Johann David Wyss

“ 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 cocoa-nut 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.” ”

“ The noise the dogs made, however, had the effect of bringing out the younger children, and many were the exclamations they made at the sight of the strange animal.
“A yellow dog!” cried Franz.
“A wolf!” exclaimed Jack.
“It is a striped fox,” said Ernest.
“Hullo,” said Fritz. “The greatest men may make mistakes. Our Professor does not know a jackal when he sees one.”
“But really,” continued Ernest, examining the animal, “I think it is a fox.”
“Very well, very well,” retorted Fritz, “no doubt you know better than your father! He thinks it is a jackal.” ”

“ SHOOTING THE SHARK.
“How clever you are,” said she. “I am not the inventor,” I replied, “the honour is due to Fritz. He not only thought of this plan for bringing off the animals, but saved one at least of them from a most fearful death.” And I then told them how bravely he had encountered the shark.
My wife was delighted with her son's success, but declared that she would dread our trips to the vessel more than ever, knowing that such savage fish inhabited the waters. ”

“ 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. ”

“ I cried, “you will become a crack shot one of these days; but I trust you will not often have such dangerous game to shoot.” Fritz's eyes sparkled at his success and my praise, and reloading his gun, carefully watched the water. But the shark did not again appear, and borne onwards by the breeze, we quickly neared the shore. Steering the boat to a convenient landing place, I cast off the ropes which secured the animals, and let them get ashore as best they might. ”

“ Fritz was speedily perfect in the accomplishment of sucking sugar-cane, 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 cocoa-nut milk, with which he had filled his flask.
“My dear boy,” said I, “you need not have added that to your load; the chances are it is vinegar by the time we get home. In the heat bf the sun, it will ferment soon after being drawn from the nut.” ”

“ Fritz, Ernest, and I began the work of unloading our craft, while Jack, seeing that the poor donkey was still encumbered with his swimming belt, tried to free him from it. But the donkey would not stand quiet, and the child's fingers were not strong enough to loosen the cordage; finally, therefore, he scrambled upon the animal's back, and urging him on with hand and foot, trotted towards us.
“Come, my boy,” I said, “no one must be idle here, even for a moment; you will have riding practice enough hereafter; dismount and come and help us.” ”

“ Calling Turk, and seriously enjoining obedience, he seated the monkey on his back, securing it there with a cord, and then putting a second string round the dog's neck that he might lead him, he put a loop of the knot into the comical rider's hand, saying gravely, “Having slain the parent, Mr. Turk, you will please to carry the son.” At first this arrangement mightily displeased them both, but by and by they yielded to it quietly; the monkey especially amused us by riding along with the air of a person perfectly at his ease. ”

“ Fritz and I took some cheese to help them down, while my wife and younger sons soaked theirs in water. Ernest roamed down to the shore, and looked about for shell-fish. Presently he returned with a few whelks. “Ah,” said he, “if we had but some butter.” “My good boy,” I replied, “your perpetual IF, IF, quite annoys me; why do you not sit down and eat cheese like the rest of us?” ”

“ Wishing Fritz to make the same discovery, I advised him to cut a cane for his defence; 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, sugar-canes, sugar-canes! Taste it. Oh, how delicious, how delightful! do let us take a lot home to mother,” he continued, sucking eagerly at the cane! ”

“ I remarked, “are said to form these things most ingeniously, using them to contain liquids: indeed, they actually cook food in them.”
“Oh, but that is impossible,” returned Fritz. “I am quite sure this rind would be burnt through directly it was set on the fire.”
“I did not say it was set on the fire at all. When the gourd has been divided in two, and the shell or rind emptied of its contents, it is filled with water, into which the fish, or whatever is to be cooked, is put; red-hot stones are added until the water boils; the food becomes fit to eat, and the gourd-rind remains uninjured.” ”

“ Jack shouldered my gun, Ernest took the cocoa-nuts, and little Franz carried the gourds, Fritz distributed the sugar-canes amongst his brothers, and handing Ernest his gun replaced the monkey on Turk's back. Ernest soon found the burden with which Fritz had laden him too heavy to his taste. ”

“ On the other hand, I feel that there is an immense deal to be done on shore, and that I ought not to leave you in such an insecure shelter as this tent.”
“Return to the wreck by all means,” replied my wife, cheerfully. “Patience, order, and perseverance will help us through all our work, and I agree with you that a visit to the wreck is without doubt our first duty. Come, let us wake the children, and set to work without delay.”
They were soon roused, and Fritz overcoming his drowsiness before the others, ran out for his jackal ”

“ We then armed ourselves, each taking a gun and a game-bag; Fritz in addition sticking a pair of pistols in his belt, and I a small hatchet in mine; breakfast being over, we stowed away the remainder of the lobster and some biscuits, with a flask of water, and were ready for a start. ”

“ We should have been badly off without the shelter of our tent, for the night proved as cold as the day had been hot, but we managed to sleep comfortably, every one being thoroughly fatigued by the labours of the day. ”

“ We then sat down before the appetising meal prepared for us, our gourds coming for the first time into use, and having done it full justice, produced the cocoa-nuts by way of dessert. “Here is better food for your little friend,” said I to Fritz, who had been vainly endeavouring to persuade the monkey to taste dainty morsels of the food we had been eating; “the poor little animal has been accustomed to nothing but its mother's milk ”

“ My wife had improvised a table of a board laid on two casks, on this was spread a white damask tablecloth, on which were placed knives, forks, spoons, and plates for each person. A tureen of good soup first appeared, followed by a capital omelette, then slices of the ham; and finally some Dutch cheese, butter, and biscuits, with a bottle of the captain's canary wine, completed the repast. ”

“ We had fastened to the horns or neck of each animal a cord with a float attached to the end, and now embarking, we gathered up these floats, set sail, and steered for shore, drawing our herd after us. ”

“ I began, “to return at once to the wreck while it is yet calm, that we may save the poor animals left there, and bring on shore many articles of infinite value to us, which, if we do not now recover, we may finally lose entirely. ”