Johann David Wyss

“ Leaving my wife engaged in making a set of harness for the ass and cow, whose strength I intended to employ the following day in drawing the beams up to our tree, I walked down with Fritz and Ernest to the beach to look for wood suitable for building our new abode, and also to discover, if possible, some light rods to form a ladder. For some time we hunted in vain, nothing but rough drift wood was to be seen, utterly unfit for our purpose. ”

“ It is almost intolerable to us who remain here all day while you and Fritz are away out at sea, or wandering among the shady woods, where cool fruits refresh, and fair scenes delight you. As to the contents of the ship, an immense deal has been cast ashore, and I would much rather give up all the remainder, and be spared the painful anxiety it gives me when you even talk of venturing again on the faithless deep. ”

“ On a cloth spread out upon the grass were arranged a roast shoulder of porcupine, a delicious bowl of soup made from a piece of the same animal, cheese, butter, and biscuits, forming a most tempting repast. Having done this ample justice, we collected our cattle, and the pigeons and fowls having retired to roost on the neighbouring trees, and on the steps of our ladder, we made up a glorious fire to keep off any prowling wild beasts, and ourselves lay down. The children, in spite of the novelty of the hammocks, were quickly asleep. ”

“ When the ladder was finished, I carried over the bough a rope by which it might be hauled up. This done, I fixed the lower end of the ladder firmly to the ground by means of stakes, and all was ready for an ascent. The boys who had been watching me with intense interest were each eager to be first.
“Jack shall have the honour,” said I, “as he is the lightest; so up with you, my boy, and do not break your neck.”
Jack, who was as active as a monkey, sprang up the ladder and quickly gained the top. ”

“ What beautiful and warm furs are procured by hunters just in those countries where no other covering would defend the inhabitants from the wintry cold!—as, for instance, the skins of bears, wolverines, and arctic foxes, wild cats, and many others.”
“The skin of the seal, or sea-dog, is also valuable,” said Ernest.
“It is,” I replied, “and in its own element that creature preys on fish as the dog did on land animals before his race became domesticated by man. But now, Fritz, tell us how you obtained your prize.” ”

“ So at least thought Fritz and Jack, who in a moment were lightly running across the narrow way, shouting joyfully as they sprang to the other side.
Our work was now comparatively easy. A second and third plank were laid beside the first; and when these were carefully secured at each end to the ground and to the trees, we very quickly laid short boards side by side across the beams, the boys nailing them lightly down as I sawed them in lengths; and when this was done, our bridge was pronounced complete. Nothing could exceed the excitement of the children. ”

“ If birds and monkeys eat a fruit or vegetable, it is usually safe to believe it wholesome,” added I, turning to the other boys who instantly taking the hint, coaxed Franz to give them the figs he still had in his pocket, and ran to offer them to Knips, who was closely watching the skinning of the tiger-cat and porcupine, apparently giving his opinion on the subject with much chattering and gesticulation.
“Here, Knips, allow me to present you with a fig!” cried Jack, holding out one to the funny little creature. ”

“ I then bound them together and returned to my family.
“Do you mean to keep this great hungry bird Fritz has brought?” said my wife. “It is another mouth to feed, remember, and provisions are still scarce.”
“Luckily,” I replied, “the flamingo will not eat grain like our poultry, but will be quite satisfied with insects, fish, and little crabs, which it will pick up for itself. Pray reassure yourself, therefore, and let me see to the poor bird's wound.” ”

“ Franz was picking up pebbles and alabasters, some because they were so pretty, some to strike sparks with in the dark, and some he insisted were ‘gold.’ ‘Jack!’ ‘Jack!’ cried he presently, ‘come and see the crabs on Fritz's jackal!’ You know we threw it away there, and to be sure it was swarming with these creatures. Are you glad we have found them, father? Will they be good to eat? ”

“ Every one being impatient for breakfast that work might be begun at once, the cow and goats were milked, and, having enjoyed a comfortable meal of biscuit boiled in milk, I prepared to start for the wreck, in order to obtain planks for the proposed bridge. Ernest as well as Fritz accompanied me, and we were soon within the influence of the current, and were carried swiftly out to sea. ”

“ The skin of the body you had better preserve until you find some suitable use for it.”
“Oh, father, what a splendid plan!” cried Jack; “do tell me some good use for my porcupine.”
“I think its feet may make cases also; at least, you may try. The quills, I am sure, may be used for packing needles, and for tipping arrows, and I should try to make defensive armour for the dogs out of the rest. They may fall in with foes more dangerous than any we have yet seen.” ”

“ I continued; “suppose we were to remove to your chosen abode, and make this rocky fastness our magazine and place of retreat in case of danger. I could easily render it still more secure, by blasting portions of the rock with gunpowder. But a bridge must be constructed in the first place, to enable us to cross bag and baggage.”
“Oh, I shall be parched to death before we can leave this place, if a bridge has to be made,” cried my wife impatiently. “Why not just take our things on our backs, and wade across as we have done already? The cow and the donkey could carry a great deal.” ”

“ My wife milked the goats and cow, while we gave the animals their food, after which we went down to the beach, to collect more wood for our building operations. To the larger beams we harnessed the cow and ass, while we ourselves dragged up the remainder. Fritz and I then ascended the tree, and finished the preparations I had begun the night before, all useless boughs we lopped off, leaving a few about six feet from the floor, from which we might sling our hammocks, and others still higher, to support a temporary roof of sailcloth. ”

“ These grains are afterwards removed, and the roughness imparted to the appearance of the skin remains indelibly; shagreen is useful in polishing joiner's work, and it is made in France from the rough skin of a hideous creature called the angel-fish.”
“Angel-fish!” exclaimed Fritz, “what a name to give to anything ‘hideous’ father!”
“There are bad angels as well as good ones,” observed Ernest, in his dry quiet way; “it is better to leave people to see for themselves which is meant.” ”

“ I soon found we must, as before, turn down to the sea-beach, for not only did the rank grass impede our progress, but it also tempted the animals to break away from us, and, but for our watchful dogs, we might have lost several of them. ”

“ But soon finding it impossible to force our way through the tall strong grass, which grew in dense luxuriance higher than the children's heads, we turned towards the open beach on our left, and following it we reached a point much nearer the little wood, when, quitting the strand, we made towards it. ”

“ Our house was thus enclosed on three sides, for behind the great trunk protected us, while the front was left open to admit the fresh sea breeze which blew directly in. We then hauled up our hammocks and bedding, and slung them from the branches we had left for that purpose. A few hours of daylight still remaining, we cleared the floor from leaves and chips, and then descended to fashion a table and a few benches from the remainder of the wood. ”

“ It was empty, although we perceived broken egg-shells at no great distance, and concluded that the young brood had escaped among the grass, which, in fact, we could see was waving at a little distance, as the little birds ran through it.
“ ‘Now look here, Franz,’ said Ernest, presently, ‘just consider how this bird could by any possibility have been an eagle. Eagles never build on the ground, neither can their young leave the nest and run as soon as they are out of the egg. ”

“ What our limited reason cannot grasp, let us be content to acknowledge as the workings of Almighty power and wisdom, and thankfully trust in that ‘Rock,’ which, were it not ‘higher than’ we, would afford no sense of security to the immortal soul. That animals should prey upon one another is a means of preserving a due balance in the world of nature, and in many ways these beasts of prey are also useful to man. ”

“ My wife pleaded for a seat on the latter for her little Franz, and assuring me likewise that she could not possibly leave the poultry, even for a night, nor exist an hour without her magic bag, I agreed to do my best to please her, without downright cruelty to animals.
Away ran the children to catch the cocks and hens. Great chasing, fluttering, and cackling ensued; but with no success whatever, until the mother recalled her panting sons, and, scattering some handfuls of grain within the open tent, soon decoyed the fowls and pigeons into the enclosure ”

“ By this time the boys were up, and I observed Jack very quietly and busily occupied with his knife about the spot where Fritz's jackal lay. Watching his proceedings, I saw that he had cut two long narrow strips of the animal's skin, which he cleaned and scraped very carefully, and then taking a handful of great nails out of his pocket, he stuck them through the skin points outwards, after which he cut strips of canvas sailcloth twice as broad as the thongs, doubled them, and laid them on the raw side of the skin so as to cover the broad flat nail heads. ”

“ It is an excellent idea to make a strong place among the cliffs here; the gunpowder especially, I shall be delighted to see stored here when we go away, for it is frightfully dangerous to keep so much as we have close to our habitation. ”

“ I replied, “but we must contrive to make it of use. The next time Fritz and I return to the wreck we will bring off a churn amongst the other things we require.”
“Must you really go again to that dreadful wreck?” said my wife shuddering. “You have no idea how anxious I am when you are away there.”
“Go we must, I am afraid,” I replied, “but not for a day or two yet. Come, it is getting late. ”

“ I said, “I am going to fire the first shot,” and I fastened one end of the thread to one of my arrows and aimed at a large branch above me. The arrow flew upwards and bore the thread over the branch and fell at our feet. Thus was the first step in our undertaking accomplished. Now for the rope-ladder!
Fritz had obtained two coils of cord each about forty feet in length; these we stretched on the ground side by side ”

“ Those are the shortest quills, and seem very slightly fixed in its skin. The long quills bent aside when Juno pressed against them.”
“You are perfectly right, my boy,” said I; “there is no truth in the old idea of shooting out the spines. ”