The Swiss family Robinson
thoughts to Falcon’s Stream, that we all conceived the ardent desire
of returning to the society of the numerous old friends we had left
there. We therefore fixed the next day for our departure, and set
about the necessary preparations.
CHAPTER XXIV
A New Domain--The Troop of Buffaloes--The
Vanquished Hero
On entering our plantation of fruit-trees forming the avenue to
Falcon’s Stream, we observed that they had not a vigorous appearance,
and that they inclined to curve a little in the stalk: we therefore
resolved to support them with sticks, and I proposed to walk to the
vicinity of Cape Disappointment for the purpose of cutting some
bamboos. I had no sooner pronounced the words, than the three eldest
boys and their mother exclaimed, at once, that they would accompany
me.
We accordingly fixed the following morning, and set out in
full procession. For myself, I had a great desire to explore
more thoroughly this part of our island. I therefore made some
preparations for sleeping, should we find the day too short for all
we might have to accomplish. I took the cart instead of the sledge,
having fixed some planks across it for Francis and his mother to sit
upon when they should be tired: I was careful to be provided with
the different implements we might want; some rope machinery I had
contrived for rendering the climbing of trees more easy; and lastly,
some provisions, some water in a gourd-flask, and one bottle of wine
from the captain’s store.
It was not without much difficulty that we conducted the cart through
the thick entangled bushes, the most intricate of which I everywhere
cut down, and we helped to push it along with all our strength. We
soon arrived at the caoutchouc, or gum-elastic trees. I thought we
could not do better than to halt here, and endeavour to collect a
sufficient quantity of the sap to make the different utensils and
the impenetrable boots and shoes, as I had before proposed. It was
with this design that I had taken care to bring with me several of
the most capacious of the gourd rinds. I made deep incisions in the
trunks, and fixed some large leaves of trees, partly doubled together
lengthways, to the place, to serve as a sort of channel to conduct
the sap to the vessels I had kept in readiness to receive it. We had
not long begun this process before we perceived the sap begin to run
out as white as milk, and in large drops, so that we were not without
hopes, by the time of our return, to find the vessels full, and thus
to have obtained a sufficient quantity of the ingredient for a first
experiment.
We left the sap running, and pursued our way, which led us to
the wood of cocoa-trees: from thence we passed to the left, and
stopped halfway between the bamboos and the sugar-canes, intending
to furnish ourselves with a provision of each. We aimed our course
so judiciously, that on clearing the skirts of the wood, we found
ourselves in an open plain with the sugar-cane plantations on our
left, and on our right those of bamboo, interspersed with various
kinds of palm-trees, and, in front, the magnificent bay formed by
Cape Disappointment, which stretched far out into the sea.
The prospect that now presented itself to our view was of such
exquisite beauty, that we determined to choose it for our
resting-place, and to make it the central point of every excursion
we should in future make; we were even more than half disposed to
desert our pretty Falcon’s Stream, and transport our possessions
hither; a moment’s reflection, however, betrayed the folly of
quitting the thousand comforts we had there, with almost incredible
industry, assembled; and we dismissed the thought with promising
ourselves to include this ravishing spot evermore in our projects for
excursions.
It was now evening; and as we had determined to pass the night
in this enchanting spot, we began to think of forming some large
branches of trees into a sort of hut, as is practised by the hunters
in America, to shelter us from the dew and the coolness of the air.
While we were thus engaged, we were suddenly roused by the loud
braying of the ass, which we had left to graze at a distance but a
short time before. On going to the place, we saw him throwing his
head in the air, and kicking and prancing about; and while we were
thinking what could be the matter, he set off at a full gallop.
Unfortunately, Turk and Flora, whom we sent after him, took the fancy
of entering the plantation of the sugar-canes, while the ass had
preferred the direction of the bamboos on the right.
The following morning we breakfasted on some milk from the cow, some
boiled roots, and a small portion of Dutch cheese, and formed, during
our meal, the plan of the business for the day. It was decided that
one of the boys and myself, attended by the two dogs, should seek the
ass through the bamboo plantation. I took with me the agile Jack, who
was almost beside himself with joy at this determination.
We soon reached the bamboo plantation, and found means to force
ourselves along its intricate entanglements. After great fatigue,
and when we were on the point of relinquishing all further hope,
we discovered the print of the ass’s hoofs on the soil, which
inspired us with new ardour in the pursuit. After spending a whole
hour in further endeavours, we at length, on reaching the skirts
of the plantation, perceived the sea in the distance, and soon
after found ourselves in an open space, which bounded the great
bay. A considerable river flowed into the bay at this place, and we
perceived that the ridge of rocks, which we had constantly seen,
extended to the shore, and terminated in a perpendicular precipice,
leaving only a narrow passage between the rocks and the river, which,
during every flux of the tide, must necessarily be under water, but
which at that moment was dry and passable. The probability that the
ass would prefer passing by this narrow way, to the hazard of the
water, determined us to follow in the same path: we had also some
curiosity to ascertain what might be found on the other side of the
rocks, for as yet we were ignorant whether they formed a boundary to
our island, or divided it into two portions; whether we should see
there land or water. We continued to advance, and at length reached
a stream which issued foaming from a large mass of rock, and fell in
a cascade into the river. The bed of this stream was so deep, and
its course so rapid, that we were a long time finding a part where
it might be most practicable for us to cross. When we had got to the
other side, we found the soil again sandy, and mixed with a fertile
kind of earth: in this place we no longer saw naked rock; but the
print of the ass’s hoofs were again visible on the ground.
By observing closely, we saw with astonishment the prints of the feet
of other animals, much larger and different in many respects from
those of the ass. Our curiosity was so strongly excited, that we
resolved to follow the traces; and they conducted us to a plain at a
great distance, which presented to our wondering eyes a terrestrial
paradise. We ascended a hill, which partly concealed from our view
this delicious scene, and then, with the assistance of a glass, we
beheld an extensive range of country, exhibiting every kind of rural
beauty, and in which a profound tranquillity had seemed to take up
its abode.
By straining our eyes, however, as far as we could see, we thought we
perceived at a great distance some specks upon the land, that seemed
to be in motion. We hastened towards the spot; and as we drew nearer,
to our inexpressible surprise, beheld a pretty numerous group of
animals, which in the assemblage presented something like the outline
of a troop of horses or of cows. I observed them sometimes run up
to each other, and then suddenly stoop to graze. Though we had not
lately met with farther traces of the ass, I was not entirely without
the hope of finding him among these animals. On a nearer approach,
we perceived they were wild buffaloes. My alarm was so great that I
remained for a few moments fixed to the spot like a statue. By good
luck the dogs were far behind us, and the buffaloes gave no sign of
fear or of displeasure at our approach: they stood perfectly still,
with their large round eyes fixed upon us in vacant surprise: those
which were lying down got up slowly, but not one among them seemed
to have any hostile disposition towards us. The circumstance of the
dogs’ absence was most likely, on this occasion, the means of our
safety; as it was, we had time to draw back quietly, and prepare
our firearms. It was not, however, my intention to make use of them
in any way but for defence, being sensible that we were unequal to
the encounter, and recollecting also to have read that the sound
of a gun drives the buffalo to a state of desperation. I therefore
thought only of retreating; and with my poor Jack, for whom I was
more alarmed than for myself, was proceeding in this way, when
unfortunately Turk and Flora ran up to us, and we could see were
noticed by the buffaloes. The animals instantly, and all together,
set up such a roar as to make our nerves tremble; they struck their
horns and their hoofs upon the ground, which they tore up by pieces
and scattered in the air. Our brave Turk and Flora, fearless of
danger, ran, in spite of all our efforts, into the midst of them,
and, according to their manner of attacking, laid hold of the ears of
a young buffalo, which happened to be standing a few paces nearer to
us than the rest; and, though the creature began a tremendous roar
and motion with his hoofs, they held him fast, and were dragging him
towards us. Our every hope seemed now to be in the chance of the
terror the buffaloes would feel at the noise of our musketry, which,
perhaps, for the first time would assail their organs, and most
likely excite them to flight. With, I must confess, a palpitating
heart and trembling hands, we fired both at the same moment: the
buffaloes, terrified by the sound and by the smoke, remained for an
instant motionless, as if struck by a thunderbolt, and then one and
all betook themselves to flight with such incredible rapidity, that
they were soon beyond the reach of our sight. We heard their loud
roaring from a considerable distance, which by degrees subsided into
silence, and we were left with only one of their terrific species
near us; this one, a female, was no doubt the mother of the young
buffalo which the dogs had seized; she had drawn near on hearing
its cries, and had been wounded by our guns, but not killed; the
creature was in a furious state: after a moment’s pause, she took
aim at the dogs, and with her head on the ground, as if to guide her
by the scent, was advancing in her rage, and would have torn them
in pieces, if I had not prevented her by firing upon her with my
double-barrelled gun, and thus putting an end to her existence.
The young buffalo still remained a prisoner, with his ears in the
mouths of the dogs, and the pain occasioned him to be so furious,
that I was fearful he might do them some injury; I therefore
determined to advance and give them what assistance I might find
practicable. To say the truth, I scarcely knew in what way to effect
this. The buffalo, though young, was strong enough to revenge himself
if I were to give the dogs a sign to let go his ears. I had the
power of killing him with a pistol at a stroke; but I had a great
desire to preserve him alive, and to tame him, that he might be a
substitute for the ass, which we had but little hope of recovering. I
found myself in a perplexing state of indecision, when Jack suddenly
interposed an effective means for accomplishing my wishes. He had his