Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss (microsoft ebook reader TXT) 📖
- Author: Johann David Wyss
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did not think it necessary to wait until he had dined, so we
prepared to resume our march, conversing as we walked.
“Let me remind you,” I said, “in our situation, it would be
dangerous to teach the dogs not to attack and kill, if they can,
whatever unknown animals they meet. You will see that he will
soon regard your little monkey as a member of our family. But
we must not discourage him from his fancy for attacking wild
beasts. Heaven has bestowed the dog on man to be his safeguard
and ally, and the horse the same. A man on horseback, accompanied
by a troop of well-trained dogs, need not fear any species of
wild beasts, not even the lion nor the hyaena.”
Thoughtfully, Fritz replied, “I feel fortunate that we are in the
posession of two such creatures; but what a pity that the horses
on board died during our voyage, and left us with only an ass.”
“Let us take care how we treat even our ass with disdain,” I told
him. “I wish we had him safe on land. Fortunately he is large and
strong. We may train him to do us the same services as are
performed by the horse; and it is not improbable that he will
improve under our care, given the excellent pasture we will find
in this climate.”
The tiny ape seated itself in the coolest way imaginable on
Fritz’s shoulder, I helped to carry his canes, and we were
on some distance before Turk overtook us, looking uncommonly w
ell pleased, and licking his chops as though recalling the
memory of his feast.
He took no notice of the monkey, but it was very uneasy at
sight of him, and scrambled down into Fritz’s arms, which was
so inconvenient to him that he devised a plan to relieve himself
of his burden.
Calling Turk, and seriously enjoining obedience, he seated the
monkey on his back, securing it there with a cord, and then
putting a second string round the dog’s neck that he might lead
him, he put a loop of the knot into the comical rider’s hand,
saying gravely, `Having slain the parent, Mr. Turk, you will
please to carry the son.’
At first this arrangement mightily displeased them both, but by
and by they yielded to it quietly; the monkey especially amused
us by riding along with the air of a person perfectly at his ease.
`We look just like a couple of mountebanks on their way to a fair
with animals to exhibit,’ said I. `What an outcry the children
will make when we appear!’
My son inquired to what species of the monkey tribe I thought
his protege belonged, which led to a good deal of talk on the
subject, and conversation beguiling the way, we found ourselves
ere long on the rocky margin of the stream and close to the rest
of our party.
Juno was the first to be aware of our approach, and gave notice
of it by loud barking, to which Turk replied with such hearty
goodwill, that his little rider, terrified at the noise his
steed was making, slipped from under the cord and fled to his
refuge on Fritz’s shoulder, where he regained his composure and
settled himself comfortably.
Turk, who by this time knew where he was, finding himself free,
dashed forward to rejoin his friend, and announce our coming. One
after another our dear ones came running to the opposite bank,
testifying in various ways their delight at our return, and
hastening up on their side of the river, as we on ours, to the
ford at which we had crossed in the morning. We were quickly on
the other side, and, full of joy and affection, our happy party
was once more united.
The boys suddenly perceiving the little animal which was clinging
close to their brother, in alarm at the tumult of voices, shouted
in ecstasy:
`A monkey! A monkey! Oh, how splendid! Where did Fritz find him?
What may we give him to eat? Oh, what a bundle of sticks! Look at
those curious great nuts father has got!’
We could neither check this confused torrent of questions, nor
get in a word in answer to them.
At length when the excitement subsided a little, I was able to
say a few words with a chance of being listened to. `I am truly
thankful to see you all safe and well, and, thank God, our
expedition has been very satisfactory, except that we have
entirely failed to discover any trace of our shipmates.’
`If it be the will of God,’ said my wife, `to leave us alone on
this solitary place, let us be content, and rejoice that we are
all together in safety. I have been uneasy since you left, and
imagined a thousand evils that might beset you. The day appeared
an age, but now that I see you once more safe and well, I know
how foolish my fears must seem.
`Now we want to hear all your adventures, and let us relieve you
of your burdens,’ added she, taking my game-bag.
Jack shouldered my gun, Ernest took the cocoanuts, and little
Franz carried the gourds, Fritz distributed the sugarcanes amongst
his brothers, and handing Ernest his gun replaced the monkey on
Turk’s hack. Ernest soon found the burden with which Fritz had
laden him too heavy to his taste. His mother, perceiving this,
offered to relieve him of part of the load. He willingly gave up
the cocoanuts, but no sooner had he done so than his elder brother
exclaimed:
`Hullo, Ernest, you surely do not know what you are parting with;
did you really intend to hand over those good cocoanuts without
so much as tasting them?’
`What? ho! Are they really cocoanuts?’ cried Ernest, `I thought
they were bowls! Do let me take them again, mother, do let me
look at them.’
`No, thank you,’ replied my wife with a smile. `I have no wish to
see you again overburdened.’
`Oh but I have only to throw away these sticks, which are of no
use, and then I can easily carry them.’
`Worse and worse,’ said Fritz, `I have a particular regard for
those heavy useless sticks. Did you ever hear of sugarcanes?’
The words were scarcely out of his mouth when Ernest began to
suck vigorously at the end of the cane with no better result,
however, than Fritz had obtained as we were on the march.
`Here,’ said Fritz, `let me show you the trick of it,’ and he
speedily set all the youngsters to work extracting the luscious
juice.
My wife, as a prudent housekeeper who made much use of sugar,
was no less delighted than the children with this discovery; the
sight of the dishes also pleased her greatly, for she longed to
see us eat once more like civilized beings.
We went into the kitchen and there found preparations for a truly
sumptuous meal. Two forked sticks were planted in the ground on
either side of the fire, on these rested a rod from which hung
several tempting-looking fish, opposite them hung a goose from a
similar contrivance, slowly roasting while the gravy dropped into
a large shell placed beneath it. Franz gave the spit another turn,
assuring me he had been helping all day to keep the meal from
burning. In the centre sat the great pot from which issued the
smell of a most delicious soup. To crown this splendid array,
stood an open hogshead full of Dutch cheeses.
All this was very pleasant to two hungry travellers, but I was
about to beg my wife to spare the poultry until our stock should
have increased, when she, perceiving my thought, quickly relieved
my anxiety. `This is not one of our geese,’ she said, `but a wild
bird Ernest killed.’
`Yes,’ said Ernest, `it is a penguin, I think, it let me get quite
close, so that I knocked it on the head with a stick. Here are its
head and feet which I preserved to show you; the bill is, you see,
narrow and curved downwards, and the feet are webbed. It had funny
little bits of useless wings, and its eyes looked so solemnly and
sedately at me, that I was almost ashamed to kill it. It seemed
quite destitute of any intelligence, so that I was able to kill
it with a single blow from my stick. Do you not think it must
have been a penguin?’
`I have little doubt on the matter, my boy,’ and I was about to
make a few remarks on the habits of this bird, when my wife
interrupted me and begged us to come to dinner and continue our
natural history conversation at some future time. Fritz now
suddenly recollected his delicious wine, and producing his
flask, begged his mother to taste it.
`Try it first yourself,’ said I; Fritz did so, and I instantly saw
by his countenance that the liquor had passed through the first
stage of fermentation and had become vinegar.
`Never mind, my boy,’ said my prudent wife, when she learned the
cause of his wry faces, `we have wine already but no vinegar; I
am really pleased at the transformation. Mixed with the fat
which has fallen from our bird with roasting, it will make a
most delicious sauce which will be as good a relish as a salad.’
And so it proved, as a corrective of the wild and fishy flavor
of the penguin, as well as improving the taste of the fish. We
did full justice to the appetizing meal prepared for us, our
gourds coming for the first time into use, and having done it
full justice, I produced the cocoanuts by way of dessert.
`Here is better food for your little friend,’ said I to Fritz,
who had been vainly endeavouring to persuade the monkey to taste
dainty morsels of the food we had been eating. `The poor little
animal has been accustomed to nothing but its mother’s milk; fetch
me a saw, one of you.’
I then, after extracting the milk of the nuts from their natural
holes, carefully cut the shells in half, thus providing several
more useful basins. The monkey was perfectly satisfied with the
milk, and eagerly sucked the corner of a handkerchief dipped in it.
The sun was now rapidly sinking behind the horizon, and the poultry
retiring for the night warned us that we must follow their example.
Having offered up our prayers, we lay down on our beds, the monkey
crouched down between Jack and Fritz, and we were all soon fast
asleep.
We did not, however, long enjoy this repose; a loud barking from
our dogs, who were on guard outside the tent, awakened us, and
the fluttering and cackling of our poultry warned us that a foe
was approaching. Fritz and I sprang up, and seizing our guns
rushed out. There we found a desperate combat going on, our
gallant dogs, surrounded by a dozen or more large jackals,
were fighting bravely, four of their opponents lay dead, but
the others were in no way deterred by the fate of their comrades.
Fritz and I, however, sent bullets through the heads of a couple
more, and the rest galloped off. Turk and Juno did not intend
that they should escape so cheaply, and pursuing them, they
caught, killed, and devoured another of the animals, regardless
of their near relationship. Fritz wished to save one of the jackals
that he might be able to show it to his brothers in the morning;
dragging therefore the one
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