Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss (portable ebook reader .txt) 📕

soon explained; and then the mysterious bundles

were opened, and a great number of fine crawfish displayed; whose

efforts to escape by scuttling away in every direction, directly they

were placed in a heap on the ground, caused immense fun and laughter as

the boys pursued and brought them back, only to find others scrambling

off in a dozen different ways.

 

`Now, father, have we not done well, today!’ cried Jack, `did you ever

see such a splendid crawfish? Oh, there were thousands of them, and I

am sure we have got two hundred here at least. Just look at their

claws!’

 

`No doubt you were the discoverer of these fine crabs, eh, Jack?’ said

I.

 

`No! Fancy young Franz being the lucky man!’ answered he. `He and I

went towards the stream while mother was busy, just to look for a good

place for the bridge. Franz was picking up pebbles and alabasters, some

because they were so pretty, some to strike sparks with in the dark,

and some he insisted were “gold.”

 

`“Jack! Jack!” cried he presently, “come and see the crabs on Fritz’s

jackal!” You know we threw it away there, and to be sure it was

swarming with these creatures. Are you glad we have found them, father?

Will they be good to eat?’

 

`Very excellent, my boy, and we may be thankful that food for our

wants is thus provided day by day.’

 

When each party had related the day’s adventures, and while my wife was

cooking the crawfish, we went to bring our store of planks to land.

Even this apparently simple operation required thought, and I had to

improvise rope-harness for the cow and the donkey, by which we could

make them drag each board separately from the water’s edge to the

margin of the stream.

 

Jack showed me where he thought the bridge should be, and I certainly

saw no better place, as the banks were at that point tolerably close to

one another, steep, and of about equal height.

 

`How shall we find out if our planks are long enough to reach across?’

said I. `A surveyor’s table would be useful now.’

 

`What do you say to a ball of string, father?’ said Ernest. `Tie one

end to a stone, throw it across, then draw it back, and measure the

line!’

 

Adopting my son’s idea, we speedily ascertained the distance across to

be eighteen feet. Then allowing three feet more at each side, I

calculated twenty-four feet as the necessary length of the boards.

 

The question as to how the planks were to be laid across was a

difficult one. We resolved to discuss it during dinner, to which we

were now summoned. And my wife, as we sat resting, displayed to me her

needlework. With hard labour had she made two large canvas bags for the

ass to carry. Having no suitable needle, she had been obliged to bore

the hole for each stitch with a nail, and gained great praise for her

ingenuity and patience.

 

Dinner was quickly dispatched, as we were all eager to continue our

engineering work. A scheme had occurred to me for conveying one end of

a plank across the water, and I set about it in this way.

 

There fortunately were one or two trees close to the stream on either

side; I attached a rope pretty near one end of a beam, and slung it

loosely to the tree beside us; then, fastening a long rope to the other

end, I crossed with it by means of broken rocks and stones, and having

a pulley and block, I soon arranged the rope on a strong limb of the

opposite tree, again returning with the end to our own side.

 

Now putting my idea to the proof, I brought the ass and the cow, and

fastening this rope to the harness I had previously contrived for them,

I drove them steadily away from the bank. To my great satisfaction, and

the surprise and delight of the boys, the end of the plank which had

been laid alongside the stream began gently to move, rose higher,

turned, and soon projecting over the water continued to advance, until,

having described the segment of a circle, it reached the opposite bank.

 

I stopped my team, the plank rested on the ground, the bridge was

made! So at least thought Fritz and Jack, who in a moment were lightly

running across the narrow way, shouting joyfully as they sprang to the

other side.

 

Our work was now comparatively easy. A second and third plank were laid

beside the first; and when these were carefully secured at each end to

the ground and to the trees, we very quickly laid short boards side by

side across the beams, the boys nailing them lightly down as I sawed

them in lengths; and when this was done, our bridge was pronounced

complete.

 

Nothing could exceed the excitement of the children. They danced to and

fro on the wonderful structure, singing, shouting and cutting the

wildest capers. I must confess I heartily sympathized with their

triumphant feelings.

 

Now that the work was done, we began to feel how much we were

fatigued, and gladly returned to our tent for refreshment and repose.

 

Next morning, while we breakfasted, I made a little speech to my sons

on the subject of the important move we were about to make, wishing to

impress them with a sense of the absolute necessity of great caution.

 

`Remember,’ said I, `that, although you all begin to feel very much at

your ease here, we are yet complete strangers to a variety of dangers

which may surprise us unawares. I charge you, therefore, to maintain

good order, and keep together on the march. No darting off into

bye-ways, Jack. No lingering behind to philosophize, Ernest. And now

all hands to work.’

 

The greatest activity instantly prevailed in our camp. Some collected

provisions, others packed kitchen utensils, tools, ropes, and hammocks,

arranging them as burdens for the cow and ass.

 

My wife pleaded for a seat on the latter for her little Franz, and

assuring me likewise that she could not possibly leave the poultry,

even for a night, nor exist an hour without her magic bag, I agreed to

do my best to please her, without downright cruelty to animals.

 

Away ran the children to catch the cocks and hens. Great chasing,

fluttering and cackling ensued; but with no success whatever, until my

wife recalled her panting sons, and, scattering some handfuls of grain

within the open tent, soon decoyed the fowls and pigeons into the

enclosure; where, when the curtain was dropped, they were easily

caught, tied together, and placed on the cow.

 

This amiable and phlegmatic animal had stood calmly chewing the cud,

while package after package was disposed on her broad back, nor did she

now object even to this noisy addition to her load. I placed a couple

of half-hoops over all; and, spreading sailcloth on them, put the fowls

in darkness, and they rapidly became quiet; and the cow, with the

appearance of having a small waggon on her back, was ready to start.

 

Franz was firmly seated on the ass, amidst bags and bundles of all

sorts and sizes; they rose about him like cushions and pillows, and his

curly head rested on the precious magic bag, which surmounted all the

rest. Having filled the tent with the things we left behind, closing it

carefully, and ranging chests and casks around it, we were finally

ready to be off, each well equipped and in the highest spirits.

 

Fritz and his mother led the van. Franz (the young cavalier), and the

sober-minded cow followed them closely.

 

Jack conducted the goats; one of these had also a rider, for Knips the

monkey was seated on his foster-mother, whose patience was sorely tried

by his restlessness and playful tricks.

 

The sheep were under Ernest’s care, and I brought up the rear of this

patriarchal band, while the two dogs kept constantly running backwards

and forwards in the character of aides-de-camp.

 

`We seem delightfully like those simple and pastoral tribes I have read

of,’ said Ernest, as we proceeded, `whose whole lives are spent in

shifting from place to place, without any wish to settle.’

 

`Yes,’ said I. `Among the Arabs, Tartars, and some other Eastern

nations, this mode of live is natural. They for that reason are called

Nomads.

 

`These tribes are amply provided with camels and horses, and effect

their journeys more quickly and conveniently than we are likely to do

with these deliberate quadrupeds of ours. Whatever you young folks may

think, I suspect your mother and I will be quite satisfied with one

such undertaking. At least I hope she will be contended with the nest

she intends me to build for her up in her wonderful trees.’

 

With honest pride I introduced my wife to my bridge, and after

receiving from her what I considered well-merited praise for my skill

in its construction, we passed over it in grand procession, reinforced

unexpectedly on the opposite side by the arrival of our cross-grained

old sow. The perverse creature had obstinately resisted our attempts to

bring her with us, but finding herself deserted, had followed of her

own accord, testifying in the most unmistakable manner, by angry grunts

and squeals, her entire disapproval of our proceedings.

 

I soon found we must, as before, turn down to the sea beach, for not

only did the rank grass impede our progress, but it also tempted the

animals to break away from us, and, but for our watchful dogs, we might

have lost several of them.

 

On the firm, open sands we were making good way, when to my annoyance,

both our dogs suddenly left us, and springing into the thick cover to

our right, commenced a furious barking, following by howling as if in

fear and violent pain.

 

Not for a moment doubting that some dangerous animal was at hand, I

hastened to the spot, remarking as I went the characteristic behaviour

of my three older sons.

 

Fritz cocked his gun and advanced boldly, but with caution. Ernest

looked disconcerted, and drew back, but got ready to fire, while Jack

hurried after Fritz without so much as unslinging his gun from his

shoulders.

 

Before I could come up with them, I heard Jack shouting excitedly:

 

`Father! Father! Come quickly! A huge porcupine! A most enormous

porcupine!’

 

Sure enough, the dogs were rushing round and round a porcupine, and

having attempted to seize it, were already severely wounded by its

quills. Each time they came near, the creature, with a rattling noise,

bristled up its spines.

 

Somewhat to my amusement, while we were looking at the curious defense

this creature was making, little Jack stepped close up to it, with a

pocket pistol in his hand, and shot it dead, making sure of it by a

couple of hearty raps on the head, and then giving way to a burst of

boyish exultation, he called upon us to help to convey his prize to his

mother. This it was not by any means easy to do. Sundry attempts

resulted in bloody fingers, till Jack, taking his pocket-handkerchief,

and fastening one corner round its neck, ran off, dragging it after him

to where his mother awaited us.

 

`Hullo, mother! Here’s a jolly beast, isn’t it? I shot it, and it’s

good to eat! Father says so! I only wish you had seen how it terrified

the dogs, and heard the rattling and rustling of its spines. Oh, it is

a fearful creature!’

 

Ernest, examining it carefully, pronounced its incisor teeth, its ears

and feet, to resemble