sports would tempt it to leave us for the rocks of the sea shore, where + Fritz had first found it. + </p> + <p> + Each of my boys had now some pet to take care of, and, I may say, to + tease, for they all thought they had a fair right to get some fun out of + the pets they could call their own; but they were kind to them, fed them + well, and kept them clean. + </p> + <p> + In what I may term my spare time, which was when I left off work out of + doors, I made a pair of gum shoes for each of my sons, in the way I had + told Fritz it could be done. I do not know what we should have done had we + not found the gum tree, for the stones soon wore out the boots we had, and + we could not have gone through the woods or trod the hard rocks with bare + feet. + </p> + <p> + By this time our sow had brought forth ten young pigs, and the hens had + each a brood of fine chicks. Some we kept near us, but most of them went + to the wood, where my wife said she could find them when she had need to + use them. + </p> + <p> + I knew the time must now be near when, in this clime, the rain comes down + day by day for weeks, and that it would wash us out of The Nest if we did + not make a good roof to our house. Then our live stock would need some + place where they could rest out of the rain. The thatch for The Nest was + of course our first care; then we made a long roof of canes for our live + stock, and on this we spread clay and moss, and then a thick coat of tar, + so that it was rain proof from end to end. This was held up by thick canes + stuck deep in the ground, with planks made fast to them to form the walls, + and round the whole we put a row of cask staves to serve for rails. In + this way we soon had a barn, store room, and hay loft, with stalls for the + cow, the ass, and what else we kept that had need of a place to live in. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0010" id="link2HCH0010"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER X. + </h2> + <p> + FRANK one day found some long leaves, to which, from their shape, he gave + the name of sword leaves. These he brought home to play with, and then, + when he grew tired of them, threw them down. As they lay on the floor, + Fritz took some of them in his hand, and found them so limp, that he said + he could plait them, and make a whip for Frank to drive the sheep and + goats with. As he split them up to do this, I could not but note their + strength. This led me to try them, and I found that we had now a kind of + flax plant, which was a source of great joy to my wife. + </p> + <p> + "You have not yet found a thing," she said, "that will be of more use to + us than this. Go at once and search for some more of these leaves, and + bring me the most you can of them. With these I can make you hose, shirts, + clothes, thread, rope; in short, give me flax, and make me a loom and some + frames, and I shall be at no loss for work when the rain comes." + </p> + <p> + I could not help a smile at my wife's joy when she heard the name of flax; + for there was still much to do ere the leaves could take the shape of + cloth. But two of the boys set off at once to try to find some more of the + flax. + </p> + <p> + While they were gone, my wife, full of new life, and with some show of + pride, told me how I should make the loom by means of which she was to + clothe us from head to foot. In a short time they came back, and brought + with them a good load of the plant, which they laid at her feet. She now + said she would lay by all else till she had tried what she could make of + it. The first thing to be done was to steep the flax. To do this we took + the plant down to the marsh, tied up in small bales, as they pack hemp for + sale. The leaves were then spread out in the pond, and kept down with + stones, and left there in that state till it was time to take them out and + set them in the sun to dry, when they would be so soft that we could peel + them with ease. It was two weeks ere the flax was fit for us to take out + of the marsh. We spread it out on the grass in the sun, where it dried so + quick that we took it home to The Nest the same day. It was then put by + till we could find time to make the wheels, reels, and combs which my wife + said that she would want to turn our new found plant to its best use. + </p> + <p> + We now made haste to lay up a store of canes, nuts, wood, and such things + as we thought we might want; and took care, while it was still fine, to + sow wheat, and all the grain we had left in our bags was soon put in the + ground. The fear that the rain might come and put a stop to our work led + us to take our meals in haste, and to make the days as long as we could + see. We knew the rain was close at hand, for the nights were cold; large + clouds could be seen in the sky, and the wind blew as we had not felt it + since the night our ship had struck on the rock. + </p> + <p> + The great change came at last. One night we were woke up out of our sleep + with the noise made by the rush of the wind through the woods, and we + could hear the loud roar of the sea far off. Then the dense storm clouds + which we had seen in the sky burst on us, and the rain came down in + floods. The streams, pools, and ponds on all sides were soon full, and the + whole plain round us met our view as one vast lake. By good luck, the site + of our house stood up out of the flood, and our group of trees had the + look of a small isle in the midst of the lake. + </p> + <p> + We soon found that The Nest was not built so well as we thought, for the + rain came in at the sides, and we had good cause to fear that the wind + would blow the roof off. Once the storm made such a rush at it that we + heard the beams creak, and the planks gave signs that there was more + strain on them than they could bear. This drove us from our room to the + stairs in the trunk, on which we sat in a state of fear till the worst of + the storm was past. Then we went down to the shed we had built on the + ground at the root of the tree, and made the best shift we could. All our + stores were kept here, so that the space was too small to hold us, and the + smell from the beasts made it far from a fit place for six of us to dwell + in; but it was at least safe for a time, and this was of course the first + thing to be thought of. To dress our food we had to make a fire in the + barn, and as there was no place to let out the smoke, it got down our + throats and made us cough all the day long. + </p> + <p> + It was now for the first time that my wife gave a sigh for her old Swiss + home. But we all knew that it was of no use to grieve, and each set to + work to do all he could to make the place look neat and clean. Some of our + stores we took up the stairs out of our way, and this gave us more room. + As we had cut square holes in the trunk of the tree all the way up, and + put in frames of glass that we got from the ship, my wife could sit on the + stairs, with Frank at her feet, and mend our clothes. Each day I drove + from the barn such beasts as could bear to be out in the rain. That we + might not lose them, I tied bells round their necks; and if we found that + they did not come back when the sun went down, Fritz and I went out to + bring them in. We oft got wet through to the skin, which gave us a chill, + and might have laid us up if my wife had not made cloth capes and hoods + for us to wear. To make these rain proof, I spread some of the gum on them + while hot, and this, when dry, had the look of oil cloth, and kept the + head, arms, chest, and back free from damp. Our gum boots came far up our + legs, so that we could go out in the rain and come back quite free from + cold and damp. + </p> + <p> + We made but few fires, for the air was not cold, save for an hour or two + late at night, and we did not cook more than we could help, but ate the + dried meat, fowls, and fish we had by us. + </p> + <p> + The care of our beasts took us a great part of the day; then we made our + cakes and set them to bake in a tin plate on a slow fire. I had cut a hole + in the wall to give us light, and put a pane of glass in it to keep out + the wind, but the thick clouds hid the sun from the earth, and the shade + of the tree threw a gloom round our barn, so that our day light was but + short, and night came on far too soon. We then made use of our wax lights, + and all sat round a bench. My wife had as much as she could well do to + mend the rents we made in our clothes. I kept a log, In which I put down, + day by day, what we did and what we had seen; and then Ernest wrote this + out in a neat, clear hand, and made a book of it. Fritz and Jack drew the + plants, trees, and beasts which they had found, and these were stuck in + our book. Each night we took it in turns to read the Word of God, and then + all knelt down to pray ere we went to bed. Ours was not a life of ease, it + is true, but it was one of peace and hope; and we felt that God had been + so kind to us that it would be a great sin to wish for what it did not + please Him to grant us. + </p> + <p> + My wife did all she could to cheer us, and it was no strange thing for us + to find that while we were out in the rain with the live stock, she had + made some new dish, which we would scent as soon as we put our heads in at + the door. One night it was a thrush pie, the next a roast fowl, or some + wild duck soup; and once in a while she would give us a grand feast, and + bring out some of all the good things we had in store. + </p> + <p> + In the course of our stay in doors we made up our minds that we would not + spend the next time of storm and rain, when it should come round, in the + same place. The Nest would serve us well in that time of year when it was + fine and dry, but we should have to look out for some spot where we could + build a house that would keep us from the rain the next time the storms + came. + </p> + <p> + Fritz thought that we might find a cave, or cut one out of the rocks by + the sea shore. I told him that this would be a good plan, but would take a + long while to do. By this time the boys were all well used to hard work, + and they thought they would much like to try their skill at some new kind + of work. + </p> + <p> + "Well," said I, "we will go to the rocks round Tent House the first fine + day that comes, and try to find some place that will serve to keep us from + the next year's storms." + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0011" id="link2HCH0011"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XI. + </h2> + <p> + I CAN not tell how glad we all were when we at last saw a change in the + sky, and felt once more the warm rays of the sun. In a few days the floods + sank in the earth, and left the ground of a bright green hue; the air grew + warm and dry, and there were no more dark clouds to be seen in the sky. + </p> + <p> + We found our young trees had put forth new leaves, and the seed we had + sown had come up through the moist ground. The air had a fresh sweet + smell, for it bore the scent of the bloom which hung like snow flakes on + the boughs of the fruit trees; the songs and cries of the birds were to be + heard on all sides, and we could see them fly from tree to tree in search + of twigs to build their nests. This in fact was the spring of the year, + when all things put forth new life; and we knew that the time was now come + when we could once more range the woods and till the soil, and this made + the boys leap for joy. + </p> + <p> + Some planks had been blown off the roof of The Nest, and the rain had got + in here and there; so our first job was to mend our house, and make it fit + to sleep in. + </p> + <p> + This done, Jack, Fritz, and I set out to Tent House. We found it in a sad + state. The storm had thrown down the tent, blown off some of the sail + cloth, and let in the rain on our casks, some of which held a store of + food. Our boat was still safe, but the raft of tubs had broken Lip, and + what there was left of it lay in splints on the shore. + </p> + <p> + Our loss in the storm had been so great that I felt we ought at once to + seek for some place on the rocks where we could put what was left. + </p> + <p> + We went all round the cliffs, in the hope that we might find a cave, but + in vain. + </p> + <p> + "There is no way but to hew one out of the rock", said Fritz, "we must not + be beat." + </p> + <p> + "Well said, Fritz," said Jack; "we have each an axe. Why not try this + cliff at once?" + </p> + <p> + I gave them leave to try, and we soon set to work at the rock. From this + spot we had a good view of the whole bay, and could see both banks of the + stream. + </p> + <p> + With a piece of chalk I made a mark on the side of the cliff, to show the + width and height that the cave should be cut. Then each took an axe to try + what kind of stuff our rock was made of. We found it a hard kind of stone; + and, as we were not used to this sort of work, we had not done much when + the time came for us to leave off. + </p> + <p> + We came back next day, and got on with more speed, though we thought it + would not take us less than six months to make the cave, if our work were + done at the same rate each day. + </p> + <p> + At the end of five or six days we had got through the face of the rock, + and we found the stone soft. In a day or two more we came to what was but + hard clay, which gave way at a slight blow from the axe. + </p> + <p> + "We need not fear now," said I, "for we shall soon have a hole as large as + we want." + </p> + <p> + With the earth we took out we made a ridge in front of the cliff. The boys + now got on so well, and dug so much out, that I had hard work to throw up + the earth on the bank. + </p> + <p> + One day, as Jack stuck his pick in at the back of the cave, which was now + more than eight feet from the front, a great mass of the rock fell in, and + he cried out, "Look here! I have got through." + </p> + <p> + "Through what?" said I. "Not through your hand, I hope." + </p> + <p> + "No, no, but through the rock." + </p> + <p> + At this, Fritz set up a loud laugh. + </p> + <p> + "Why not say through the world at once, and push your crow bar in till you + reach EU-ROPE, which, Ernest says, lies in a straight line from our feet. + I should like to have a peep down, such a hole, for I might thus get a + sight of our dear Swiss home." + </p> + <p> + Fritz and I went up to the wall and found that Jack was right, for he had + come to a clear space. His first thought was to jump in; but as I knew + that there might be foul air in the cave, I would not let him risk his + life. + </p> + <p> + The boys then set fire to some dry grass, and thrust it in the hole, but + it went out at once, which was a sure sign that the air was not fit to + breathe. + </p> + <p> + I knew that we had brought from the wreck a box full of fire works, which + were used on board to make signs to ships far out at sea. I sent Fritz to + Tent House for these, though I thought that they might be too damp to make + use of. When he came back, I set light to some of them, and threw them in + the hole. They flew round, and threw out a stream of sparks that lit up + the cave. When these were burnt out, we put in a heap of straw and threw a + light on it. This was now soon in a blaze, and gave us a clear view of the + cave; but it was too deep for us to see the end. + </p> + <p> + Our joy was so great that we sent Jack off home to The Nest to tell the + good news, and to bring back some wax lights. I did not deem it safe for + us to go in the cave in the dark, for there might be pools or deep dry + pits in the ground. + </p> + <p> + Fritz and I had just thrown up on the bank the last spade full of earth + that had been dug out, when we heard a loud shout. We got up on the top of + the cave, and saw that Jack had brought back a tribe at his heels. The + large cart, drawn by the cow and the ass, came on at a slow pace, led by + Jack on a black ox, and in it were my wife, Frank, and Ernest. + </p> + <p> + By the help of a flint and steel I soon lit some of the wax lights, and + gave one to each. I went in first and led the way, and the rest kept close + at my back. We had not gone on more than a few steps when we came to a + dead stop, struck with awe at the grand sight that met our view. The walls + and roof of the cave were lit up, as it were, with star-like gems, while + some hung down like glass drops from the roof, and some rose up from the + ground at its sides like blocks of spar. I broke off a piece and put it on + my tongue. + </p> + <p> + "What does it taste like?" said Jack. + </p> + <p> + "I find," said I, "that we are in a cave of rock salt." + </p> + <p> + "We shall not have to scrape the rocks to get our salt now," said Ernest, + "for there is more here than would serve a whole town for a lifetime." + </p> + <p> + When we went back to The Nest that night we laid out a plan for our new + home, for there could be no doubt that the cave was the best place for us + to dwell in, though we should still sleep in The Nest when we went on that + side of the stream. + </p> + <p> + The next day we all set to work; the floor of the cave was quite smooth, + and the walls dry, so that we could build at once. We first cut holes in + the sides of the rock to let in the light, and then brought frames and + panes of glass from The Nest, and put them in. We then brought all the + planks and wood we could find, and built a strong wall in the midst of the + cave. On the right side of this wall we made three rooms, two of which + were to be used as bed rooms, and one to take our meals in. On the left + side was a room for my wife to cook in, one to work in, to which we gave + the name of the shop, and a place with stalls in it for our live stock. At + the back of these was a store house, where we could keep our stock of food + and the whole of our spare goods. + </p> + <p> + I need not say that it took us some months to do all this, nor that we had + to toil hard day by day, from morn till night, ere we got to the end of + our task; but the end did come at last, and then the joy we felt that we + had done all this with our own hands more than paid us for our toil. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0012" id="link2HCH0012"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XII. + </h2> + <p> + OUR fields near Tent House had by this time brought forth good crops of + wheat, maize, beans, and peas; but as the work of the Cave had for some + weeks kept us on this side of the stream, we did not know in what state we + should find our crops at The Nest. + </p> + <p> + One day we all set out for our old home. We found our corn fields of a + rich brown hue, and saw that the wheat was, for the most part, fit to + reap. This, and a large patch of rye we cut down, and, as we did so, whole + flocks of birds took to wing when we got near them, while quails were seen + to run off at the sight of our dogs, who had no lack of sport that day. + </p> + <p> + We laid by the seed that was quite ripe till the time should come for us + to sow it, and put the rest in sacks. Some of the wheat was laid up in + sheaves till we should have time to beat out the grain. + </p> + <p> + When we left The Nest for the Cave, we could not find the hand mill that + we had brought from the ship. This now came to light, and we took care to + pack it up to take with us, as we should want it to grind our corn. + </p> + <p> + That night we slept once more in the great tree; but I must say that we + did not now sleep so sound there as we used to do, nor did we feel so safe + as we did in our rooms at Rock House. + </p> + <p> + The next day we were to start a plan by means of which our live stock + would not want so much of our care. They had bred so fast that we could + well spare some of them, and these I thought might be left in some place + to seek their own food, and yet be in reach should we want them. + </p> + <p> + My wife took from her hen roost ten young fowls, and I took four young + pigs, four sheep, and two goats. These we put in our large cart, with such + tools as we thought we should need, tied the black ox, the cow, and the + ass to the shafts, and then set off from The Nest. + </p> + <p> + We had to cross a wide plain, and here we met with some dwarf plants on + which, as Jack would have it, grew snow balls. + </p> + <p> + Fritz ran to see what they were, and brought me a twig to which clung + balls of snow white down. I held it up to show my wife, for I knew the + sight would please her still more than her sons. + </p> + <p> + "See," said I, "this is the COT-TON plant, which you have oft tried to + find. It seems to grow here as thick as weeds, and, if I am a judge, it is + of the best kind." + </p> + <p> + We got as much of this as our bags would hold, and my wife took care to + pluck some of the ripe seed, that we might raise a crop in our grounds at + Tent House. + </p> + <p> + At the end of the plain we came to the brow of a high hill, from which the + eye fell on a view the like of which we had not yet seen. Trees of all + kinds grew on the sides of the hill, and a clear stream ran through the + plain at its base, and shone bright in the rays of the sun. + </p> + <p> + We said at once that this should be the site of our new farm. Close by we + found a group of trees, the trunks of which, as they stood, would do for + the main props of the house. + </p> + <p> + I had long had a mind to build a boat, and here I at last came on a tree + that would suit. Fritz and I went for a mile or two in search of what we + could find, and by the time we came back my wife had put up our tent for + the night. We then all sat down to sup, and went to rest on beds made of + the bags of the white down that we brought from the trees on the plain. + </p> + <p> + The next day we rose at dawn. The trees which were to form the frame of + our farm house stood on a piece of land eight yards long by five wide. I + made a deep cut in each of the trunks, ten feet from the ground, and put + up cross beams to form a roof, on which we laid some bark in such a way + that the rain would run off. + </p> + <p> + We were hard at work for some days at the Farm House. The walls we built + of thin laths and long reeds, wove close for six feet from the ground, but + the rest we made of thin cross bars to let in both light and air. We made + racks to store bay and such like food for the live stock, and put by some + grain for the fowls, for our plan was to come from time to time to feed + them, till they got used to the place. + </p> + <p> + Our work took us more time than we thought; and as our store of food got + low, we sent Fritz and Jack home to bring us a fresh stock, and to feed + the beasts we had left at Tent House. + </p> + <p> + While they were gone, Ernest and I made a tour of the woods for some miles + round the new Farm. We first took the course of the stream that ran by the + foot of the hill. Some way up we came to a marsh on the edge of a small + lake, and here in the swamp grew a kind of wild rice, now ripe on the + stalk, round which flew flocks of birds. We shot five or six of these, and + I was glad to note the skill with which Ernest now used his gun. I took + some of the rice, that my wife might judge how far it was of use to us as + food. + </p> + <p> + We went quite round the lake, and saw plants and trees that were not known + to me, and birds that Ernest said he had not seen in any of the woods near + The Nest. But we were most struck with the sight of a pair of black swans, + and a troop of young ones that came in their train. Ernest would have shot + at them, but I told him not to kill what we did not want for use. + </p> + <p> + We did not get back till late in the day. Jack and Fritz, whom we met just + as we came round the foot of the bill, had done their task well, for they + had a good stock of food in a sack that lay on the back of the ass, and + they brought the good news that all was well at home. + </p> + <p> + We spent four more days at the Farm, and then left it in such a state as + to be fit for our use when we chose to go back to it. + </p> + <p> + The Farm House was but a part of our plan, for we had made up our minds to + build a sort of half way house, or cot, in which we could rest on our way + to the Farm. This took us six days to do. The spot we chose lay by the + side of a brook, and was just such a place as would tempt, one to stop and + rest in the shade of the trees, that grew on the bank. While at the brook, + I made a boat out of the tree we found at the Farm, and took it back with + us to Tent House in the cart. + </p> + <p> + We had still two months ere the rain would set in, and this left us time + to put the last touch to our cave. We laid the whole floor with clay, and + spread on it some fine sand, which we beat down till it was quite smooth + and firm. On this we put sail cloth, and threw down goat's hair and wool + made moist with gum. This was well beat, and, when dry, made a kind of + felt mat that was warm and soft to tread on, and would keep the damp from + our feet. + </p> + <p> + By the time these works were done, our cave was in a fit state for us to + dwell in. We did not now dread the rain, for we were safe out of its + reach, and there was no need that we should go out in it. We had a warm + light shop to work in by day, a snug place where we could take our meals + and dry bed rooms in which we could sleep in peace. Our live stock we kept + in a shed at the back of the cave, and our store room held all that we + could want. + </p> + <p> + When the rain at length set in, we all had some task that kept us close at + work in the cave. My wife took her wheel or her loom, both of which I had + made for her, for this kind of work fell to her share from choice. By the + help of the wheels of one of the ship's guns I had made a lathe, and with + this I could turn legs for stools and chairs. Ernest, too, was fond of the + lathe, and soon learned to do such work quite as well as I. + </p> + <p> + At dusk, when we had done our work for the day, we brought out our stock + of books, and sat down to read by the light of a lamp. + </p> + <p> + At times, Jack and Prank would play a tune on their flutes, which I had + made out of reeds; and my wife, who had a sweet voice, would sing some of + the old Swiss songs, that brought to our minds the joys of home. + </p> + <p> + Though we were by no means dull, nor in want of work to fill up our time, + we were glad when the time came for the rain to cease, and when we could + gaze once more on the green fields. We went out the first fine day, and + took a long walk by the base of the cliff. On the shore we found a dead + whale, which the sea had no doubt thrown up in the storm. We had long felt + the need of oil; for though we had a lamp, we had naught but our wax + lights to put in it, and these gave a poor light to read by. The next day + we cut up the whale, and put the flesh in tubs. It was far from a clean + job, for the oil ran down our clothes and made them smell; but as we could + change them for new ones, thanks to the hemp and my wife's skill, we did + not mind that, for the oil was now worth more to us than our clothes, + though at one time we should not have thought so. + </p> + <p> + One day we all set out on a tour to the Farm. Jack and Frank had gone on + first, while my wife and I were as yet close to the Cave. All at once the + boys came back, and Fritz said, "Look at that strange thing on its way up + the path. What can it be?" + </p> + <p> + I cast my eye on the spot and cried out, "Fly all of you to the Cave! fly + for your lives!" for I saw it was a huge snake, or boa, that would make a + meal of one of us, if we did not get out of its way. + </p> + <p> + We all ran in doors, and put bars up to the door of the Cave. A large dove + cote had been made on the roof, and to this we got up through a hole in + the rock. + </p> + <p> + Ernest took aim with his gun, and shot at the snake, so did Fritz and + Jack, but it gave no sign that they had hit it. I then tried my skill, but + it did not seem to feel my shot any more than theirs, though I was sure I + must have struck its head. Just as we took aim at it once more, we saw it + turn round and glide through the reeds in the marsh. + </p> + <p> + Our fears kept us for three long days in the Cave. The snake gave no sign + that could lead us to think it was still near, but the ducks and geese had + left the spot where their nests were, and this we knew to be a bad sign. + On the fourth day I went to the door, with a view to let out some of the + beasts to graze, for we were short of food for them. The ass was just at + my back, and as soon as it saw the light, made a rush to get out. Off it + went, straight to the sands, with its heels in the air, but just as it got + to the marsh we saw the boa glide out from the reeds, part its wide jaws + and make for its prey. The ass at once saw its foe, but stood still as if + struck with fear, and in less time than I take to tell it, our old friend + was tight in the folds of the boa. + </p> + <p> + This was a sad sight for all of us, yet we could not take our eyes off the + snake, but saw it crush the poor beast, and then gorge its prey. When it + had put the whole of the ass out of sight, it lay down on the sand quite + still, as if it had gone to sleep or died. + </p> + <p> + "Now is the time to seal the fate of our foe," said I to Fritz; and with + that we went out with our guns. When we got near, we both took a straight + aim, and each put a ball in its head. This made it move with a start, and + writhe as if in pain. + </p> + <p> + "See how its eyes glare on us with rage. Now load your gun, and let us put + a bit more lead in him." + </p> + <p> + Our next shot went in his eyes. It then shook as with a strong spasm, and + fell dead on the sand. + </p> + <p> + A shout of joy brought my wife and the three boys to the spot. The state + of fear they had been kept in for three whole days had made them quite + ill, but now the joy of Jack and Frank knew no bounds, for they leaped on + the snake and beat it as if they would go mad. + </p> + <p> + My wife said that the death of the boa took a great weight off her mind, + for she thought it would lie in wait for us near the Cave, starve us out, + and then kill us as it had done the poor ass. + </p> + <p> + We slit up the snake, and took out the flesh of the ass, which the boys + laid in a grave near Tent House. The boa's skin we hung up at the door of + the Cave, over which Ernest wrote the words, "No ass to be found here," + which we all thought to be a good joke. + </p> + <p> + One day late in the spring I went with my three sons a long way from the + Cave. My wife and Frank were left at our Half Way House, to wait till we + came back, but the dogs went with us. Our route lay far up the course of a + small stream, which had its source some miles north of the Farm House. The + ground was new to us, but we could not well lose our way, for on the right + stood a hill from which we could see the whole of the plain. + </p> + <p> + Ernest had gone with one of the dogs to a cave that he had spied at the + foot of the hill, but we saw him turn round and run back with Turk at his + heels. As soon as he thought his voice would reach us, he cried out, "A + bear! A bear! come to my help!" + </p> + <p> + We could now see that there were two great beasts at the mouth of the + cave. At a word from us both the dogs, flew to fight the bear that stood + in front. + </p> + <p> + Fritz took up his post at my side, while Jack and Ernest kept in the rear. + Our first shot was "a miss," as Jack said; but we took a sure aim the next + time, and both shots told. We would have let fly at them once more from + this spot, but as we thought we might hit our brave dogs, who were now in + the heat of a hard fight with their foes, we ran up close to them. + </p> + <p> + "Now, Fritz," said I, "take a straight aim at the head of the first, while + I fire on the one at his back." + </p> + <p> + We both shot at once; the bears gave a loud growl, and then, with a moan, + fell dead at our feet. + </p> + <p> + As it was now time to go back, we put the bears in the cave, but took care + to cut off their paws, which form a dish fit to grace the feast of a king. + </p> + <p> + We had a long walk back to the place where I had left my wife. The boys + told her what a hard fight the dogs had with the bears, and how Fritz and + I had shot them, and then gave her the paws. With the aid of Frank she had + fed our live stock and brought in wood to make up our watch fire for the + night, so we sat down to sup at once, and then went to rest. + </p> + <p> + Next day we put our beasts to the cart and drove as far as the bear's den. + As we came near to the spot a flock of birds flew out of the mouth of the + cave, two or three of which Fritz brought down with his gun. It took us + the whole day to cut up the bears. The hams were laid by to be smoke + dried; while my wife took charge of the fat and the skins. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0013" id="link2HCH0013"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XIII. + </h2> + <p> + WE had now so much work to do, and the days and weeks came and went so + quick, that I do not think we should have known the time of year had it + not been for our log. + </p> + <p> + Some days were spent at the Cave, where we made our goods, ground our + flour, stored our food, and kept our tame live stock. Then we had to take + care of our crops in the fields near The Nest, and this took us two or + three days in each month. Once in ten days at least we went to the Farm on + the hill, and at the same time made a call at the Half Way House; so that + there was not a day that we had not our hands quite full. Now and then we + went out to hunt for sport or to add to our stock of beasts, which had + grown so large that there were few we could name that had not been caught + and brought home. We had birds of the air, fowls of the land, and beasts + of all kinds' from the great black ox of the plain to the small wild + RAB-BIT that came and made its hole close by our cave. + </p> + <p> + But there was one bird that we had not yet caught, though we had seen it + two or three times in the woods. This was the OS-TRICH. Fritz found a nest + with some eggs in it, and this led us to make a tour with a view to catch + one of the old birds. We rose that day ere it was light, and set out at + dawn, each on the back of a good steed. + </p> + <p> + As we should have to hunt through the woods, my wife was left at home; and + Ernest, who did not like rough work, chose to stay with her. We made it a + rule to take one of the dogs with us when we went out to hunt, but on this + day we thought it wise to let them both come. + </p> + <p> + Fritz took us straight to where he had seen the nest, which was not more + than a few miles up the stream. When we came in sight of the spot, we saw + four great birds, as if on their way to meet us. As they drew near we kept + the dogs well in, and made no noise, so that they did not stop till they + came near us. + </p> + <p> + Fritz had brought his Ea-gle with him, which he now let fly. At one swoop + the bird came down on the head of the Os-trich, held on with its beak, and + struck out its wings with great force, as if to stun it. + </p> + <p> + We now rode up close to the scene of war. Jack first flung a cord round + the legs of the bird, which made it fall to the ground. I then threw my + pouch on its head, and, strange to say, it lay down as still as a lamb. + </p> + <p> + I now tied both its legs with cords, but left it just room to walk. We + then made it fast to the two bulls that had brought Jack and Frank all the + way from home, and put one of them on each side. They next got up on their + steeds, and I took the pouch from the head of the bird. As soon as it + could see, it gave a wild stare, and then fought to get free. + </p> + <p> + The boys then put spurs to the flanks of their steeds, and when the bird + had made a few starts back, as if to try the strength of the cords which + held it, it set off with a run, and the bulls at each side made it keep up + a smart pace. + </p> + <p> + Fritz and I now went in search of the nest, which we soon found. I took + the eggs from it and put them in a bag I had brought to hold them, in + which I put some wool and moss, so that they should not break. + </p> + <p> + It did not take us long to get up to the two boys, who had gone on first, + and we were glad to find that the poor bird had made up its mind to its + fate, and kept up well with the pace of the bulls. + </p> + <p> + When we got in sight of home, my wife and Ernest, who had been on the look + out for us, came forth to meet us; and the strange way in which we brought + home our new prize made them laugh. I need not say that we took great care + of it. + </p> + <p> + The next day we built it a house, with a space in front for it to walk up + and down, round which were put rails, so that it could not get out. At + first it was shy, and would not take any food, so that we had to force + some balls of maize down its throat; but in a short time it took grain + from the hands of my wife, and soon grew quite tame. + </p> + <p> + The boys now set to work to break it in for use. They taught it first to + bear them on its back. Then they put a pair of string reins in its mouth, + and made it turn which way they chose to pull, and to walk, or run, or + stand still, as it was bid. Thus, in a month from the time we caught it, + the boys made it take them on its back to and from the Farm or The Nest, + in less than half the time an ox would go; so that it came to be the best + steed we had to ride on. + </p> + <p> + The eggs we found in the nest were put in a warm dry place, and though we + scarce thought our care would bring live birds out of the shells, we had + the joy to hatch three of them, and this led us to hope that we should ere + long have a steed for each of our sons. + </p> + <p> + My work at this time was by no means light. Our hats and caps were all + worn out, and with skins of the musk cat I had to make new ones. The + bears' skins were laid in the sun to dry, and of these we made fur coats, + which would keep us warm when the cold wet nights came round, and there + were some left to serve as quilts or rugs for our beds. + </p> + <p> + I now tried my hand at a new craft. I dug some clay out of the bed of the + stream, and taught the boys to knead it up with sand, and some talc that + had been ground as fine as road drift. I had made a lathe with a wheel, + and by its aid the clay left my bands in the shape of plates, cups, pots, + and pans. We then burnt them in a rude kiln, and though at least one half + broke with the heat and our want of skill, still those that came out whole + more than paid me for my toil, and kept up my wife's stock of delf. Some + of the jars were set round with red and blue beads, and these were put on + a shelf as works of art, and kept full of long dried grass. + </p> + <p> + The time was now at hand when we must reap our grain and store the ripe + crops that were still on the ground; and, in fact, there was so much to be + done, that we scarce knew what to do first. The truth must be told that + our wants did not keep pace with the growth of our wealth, for the land + was rich, and we had but a few mouths to fill. + </p> + <p> + We knew that we might leave the roots in the ground for some time, as the + soil was dry, but that the grain would soon spoil; so we made the corn our + first care. When it was all cut and brought home, our next task was to + thresh it. The floor of our store room was now as hard as a rock, for the + sun had dried it, and there was not a crack to be seen. On this we laid + the ears of ripe corn, from which the long straw had been cut, and sent + the boys to bring in such of our live stock as were fit for the work to be + next done. + </p> + <p> + Jack and Fritz were soon on the backs of their steeds, and thought it fine + fun to make them course round the floor and tread out the grain. Ernest + and I had each a long fork, with which we threw the corn at their feet, so + that all of it might be trod on. The ox on which Jack sat put down his + head and took a bunch of the ears in his mouth. + </p> + <p> + "Come," said Jack, "it is not put there for you to eat, off you go!" and + with that he gave it a lash with his whip. + </p> + <p> + "Nay," said I, "do you not know what God has said in his Word? We must not + bind up the mouth of the ox that treads out the corn. This brings to my + mind the fact that the means we now take to thresh our wheat were those + used by the Jews in the days of old." + </p> + <p> + To sort the chaff from the grain we threw it up with our spades while the + land or sea breeze blew strong. The draught which came in at the door took + the light chaff with it to one side of the room, while the grain fell + straight to the ground by its own weight. + </p> + <p> + The maize we left to dry in the sun, and then beat out the grain with long + skin thongs. By this means we got a store of the soft leaves of this + plant, which my wife made use of to stuff our beds. + </p> + <p> + When all the grain had been put in our store room, some in sacks and the + rest in dry casks, we took a walk one day to our fields, and found that + flocks of birds, most of which were quails, had come there to feed. This + gave us a fine day's sport with our guns, and the next year we did not + fail to look for them, so that the fields were made to yield a stock of + game as well as a crop of grain. + </p> + <p> + With but slight change in our mode of life, we spent ten long years in our + strange home. Yet the time did not seem long to us. Each day brought with + it quite as much work as we could do, so that weeks and months and years + flew past, till at last we gave up all hope that we should leave the isle + or see our old Swiss home, the thought of which was still dear to us. + </p> + <p> + But the lapse of ten years had wrought a great change in our sons. Frank, + who was but a mere child when we first came, had grown up to be a strong + youth; and Jack was as brave a lad as one could wish to see. Fritz, of + course, was now a young man, and took a large share of the work off my + hands. Ernest had just come of age, and his shrewd mode of thought and + great tact was as great a help to us as was the strength and skill of the + rest. + </p> + <p> + To crown all, it was a rare thing for them to be ill; and they were free + from those sins which too oft tempt young men to stray from the right + path. My wife and I did our best to train them, so that they might know + right from wrong; and it gave us great joy to find that what we told them + sunk deep in their hearts, and, like ripe seed sown in rich soil, brought + forth good fruit. + </p> + <p> + I need not say that in the course of ten years we had made great strides + in those arts which our wants had first led us to learn. When we first + came the land near Tent House was a bare waste; now it bore fine crops, + and was kept as neat as a Swiss farm. At the foot of the hill by the side + of Rock Cave was a large plot of ground, which we laid out in beds, and + here we grew herbs and shrubs, and such plants as we used for food. Near + this we dug a pond, and by means of a sluice which led from the stream, we + kept our plants fresh in times of drought. Nor was this the sole use we + made of the pond; for in it we kept small fish and crabs, and took them + out with a rod and line when we had need of food, and time to spare for + that kind of sport. In the ground round the mouth of the Cave we drove a + row of strong canes, bound at the top to a piece of wood, so as to form a + fence, up which grew a vine, and, at each side, plants that threw a good + show of gay bloom crept up to meet it. Shells of great size and strange + shapes were got from the shore, and these we built up here and there with + burnt clay, so as to form clumps of rock work, on which grew ferns and + rare plants. All this gave a charm to our home, and made the grounds round + it a source of joy when, we laid by our work for the day. In fact, we + thought there was now scarce a thing to wish for that we had not got. + </p> + <p> + Our cares were few, and our life was as full of joy and peace as we could + well wish; yet I oft cast a look on the sea, in the hope that some day I + should spy a sail, and once more greet a friend from the wide world from + which we had been so long shut out. This hope, vague as it was, led me to + store up such things as would bring a price, if we had the chance to sell + them; they might prove a source of wealth to us if a ship came that way, + or would at least help to pay the charge of a cruise back to the land we + came from. + </p> + <p> + It is but just to say that the boys did not share my hopes, nor did they + seem to wish that we should leave the place where they had been brought + up. It was their world, and the cave, to which we gave the name Rock + House, was more dear to them than any spot on the earth. + </p> + <p> + "Go back!" Fritz would say; "to leave our cave, that we dug with our own + hands; to part with our dear kind beasts and birds; to bid good-by to our + farms, and so much that is our own, and which no one in the world wants. + No, no! You can not wish us to leave such a spot." + </p> + <p> + My dear wife and I both felt that age would soon creep on us, and we could + not help some doubts as to the fate of our sons. Should we stay and end + our days here, some one of us would out-live the rest, and this thought + came oft to my mind, and brought with it a sense of dread I could not get + rid of. It made me pray to God that He would save us all from so dire a + fate as to die far from the sound of the voice of man, with no one to hear + our last words, or lay us in the earth when He should call us to our rest. + </p> + <p> + My wife did not share this dread. "Why should we go back?" she would say. + "We have here all that we can wish for. The boys lead a life of health, + free from sin, and live with us, which might not be the case if we went + out in the world. Let us leave our fate in the hands of God." + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0014" id="link2HCH0014"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XIV. + </h2> + <p> + As Fritz and Ernest were now men, they were of course free to go where + they chose, and to come back when their will led them home. Thus, from + time to time they took long trips, and went far from Rock House. They had + fine boats and strong steeds, and of these they made such good use that + there was scarce a spot for leagues round that was not well known to them. + </p> + <p> + At one time, Fritz had been so long from home that we had a dread lest he + should have lost his way, or fallen a prey to wild beasts. When he came + back he told us a long tale of what he had seen and where he had been, and + how he had brought with him birds, beasts, moths, and such strange things + as he thought Ernest would like to see. When he had done, he drew me out + into our grounds and said he had a strange thing to tell me. It seems that + he found a piece of white cloth tied to the foot of a bird which he had + struck down with a stick, on which were these words: "Save a poor soul, + who is on the rock from which you may see the smoke rise." + </p> + <p> + He thought that this rock could not be far off, and that he ought to set + off at once in search of it. + </p> + <p> + "I have a thought," said he; "I will tie a piece of cloth, like that I + found, to the leg of the bird, and on it I will write, 'Have faith in God: + help is near.' If the bird goes back to the place from whence it came, our + brief note may reach the eye of the lone one in the rock. At any rate, it + can do no harm, and may do some good." + </p> + <p> + He at once took the bird, which was an AL-BA-TROSS, tied the strip of + cloth to its foot, and let it go. + </p> + <p> + "And now," said he, "tell me what you think of this. If we should, find a + new friend, what a source of joy it will be. Will you join me in the + search?" + </p> + <p> + "To be sure I will," said I; "and so shall the rest; but we will not yet + tell them of this." + </p> + <p> + They were all glad to take a trip in the large boat, but they could not + make out why we went in such haste. + </p> + <p> + "The fact is," said Jack, "Fritz has found some queer thing on the coast + that he can't bring home, and wants us to see it. But I dare say we shall + know what it all means in good time." + </p> + <p> + Fritz was our guide, and went first in his bark boat, or CA-NOE. In this + he could go round the rocks and shoals that girt the coast, which would + not have been safe for the large boat. He went up all the small creeks we + met with on the way, and kept a sharp look-out for the smoke by which he + would know the rock we came out to find. + </p> + <p> + I must tell you that once when he came to these parts with Ernest he met + with a TI-GER, and would have lost his life had it not been for his pet + Ea-gle. The brave bird, to save Fritz from the beast, made a swoop down on + its head. Fritz thus got off with a scratch or two, but the poor bird was + struck dead by a blow from the paw of its foe. This was a sad loss to + Fritz, for his pet had been a kind friend, and would go with him at all + times when he went far from home. + </p> + <p> + There was scarce a spot we came to that did not bring to the mind of one + of us some such tale as this, so that we were full of talk while the boat + bore us on. + </p> + <p> + We had been out some days, but could find no trace of what we went in + search. I rose from my berth at dawn, and went on deck with Fritz. I told + him that as we had no clue to the place, we must now give up the search. + He did not seem to like this, but no more was said. That day we spent on + shore, and came back to our boat to sleep at night. Next day we were to + change our course, and trace our way back, for the wind now blew from the + sea. + </p> + <p> + When I went on deck next day I found a short note from Fritz, in which he + told me that he could not give up the search, but had gone some way up the + coast in his small boat. "Let me beg of you," he wrote, "to lie in wait + for me here till I come back." + </p> + <p> + When he had been gone two days, I felt that I ought to tell my wife the + cause of our trip, as it might ease her mind, and she now had some fear + lest her son should not be safe. She heard me to the end, and then said + that she was sure he would not fail, but soon bring back good news. + </p> + <p> + As we were all on the look-out for Fritz, we saw his boat a long way off. + </p> + <p> + "There is no one with him in the boat," said I to my wife; "that does not + say much for our hopes." + </p> + <p> + "Oh, where have you been?" said the boys, all at once, as he came on + board. But they scarce got a word from him. He then drew me on one side, + and said, with a smile of joy, "What do you think is the news I bring?" + </p> + <p> + "Let me hear it," said I. + </p> + <p> + "Then I have found what I went forth to seek, and our search has not been + in vain." + </p> + <p> + "And who is it that you have found?" + </p> + <p> + "Not a man," he said, "but a girl. The dress she wears is that of a man, + and she does not wish at first that her sex should be known to more that + we can help, for she would not like to meet Ernest and the rest in that + state, if they knew that she was a girl. And, strange to tell," said + Fritz, "she has been on shore three years." + </p> + <p> + While I went to tell the news to my wife, Fritz had gone down to his berth + to change his clothes, and I must say that he took more care to look neat + in his dress than was his wont at home. + </p> + <p> + He was not long, and when he came on deck he bid me say no word to the + rest of whom he had found. He leaped like a frog in to his light craft, + and led the way. We were soon on our course through the rocks and shoals, + and an hour's sail, with the aid of a good breeze, brought us to a small + tract of land, the trees of which hid the soil from our view. + </p> + <p> + Here we got close in to the shore, and made our bark safe. We all got out, + and ran up the banks, led by the marks that Fritz had made in the soil + with his feet. We soon found a path that led to a clump of trees, and + there saw a hut, with a fire in front, from which rose a stream of smoke. + </p> + <p> + As we drew near I could see that the boys did not know what to make of it, + for they gave me a stare, as if to ask what they were to see next. They + did not know how to give vent to their joy when they saw Fritz come out of + the hut with a strange youth, whose slight make, fair face, and grace of + form, did not seem to match well with the clothes that hung upon his + limbs. + </p> + <p> + It was so long since we had seen a strange face, that we were all loth to + speak first. When I could gain my speech I took our new friend by the + hand, and told her in words as kind as I could call to my aid, how, glad + we were to have thus found her. + </p> + <p> + Fritz, when he bade Ernest and Jack shake bands with her, spoke of our new + friend as James, but she could not hide her sex from my wife, for her + first act was to fall on her breast and weep. The boys were not slow to + see through the trick, and made Fritz tell them that "James" was not the + name they should call her by. + </p> + <p> + I could not but note that our strange mode of life had made my sons rough, + and that years of rude toil had worn off that grace and ease which is one + of the charms of well-bred youth. + </p> + <p> + I saw that this made the girl shy of them, and that the garb she wore + brought a blush to her cheek. I bade my wife take charge of her, and lead + her down to the boat, while the boys and I stood a while to speak of our + fair guest. + </p> + <p> + When we got on board we sat down to hear Fritz tell how he came to find + Miss Jane, for that was her real name; but he had not told half his tale + when he saw my wife and her new friend come up on deck. She still had a + shy look, but as soon as she saw Fritz she held out her hand to him with a + smile, and this made us feel more at our ease. + </p> + <p> + The next day we were to go back to our home, and on the way Fritz was to + tell us what he knew of Miss Jane, for his tale had been cut short when + she came on the deck with my wife. The boys did all they could to make her + feel at home with them, and by the end of the day they were the best of + friends. + </p> + <p> + The next day we set sail at sun rise; for we had far to go, and the boys + had a strange wish to hear Fritz tell his tale. + </p> + <p> + When the boat had made a fair start, we all sat down on the deck, with + Jane in our midst, while Fritz told his tale to the end. + </p> + <p> + Jane Rose was born in IN-DI-A. She was the child of one Cap-tain Rose, + whose wife died when Jane was but a babe in arms. When ten years of age he + sent her to a first class school, where she was taught all that was fit + for the child of a rich man to know. In course of time she could ride a + horse with some skill, and she then grew fond of most of the field sports + of the East. As the Captain had to go from place to place with his troops, + he thought that this kind of sport would train her for the mode of life + she would lead when she came to live with him. But this was not to be, for + one day he told Jane that he must leave the East, and take home the + troops. As it was a rule that no girl should sail in a ship with troops on + board, he left her to the care of a friend who was to leave near the same + time. He thought fit that she should dress in the garb of a young man + while at sea, as there would then be no need for her to keep in her berth, + and he knew that she was strong and brave, and would like to go on deck, + and see the crew at their work. It gave the Captain pain to part with his + child, but there was, no help for it. + </p> + <p> + The ship had been some weeks at sea, when one day a storm broke over it, + and the wind drove it for days out of its course. The crew did their best + to steer clear of the rocks, but she struck on a reef and sprung a leak. + The boats then put off from the wreck, but a wave broke over the one in + which Jane left, and she was borne, half dead with fright, to the place + where we found her. She had been thrown high up on the beach, and though + faint and sick, got out of the reach of the waves. She did not know if + those who were in the boat with her had lost their lives, but she had seen + no trace of them since. + </p> + <p> + When she had strength to walk, she found some birds' eggs and shell fish, + which she ate, and then went in search of some safe place where she could + rest for the night. By good chance she had a flint and a knife; with these + she set light to some dry twigs, and made a fire, which she did not once + let out till the day she left. Her life was at first hard to bear, but she + was full of hope that some day a ship would come near the shore, to which + she could make signs for help. The wild sports of the East in which she + took part had made her strong of limb, and she had been taught to make + light of such things as would vex most of her sex. + </p> + <p> + She built a hut to sleep in, and made snares to catch birds. Some of them + she made use of for food, and some she let go with bits of cloth tied to + their legs, on which she wrote words, in the hope that they might meet the + eye of some one who could help her. This, as we knew, had led Fritz to + make his search, the end of which had brought as much joy to us as to the + young friend who now sat in our midst. + </p> + <p> + When Fritz had told us this, and much more, we came in sight of Safe Bay. + He then took Ernest with him in his small boat, and left us to go up the + stream as fast as he could to Rock House, so as to make the place look + neat by the time we brought home our guest. The two boys—for to us + they were still boys—met us on the beach. Fritz, with a look of + pride, gave his hand to Jane, and I could see a slight blush rise to her + cheek as she gave him hers. He then led her up the path, on each side of + which grew a row of young trees, and took her to a seat in our grounds. + There he and Ernest had spread out a feast of our best food—fish, + fowls, and fruit, and some of my wife's choice jam—whilst our burnt + clay plate made a great show on the board, for it was set out with some + taste. We had a wish to show Jane that, though the coast was a wild kind + of place, still there were means to make life a joy to those who dwelt on + it, if they chose to use them. As for Jane, the sight of our home, the + style of our feast, and the kind words of the boys, were things so new to + her, that she knew not what to say. + </p> + <p> + "I shall tell no more than the truth," she said, "when I say that what you + have shown me is of far more worth than all the wealth I have seen in the + East, and that I feel more joy this day than I have felt in all the days + of my life. I can use no terms less strong than these to show how much I + thank you." + </p> + <p> + This was just the kind of speech to please the boys, for there had been no + one to praise their work till now. When the meal was done, my wife brought + out some of her best wine, and we drank to the health of our guest in + great state, and with loud cheers. We then made a tour of our house and + grounds, that Jane might see the whole of the place that from this time + she was to make her home. It would take me a long time to tell what she + thought of all she saw, or the neat things she said in praise of our + skill, as we took her from place to place. My wife's room, in which were + kept the pots and pans to dress our food, and the plates, bowls, and cups, + out of which we ate, took her some time to view; for she had long felt the + want of such things as she now saw we had made for our own use out of what + we could find. + </p> + <p> + The next day we all went to The Nest, and when the rainy season came + round, Jane knew the place quite as well as we did. My wife found in her a + true friend, for she soon took a large share of the work off her hands, + and did it with so much skill, and with so strong a wish to please us, + that we grew to love her as if she had been our own child. + </p> + <p> + When the time came for us to keep in doors from the rain, the boys would + oft lay by their work, and sit to hear Jane talk of what she had seen in + the East, and Ernest and Fritz would read to her by turns such books as + she might choose. I was glad to see that this wrought a great change in my + sons, whose mode of life had made them rough in their ways and loud in + their speech—faults which we did not think of so long as there was + no one to see or hear them. + </p> + <p> + When the spring came, the boys went in our boat to the spot where they had + found Jane, which we now knew by the name of "Jane's Isle," and brought + back some beans, which were new to them. These we found to be COF-FEE. + Jane told us that they were by no means scarce, but that she had not made + use of them, as she knew no way to roast or grind the beans, which she + found in a green state. + </p> + <p> + "Do you think," said my wife, "that the plant would grow here?" + </p> + <p> + I then thought for the first time how fond she was of it. There had been + some bags on board the ship, but I had not brought them from the wreck; + and my wife had once said that she would like to see the plant in our + ground. Now that we knew where to get it, she told me that it was one of + the few things that she felt the loss of. When the boys heard this, they + set out on a trip to Jane's Isle, and while there they went to the spot + where she had dwelt for so long, and sought for what things she had left + when she came to live with us. + </p> + <p> + All these were brought to Rock, House, and I may tell you that Fritz set + great store by them. There were all sorts of odd clothes, which she had + made of the skin of the sea calf; fish lines wrought out of the hair of + her head; pins made from the bones of fish; a lamp made out of a shell, + with a wick of the threads which she had drawn from her hose. There were + the shells she used to cook her food in; a hat made from the breast of a + large bird, the tail of which she had spread out so as to shade her neck + from the sun; belts, shoes, and odd things of a like kind. + </p> + <p> + My wife, who had now a friend of her own sex to talk with, did not feel + dull when the boys left us for a time, so they had leave to roam where + their wish led them, and to stay as long as they chose. In the course of + time they knew the whole of the isle on which we dwelt. Ernest drew a map + of it to scale, so that we could trace their course from place to place + with ease. When they went for a long trip they took some doves with them, + and these birds brought us notes tied to their wings from time to time, so + that we knew where they were, and could point out the spot on the map. + </p> + <p> + I will not dwell on what took place now for some time, for I find that + each year was very much like the last. We had our fields to sow, our crops + to reap, our beasts to feed and train; and these cares kept our hands at + work, and our minds free from the least thought of our lone mode of life. + </p> + <p> + I turn to my log as I write this, and on each page my eye falls on some + thing that brings back to my mind the glad time we spent at Rock House. + </p> + <p> + <a name="link2HCH0015" id="link2HCH0015"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <div style="height: 4em;"> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </div> + <h2> + CHAPTER XV. + </h2> + <p> + IN the spring time of the year, when the rain was past, Fritz and Jack set + off on a trip in their boat to Shark Isle. The day was fine, the sky + clear, and there was no wind, yet the waves rose and fell as in a storm. + </p> + <p> + "See!" cried Jack, "here comes a shoal of whales. They will eat us up." + </p> + <p> + "There is no fear of that," said Fritz; "whales will do us no harm, if we + do not touch them." This proved to be the case. Though any one of them + might have broken up the boat with a stroke of its tail, they did not + touch it, but swam by in a line, two by two, like a file of troops. + </p> + <p> + On Shark Isle, near the shore, we had thrown up a mound, and built a fort, + on which were set two of the ship's guns. These the boys made a rule to + fire off, with a view to let us know that they were safe, and to try if + the guns were still fit for use. This time they found their charge quite + dry, and the guns went off with a loud bang. + </p> + <p> + They had just put a plug in the hole of one of the guns, to keep out the + wet, when they heard a sound roll through the air. + </p> + <p> + "Did you bear that?" said Jack. "I am sure that noise must have come from + some ship at sea. Let us fire once more." + </p> + <p> + But Fritz thought they ought to go home at once and tell me what they had + heard. They both ran to the boat with all speed, and put out their + strength to reach home ere the sun went down. + </p> + <p> + The day was fine, and as the rain had kept us in doors for two months, we + were glad to go down on the beach for a change. All at once I saw the boys + come up the stream in their boat, at a great speed, and the way they used + their sculls led me to think that all was not right. + </p> + <p> + "What have you seen, that should thus put two brave youths to flight?" + said I. + </p> + <p> + Then they told me what had brought them back so soon. I had heard the + sound of the two guns which they had fired off, but no more. I told them I + thought their ears must be at fault, and that the sounds they had heard + were no more than those of their own guns, which the hills had sent back + through the air. This view of the case did not at all please them, as by + this time they well knew what sounds their guns made. + </p> + <p> + "It will be a strange thing," said I, "if the hope to which I have so long + clung should at last come to be a fact; but we must have a care that we do + not hail a ship the crew of which may rob and kill us for the sake of our + wealth. I feel that we have as much cause to dread a foe as we have + grounds of hope that we may meet with friends." + </p> + <p> + Our first course was to make the cave quite safe, and then to mount guard + where we could see a ship if one should come near the coast. That night + the rain came down in a flood, and a storm broke over us, and we were thus + kept in doors for two days and two nights. + </p> + <p> + On the third day I set out with Jack to Shark Isle, with a view to seek + for the strange ship which he said he knew must be in some place not far + from the coast. I went to the top of a high rock, but though my eye swept + the sea for miles round, I could see no signs of a sail. I then made Jack + fire three more shots, to try if they would give the same sound as the two + boys had heard. You may judge how I felt, when I heard one! two! three! + boom through the air. + </p> + <p> + There was now no room for doubt that, though I could not see it, there + must be a ship near Shark's Isle. Jack heard me say this with great glee, + and cried out, "What can we now do to find it?" + </p> + <p> + We had brought a flag with us, and I told Jack to haul this up twice to + the top of the staff, by means of which sign those who saw it would know + that we had good news to tell them. + </p> + <p> + I then left Jack on the fort with the guns, and told him to fire as soon + as a ship hove in sight. I bent my way at once back to Rock House, to talk + with my wife, Jane, and the boys, as to what steps we should now take. + They all met me on the beach, and made me tell them the news while I was + still in the boat. + </p> + <p> + "We know no more," said I, "than the fact that there is still a ship on + the coast. You must all now keep in doors, while Fritz and I go in search + of it." + </p> + <p> + We set off at noon, and went straight to the west part of the coast, where + we thought the sound must have come from. We knew a cape there from which + we could get a good view of the sea, and by the side of which lay a small + bay. + </p> + <p> + When we got round the cape, great was our joy to find a fine ship in the + bay. It was not far off from us, for we could see the ENG-LISH flag float + in the breeze from one of its masts. I seek in vain to find words by means + of which I can set forth in print what I then felt. Both Fritz and I fell + on our knees and gave thanks to God that He had thus led the ship to our + coast. If I had not held him back, Fritz would have gone into the sea with + a leap and swum off to the ship. + </p> + <p> + "Stay," said I, "till we are quite sure what they are. There are bad men + on the seas who put up false flags to lure ships out of their course, and + then rob and kill the crew." + </p> + <p> + We could now see all that took place on board. Two tents had been set up + on the shore, in front of which was a fire; and we could see that men went + to and fro with planks. There were two men left on guard on the deck of + the ship, and to these we made signs. When they saw us they spoke to some + one who stood near, and whom we thought had charge of the ship. He then + put his glass up to his eye and took a good view of us through it. + </p> + <p> + We did not at first like to go too near, but kept our boat some way off. + Fritz said he could see that the faces of the men were not so dark as our + own. + </p> + <p> + "If that be the case," said I, "we are safe, and we may trust their flag." + </p> + <p> + We both sang a Swiss song, and then I cried out at the top of my voice + these words: "Ship ahoy! good men!" But they made no sign that they heard + us. Our song, our boat, and, more than all, our dress, made them no doubt + guess that we were wild men of the wood; for at last one of the crew on + board held up knives and glass beads, which I knew the wild tribes of the + New World were fond of. This made us laugh, but we would not as yet draw + nigh to the ship, as we thought we ought to meet our new friends in our + best trim. + </p> + <p> + We then gave a shout and a wave of the hand, and shot off round the cape + as fast as our boat would take us. We soon got back to Rock House, where + our dear ones were on the look-out for us. My wife said we had done quite + right to come back, but Jane thought we should have found out who they + were. + </p> + <p> + That night none of us slept well; our guest thought there might now be a + chance for her to reach her home, and she dreamed she heard the well-known + voice of her sire call her to come to him. The boys were half crazed with + vague hopes, and lay for hours ere they went to sleep. My wife and I sat + up late to think and talk of the use that might be made of this chance. We + felt that we were now full of years, and should not like in our old age to + leave the place where we had spent the best part of our lives; still we + might do some trade with the land from which the ship came, if it were but + known that we were here, and we might hear news of our dear Swiss home. + </p> + <p> + At break of day we put on board our boat a stock of fruit and fresh food + of all kinds, such as we thought the crew of the ship would like to have, + and Fritz and I set sail for the bay. We took with us all the arms we + could find, so as not to be at a loss should the crew prove false to their + flag, and turn out to be a set of thieves. + </p> + <p> + As we drew near the ship I fired a gun, and told Fritz to hoist a flag + like theirs to the top of our mast, and as we did so the crew gave a loud + cheer. I then went on board, and the mate of the ship led me to his chief, + who soon put me at my ease by a frank shake of the hand. I then told him + who we were, and how we came to dwell on the isle. I learned from him, in + turn, that he was bound for New South Wales; that he knew Captain Rose, + who had lost his child, and that he had made a search for her on the + coast. He told me that a storm had thrown him off his course, and that the + wind drove him on this coast, where he took care to fill his casks from a + fresh stream that ran by the side of a hill, and to take in a stock of + wood. + </p> + <p> + "It was then," he said, "that we first heard your guns; and when on the + third day the same sound came to our ears, we knew that there must be some + one on the coast, and this led us to put up our tents and wait till the + crew should search the land round the bay." + </p> + <p> + I then made the crew a gift of what we had brought in our boat, and said + to Captain Stone, for that was his name: "I hope, sir, that you will now + go with me to Rock House, the place where we live, and where you will see + Miss Rose, who will be glad to hear some news of home." + </p> + <p> + "To be sure I will, and thank you much," said he; "and I have no doubt + that Mr. West would like to go with us." This Mr. West was on his way, + with his wife and two girls, to New South Wales, where he meant to build a + house and clear a piece of land. + </p> + <p> + We all three then left the ship in our boat, and as we came in sight of + Shark Isle, Jack, who was on the fort, fired his guns. + </p> + <p> + When we came to the beach, my wife and the rest were there to meet us. + Jane was half wild with joy when she heard that Captain Stone had brought + her good news from home. + </p> + <p> + We led them round our house and through the grounds and Mr. West took note + of all he saw. When we came to talk, I found that he had made up his mind + to stay with us. I need not say how glad I was to hear this, for he had + brought out with him a large stock of farm tools, of which we had long + been in want. + </p> + <p> + The boys were of course in high glee at all this, but I did not share + their joy so much as I could wish. The ship which now lay close to our + shore was the first we had seen since we came to the isle, and no one + could tell when the next might come. My wife and I did not wish to leave. + I had a love for the kind of life we led, and we were both at an age when + ease and rest should take the place of toil. But then our sons were young—not + yet in the prime of life—and I did not think it right that we should + keep them from the world. Jane, I could tell, would not stay with us, nor + did she hide from us the fact that her heart drew her to the dear one at + home, from whom she had been kept so long. So I told my wife that I would + ask my boys to choose what they would do—to stay with us on the + isle, or leave with Captain Stone in the ship. + </p> + <p> + Fritz and Jack said they would not leave us; Ernest spoke not a word, but + I saw that he had made up his mind to go. I did not grieve at this, as I + felt that our isle was too small for the scope of his mind, and did not + give him the means to learn all he could wish. I told him to speak out, + when he said he should like to leave the place for a few years, and he + knew Frank had a wish to go with him. + </p> + <p> + I thought this would give my wife pain, but she said that the boys had + made a good choice, and that she knew Ernest and Frank would make their + way in the world. + </p> + <p> + Captain Stone gave Jane, Ernest, and Frank leave to go with him, as there + was room in the ship now that the Wests were to stay with us. + </p> + <p> + The ship was brought round to Safe Bay, and Fritz and Jack went on board + to fetch Mrs. West and her two girls, who were glad to find that they were + not to go back to the ship, for the storm had made them dread the sea. + </p> + <p> + I may here say, by the way, that my wife soon found that her two sons grew + fond of their fair friends, and gave me a hint that some day we should see + them wed, which would be a fresh source of joy to us. + </p> + <p> + I have not much more to tell. The stores I had laid up—furs, pearls, + spice, and fruits—were put on board the ship, and left to the care + of my sons, who were to sell them. And then the time came for us to part. + I need not say that it was a hard trial for my wife; but she bore up well, + for she had made up her mind that it was all for the best, and that her + sons would some day come back to see her. I felt, too, that with the help + of our new friends, we should not miss them so much as we at first + thought, and this we found to be the case. + </p> + <p> + As the next day my boys were to leave me, I had a long talk with them. I + told them to act well their part in the new sphere in which they were to + move, and to take as their guide the Word of God. They then knelt down for + me to bless them, and went to their beds in Rock House for the last time. + </p> + <p> + I got no sleep all that night, nor did the two boys, who were to start the + next day. + </p> + <p> + As Ernest takes this Tale with him—which I gave him leave to print, + that all may know how good God has been to us—I have no time to add + more than a few words. + </p> + <p> + The ship that is to take from us our two sons and our fair guest will sail + from this coast in a few hours, and by the close of the day three who are + dear to us will have gone from our midst. I can not put down what I feel, + or tell the grief of my poor wife. + </p> + <p> + I add these lines while the boat waits for my sons. May God grant them + health and strength for the trials they may have to pass through; may they + gain the love of those with whom they are now to dwell; and may they keep + free from taint the good name of the Swiss Family Robinson. + </p> + <p> + THE END. <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Swiss Family Robinson Told in +Words of One Syllable, by Mary Godolphin + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON *** + +***** This file should be named 6692-h.htm or 6692-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/6/6/9/6692/ + +Produced by Bruce Miller, and David Widger + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Swiss Family Robinson Told in Words of One Syllable + +Author: Mary Godolphin + +Release Date: October, 2004 [EBook #6692] +Posting Date: June 3, 2009 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON *** + + + + +Produced by Bruce Miller + + + + + + + +THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON + +TOLD IN WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE + + +By Mary Godolphin + + + +CHAPTER I. + +WHEN one has a good tale to tell, he should try to be brief, and not say +more than he can help ere he makes a fair start; so I shall not say a +word of what took place on board the ship till we had been six days in +a storm. The barque had gone far out of her true course, and no one on +board knew where we were. The masts lay in splints on the deck, a leak +in the side of the ship let more in than the crew could pump out, and +each one felt that ere long he would find a grave in the deep sea, which +sent its spray from side to side of what was now but a mere hulk. + +"Come, boys," said I to my four sons, who were with me, "God can save us +if it please Him so to do; but, if this is to be our last hour, let us +bow to His will--we shall at least go down side by side." + +My dear wife could not hide the tears that fell down her cheeks as I +thus spoke to my sons, but she was calm, and knelt down to pray, while +the boys clung round her as if they thought she could help them. + +Just then we heard a cry of "Land! land!" felt a shock, and it was clear +that we had struck on a rock, for we heard a loud cry from one of the +men, "We are lost! Launch the boat; try for your lives!" + +I went at once on deck, and found that all the boats had been let down, +and that the last of the crew had just left the ship. I cried out for +the men to come back and take us with them, but it was in vain. + +I then thought that our last chance was gone. Still, as I felt the ship +did not sink, I went to the stern, and found, to my joy, that she was +held up by a piece of rock on each side, and made fast like a wedge. At +the same time I saw some trace of land, which lay to the south, and this +made me go back with some hope that we had still a faint chance. + + As soon as I got down stairs I took my wife by the hand, and said, "Be +of good cheer, we are at least safe for some time, and if the wind +should veer round, we may yet reach the land that lies but a short way +off." + +I said this to calm the fears of my wife and sons, and it did so far +more than I had a right to hope. + +"Let us now take some food," said my wife. "We are sure to need it, for +this will no doubt be a night to try our strength." + +My wife got some food for her boys, which we were glad to see them eat, +poor as it was; but we could not share their meal. Three out of the four +were put to bed in their berths, and soon went to sleep; but Fritz, who +was our first child, would not leave us. He said, like a good son, that +he would try to be of some use, and think what could be done. + +"If we could but find some cork," said Fritz to me in a low tone, "we +might make floats. You and I will not need them, for we can swim, but +the rest will want some such means to keep them up." + +"A good thought," said I. "Let us try to find what things there are in +the ship that we can thus make use of." + +We soon found some casks and ropes, and with these we made a kind of +float for each of the three boys, and then my wife made one for her own +use. This done, we got some knives, string, and such things as we could +make fast to our belts. We did not fail to look for and find a flint and +steel, and the box in which the burnt rags were kept, for these were at +that time in use as the means to strike a light. + +Fritz, who was now well-nigh worn out, lay down on his bed and slept +like the rest. As for me and my poor wife, we kept watch, each in fear +lest the next wave should lift the ship off the rock and break it up. + +I need not tell you how glad we were when we saw the first gleam of +light. At dawn the wind did not blow so strong, the sky was clear of +clouds, and we saw the sun rise, and with it rose our hopes. I soon had +my wife and sons on deck. + +"Where are the men?" said they. "How can we steer the ship?" + +"My dear boys," said I, "He who has kept us safe till now will still aid +us. Let all hands set to work, and leave the rest to God." + +At these words we all went to work with a will. My wife went to feed the +live stock; Fritz set off in search of arms, and the means to make use +of them; and Ernest made his way to the tool chest. Jack ran to pick up +what he could find, but as he got to one of the doors he gave it a push, +and two huge dogs sprang out and leaped at him. He thought at first that +they would bite him, but he soon found that they meant him no harm, and +one of them let him get on his back and ride up to me as I came from the +hold of the ship. + +When the boys had done their search, and the spoil was brought on deck, +we thought we had found all that we should need. "As for me," said my +wife, "I have brought good news, for I find we have still on board a +cow, an ass, two goats, six sheep, a ram, a pig, and a sow, and I have +found food for them all." + +"All that you bring will be of use," said I; "but I fear that Jack's +dogs will do us more harm than good." + +"Not at all," said Jack, "for they can help us to hunt when we get to +land." + +"Well said, Jack. And now let us see what we can do that will aid us to +get there." + +We then took the casks that we had found, and Ernest and I soon cut them +in half. With these tubs we made a kind of raft, though it was no slight +task. The tubs, in fact, were a fleet of eight small round boats, made +so fast to some planks that no one of them could float from the rest. +The next thing to be done was to launch the raft. This we at length did, +and when the boys saw it slide down the side of the ship and float on +the sea, they gave a loud shout, and each one tried who should be the +first to get on it. I made it fast to the ship, and there left it. + +I then told my wife to change her dress for that of one of the crew +which she had found, as her skirts would have got in her way when she +had to climb. She did not at first like this, but did so as soon as she +saw the truth of what I told her. + +At last, when all was done, we went to bed, and slept as sound as if we +had been on land. + + + +CHAPTER II. + +WE were all up at the break of day, and knelt down to thank God that He +had kept us from harm through the night. + +We then put all the things on the raft, and ten live hens and two cocks +were put in one of the tubs. Some ducks and geese we let go, in the hope +that they would swim to the shore; and a pair of doves were set free, as +they could fly to the land. + +There was a place in the raft for each of us. In the first tub sat my +wife; in the next Frank, who was eight years old; in the third Fritz, +not quite twice the age of Frank; in the fourth were the fowls, and some +old sails that would make us a tent; the fifth was full of good things +in the way of food; in the sixth stood Jack, a bold lad, ten years old; +in the next Ernest, twelve years of age, well taught, but too fond of +self, and less fond of work than the rest; while I sat in the eighth, to +guide the raft that was to save all that was dear to me in the world. + +As soon as the dogs (Bill and Turk by name) saw us push off from the +ship they leaped in the sea, swam near the raft, and kept well up with +us. + +The sea was calm; so that we felt quite safe. We made good use of the +oars, and the raft bore its freight straight to the land; but as we drew +near to the shore the sight of the bare rocks led us to think that we +might still be in need of food and drink when that which we had was +gone. + +As we got near, the coast lost its bare look, and we were glad to see +that there was no lack of trees. We soon found a bay, to which the ducks +and geese had found their way, and here we saw a place where we could +land. + +As soon as we had made the raft fast with a strong rope, we took out all +our wealth, and made a tent with the old sail cloth we had brought with +us, and stuck a pole in the ground to keep it up. This done, I sent +the boys to get some moss and dry grass to make our beds with. With the +flint and steel we soon set fire to some dry twigs, and my wife made a +pot of soup with what she had brought from the ship. + +Fritz, who had charge of the guns, chose one, and took a stroll by the +side of a stream, while Jack went in search of shell fish, which he +thought he might find on the rocks. My share of the work was to save two +large casks which were near the shore. While I was up to my knees in the +sea I heard a shrill cry, which I knew to come from Jack. I got out at +once, took up an axe, and ran to his help. I found him with his legs in +a rock pool, where a large crab held him by his toes. It soon made off +as I came near; but I struck at it with the axe, and brought it out of +the pool. Jack then took it up, though it gave him a pinch or two ere he +found out how to hold it, and ran off in high glee to show what he had +caught. + +When I got back to the tent, I found that Ernest had brought us news +that he had seen salt in the chinks of the rocks, and that shell fish +were not scarce. + +"Well, my boy, if you are sure you saw them, I will ask you to go back +for some. We must each do some work for the good of all." + +He went, and soon found the salt, left by the sea on the rocks, which +the sun had made quite dry. There was some sand with it, but my wife did +not take long to find a way to cure that. She had been to a fresh stream +with a large jug; from this I saw her pour some on the salt, strain it +through a cloth, and let it drip in a cup, so that all the sand was left +on the cloth. + +When the soup was made hot we had each a taste, and all said that it was +good. + +"Be not in too great haste," said my wife, "we must wait for Fritz; but +if he were here, I do not see how we are to take our soup, for we have +no plates nor spoons." + +"If we had but some large nuts," said Ernest, "we might cut them in +half, and they would make good bowls." + +"Quite true," said I; "but as there are none, we may as well wish for +delf bowls and real spoons at once." + +"Now I have it," quoth Ernest. "Let us use the shells I saw on the +shore." + +Off ran Jack to the shore, with Ernest at his heels, and back they both +came with large and small shells for us all. + +Just then Fritz came in, with a look of gloom on his face, which I could +see was a sham. + +"You do not mean to tell me you have come back with nought?" said I, as +he put out his hands as if to prove that such was the case. But Jack, +who had been round him, cried out, "No, no! he's got a pig!--such a fine +one. Tell us where you found it." + +Fritz now brought forth his prize. When I saw it, I knew, from what +I had read, that it was not a pig, but a swift beast, known in these +parts, that lives on fruit and nuts, and hides in the earth. (*The +Agouti.) + +"I like the place much more than I do this spot," said he. "The shore +lies low, and there are planks, casks, chests, and all sorts of things, +that the sea has thrown up. Why not leave this place at once, and go +there?" + +"There is a time for all things," said I. "We must at least rest here +for one night." + +We all sat down to take our soup with the shell spoons. Ernest took from +his coat a large shell, which he had hid till now, put it in the soup, +and then set it down to cool. + +"You do not show want of thought," said I to him. "But I am not glad to +see that you think so of your-self, and do so much for your own ease, +when all the rest do so much for yours. Now, that shell full of soup you +must give to our two dogs. We can all dip our small shells in the pot, +and you must do as we do." + +I knew he felt hurt at this, but he gave it to the dogs at once, and +they soon made quick work of their share of the soup. + +The sun was low when our meal came to an end. The fowls came round us to +pick up the stray crumbs we had let fall, and my wife took out her bag +of grain and fed the cocks and hens, and sent them to roost on the top +of our tent. + +We took care to load our fire-arms, in case we might need them in the +night; sang a hymn of praise to God, and then left our fate in His +hands. + + +CHAPTER III. + +As soon as I heard the cock crow, and saw by the light that it was break +of day, I got out of bed and spoke to my wife as to what we should do +next. + +"First," said I, "Fritz and I will make a tour of the coast and try to +find some of the men who left the ship, for if they are here they may be +in want." + +"But," said Fritz, who had heard me from his bed, "why should we search +for those who left us to die on the wreck?" + +"Well, I will tell you," said I. "First, we should do to them as we +would wish them to do to us, not as they have done; next, we know that +they took no food with them, and we should not leave them to starve; +and last, it may be that they can help us, though now they stand more in +need of our aid." + +The boys were soon up, and we all sat down to a good meal. That done, +Fritz and I got our guns. I put a pair of small arms in his belt, gave +him a game bag, and told him to take an axe. I took some food for us +both, and a full flask, out of which we could drink if we should stray +far from a stream. + +When we took our leave, my wife and the three boys were in tears. The +dog Bill we left to guard the tent, but Turk went with us, and ran by +our side. + +We soon got to the banks of a stream; but then had to make our way down +its course. It took us some time to reach the sea shore. There was not a +boat to be seen, or any sign that the ship's crew had found the land. We +left the shore, and went through a wood full of tall trees. Here Fritz +struck some hard thing on the ground with his foot, which we found to be +a CO-COA NUT. He gave it a blow with his axe, and broke the shell, and +we both sat down to rest, and eat the nut. + +At the end of the wood we came to a plain which gave us a clear view +of the place. Fritz, who was on the look out, ran off with Turk to some +strange trees that he saw on the right. + +When I got up to him, it gave me no small joy to find that it was a +gourd tree. + +"Try," said I, "if you can get hold of one of those queer lumps that +grow on it." + +With that he brought one down, and we had a look at it. + +"Now, of this," said I, "we can make a plate, a dish, or a flask. Wild +men set great store by its shell, which they use to hold their food and +drink." + +We then set to work to make plates of the gourds. When we had made some +eight or ten bowls, and some flat ones for plates, we laid them out in +the sun to dry, and then went on our way. + +We could see, not far off, a grove of fine palm trees, but to reach them +we should have to pass through reeds and long grass. I knew this was +just the place to find snakes, so we each cut a cane, that we might beat +them off should we meet with any. As I took hold of my staff, I felt a +gum or juice ooze out of the end. I put my tongue to it, and found it of +a sweet taste. This led me to suck the reed, and I then knew that we had +met with the SUG-AR CANE. By this time Fritz had done the same, for I +could see that he held his cane to his mouth. + +"Do not suck too much of it," said I, "or it will make you ill; but let +us cut some of the best and take them back with us, for those at home +will prize so great a treat." + +It did not take us long to reach the place where the palms grew, and +then we sat down in the shade to eat the food we had brought with us. + +"Do you see those nuts at the top of the trees, Fritz?" said I. + +"To be sure I do; but they are far too high to reach. Look, look!" he +cried, "there are some MON-KEYS; let me have a shot at them." "Do not +do that," I said, and held his arm; "it will do us no good to kill them, +and I think I can make use of them." With that I threw some stones up at +the tree where they were, though they had got safe out of my reach. They +then made a loud noise, took hold of the nuts that were near, and flung +them straight at us. The trick made Fritz laugh, who soon had hard work +to pick up the nuts that were thrown at him. + +We broke some of the nuts, and put the juice of the canes in the thick +white cream which forms close to the shell; and this made us a dish that +Fritz said was fit for a king. + +Fritz and I then made fast some nuts to a string, which I tied round my +waist, while he took up his canes, and we both set off on our road home. + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +ON our way back we took up the gourd bowls and plates, which we found +quite dry and hard as bone, and put them in our bags. We had scarce got +through the wood, when Turk made a dart in front of us, and we saw a +troop of apes rush out of the way. But he gave a leap and brought down +one that could not climb so fast as the rest, for she had a young one +in her arms. Turk made short work of the poor thing, for ere Fritz could +call the dog off, the ape was dead. The young one, as soon as it saw +Fritz, sprang on his back, put its paws in his curls, and would not let +go. I at length got the ape from Fritz's back, and took it up in my arms +like a child. We found that it was too young to seek its own food, and, +as Fritz said he should like to take it home, we put it on Turk's back. +Turk did not at first like this, but we soon got him to bear the ape, +which held so tight by the hair on the dog's neck that it could not well +fall off. Fritz then led Turk with a string, that he might not stray out +of sight, or throw off his charge, which I think he would have done had +we not been on the watch. + +It did not take us long to reach the bank of the stream near to our +home. + +I need not tell you how glad my wife and sons were to see us safe back, +or with what joy the boys took the "real live ape" out of Fritz's arms. + +At length, when they got more staid, I told them that we had brought +them all sorts of good things, but that we had not met with any of the +men of whom we went in search. "God's will be done," said my wife, "let +us thank Him that you have come back safe to us. This day to me has been +an age; but put down your loads, for we must now go in and hear what you +have to tell." + +Fritz and I then told them, by turns, where we found the things we +brought with us, how we made and dried the plates and bowls, cut the +canes, and caught the ape in the wood. Our tales had not come to an end +when we were told that it was time to sup. Ernest had shot a wild goose, +and some fish had been caught in the stream. With these, and the Dutch +cheese that we brought from the ship, we made a good meal; but the boys +would not rest till we broke some of the nuts, from which they drank the +milk, made sweet with the juice of the canes. I must tell you that we +ate our food in great state from our gourd rind plates, which my wife +said she should prize more than if they were made of pure gold. + +That night the ape went to bed with Jack and Fritz, and we all slept in +peace till the cocks on the roof of the tent woke us up. + +Next day Fritz and I went back to the wreck to save the live stock, and +get what else we had left that might be of use to us. We found it no +light task, for we had to make floats for the cow, the ass, the sheep, +and the goats, throw them in the sea, and tie them with ropes to our +raft. We put on board the raft a vast deal of food that had not been +spoiled by the sea, though the waves had made a breach in the sides of +the wreck. We then put to sea with our train of live stock made fast to +the stern. + +We had not gone far when I heard a loud cry of fear from Fritz, "We are +lost! We are lost! See what a great shark is on its way to us!" + +Though pale with fright, he took aim with his gun, and shot the fish in +the head. It sank at once, but left a track of blood in the sea, which I +knew to be a sign that we were once more safe. We then got to land, and +made fast our freight to the shore. Ere we had done this our friends +came to give us what help they could to get the beasts out of the +stream, and take them up to the tent. The poor things were well nigh +worn out; but we took good care of them, and put them to rest on some +dry grass that my wife had laid out for them. + +That night we did not sup on the ground. My wife had spread a cloth on +the top of a cask, and we each sat on a tub. With the knives and forks +that we had found in the ship we ate a dish of hot ham and eggs, nor did +we fail to test the wine that I had brought with me in a small cask from +the wreck. + +Ere bed-time my wife had told me that while I was at the wreck she had +gone in search of some place in which we could build a house. + +"And did you find one, my dear?" I said. + +"Oh, yes," said she. "We can take you to a great tree that will serve us +well, if we can but get across the stream with our goods." + +"But would you have us roost, like fowls, in a tree? How do you think we +could get up to our perch?" + +"Was there not a large lime tree in our town in which they built a ball +room, with stairs up the trunk?" + +"To be sure there was," said I; "and if we can not build in it, we can +at least make use of its shade, and dwell in a hut on the roots." + +Ernest said that he took a string, and found that it was twelve yards +round. This led me to think that my wife's scheme was by no means a bad +one, and that I would have a look at the tree the next day. + +When I had heard all they had to tell, we knelt down to pray, and then +sought a good night's rest, which the toils of the day made us much in +need of. + + + +CHAPTER V. + +WHEN I rose from my bed the next day, I said to my wife: "Does it not +seem, my dear, as if God had led us to this place, and that we should do +wrong to leave it?" + +"What you say may be quite true, so far as it goes," she said; "but I +must tell you that the mid-day heat is more than we can bear, and that +if we stay here we may have to keep watch at night, for there are, no +doubt, wild beasts of some kind that will find us out; and we should +not trust too much to our dogs, who may lose their lives in a fight with +them." + +"I dare say you are right," said I; "but I do not yet see how we can +cross the stream. We shall first have to build a bridge." + +The boys were now all out of their beds; and while my wife went to milk +the cow and cook some food, I made my plans known to them. They were all +glad when they heard that we were to leave, and each said he, would help +to build the bridge. + +The first thing to be done was to find some strong planks; and Fritz, +Ernest, and I went down to the shore, and got in the boat, which the +tide took down to the bay. + +On a piece of land which lay to the left we could see some large dark +thing, round which flew a flock of sea gulls. We put up a sail and +caught a gust of wind which had sprung up, and this soon brought the +boat to the spot. We made no noise, but crept up the shore step by step, +and we got so near that Ernest brought down some of the birds with a +stick. Fritz was the first to find out that what the sea gulls had just +left was the huge fish he had shot in the sea. We cut off some rough +skin, which we thought might serve for files, and then went back to the +boat. I took a glance at the shore ere I got in, and to my great joy saw +some of the planks and spars from the wreck lay on the ground not far +off. Our next care was to bind these so as to make a raft, which we tied +to the stern of the boat, and then, by the use of our oars, soon made +our way up the stream to the place where the bridge was to be built. Our +young friends were glad to see us back so soon, and ran to meet us; Jack +had a cloth in his hand, in which was a store of cray fish and crabs +just caught in some of the nooks of a rock up the stream. + +"Do not fail to give God thanks," said I, "that our lot has been cast +where we can pick up more food than we can eat." + +It would take a long time to tell how we brought all the wood up to the +spot, built piers of stone in the stream, and put the planks one by one +in the place; it was late at night when we left off work, and once more +sought our tent. + +The next day we saw the sun rise, and took our first meal in haste, for +we knew we should have a long day's toil. All the stores that we could +not take with us were laid by in the tent, the door of which was made +safe by a row of casks, that we put round it. My wife and Fritz soon led +the way; the cow went next; then the ass, with Frank on its back. Jack +led the goats, and on the back of one of them sat the ape. Ernest took +charge of the sheep, and I brought up the rear as chief guard. We took +care to cross the bridge one at a time, and found it bore our weight +well; but once or twice we thought the cow would step in the stream, or +fall off the boards, when she went to the sides to drink. + +Just as we had left the bridge, Jack cried out, "Be quick! here is a +strange beast with quills as long as my arm." The dogs ran, and I with +them, and found a large POR-CU-PINE, in the grass. It made a loud noise, +and shot out its quills at the dogs, and made them bleed. At this Jack +shot at the beast, which fell dead on the spot. My wife's first thought +was to dress the wounds made by the quills, which had stuck in the +nose of one of the dogs, while the boys made haste to pluck some of the +quills from the skin of their strange prize. + +At last our march came to an end, and I saw for the first time the great +trees that my wife had told me of. They were of vast size, and were, I +thought, fig trees. "If we can but fix our tent up there," I said, "we +shall have no cause to dread, for no wild beasts can reach us." We sent +Frank off to find sticks, with which to make a fire, and my wife made +some soup of the flesh of the beast we had slain, though we did not like +it so well as we did the ham and cheese we brought with us. + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE meal at an end, my first thought was to make some steps by means of +which we could reach the first strong branch of the tree. Ernest and I +went in search of some thick canes that grew in the sands hard by. These +we cut down, bound them to four long poles, and thus made a pair of +steps that would, we thought, reach far up the trunk. + +On our way back from the sands, one of the dogs made a dart at a clump +of reeds, and a troop of large birds rose on the wing with a loud noise. +Fritz let fly at them, and brought down two at a shot. One of them fell +quite dead, but its mate, though hurt in the wing, made use of its long +legs so well that it would have got off if Bill had not held it. The joy +of Fritz, to have caught such a strange bird, was so great that he would +have us at once bind it by the neck and take it back with us. "Look," +said Ernest, "what fine plumes he has, and you see he has web feet like +a goose, and has long legs like a stork: thus he can run on land as fast +as he can swim." + +"Yes," said I, "and he can fly with more speed through the air, for +these birds have great strength in their wings. In fact, few birds have +such means of flight as the FLA-MIN-GO." + +My wife thought the great bird might need more food than we could spare. +I told her that it would feed on small fish and worms, and not rob our +geese of their grain. I then tied him to a stake near the stream; and +in a few days we were glad to find that he knew us, and would come at a +call, like a tame bird. + +While I sat on the grass with my sons, late in the day, I thought I +would try to make a bow and thus save our shot. This I did with a long +cane and a piece of string, and then made a dart with a sharp point, +which I shot off and found it would go straight. The branch of the tree +on which we were to fix our hut was so high that our steps would not +near reach it. I tied some strong thread to the dart, and shot it over +the branch; then tied a piece of rope to the end of the thread, and drew +that up, and at last made a long row of cane steps, with a rope at each +side, which we drew up to the first strong branch. The boys were now +all in haste to climb the tree, but I chose that Jack, who was light of +build and sure of foot, should go up first and try the strength of our +work. Fritz went up next with some nails, and made the ropes fast to the +tree, while I drove stakes in the ground to keep them firm at the foot. +It was now time for me to mount, and up I went with an axe to lop off +the twigs and smooth the bough that was to form the ground of our new +house. I sent the boys down out of my way, and kept hard at work till it +was late, for the sky was clear, and the moon lent me her beams of light +to see by. + +When I came down my wife spread a good meal on the ground, which we ate +as best we could, and then made our beds of dry moss, round which we put +heaps of twigs. These we set light to, as watch fires to keep off wild +beasts and snakes. The toils of the day had made the boys tired, and +they were soon in a sound sleep, but my wife and I took it in turns to +watch through the whole night. + +We were all out of bed as soon as light was in the sky, and set to work +to hoist up the planks that were to form the floor of our hut. These we +laid down on the branch, with their ends made fast to a cross piece of +wood that we had to fix to the trunk of the tree. Our nails were long, +and we drove each one of them home, so that we had no cause to fear +the strength of our work. By the time we had done this the day was far +spent, and we were all glad to lay by our tools and rest our limbs. That +night we lit our fires round the tree, tied the dogs to the roots, and +went up to sleep out of harm's way for the first time since we left the +ship. When the steps were drawn up we all felt that we were now safe at +last, and that we had brought the toils of the day to a good end. + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +WE did not wake next day till the sun shone in upon us. I told my wife +and sons that as it was the Lord's day we would do no work. Our beasts +and birds had first to be fed. This was done by my wife, who then +brought us some hot milk, and made us sit down on the grass and take it. +When our meal was done, I got on a log in front of my sons, and we all +sang a psalm we knew by heart. Then I sought to teach them and spoke to +them thus: + +"There was once on a time a Great King, who had two vast realms, the +Land of Light and Truth, and the Land of Night and Sloth. Those who +dwelt in the first were full of life and joy. The King held his court at +the Place of Rest where all was bright. + +"This King had a land, not far off, where those for whom he had so much +love should dwell ere they went one by one to the Place of Rest. This +land was the Home of Earth. He gave to his Son the right to rule the +host that dwelt in the Home of Earth, and set forth to think what they +were to do, and all the ills that would come to them if they did not do +as they were bid. + +"At first they were all glad to hear the way in which they were to live, +and the terms on which they could reach the Land of Light and Truth. Sad +to tell, they soon broke the King's laws, and paid no heed to what they +knew to be his will. Still there were a few who did as they had been +taught, and dwelt in peace, in the hope that they would please the King +and at last reach the place where he held his court. + +"From time to time ships came to the Home of Earth, and at last a great +ship was sent, the name of which was The Grave, which bore the flag of +Death. To the good it was a sign of hope, but the bad were thrown by the +sight of it into a state of gloom. These ships were not seen till they +came close to the shore, and then the crew were sent forth to find those +whom they were told to seize. Some went back with them full of joy, +but most were seen to weep and mourn their fate. So soon as they were +brought in sight of the Great King, the Prince took those who had done +well, and put a white robe on them; but those who went their own way +when on the Home of Earth, he sent down to toil in deep, dark mines till +time shall be no more." + +When my sons had heard my tale to the end they all knew what it meant; +I then drew from them their views of what they ought to do to please and +serve the Great King. We then sang a hymn; and my wife drew from her bag +the BIBLE, which I gave to one of the boys, who read from it in a clear, +loud voice. When this was brought to a close, we all knelt down on the +grass to pray, and to ask God to bless the means we took to learn His +will. + +We did no work that day, but took a long stroll up the banks of the +stream. + +The next day Ernest and Jack tried their skill with the bow, and brought +down some small birds that came to the great tree in quest of figs. I +gave them leave to kill what they could; for I knew if put in casks made +air tight with grease, they would keep for a time, and might prove a +boon, if our stock of food should get low. + +When we sat down to dine, the thought struck me that it would be well to +give some name to each part of the land that was known to us. This was +at first the source of some fun, for Fritz said we should call the bay +where we had found the shell spoons by the name of Spoon Bay; but Jack, +who still had a mark on his toe where the crab gave him a pinch, thought +we ought to term it Crab Bay. + +"If you will let me give it a name," said my wife, "I should wish to +know it by some term that will make us bear in mind how good God was to +lead our raft there, and I don't think Safe Bay will be a bad name for +it." + +"So let it be," said I; and from that time Safe Bay had a name. "What +shall be the name of the spot where we spent our first night on shore? +You shall give that its name," said I to Fritz. + +"Let us call it Tent House." + +"That will do," said I. "And now for the spot at the mouth of Safe Bay, +where we found our planks?" + +"Sharp Point," said Ernest. The place from which Fritz and I sought for +a trace of out ship mates was to be known as No Man's Cape. Then we had +the Boys' Bridge, which name I gave it from a wish to please my sons, +who had done so much to build it. + +"But what shall we call the place which is most dear to us all?" + +"Now, my dear," said I to my wife, "it is your turn. What shall we say?" + +"Let us call it The Nest," said she; and with that I gave each of my +young birds a glass of sweet wine. + +"Here's to 'The Nest,'" said I; "and may we live long to bless the day +and the means that brought us here." + +When the heat of the day was past, I told my sons that I should be glad +to take a walk with them. My wife said that she should like to go with +us; so we left The Nest in charge of Turk, and bent our course to the +banks of the stream. On our way we went past some shrubs and rare herbs, +which my wife knew well how to make use of should we fall sick; and +Ernest found a large spot of ground on which grew a fine kind of +PO-TA-TO. At these the boys set to work with such zeal, that we soon had +a full bag of the ripe fruit. We then went on to Tent House, which we +found in the same state as when we left it to cross the stream on our +way to the great tree. + +We found that our ducks and geese had grown so wild that they would not +come near us; so, while my wife and I went to pick up such things as we +thought we might take back with us, Ernest and Fritz were sent to catch +them, and to tie their legs and wings, and in this way we got them at +last to The Nest. + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +IT took the whole of the next day to make a sledge, to which we tied +the ass, and drove to Tent House. On our sledge we put such of the casks +which held food, and took them back to The Nest. Fritz and I went once +more to the wreck, and this time we brought off chests of clothes, pigs +of lead, cart wheels, sacks of maize, oats, peas, and wheat. With a +strong bar we broke down some of the doors, and took such parts of the +ship as we thought would aid us to build our house, which as yet was far +less safe than I could wish. These we bound with cords, and made them +float back at the stern of the raft. + +When we got to the shore my wife and the three boys were there to greet +us. My first care was to send for the sledge, and with this we took most +of our new wealth up to The Nest. + +The next day I told my sons that they must now learn to run, to leap, to +climb, and to throw stones straight at a mark, as all these things would +be of great use to them in their new mode of life. + +I next taught them to use the LAS-SO, by means of which men catch the +wild horse on the vast plains of the New World. I tied two stones to the +ends of a cord some yards in length, and flung off one of them at the +trunk of a young tree; the cord went round and round it in a coil and +bound it so tight that I could have drawn it to me had it not been fast +in the ground. This trick the boys were not slow to learn; and Fritz, +in a short time, could take an aim as well with a stone as he could with +his gun. + +As yet we had not seen much of the isle; for it took most of our time +to build the house. But one day we made up our minds that we would all +start on a tour. We rose at dawn, put the ass in the sledge, took what +food we thought we should need, and set out from The Nest just as the +sun rose. + +When we came to the wood where Fritz found the ape, he told them by what +means we got the nuts, but now there were no apes there to throw them +down. + +"Oh, if one would but fall from the trees," he said. + +The words had but just left his lips when a large nut fell at his feet. +He made a start back, and two more came down near the same spot. + +As the nuts were far from ripe, I was at a loss to know how they could +fall off the tree, for I could not see an ape nor a bird near. + +I went close up to the tree, and saw a large land crab on its way down +the trunk. Jack struck a blow at him with a stick, but did not hit the +beast. He then took off his coat and threw it on the crab's head, while +I made an end of him with an axe. I told them that these crabs climb +the trees and break off the nuts, as we had seen, and then come down to +feast on them at their ease. + +"But how do they crack the nuts?" said Jack. + +"They make a hole through the shell at the thin end, and then suck them +dry." + +The dead crab was put in the sledge, and we went on through the wood. +When we came to the Gourd Wood, we sat down to make some more bowls and +flasks to take back with us. Ernest had gone to try what new thing he +could find, but he had not been from us long, when we heard him call out, + +"A wild boar! A great wild boar! Come here, pray!" + +We took up our guns, and went at once with the dogs to the spot. We soon +heard Turk give a loud bark, and just then we heard Ernest laugh, and +saw the two dogs come through a clump of brush wood, with our old sow +fast by the ears. She did not seem to like the way in which they had +put an end to her feast of fruit, so she ran back as soon as we told the +dogs to let go their hold of her ears. + +"But with all our sport," said Fritz, "we have a poor show of game. +Let us leave the young ones, and set off to see what we can meet with." +Ernest sat down with Frank, and we left them and my wife at the gourd +tree, while Fritz and Jack set off with me to a high rock which we saw +on the right. + +"Fritz, look here," said Jack, as he made his way to the rock. + +"What have you found now?" said Fritz. + +"I don't know what it is, but it's a fine prize." + +When I went up I saw at once that it was a large I-GUA-NA, the flesh and +eggs of which are both good for food. I had heard that these and such +like beasts will stand still if you play an air on a pipe. So I crept +near, and made a low sound with my lips, while I held in my right hand +a stout stick, to which I had tied a cord with a noose, and in my left +hand a slight wand. I saw it first move its tail, and then draw its head +from side to side, as if to look where the sound came from. I then threw +the noose round its neck, drew it tight, got on its back with a leap and +thrust the wand up its nose, which is the sole part of the beast where +there are no hard scales. It bled at once, and was soon dead, nor did it +seem to feel any pain. Our prize, which was near five feet long was no +slight weight to lift. I got it at last on my back, and thus we went +back to the gourd tree, where we found the rest quite safe. + +It took us a long time to reach The Nest that night. My wife did her +best to dress some of the flesh of the land crab, but it was tough, and +did not taste so nice as the soup made from the beast that we had caught +by the nose. + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +FRITZ and I spent the whole of the next day in the woods. We took the +ass and one of the dogs with us, but left all else at home. + +Our way first lay through a dense wood, where we saw no end of small +birds, but such game could not now tempt Fritz to waste his shot. We +then had to cross a vast plain, and to wade through the high grass, +which we did with care, lest we should tread on some strange thing that +might turn and bite us. + +We came at last to a grove of small trees, and in their midst I saw a +bush, which I knew to be the wax tree, for the wax grew on it like white +beads. I need not say how glad I was to find so great a prize. We had +up to this time gone to bed as soon as the sun went down, for we had no +lamp to use; but as we could now make wax lights, I told Fritz that we +had found what would add two or three hours per day to our lives. We +took as much of the wax as would serve us for some time, and then made +our way out of the grove. + +"How came you," said Fritz, "to know so much of the queer beasts, trees, +and plants that we have found here?" + +"When young," said I, "I used to read all the books that fell in my way; +and those that told of strange lands and what was to be seen in them had +for me as great a charm as they have for Ernest, who has read a great +deal, and knows more of plants than you do." + +"Well," said he, "I will do the same if I but get the chance. Can you +tell what is the name of that huge tree on the right? See, there are +balls on the bark." + +We went close to it, and found that these balls were of thick gum, which +the sun had made quite hard. Fritz tried to pull one of them off, but +felt that it clung tight to the bark, though he could change its shape +with his warm hands. "Look," said he, "I feel sure that this is the +IN-DI-A RUB-BER which we used to clean our school books." I took a piece +of it in my hand, and said, "To be sure it is. What shall we not find +in this rich land?" I then told him how the men in the New World made +flasks of this gum, in which form it is sent to all parts of the world. +"And I do not see why we should not make boots of it in the same way. We +have but to fill a sock with sand, then put gum all round it, while in a +soft state, till it is as thick as we need, then pour the sand out, +and we shall have made a shoe or a boot that will at least keep out the +damp, and that is more than mine do just now." + +Not far from this we came to a bush, the leaves of which were strewn +with a white dust; and close by were two or three more in the same +state. I cut a slit in the trunk of one of these, and found it full of +the white dust, which I knew by the taste to be SA-GO. We took all of +this that we could get out of the tree, for it would add to our stock of +food; and when our bags were full we laid them on the back of the ass, +and set off to find our way back to The Nest. + +"Each day brings us fresh wealth," said my wife; "but I think we might +now try to add to our goods." I knew that she had some fear lest we +should one day get lost in the woods, or meet with wild beasts, so I at +once said that we would now stay at home, at least for some days. + +My first work was to make some wax lights, for my wife could then mend +our clothes at night, while we sat down to talk. This done, the next +task they gave me was to make a churn. I took a large gourd, made a +small hole in the side, and cut out as much as I could, so as to leave +but the rind. In this I put the cream, laid a piece on the hole, and +bound it up so that none could come out. The boys then held a cloth, and +on it I put the gourd, which they rolled from side to side. They kept up +this game with great mirth for near an hour, when my wife took off the +string, and found that the churn had done its work well. + +As our sledge was not fit to use on rough roads, my next work was to +make a cart. I had brought a pair of wheels from the wreck, so that my +task did not prove a hard one. + +While I was thus at work, my wife and the boys took some of the fruit +trees we had brought with us, and put them in the ground where they +thought they would grow best. On each side of the path that led from The +Nest to the Boy's Bridge they put a row of young nut trees. To make the +path hard we laid down sand from the sea shore, and then beat it down +with our spades. + +We were for six weeks at this and such like work. We were loth to spare +any pains to make The Nest, and all that could be seen near it, look +neat and trim, though there were no eyes but our own to view the scene. + +One day I told my sons that I would try to make a flight of stairs in +place of the cane steps with rope sides, which were, to tell the truth, +the worst part of our house. As yet we had not used them much, but the +rain would some day force us to keep in The Nest, and then we should +like to go up and down stairs with more ease than we could now climb +the rude steps. I knew that a swarm of bees had built their nest in the +trunk of our tree, and this led me to think that there might be a void +space in it some way up. "Should this prove to be the case," I said, +"our work will be half done, for we shall then have but to fix the +stairs in the tree round the trunk." The boys got up and went to the top +of the root to tap the trunk, and to judge by the sound how far up the +hole went. But they had to pay for their want of thought; the whole +swarm of bees came out as soon as they heard the noise, stung their +cheeks, stuck to their hair and clothes, and soon put them to flight. + +We found that Jack, who was at all times rash, had struck the bees' nest +with his axe, and was much more hurt by them than the rest. Ernest, who +went to his work in his slow way, got up to it last, and thus did not +get more than a sting or two, but the rest were some hours ere they +could see out of their eyes. I took a large gourd, which had long been +meant to serve for a hive, and put it on a stand, We then made a straw +roof to keep it from the sun and wind, and as by this time it grew dark, +we left the hive there for the night. + +Next day, the boys, whose wounds were now quite well, went with me to +help to move the bees to the new home we had made for them. Our first +work was to stop with clay all the holes in the tree but one through +which the bees were wont to go in to their nest. To this I put the bowl +of a pipe, and blew in the smoke of the weed as fast as I could. At +first we heard a loud buzz like the noise of a storm afar off; but the +more I blew my pipe the less grew the sound, till at last the bees were +quite still. + +We now cut out a piece of the trunk, three feet square, and this gave us +a full view of the nest. Our joy was great to find such a stock of wax, +for I could see the comb reached far up the tree. I took some of the +comb, in which the bees lay in swarms, and put it by on the plank. + +We then put the gourd on the comb that held the swarm, and took care +that the queen bee was not left out. By these means we soon got a hive +of fine bees, and the trunk of the tree was left free for our use. + +We had now to try the length of the hole. This we did with a long pole, +and found it reached as far up as the branch on which our house stood. + +We now cut a square hole in that side of the trunk next the sea shore, +and made one of the doors that we had brought from the ship to fit in +the space. We then made the sides smooth all the way up, and with planks +and the staves of some old casks, built up the stairs round a pole which +we made fast in the ground. To do this we had to make a notch in the +pole and one in the side of the trunk for each stair, and thus go up +step by step till we came to the top. Each day we spent a part of our +time at what we could now call the farm, where the beasts and fowls were +kept, and did odd jobs as well, so that we should not make too great a +toil of the flight of stairs, which took us some six weeks to put up. + +One day Fritz caught a fine EA-GLE, which he tied by the leg to a branch +of the tree, and fed with small birds. It took him a long while to tame, +but in time he taught it to perch on his wrist, and to feed from his +hand. He once let it go, and thought he would have lost it, but the bird +knew it had a good friend, for it came back to the tree at night. From +that time it was left free, though we thought that some day its love of +war and wild sports would tempt it to leave us for the rocks of the sea +shore, where Fritz had first found it. + +Each of my boys had now some pet to take care of, and, I may say, to +tease, for they all thought they had a fair right to get some fun out of +the pets they could call their own; but they were kind to them, fed them +well, and kept them clean. + +In what I may term my spare time, which was when I left off work out of +doors, I made a pair of gum shoes for each of my sons, in the way I had +told Fritz it could be done. I do not know what we should have done had +we not found the gum tree, for the stones soon wore out the boots we +had, and we could not have gone through the woods or trod the hard rocks +with bare feet. + +By this time our sow had brought forth ten young pigs, and the hens had +each a brood of fine chicks. Some we kept near us, but most of them went +to the wood, where my wife said she could find them when she had need to +use them. + +I knew the time must now be near when, in this clime, the rain comes +down day by day for weeks, and that it would wash us out of The Nest if +we did not make a good roof to our house. Then our live stock would need +some place where they could rest out of the rain. The thatch for The +Nest was of course our first care; then we made a long roof of canes for +our live stock, and on this we spread clay and moss, and then a thick +coat of tar, so that it was rain proof from end to end. This was held up +by thick canes stuck deep in the ground, with planks made fast to them +to form the walls, and round the whole we put a row of cask staves to +serve for rails. In this way we soon had a barn, store room, and hay +loft, with stalls for the cow, the ass, and what else we kept that had +need of a place to live in. + + + +CHAPTER X. + +FRANK one day found some long leaves, to which, from their shape, he +gave the name of sword leaves. These he brought home to play with, and +then, when he grew tired of them, threw them down. As they lay on the +floor, Fritz took some of them in his hand, and found them so limp, +that he said he could plait them, and make a whip for Frank to drive the +sheep and goats with. As he split them up to do this, I could not but +note their strength. This led me to try them, and I found that we had +now a kind of flax plant, which was a source of great joy to my wife. + +"You have not yet found a thing," she said, "that will be of more use to +us than this. Go at once and search for some more of these leaves, +and bring me the most you can of them. With these I can make you hose, +shirts, clothes, thread, rope; in short, give me flax, and make me a +loom and some frames, and I shall be at no loss for work when the rain +comes." + +I could not help a smile at my wife's joy when she heard the name of +flax; for there was still much to do ere the leaves could take the shape +of cloth. But two of the boys set off at once to try to find some more +of the flax. + +While they were gone, my wife, full of new life, and with some show of +pride, told me how I should make the loom by means of which she was to +clothe us from head to foot. In a short time they came back, and brought +with them a good load of the plant, which they laid at her feet. She now +said she would lay by all else till she had tried what she could make of +it. The first thing to be done was to steep the flax. To do this we took +the plant down to the marsh, tied up in small bales, as they pack hemp +for sale. The leaves were then spread out in the pond, and kept down +with stones, and left there in that state till it was time to take them +out and set them in the sun to dry, when they would be so soft that we +could peel them with ease. It was two weeks ere the flax was fit for +us to take out of the marsh. We spread it out on the grass in the sun, +where it dried so quick that we took it home to The Nest the same day. +It was then put by till we could find time to make the wheels, reels, +and combs which my wife said that she would want to turn our new found +plant to its best use. + +We now made haste to lay up a store of canes, nuts, wood, and such +things as we thought we might want; and took care, while it was still +fine, to sow wheat, and all the grain we had left in our bags was soon +put in the ground. The fear that the rain might come and put a stop to +our work led us to take our meals in haste, and to make the days as long +as we could see. We knew the rain was close at hand, for the nights were +cold; large clouds could be seen in the sky, and the wind blew as we had +not felt it since the night our ship had struck on the rock. + +The great change came at last. One night we were woke up out of our +sleep with the noise made by the rush of the wind through the woods, +and we could hear the loud roar of the sea far off. Then the dense storm +clouds which we had seen in the sky burst on us, and the rain came down +in floods. The streams, pools, and ponds on all sides were soon full, +and the whole plain round us met our view as one vast lake. By good +luck, the site of our house stood up out of the flood, and our group of +trees had the look of a small isle in the midst of the lake. + +We soon found that The Nest was not built so well as we thought, for the +rain came in at the sides, and we had good cause to fear that the wind +would blow the roof off. Once the storm made such a rush at it that we +heard the beams creak, and the planks gave signs that there was more +strain on them than they could bear. This drove us from our room to the +stairs in the trunk, on which we sat in a state of fear till the worst +of the storm was past. Then we went down to the shed we had built on the +ground at the root of the tree, and made the best shift we could. All +our stores were kept here, so that the space was too small to hold us, +and the smell from the beasts made it far from a fit place for six of us +to dwell in; but it was at least safe for a time, and this was of course +the first thing to be thought of. To dress our food we had to make a +fire in the barn, and as there was no place to let out the smoke, it got +down our throats and made us cough all the day long. + +It was now for the first time that my wife gave a sigh for her old Swiss +home. But we all knew that it was of no use to grieve, and each set to +work to do all he could to make the place look neat and clean. Some of +our stores we took up the stairs out of our way, and this gave us more +room. As we had cut square holes in the trunk of the tree all the way +up, and put in frames of glass that we got from the ship, my wife could +sit on the stairs, with Frank at her feet, and mend our clothes. Each +day I drove from the barn such beasts as could bear to be out in the +rain. That we might not lose them, I tied bells round their necks; and +if we found that they did not come back when the sun went down, Fritz +and I went out to bring them in. We oft got wet through to the skin, +which gave us a chill, and might have laid us up if my wife had not made +cloth capes and hoods for us to wear. To make these rain proof, I spread +some of the gum on them while hot, and this, when dry, had the look of +oil cloth, and kept the head, arms, chest, and back free from damp. Our +gum boots came far up our legs, so that we could go out in the rain and +come back quite free from cold and damp. + +We made but few fires, for the air was not cold, save for an hour or two +late at night, and we did not cook more than we could help, but ate the +dried meat, fowls, and fish we had by us. + +The care of our beasts took us a great part of the day; then we made our +cakes and set them to bake in a tin plate on a slow fire. I had cut a +hole in the wall to give us light, and put a pane of glass in it to keep +out the wind, but the thick clouds hid the sun from the earth, and the +shade of the tree threw a gloom round our barn, so that our day light +was but short, and night came on far too soon. We then made use of our +wax lights, and all sat round a bench. My wife had as much as she could +well do to mend the rents we made in our clothes. I kept a log, In +which I put down, day by day, what we did and what we had seen; and +then Ernest wrote this out in a neat, clear hand, and made a book of it. +Fritz and Jack drew the plants, trees, and beasts which they had found, +and these were stuck in our book. Each night we took it in turns to read +the Word of God, and then all knelt down to pray ere we went to bed. +Ours was not a life of ease, it is true, but it was one of peace and +hope; and we felt that God had been so kind to us that it would be a +great sin to wish for what it did not please Him to grant us. + +My wife did all she could to cheer us, and it was no strange thing for +us to find that while we were out in the rain with the live stock, she +had made some new dish, which we would scent as soon as we put our heads +in at the door. One night it was a thrush pie, the next a roast fowl, +or some wild duck soup; and once in a while she would give us a grand +feast, and bring out some of all the good things we had in store. + +In the course of our stay in doors we made up our minds that we would +not spend the next time of storm and rain, when it should come round, in +the same place. The Nest would serve us well in that time of year when +it was fine and dry, but we should have to look out for some spot where +we could build a house that would keep us from the rain the next time +the storms came. + +Fritz thought that we might find a cave, or cut one out of the rocks by +the sea shore. I told him that this would be a good plan, but would take +a long while to do. By this time the boys were all well used to hard +work, and they thought they would much like to try their skill at some +new kind of work. + +"Well," said I, "we will go to the rocks round Tent House the first fine +day that comes, and try to find some place that will serve to keep us +from the next year's storms." + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +I CAN not tell how glad we all were when we at last saw a change in +the sky, and felt once more the warm rays of the sun. In a few days the +floods sank in the earth, and left the ground of a bright green hue; the +air grew warm and dry, and there were no more dark clouds to be seen in +the sky. + +We found our young trees had put forth new leaves, and the seed we had +sown had come up through the moist ground. The air had a fresh sweet +smell, for it bore the scent of the bloom which hung like snow flakes on +the boughs of the fruit trees; the songs and cries of the birds were to +be heard on all sides, and we could see them fly from tree to tree in +search of twigs to build their nests. This in fact was the spring of the +year, when all things put forth new life; and we knew that the time was +now come when we could once more range the woods and till the soil, and +this made the boys leap for joy. + +Some planks had been blown off the roof of The Nest, and the rain had +got in here and there; so our first job was to mend our house, and make +it fit to sleep in. + +This done, Jack, Fritz, and I set out to Tent House. We found it in a +sad state. The storm had thrown down the tent, blown off some of the +sail cloth, and let in the rain on our casks, some of which held a store +of food. Our boat was still safe, but the raft of tubs had broken Lip, +and what there was left of it lay in splints on the shore. + +Our loss in the storm had been so great that I felt we ought at once to +seek for some place on the rocks where we could put what was left. + +We went all round the cliffs, in the hope that we might find a cave, but +in vain. + +"There is no way but to hew one out of the rock", said Fritz, "we must +not be beat." + +"Well said, Fritz," said Jack; "we have each an axe. Why not try this +cliff at once?" + +I gave them leave to try, and we soon set to work at the rock. From this +spot we had a good view of the whole bay, and could see both banks of +the stream. + +With a piece of chalk I made a mark on the side of the cliff, to show +the width and height that the cave should be cut. Then each took an axe +to try what kind of stuff our rock was made of. We found it a hard kind +of stone; and, as we were not used to this sort of work, we had not done +much when the time came for us to leave off. + +We came back next day, and got on with more speed, though we thought +it would not take us less than six months to make the cave, if our work +were done at the same rate each day. + +At the end of five or six days we had got through the face of the rock, +and we found the stone soft. In a day or two more we came to what was +but hard clay, which gave way at a slight blow from the axe. + +"We need not fear now," said I, "for we shall soon have a hole as large +as we want." + +With the earth we took out we made a ridge in front of the cliff. The +boys now got on so well, and dug so much out, that I had hard work to +throw up the earth on the bank. + +One day, as Jack stuck his pick in at the back of the cave, which was +now more than eight feet from the front, a great mass of the rock fell +in, and he cried out, "Look here! I have got through." + +"Through what?" said I. "Not through your hand, I hope." + +"No, no, but through the rock." + +At this, Fritz set up a loud laugh. + +"Why not say through the world at once, and push your crow bar in till +you reach EU-ROPE, which, Ernest says, lies in a straight line from our +feet. I should like to have a peep down, such a hole, for I might thus +get a sight of our dear Swiss home." + +Fritz and I went up to the wall and found that Jack was right, for he +had come to a clear space. His first thought was to jump in; but as I +knew that there might be foul air in the cave, I would not let him risk +his life. + +The boys then set fire to some dry grass, and thrust it in the hole, but +it went out at once, which was a sure sign that the air was not fit to +breathe. + +I knew that we had brought from the wreck a box full of fire works, +which were used on board to make signs to ships far out at sea. I sent +Fritz to Tent House for these, though I thought that they might be too +damp to make use of. When he came back, I set light to some of them, +and threw them in the hole. They flew round, and threw out a stream of +sparks that lit up the cave. When these were burnt out, we put in a heap +of straw and threw a light on it. This was now soon in a blaze, and gave +us a clear view of the cave; but it was too deep for us to see the end. + +Our joy was so great that we sent Jack off home to The Nest to tell the +good news, and to bring back some wax lights. I did not deem it safe for +us to go in the cave in the dark, for there might be pools or deep dry +pits in the ground. + +Fritz and I had just thrown up on the bank the last spade full of earth +that had been dug out, when we heard a loud shout. We got up on the top +of the cave, and saw that Jack had brought back a tribe at his heels. +The large cart, drawn by the cow and the ass, came on at a slow pace, +led by Jack on a black ox, and in it were my wife, Frank, and Ernest. + +By the help of a flint and steel I soon lit some of the wax lights, and +gave one to each. I went in first and led the way, and the rest kept +close at my back. We had not gone on more than a few steps when we came +to a dead stop, struck with awe at the grand sight that met our view. +The walls and roof of the cave were lit up, as it were, with star-like +gems, while some hung down like glass drops from the roof, and some rose +up from the ground at its sides like blocks of spar. I broke off a piece +and put it on my tongue. + +"What does it taste like?" said Jack. + +"I find," said I, "that we are in a cave of rock salt." + +"We shall not have to scrape the rocks to get our salt now," said +Ernest, "for there is more here than would serve a whole town for a +lifetime." + +When we went back to The Nest that night we laid out a plan for our new +home, for there could be no doubt that the cave was the best place for +us to dwell in, though we should still sleep in The Nest when we went on +that side of the stream. + +The next day we all set to work; the floor of the cave was quite smooth, +and the walls dry, so that we could build at once. We first cut holes in +the sides of the rock to let in the light, and then brought frames and +panes of glass from The Nest, and put them in. We then brought all the +planks and wood we could find, and built a strong wall in the midst of +the cave. On the right side of this wall we made three rooms, two of +which were to be used as bed rooms, and one to take our meals in. On the +left side was a room for my wife to cook in, one to work in, to which +we gave the name of the shop, and a place with stalls in it for our live +stock. At the back of these was a store house, where we could keep our +stock of food and the whole of our spare goods. + +I need not say that it took us some months to do all this, nor that we +had to toil hard day by day, from morn till night, ere we got to the end +of our task; but the end did come at last, and then the joy we felt that +we had done all this with our own hands more than paid us for our toil. + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +OUR fields near Tent House had by this time brought forth good crops of +wheat, maize, beans, and peas; but as the work of the Cave had for some +weeks kept us on this side of the stream, we did not know in what state +we should find our crops at The Nest. + +One day we all set out for our old home. We found our corn fields of a +rich brown hue, and saw that the wheat was, for the most part, fit to +reap. This, and a large patch of rye we cut down, and, as we did so, +whole flocks of birds took to wing when we got near them, while quails +were seen to run off at the sight of our dogs, who had no lack of sport +that day. + +We laid by the seed that was quite ripe till the time should come for us +to sow it, and put the rest in sacks. Some of the wheat was laid up in +sheaves till we should have time to beat out the grain. + +When we left The Nest for the Cave, we could not find the hand mill that +we had brought from the ship. This now came to light, and we took care +to pack it up to take with us, as we should want it to grind our corn. + +That night we slept once more in the great tree; but I must say that we +did not now sleep so sound there as we used to do, nor did we feel so +safe as we did in our rooms at Rock House. + +The next day we were to start a plan by means of which our live stock +would not want so much of our care. They had bred so fast that we could +well spare some of them, and these I thought might be left in some place +to seek their own food, and yet be in reach should we want them. + +My wife took from her hen roost ten young fowls, and I took four young +pigs, four sheep, and two goats. These we put in our large cart, with +such tools as we thought we should need, tied the black ox, the cow, and +the ass to the shafts, and then set off from The Nest. + +We had to cross a wide plain, and here we met with some dwarf plants on +which, as Jack would have it, grew snow balls. + +Fritz ran to see what they were, and brought me a twig to which clung +balls of snow white down. I held it up to show my wife, for I knew the +sight would please her still more than her sons. + +"See," said I, "this is the COT-TON plant, which you have oft tried to +find. It seems to grow here as thick as weeds, and, if I am a judge, it +is of the best kind." + +We got as much of this as our bags would hold, and my wife took care to +pluck some of the ripe seed, that we might raise a crop in our grounds +at Tent House. + +At the end of the plain we came to the brow of a high hill, from which +the eye fell on a view the like of which we had not yet seen. Trees of +all kinds grew on the sides of the hill, and a clear stream ran through +the plain at its base, and shone bright in the rays of the sun. + +We said at once that this should be the site of our new farm. Close by +we found a group of trees, the trunks of which, as they stood, would do +for the main props of the house. + +I had long had a mind to build a boat, and here I at last came on a tree +that would suit. Fritz and I went for a mile or two in search of what we +could find, and by the time we came back my wife had put up our tent for +the night. We then all sat down to sup, and went to rest on beds made of +the bags of the white down that we brought from the trees on the plain. + +The next day we rose at dawn. The trees which were to form the frame of +our farm house stood on a piece of land eight yards long by five wide. I +made a deep cut in each of the trunks, ten feet from the ground, and put +up cross beams to form a roof, on which we laid some bark in such a way +that the rain would run off. + +We were hard at work for some days at the Farm House. The walls we built +of thin laths and long reeds, wove close for six feet from the ground, +but the rest we made of thin cross bars to let in both light and air. We +made racks to store bay and such like food for the live stock, and put +by some grain for the fowls, for our plan was to come from time to time +to feed them, till they got used to the place. + +Our work took us more time than we thought; and as our store of food got +low, we sent Fritz and Jack home to bring us a fresh stock, and to feed +the beasts we had left at Tent House. + +While they were gone, Ernest and I made a tour of the woods for some +miles round the new Farm. We first took the course of the stream that +ran by the foot of the hill. Some way up we came to a marsh on the edge +of a small lake, and here in the swamp grew a kind of wild rice, now +ripe on the stalk, round which flew flocks of birds. We shot five or six +of these, and I was glad to note the skill with which Ernest now used +his gun. I took some of the rice, that my wife might judge how far it +was of use to us as food. + +We went quite round the lake, and saw plants and trees that were not +known to me, and birds that Ernest said he had not seen in any of the +woods near The Nest. But we were most struck with the sight of a pair of +black swans, and a troop of young ones that came in their train. Ernest +would have shot at them, but I told him not to kill what we did not want +for use. + +We did not get back till late in the day. Jack and Fritz, whom we met +just as we came round the foot of the bill, had done their task well, +for they had a good stock of food in a sack that lay on the back of the +ass, and they brought the good news that all was well at home. + +We spent four more days at the Farm, and then left it in such a state as +to be fit for our use when we chose to go back to it. + +The Farm House was but a part of our plan, for we had made up our minds +to build a sort of half way house, or cot, in which we could rest on our +way to the Farm. This took us six days to do. The spot we chose lay by +the side of a brook, and was just such a place as would tempt, one to +stop and rest in the shade of the trees, that grew on the bank. While at +the brook, I made a boat out of the tree we found at the Farm, and took +it back with us to Tent House in the cart. + +We had still two months ere the rain would set in, and this left us time +to put the last touch to our cave. We laid the whole floor with clay, +and spread on it some fine sand, which we beat down till it was quite +smooth and firm. On this we put sail cloth, and threw down goat's hair +and wool made moist with gum. This was well beat, and, when dry, made a +kind of felt mat that was warm and soft to tread on, and would keep the +damp from our feet. + +By the time these works were done, our cave was in a fit state for us +to dwell in. We did not now dread the rain, for we were safe out of its +reach, and there was no need that we should go out in it. We had a warm +light shop to work in by day, a snug place where we could take our meals +and dry bed rooms in which we could sleep in peace. Our live stock we +kept in a shed at the back of the cave, and our store room held all that +we could want. + +When the rain at length set in, we all had some task that kept us close +at work in the cave. My wife took her wheel or her loom, both of which +I had made for her, for this kind of work fell to her share from choice. +By the help of the wheels of one of the ship's guns I had made a lathe, +and with this I could turn legs for stools and chairs. Ernest, too, was +fond of the lathe, and soon learned to do such work quite as well as I. + +At dusk, when we had done our work for the day, we brought out our stock +of books, and sat down to read by the light of a lamp. + +At times, Jack and Prank would play a tune on their flutes, which I had +made out of reeds; and my wife, who had a sweet voice, would sing some +of the old Swiss songs, that brought to our minds the joys of home. + +Though we were by no means dull, nor in want of work to fill up our +time, we were glad when the time came for the rain to cease, and when +we could gaze once more on the green fields. We went out the first fine +day, and took a long walk by the base of the cliff. On the shore we +found a dead whale, which the sea had no doubt thrown up in the storm. +We had long felt the need of oil; for though we had a lamp, we had +naught but our wax lights to put in it, and these gave a poor light to +read by. The next day we cut up the whale, and put the flesh in tubs. It +was far from a clean job, for the oil ran down our clothes and made them +smell; but as we could change them for new ones, thanks to the hemp and +my wife's skill, we did not mind that, for the oil was now worth more to +us than our clothes, though at one time we should not have thought so. + +One day we all set out on a tour to the Farm. Jack and Frank had gone +on first, while my wife and I were as yet close to the Cave. All at once +the boys came back, and Fritz said, "Look at that strange thing on its +way up the path. What can it be?" + +I cast my eye on the spot and cried out, "Fly all of you to the Cave! +fly for your lives!" for I saw it was a huge snake, or boa, that would +make a meal of one of us, if we did not get out of its way. + +We all ran in doors, and put bars up to the door of the Cave. A large +dove cote had been made on the roof, and to this we got up through a +hole in the rock. + +Ernest took aim with his gun, and shot at the snake, so did Fritz and +Jack, but it gave no sign that they had hit it. I then tried my skill, +but it did not seem to feel my shot any more than theirs, though I was +sure I must have struck its head. Just as we took aim at it once more, +we saw it turn round and glide through the reeds in the marsh. + +Our fears kept us for three long days in the Cave. The snake gave no +sign that could lead us to think it was still near, but the ducks and +geese had left the spot where their nests were, and this we knew to be +a bad sign. On the fourth day I went to the door, with a view to let out +some of the beasts to graze, for we were short of food for them. The ass +was just at my back, and as soon as it saw the light, made a rush to get +out. Off it went, straight to the sands, with its heels in the air, but +just as it got to the marsh we saw the boa glide out from the reeds, +part its wide jaws and make for its prey. The ass at once saw its foe, +but stood still as if struck with fear, and in less time than I take to +tell it, our old friend was tight in the folds of the boa. + +This was a sad sight for all of us, yet we could not take our eyes off +the snake, but saw it crush the poor beast, and then gorge its prey. +When it had put the whole of the ass out of sight, it lay down on the +sand quite still, as if it had gone to sleep or died. + +"Now is the time to seal the fate of our foe," said I to Fritz; and +with that we went out with our guns. When we got near, we both took a +straight aim, and each put a ball in its head. This made it move with a +start, and writhe as if in pain. + +"See how its eyes glare on us with rage. Now load your gun, and let us +put a bit more lead in him." + +Our next shot went in his eyes. It then shook as with a strong spasm, +and fell dead on the sand. + +A shout of joy brought my wife and the three boys to the spot. The state +of fear they had been kept in for three whole days had made them quite +ill, but now the joy of Jack and Frank knew no bounds, for they leaped +on the snake and beat it as if they would go mad. + +My wife said that the death of the boa took a great weight off her mind, +for she thought it would lie in wait for us near the Cave, starve us +out, and then kill us as it had done the poor ass. + +We slit up the snake, and took out the flesh of the ass, which the boys +laid in a grave near Tent House. The boa's skin we hung up at the door +of the Cave, over which Ernest wrote the words, "No ass to be found +here," which we all thought to be a good joke. + +One day late in the spring I went with my three sons a long way from the +Cave. My wife and Frank were left at our Half Way House, to wait till we +came back, but the dogs went with us. Our route lay far up the course of +a small stream, which had its source some miles north of the Farm House. +The ground was new to us, but we could not well lose our way, for on the +right stood a hill from which we could see the whole of the plain. + + +Ernest had gone with one of the dogs to a cave that he had spied at the +foot of the hill, but we saw him turn round and run back with Turk at +his heels. As soon as he thought his voice would reach us, he cried out, +"A bear! A bear! come to my help!" + +We could now see that there were two great beasts at the mouth of the +cave. At a word from us both the dogs, flew to fight the bear that stood +in front. + +Fritz took up his post at my side, while Jack and Ernest kept in the +rear. Our first shot was "a miss," as Jack said; but we took a sure aim +the next time, and both shots told. We would have let fly at them once +more from this spot, but as we thought we might hit our brave dogs, who +were now in the heat of a hard fight with their foes, we ran up close to +them. + +"Now, Fritz," said I, "take a straight aim at the head of the first, +while I fire on the one at his back." + +We both shot at once; the bears gave a loud growl, and then, with a +moan, fell dead at our feet. + +As it was now time to go back, we put the bears in the cave, but took +care to cut off their paws, which form a dish fit to grace the feast of +a king. + +We had a long walk back to the place where I had left my wife. The boys +told her what a hard fight the dogs had with the bears, and how Fritz +and I had shot them, and then gave her the paws. With the aid of Frank +she had fed our live stock and brought in wood to make up our watch fire +for the night, so we sat down to sup at once, and then went to rest. + +Next day we put our beasts to the cart and drove as far as the bear's +den. As we came near to the spot a flock of birds flew out of the mouth +of the cave, two or three of which Fritz brought down with his gun. It +took us the whole day to cut up the bears. The hams were laid by to be +smoke dried; while my wife took charge of the fat and the skins. + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +WE had now so much work to do, and the days and weeks came and went so +quick, that I do not think we should have known the time of year had it +not been for our log. + +Some days were spent at the Cave, where we made our goods, ground our +flour, stored our food, and kept our tame live stock. Then we had to +take care of our crops in the fields near The Nest, and this took us two +or three days in each month. Once in ten days at least we went to the +Farm on the hill, and at the same time made a call at the Half Way +House; so that there was not a day that we had not our hands quite full. +Now and then we went out to hunt for sport or to add to our stock of +beasts, which had grown so large that there were few we could name that +had not been caught and brought home. We had birds of the air, fowls of +the land, and beasts of all kinds' from the great black ox of the plain +to the small wild RAB-BIT that came and made its hole close by our cave. + +But there was one bird that we had not yet caught, though we had seen +it two or three times in the woods. This was the OS-TRICH. Fritz found a +nest with some eggs in it, and this led us to make a tour with a view to +catch one of the old birds. We rose that day ere it was light, and set +out at dawn, each on the back of a good steed. + +As we should have to hunt through the woods, my wife was left at home; +and Ernest, who did not like rough work, chose to stay with her. We made +it a rule to take one of the dogs with us when we went out to hunt, but +on this day we thought it wise to let them both come. + +Fritz took us straight to where he had seen the nest, which was not more +than a few miles up the stream. When we came in sight of the spot, we +saw four great birds, as if on their way to meet us. As they drew near +we kept the dogs well in, and made no noise, so that they did not stop +till they came near us. + +Fritz had brought his Ea-gle with him, which he now let fly. At one +swoop the bird came down on the head of the Os-trich, held on with its +beak, and struck out its wings with great force, as if to stun it. + +We now rode up close to the scene of war. Jack first flung a cord round +the legs of the bird, which made it fall to the ground. I then threw my +pouch on its head, and, strange to say, it lay down as still as a lamb. + +I now tied both its legs with cords, but left it just room to walk. We +then made it fast to the two bulls that had brought Jack and Frank all +the way from home, and put one of them on each side. They next got up on +their steeds, and I took the pouch from the head of the bird. As soon as +it could see, it gave a wild stare, and then fought to get free. + +The boys then put spurs to the flanks of their steeds, and when the bird +had made a few starts back, as if to try the strength of the cords which +held it, it set off with a run, and the bulls at each side made it keep +up a smart pace. + +Fritz and I now went in search of the nest, which we soon found. I took +the eggs from it and put them in a bag I had brought to hold them, in +which I put some wool and moss, so that they should not break. + +It did not take us long to get up to the two boys, who had gone on +first, and we were glad to find that the poor bird had made up its mind +to its fate, and kept up well with the pace of the bulls. + +When we got in sight of home, my wife and Ernest, who had been on the +look out for us, came forth to meet us; and the strange way in which we +brought home our new prize made them laugh. I need not say that we took +great care of it. + +The next day we built it a house, with a space in front for it to walk +up and down, round which were put rails, so that it could not get out. +At first it was shy, and would not take any food, so that we had to +force some balls of maize down its throat; but in a short time it took +grain from the hands of my wife, and soon grew quite tame. + +The boys now set to work to break it in for use. They taught it first +to bear them on its back. Then they put a pair of string reins in its +mouth, and made it turn which way they chose to pull, and to walk, or +run, or stand still, as it was bid. Thus, in a month from the time we +caught it, the boys made it take them on its back to and from the Farm +or The Nest, in less than half the time an ox would go; so that it came +to be the best steed we had to ride on. + +The eggs we found in the nest were put in a warm dry place, and though +we scarce thought our care would bring live birds out of the shells, +we had the joy to hatch three of them, and this led us to hope that we +should ere long have a steed for each of our sons. + +My work at this time was by no means light. Our hats and caps were all +worn out, and with skins of the musk cat I had to make new ones. The +bears' skins were laid in the sun to dry, and of these we made fur +coats, which would keep us warm when the cold wet nights came round, and +there were some left to serve as quilts or rugs for our beds. + +I now tried my hand at a new craft. I dug some clay out of the bed of +the stream, and taught the boys to knead it up with sand, and some talc +that had been ground as fine as road drift. I had made a lathe with a +wheel, and by its aid the clay left my bands in the shape of plates, +cups, pots, and pans. We then burnt them in a rude kiln, and though at +least one half broke with the heat and our want of skill, still those +that came out whole more than paid me for my toil, and kept up my wife's +stock of delf. Some of the jars were set round with red and blue beads, +and these were put on a shelf as works of art, and kept full of long +dried grass. + +The time was now at hand when we must reap our grain and store the ripe +crops that were still on the ground; and, in fact, there was so much to +be done, that we scarce knew what to do first. The truth must be told +that our wants did not keep pace with the growth of our wealth, for the +land was rich, and we had but a few mouths to fill. + +We knew that we might leave the roots in the ground for some time, as +the soil was dry, but that the grain would soon spoil; so we made the +corn our first care. When it was all cut and brought home, our next task +was to thresh it. The floor of our store room was now as hard as a rock, +for the sun had dried it, and there was not a crack to be seen. On this +we laid the ears of ripe corn, from which the long straw had been cut, +and sent the boys to bring in such of our live stock as were fit for the +work to be next done. + +Jack and Fritz were soon on the backs of their steeds, and thought it +fine fun to make them course round the floor and tread out the grain. +Ernest and I had each a long fork, with which we threw the corn at their +feet, so that all of it might be trod on. The ox on which Jack sat put +down his head and took a bunch of the ears in his mouth. + +"Come," said Jack, "it is not put there for you to eat, off you go!" and +with that he gave it a lash with his whip. + +"Nay," said I, "do you not know what God has said in his Word? We must +not bind up the mouth of the ox that treads out the corn. This brings +to my mind the fact that the means we now take to thresh our wheat were +those used by the Jews in the days of old." + +To sort the chaff from the grain we threw it up with our spades while +the land or sea breeze blew strong. The draught which came in at the +door took the light chaff with it to one side of the room, while the +grain fell straight to the ground by its own weight. + +The maize we left to dry in the sun, and then beat out the grain with +long skin thongs. By this means we got a store of the soft leaves of +this plant, which my wife made use of to stuff our beds. + +When all the grain had been put in our store room, some in sacks and the +rest in dry casks, we took a walk one day to our fields, and found that +flocks of birds, most of which were quails, had come there to feed. This +gave us a fine day's sport with our guns, and the next year we did not +fail to look for them, so that the fields were made to yield a stock of +game as well as a crop of grain. + +With but slight change in our mode of life, we spent ten long years in +our strange home. Yet the time did not seem long to us. Each day brought +with it quite as much work as we could do, so that weeks and months and +years flew past, till at last we gave up all hope that we should leave +the isle or see our old Swiss home, the thought of which was still dear +to us. + +But the lapse of ten years had wrought a great change in our sons. +Frank, who was but a mere child when we first came, had grown up to be +a strong youth; and Jack was as brave a lad as one could wish to see. +Fritz, of course, was now a young man, and took a large share of the +work off my hands. Ernest had just come of age, and his shrewd mode of +thought and great tact was as great a help to us as was the strength and +skill of the rest. + +To crown all, it was a rare thing for them to be ill; and they were free +from those sins which too oft tempt young men to stray from the right +path. My wife and I did our best to train them, so that they might know +right from wrong; and it gave us great joy to find that what we told +them sunk deep in their hearts, and, like ripe seed sown in rich soil, +brought forth good fruit. + +I need not say that in the course of ten years we had made great strides +in those arts which our wants had first led us to learn. When we first +came the land near Tent House was a bare waste; now it bore fine crops, +and was kept as neat as a Swiss farm. At the foot of the hill by the +side of Rock Cave was a large plot of ground, which we laid out in beds, +and here we grew herbs and shrubs, and such plants as we used for food. +Near this we dug a pond, and by means of a sluice which led from the +stream, we kept our plants fresh in times of drought. Nor was this the +sole use we made of the pond; for in it we kept small fish and crabs, +and took them out with a rod and line when we had need of food, and time +to spare for that kind of sport. In the ground round the mouth of the +Cave we drove a row of strong canes, bound at the top to a piece of +wood, so as to form a fence, up which grew a vine, and, at each side, +plants that threw a good show of gay bloom crept up to meet it. Shells +of great size and strange shapes were got from the shore, and these we +built up here and there with burnt clay, so as to form clumps of rock +work, on which grew ferns and rare plants. All this gave a charm to our +home, and made the grounds round it a source of joy when, we laid by our +work for the day. In fact, we thought there was now scarce a thing to +wish for that we had not got. + +Our cares were few, and our life was as full of joy and peace as we +could well wish; yet I oft cast a look on the sea, in the hope that +some day I should spy a sail, and once more greet a friend from the wide +world from which we had been so long shut out. This hope, vague as it +was, led me to store up such things as would bring a price, if we had +the chance to sell them; they might prove a source of wealth to us if a +ship came that way, or would at least help to pay the charge of a cruise +back to the land we came from. + +It is but just to say that the boys did not share my hopes, nor did they +seem to wish that we should leave the place where they had been brought +up. It was their world, and the cave, to which we gave the name Rock +House, was more dear to them than any spot on the earth. + +"Go back!" Fritz would say; "to leave our cave, that we dug with our own +hands; to part with our dear kind beasts and birds; to bid good-by to +our farms, and so much that is our own, and which no one in the world +wants. No, no! You can not wish us to leave such a spot." + +My dear wife and I both felt that age would soon creep on us, and we +could not help some doubts as to the fate of our sons. Should we stay +and end our days here, some one of us would out-live the rest, and this +thought came oft to my mind, and brought with it a sense of dread I +could not get rid of. It made me pray to God that He would save us all +from so dire a fate as to die far from the sound of the voice of man, +with no one to hear our last words, or lay us in the earth when He +should call us to our rest. + +My wife did not share this dread. "Why should we go back?" she would +say. "We have here all that we can wish for. The boys lead a life of +health, free from sin, and live with us, which might not be the case if +we went out in the world. Let us leave our fate in the hands of God." + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +As Fritz and Ernest were now men, they were of course free to go where +they chose, and to come back when their will led them home. Thus, from +time to time they took long trips, and went far from Rock House. They +had fine boats and strong steeds, and of these they made such good use +that there was scarce a spot for leagues round that was not well known +to them. + +At one time, Fritz had been so long from home that we had a dread lest +he should have lost his way, or fallen a prey to wild beasts. When he +came back he told us a long tale of what he had seen and where he had +been, and how he had brought with him birds, beasts, moths, and such +strange things as he thought Ernest would like to see. When he had done, +he drew me out into our grounds and said he had a strange thing to tell +me. It seems that he found a piece of white cloth tied to the foot of a +bird which he had struck down with a stick, on which were these words: +"Save a poor soul, who is on the rock from which you may see the smoke +rise." + +He thought that this rock could not be far off, and that he ought to set +off at once in search of it. + +"I have a thought," said he; "I will tie a piece of cloth, like that I +found, to the leg of the bird, and on it I will write, 'Have faith in +God: help is near.' If the bird goes back to the place from whence it +came, our brief note may reach the eye of the lone one in the rock. At +any rate, it can do no harm, and may do some good." + +He at once took the bird, which was an AL-BA-TROSS, tied the strip of +cloth to its foot, and let it go. + +"And now," said he, "tell me what you think of this. If we should, find +a new friend, what a source of joy it will be. Will you join me in the +search?" + +"To be sure I will," said I; "and so shall the rest; but we will not yet +tell them of this." + +They were all glad to take a trip in the large boat, but they could not +make out why we went in such haste. + +"The fact is," said Jack, "Fritz has found some queer thing on the coast +that he can't bring home, and wants us to see it. But I dare say we +shall know what it all means in good time." + +Fritz was our guide, and went first in his bark boat, or CA-NOE. In this +he could go round the rocks and shoals that girt the coast, which would +not have been safe for the large boat. He went up all the small creeks +we met with on the way, and kept a sharp look-out for the smoke by which +he would know the rock we came out to find. + +I must tell you that once when he came to these parts with Ernest he met +with a TI-GER, and would have lost his life had it not been for his pet +Ea-gle. The brave bird, to save Fritz from the beast, made a swoop down +on its head. Fritz thus got off with a scratch or two, but the poor bird +was struck dead by a blow from the paw of its foe. This was a sad loss +to Fritz, for his pet had been a kind friend, and would go with him at +all times when he went far from home. + +There was scarce a spot we came to that did not bring to the mind of +one of us some such tale as this, so that we were full of talk while the +boat bore us on. + +We had been out some days, but could find no trace of what we went in +search. I rose from my berth at dawn, and went on deck with Fritz. I +told him that as we had no clue to the place, we must now give up the +search. He did not seem to like this, but no more was said. That day we +spent on shore, and came back to our boat to sleep at night. Next day we +were to change our course, and trace our way back, for the wind now blew +from the sea. + +When I went on deck next day I found a short note from Fritz, in which +he told me that he could not give up the search, but had gone some way +up the coast in his small boat. "Let me beg of you," he wrote, "to lie +in wait for me here till I come back." + +When he had been gone two days, I felt that I ought to tell my wife the +cause of our trip, as it might ease her mind, and she now had some fear +lest her son should not be safe. She heard me to the end, and then said +that she was sure he would not fail, but soon bring back good news. + +As we were all on the look-out for Fritz, we saw his boat a long way +off. + +"There is no one with him in the boat," said I to my wife; "that does +not say much for our hopes." + +"Oh, where have you been?" said the boys, all at once, as he came on +board. But they scarce got a word from him. He then drew me on one side, +and said, with a smile of joy, "What do you think is the news I bring?" + +"Let me hear it," said I. + +"Then I have found what I went forth to seek, and our search has not +been in vain." + +"And who is it that you have found?" + +"Not a man," he said, "but a girl. The dress she wears is that of a man, +and she does not wish at first that her sex should be known to more that +we can help, for she would not like to meet Ernest and the rest in that +state, if they knew that she was a girl. And, strange to tell," said +Fritz, "she has been on shore three years." + +While I went to tell the news to my wife, Fritz had gone down to his +berth to change his clothes, and I must say that he took more care to +look neat in his dress than was his wont at home. + +He was not long, and when he came on deck he bid me say no word to the +rest of whom he had found. He leaped like a frog in to his light craft, +and led the way. We were soon on our course through the rocks and +shoals, and an hour's sail, with the aid of a good breeze, brought us to +a small tract of land, the trees of which hid the soil from our view. + +Here we got close in to the shore, and made our bark safe. We all got +out, and ran up the banks, led by the marks that Fritz had made in the +soil with his feet. We soon found a path that led to a clump of trees, +and there saw a hut, with a fire in front, from which rose a stream of +smoke. + +As we drew near I could see that the boys did not know what to make of +it, for they gave me a stare, as if to ask what they were to see next. +They did not know how to give vent to their joy when they saw Fritz come +out of the hut with a strange youth, whose slight make, fair face, and +grace of form, did not seem to match well with the clothes that hung +upon his limbs. + +It was so long since we had seen a strange face, that we were all loth +to speak first. When I could gain my speech I took our new friend by the +hand, and told her in words as kind as I could call to my aid, how, glad +we were to have thus found her. + +Fritz, when he bade Ernest and Jack shake bands with her, spoke of our +new friend as James, but she could not hide her sex from my wife, for +her first act was to fall on her breast and weep. The boys were not slow +to see through the trick, and made Fritz tell them that "James" was not +the name they should call her by. + +I could not but note that our strange mode of life had made my sons +rough, and that years of rude toil had worn off that grace and ease +which is one of the charms of well-bred youth. + +I saw that this made the girl shy of them, and that the garb she wore +brought a blush to her cheek. I bade my wife take charge of her, and +lead her down to the boat, while the boys and I stood a while to speak +of our fair guest. + +When we got on board we sat down to hear Fritz tell how he came to find +Miss Jane, for that was her real name; but he had not told half his tale +when he saw my wife and her new friend come up on deck. She still had a +shy look, but as soon as she saw Fritz she held out her hand to him with +a smile, and this made us feel more at our ease. + +The next day we were to go back to our home, and on the way Fritz was to +tell us what he knew of Miss Jane, for his tale had been cut short when +she came on the deck with my wife. The boys did all they could to make +her feel at home with them, and by the end of the day they were the best +of friends. + +The next day we set sail at sun rise; for we had far to go, and the boys +had a strange wish to hear Fritz tell his tale. + +When the boat had made a fair start, we all sat down on the deck, with +Jane in our midst, while Fritz told his tale to the end. + +Jane Rose was born in IN-DI-A. She was the child of one Cap-tain Rose, +whose wife died when Jane was but a babe in arms. When ten years of age +he sent her to a first class school, where she was taught all that was +fit for the child of a rich man to know. In course of time she could +ride a horse with some skill, and she then grew fond of most of the +field sports of the East. As the Captain had to go from place to place +with his troops, he thought that this kind of sport would train her for +the mode of life she would lead when she came to live with him. But this +was not to be, for one day he told Jane that he must leave the East, +and take home the troops. As it was a rule that no girl should sail in +a ship with troops on board, he left her to the care of a friend who was +to leave near the same time. He thought fit that she should dress in the +garb of a young man while at sea, as there would then be no need for +her to keep in her berth, and he knew that she was strong and brave, and +would like to go on deck, and see the crew at their work. It gave the +Captain pain to part with his child, but there was, no help for it. + +The ship had been some weeks at sea, when one day a storm broke over +it, and the wind drove it for days out of its course. The crew did their +best to steer clear of the rocks, but she struck on a reef and sprung a +leak. The boats then put off from the wreck, but a wave broke over the +one in which Jane left, and she was borne, half dead with fright, to the +place where we found her. She had been thrown high up on the beach, and +though faint and sick, got out of the reach of the waves. She did not +know if those who were in the boat with her had lost their lives, but +she had seen no trace of them since. + +When she had strength to walk, she found some birds' eggs and shell +fish, which she ate, and then went in search of some safe place where +she could rest for the night. By good chance she had a flint and a +knife; with these she set light to some dry twigs, and made a fire, +which she did not once let out till the day she left. Her life was at +first hard to bear, but she was full of hope that some day a ship would +come near the shore, to which she could make signs for help. The wild +sports of the East in which she took part had made her strong of limb, +and she had been taught to make light of such things as would vex most +of her sex. + +She built a hut to sleep in, and made snares to catch birds. Some of +them she made use of for food, and some she let go with bits of cloth +tied to their legs, on which she wrote words, in the hope that they +might meet the eye of some one who could help her. This, as we knew, had +led Fritz to make his search, the end of which had brought as much joy +to us as to the young friend who now sat in our midst. + +When Fritz had told us this, and much more, we came in sight of Safe +Bay. He then took Ernest with him in his small boat, and left us to go +up the stream as fast as he could to Rock House, so as to make the place +look neat by the time we brought home our guest. The two boys--for to us +they were still boys--met us on the beach. Fritz, with a look of pride, +gave his hand to Jane, and I could see a slight blush rise to her cheek +as she gave him hers. He then led her up the path, on each side of which +grew a row of young trees, and took her to a seat in our grounds. There +he and Ernest had spread out a feast of our best food--fish, fowls, and +fruit, and some of my wife's choice jam--whilst our burnt clay plate +made a great show on the board, for it was set out with some taste. We +had a wish to show Jane that, though the coast was a wild kind of place, +still there were means to make life a joy to those who dwelt on it, if +they chose to use them. As for Jane, the sight of our home, the style +of our feast, and the kind words of the boys, were things so new to her, +that she knew not what to say. + +"I shall tell no more than the truth," she said, "when I say that what +you have shown me is of far more worth than all the wealth I have seen +in the East, and that I feel more joy this day than I have felt in all +the days of my life. I can use no terms less strong than these to show +how much I thank you." + +This was just the kind of speech to please the boys, for there had been +no one to praise their work till now. When the meal was done, my wife +brought out some of her best wine, and we drank to the health of our +guest in great state, and with loud cheers. We then made a tour of our +house and grounds, that Jane might see the whole of the place that from +this time she was to make her home. It would take me a long time to tell +what she thought of all she saw, or the neat things she said in praise +of our skill, as we took her from place to place. My wife's room, in +which were kept the pots and pans to dress our food, and the plates, +bowls, and cups, out of which we ate, took her some time to view; for +she had long felt the want of such things as she now saw we had made for +our own use out of what we could find. + +The next day we all went to The Nest, and when the rainy season came +round, Jane knew the place quite as well as we did. My wife found in +her a true friend, for she soon took a large share of the work off +her hands, and did it with so much skill, and with so strong a wish to +please us, that we grew to love her as if she had been our own child. + +When the time came for us to keep in doors from the rain, the boys would +oft lay by their work, and sit to hear Jane talk of what she had seen in +the East, and Ernest and Fritz would read to her by turns such books as +she might choose. I was glad to see that this wrought a great change in +my sons, whose mode of life had made them rough in their ways and loud +in their speech--faults which we did not think of so long as there was +no one to see or hear them. + +When the spring came, the boys went in our boat to the spot where they +had found Jane, which we now knew by the name of "Jane's Isle," and +brought back some beans, which were new to them. These we found to be +COF-FEE. Jane told us that they were by no means scarce, but that she +had not made use of them, as she knew no way to roast or grind the +beans, which she found in a green state. + +"Do you think," said my wife, "that the plant would grow here?" + +I then thought for the first time how fond she was of it. There had been +some bags on board the ship, but I had not brought them from the wreck; +and my wife had once said that she would like to see the plant in our +ground. Now that we knew where to get it, she told me that it was one of +the few things that she felt the loss of. When the boys heard this, they +set out on a trip to Jane's Isle, and while there they went to the spot +where she had dwelt for so long, and sought for what things she had left +when she came to live with us. + +All these were brought to Rock, House, and I may tell you that Fritz set +great store by them. There were all sorts of odd clothes, which she had +made of the skin of the sea calf; fish lines wrought out of the hair of +her head; pins made from the bones of fish; a lamp made out of a shell, +with a wick of the threads which she had drawn from her hose. There were +the shells she used to cook her food in; a hat made from the breast of a +large bird, the tail of which she had spread out so as to shade her neck +from the sun; belts, shoes, and odd things of a like kind. + +My wife, who had now a friend of her own sex to talk with, did not feel +dull when the boys left us for a time, so they had leave to roam where +their wish led them, and to stay as long as they chose. In the course +of time they knew the whole of the isle on which we dwelt. Ernest drew +a map of it to scale, so that we could trace their course from place +to place with ease. When they went for a long trip they took some doves +with them, and these birds brought us notes tied to their wings from +time to time, so that we knew where they were, and could point out the +spot on the map. + +I will not dwell on what took place now for some time, for I find that +each year was very much like the last. We had our fields to sow, our +crops to reap, our beasts to feed and train; and these cares kept our +hands at work, and our minds free from the least thought of our lone +mode of life. + +I turn to my log as I write this, and on each page my eye falls on some +thing that brings back to my mind the glad time we spent at Rock House. + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +IN the spring time of the year, when the rain was past, Fritz and Jack +set off on a trip in their boat to Shark Isle. The day was fine, the sky +clear, and there was no wind, yet the waves rose and fell as in a storm. + +"See!" cried Jack, "here comes a shoal of whales. They will eat us up." + +"There is no fear of that," said Fritz; "whales will do us no harm, if +we do not touch them." This proved to be the case. Though any one of +them might have broken up the boat with a stroke of its tail, they did +not touch it, but swam by in a line, two by two, like a file of troops. + +On Shark Isle, near the shore, we had thrown up a mound, and built a +fort, on which were set two of the ship's guns. These the boys made a +rule to fire off, with a view to let us know that they were safe, and +to try if the guns were still fit for use. This time they found their +charge quite dry, and the guns went off with a loud bang. + +They had just put a plug in the hole of one of the guns, to keep out the +wet, when they heard a sound roll through the air. + +"Did you bear that?" said Jack. "I am sure that noise must have come +from some ship at sea. Let us fire once more." + +But Fritz thought they ought to go home at once and tell me what they +had heard. They both ran to the boat with all speed, and put out their +strength to reach home ere the sun went down. + +The day was fine, and as the rain had kept us in doors for two months, +we were glad to go down on the beach for a change. All at once I saw +the boys come up the stream in their boat, at a great speed, and the way +they used their sculls led me to think that all was not right. + +"What have you seen, that should thus put two brave youths to flight?" +said I. + +Then they told me what had brought them back so soon. I had heard the +sound of the two guns which they had fired off, but no more. I told +them I thought their ears must be at fault, and that the sounds they +had heard were no more than those of their own guns, which the hills had +sent back through the air. This view of the case did not at all please +them, as by this time they well knew what sounds their guns made. + +"It will be a strange thing," said I, "if the hope to which I have so +long clung should at last come to be a fact; but we must have a care +that we do not hail a ship the crew of which may rob and kill us for the +sake of our wealth. I feel that we have as much cause to dread a foe as +we have grounds of hope that we may meet with friends." + +Our first course was to make the cave quite safe, and then to mount +guard where we could see a ship if one should come near the coast. That +night the rain came down in a flood, and a storm broke over us, and we +were thus kept in doors for two days and two nights. + +On the third day I set out with Jack to Shark Isle, with a view to seek +for the strange ship which he said he knew must be in some place not +far from the coast. I went to the top of a high rock, but though my eye +swept the sea for miles round, I could see no signs of a sail. I then +made Jack fire three more shots, to try if they would give the same +sound as the two boys had heard. You may judge how I felt, when I heard +one! two! three! boom through the air. + +There was now no room for doubt that, though I could not see it, there +must be a ship near Shark's Isle. Jack heard me say this with great +glee, and cried out, "What can we now do to find it?" + +We had brought a flag with us, and I told Jack to haul this up twice to +the top of the staff, by means of which sign those who saw it would know +that we had good news to tell them. + +I then left Jack on the fort with the guns, and told him to fire as soon +as a ship hove in sight. I bent my way at once back to Rock House, to +talk with my wife, Jane, and the boys, as to what steps we should now +take. They all met me on the beach, and made me tell them the news while +I was still in the boat. + +"We know no more," said I, "than the fact that there is still a ship +on the coast. You must all now keep in doors, while Fritz and I go in +search of it." + +We set off at noon, and went straight to the west part of the coast, +where we thought the sound must have come from. We knew a cape there +from which we could get a good view of the sea, and by the side of which +lay a small bay. + +When we got round the cape, great was our joy to find a fine ship in +the bay. It was not far off from us, for we could see the ENG-LISH flag +float in the breeze from one of its masts. I seek in vain to find words +by means of which I can set forth in print what I then felt. Both Fritz +and I fell on our knees and gave thanks to God that He had thus led the +ship to our coast. If I had not held him back, Fritz would have gone +into the sea with a leap and swum off to the ship. + +"Stay," said I, "till we are quite sure what they are. There are bad men +on the seas who put up false flags to lure ships out of their course, +and then rob and kill the crew." + +We could now see all that took place on board. Two tents had been set +up on the shore, in front of which was a fire; and we could see that +men went to and fro with planks. There were two men left on guard on +the deck of the ship, and to these we made signs. When they saw us they +spoke to some one who stood near, and whom we thought had charge of the +ship. He then put his glass up to his eye and took a good view of us +through it. + +We did not at first like to go too near, but kept our boat some way off. +Fritz said he could see that the faces of the men were not so dark as +our own. + +"If that be the case," said I, "we are safe, and we may trust their +flag." + +We both sang a Swiss song, and then I cried out at the top of my voice +these words: "Ship ahoy! good men!" But they made no sign that they +heard us. Our song, our boat, and, more than all, our dress, made them +no doubt guess that we were wild men of the wood; for at last one of +the crew on board held up knives and glass beads, which I knew the wild +tribes of the New World were fond of. This made us laugh, but we would +not as yet draw nigh to the ship, as we thought we ought to meet our new +friends in our best trim. + +We then gave a shout and a wave of the hand, and shot off round the cape +as fast as our boat would take us. We soon got back to Rock House, where +our dear ones were on the look-out for us. My wife said we had done +quite right to come back, but Jane thought we should have found out who +they were. + +That night none of us slept well; our guest thought there might now be +a chance for her to reach her home, and she dreamed she heard the +well-known voice of her sire call her to come to him. The boys were half +crazed with vague hopes, and lay for hours ere they went to sleep. My +wife and I sat up late to think and talk of the use that might be made +of this chance. We felt that we were now full of years, and should not +like in our old age to leave the place where we had spent the best part +of our lives; still we might do some trade with the land from which the +ship came, if it were but known that we were here, and we might hear +news of our dear Swiss home. + +At break of day we put on board our boat a stock of fruit and fresh +food of all kinds, such as we thought the crew of the ship would like to +have, and Fritz and I set sail for the bay. We took with us all the arms +we could find, so as not to be at a loss should the crew prove false to +their flag, and turn out to be a set of thieves. + +As we drew near the ship I fired a gun, and told Fritz to hoist a flag +like theirs to the top of our mast, and as we did so the crew gave a +loud cheer. I then went on board, and the mate of the ship led me to his +chief, who soon put me at my ease by a frank shake of the hand. I then +told him who we were, and how we came to dwell on the isle. I learned +from him, in turn, that he was bound for New South Wales; that he knew +Captain Rose, who had lost his child, and that he had made a search for +her on the coast. He told me that a storm had thrown him off his course, +and that the wind drove him on this coast, where he took care to fill +his casks from a fresh stream that ran by the side of a hill, and to +take in a stock of wood. + +"It was then," he said, "that we first heard your guns; and when on the +third day the same sound came to our ears, we knew that there must be +some one on the coast, and this led us to put up our tents and wait till +the crew should search the land round the bay." + +I then made the crew a gift of what we had brought in our boat, and said +to Captain Stone, for that was his name: "I hope, sir, that you will now +go with me to Rock House, the place where we live, and where you will +see Miss Rose, who will be glad to hear some news of home." + +"To be sure I will, and thank you much," said he; "and I have no doubt +that Mr. West would like to go with us." This Mr. West was on his way, +with his wife and two girls, to New South Wales, where he meant to build +a house and clear a piece of land. + +We all three then left the ship in our boat, and as we came in sight of +Shark Isle, Jack, who was on the fort, fired his guns. + +When we came to the beach, my wife and the rest were there to meet +us. Jane was half wild with joy when she heard that Captain Stone had +brought her good news from home. + +We led them round our house and through the grounds and Mr. West took +note of all he saw. When we came to talk, I found that he had made up +his mind to stay with us. I need not say how glad I was to hear this, +for he had brought out with him a large stock of farm tools, of which we +had long been in want. + +The boys were of course in high glee at all this, but I did not share +their joy so much as I could wish. The ship which now lay close to our +shore was the first we had seen since we came to the isle, and no one +could tell when the next might come. My wife and I did not wish to +leave. I had a love for the kind of life we led, and we were both at an +age when ease and rest should take the place of toil. But then our sons +were young--not yet in the prime of life--and I did not think it right +that we should keep them from the world. Jane, I could tell, would not +stay with us, nor did she hide from us the fact that her heart drew her +to the dear one at home, from whom she had been kept so long. So I told +my wife that I would ask my boys to choose what they would do--to stay +with us on the isle, or leave with Captain Stone in the ship. + +Fritz and Jack said they would not leave us; Ernest spoke not a word, +but I saw that he had made up his mind to go. I did not grieve at this, +as I felt that our isle was too small for the scope of his mind, and did +not give him the means to learn all he could wish. I told him to speak +out, when he said he should like to leave the place for a few years, and +he knew Frank had a wish to go with him. + +I thought this would give my wife pain, but she said that the boys had +made a good choice, and that she knew Ernest and Frank would make their +way in the world. + +Captain Stone gave Jane, Ernest, and Frank leave to go with him, as +there was room in the ship now that the Wests were to stay with us. + +The ship was brought round to Safe Bay, and Fritz and Jack went on board +to fetch Mrs. West and her two girls, who were glad to find that they +were not to go back to the ship, for the storm had made them dread the +sea. + +I may here say, by the way, that my wife soon found that her two sons +grew fond of their fair friends, and gave me a hint that some day we +should see them wed, which would be a fresh source of joy to us. + +I have not much more to tell. The stores I had laid up--furs, pearls, +spice, and fruits--were put on board the ship, and left to the care of +my sons, who were to sell them. And then the time came for us to part. I +need not say that it was a hard trial for my wife; but she bore up well, +for she had made up her mind that it was all for the best, and that her +sons would some day come back to see her. I felt, too, that with the +help of our new friends, we should not miss them so much as we at first +thought, and this we found to be the case. + +As the next day my boys were to leave me, I had a long talk with them. I +told them to act well their part in the new sphere in which they were to +move, and to take as their guide the Word of God. They then knelt down +for me to bless them, and went to their beds in Rock House for the last +time. + +I got no sleep all that night, nor did the two boys, who were to start +the next day. + +As Ernest takes this Tale with him--which I gave him leave to print, +that all may know how good God has been to us--I have no time to add +more than a few words. + +The ship that is to take from us our two sons and our fair guest will +sail from this coast in a few hours, and by the close of the day three +who are dear to us will have gone from our midst. I can not put down +what I feel, or tell the grief of my poor wife. + +I add these lines while the boat waits for my sons. May God grant them +health and strength for the trials they may have to pass through; may +they gain the love of those with whom they are now to dwell; and may +they keep free from taint the good name of the Swiss Family Robinson. + +THE END. + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Swiss Family Robinson Told in +Words of One Syllable, by Mary Godolphin + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON *** + +***** This file should be named 6692.txt or 6692.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/6/6/9/6692/ + +Produced by Bruce Miller + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + + +Title: The Swiss Family Robinson Told in Words of One Syllable + +Author: Mary Godolphin + +Release Date: October, 2004 [EBook #6692] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on January 13, 2003] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON TOLD IN WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE *** + + + + +This eBook was produced by Bruce Miller. + + + +THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON + +TOLD IN WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE + +by Mary Godolphin + +CHAPTER I. + +WHEN one has a good tale to tell, he should try to be brief, and not +say more than he can help ere he makes a fair start; so I shall not say +a word of what took place on board the ship till we had been six days +in a storm. The barque had gone far out of her true course, and no one +on board knew where we were. The masts lay in splints on the deck, a +leak in the side of the ship let more in than the crew could pump out, +and each one felt that ere long he would find a grave in the deep sea, +which sent its spray from side to side of what was now but a mere hulk. + +"Come, boys," said I to my four sons, who were with me, "God can save +us if it please Him so to do; but, if this is to be our last hour, let +us bow to His will--we shall at least go down side by side." + +My dear wife could not hide the tears that fell down her cheeks as I +thus spoke to my sons, but she was calm, and knelt down to pray, while +the boys clung round her as if they thought she could help them. + +Just then we heard a cry of "Land! land!" felt a shock, and it was +clear that we had struck on a rock, for we heard a loud cry from one of +the men, "We are lost! Launch the boat; try for your lives!" + +I went at once on deck, and found that all the boats had been let down, +and that the last of the crew had just left the ship. I cried out for +the men to come back and take us with them, but it was in vain. + +I then thought that our last chance was gone. Still, as I felt the ship +did not sink, I went to the stern, and found, to my joy, that she was +held up by a piece of rock on each side, and made fast like a wedge. At +the same time I saw some trace of land, which lay to the south, and +this made me go back with some hope that we had still a faint chance. + + As soon as I got down stairs I took my wife by the hand, and said, "Be +of good cheer, we are at least safe for some time, and if the wind +should veer round, we may yet reach the land that lies but a short way +off." + +I said this to calm the fears of my wife and sons, and it did so far +more than I had a right to hope. + +"Let us now take some food," said my wife. "We are sure to need it, for +this will no doubt be a night to try our strength." + +My wife got some food for her boys, which we were glad to see them eat, +poor as it was; but we could not share their meal. Three out of the +four were put to bed in their berths, and soon went to sleep; but +Fritz, who was our first child, would not leave us. He said, like a +good son, that he would try to be of some use, and think what could be +done. + +"If we could but find some cork," said Fritz to me in a low tone, "we +might make floats. You and I will not need them, for we can swim, but +the rest will want some such means to keep them up." + +"A good thought," said I. "Let us try to find what things there are in +the ship that we can thus make use of." + +We soon found some casks and ropes, and with these we made a kind of +float for each of the three boys, and then my wife made one for her own +use. This done, we got some knives, string, and such things as we could +make fast to our belts. We did not fail to look for and find a flint +and steel, and the box in which the burnt rags were kept, for these +were at that time in use as the means to strike a light. + +Fritz, who was now well-nigh worn out, lay down on his bed and slept +like the rest. As for me and my poor wife, we kept watch, each in fear +lest the next wave should lift the ship off the rock and break it up. + +I need not tell you how glad we were when we saw the first gleam of +light. At dawn the wind did not blow so strong, the sky was clear of +clouds, and we saw the sun rise, and with it rose our hopes. I soon had +my wife and sons on deck. + +"Where are the men?" said they. "How can we steer the ship?" + +"My dear boys," said I, "He who has kept us safe till now will still +aid us. Let all hands set to work, and leave the rest to God." + +At these words we all went to work with a will. My wife went to feed +the live stock; Fritz set off in search of arms, and the means to make +use of them; and Ernest made his way to the tool chest. Jack ran to +pick up what he could find, but as he got to one of the doors he gave +it a push, and two huge dogs sprang out and leaped at him. He thought +at first that they would bite him, but he soon found that they meant +him no harm, and one of them let him get on his back and ride up to me +as I came from the hold of the ship. + +When the boys had done their search, and the spoil was brought on deck, +we thought we had found all that we should need. "As for me," said my +wife, "I have brought good news, for I find we have still on board a +cow, an ass, two goats, six sheep, a ram, a pig, and a sow, and I have +found food for them all." + +"All that you bring will be of use," said I; "but I fear that Jack's +dogs will do us more harm than good." + +"Not at all," said Jack, "for they can help us to hunt when we get to +land." + +"Well said, Jack. And now let us see what we can do that will aid us to +get there." + +We then took the casks that we had found, and Ernest and I soon cut +them in half. With these tubs we made a kind of raft, though it was no +slight task. The tubs, in fact, were a fleet of eight small round +boats, made so fast to some planks that no one of them could float from +the rest. The next thing to be done was to launch the raft. This we at +length did, and when the boys saw it slide down the side of the ship +and float on the sea, they gave a loud shout, and each one tried who +should be the first to get on it. I made it fast to the ship, and there +left it. + +I then told my wife to change her dress for that of one of the crew +which she had found, as her skirts would have got in her way when she +had to climb. She did not at first like this, but did so as soon as she +saw the truth of what I told her. + +At last, when all was done, we went to bed, and slept as sound as if we +had been on land. + + +CHAPTER II. + +WE were all up at the break of day, and knelt down to thank God that He +had kept us from harm through the night. + +We then put all the things on the raft, and ten live hens and two cocks +were put in one of the tubs. Some ducks and geese we let go, in the +hope that they would swim to the shore; and a pair of doves were set +free, as they could fly to the land. + +There was a place in the raft for each of us. In the first tub sat my +wife; in the next Frank, who was eight years old; in the third Fritz, +not quite twice the age of Frank; in the fourth were the fowls, and +some old sails that would make us a tent; the fifth was full of good +things in the way of food; in the sixth stood Jack, a bold lad, ten +years old; in the next Ernest, twelve years of age, well taught, but +too fond of self, and less fond of work than the rest; while I sat in +the eighth, to guide the raft that was to save all that was dear to me +in the world. + +As soon as the dogs (Bill and Turk by name) saw us push off from the +ship they leaped in the sea, swam near the raft, and kept well up with +us. + +The sea was calm; so that we felt quite safe. We made good use of the +oars, and the raft bore its freight straight to the land; but as we +drew near to the shore the sight of the bare rocks led us to think that +we might still be in need of food and drink when that which we had was +gone. + +As we got near, the coast lost its bare look, and we were glad to see +that there was no lack of trees. We soon found a bay, to which the +ducks and geese had found their way, and here we saw a place where we +could land. + +As soon as we had made the raft fast with a strong rope, we took out +all our wealth, and made a tent with the old sail cloth we had brought +with us, and stuck a pole in the ground to keep it up. This done, I +sent the boys to get some moss and dry grass to make our beds with. +With the flint and steel we soon set fire to some dry twigs, and my +wife made a pot of soup with what she had brought from the ship. + +Fritz, who had charge of the guns, chose one, and took a stroll by the +side of a stream, while Jack went in search of shell fish, which he +thought he might find on the rocks. My share of the work was to save +two large casks which were near the shore. While I was up to my knees +in the sea I heard a shrill cry, which I knew to come from Jack. I got +out at once, took up an axe, and ran to his help. I found him with his +legs in a rock pool, where a large crab held him by his toes. It soon +made off as I came near; but I struck at it with the axe, and brought +it out of the pool. Jack then took it up, though it gave him a pinch or +two ere he found out how to hold it, and ran off in high glee to show +what he had caught. + +When I got back to the tent, I found that Ernest had brought us news +that he had seen salt in the chinks of the rocks, and that shell fish +were not scarce. + +"Well, my boy, if you are sure you saw them, I will ask you to go back +for some. We must each do some work for the good of all." + +He went, and soon found the salt, left by the sea on the rocks, which +the sun had made quite dry. There was some sand with it, but my wife +did not take long to find a way to cure that. She had been to a fresh +stream with a large jug; from this I saw her pour some on the salt, +strain it through a cloth, and let it drip in a cup, so that all the +sand was left on the cloth. + +When the soup was made hot we had each a taste, and all said that it +was good. + +"Be not in too great haste," said my wife, "we must wait for Fritz; +but if he were here, I do not see how we are to take our soup, for we +have no plates nor spoons." + +"If we had but some large nuts," said Ernest, "we might cut them in +half, and they would make good bowls." + +"Quite true," said I; "but as there are none, we may as well wish for +delf bowls and real spoons at once." + +"Now I have it," quoth Ernest. "Let us use the shells I saw on the +shore." + +Off ran Jack to the shore, with Ernest at his heels, and back they both +came with large and small shells for us all. + +Just then Fritz came in, with a look of gloom on his face, which I +could see was a sham. + +"You do not mean to tell me you have come back with nought?" said I, as +he put out his hands as if to prove that such was the case. But Jack, +who had been round him, cried out, "No, no! he's got a pig!--such a +fine one. Tell us where you found it." + +Fritz now brought forth his prize. When I saw it, I knew, from what I +had read, that it was not a pig, but a swift beast, known in these +parts, that lives on fruit and nuts, and hides in the earth. (*The +Agouti.) + +"I like the place much more than I do this spot," said he. "The shore +lies low, and there are planks, casks, chests, and all sorts of things, +that the sea has thrown up. Why not leave this place at once, and go +there?" + +"There is a time for all things," said I. "We must at least rest here +for one night." + +We all sat down to take our soup with the shell spoons. Ernest took +from his coat a large shell, which he had hid till now, put it in the +soup, and then set it down to cool. + +"You do not show want of thought," said I to him. "But I am not glad to +see that you think so of your-self, and do so much for your own ease, +when all the rest do so much for yours. Now, that shell full of soup +you must give to our two dogs. We can all dip our small shells in the +pot, and you must do as we do." + +I knew he felt hurt at this, but he gave it to the dogs at once, and +they soon made quick work of their share of the soup. + +The sun was low when our meal came to an end. The fowls came round us +to pick up the stray crumbs we had let fall, and my wife took out her +bag of grain and fed the cocks and hens, and sent them to roost on the +top of our tent. + +We took care to load our fire-arms, in case we might need them in the +night; sang a hymn of praise to God, and then left our fate in His +hands. + + +CHAPTER III. + +As soon as I heard the cock crow, and saw by the light that it was +break of day, I got out of bed and spoke to my wife as to what we +should do next. + +"First," said I, "Fritz and I will make a tour of the coast and try to +find some of the men who left the ship, for if they are here they may +be in want." + +"But," said Fritz, who had heard me from his bed, "why should we search +for those who left us to die on the wreck?" + +"Well, I will tell you," said I. "First, we should do to them as we +would wish them to do to us, not as they have done; next, we know that +they took no food with them, and we should not leave them to starve; +and last, it may be that they can help us, though now they stand more +in need of our aid." + +The boys were soon up, and we all sat down to a good meal. That done, +Fritz and I got our guns. I put a pair of small arms in his belt. gave +him a game bag, and told him to take an axe. I took some food for us +both, and a full flask, out of which we could drink if we should stray +far from a stream. + +When we took our leave, my wife and the three boys were in tears. The +dog Bill we left to guard the tent, but Turk went with us, and ran by +our side. + +We soon got to the banks of a stream; but then had to make our way down +its course. It took us some time to reach the sea shore. There was not +a boat to be seen, or any sign that the ship's crew had found the land. +We left the shore, and went through a wood full of tall trees. Here +Fritz struck some hard thing on the ground with his foot, which we +found to be a CO-COA NUT. He gave it a blow with his axe, and broke the +shell, and we both sat down to rest, and eat the nut. + +At the end of the wood we came to a plain which gave us a clear view of +the place. Fritz, who was on the look out, ran off with Turk to some +strange trees that he saw on the right. + +When I got up to him, it gave me no small joy to find that it was a +gourd tree. + +"Try," said I, "if you can get hold of one of those queer lumps that +grow on it." + +With that he brought one down, and we had a look at it. + +"Now, of this," said I, "we can make a plate, a dish, or a flask. Wild +men set great store by its shell, which they use to hold their food and +drink." + +We then set to work to make plates of the gourds. When we had made some +eight or ten bowls, and some flat ones for plates, we laid them out in +the sun to dry, and then went on our way. + +We could see, not far off, a grove of fine palm trees, but to reach +them we should have to pass through reeds and long grass. I knew this +was just the place to find snakes, so we each cut a cane, that we might +beat them off should we meet with any. As I took hold of my staff, I +felt a gum or juice ooze out of the end. I put my tongue to it, and +found it of a sweet taste. This led me to suck the reed, and I then +knew that we had met with the SUG-AR CANE. By this time Fritz had done +the same, for I could see that he held his cane to his mouth. + +"Do not suck too much of it," said I, "or it will make you ill; but let +us cut some of the best and take them back with us, for those at home +will prize so great a treat." + +It did not take us long to reach the place where the palms grew, and +then we sat down in the shade to eat the food we had brought with us. + +"Do you see those nuts at the top of the trees, Fritz ?" said I. + +"To be sure I do; but they are far too high to reach. Look, look!" he +cried, "there are some MON-KEYS; let me have a shot at them." +"Do not do that," I said, and held his arm; "it will do us no good to +kill them, and I think I can make use of them." With that I threw some +stones up at the tree where they were, though they had got safe out of +my reach. They then made a loud noise, took hold of the nuts that were +near, and flung them straight at us. The trick made Fritz laugh, who +soon had hard work to pick up the nuts that were thrown at him. + +We broke some of the nuts, and put the juice of the canes in the thick +white cream which forms close to the shell; and this made us a dish +that Fritz said was fit for a king. + +Fritz and I then made fast some nuts to a string, which I tied round my +waist, while he took up his canes, and we both set off on our road home. + + +CHAPTER IV. + +ON our way back we took up the gourd bowls and plates, which we found +quite dry and hard as bone, and put them in our bags. We had scarce got +through the wood, when Turk made a dart in front of us, and we saw a +troop of apes rush out of the way. But he gave a leap and brought down +one that could not climb so fast as the rest, for she had a young one +in her arms. Turk made short work of the poor thing, for ere Fritz +could call the dog off, the ape was dead. The young one, as soon as it +saw Fritz, sprang on his back, put its paws in his curls, and would not +let go. I at length got the ape from Fritz's back, and took it up in my +arms like a child. We found that it was too young to seek its own food, +and, as Fritz said he should like to take it home, we put it on Turk's +back. Turk did not at first like this, but we soon got him to bear the +ape, which held so tight by the hair on the dog's neck that it could +not well fall off. Fritz then led Turk with a string, that he might not +stray out of sight, or throw off his charge, which I think he would +have done had we not been on the watch. + +It did not take us long to reach the bank of the stream near to our +home. + +I need not tell you how glad my wife and sons were to see us safe back, +or with what joy the boys took the "real live ape" out of Fritz's arms. + +At length, when they got more staid, I told them that we had brought +them all sorts of good things, but that we had not met with any of the +men of whom we went in search. "God's will be done," said my wife, "let +us thank Him that you have come back safe to us. This day to me has +been an age; but put down your loads, for we must now go in and hear +what you have to tell." + +Fritz and I then told them, by turns, where we found the things we +brought with us, how we made and dried the plates and bowls, cut the +canes, and caught the ape in the wood. Our tales had not come to an end +when we were told that it was time to sup. Ernest had shot a wild +goose, and some fish had been caught in the stream. With these, and the +Dutch cheese that we brought from the ship, we made a good meal; but +the boys would not rest till we broke some of the nuts, from which they +drank the milk, made sweet with the juice of the canes. I must tell you +that we ate our food in great state from our gourd rind plates, which +my wife said she should prize more than if they were made of pure gold. + +That night the ape went to bed with Jack and Fritz, and we all slept in +peace till the cocks on the roof of the tent woke us up. + +Next day Fritz and I went back to the wreck to save the live stock, and +get what else we had left that might be of use to us. We found it no +light task, for we had to make floats for the cow, the ass, the sheep, +and the goats, throw them in the sea, and tie them with ropes to our +raft. We put on board the raft a vast deal of food that had not been +spoiled by the sea, though the waves had made a breach in the sides of +the wreck. We then put to sea with our train of live stock made fast to +the stern. + +We had not gone far when I heard a loud cry of fear from Fritz, "We are +lost! We are lost! See what a great shark is on its way to us!" + +Though pale with fright, he took aim with his gun, and shot the fish in +the head. It sank at once, but left a track of blood in the sea, which +I knew to be a sign that we were once more safe. We then got to land, +and made fast our freight to the shore. Ere we had done this our +friends came to give us what help they could to get the beasts out of +the stream, and take them up to the tent. The poor things were well +nigh worn out; but we took good care of them, and put them to rest on +some dry grass that my wife had laid out for them. + +That night we did not sup on the ground. My wife had spread a +cloth on the top of a cask, and we each sat on a tub. With the knives +and forks that we had found in the ship we ate a dish of hot ham and +eggs, nor did we fail to test the wine that I had brought with me in a +small cask from the wreck. + +Ere bed-time my wife had told me that while I was at the wreck she had +gone in search of some place in which we could build a house. + +"And did you find one, my dear?" I said. + +"Oh, yes," said she. "We can take you to a great tree that will serve +us well, if we can but get across the stream with our goods." + +"But would you have us roost, like fowls, in a tree? How do you think +we could get up to our perch?" + +"Was there not a large lime tree in our town in which they built a ball +room, with stairs up the trunk?" + +"To be sure there was," said I; "and if we can not build in it, we can +at least make use of its shade, and dwell in a hut on the roots." + +Ernest said that he took a string, and found that it was twelve yards +round. This led me to think that my wife's scheme was by no means a bad +one, and that I would have a look at the tree the next day. + +When I had heard all they had to tell, we knelt down to pray, and then +sought a good night's rest, which the toils of the day made us much in +need of. + + +CHAPTER V. + +WHEN I rose from my bed the next day, I said to my wife: "Does it not +seem, my dear, as if God had led us to this place, and that we should +do wrong to leave it?" + +"What you say may be quite true, so far as it goes," she said; "but I +must tell you that the mid-day heat is more than we can bear, and that +if we stay here we may have to keep watch at night, for there are, no +doubt, wild beasts of some kind that will find us out; and we should +not trust too much to our dogs, who may lose their lives in a fight +with them." + +"I dare say you are right," said I; "but I do not yet see how we can +cross the stream. We shall first have to build a bridge." + +The boys were now all out of their beds; and while my wife went to milk +the cow and cook some food, I made my plans known to them. They were +all glad when they heard that we were to leave, and each said he, would +help to build the bridge. + +The first thing to be done was to find some strong planks; and Fritz, +Ernest, and I went down to the shore, and got in the boat, which the +tide took down to the bay. + +On a piece of land which lay to the left we could see some large dark +thing, round which flew a flock of sea gulls. We put up a sail and +caught a gust of wind which had sprung up, and this soon brought the +boat to the spot. We made no noise, but crept up the shore step by +step, and we got so near that Ernest brought down some of the birds +with a stick. Fritz was the first to find out that what the sea gulls +had just left was the huge fish he had shot in the sea. We cut off some +rough skin, which we thought might serve for files, and then went back +to the boat. I took a glance at the shore ere I got in, and to my great +joy saw some of the planks and spars from the wreck lay on the ground +not far off. Our next care was to bind these so as to make a raft, +which we tied to the stern of the boat, and then, by the use of our +oars, soon made our way up the stream to the place where the bridge was +to be built. Our young friends were glad to see us back so soon, and +ran to meet us; Jack had a cloth in his hand, in which was a store of +cray fish and crabs just caught in some of the nooks of a rock up the +stream. + +"Do not fail to give God thanks," said I, "that our lot has been cast +where we can pick up more food than we can eat." + +It would take a long time to tell how we brought all the wood up to the +spot, built piers of stone in the stream, and put the planks one by one +in the place; it was late at night when we left off work, and once more +sought our tent. + +The next day we saw the sun rise, and took our first meal in haste, for +we knew we should have a long day's toil. All the stores that we could +not take with us were laid by in the tent, the door of which was made +safe by a row of casks, that we put round it. My wife and Fritz soon +led the way; the cow went next; then the ass, with Frank on its back. +Jack led the goats, and on the back of one of them sat the ape. Ernest +took charge of the sheep, and I brought up the rear as chief guard. We +took care to cross the bridge one at a time, and found it bore our +weight well; but once or twice we thought the cow would step in the +stream, or fall off the boards, when she went to the sides to drink. + +Just as we had left the bridge, Jack cried out, "Be quick! here is a +strange beast with quills as long as my arm." The dogs ran, and I with +them, and found a large POR-CU-PINE, in the grass. It made a loud +noise, and shot out its quills at the dogs, and made them bleed. At +this Jack shot at the beast, which fell dead on the spot. My wife's +first thought was to dress the wounds made by the quills, which had +stuck in the nose of one of the dogs, while the boys made haste to +pluck some of the quills from the skin of their strange prize. + +At last our march came to an end, and I saw for the first time the +great trees that my wife had told me of. They were of vast size, and +were, I thought, fig trees. "If we can but fix our tent up there," I +said, "we shall have no cause to dread, for no wild beasts can reach +us." We sent Frank off to find sticks, with which to make a fire, and +my wife made some soup of the flesh of the beast we had slain, though +we did not like it so well as we did the ham and cheese we brought with +us. + + +CHAPTER VI. + +THE meal at an end, my first thought was to make some steps by means of +which we could reach the first strong branch of the tree. Ernest and I +went in search of some thick canes that grew in the sands hard by. +These we cut down, bound them to four long poles, and thus made a pair +of steps that would, we thought, reach far up the trunk. + +On our way back from the sands, one of the dogs made a dart at a clump +of reeds, and a troop of large birds rose on the wing with a loud +noise. Fritz let fly at them, and brought down two at a shot. One of +them fell quite dead, but its mate, though hurt in the wing, made use +of its long legs so well that it would have got off if Bill had not +held it. The joy of Fritz, to have caught such a strange bird, was so +great that he would have us at once bind it by the neck and take it +back with us. "Look," said Ernest, "what fine plumes he has, and you +see he has web feet like a goose, and has long legs like a stork: thus +he can run on land as fast as he can swim." + +"Yes," said I, "and he can fly with more speed through the air, for +these birds have great strength in their wings. In fact, few birds have +such means of flight as the FLA-MIN-GO." + +My wife thought the great bird might need more food than we could +spare. I told her that it would feed on small fish and worms, and not +rob our geese of their grain. I then tied him to a stake near the +stream; and in a few days we were glad to find that he knew us, and +would come at a call, like a tame bird. + +While I sat on the grass with my sons, late in the day, I thought I +would try to make a bow and thus save our shot. This I did with a long +cane and a piece of string, and then made a dart with a sharp point, +which I shot off and found it would go straight. The branch of the tree +on which we were to fix our hut was so high that our steps would not +near reach it. I tied some strong thread to the dart, and shot it over +the branch; then tied a piece of rope to the end of the thread, and +drew that up, and at last made a long row of cane steps, with a rope at +each side, which we drew up to the first strong branch. The boys were +now all in haste to climb the tree, but I chose that Jack, who was +light of build and sure of foot, should go up first and try the +strength of our work. Fritz went up next with some nails, and made the +ropes fast to the tree, while I drove stakes in the ground to keep them +firm at the foot. It was now time for me to mount, and up I went with +an axe to lop off the twigs and smooth the bough that was to form the +ground of our new house. I sent the boys down out of my way, and kept +hard at work till it was late, for the sky was clear, and the moon lent +me her beams of light to see by. + +When I came down my wife spread a good meal on the ground, which we ate +as best we could, and then made our beds of dry moss, round which we +put heaps of twigs. These we set light to, as watch fires to keep off +wild beasts and snakes. The toils of the day had made the boys tired, +and they were soon in a sound sleep, but my wife and I took it in turns +to watch through the whole night. + +We were all out of bed as soon as light was in the sky, and set to work +to hoist up the planks that were to form the floor of our hut. These we +laid down on the branch, with their ends made fast to a cross piece of +wood that we had to fix to the trunk of the tree. Our nails were long, +and we drove each one of them home, so that we had no cause to fear the +strength of our work. By the time we had done this the day was far +spent, and we were all glad to lay by our tools and rest our limbs. +That night we lit our fires round the tree, tied the dogs to the roots, +and went up to sleep out of harm's way for the first time since we left +the ship. When the steps were drawn up we all felt that we were now +safe at last, and that we had brought the toils of the day to a good +end. + + +CHAPTER VII. + +WE did not wake next day till the sun shone in upon us. I told my wife +and sons that as it was the Lord's day we would do no work. Our beasts +and birds had first to be fed. This was done by my wife, who then +brought us some hot milk, and made us sit down on the grass and take +it. When our meal was done, I got on a log in front of my sons, and we +all sang a psalm we knew by heart. Then I sought to teach them and +spoke to them thus: + +"There was once on a time a Great King, who had two vast realms, the +Land of Light and Truth, and the Land of Night and Sloth. Those who +dwelt in the first were full of life and joy. The King held his court +at the Place of Rest where all was bright. + +"This King had a land, not far off, where those for whom he had so much +love should dwell ere they went one by one to the Place of Rest. This +land was the Home of Earth. He gave to his Son the right to rule the +host that dwelt in the Home of Earth, and set forth to think what they +were to do, and all the ills that would come to them if they did not do +as they were bid. + +"At first they were all glad to hear the way in which they were to +live, and the terms on which they could reach the Land of Light and +Truth. Sad to tell, they soon broke the King's laws, and paid no heed +to what they knew to be his will. Still there were a few who did as +they had been taught, and dwelt in peace, in the hope that they would +please the King and at last reach the place where he held his court. + +From time to time ships came to the Home of Earth, and at last a great +ship was sent, the name of which was The Grave, which bore the flag of +Death. To the good it was a sign of hope, but the bad were thrown by +the sight of it into a state of gloom. These ships were not +seen till they came close to the shore, and then the crew were sent +forth to find those whom they were told to seize. Some went back with +them full of joy, but most were seen to weep and mourn their fate. So +soon as they were brought in sight of the Great King, the Prince took +those who had done well, and put a white robe on them; but those who +went their own way when on the Home of Earth, he sent down to toil in +deep, dark mines till time shall be no more." + +When my sons had heard my tale to the end they all knew what it meant; +I then drew from them their views of what they ought to do to please +and serve the Great King. We then sang a hymn; and my wife drew from +her bag the BIBLE, which I gave to one of the boys, who read from it in +a clear, loud voice. When this was brought to a close, we all knelt +down on the grass to pray, and to ask God to bless the means we took to +learn His will. + +We did no work that day, but took a long stroll up the banks of the +stream. + +The next day Ernest and Jack tried their skill with the bow, and +brought down some small birds that came to the great tree in quest of +figs. I gave them leave to kill what they could; for I knew if put in +casks made air tight with grease, they would keep for a time, and might +prove a boon, if our stock of food should get low. + +When we sat down to dine, the thought struck me that it would be well +to give some name to each part of the land that was known to us. This +was at first the source of some fun, for Fritz said we should call the +bay where we had found the shell spoons by the name of Spoon Bay; but +Jack, who still had a mark on his toe where the crab gave him a pinch, +thought we ought to term it Crab Bay. + +"If you will let me give it a name," said my wife, "I should wish to +know it by some term that will make us bear in mind how good God was to +lead our raft there, and I don't think Safe Bay will be a bad name for +it." + +"So let it be," said I; and from that time Safe Bay had a name. +"What shall be the name of the spot where we spent our first night on +shore? You shall give that its name," said I to Fritz. + +"Let us call it Tent House," + +"That will do," said I. "And now for the spot at the mouth of Safe Bay, +where we found our planks?" + +"Sharp Point," said Ernest. The place from which Fritz and I sought for +a trace of out ship mates was to be known as No Man's Cape. Then we had +the Boys' Bridge, which name I gave it from a wish to please my sons, +who had done so much to build it. + +"But what shall we call the place which is most dear to us all?" + +"Now, my dear," said I to my wife, "it is your turn. What shall we say?" + +"Let us call it The Nest," said she; and with that I gave each of my +young birds a glass of sweet wine. + +"Here's to 'The Nest,'" said I; "and may we live long to bless the day +and the means that brought us here." + +When the heat of the day was past, I told my sons that I should be glad +to take a walk with them. My wife said that she should like to go with +us; so we left The Nest in charge of Turk, and bent our course to the +banks of the stream. On our way we went past some shrubs and rare +herbs, which my wife knew well how to make use of should we fall sick; +and Ernest found a large spot of ground on which grew a fine kind of +PO-TA-TO. At these the boys set to work with such zeal, that we soon +had a full bag of the ripe fruit. We then went on to Tent House, which +we found in the same state as when we left it to cross the stream on +our way to the great tree. + +We found that our ducks and geese had grown so wild that they would not +come near us; so, while my wife and I went to pick up such things as we +thought we might take back with us, Ernest and Fritz were sent to catch +them, and to tie their legs and wings, and in this way we got them at +last to The Nest. + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +IT took the whole of the next day to make a sledge, to which we tied +the ass, and drove to Tent House. On our sledge we put such of the +casks which held food, and took them back to The Nest. Fritz and I went +once more to the wreck, and this time we brought off chests of clothes, +pigs of lead, cart wheels, sacks of maize, oats, peas, and wheat. With +a strong bar we broke down some of the doors, and took such parts of +the ship as we thought would aid us to build our house, which as yet +was far less safe than I could wish. These we bound with cords, and +made them float back at the stern of the raft. + +When we got to the shore my wife and the three boys were there to greet +us. My first care was to send for the sledge, and with this we took +most of our new wealth up to The Nest. + +The next day I told my sons that they must now learn to run, to leap, +to climb, and to throw stones straight at a mark, as all these things +would be of great use to them in their new mode of life. + +I next taught them to use the LAS-SO, by means of which men catch the +wild horse on the vast plains of the New World. I tied two stones to +the ends of a cord some yards in length, and flung off one of them at +the trunk of a young tree; the cord went round and round it in a coil +and bound it so tight that I could have drawn it to me had it not been +fast in the ground. This trick the boys were not slow to learn; and +Fritz, in a short time, could take an aim as well with a stone as he +could with his gun. + +As yet we had not seen much of the isle; for it took most of our time +to build the house. But one day we made up our minds that we would all +start on a tour. We rose at dawn, put the ass in the sledge, took what +food we thought we should need, and set out from The Nest just as the +sun rose. + +When we came to the wood where Fritz found the ape, he told them by +what means we got the nuts, but now there were no apes there to throw +them down. + +"Oh, if one would but fall from the trees," he said. + +The words had but just left his lips when a large nut fell at his feet. +He made a start back, and two more came down near the same spot. + +As the nuts were far from ripe, I was at a loss to know how they could +fall off the tree, for I could not see an ape nor a bird near. + +I went close up to the tree, and saw a large land crab on its way down +the trunk. Jack struck a blow at him with a stick, but did not hit the +beast. He then took off his coat and threw it on the crab's head, while +I made an end of him with an axe. I told them that these crabs climb +the trees and break off the nuts, as we had seen, and then come down to +feast on them at their ease. + +"But how do they crack the nuts?" said Jack. + +"They make a hole through the shell at the thin end, and then suck them +dry." + +The dead crab was put in the sledge, and we went on through the wood. +When we came to the Gourd Wood, we sat down to make some more bowls and +flasks to take back with us. Ernest had gone to try what new thing he +could find, but he had not been from us long, when we heard him call out + +"A wild boar! A great wild boar! Come here, pray!" + +We took up our guns, and went at once with the dogs to the spot. We +soon heard Turk give a loud bark, and just then we heard Ernest laugh, +and saw the two dogs come through a clump of brush wood, with our old +sow fast by the ears. She did not seem to like the way in which they +had put an end to her feast of fruit, so she ran back as soon as we +told the dogs to let go their hold of her ears. + +"But with all our sport," said Fritz, "we have a poor show of game. +Let us leave the young ones, and set off to see what we can meet with." +Ernest sat down with Frank, and we left them and my wife at the gourd +tree, while Fritz and Jack set off with me to a high rock which we saw +on the right. + +"Fritz, look here," said Jack, as he made his way to the rock. + +"What have you found now?" said Fritz. + +"I don't know what it is, but it's a fine prize." + +When I went up I saw at once that it was a large I-GUA-NA, the flesh +and eggs of which are both good for food. I had heard that these and +such like beasts will stand still if you play an air on a pipe. So I +crept near, and made a low sound with my lips, while I held in my right +hand a stout stick, to which I had tied a cord with a noose, and in my +left hand a slight wand. I saw it first move its tail, and then draw +its head from side to side, as if to look where the sound came from. I +then threw the noose round its neck, drew it tight, got on its back +with a leap and thrust the wand up its nose, which is the sole part of +the beast where there are no hard scales. It bled at once, and was soon +dead, nor did it seem to feel any pain. Our prize, which was near five +feet long was no slight weight to lift. I got it at last on my back, +and thus we went back to the gourd tree, where we found the rest quite +safe. + +It took us a long time to reach The Nest that night. My wife did her +best to dress some of the flesh of the land crab, but it was tough, and +did not taste so nice as the soup made from the beast that we had +caught by the nose. + + +CHAPTER IX. + +FRITZ and I spent the whole of the next day in the woods. We took the +ass and one of the dogs with us, but left all else at home. + +Our way first lay through a dense wood, where we saw no end of small +birds, but such game could not now tempt Fritz to waste his shot. We +then had to cross a vast plain, and to wade through the high grass, +which we did with care, lest we should tread on some strange thing that +might turn and bite us. + +We came at last to a grove of small trees, and in their midst I saw a +bush, which I knew to be the wax tree, for the wax grew on it like +white beads. I need not say how glad I was to find so great a prize. We +had up to this time gone to bed as soon as the sun went down, for we +had no lamp to use; but as we could now make wax lights, I told Fritz +that we had found what would add two or three hours per day to our +lives. We took as much of the wax as would serve us for some time, and +then made our way out of the grove. + +"How came you," said Fritz, "to know so much of the queer beasts, +trees, and plants that we have found here?" + +"When young," said I, "I used to read all the books that fell in my +way; and those that told of strange lands and what was to be seen in +them had for me as great a charm as they have for Ernest, who has read +a great deal, and knows more of plants than you do." + +"Well," said he, "I will do the same if I but get the chance. Can you +tell what is the name of that huge tree on the right? See, there are +balls on the bark." + +We went close to it, and found that these balls were of thick gum, +which the sun had made quite hard. Fritz tried to pull one of them off, +but felt that it clung tight to the bark, though he could change its +shape with his warm hands. "Look," said he, "I feel sure that this is +the IN-DI-A RUB-BER which we used to clean our school books." I took a +piece of it in my hand, and said, "To be sure it is. What shall we not +find in this rich land?" I then told him how the men in the New World +made flasks of this gum, in which form it is sent to all parts of the +world. "And I do not see why we should not make boots of it in the same +way. We have but to fill a sock with sand, then put gum all round it, +while in a soft state, till it is as thick as we need, then pour the +sand out, and we shall have made a shoe or a boot that will at least +keep out the damp, and that is more than mine do just now." + +Not far from this we came to a bush, the leaves of which were strewn +with a white dust; and close by were two or three more in the same +state. I cut a slit in the trunk of one of these, and found it full of +the white dust, which I knew by the taste to be SA-GO. We took all of +this that we could get out of the tree, for it would add to our stock +of food; and when our bags were full we laid them on the back of the +ass, and set off to find our way back to The Nest. + +"Each day brings us fresh wealth," said my wife; "but I think we might +now try to add to our goods." I knew that she had some fear lest we +should one day get lost in the woods, or meet with wild beasts, so I at +once said that we would now stay at home, at least for some days. + +My first work was to make some wax lights, for my wife could then mend +our clothes at night, while we sat down to talk. This done, the next +task they gave me was to make a churn. I took a large gourd, made a +small hole in the side, and cut out as much as I could, so as to leave +but the rind. In this I put the cream, laid a piece on the hole, and +bound it up so that none could come out. The boys then held a cloth, +and on it I put the gourd, which they rolled from side to side. They +kept up this game with great mirth for near an hour, when my wife took +off the string, and found that the churn had done its work well. + +As our sledge was not fit to use on rough roads, my next work was to +make a cart. I had brought a pair of wheels from the wreck, so that my +task did not prove a hard one. + +While I was thus at work, my wife and the boys took some of the fruit +trees we had brought with us, and put them in the ground where they +thought they would grow best. On each side of the path that led from +The Nest to the Boy's Bridge they put a row of young nut trees. To make +the path hard we laid down sand from the sea shore, and then beat it +down with our spades. + +We were for six weeks at this and such like work. We were loth to spare +any pains to make The Nest, and all that could be seen near it, look +neat and trim, though there were no eyes but our own to view the scene. + +One day I told my sons that I would try to make a flight of stairs in +place of the cane steps with rope sides, which were, to tell the truth, +the worst part of our house. As yet we had not used them much, but the +rain would some day force us to keep in The Nest, and then we should +like to go up and down stairs with more ease than we could now climb +the rude steps. I knew that a swarm of bees had built their nest in the +trunk of our tree, and this led me to think that there might be a void +space in it some way up. "Should this prove to be the case," I said, +"our work will be half done, for we shall then have but to fix the +stairs in the tree round the trunk." The boys got up and went to the +top of the root to tap the trunk, and to judge by the sound how far up +the hole went. But they had to pay for their want of thought; the whole +swarm of bees came out as soon as they heard the noise, stung their +cheeks, stuck to their hair and clothes, and soon put them to flight. + +We found that Jack, who was at all times rash, had struck the bees' +nest with his axe, and was much more hurt by them than the rest. +Ernest, who went to his work in his slow way, got up to it last, and +thus did not get more than a sting or two, but the rest were some hours +ere they could see out of their eyes. I took a large gourd, which had +long been meant to serve for a hive, and put it on a stand, We then +made a straw roof to keep it from the sun and wind, and as by this time +it grew dark, we left the hive there for the night. + +Next day, the boys, whose wounds were now quite well, went with me to +help to move the bees to the new home we had made for them. Our first +work was to stop with clay all the holes in the tree but one through +which the bees were wont to go in to their nest. To this I put the bowl +of a pipe, and blew in the smoke of the weed as fast as I could. At +first we heard a loud buzz like the noise of a storm afar off; but the +more I blew my pipe the less grew the sound, till at last the bees were +quite still. + +We now cut out a piece of the trunk, three feet square, and this gave +us a full view of the nest. Our joy was great to find such a stock of +wax, for I could see the comb reached far up the tree. I took some of +the comb, in which the bees lay in swarms, and put it by on the plank. + +We then put the gourd on the comb that held the swarm, and took care +that the queen bee was not left out. By these means we soon got a hive +of fine bees, and the trunk of the tree was left free for our use. + +We had now to try the length of the hole. This we did with a long pole, +and found it reached as far up as the branch on which our house stood. + +We now cut a square hole in that side of the trunk next the sea shore, +and made one of the doors that we had brought from the ship to fit in +the space. We then made the sides smooth all the way up, and with +planks and the staves of some old casks, built up the stairs round a +pole which we made fast in the ground. To do this we had to make a +notch in the pole and one in the side of the trunk for each stair, and +thus go up step by step till we came to the top. Each day we spent a +part of our time at what we could now call the farm, where the beasts +and fowls were kept, and did odd jobs as well, so that we should not +make too great a toil of the flight of stairs, which took us some six +weeks to put up. + +One day Fritz caught a fine EA-GLE, which he tied by the leg to a +branch of the tree, and fed with small birds. It took him a long while +to tame, but in time he taught it to perch on his wrist, and to feed +from his hand. He once let it go, and thought he would have lost it, +but the bird knew it had a good friend, for it came back to the tree at +night. From that time it was left free, though we thought that some day +its love of war and wild sports would tempt it to leave us for the +rocks of the sea shore, where Fritz had first found it. + +Each of my boys had now some pet to take care of, and, I may say, to +tease, for they all thought they had a fair right to get some fun out +of the pets they could call their own; but they were kind to them, fed +them well, and kept them clean. + +In what I may term my spare time, which was when I left off work out of +doors, I made a pair of gum shoes for each of my sons, in the way I had +told Fritz it could be done. I do not know what we should have done had +we not found the gum tree, for the stones soon wore out the boots we +had, and we could not have gone through the woods or trod the hard +rocks with bare feet. + +By this time our sow had brought forth ten young pigs, and the hens had +each a brood of fine chicks. Some we kept near us, but most of them +went to the wood, where my wife said she could find them when she had +need to use them. + +I knew the time must now be near when, in this clime, the rain comes +down day by day for weeks, and that it would wash us out of The Nest if +we did not make a good roof to our house. Then our live stock would +need some place where they could rest out of the rain. The thatch for +The Nest was of course our first care; then we made a long roof of +canes for our live stock, and on this we spread clay and moss, and then +a thick coat of tar, so that it was rain proof from end to end. This +was held up by thick canes stuck deep in the ground, with planks made +fast to them to form the walls, and round the whole we put a row of +cask staves to serve for rails. In this way we soon had a barn, store +room, and hay loft, with stalls for the cow, the ass, and what else we +kept that had need of a place to live in. + + +CHAPTER X. + +FRANK one day found some long leaves, to which, from their shape, he +gave the name of sword leaves. These he brought home to play with, and +then, when he grew tired of them, threw them down. As they lay on the +floor, Fritz took some of them in his hand, and found them so limp, +that he said he could plait them, and make a whip for Frank to drive +the sheep and goats with. As he split them up to do this, I could not +but note their strength. This led me to try them, and I found that we +had now a kind of flax plant, which was a source of great joy to my +wife. + +"You have not yet found a thing," she said, "that will be of more use +to us than this. Go at once and search for some more of these leaves, +and bring me the most you can of them. With these I can make you hose, +shirts, clothes, thread, rope; in short, give me flax, and make me a +loom and some frames, and I shall be at no loss for work when the rain +comes." + +I could not help a smile at my wife's joy when she heard the name of +flax; for there was still much to do ere the leaves could take the +shape of cloth. But two of the boys set off at once to try to find some +more of the flax. + +While they were gone, my wife, full of new life, and with some show of +pride, told me how I should make the loom by means of which she was to +clothe us from head to foot. In a short time they came back, and +brought with them a good load of the plant, which they laid at her +feet. She now said she would lay by all else till she had tried what +she could make of it. The first thing to be done was to steep the flax. +To do this we took the plant down to the marsh, tied up in small bales, +as they pack hemp for sale. The leaves were then spread out in the +pond, and kept down with stones, and left there in that state till it +was time to take them out and set them in the sun to dry, when they +would be so soft that we could peel them with ease. It was two weeks +ere the flax was fit for us to take out of the marsh. We spread it out +on the grass in the sun, where it dried so quick that we took it home +to The Nest the same day. It was then put by till we could find time to +make the wheels, reels, and combs which my wife said that she would +want to turn our new found plant to its best use. + +We now made haste to lay up a store of canes, nuts, wood, and such +things as we thought we might want; and took care, while it was still +fine, to sow wheat, and all the grain we had left in our bags was soon +put in the ground. The fear that the rain might come and put a stop to +our work led us to take our meals in haste, and to make the days as +long as we could see. We knew the rain was close at hand, for the +nights were cold; large clouds could be seen in the sky, and the wind +blew as we had not felt it since the night our ship had struck on the +rock. + +The great change came at last. One night we were woke up out of our +sleep with the noise made by the rush of the wind through the woods, +and we could hear the loud roar of the sea far off. Then the dense +storm clouds which we had seen in the sky burst on us, and the rain +came down in floods. The streams, pools, and ponds on all sides were +soon full, and the whole plain round us met our view as one vast lake. +By good luck, the site of our house stood up out of the flood, and our +group of trees had the look of a small isle in the midst of the lake. + +We soon found that The Nest was not built so well as we thought, for +the rain came in at the sides, and we had good cause to fear that the +wind would blow the roof off. Once the storm made such a rush at it +that we heard the beams creak, and the planks gave signs that there was +more strain on them than they could bear. This drove us from our room +to the stairs in the trunk, on which we sat in a state of fear till the +worst of the storm was past. Then we went down to the shed we had built +on the ground at the root of the tree, and made the best shift we +could. All our stores were kept here, so that the space was too small +to hold us, and the smell from the beasts made it far from a fit place +for six of us to dwell in; but it was at least safe for a time, and +this was of course the first thing to be thought of. To dress our food +we had to make a fire in the barn, and as there was no place to let out +the smoke, it got down our throats and made us cough all the day long. + +It was now for the first time that my wife gave a sigh for her old +Swiss home. But we all knew that it was of no use to grieve, and each +set to work to do all he could to make the place look neat and clean. +Some of our stores we took up the stairs out of our way, and this gave +us more room. As we had cut square holes in the trunk of the tree all +the way up, and put in frames of glass that we got from the ship, my +wife could sit on the stairs, with Frank at her feet, and mend our +clothes. Each day I drove from the barn such beasts as could bear to be +out in the rain. That we might not lose them, I tied bells round their +necks; and if we found that they did not come back when the sun went +down, Fritz and I went out to bring them in. We oft got wet through to +the skin, which gave us a chill, and might have laid us up if my wife +had not made cloth capes and hoods for us to wear. To make these rain +proof, I spread some of the gum on them while hot, and this, when dry, +had the look of oil cloth, and kept the head, arms, chest, and back +free from damp. Our gum boots came far up our legs, so that we could go +out in the rain and come back quite free from cold and damp. + +We made but few fires, for the air was not cold, save for an hour or +two late at night, and we did not cook more than we could help, but ate +the dried meat, fowls, and fish we had by us. + +The care of our beasts took us a great part of the day; then we made +our cakes and set them to bake in a tin plate on a slow fire. I had cut +a hole in the wall to give us light, and put a pane of glass in it to +keep out the wind, but the thick clouds hid the sun from the earth, and +the shade of the tree threw a gloom round our barn, so that our day +light was but short, and night came on far too soon. We then made use +of our wax lights, and all sat round a bench. My wife had as much as +she could well do to mend the rents we made in our clothes. I kept a +log, In which I put down, day by day, what we did and what we had seen; +and then Ernest wrote this out in a neat, clear hand, and made a book +of it. Fritz and Jack drew the plants, trees, and beasts which they had +found, and these were stuck in our book. Each night we took it in turns +to read the Word of God, and then all knelt down to pray ere we went to +bed. Ours was not a life of ease, it is true, but it was one of peace +and hope; and we felt that God had been so kind to us that it would be +a great sin to wish for what it did not please Him to grant us. + +My wife did all she could to cheer us, and it was no strange thing for +us to find that while we were out in the rain with the live stock, she +had made some new dish, which we would scent as soon as we put our +heads in at the door. One night it was a thrush pie, the next a roast +fowl, or some wild duck soup; and once in a while she would give us a +grand feast, and bring out some of all the good things we had in store. + +In the course of our stay in doors we made up our minds that we would +not spend the next time of storm and rain, when it should come round, +in the same place. The Nest would serve us well in that time of year +when it was fine and dry, but we should have to look out for some spot +where we could build a house that would keep us from the rain the next +time the storms came. + +Fritz thought that we might find a cave, or cut one out of the rocks by +the sea shore. I told him that this would be a good plan, but would +take a long while to do. By this time the boys were all well used to +hard work, and they thought they would much like to try their skill at +some new kind of work. + +"Well," said I, "we will go to the rocks round Tent House the first +fine day that comes, and try to find some place that will serve to keep +us from the next year's storms." + + +CHAPTER XI. + +I CAN not tell how glad we all were when we at last saw a change in the +sky, and felt once more the warm rays of the sun. In a few days the +floods sank in the earth, and left the ground of a bright green hue; +the air grew warm and dry, and there were no more dark clouds to be +seen in the sky. + +We found our young trees had put forth new leaves, and the seed we had +sown had come up through the moist ground. The air had a fresh sweet +smell, for it bore the scent of the bloom which hung like snow flakes +on the boughs of the fruit trees; the songs and cries of the birds were +to be heard on all sides, and we could see them fly from tree to tree +in search of twigs to build their nests. This in fact was the spring of +the year, when all things put forth new life; and we knew that the time +was now come when we could once more range the woods and till the soil, +and this made the boys leap for joy. + +Some planks had been blown off the roof of The Nest, and the rain had +got in here and there; so our first job was to mend our house, and make +it fit to sleep in. + +This done, Jack, Fritz, and I set out to Tent House. We found it in a +sad state. The storm had thrown down the tent, blown off some of the +sail cloth, and let in the rain on our casks, some of which held a +store of food. Our boat was still safe, but the raft of tubs had broken +Lip, and what there was left of it lay in splints on the shore. + +Our loss in the storm had been so great that I felt we ought at once to +seek for some place on the rocks where we could put what was left. + +We went all round the cliffs, in the hope that we might find a cave, +but in vain. + +"There is no way but to hew one out of the rock", said Fritz, or we +must not be beat." + +"Well said, Fritz," said Jack; "we have each an axe. Why not try this +cliff at once?" + +I gave them leave to try, and we soon set to work at the rock. From +this spot we had a good view of the whole bay, and could see both banks +of the stream. + +With a piece of chalk I made a mark on the side of the cliff, to show +the width and height that the cave should be cut. Then each took an axe +to try what kind of stuff our rock was made of. We found it a hard kind +of stone; and, as we were not used to this sort of work, we had not +done much when the time came for us to leave off. + +We came back next day, and got on with more speed, though we thought it +would not take us less than six months to make the cave, if our work +were done at the same rate each day. + +At the end of five or six days we had got through the face of the rock, +and we found the stone soft. In a day or two more we came to what was +but hard clay, which gave way at a slight blow from the axe. + +"We need not fear now," said I, "for we shall soon have a hole as large +as we want." + +With the earth we took out we made a ridge in front of the cliff. The +boys now got on so well, and dug so much out, that I had hard work to +throw up the earth on the bank. + +One day, as Jack stuck his pick in at the back of the cave, which was +now more than eight feet from the front, a great mass of the rock fell +in, and he cried out, "Look here! I have got through." + +"Through what?" said I. "Not through your hand, I hope." + +"No, no, but through the rock." + +At this, Fritz set up a loud laugh. + +"Why not say through the world at once, and push your crow bar in till +you reach EU-ROPE, which, Ernest says, lies in a straight line from +our feet. I should like to have a peep down, such a hole, for I might +thus get a sight of our dear Swiss home." + +Fritz and I went up to the wall and found that Jack was right, for he +had come to a clear space. His first thought was to jump in; but as I +knew that there might be foul air in the cave, I would not let him risk +his life. + +The boys then set fire to some dry grass, and thrust it in the hole, +but it went out at once, which was a sure sign that the air was not fit +to breathe. + +I knew that we had brought from the wreck a box full of fire works, +which were used on board to make signs to ships far out at sea. I sent +Fritz to Tent House for these, though I thought that they might be too +damp to make use of. When he came back, I set light to some of them, +and threw them in the hole. They flew round, and threw out a stream of +sparks that lit up the cave. When these were burnt out, we put in a +heap of straw and threw a light on it. This was now soon in a blaze, +and gave us a clear view of the cave; but it was too deep for us to see +the end. + +Our joy was so great that we sent Jack off home to The Nest to tell the +good news, and to bring back some wax lights. I did not deem it safe +for us to go in the cave in the dark, for there might be pools or deep +dry pits in the ground. + +Fritz and I had just thrown up on the bank the last spade full of earth +that had been dug out, when we heard a loud shout. We got up on the top +of the cave, and saw that Jack had brought back a tribe at his heels. +The large cart, drawn by the cow and the ass, came on at a slow pace, +led by Jack on a black ox, and in it were my wife, Frank, and Ernest. + +By the help of a flint and steel I soon lit some of the wax lights, and +gave one to each. I went in first and led the way, and the rest kept +close at my back. We had not gone on more than a few steps when we came +to a dead stop, struck with awe at the grand sight that met our +view. The walls and roof of the cave were lit up, as it were, with +star-like gems, while some hung down like glass drops from the roof, +and some rose up from the ground at its sides like blocks of spar. I +broke off a piece and put it on my tongue. + +"What does it taste like?" said Jack. + +"I find," said I, "that we are in a cave of rock salt." + +"We shall not have to scrape the rocks to get our salt now," said +Ernest, "for there is more here than would serve a whole town for a +lifetime." + +When we went back to The Nest that night we laid out a plan for our new +home, for there could be no doubt that the cave was the best place for +us to dwell in, though we should still sleep in The Nest when we went +on that side of the stream. + +The next day we all set to work; the floor of the cave was quite +smooth, and the walls dry, so that we could build at once. We first cut +holes in the sides of the rock to let in the light, and then brought +frames and panes of glass from The Nest, and put them in. We then +brought all the planks and wood we could find, and built a strong wall +in the midst of the cave. On the right side of this wall we made three +rooms, two of which were to be used as bed rooms, and one to take our +meals in. On the left side was a room for my wife to cook in, one to +work in, to which we gave the name of the shop, and a place with stalls +in it for our live stock. At the back of these was a store house, where +we could keep our, stock of food and the whole of our spare goods. + +I need not say that it took us some months to do all this, nor that we +had to toil hard day by day, from morn till night, ere we got to the +end of our task; but the end did come at last, and then the joy we felt +that we had done all this with our own hands more than paid us for our +toil. + + +CHAPTER XII. + +OUR fields near Tent House had by this time brought forth good crops of +wheat, maize, beans, and peas; but as the work of the Cave had for some +weeks kept us on this side of the stream, we did not know in what state +we should find our crops at The Nest. + +One day we all set out for our old home. We found our corn fields of a +rich brown hue, and saw that the wheat was, for the most part, fit to +reap. This, and a large patch of rye we cut down, and, as we did so, +whole flocks of birds took to wing when we got near them, while quails +were seen to run off at the sight of our dogs, who had no lack of sport +that day. + +We laid by the seed that was quite ripe till the time should come for +us to sow it, and put the rest in sacks. Some of the wheat was laid up +in sheaves till we should have time to beat out the grain. + +When we left The Nest for the Cave, we could not find the hand mill +that we had brought from the ship. This now came to light, and we took +care to pack it up to take with us, as we should want it to grind our +corn. + +That night we slept once more in the great tree; but I must say that we +did not now sleep so sound there as we used to do, nor did we feel so +safe as we did in our rooms at Rock House. + +The next day we were to start a plan by means of which our live stock +would not want so much of our care. They had bred so fast that we could +well spare some of them, and these I thought might be left in some +place to seek their own food, and yet be in reach should we want them. + +My wife took from her hen roost ten young fowls, and I took four young +pigs, four sheep, and two goats. These we put in our large cart, +with such tools as we thought we should need, tied the black ox, the +cow, and the ass to the shafts, and then set off from The Nest. + +We had to cross a wide plain, and here we met with some dwarf plants on +which, as Jack would have it, grew snow balls. + +Fritz ran to see what they were, and brought me a twig to which clung +balls of snow white down. I held it up to show my wife, for I knew the +sight would please her still more than her sons. + +"See," said I, "this is the COT-TON plant, which you have oft tried to +find. It seems to grow here as thick as weeds, and, if I am a judge, it +is of the best kind." + +We got as much of this as our bags would hold, and my wife took care to +pluck some of the ripe seed, that we might raise a crop in our grounds +at Tent House. + +At the end of the plain we came to the brow of a high hill, from which +the eye fell on a view the like of which we had not yet seen. Trees of +all kinds grew on the sides of the hill, and a clear stream ran through +the plain at its base, and shone bright in the rays of the sun. + +We said at once that this should be the site of our new farm. Close by +we found a group of trees, the trunks of which, as they stood, would do +for the main props of the house. + +I had long had a mind to build a boat, and here I at last came on a +tree that would suit. Fritz and I went for a mile or two in search of +what we could find, and by the time we came back my wife had put up our +tent for the night. We then all sat down to sup, and went to rest on +beds made of the bags of the white down that we brought from the trees +on the plain. + +The next day we rose at dawn. The trees which were to form the frame of +our farm house stood on a piece of land eight yards long by five wide. +I made a deep cut in each of the trunks, ten feet from the ground, and +put up cross beams to form a roof, on which we laid some bark in such a +way that the rain would run off. + +We were hard at work for some days at the Farm House. The +walls we built of thin laths and long reeds, wove close for six feet +from the ground, but the rest we made of thin cross bars to let in both +light and air. We made racks to store bay and such like food for the +live stock, and put by some grain for the fowls, for our plan was to +come from time to time to feed them, till they got used to the place. + +Our work took us more time than we thought; and as our store of food +got low, we sent Fritz and Jack home to bring us a fresh stock, and to +feed the beasts we had left at Tent House. + +While they were gone, Ernest and I made a tour of the woods for some +miles round the new Farm. We first took the course of the stream that +ran by the foot of the hill. Some way up we came to a marsh on the edge +of a small lake, and here in the swamp grew a kind of wild rice, now +ripe on the stalk, round which flew flocks of birds. We shot five or +six of these, and I was glad to note the skill with which Ernest now +used his gun. I took some of the rice, that my wife might judge how far +it was of use to us as food. + +We went quite round the lake, and saw plants and trees that were not +known to me, and birds that Ernest said he had not seen in any of the +woods near The Nest. But we were most struck with the sight of a pair +of black swans, and a troop of young ones that came in their train. +Ernest would have shot at them, but I told him not to kill what we did +not want for use. + +We did not get back till late in the day. Jack and Fritz, whom we met +just as we came round the foot of the bill, had done their task well, +for they had a good stock of food in a sack that lay on the back of the +ass, and they brought the good news that all was well at home. + +We spent four more days at the Farm, and then left it in such a state +as to be fit for our use when we chose to go back to it. + +The Farm House was but a part of our plan, for we had made up our minds +to build a sort of half way house, or cot, in which we could rest on +our way to the Farm. This took us six days to do. The spot we chose lay +by the side of a brook, and was just such a place as would tempt, +one to stop and rest in the shade of the trees, that grew on the bank. +While at the brook, I made a boat out of the tree we found at the Farm, +and took it back with us to Tent House in the cart. + +We had still two months ere the rain would set in, and this left us +time to put the last touch to our cave. We laid the whole floor with +clay, and spread on it some fine sand, which we beat down till it was +quite smooth and firm. On this we put sail cloth, and threw down goat's +hair and wool made moist with gum. This was well beat, and, when dry, +made a kind of felt mat that was warm and soft to tread on, and would +keep the damp from our feet. + +By the time these works were done, our cave was in a fit state for us +to dwell in. We did not now dread the rain, for we were safe out of its +reach, and there was no need that we should go out in it. We had a warm +light shop to work in by day, a snug place where we could take our +meals and dry bed rooms in which we could sleep in peace. Our live +stock we kept in a shed at the back of the cave, and our store room +held all that we could want. + +When the rain at length set in, we all had some task that kept us close +at work in the cave. My wife took her wheel or her loom, both of which +I had made for her, for this kind of work fell to her share from +choice. By the help of the wheels of one of the ship's guns I had made +a lathe, and with this I could turn legs for stools and chairs. Ernest, +too, was fond of the lathe, and soon learned to do such work quite as +well as I. + +At dusk, when we had done our work for the day, we brought out our +stock of books, and sat down to read by the light of a lamp. + +At times, Jack and Prank would play a tune on their flutes, which I had +made out of reeds; and my wife, who had a sweet voice, would sing some +of the old Swiss songs, that brought to our minds the joys of home. + +Though we were by no means dull, nor in want of work to fill up our +time, we were glad when the time came for the rain to cease, and when +we could gaze once more on the green fields. We went out the first fine +day, and took a long walk by the base of the cliff. On the shore we +found a dead whale, which the sea had no doubt thrown up in the storm. +We had long felt the need of oil; for though we had a lamp, we had +naught but our wax lights to put in it, and these gave a poor light to +read by. The next day we cut up the whale, and put the flesh in tubs. +It was far from a clean job, for the oil ran down our clothes and made +them smell; but as we could change them for new ones, thanks to the +hemp and my wife's skill, we did not mind that, for the oil was now +worth more to us than our clothes, though at one time we should not +have thought so. + +One day we all set out on a tour to the Farm. Jack and Frank had gone +on first, while my wife and I were as yet close to the Cave. All at +once the boys came back, and Fritz said, "Look at that strange thing on +its way up the path. What can it be?" + +I cast my eye on the spot and cried out, "Fly all of you to the Cave! +fly for your lives!" for I saw it was a huge snake, or boa, that would +make a meal of one of us, if we did not get out of its way. + +We all ran in doors, and put bars up to the door of the Cave. A large +dove cote had been made on the roof, and to this we got up through a +hole in the rock. + +Ernest took aim with his gun, and shot at the snake, so did Fritz and +Jack, but it gave no sign that they had hit it. I then tried my skill, +but it did not seem to feel my shot any more than theirs, though I was +sure I must have struck its head. Just as we took aim at it once more, +we saw it turn round and glide through the reeds in the marsh. + +Our fears kept us for three long days in the Cave. The snake gave no +sign that could lead us to think it was still near, but the ducks and +geese had left the spot where their nests were, and this we knew to be +a bad sign. On the fourth day I went to the door, with a view to let +out some of the beasts to graze, for we were short of food for them. +The ass was just at my back, and as soon as it saw the light, made a +rush to get out. Off it went, straight to the sands, with its heels in +the air, but just as it got to the marsh we saw the boa glide out from +the reeds, part its wide jaws and make for its prey. The ass at once +saw +its foe, but stood still as if struck with fear, and in less time than +I take to tell it, our old friend was tight in the folds of the boa. + +This was a sad sight for all of us, yet we could not take our eyes off +the snake, but saw it crush the poor beast, and then gorge its prey. +When it had put the whole of the ass out of sight, it lay down on the +sand quite still, as if it had gone to sleep or died. + +"Now is the time to seal the fate of our foe," said I to Fritz; and +with that we went out with our guns. When we got near, we both took a +straight aim, and each put a ball in its head. This made it move with a +start, and writhe as if in pain. + +"See how its eyes glare on us with rage. Now load your gun, and let us +put a bit more lead in him." + +Our next shot went in his eyes. It then shook as with a strong spasm, +and fell dead on the sand. + +A shout of joy brought my wife and the three boys to the spot. The +state of fear they had been kept in for three whole days had made them +quite ill, but now the joy of Jack and Frank knew no bounds, for they +leaped on the snake and beat it as if they would go mad. + +My wife said that the death of the boa took a great weight off her +mind, for she thought it would lie in wait for us near the Cave, starve +us out, and then kill us as it had done the poor ass. + +We slit up the snake, and took out the flesh of the ass, which the boys +laid in a grave near Tent House. The boa's skin we hung up at the door +of the Cave, over which Ernest wrote the words, "No ass to be found +here," which we all thought to be a good joke. + +One day late in the spring I went with my three sons a long way from +the Cave. My wife and Frank were left at our Half Way House, to wait +till we came back, but the dogs went with us. Our route lay far up the +course of a small stream, which had its source some miles north of the +Farm House. The ground was new to us, but we could not well lose our +way, for on the right stood a hill from which we could see the whole of +the plain. + + +Ernest had gone with one of the dogs to a cave that he had spied at the +foot of the hill, but we saw him turn round and run back with Turk at +his heels. As soon as he thought his voice would reach us, he cried +out, "A bear! A bear! come to my help!" + +We could now see that there were two great beasts at the mouth of the +cave. At a word from us both the dogs, flew to fight the bear that +stood in front. + +Fritz took up his post at my side, while Jack and Ernest kept in the +rear. Our first shot was "a miss," as Jack said; but we took a sure aim +the next time, and both shots told. We would have let fly at them once +more from this spot, but as we thought we might hit our brave dogs, who +were now in the heat of a hard fight with their foes, we ran up close +to them. + +"Now, Fritz," said I, "take a straight aim at the head of the first, +while I fire on the one at his back." + +We both shot at once; the bears gave a loud growl, and then, with a +moan, fell dead at our feet. + +As it was now time to go back, we put the bears in the cave, but took +care to cut off their paws, which form a dish fit to grace the feast of +a king. + +We had a long walk back to the place where I had left my wife. The boys +told her what a hard fight the dogs had with the bears, and how Fritz +and I had shot them, and then gave her the paws. With the aid of Frank +she had fed our live stock and brought in wood to make up our watch +fire for the night, so we sat down to sup at once, and then went to +rest. + +Next day we put our beasts to the cart and drove as far as the bear's +den. As we came near to the spot a flock of birds flew out of the mouth +of the cave, two or three of which Fritz brought down with his gun. It +took us the whole day to cut up the bears. The hams were laid by to be +smoke dried; while my wife took charge of the fat and the skins. + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +WE had now so much work to do, and the days and weeks came and went so +quick, that I do not think we should have known the time of year had it +not been for our log. + +Some days were spent at the Cave, where we made our goods, ground our +flour, stored our food, and kept our tame live stock. Then we had to +take care of our crops in the fields near The Nest, and this took us +two or three days in each month. Once in ten days at least we went to +the Farm on the hill, and at the same time made a call at the Half Way +House; so that there was not a day that we had not our hands quite +full. Now and then we went out to hunt for sport or to add to our stock +of beasts, which had grown so large that there were few we could name +that had not been caught and brought home. We had birds of the air, +fowls of the land, and beasts of all kinds' from the great black ox of +the plain to the small wild RAB-BIT that came and made its hole close +by our cave. + +But there was one bird that we had not yet caught, though we had seen +it two or three times in the woods. This was the OS-TRICH. Fritz found +a nest with some eggs in it, and this led us to make a tour with a view +to catch one of the old birds. We rose that day ere it was light, and +set out at dawn, each on the back of a good steed. + +As we should have to hunt through the woods, my wife was left at home; +and Ernest, who did not like rough work, chose to stay with her. We +made it a rule to take one of the dogs with us when we went out to +hunt, but on this day we thought it wise to let them both come. + +Fritz took us straight to where he had seen the nest, which was not +more than a few miles up the stream. When we came in sight of the spot, +we saw four great birds, as if on their way to meet us. As they drew +near we kept the dogs well in, and made no noise, so that they did not +stop till they came near us. + +Fritz had brought his Ea-gle with him, which he now let fly. At one +swoop the bird came down on the head of the Os-trich, held on with its +beak, and struck out its wings with great force, as if to stun it. + +We now rode up close to the scene of war. Jack first flung a cord round +the legs of the bird, which made it fall to the ground. I then threw my +pouch on its head, and, strange to say, it lay down as still as a lamb. + +I now tied both its legs with cords, but left it just room to walk. We +then made it fast to the two bulls that had brought Jack and Frank all +the way from home, and put one of them on each side. They next got up +on their steeds, and I took the pouch from the head of the bird. As +soon as it could see, it gave a wild stare, and then fought to get free. + +The boys then put spurs to the flanks of their steeds, and when the +bird had made a few starts back, as if to try the strength of the cords +which held it, it set off with a run, and the bulls at each side made +it keep up a smart pace. + +Fritz and I now went in search of the nest, which we soon found. I took +the eggs from it and put them in a bag I had brought to hold them, in +which I put some wool and moss, so that they should not break. + +It did not take us long to get up to the two boys, who had gone on +first, and we were glad to find that the poor bird had made up its mind +to its fate, and kept up well with the pace of the bulls. + +When we got in sight of home, my wife and Ernest, who had been on the +look out for us, came forth to meet us; and the strange way in which we +brought home our new prize made them laugh. I need not say that we took +great care of it. + +The next day we built it a house, with a space in front for it to walk +up and down, round which were put rails, so that it could not get out. +At first it was shy, and would not take any food, so that we had to +force some balls of maize down its throat; but in a short time it took +grain from the hands of my wife, and soon grew quite tame. + +The boys now set to work to break it in for use. They taught it first +to bear them on its back. Then they put a pair of string reins in its +mouth, and made it turn which way they chose to pull, and to walk, or +run, or stand still, as it was bid. Thus, in a month from the time we +caught it, the boys made it take them on its back to and from the Farm +or The Nest, in less than half the time an ox would go; so that it came +to be the best steed we had to ride on. + +The eggs we found in the nest were put in a warm dry place, and though +we scarce thought our care would bring live birds out of the shells, we +had the joy to hatch three of them, and this led us to hope that we +should ere long have a steed for each of our sons. + +My work at this time was by no means light. Our hats and caps were all +worn out, and with skins of the musk cat I had to make new ones. The +bears' skins were laid in the sun to dry, and of these we made fur +coats, which would keep us warm when the cold wet nights came round, +and there were some left to serve as quilts or rugs for our beds. + +I now tried my hand at a new craft. I dug some clay out of the bed of +the stream, and taught the boys to knead it up with sand, and some talc +that had been ground as fine as road drift. I had made a lathe with a +wheel, and by its aid the clay left my bands in the shape of plates, +cups, pots, and pans. We then burnt them in a rude kiln, and though at +least one half broke with the heat and our want of skill, still those +that came out whole more than paid me for my toil, and kept up my +wife's stock of delf. Some of the jars were set round with red and blue +beads, and these were put on a shelf as works of art, and kept full of +long dried grass. + +The time was now at hand when we must reap our grain and store the ripe +crops that were still on the ground; and, in fact, there was so much to +be done, that we scarce knew what to do first. The truth must be told +that our wants did not keep pace with the growth of our wealth, for the +land was rich, and we had but a few mouths to fill. + +We knew that we might leave the roots in the ground for some time, as +the soil was dry, but that the grain would soon spoil; so we made the +corn our first care. When it was all cut and brought home, our next +task was to thresh it. The floor of our store room was now as hard as a +rock, for the sun had dried it, and there was not a crack to be seen. +On this we laid the ears of ripe corn, from which the long straw had +been cut, and sent the boys to bring in such of our live stock as were +fit for the work to be next done. + +Jack and Fritz were soon on the backs of their steeds, and thought it +fine fun to make them course round the floor and tread out the grain. +Ernest and I had each a long fork, with which we threw the corn at +their feet, so that all of it might be trod on. The ox on which Jack +sat put down his head and took a bunch of the ears in his mouth. + +"Come," said Jack, "it is not put there for you to eat, off you go!" +and with that he gave it a lash with his whip. + +"Nay," said I, "do you not know what God has said in his Word? We must +not bind up the mouth of the ox that treads out the corn. This brings +to my mind the fact that the means we now take to thresh our wheat were +those used by the Jews in the days of old." + +To sort the chaff from the grain we threw it up with our spades while +the land or sea breeze blew strong. The draught which came in at the +door took the light chaff with it to one side of the room, while the +grain fell straight to the ground by its own weight. + +The maize we left to dry in the sun, and then beat out the grain with +long skin thongs. By this means we got a store of the soft leaves of +this plant, which my wife made use of to stuff our beds. + +When all the grain had been put in our store room, some in sacks and +the rest in dry casks, we took a walk one day to our fields, and found +that flocks of birds, most of which were quails, had come there to +feed. This gave us a fine day's sport with our guns, and the next year +we did not fail to look for them, so that the fields were made to yield +a stock of game as well as a crop of grain. + +With but slight change in our mode of life, we spent ten long years in +our strange home. Yet the time did not seem long to us. Each day +brought with it quite as much work as we could do, so that weeks and +months and years flew past, till at last we gave up all hope that we +should leave the isle or see our old Swiss home, the thought of which +was still dear to us. + +But the lapse of ten years had wrought a great change in our sons. +Frank, who was but a mere child when we first came, had grown up to be +a strong youth; and Jack was as brave a lad as one could wish to see. +Fritz, of course, was now a young man, and took a large share of the +work off my hands. Ernest had just come of age, and his shrewd mode of +thought and great tact was as great a help to us as was the strength +and skill of the rest. + +To crown all, it was a rare thing for them to be ill; and they were +free from those sins which too oft tempt young men to stray from the +right path. My wife and I did our best to train them, so that they +might know right from wrong; and it gave us great joy to find that what +we told them sunk deep in their hearts, and, like ripe seed sown in +rich soil, brought forth good fruit. + +I need not say that in the course of ten years we had made great +strides in those arts which our wants had first led us to learn. When +we first came the land near Tent House was a bare waste; now it bore +fine crops, and was kept as neat as a Swiss farm. At the foot of the +hill by the side of Rock Cave was a large plot of ground, which we laid +out in beds, and here we grew herbs and shrubs, and such plants as we +used for food. Near this we dug a pond, and by means of a sluice which +led from the stream, we kept our plants fresh in times of drought. Nor +was this the sole use we made of the pond; for in it we kept small fish +and crabs, and took them out with a rod and line when we had need of +food, and time to spare for that kind of sport. In the ground round the +mouth of the Cave we drove a row of strong canes, bound at the top to a +piece of wood, so as to form a fence, up which grew a vine, and, at +each side, plants that threw a good show of gay bloom crept up to meet +it. Shells of great size and strange shapes were got from the shore, +and these we built up here and there with burnt clay, so as to form +clumps of rock work, on which grew ferns and rare plants. All this gave +a charm to our home, and made the grounds round it a source of joy +when, we laid by our work for the day. In fact, we thought there was +now scarce a thing to wish for that we had not got. + +Our cares were few, and our life was as full of joy and peace as we +could well wish; yet I oft cast a look on the sea, in the hope that +some day I should spy a sail, and once more greet a friend from the +wide world from which we had been so long shut out. This hope, vague as +it was, led me to store up such things as would bring a price, if we +had the chance to sell them; they might prove a source of wealth to us +if a ship came that way, or would at least help to pay the charge of a +cruise back to the land we came from. + +It is but just to say that the boys did not share my hopes, nor did +they seem to wish that we should leave the place where they had been +brought up. It was their world, and the cave, to which we gave the name +Rock House, was more dear to them than any spot on the earth. + +"Go back!" Fritz would say; "to leave our cave, that we dug with our +own hands; to part with our dear kind beasts and birds; to bid good-by +to our farms, and so much that is our own, and which no one in the +world wants. No, no! You can not wish us to leave such a spot." + +My dear wife and I both felt that age would soon creep on us, and we +could not help some doubts as to the fate of our sons. Should we stay +and end our days here, some one of us would out-live the rest, and this +thought came oft to my mind, and brought with it a sense of dread I +could not get rid of. It made me pray to God that He would save us all +from so dire a fate as to die far from the sound of the voice of man, +with no one to hear our last words, or lay us in the earth when He +should call us to our rest. + +My wife did not share this dread. "Why should we go back?" she would +say. "We have here all that we can wish for. The boys lead a life of +health, free from sin, and live with us, which might not be the case if +we went out in the world. Let us leave our fate in the hands of God." + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +As Fritz and Ernest were now men, they were of course free to go where +they chose, and to come back when their will led them home. Thus, from +time to time they took long trips, and went far from Rock House. They +had fine boats and strong steeds, and of these they made such good use +that there was scarce a spot for leagues round that was not well known +to them. + +At one time, Fritz had been so long from home that we had a dread lest +he should have lost his way, or fallen a prey to wild beasts. When he +came back he told us a long tale of what he had seen and where he had +been, and how he had brought with him birds, beasts, moths, and such +strange things as he thought Ernest would like to see. When he had +done, he drew me out into our grounds and said he had a strange thing +to tell me. It seems that he found a piece of white cloth tied to the +foot of a bird which he had struck down with a stick, on which were +these words: "Save a poor soul, who is on the rock from which you may +see the smoke rise." + +He thought that this rock could not be far off, and that he ought to +set off at once in search of it. + +"I have a thought," said he; "I will tie a piece of cloth, like that I +found, to the leg of the bird, and on it I will write, 'Have faith in +God: help is near.' If the bird goes back to the place from whence it +came, our brief note may reach the eye of the lone one in the rock. At +any rate, it can do no harm, and may do some good." + +He at once took the bird, which was an AL-BA-TROSS, tied the strip of +cloth to its foot, and let it go. + +"And now," said he, "tell me what you think of this. If we should, +find a new friend, what a source of joy it will be. Will you join me in +the search?" + +"To be sure I will," said I; "and so shall the rest; but we will not +yet tell them of this." + +They were all glad to take a trip in the large boat, but they could not +make out why we went in such haste. + +"The fact is," said Jack, "Fritz has found some queer thing on the +coast that he can't bring home, and wants us to see it. But I dare say +we shall know what it all means in good time." + +Fritz was our guide, and went first in his bark boat, or CA-NOE. In +this he could go round the rocks and shoals that girt the coast, which +would not have been safe for the large boat. He went up all the small +creeks we met with on the way, and kept a sharp look-out for the smoke +by which he would know the rock we came out to find. + +I must tell you that once when he came to these parts with Ernest he +met with a TI-GER, and would have lost his life had it not been for his +pet Ea-gle. The brave bird, to save Fritz from the beast, made a swoop +down on its head. Fritz thus got off with a scratch or two, but the +poor bird was struck dead by a blow from the paw of its foe. This was a +sad loss to Fritz, for his pet had been a kind friend, and would go +with him at all times when he went far from home. + +There was scarce a spot we came to that did not bring to the mind of +one of us some such tale as this, so that we were full of talk while +the boat bore us on. + +We had been out some days, but could find no trace of what we went in +search. I rose from my berth at dawn, and went on deck with Fritz. I +told him that as we had no clue to the place, we must now give up the +search. He did not seem to like this, but no more was said. That day we +spent on shore, and came back to our boat to sleep at night. Next day +we were to change our course, and trace our way back, for the wind now +blew from the sea. + +When I went on deck next day I found a short note from Fritz, in +which he told me that be could not give up the search, but had gone +some way up the coast in his small boat. "Let me beg of you," he wrote, +"to lie in wait for me here till I come back." + +When he had been gone two days, I felt that I ought to tell my wife the +cause of our trip, as it might ease her mind, and she now had some fear +lest her son should not be safe. She heard me to the end, and then said +that she was sure he would not fail, but soon bring back good news. + +As we were all on the look-out for Fritz, we saw his boat a long way +off. + +"There is no one with him in the boat," said I to my wife; "that does +not say much for our hopes." + +"Oh, where have you been?" said the boys, all at once, as he came on +board. But they scarce got a word from him. He then drew me on one +side, and said, with a smile of joy, "What do you think is the news I +bring?" + +"Let me hear it," said I. + +"Then I have found what I went forth to seek, and our search has not +been in vain." + +"And who is it that you have found?" + +"Not a man," he said, "but a girl. The dress she wears is that of a +man, and she does not wish at first that her sex should be known to +more that we can help, for she would not like to meet Ernest and the +rest in that state, if they knew that she was a girl. And, strange to +tell," said Fritz, "she has been on shore three years." + +While I went to tell the news to my wife, Fritz had gone down to his +berth to change his clothes, and I must say that he took more care to +look neat in his dress than was his wont at home. + +He was not long, and when he came on deck he bid me say no word to the +rest of whom he had found. He leaped like a frog in to his light craft, +and led the way. We were soon on our course through the rocks and +shoals, and an hour's sail, with the aid of a good breeze, brought us +to a small tract of land, the trees of which hid the soil from our view. + +Here we got close in to the shore, and made our bark safe. We all got +out, and ran up the banks, led by the marks that Fritz had made in the +soil with his feet. We soon found a path that led to a clump of trees, +and there saw a hut, with a fire in front, from which rose a stream of +smoke. + +As we drew near I could see that the boys did not know what to make of +it, for they gave me a stare, as if to ask what they were to see next. +They did not know how to give vent to their joy when they saw Fritz +come out of the hut with a strange youth, whose slight make, fair face, +and grace of form, did not seem to match well with the clothes that +hung upon his limbs. + +It was so long since we had seen a strange face, that we were all loth +to speak first. When I could gain my speech I took our new friend by +the hand, and told her in words as kind as I could call to my aid, how, +glad we were to have thus found her. + +Fritz, when he bade Ernest and Jack shake bands with her, spoke of our +new friend as James, but she could not hide her sex from my wife, for +her first act was to fall on her breast and weep. The boys were not +slow to see through the trick, and made Fritz tell them that "James" +was not the name they should call her by. + +I could not but note that our strange mode of life had made my sons +rough, and that years of rude toil had worn off that grace and ease +which is one of the charms of well-bred youth. + +I saw that this made the girl shy of them, and that the garb she wore +brought a blush to her cheek. I bade my wife take charge of her, and +lead her down to the boat, while the boys and I stood a while to speak +of our fair guest. + +When we got on board we sat down to hear Fritz tell how he came to find +Miss Jane, for that was her real name; but he had not told half his +tale when he saw my wife and her new friend come up on deck. She still +had a shy look, but as soon as she saw Fritz she held out her hand to +him with a smile, and this made us feel more at our ease. + +The next day we were to go back to our home, and on the way Fritz +was to tell us what he knew of Miss Jane, for his tale had been cut +short when she came on the deck with my wife. The boys did all they +could to make her feel at home with them, and by the end of the day +they were the best of friends. + +The next day we set sail at sun rise; for we had far to go, and the +boys had a strange wish to hear Fritz tell his tale. + +When the boat had made a fair start, we all sat down on the deck, with +Jane in our midst, while Fritz told his tale to the end. + +Jane Rose was born in IN-DI-A. She was the child of one Cap-tain Rose, +whose wife died when Jane was but a babe in arms. When ten years of age +he sent her to a first class school, where she was taught all that was +fit for the child of a rich man to know. In course of time she could +ride a horse with some skill, and she then grew fond of most of the +field sports of the East. As the Captain had to go from place to place +with his troops, he thought that this kind of sport would train her for +the mode of life she would lead when she came to live with him. But +this was not to be, for one day he told Jane that he must leave the +East, and take home the troops. As it was a rule that no girl should +sail in a ship with troops on board, he left her to the care of a +friend who was to leave near the same time. He thought fit that she +should dress in the garb of a young man while at sea, as there would +then be no need for her to keep in her berth, and he knew that she was +strong and brave, and would like to go on deck, and see the crew at +their work. It gave the Captain pain to part with his child, but there +was, no help for it. + +The ship had been some weeks at sea, when one day a storm broke over +it, and the wind drove it for days out of its course. The crew did +their best to steer clear of the rocks, but she struck on a reef and +sprung a leak. The boats then put off from the wreck, but a wave broke +over the one in which Jane left, and she was borne, half dead with +fright, to the place where we found her. She had been thrown high up on +the beach, and though faint and sick, got out of the reach of the +waves. She did not know if those who were in the boat with her had lost +their lives, but she had seen no trace of them since. + +When she had strength to walk, she found some birds' eggs and shell +fish, which she ate, and then went in search of some safe place where +she could rest for the night. By good chance she had a flint and a +knife; with these she set light to some dry twigs, and made a fire, +which she did not once let out till the day she left. Her life was at +first hard to bear, but she was full of hope that some day a ship would +come near the shore, to which she could make signs for help. The wild +sports of the East in which she took part had made her strong of limb, +and she had been taught to make light of such things as would vex most +of her sex. + +She built a hut to sleep in, and made snares to catch birds. Some of +them she made use of for food, and some she let go with bits of cloth +tied to their legs, on which she wrote words, in the hope that they +might meet the eye of some one who could help her. This, as we knew, +had led Fritz to make his search, the end of which had brought as much +joy to us as to the young friend who now sat in our midst. + +When Fritz had told us this, and much more, we came in sight of Safe +Bay. He then took Ernest with him in his small boat, and left us to go +up the stream as fast as he could to Rock House, so as to make the +place look neat by the time we brought home our guest. The two +boys--for to us they were still boys--met us on the beach. Fritz, with +a look of pride, gave his hand to Jane, and I could see a slight blush +rise to her cheek as she gave him hers. He then led her up the path, on +each side of which grew a row of young trees, and took her to a seat in +our grounds. There he and Ernest had spread out a feast of our best +food--fish, fowls, and fruit, and some of my wife's choice jam--whilst +our burnt clay plate made a great show on the board, for it was set out +with some taste. We had a wish to show Jane that, though the coast was +a wild kind of place, still there were means to make life a joy to +those who dwelt on it, if they chose to use them. As for Jane, the +sight of our home, the style of our feast, and the kind words of the +boys, were things so new to her, that she knew not what to say. + +"I shall tell no more than the truth," she said, "when I say that what +you have shown me is of far more worth than all the wealth I have seen +in the East, and that I feel more joy this day than I have felt in all +the days of my life. I can use no terms less strong than these to show +how much I thank you." + +This was just the kind of speech to please the boys, for there had been +no one to praise their work till now. When the meal was done, my wife +brought out some of her best wine, and we drank to the health of our +guest in great state, and with loud cheers. We then made a tour of our +house and grounds, that Jane might see the whole of the place that from +this time she was to make her home. It would take me a long time to +tell what she thought of all she saw, or the neat things she said in +praise of our skill, as we took her from place to place. My wife's +room, in which were kept the pots and pans to dress our food, and the +plates, bowls, and cups, out of which we ate, took her some time to +view; for she had long felt the want of such things as she now saw we +had made for our own use out of what we could find. + +The next day we all went to The Nest, and when the rainy season came +round, Jane knew the place quite as well as we did. My wife found in +her a true friend, for she soon took a large share of the work off her +hands, and did it with so much skill, and with so strong a wish to +please us, that we grew to love her as if she had been our own child. + +When the time came for us to keep in doors from the rain, the boys +would oft lay by their work, and sit to hear Jane talk of what she had +seen in the East, and Ernest and Fritz would read to her by turns such +books as she might choose. I was glad to see that this wrought a great +change in my sons, whose mode of life had made them rough in their ways +and loud in their speech--faults which we did not think of so long as +there was no one to see or hear them. + +When the spring came, the boys went in our boat to the spot where +they had found Jane, which we now knew by the name of "Jane's Isle," +and brought back some beans, which were new to them. These we found to +be COF-FEE. Jane told us that they were by no means scarce, but that +she had not made use of them, as she knew no way to roast or grind the +beans, which she found in a green state. + +"Do you think," said my wife, "that the plant would grow here?" + +I then thought for the first time how fond she was of it. There had +been some bags on board the ship, but I had not brought them from the +wreck; and my wife had once said that she would like to see the plant +in our ground. Now that we knew where to get it, she told me that it +was one of the few things that she felt the loss of. When the boys +heard this, they set out on a trip to Jane's Isle, and while there they +went to the spot where she had dwelt for so long, and sought for what +things she had left when she came to live with us. + +All these were brought to Rock, House, and I may tell you that Fritz +set great store by them. There were all sorts of odd clothes, which she +had made of the skin of the sea calf; fish lines wrought out of the +hair of her head; pins made from the bones of fish; a lamp made out of +a shell, with a wick of the threads which she had drawn from her hose. +There were the shells she used to cook her food in; a hat made from the +breast of a large bird, the tail of which she had spread out so as to +shade her neck from the sun; belts, shoes, and odd things of a like +kind. + +My wife, who had now a friend of her own sex to talk with, did not feel +dull when the boys left us for a time, so they had leave to roam where +their wish led them, and to stay as long as they chose. In the course +of time they knew the whole of the isle on which we dwelt. Ernest drew +a map of it to scale, so that we could trace their course from place to +place with ease. When they went for a long trip they took some doves +with them, and these birds brought us notes tied to their wings from +time to time, so that we knew where they were, and could point out the +spot on the map. + +I will not dwell on what took place now for some time, for I find that +each year was very much like the last. We had our fields to sow, our +crops to reap, our beasts to feed and train; and these cares kept our +hands at work, and our minds free from the least thought of our lone +mode of life. + +I turn to my log as I write this, and on each page my eye falls on some +thing that brings back to my mind the glad time we spent at Rock House. + + +CHAPTER XV. + +IN the spring time of the year, when the rain was past, Fritz and Jack +set off on a trip in their boat to Shark Isle. The day was fine, the +sky clear, and there was no wind, yet the waves rose and fell as in a +storm. + +"See!" cried Jack, "here comes a shoal of whales. They will eat us up." + +"There is no fear of that," said Fritz; "whales will do us no harm, if +we do not touch them." This proved to be the case. Though any one of +them might have broken up the boat with a stroke of its tail, they did +not touch it, but swam by in a line, two by two, like a file of troops. + +On Shark Isle, near the shore, we had thrown up a mound, and built a +fort, on which were set two of the ship's guns. These the boys made a +rule to fire off, with a view to let us know that they were safe, and +to try if the guns were still fit for use. This time they found their +charge quite dry, and the guns went off with a loud bang. + +They had just put a plug in the hole of one of the guns, to keep out +the wet, when they heard a sound roll through the air. + +"Did you bear that?" said Jack. "I am sure that noise must have come +from some ship at sea. Let us fire once more." + +But Fritz thought they ought to go home at once and tell me what they +had heard. They both ran to the boat with all speed, and put out their +strength to reach home ere the sun went down. + +The day was fine, and as the rain had kept us in doors for two months, +we were glad to go down on the beach for a change. All at once I saw +the boys come up the stream in their boat, at a great speed, and the +way they used their sculls led me to think that all was not right. + +"What have you seen, that should thus put two brave youths to flight?" +said I. + +Then they told me what had brought them back so soon. I had heard the +sound of the two guns which they had fired off, but no more. I told +them I thought their ears must be at fault, and that the sounds they +had heard were no more than those of their own guns, which the hills +had sent back through the air. This view of the case did not at all +please them, as by this time they well knew what sounds their guns made. + +"It will be a strange thing," said I, "if the hope to which I have so +long clung should at last come to be a fact; but we must have a care +that we do not hail a ship the crew of which may rob and kill us for +the sake of our wealth. I feel that we have as much cause to dread a +foe as we have grounds of hope that we may meet with friends." + +Our first course was to make the cave quite safe, and then to mount +guard where we could see a ship if one should come near the coast. That +night the rain came down in a flood, and a storm broke over us, and we +were thus kept in doors for two days and two nights. + +On the third day I set out with Jack to Shark Isle, with a view to seek +for the strange ship which he said he knew must be in some place not +far from the coast. I went to the top of a high rock, but though my eye +swept the sea for miles round, I could see no signs of a sail. I then +made Jack fire three more shots, to try if they would give the same +sound as the two boys had heard. You may judge how I felt, when I heard +one! two! three! boom through the air. + +There was now no room for doubt that, though I could not see it, there +must be a ship near Shark's Isle. Jack heard me say this with great +glee, and cried out, "What can we now do to find it?" + +We had brought a flag with us, and I told Jack to haul this up twice to +the top of the staff, by means of which sign those who saw it would +know that we had good news to tell them. + +I then left Jack on the fort with the guns, and told him to fire as +soon as a ship hove in sight. I bent my way at once back to Rock House, +to talk with my wife, Jane, and the boys, as to what steps we should +now take. They all met me on the beach, and made me tell them the news +while I was still in the boat. + +"We know no more," said I, "than the fact that there is still a ship on +the coast. You must all now keep in doors, while Fritz and I go in +search of it." + +We set off at noon, and went straight to the west part of the coast, +where we thought the sound must have come from. We knew a cape there +from which we could get a good view of the sea, and by the side of +which lay a small bay. + +When we got round the cape, great was our joy to find a fine ship in +the bay. It was not far off from us, for we could see the ENG-LISH flag +float in the breeze from one of its masts. I seek in vain to find words +by means of which I can set forth in print what I then felt. Both Fritz +and I fell on our knees and gave thanks to God that He had thus led the +ship to our coast. If I had not held him back, Fritz would have gone +into the sea with a leap and swum off to the ship. + +"Stay," said I, "till we are quite sure what they are. There are bad +men on the seas who put up false flags to lure ships out of their +course, and then rob and kill the crew." + +We could now see all that took place on board. Two tents had been set +up on the shore, in front of which was a fire; and we could see that +men went to and fro with planks. There were two men left on guard on +the deck of the ship, and to these we made signs. When they saw us they +spoke to some one who stood near, and whom we thought had charge of the +ship. He then put his glass up to his eye and took a good view of us +through it. + +We did not at first like to go too near, but kept our boat some way +off. Fritz said he could see that the faces of the men were not so dark +as our own. + +"If that be the case," said I, "we are safe, and we may trust their +flag." + +We both sang a Swiss song, and then I cried out at the top of my voice +these words: "Ship ahoy! good men!" But they made no sign that they +heard us. Our song, our boat, and, more than all, our dress, made them +no doubt guess that we were wild men of the wood; for at last one of +the crew on board held up knives and glass beads, which I knew the wild +tribes of the New World were fond of. This made us laugh, but we would +not as yet draw nigh to the ship, as we thought we ought to meet our +new friends in our best trim. + +We then gave a shout and a wave of the hand, and shot off round the +cape as fast as our boat would take us. We soon got back to Rock House, +where our dear ones were on the look-out for us. My wife said we had +done quite right to come back, but Jane thought we should have found +out who they were. + +That night none of us slept well; our guest thought there might now be +a chance for her to reach her home, and she dreamed she heard the +well-known voice of her sire call her to come to him. The boys were +half crazed with vague hopes, and lay for hours ere they went to sleep. +My wife and I sat up late to think and talk of the use that might be +made of this chance. We felt that we were now full of years, and should +not like in our old age to leave the place where we had spent the best +part of our lives; still we might do some trade with the land from +which the ship came, if it were but known that we were here, and we +might hear news of our dear Swiss home. + +At break of day we put on board our boat a stock of fruit and fresh +food of all kinds, such as we thought the crew of the ship would like +to have, and Fritz and I set sail for the bay. We took with us all the +arms we could find, so as not to be at a loss should the crew prove +false to their flag, and turn out to be a set of thieves. + +As we drew near the ship I fired a gun, and told Fritz to hoist a flag +like theirs to the top of our mast, and as we did so the crew gave a +loud cheer. I then went on board, and the mate of the ship led me to +his chief, who soon put me at my ease by a frank shake of the hand. I +then told him who we were, and how we came to dwell on the isle. I +learned from him, in turn, that he was bound for New South Wales; that +he knew Captain Rose, who had lost his child, and that he had made a +search for her on the coast. He told me that a storm had thrown him off +his course, and that the wind drove him on this coast, where he took +care to fill his casks from a fresh stream that ran by the side of a +hill, and to take in a stock of wood. + +"It was then," he said, "that we first heard your guns; and when on the +third day the same sound came to our ears, we knew that there must be +some one on the coast, and this led us to put up our tents and wait +till the crew should search the land round the bay." + +I then made the crew a gift of what we had brought in our boat, and +said to Captain Stone, for that was his name: "I hope, sir, that you +will now go with me to Rock House, the place where we live, and where +you will see Miss Rose, who will be glad to hear some news of home." + +"To be sure I will, and thank you much," said he; "and I have no doubt +that Mr. West would like to go with us." This Mr. West was on his way, +with his wife and two girls, to New South Wales, where he meant to +build a house and clear a piece of land. + +We all three then left the ship in our boat, and as we came in sight of +Shark Isle, Jack, who was on the fort, fired his guns. + +When we came to the beach, my wife and the rest were there to meet us. +Jane was half wild with joy when she heard that Captain Stone had +brought her good news from home. + +We led them round our house and through the grounds and Mr. West took +note of all he saw. When we came to talk, I found that he had made up +his mind to stay with us. I need not say how glad I was to hear this, +for he had brought out with him a large stock of farm tools, of which +we had long been in want. + +The boys were of course in high glee at all this, but I did not share +their joy so much as I could wish. The ship which now lay close to our +shore was the first we had seen since we came to the isle, and no one +could tell when the next might come. My wife and I did not wish to +leave. I had a love for the kind of life we led, and we were both at an +age when ease and rest should take the place of toil. But then our sons +were young--not yet in the prime of life--and I did not think it right +that we should keep them from the world. Jane, I could tell, would not +stay with us, nor did she hide from us the fact that her heart drew her +to the dear one at home, from whom she had been kept so long. So I told +my wife that I would ask my boys to choose what they would do--to stay +with us on the isle, or leave with Captain Stone in the ship. + +Fritz and Jack said they would not leave us; Ernest spoke not a word, +but I saw that he had made up his mind to go. I did not grieve at this, +as I felt that our isle was too small for the scope of his mind, and +did not give him the means to learn all he could wish. I told him to +speak out, when he said he should like to leave the place for a few +years, and he knew Frank had a wish to go with him. + +I thought this would give my wife pain, but she said that the boys had +made a good choice, and that she knew Ernest and Frank would make their +way in the world. + +Captain Stone gave Jane, Ernest, and Frank leave to go with him, as +there was room in the ship now that the Wests were to stay with us. + +The ship was brought round to Safe Bay, and Fritz and Jack went on +board to fetch Mrs. West and her two girls, who were glad to find that +they were not to go back to the ship, for the storm had made them dread +the sea. + +I may here say, by the way, that my wife soon found that her two sons +grew fond of their fair friends, and gave me a hint that some day we +should see them wed, which would be a fresh source of joy to us. + +I have not much more to tell. The stores I had laid up--furs, pearls, +spice, and fruits--were put on board the ship, and left to the care of +my sons, who were to sell them. And then the time came for us to part. +I need not say that it was a hard trial for my wife; but she bore up +well, for she had made up her mind that it was all for the best, and +that her sons would some day come back to see her. I felt, too, that +with the help of our new friends, we should not miss them so much as we +at first thought, and this we found to be the case. + +As the next day my boys were to leave me, I had a long talk with them. +I told them to act well their part in the new sphere in which they were +to move, and to take as their guide the Word of God. They then knelt +down for me to bless them, and went to their beds in Rock House for the +last time. + +I got no sleep all that night, nor did the two boys, who were to start +the next day. + +As Ernest takes this Tale with him--which I gave him leave to print, +that all may know how good God has been to us--I have no time to add +more than a few words. + +The ship that is to take from us our two sons and our fair guest will +sail from this coast in a few hours, and by the close of the day three +who are dear to us will have gone from our midst. I can not put down +what I feel, or tell the grief of my poor wife. + +I add these lines while the boat waits for my sons. May God grant them +health and strength for the trials they may have to pass through; may +they gain the love of those with whom they are now to dwell; and may +they keep free from taint the good name of the Swiss Family Robinson. + +THE END. + + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK, THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON TOLD IN WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE *** + +This file should be named sfros10.txt or sfros10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, sfros11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, sfros10a.txt + +Project Gutenberg eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the US +unless a copyright notice is included. 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