The Swiss family Robinson
heat.” My boy did not dislike this task; for he had no great fancy
for the idea of carrying such a load on our journey of further
discovery. Our sumptuous service of porcelain was accordingly spread
upon the ground, and for the present abandoned to its fate.
We amused ourselves, as we proceeded, in endeavouring to fashion some
spoons from the fragments of the gourd-rinds. I had the fancy to try
my skill upon a piece of cocoa-nut; but I must needs confess that
what we produced had not the least resemblance to those I had seen in
the Museum at London, and which were shown there as the work of some
of the islanders of the Southern Seas.
Meanwhile, we had not neglected the great object of our pursuit,--the
making every practicable search for our ship companions. But our
endeavours, alas! were all in vain.
After a walk of about four leagues in all, we arrived at a spot
where a slip of land reached far out into the sea, on which we
observed a rising piece of ground or hill. On a moment’s reflection
we determined to ascend it, concluding we should obtain a clear view
of all adjacent parts, which would save us the fatigue of further
rambles. We accordingly accomplished the design.
We did not reach the top of the hill without many efforts and a
plentiful perspiration: but when there, we beheld a scene of wild and
solitary beauty, comprehending a vast extent of land and water. It
was however in vain that we used our telescope in all directions; no
trace of man appeared. A truly embellished nature presented herself;
and we were in the highest degree sensible of her thousand charms.
The shore, rounded by a bay of some extent, the bank of which ended
in a promontory on the farther side; the agreeable blue tint of its
surface; the sea, gently agitated by waves in which the rays of
the sun were reflected; the woods, of variegated hues and verdure,
formed altogether a picture of such magnificence, of such new and
exquisite delight, that, if the recollection of our unfortunate
companions, engulfed perhaps in this very ocean, had not intruded
to depress our spirits, we should have yielded to the ecstasy the
scene was calculated to inspire. In reality, from this moment we
began to lose even the feeble hope we had entertained, and sadness
stole involuntarily into our hearts. We, however, became but the
more sensible of the goodness of the Divine Being, in the special
protection afforded to ourselves, in conducting us to a home where
there was no present cause for fear of danger from without, where we
had not experienced the want of food, and where there was a prospect
of future safety for us all.
We descended the hill, and made our way to a wood of palms: our
path was clothed with reeds, entwined with other plants, which
greatly obstructed our march. We advanced slowly and cautiously,
fearing at every step to receive a mortal bite from some serpent
that might be concealed among them. We made Turk go before, to give
us timely notice of anything dangerous. I also cut a reed-stalk of
uncommon length and thickness, for my defence against any enemy. It
was not without surprise that I perceived a glutinous sap proceed
from the divided end of the stalk. Prompted by curiosity, I tasted
this liquid, and found it sweet and of a pleasant flavour, so that
not a doubt remained that we were passing through a plantation of
sugar-canes. I again applied the cane to my lips, and sucked it for
some moments, and felt singularly refreshed and strengthened. I
determined not to tell Fritz immediately of the fortunate discovery
I had made, preferring that he should find it out for himself. As he
was at some distance before me, I called out to him to cut a reed for
his defence. This he did, and without any remark, used it simply for
a stick, striking lustily with it on all sides to clear a passage.
The motion occasioned the sap to run out abundantly upon his hand,
and he stopped to examine so strange a circumstance. He lifted it up,
and still a larger quantity escaped. He now tasted what was on his
fingers. Oh! then for the exclamations--“Father, father, I have found
some sugar!--some syrup! I have a sugar-cane in my hand! Run quickly,
father!”--We were soon together, jointly partaking of the pleasure we
had in store for his dear mother and the younger brothers.
Fritz cut at least a dozen of the largest canes, tore off their
leaves, tied them together, and putting them under his arm, dragged
them, as well as he was able, through thick and thin to the end of
the plantation. We regained the wood of palms without accident; here
we stretched our limbs in the shade, and finished our repast. We were
scarcely settled, when a great number of large monkeys, terrified by
the sight of us and the barking of Turk, stole so nimbly, and yet
so quietly up the trees, that we scarcely perceived them till they
had reached the topmost parts. From this height they fixed their
eyes upon us, grinding their teeth, making horrible grimaces, and
saluting us with screams of hostile import.--Being now satisfied that
the trees were palms, bearing cocoa-nuts, I conceived the hope of
obtaining some of this fruit in a milky state, through the monkeys.
Fritz, on his part, prepared to shoot at them instantly. He threw his
burdens on the ground, and it was with difficulty I, by pulling his
arm, could prevent him from firing.
I now began to throw some stones at the monkeys; and though I could
not make them reach to half the height at which they had taken
refuge, they showed every mark of excessive anger. With their
accustomed trick of imitation, they furiously tore off, nut by nut,
all that grew upon the trunk near them, to hurl them down upon us;
so that it was with difficulty we avoided the blows; and in a short
time a great number of cocoa-nuts lay on the ground round us. Fritz
laughed heartily at the excellent success of our stratagem; and as
the shower of cocoa-nuts began to subside, we set about collecting
them. We chose a place where we could repose at our ease, to feast
on this rich harvest. We opened the shells with a hatchet, but first
enjoyed the sucking of some of the milk through the three small
holes, where we found it easy to insert the point of a knife. The
milk of the cocoa-nut has not a pleasant flavour; but it is excellent
for quenching thirst. What we liked best was a kind of solid cream
which adheres to the shell, and which we scraped off with our spoons.
We mixed with it a little of the sap of our sugar-canes, and it made
a delicious repast.
Our meal being finished, we prepared to leave the wood of palms. I
tied all the cocoa-nuts which had stalks together, and threw them
across my shoulder. Fritz resumed his bundle of sugar-canes. We
divided the rest of the things between us, and continued our way
towards home.
CHAPTER IV
Return from the Voyage of Discovery--A Nocturnal
Alarm
My poor boy now began to complain of fatigue; the sugar-canes galled
his shoulders, and he was obliged to shift them often. At last he
stopped to take breath.--“No,” cried he, “I never could have thought
that a few sugar-canes could be so heavy. How sincerely I pity the
poor negroes who carry heavy loads of them! Yet how glad I shall be
when my mother and Ernest are tasting them!”
“I am not without my apprehensions, that of our acquisition we
shall carry them only a few sticks for firewood; for the juice of
the sugar-cane is apt to turn sour soon after cutting, and the more
certainly in such heat as we now experience; we may suck them,
therefore, without compunction at the diminution of their numbers.”
When we reached the place where we had left our gourd utensils upon
the sands, we found them perfectly dry, as hard as bone, and not the
least misshapen. We now, therefore, could put them into our game-bags
conveniently enough, and this done, we continued our way. Scarcely
had we passed through the little wood in which we breakfasted, when
Turk sprang away to seize upon a troop of monkeys, who were skipping
about and amusing themselves without observing our approach. They
were thus taken by surprise; and before we could get to the spot,
our ferocious Turk had already seized one of them; it was a female
who held a young one in her arms, which she was caressing almost
to suffocation, and which incumbrance deprived her of the power of
escaping. The poor creature was killed, and afterwards devoured;
the young one hid himself in the grass, and looked on, grinding his
teeth. Fritz flew like lightning to make Turk let go his hold. He
lost his hat, threw down his tin bottle, canes, etc., but all in
vain; he was too late to prevent the death of the interesting mother.
The next scene that presented itself was of a different nature, and
comical enough. The young monkey sprang nimbly on Fritz’s shoulders,
and fastened his feet in the stiff curls of his hair; nor could the
squalls of Fritz, nor all the shaking he gave him, make him let go
his hold. I ran to them, laughing heartily, for I saw that the animal
was too young to do him any injury, while the panic visible in the
features of the boy made a ludicrous contrast with the grimaces of
the monkey, whom I endeavoured to disengage.
With a little gentleness and management I succeeded. I took the
creature in my arms as one would an infant, nor could I help pitying
and caressing him. He was not larger than a kitten, and quite unable
to help himself; its mother was at least as tall as Fritz.
“What shall I do with thee, poor orphan?” cried I; “and how, in our
condition, shall I be able to maintain thee? We have already more
mouths to fill than food to put into them, and our workmen are too
young to afford us much hope from their exertions.”
“Father,” cried Fritz, “do let me have this little animal to myself.
I will take the greatest care of him; I will give him all my share of
the milk of the cocoa-nuts, till we get our cows and goats; and who
knows? his monkey instinct may one day assist us in discovering some
wholesome fruits.”
“I have not the least objection,” answered I. “You have conducted
yourself throughout this tragi-comic adventure like a lad of courage
and sensibility, and I am well satisfied with every circumstance of
your behaviour. It is therefore but just that the little protégé
should be given up to your management and discretion.”
We now thought of resuming our journey. The little orphan jumped
again on the shoulders of his protector, while I on my part relieved
my boy of the bundle of canes. Scarcely had we proceeded a quarter
of a league when Turk overtook us full gallop. The young monkey
appeared uneasy from seeing him so near, and passed round and fixed
himself on his protector’s bosom, who did not long bear so great an
inconvenience without having recourse to his invention for a remedy.
He tied some string round Turk’s body in such a way, as to admit
of the monkey’s being fastened on his back with it, and then in a
tone of genuine pity, he said, “Now, Mr. Turk, since you had the
cruelty to destroy the mother, it is for you to take care of her
child.” At first the dog was restive, and resisted; but by degrees,
partly by menaces, and partly by caresses, we succeeded in gaining
his good-will, and he quietly consented to carry the little burden;
and the young monkey, who also had made some difficulties, at length
found himself perfectly accommodated. Fritz put another string round
Turk’s neck, by which he might lead him, a precaution he used to
prevent him from going out of sight.
Thus proceeding, we soon found ourselves on the bank of the river,
and near our family, before we were aware. Flora from the other side
announced our approach by a violent barking, and Turk replied so