Johann David Wyss

“ Next morning Fritz and I went off in the boat first to Whale Island, there to establish our colonists, the Angora rabbits, and then to Shark Island, where we placed the dainty little Antelopes. Having made them happy with their liberty and abundance of food, we returned as quickly as possible to cure the bears' skins, and add the provisions we had brought to the stores lying in our cellar.
As we returned, we caught up Jack, making his way in great glee towards Rockburg. He was carrying, in a basket, an immense eel, which he and Ernest had secured. ”

“ Having occupied two days in this way, we turned our attention to other duties: the cultivation of a wheat, barley, and maize field, the management of the ostrich's eggs, and the taming of the captives.
As agriculture was, though the least to our taste, the most important of these several duties, we set about it first. The animals drew the plough, but the digging and hoeing taxed our powers of endurance to the utmost. ”

“ Your bird, Fritz, seized the head; keep that; father shall have the body, I'll have the legs, and Franz a couple of feathers from the tail.”
“Come, come,” said I, “I think that Jack has a very good right to the ostrich, seeing that he brought it to the ground, and if he succeeds in taming it and converting it into a saddle-horse it shall be his. From this time, therefore, he is responsible for its training.” ”

“ These cries stimulated the ostrich to yet further exertions, but he was at length brought to a stand by the determined refusal of his four-footed companions to continue such a race across loose sand.
The boys having enjoyed the long run, I told them to walk with the prisoner slowly home, while Fritz and I returned to examine the ostrich's nest. The eggs were quite warm, and I was certain that the mother had quite recently left the nest; leaving about half, I packed the rest of the eggs in a large bag I had brought for the purpose, and slung it carefully on the saddle before me. ”

“ The sight of all these domestic animals made us long even more than ever for our home at Rockburg, and we determined to hasten thither with all possible speed.
The number of our pigs, goats, and poultry had greatly increased since we had last visited our colony; and some of these, two fine broods of chickens especially, my wife wished to take back with her.
We found that the herd of antelopes which Fritz and Jack had driven through the Gap, had taken up their abode in the neighbourhood, and several times we saw the beautiful animals browsing amongst the trees. ”

“ We soon tired out the little antelopes, and were able to catch them.”
“Yes, father,” said Franz; “and Fritz has two Angora rabbits in his bag, and we wanted to bring you some honey. Only think! such a clever bird a cuckoo, showed us where it was?”
“My brothers forget the chief thing,” said Fritz. “We have driven a little herd of antelopes right through the Gap into our territory; and there they are, all ready for us to hunt when we like or to catch and tame!” ”

“ Windows and doors were thrown open to admit fresh air; the animals established in their stalls; and the cart's miscellaneous cargo discharged and arranged.
As much time as I could spare, I devoted to the ostrich, whom we fastened, for the present, between two bamboo posts in front of our dwelling.
I then turned my attention to the eggs we had brought, and which I determined to hatch, if possible by artificial heat. For this purpose I arranged a stove, which I maintained at an uniform temperature, and on it I placed the eggs carefully wrapped in cotton wool. ”

“ We at length, however, all learned to manage Master Hurricane, and the distance between Rockburg and Falconhurst was traversed in an almost incredibly short space of time. The marvellous speed of the bird again revived the dispute as to the ownership, and I was obliged to interfere.
“Jack shall retain the ostrich,” said I, “for it is most suited to him; he is a lighter weight than either of you his elder brothers, and Franz is not yet strong enough to manage such a fleet courser. But he is so far to be considered common property, that all may practise on him occasionally ”

“ We were about to gallop down and try to get a shot at them, when it struck me that it would be wiser to try and drive the whole herd through the Gap into our own domain, where they would be shut up, as it were, in a park, free and yet within reach. Down the hill we rode as hard as we could go, formed in a semicircle behind the larger herd—magnificent antelopes—and, aided by the dogs, with shouts and cries drove them along the stream towards the Gap ”

“ We stretched a long line right across the defile and strung on it feathers and rags and all sorts of other things, which danced and fluttered in the wind, and looked so strange that I am perfectly certain that the herd will never attempt to pass it; in fact, Levaillant, from whom I learnt the trick, says in his ‘Voyage au Cap de Bonne Espérance,’ that the Hottentots make use of the method for penning in the antelopes they have caught in the chase. ”

“ The inhabitants of the Cape of Good Hope use it to poison the springs where wild animals assemble to quench their thirst; and they thus slaughter an immense number of the creatures for the sake of their hides. ”

“ The antelopes are welcome to New Switzerland, but, my boy,” I added, “I cannot say the same for the rabbits you have there; they increase so rapidly that if you establish a colony of the little wretches your next difficulty will be to get rid of them.” ”

“ Our steeds carried us down the Green Valley at a rapid rate, and we followed the direction we had pursued on our former expedition. We soon reached Turtle Marsh, and then, filling our water-flasks, we arrived at the rising ground where Fritz discovered the mounted Arabs. ”

“ The mother determined to attempt an experiment. She prepared balls of maize flour, mixed with butter. One of these she placed within the bird's beak. He swallowed it, and stretched out his long neck, looking inquiringly for a second mouthful. ”