Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss (microsoft ebook reader TXT) ๐
- Author: Johann David Wyss
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the shore for which the turtle was making was considerably to the left
of our usual landing-place. The beach there shelved very gradually, and
at some distance from land we grounded with a sharp shock, but
fortunately without a capsize.
The turtle was evidently greatly exhausted, and no wonder, since it had
been acting the part of a steam tug, and had been dragging, at full
speed, a couple of heavily laden vessels. Its intention was to escape
to land; but I leaped into the water, and wading up to it, dispatched
it with my axe. Such was its tenacity of life, however, that it did not
cease its struggles, until I had actually severed its head from its
body.
As we were by no means far from Falconhurst, Fritz gave notice of our
approach by firing off his gun, as well as shouting loudly in his glee;
and, while we were yet engaged in securing our boats and getting the
turtle on shore, the whole family appeared in the distance hastening
eagerly towards us; and our new prize, together with the well-laden
boat and raft, excited the liveliest interest; my wifeโs chief
pleasure, however, consisted in seeing us safely back, as our nightโs
absence had disturbed her, and she was horrified by the description of
our dangerous run in the wake of the fugitive turtle.
Being anxious to remove some of our goods before night, the boys ran
off to fetch the sledge; while I, having no anchor, contrived to moor
the boats by means of some of the heavy blocks of iron we had brought.
It required our united strength to get the turtle hoisted on to the
sledge, its weight being prodigious; we found it, indeed, with the
addition of the sapling fruit-trees, quite a sufficient load.
We then made the best of our way home, chatting merrily about our
various adventures. The first thing to be done on arriving was to
obtain some of the turtleโs flesh to cook for supper. To my wife this
appeared necessarily a work of time, as well as of difficulty; but I
turned the beast on its back, and soon detached a portion of the meat
from the breast with a hatchet, by breaking the lower shell; and I then
directed that it should be cooked, with a little salt, shell and all.
`But let me first cut away this disgusting green fat,โ said my wife,
with a little shudder. `See how it sticks all over the meat. No one
could eat anything so nasty.โ
`Leave the fat, whatever you do!โ exclaimed I. `Why, my dear, that is
the very best part, and the delight of the epicures. If there be really
too much, cut some off-it can be used as lard, and let the dogs make a
supper of the refuse.โ
`And the handsome shell!โ cried Fritz. `I should like to make a
water-trough of that, to stand near the brook, and be kept always full
of clear water. How useful it would be!โ
`That is a capital idea,โ I replied, `and we may manage it easily, if
we can find clay so as to make a firm foundation on which to place it.โ
`Oh, as to clay,โ said Jack, `I have a grand lump of clay there under
that root.โ
`Well done, my lad! When did you find it?โ
`He found a bed of clay near the river this morning,โ said his mother,
`and came home in such a mess, I had regularly to scrape his clothes
and wash him thoroughly!โ
`Well, mother, I can only tell you I should never in all my days have
found the clay, if I had not slipped and fallen amongst it.โ
`That I can well believe,โ returned his mother, `only, to hear your
talk this morning, one would have thought your discovery of clay the
result of very arduous search indeed.โ
`When you have ended the question of the clay and the turtle-shell,โ
said Ernest, `I should like to show you some roots I found today; they
are getting rather dry now. They look something like radishes, although
the plant itself was almost a bush; but I have not ventured to taste
them, although our old sow was devouring them at a great rate.โ
`In that you did wisely, my boy. Swine eat many things injurious to
men. Let me see your roots. How did you discover them?โ
`I was rambling in the wood this morning, and came upon the sow, very
busy grubbing under a small bush, and eating something ravenously; so I
drove her away, and found a number of these roots, which I brought for
you to see.โ
`Indeed, Ernest,โ I exclaimed, after taking the roots in my hand and
considering them attentively, `I am inclined to believe that you have
really made a brilliant discovery! If this proves to be, as I expect,
the manioc root, we might lose every other eatable we possess, and yet
not starve. In the West Indies, cakes called cassava bread are made
from it; and, already having potatoes, we shall be very independent if
we can succeed in preparing flour from these roots. Great care must be
taken in the manufacture to express the juice, otherwise the flour may
be injurious and even poisonous.
`If we can collect a sufficient quantity, we will attempt bread-making.
I think I know how to set about it.โ
Finding there was still time to make another trip with the sledge, I
went off with the elder boys, leaving Franz with his mother; and we all
looked forward with satisfaction to the prospect of the princely supper
they were to have ready for us, for our dayโs work had been none of the
lightest.
`I have been thinking about my turtle, father,โ said Fritz, as we went
along, `is not the shell very valuable? Surely beautiful combs, boxes,
and a number of ornamental things are made of tortoise-shell, and if
so, it seems a pity to use it for a water-trough.โ
`Your turtle, Fritz, is only fit for eating, its shell is worthless as
regards ornament; whereas the species whose shell is prized so much is
unfit for food. Tortoiseshell is subjected to the action of heat, the
outer layer peels off, leaving a beautifully marked, semi-transparent
surface, which is susceptible of a very high polish.โ
The sledge quickly received its second load from the raft. Chests, four
cart-wheels and the hand-mill were placed on it, with all manner of
smaller articles, and we lost no time in returning to Falconhurst.
My wife welcomed us joyfully, for she said we had been regularly
overworked during the last two days. `However, now you are come home to
rest,โ said she, `and you little think what refreshment awaits you here
in the shade. Come and see my cellar!โ and she smilingly exhibited a
small cask, half sunk in the ground, and well sheltered with leaves and
branches.
`Ah! You wonder where this came from,โ continued my wife; `well, I
found it myself on the sands, today, while you were all absent; and
fancying it was wine of some sort, I got it up here on purpose to be
ready for you. The boys are most anxious to know what sort of wine it
will prove to be.โ
As the simplest method of ascertaining this, I inserted a straw at the
vent-hole, and presently announced that in all my life I had never
enjoyed a more delicious draught of canary sack. My wife was immensely
pleased to find that her exertions in my behalf had not been thrown
away, and the boys pressed round me, armed with straws, and begging for
a taste.
After so strongly expressing my own enjoyment of the wine, it seemed
unreasonable to deny them this, and I let them come in turns, but was
speedily obliged to call a halt; for the rogues got so eager and
excited that I had to reprove them for their greediness, and warn them
of the risk they ran of being intoxicated.
Supper was more to the purpose; and, as the turtle proved delicious, it
was heartily enjoyed, and gave us strength to haul the mattresses we
had brought from the ship, up into our sleeping-rooms, so that very
refreshing slumbers closed the day.
Early next morning, I got up without rousing any of the others,
intending to pay a visit to the beach; for I had my doubts about the
safety of my vessels on the open shore. The dogs were delighted when I
descended the ladder, and bounded to meet me; the cocks crowed and
flapped their wings; two pretty kids gambolled around; all was life and
energy: the ass alone seemed disinclined to begin the day, and, as I
especially required his services, this was unfortunate.
I put his morning dreams to flight, however, and harnessed him to the
sledge; the cow, as she had not been milked, enjoyed the privilege of
further repose, and with the rest of the family, I left her dozing.
My fears as to the safety of the boats were soon dispelled, for they
were all right; and, being in haste to return, the load I collected
from their freight was but a light one, and the donkey willingly
trotted home with it, he, as well as I, being uncommonly ready for
breakfast.
Approaching the tree, not a sound was to be heard, not a soul was to be
seen, although it was broad day; and great was my good wifeโs surprise,
when, roused by the clatter and hullabaloo I made, she started up, and
became aware of the late hour!
`What can have made us oversleep ourselves like this?โ she exclaimed.
`It must be the fault of those mattresses, they are delightful, but
really too lulling; see the children are sound asleep still.โ
With much stretching and many yawns, the boys at last came tumbling
down from the tree, rubbing their eyes and seeming but half awake;
Ernest last, as usual.
`Come, my boys,โ said I, `this will never do! Your beds were too
luxurious last night, I see.โ
In my own opinion, however, I felt there was something else to blame
besides the comfortable mattresses, and I made a mental resolve that
the captainโs fine canary should be dealt with very sparingly in
future. `So now for prayers and breakfast,โ I continued, `and then off
to work; I must have our cargo landed in time to get the boats off with
the next tide.โ
By dint of downright hard work, we accomplished this, and I got on
board with Fritz as soon as they were afloat; the rest turned
homewards, but Jack lingered behind with such imploring looks, that I
could not resist taking him with me.
My intention had been simply to take the vessels round to the harbour
in Safety Bay, but the calm sea and fine weather tempted me to make
another trip to the wreck. It took up more time than I expected, so
that, when on board, we could only make a further examination of the
cargo, collect a few portable articles and then avail ourselves of the
sea-breeze which would fail us later in the evening.
To Jack the pleasure of hunting about in the hold, was novel and
charming, and very soon a tremendous rattling and clattering heralded
his approach with a wheelbarrow, in the highest spirits at his good
fortune in having found such a capital thing in which to bring home
potatoes.
He was followed by Fritz, whose news was still more important. He had
found, carefully packed and enclosed within partitions, what appeared
to be the separate parts of a pinnace, with
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