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

have seen is

their natural shape.’

 

For three hours or more we pushed forward, keeping a sharp

look-out on either side for any trace of our companions, till we

reached a bold promontory, stretching some way into the sea, from

whose rocky summit I knew that we should obtain a good and

comprehensive view of the surrounding country. With little

difficulty we reached the top, but the most careful survey of

the beautiful landscape failed to show us the slightest sign or

trace of human beings.

 

Before us stretched a wide and lovely bay, fringed with yellow

sands, either side extending into the distance, and almost lost

to view in two shadowy promontories; enclosed by these two arms

lay a sheet of rippling water, which reflected in its depths the

glorious sun above. The scene inland was no less beautiful; and

yet Fritz and I both felt a shade of loneliness stealing over us

as we gazed on its utter solitude.

 

`Cheer up, Fritz, my boy,’ said I, presently. `Remember that we

chose a settler’s life long ago, before we left our own dear

country; we certainly did not expect to be so entirely alone—but

what matters a few people, more or less? With God’s help, let us

endeavour to live here contentedly, thankful that we were not cast

upon some bare and inhospitable island. But come, the heat here

is getting unbearable; let us find some shady place before we are

completely broiled away.’

 

We descended the hill and made for a clump of palm trees, which we

saw at a little distance. To reach this, we had to pass through a

dense thicket of reeds, no pleasant or easy task; for, besides the

difficulty of forcing our way through, I feared at every step that

we might tread on some venomous snake.

 

Sending Turk in advance, I cut one of the reeds, thinking it would

be a more useful weapon against a reptile than my gun. I had

carried it but a little way, when I noticed a thick juice exuding

from one end. I tasted it, and to my delight, found it sweet and

pleasant. I at once knew that I was standing amongst sugarcanes.

 

Wishing Fritz to make the same discovery, I advised him to cut a

cane for his defense; he did so, and as he beat the ground before

him, the reed split, and his hand was covered with the juice. He

carefully touched the cane with the tip of his tongue, then,

finding the juice sweet, he did so again with less hesitation;

and a moment afterwards sprang back to me, exclaiming, `Oh, father,

sugarcane, sugarcane! Taste it. Oh, how delicious, how

delightful! Do let us take a lot home to mother,’ he continued,

sucking eagerly at the cane!

 

`Gently there,’ said I, `take breath a moment, moderation in

all things, remember. Cut some to take home if you like; only

don’t take more than you can conveniently carry.’

 

In spite of my warning, my son cut a dozen or more of the largest

canes, and stripping them of their leaves, carried them under his

arm. We then pushed through the cane-brake, and reached the clump

of palms for which we had been making; as we entered it a troop of

monkeys, who had been disporting themselves on the ground, sprang

up, chattering and grimacing, and before we could clearly

distinguish them, were at the very top of the trees.

 

Fritz was so provoked by their impertinent gestures that he raised

his gun, and would have shot one of the poor beasts. `Stay,’ cried

I, `never take the life of any animal needlessly. A live monkey

up in that tree is of more use to us than a dozen dead ones at

our feet, as I will show you.’

 

Saying this, I gathered a handful of small stones, and threw them

up towards the apes. The stones did not go near them, but influenced

by their instinctive mania for imitation, they instantly seized

all the cocoanuts within their reach, and sent a perfect hail of

them down upon us.

 

Fritz was delighted with my stratagem, and rushing forward picked

up some of the finest of the nuts. We drank the milk they contained,

drawing it through the holes which I pierced. The milk of a

cocoanut has not a pleasant flavor, but it is excellent for quenching

thirst. What we liked best was a kind of solid cream which adheres

to their shells, and which we scraped off with our spoons.

 

After this delicious meal, we thoroughly despised the lobster we

had been carrying, and threw it to Turk, who ate it gratefully;

but far from being satisfied, the poor beast began to gnaw the

ends of the sugarcanes, and to beg for cocoanut. I slung a couple

of the nuts over my shoulder, fastening them together by their

stalks, and Fritz having resumed his burden, we began our homeward

march.

 

I soon discovered that Fritz found the weight of his canes

considerably more than he expected: he shifted them from shoulder

to shoulder, then for a while carried them under his arm, and

finally stopped short with a sigh. `I had no idea,’ he said,

`that a few reeds would be so heavy. How sincerely I pity the

poor negroes who are made to carry heavy loads of them! Yet how

glad I shall be when my mother and brothers are tasting them.’

 

`Never mind, my boy,’ I said, `Patience and courage! Do you not

remember the story of Aesop and his breadbasket, how heavy he

found it when he started, and how light at the end of his journey?

Let us each take a fresh staff, and then fasten the bundle

crosswise with your gun.’

 

We did so, and once more stepped forward. Fritz presently noticed

that I from time to time sucked the end of my cane.

 

`Oh, come,’ said he, `that’s a capital plan of yours, father,

I’ll do that too.’

 

So saying, he began to suck most vigorously, but not a drop of

the juice could he extract. `How is this?’ he asked. `How do you

get the juice out, father?’

 

`Think a little,’ I replied, `you are quite as capable as I am of

finding out the way, even if you do not know the real reason of

your failure.’

 

`Oh, of course,’ said he, `it is like trying to suck marrow from

a marrow bone, without making a hole at the other end.’

 

`Quite right,’ I said, `you form a vacuum in your mouth and the

end of your tube, and expect the air to force down the liquid

from the other end which it cannot possibly enter.’

 

Fritz was speedily perfect in the accomplishment of sucking

sugarcane, discovering by experience the necessity for a fresh

cut at each joint or knot in the cane, through which the juice

could not flow; he talked of the pleasure of initiating his

brothers in the art, and of how Ernest would enjoy the cocoanut

milk, with which he had filled his flask.*

 

* M. Wyss’s acquaintance with sugar has not extended

to the sugar cane. The sap does not flow; it is

embedded in the very fibrous pulp, and the cane

must be crushed, and its juice cooked and repeatedly

refined, to make the sugar. People enjoying the

cane in its natural state must chew the pulp,

which is not particularly sweet.

 

`My dear boy,’ said I, `you need not have added that to your load;

the chances are it will be vinegar by the time we get home. In

the heat of the sun, it will ferment soon after being drawn

from the nut.’

 

`Vinegar! Oh, that would be a horrid bore! I must look directly,

and see how it is getting on,’ cried Fritz, hastily swinging

the flask from his shoulder, and tugging out the cork. With a

loud `pop’ the contents came forth, foaming like champagne.

 

`There now!’ said I, laughing as he tasted this new luxury.

`You will have to exercise moderation again, friend Fritz!

I daresay it is delicious, but it will go to your head, if

you venture deep into your flask.’

 

`My dear father, you cannot think how good it is! Do take some.

Vinegar, indeed! This is like excellent wine.’

 

We were both invigorated by this unexpected draught, and went on

so merrily after it, that the distance to the place where we had

left our gourd dishes seemed less than we expected. We found

them quite dry, and very light and easy to carry.

 

Just as we had passed through the grove in which we breakfasted,

Turk suddenly darted away from us, and sprang furiously among a

troop of monkeys, which were gambolling playfully on the turf at

a little distance from the trees. They were taken by surprise

completely, and the dog, now really ravenous from hunger, had

seized one, and was fiercely tearing it to pieces before we could

approach the spot.

 

His luckless victim was the mother of a tiny little monkey,

which, being on her back when the dog flew at her, had hindered

her flight; the little creature attempted to hide among the

grass, and in trembling fear watched the tragic fate of its

mother.

 

On perceiving Turk’s bloodthirsty design, Fritz had eagerly rushed

to the rescue, flinging away all he was carrying, and losing his

hat in his haste. All to no purpose as far as the poor mother ape

was concerned, and a laughable scene ensued, for no sooner did the

young monkey catch sight of him than at one bound it was on his

shoulders, and, holding fast by his thick curly hair, it firmly

kept its seat in spite of all he could do to dislodge it. He

screamed and plunged about as he endeavoured to shake or pull

the creature off, but all in vain, it only clung the closer to

his neck, making the most absurd grimaces.

 

I laughed so much at this ridiculous scene, that I could scarcely

assist my terrified boy out of his awkward predicament. Indeed, I

told Fritz that the animal, having lost its mother, seemed

determined to adopt Fritz. “Perhaps he has discovered in you

something of the air of a father of a family.”

 

“Or rather,” Fritz retorted, “the little rogue has found out that

he has to do with a chicken-heart, who shrinks from the idea of

ill-treating an animal which has thrown itself on his protection.

But father, he is yanking my hair terribly, and I shall be

obliged to you to try once more to get him off.”

 

At last, by coaxing the monkey, offering it a bit of biscuit,

and gradually disentangling its small sinewy paws from the curls

it grasped so tightly, I managed to relieve poor Fritz, who then

looked with interest at the baby ape, no bigger than a kitten,

as it lay in my arms.

 

`What a jolly little fellow it is!’ exclaimed he. `Do let me try

to rear it, father. I daresay cocoanut milk would do until we can

bring the cow and the goats from the wreck. If he lives he might

be useful to us. I believe monkeys instinctively know what fruits

are wholesome and what are poisonous.’

 

`Well,’ said I, `let the little orphan be yours. You bravely and

kindly exerted yourself to save the mother’s life, now you must

train her child carefully, for unless you do so its natural

instinct will prove mischievous instead of useful to us.’

 

Turk was meanwhile devouring with great satisfaction the little

animal’s unfortunate mother. Fritz wished to drive him away from

the feast, but I could not grudge it him, and reminded Fritz that

continued