The Swiss family Robinson
Whale Island had not been neglected: we embellished it with trees and
shrubs; but it was here that we always performed our less cleanly
avocations, such as the preparation of fish, the melting of fat, the
tannery, and the candle-making. The materials for these works were
kept under an overhanging rock, which protected them from the sun and
storm.
Our cares were divided between these different establishments,
without neglecting those that were more distant from us, and which
we called our colonies. At Waldegg we transformed the swamp into a
superb rice-field, which repaid our labour by plentiful harvests; we
also planted cinnamon, which yielded us an ample return. Prospect
Hill also had its share of attention; for each year, when the capers
were ripe, we made an excursion thither, and gathered a large
quantity, which my wife preserved in spice and vinegar; and when
the tea-plant began to put forth its leaves, again we set out, and
gathering enough for our use; we took it home to my wife, who, with
her youngest son, occupied herself in rolling, drying, and preparing
it for use.
We made, from time to time, an excursion to the defile of the
savanna, so that we might see whether any elephants, or other hurtful
beasts, had penetrated into our plantations. Fritz then made an
excursion in his cajack up the river of the savanna, and brought back
to us a rich cargo of ginseng, cacao, and bananas.
As Fritz had discovered in the woods near the defile traces of birds
which, from their noise and form, he judged to be heath-cocks, we
resolved one day to have a grand hunt, after the manner of the Cape
colonists. For this purpose we constructed a large quadrangle of the
enormous bamboo-canes I have spoken of, piled upon one another until
the edifice was ten feet long and six high, and exactly resembled
an enormous bird-cage; the top was covered with a lattice of canes,
and the door formed of the same. To induce the birds to enter, we
dug a deep ditch, which led, like a mine under a city wall, into
the centre of the edifice; we covered this ditch with sticks and
earth, and placed in the exterior entrance, all along the passage,
different sorts of grain. We then retired, and the birds precipitated
themselves on the food; the more they ate the deeper they buried
themselves in the ditch, until at last, when they arrived at the end,
they found themselves captured, and in vain they beat their heads
against the trellis-work. We entered and soon took them all prisoners.
The family of Turk and Flora had each year been increased by a
certain number of young dogs, which, notwithstanding the brilliant
qualities they displayed, we were obliged to throw into the water, as
to have allowed them to live would have been our own destruction. To
this rule there was but one exception, and on the earnest entreaty of
Jack, I permitted the canine family to retain one new member, which
we called _Coco_, “because,” said Jack, “the vowel _o_ is the most
sonorous, and will sound so fine in the forests.”
The female buffalo and the cow had each year produced us a scion
from their race; but we had only raised one heifer and a second
bull. We had called the cow _Blanche_, on account of her pale yellow
colour, and the bull _Thunder_, as his voice was so powerful. We
also possessed two more asses, which we named _Arrow_ and _Alert_ on
account of the swiftness of their course.
Our pigs were as wild as ever. The old sow had been dead many
years; but she had bequeathed to her posterity a spirit of savage
independence that all our exertions could not modify. Our other
beasts had multiplied in the same proportion, so that we could often
kill one without any fear of impoverishing ourselves. Such was
the state of the colony ten years after our arrival on the coast:
our resources had multiplied as our industry increased; abundance
reigned around us; we were as familiar with our part of the island
as a farmer with his farm. It was a perfect paradise. It would have
been an Eden, but there was one great void--oh! if we could but have
looked upon men, our brothers!
For ten years had we watched both by sea and land for some traces of
man’s existence, but all in vain; and yet we hoped on, hoped ever,
and still gathered up all our treasures of cotton, and spices, and
ostrich-plumes, etc., in earnest hope that some day we might again
see the blessed face of man.
My sons were no longer children. Fritz had become a strong and
vigorous man; although not tall, yet his limbs had been developed by
exercise: he was twenty-four years of age.
Ernest was twenty-three, and although of a good constitution, he was
not so strong as his brother; his reflective mind had ripened; reason
now aided his studious disposition; he had conquered his habit of
idleness, and was, in a word, a well-informed young man, of a sound
judgment, and unquestionably the light of the family.
Jack had but little changed: he was as headlong at twenty as at ten;
but he excelled in corporeal exercises.
Francis was eighteen: he was stout and tall; his character, without
any predominant trait, was estimable. He was reflective, without
being as deep as Ernest; agile and skilful, but without surpassing
Jack or Fritz. In general my sons were good and honest men, with
sound principles, and a deep sense of religion.
My dear Elizabeth had not grown very old. As for me, my hair had
become whitened by age, or, to speak more justly, there were but a
few scattering locks left; the heat of the climate and excessive
fatigue had taken them all away, although I still felt young and
vigorous.
There was one bitter, sad thought that always haunted my mind; and
turning my eyes to heaven, I would often say, “My God, who didst save
us from shipwreck, and hast surrounded us with so many blessings,
still watch over us, I pray thee, and do not let those perish in
solitude whom thy hand has saved.”
CHAPTER LV
Excursion of Fritz--Startling Communication--Discovery
of Pearls--Intelligence of a Fellow
Creature--Fritz’s Return, and Account of
his Wonderful Discoveries
One can easily imagine that my young family was not so easy to govern
now as it was during the first few years of our stay.
My children would often absent themselves whole days, hunting in
the forest, or clambering over the rocks; but when they returned at
evening, fatigued and wearied, if I had intended to reproach them for
their wandering life, they would have so much to tell me concerning
the rare and curious things that they had seen, that I never had
resolution enough to scold them.
Fritz one day went off in this manner, and caused us the greatest
disquietude. He had taken with him some provisions, and--as if the
land was not large enough for him--also his cajack, and gone out to
sea. He had set out before daylight, and night was approaching, but
nothing could be seen of him. My wife was in a state of the greatest
suspense; and, to alleviate her distress, I launched the canoe, and
we set out for Shark Island. There, from the top of the flag-staff,
we displayed our flag and fired an alarm-cannon. A few moments after,
we saw a black spot in the far distance, and, by the aid of a
spy-glass, we discovered our beloved Fritz. He advanced slowly toward
us, beating the sea with his oars, as if his canoe were charged with
a double load.
“Fire!” cried Ernest, in his capacity as commander of the fort,
“fire!” and Jack touched off the cannon. We descended to the shore,
and were soon in the arms of our adventurer Fritz. His boat was
loaded with different things; and something heavy and dark, which
looked like the head of a large animal, was towing behind.
“It appears,” said I, “my dear Fritz, that your day has not been an
unprofitable one; and blessed be God that He has returned you safe
and sound.”
“Yes,” replied Fritz, “blessed be God; for, besides the booty which
you see, I think I have made a discovery which is worth more to us
than all the treasures of the earth.”
These words, half-whispered in my ear, excited my curiosity, but
I thought I would say nothing until the voyager had taken breath.
When we had brought on shore his sack, filled with large oysters,
as it appeared to me, and the marine monster which served as a
counterpoise, we drew the little cajack, with its master seated in
triumph in it, up to the grotto. The boys then returned to obtain
the remainder of the cargo, while we sat down quietly in the gallery
to listen to Fritz’s narrative. He commenced the recital of his
adventures by begging us to pardon him for running away, as he had
resolved to visit the eastern part of our country, of which we as yet
knew nothing.
“I had long ago intended to make this expedition,” said he. “This
morning, before you awoke, I softly arose and ran, as is my custom,
to the borders of the sea. The weather was so beautiful, the waves
so tranquil, that I could not resist the temptation. I called my
eagle, and seizing a hatchet, jumped into the cajack, and falling
into the current of Jackal’s River, was hurried out toward the shoals
where our vessel was wrecked. I directed my course toward the eastern
coast, among shoals and rocks covered with the nests of sea-birds,
who flew around me uttering piercing cries. Whenever the rocks
offered any surface, you would see great marine monsters extended
in the sun, while others were playing and bellowing frightfully in
the neighbouring waters. There were sea-lions, and elephants, and
walruses of all sorts, who, holding on to the rocks by their long
teeth, let their hinder parts rest in the water. It seemed that this
was the general rendezvous of these monsters; for I saw, in coasting
along the shore, several places strewed with their bones and ivory
teeth.
“I must confess,” said Fritz, “that when I saw myself encompassed
by these monsters, I did not feel very safe; and I endeavoured, as
far as I was able, to pass through the shoals unperceived, which I
effected after a hard row of an hour and a half. I stopped my course
before a magnificent portico of rocks, which nature seemed to have
fashioned into the most imposing forms: it was like the arch of an
immense bridge, under which the sea flowed in like a canal, while the
rock on each side of the entrance advanced out into the sea, like an
immense promontory. I did not hesitate to enter this sombre vault,
from the other extremity of which issued a feeble light. A delicious
coolness filled the cavern. On all sides numbers of the little
coast-swallows were flying about; and on my entrance into the cavern,
a swarm of these birds surrounded me, uttering piercing cries, as if
they wished to prohibit my farther approach. I tied my skiff to an
angular stone in the cavern, and began to examine the inhabitants. I
found I was mistaken in considering these birds swallows: they were
about the size of wrens, their breast of a pure white colour, their
wings of a light grey, the back of a lustrous black. Their nests
appeared like those of other birds, made of feathers and dry leaves;
but they were placed on a singular sort of a support, resembling a
long spoon, made of greyish, polished wax. Some of these nests were
empty; and having examined them with more attention, I discovered
that they were made of a substance resembling fish-glue. I disengaged
a few of them to bring home to you, and I now beg you will examine
them, and see whether they are good for anything.”
“Certainly they are, my son. If we carried on commerce with China or
India, we could sell these nests for their weight in gold; for they
eat them by millions, and esteem them one of the greatest delicacies.”
A general cry of disgust burst forth from my wife and children,