The Swiss family Robinson
heartily, that his motions unseated his little burden, who in his
fright jumped the length of his string from his back to Fritz’s
shoulder, which he could not afterwards be prevailed upon to leave.
Turk, who began to be acquainted with the country, ran off to meet
his companion, and shortly after, our much-loved family appeared in
sight, with demonstrations of unbounded joy at our safe return.
I gave my wife an account of our journey and our new acquisitions,
which I exhibited one after the other for her inspection. No one of
them afforded her more pleasure than the plates and dishes, because,
to persons of decent habits, they were articles of indispensable
necessity. We now adjourned to our kitchen, and observed with
pleasure the preparations for an excellent repast. On one side of
the fire was a turnspit, which my wife had contrived by driving two
forked pieces of wood into the ground, and placing a long even stick,
sharpened at one end, across them. By this invention she was enabled
to roast fish, or other food, with the help of little Francis, who
was intrusted with the care of turning it round from time to time.
On the occasion of our return, she had prepared us the treat of a
goose, the fat of which ran down into some oyster-shells placed there
to serve the purpose of a dripping-pan. There was, besides, a dish
of fish, which the little ones had caught; and the iron pot was upon
the fire, provided with a good soup, the odour of which increased our
appetite. By the side of these most exhilarating preparations stood
one of the casks which we had recovered from the sea, the head of
which my wife had knocked out, so that it exposed to our view a cargo
of the finest sort of Dutch cheeses, contained in round tins.
We seated ourselves on the ground: my wife had placed each article of
the repast in one of our new dishes, the neat appearance of which
exceeded all our expectations. My sons had not patience to wait,
but had broken the cocoa-nuts, and already convinced themselves of
their delicious flavour; and then they fell to making spoons with the
fragments of the shells.
The boys were preparing to break some more of the nuts with the
hatchet, after having drawn out the milk through the three little
holes, when I pronounced the word _halt_, and bade them bring me a
saw;--the thought had struck me, that by dividing the nuts carefully
with this instrument, the two halves, when scooped, would remain
in the form of tea-cups or basins already made to our hands. Jack,
who was on every occasion the most active, brought me the saw. I
performed my undertaking in the best manner I could, and in a short
time each of us was provided with a convenient receptacle for food.
By the time we had finished our meal, the sun was retiring from our
view; and recollecting how quickly the night would fall upon us,
we were in great haste to regain our place of rest. My wife had
considerately collected a tenfold quantity of dry grass, which she
had spread in the tent, so that we anticipated with joy the prospect
of stretching our limbs on a substance somewhat approaching to the
quality of mattresses, while, the night before, our bodies seemed
to touch the ground. Our flock of fowls placed themselves as they
had done the preceding evening: we said our prayers, and, with an
improved serenity of mind, lay down in the tent, taking the young
monkey with us, who was become the little favourite of all. We all
lay down upon the grass, in the order of the night before, myself
remaining last to fasten the sail-cloth in front of the tent; when,
heartily fatigued by the exertions of the day, I, as well as the
rest, soon fell into a profound and refreshing sleep.
But I had not long enjoyed this pleasing state, when I was awakened
by the motion of the fowls on the ridge of the tent, and by a violent
barking of our vigilant safeguards, the dogs. I was instantly on my
legs: my wife and Fritz, who had also been alarmed, got up also: we
each took a gun, and sallied forth.
The dogs continued barking with the same violence, and at intervals
even howled. We had not proceeded many steps from the tent, when,
to our surprise, we perceived by the light of the moon a terrible
combat. At least a dozen of jackals had surrounded our brave dogs,
who defended themselves with the stoutest courage. Already the
fierce champions had laid three or four of their adversaries on the
ground, while those which remained began a timid kind of moan, as
if imploring pity and forbearance. Meanwhile they did not the less
endeavour to entangle and surprise the dogs, thus thrown off their
guard, and so secure to themselves the advantage. But our watchful
combatants were not so easily deceived: they took good care not to
let the enemy approach them too nearly.
I, for my part, had apprehended something worse than jackals.--“We
shall soon manage to set these gentlemen at rest,” said I. “Let us
fire both together, my boy; but let us take care how we aim, for
fear of killing the dogs; mind how you fire, that you may not miss,
and I shall do the same.” We fired, and two of the intruders fell
instantly dead upon the sands. The others made their escape; but we
perceived it was with great difficulty, in consequence, no doubt, of
being wounded. Turk and Flora afterwards pursued them, and put the
finishing stroke to what we had begun; and thus the battle ended.
The body of one of the jackals was left on the rock, by the side
of the tent in which were the little sleepers, who had not once
awaked during the whole of the scene which had been passing. Having,
therefore, nothing further to prevent us, we lay down by their side
till day began to break, and till the cocks, with their shrill
morning salutation, awoke us both. The children being still asleep,
this afforded us an excellent opportunity to consult together
respecting the plan we should pursue for the ensuing day.
CHAPTER V
Return to the Wreck
I broke a silence of some moments, with observing to my wife that
I could not but view with alarm the many cares and exertions to be
made:--“In the first place, a journey to the vessel. This is of
absolute necessity; at least, if we would not be deprived of the
cattle and other useful things, all of which from moment to moment we
risk losing by the first heavy sea. What ought we to resolve upon?
For example, should not our very first endeavour be the contriving
a better sort of habitation, and a more secure retreat from wild
beasts, also a separate place for our provisions? I own I am at a
loss what to begin first.”
“All will fall into the right order by degrees,” observed my wife;
“patience and regularity in our plans will go as far as actual
labour. I cannot, I confess, help shuddering at the thought of
this voyage to the vessel; but if you judge it to be of absolute
necessity, it cannot be undertaken too soon. In the meanwhile,
nothing that is immediately under my own care shall stand still, I
promise you. Let us not be over-anxious about to-morrow: sufficient
unto the day is the evil thereof. These were the words of the true
Friend of mankind, and let us use so wise a counsel for our own
benefit.”
“I will follow your advice,” said I, “and without further loss of
time. You shall stay here with the three youngest boys; and Fritz,
being so much stronger and more intelligent than the others, shall
accompany me in the undertaking.”
At this moment I started from my bed, crying out loudly and briskly,
“Get up, children, get up; it is almost light, and we have some
important projects for to-day; it would be a shame to suffer the sun
to find us still sleeping, we who are to be the founders of a new
colony!”
At these words Fritz sprang nimbly out of the tent, while the
young ones began to gape and rub their eyes, to get rid of their
sleepiness. Fritz ran to visit his jackal, which during the night
had become cold and perfectly stiff. He fixed him upon his legs, and
placed him like a sentinel at the entrance of the tent, joyously
anticipating the wonder and exclamations of his brothers at so
unexpected an appearance. But no sooner had the dogs caught sight of
him, than they began a howl, and set themselves in motion to fall
upon him instantly, thinking he was alive. Fritz had enough to do to
restrain them, and succeeded only by dint of coaxing and perseverance.
In the meantime, their barking had awaked the younger boys, and they
ran out of the tent, curious to know what could be the occasion. Jack
was the first who appeared, with the young monkey on his shoulders;
but when the little creature perceived the jackal, he sprang away in
terror, and hid himself at the furthest extremity of the grass which
composed our bed, and covered himself with it so completely, that
scarcely could the tip of his nose be seen.
The children were much surprised at the sight of a yellow-coloured
animal standing without motion at the entrance of the tent.--“Oh,
heavens!” exclaimed Francis, stepping back a few paces for fear,
“it is a wolf!”--“No, no,” said Jack, going near the jackal, and
taking one of his paws, “it is a yellow dog, and he is dead; he does
not move at all.”--“It is neither a dog nor a wolf,” interrupted
Ernest in a consequential tone: “do you not see that it is the golden
fox?”--“Best of all, most learned professor!” now exclaimed Fritz.
“So you can tell an agouti when you see him, but you cannot tell a
jackal; for jackal is the creature you see before you, and I killed
him myself in the night.”
_Ernest._--In the night, you say, Fritz? In your sleep, I suppose----
_Fritz._--No, Mr. Ernest; not in my sleep, as you so good-naturedly
suppose, but broad awake, and on the watch to protect you from wild
beasts! But I cannot wonder at this mistake in one who does not know
the difference between a jackal and a golden fox!
_Ernest._--You would not have known it either, if papa had not told
you----
“Come, come, my lads, I will have no disputes,” interrupted I.
“Fritz, you are to blame in ridiculing your brother for the mistake
he made. Ernest, you are also to blame for indulging that little
peevishness of yours. But as to the animal, you all are right and
all are wrong; for he partakes at once of the nature of the dog, the
wolf, and the fox.” The boys in an instant became friends; and then
followed questions, answers, and wonder in abundance.--“And now, my
boys, let me remind you, that he who begins the day without first
addressing the Almighty ought to expect neither success nor safety
in his undertakings. Let us therefore acquit ourselves of this duty
before we engage in other occupations.”
Having finished our prayers, the next thing thought of was
breakfast; for the appetites of young boys open with their eyes.
To-day their mother had nothing to give them for their morning
meal but some biscuit, which was so hard and dry, that it was with
difficulty we could swallow it. Fritz asked for a piece of cheese to
eat with it, and Ernest cast some searching looks on the second cask
we had drawn out of the sea, to discover whether it also contained
Dutch cheeses. In a minute he came up to us, joy sparkling in his
eyes. “Father,” said he, “if we had but a little butter spread upon
our biscuit, do you not think it would improve it?”
“That indeed it would; but--_if_--_if_; these never-ending _ifs_ are
but a poor dependence. For my part, I had rather eat a bit of cheese
with my biscuit at once, than think of _ifs_, which bring us so
meagre a harvest.”
_Ernest._--Perhaps, though, the _ifs_ may be found to be worth
something, if we were to knock out the head of this cask.
_Father._--What cask, my boy? and what are you talking of?
_Ernest._--I am talking of this cask, which is filled with excellent