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

Chapter 7

The first thing to be done on the following day was to return to the

Calabash Wood, to fetch the sledge with the dishes, bowls and baskets

we had made.

 

Fritz alone accompanied me. I desired the other boys to remain with

their mother, intending to explore beyond the chain of rocky hills, and

thinking a large party undesirable on the occasion.

 

Passing through the wood of evergreen oaks, we observed our sow

feasting on the acorns, evidently not a whit the worse for the fright

we had given her the previous day—in fact, she appeared more friendly

disposed towards us than usual, possibly considering us as her

deliverers from the jaws of the savage dogs.

 

Many birds tenanted this grove, and were undisturbed by our movements,

until Fritz fired and shot a beautiful blue jay, and a couple of

parakeets, one a brilliant scarlet, the other green and gold. Fritz was

in the act of reloading his gun, when an unaccountable noise struck our

ears, and put us instantly on the alert, because it appeared like the

dull thumping sound of a muffled drum, and reminded us of the possible

presence of savages.

 

With the greatest caution we drew nearer the sound, concealing

ourselves among the low bushes and thick grass and creepers, until we

reached an open glade; where, standing on an old prostrate log, was a

beautiful bird, about the size of a cock, of a rich chestnut brown

colour, finely mottled with dark brown and grey. On the shoulders were

curious tufts of velvety black feathers, glossed with green. He was

ruffling his wings, erecting his tail and neck feathers, strutting and

wheeling about in a most strange and stately fashion.

 

After manoeuvring for some time in this manner, greatly to the

edification of a party of birds resembling him but without any ruff,

who, assembled round the stump, were enjoying his performances, he

spread out his tail like a fan, stiffened his wings, and began to

strike with them in short, rapid beats, faster and faster, until a

rumbling sound like very distant thunder was produced, and the whirring

wings enveloped him as in a cloud.

 

This was the drumming noise which had alarmed us, increased, as I

imagine, by the wing strokes falling at times on the decayed and

hollow stump on which the curious pantomime was acted.

 

I was watching it with the utmost interest, when a shot from behind me

was fired, and in a moment the play was at an end; my over-hasty son

had changed the pretty comedy into a sad and needless tragedy. The

enthusiastic drummer fell dead from his perch, and the crowd of

admiring companions fled in dismay.

 

The cruel interruption of a scene so rare and remarkable annoyed me

extremely, and I blamed Fritz for firing without my leave. I felt sure

the bird was the ruffed grouse, and a very fine specimen.

 

We placed it on the ass, which was patiently awaiting our return, and

went on our way.

 

The sledge was quite safe where we had left it; it was early in the

day, and I resolved to explore, as I had intended, the line of cliff

and rocky hills, which, at more or less distance from the seashore,

extended the whole length of coast known or visible to us.

 

I desired to discover an opening, if any existed, by which to

penetrate the interior of the country, or to ascertain positively that

we were walled in and isolated on this portion of the coast. Leaving

Calabash Wood behind us, we advanced over ground covered with manioc,

potatoes and many plants unknown to us; pleasant streamlets watered the

fruitful soil, and the view on all sides was open and agreeable.

 

Some bushes attracted my notice, loaded with small white berries, of

peculiar appearance like wax, and very sticky when plucked. I

recognized in this a plant called by botanists Myrica cerifera, and

with much pleasure explained to Fritz that, by melting and straining

these berries, we might easily succeed in making candles, and afford

very great satisfaction to his mother, who did not at all approve of

having to lay her work aside and retire to rest the moment the sun set.

 

The greenish wax to be obtained would be more brittle than bees’ wax,

but it would burn very fairly, and diffuse an agreeable perfume. Having

the ass with us, we lost no time in gathering berries enough to fill

one of the large canvas bags he carried, and we then continued our

route.

 

Very soon we met with another natural curiosity, the curious

appearance of which surprised us much. This was the abode, under one

roof, of a whole colony of birds, about the size of yellowhammers, but

of plain brown plumage. The nests were built in a mass round the stem

and among the branches of a tree standing alone, and a kind of roof

formed of grass, straws and fibres covered them all, and sheltered the

community from rain and the heat of the sun.

 

There were numbers of openings into the irregular sides of the group of

dwellings, the nests resembling different apartments in a house common

to all; twigs and small branches emerged here and there from the walls,

and served as perches for the young birds, and resting-places and posts

of observation for all. The general appearance of the establishment

reminded us of a huge bath-sponge.

 

The feathered inhabitants swarmed in and out by thousands, and we saw

among them many beautiful little parrots, who seemed in many instances

to contest possession of the nest with the lawful owners.

 

Fritz, being an expert climber and exceedingly anxious to examine the

nests more closely, ascended the tree, hoping to obtain one or two

young birds, if any were hatched. He put his hand into several holes,

which were empty; but at last his intended theft and robbery met with

repulse and chastisement he little expected; for, reaching far back

into a nest, his finger was seized and sharply bitten by a very strong

beak, so that with a cry he withdrew his hand, and shook it vigorously

to lessen the pain.

 

Recovering from the surprise, he again and more resolutely seized the

unkind bird, and, despite its shrieks and screams, drew it from its

retreat, crammed it into his pocket, buttoned up his coat and slid

quickly to the ground, pursued by numbers of the captive’s relations,

who darted from the other holes and flew round the robber, screeching

and pecking at him in a rage.

 

Fritz’s prize was not one of the real owners of the nests, which were

those of the sociable grosbeak, but a very pretty, small, green parrot,

with which he was greatly pleased, and which he at once determined to

tame and teach to speak; for the present, it was carefully remanded to

prison in his pocket.

 

This curious colony of birds afforded us matter of conversation as we

went on our way; their cheerful sociable habits, and the instinct which

prompted them to unite in labour for the common good, appearing most

wonderful to us.

 

`Examples of the kind, however,’ said I, `are numerous, in various

classes of animals. Beavers, for instance, build and live together in a

very remarkable way. Among insects, bees, wasps, and ants are well

known as social architects; in like manner, the coral insect works

wonders beneath the ocean waves, by force of perseverance and united

effort.’

 

`I have often watched ants at work,’ said Fritz; `it is most amusing to

see how they carry on the various works and duties of their

commonwealth.’

 

`Have you ever noticed how much trouble they take with the eggs?’

inquired I, to see how far he understood the process; `carrying them

about in the warmth of the sun until they are hatched?’

 

`Ah! That is rather the chrysalis of the antworm, or larva, which is

produced from an egg. I know they are called ants’ eggs, but strictly

speaking, that is incorrect.’

 

`You are perfectly right, my boy. Well,