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

us rapidly after it. The part of

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 wife’s chief

pleasure, however, consisted in seeing us safely back, as our night’s

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 turtle’s 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,’ said my wife,

with a little shudder. `See how it sticks all over the meat. No one

could eat anything so nasty.’

 

`Leave the fat, whatever you do!’ 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.’

 

`And the handsome shell!’ 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!’

 

`That is a capital idea,’ 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.’

 

`Oh, as to clay,’ said Jack, `I have a grand lump of clay there under

that root.’

 

`Well done, my lad! When did you find it?’

 

`He found a bed of clay near the river this morning,’ said his mother,

`and came home in such a mess, I had regularly to scrape his clothes

and wash him thoroughly!’

 

`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.’

 

`That I can well believe,’ 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.’

 

`When you have ended the question of the clay and the turtle-shell,’

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.’

 

`In that you did wisely, my boy. Swine eat many things injurious to

men. Let me see your roots. How did you discover them?’

 

`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.’

 

`Indeed, Ernest,’ 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.’

 

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 day’s work had been none of the

lightest.

 

`I have been thinking about my turtle, father,’ 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.’

 

`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.’

 

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,’ said she, `and you little think what refreshment awaits you here

in the shade. Come and see my cellar!’ 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,’ 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.’

 

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 wife’s 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?’ she exclaimed.

`It must be the fault of those mattresses, they are delightful, but

really too lulling; see the children are sound asleep still.’

 

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,’ said I, `this will never do! Your beds were too

luxurious last night, I see.’

 

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 captain’s fine canary should be dealt with very sparingly in

future. `So now for prayers and breakfast,’ I continued, `and then off

to work; I must have our cargo landed in time to get the boats off with

the next tide.’

 

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