Swiss Family Robinson Part 16

'I was rambling in the wood this morning, and came upon the sow, very busy grubbing under a small bush, and eating something ravenously; so I drove her away, and found a number of these roots, which I brought for you to see.'

'Indeed, Ernest,' I exclaimed, after taking the roots in my hand and considering them attentively, 'I am inclined to believe that you have really made a brilliant discovery! If this proves to be, as I expect, the manioc root, we might lose every other eatable we possess, and yet not starve. In the West Indies, cakes called ca.s.sava bread are made from it; and, already having potatoes, we shall be very independent if we can succeed in preparing flour from these roots. Great care must be taken in the manufacture to express the juice, otherwise the flour may be injurious and even poisonous.

'If we can collect a sufficient quant.i.ty, we will attempt bread-making.

I think I know how to set about it.'

Finding there was still time to make another trip with the sledge, I went off with the elder boys, leaving Franz with his mother; and we all looked forward with satisfaction to the prospect of the princely supper they were to have ready for us, for our day's work had been none of the lightest.

'I have been thinking about my turtle, father,' said Fritz, as we went along, 'is not the sh.e.l.l very valuable? Surely beautiful combs, boxes, and a number of ornamental things are made of tortoise-sh.e.l.l, and if so, it seems a pity to use it for a water-trough.'

'Your turtle, Fritz, is only fit for eating, its sh.e.l.l is worthless as regards ornament; whereas the species whose sh.e.l.l is prized so much is unfit for food. Tortoisesh.e.l.l is subjected to the action of heat, the outer layer peels off, leaving a beautifully marked, semi-transparent surface, which is susceptible of a very high polish.'

The sledge quickly received its second load from the raft. Chests, four cart-wheels and the hand-mill were placed on it, with all manner of smaller articles, and we lost no time in returning to Falconhurst.

My wife welcomed us joyfully, for she said we had been regularly overworked during the last two days. 'However, now you are come home to rest,' said she, 'and you little think what refreshment awaits you here in the shade. Come and see my cellar!' and she smilingly exhibited a small cask, half sunk in the ground, and well sheltered with leaves and branches.

'Ah! You wonder where this came from,' continued my wife; 'well, I found it myself on the sands, today, while you were all absent; and fancying it was wine of some sort, I got it up here on purpose to be ready for you. The boys are most anxious to know what sort of wine it will prove to be.'

As the simplest method of ascertaining this, I inserted a straw at the vent-hole, and presently announced that in all my life I had never enjoyed a more delicious draught of canary sack. My wife was immensely pleased to find that her exertions in my behalf had not been thrown away, and the boys pressed round me, armed with straws, and begging for a taste.

After so strongly expressing my own enjoyment of the wine, it seemed unreasonable to deny them this, and I let them come in turns, but was speedily obliged to call a halt; for the rogues got so eager and excited that I had to reprove them for their greediness, and warn them of the risk they ran of being intoxicated.

Supper was more to the purpose; and, as the turtle proved delicious, it was heartily enjoyed, and gave us strength to haul the mattresses we had brought from the s.h.i.+p, up into our sleeping-rooms, so that very refres.h.i.+ng slumbers closed the day.

Early next morning, I got up without rousing any of the others, intending to pay a visit to the beach; for I had my doubts about the safety of my vessels on the open sh.o.r.e. The dogs were delighted when I descended the ladder, and bounded to meet me; the c.o.c.ks crowed and flapped their wings; two pretty kids gambolled around; all was life and energy: the a.s.s alone seemed disinclined to begin the day, and, as I especially required his services, this was unfortunate.

I put his morning dreams to flight, however, and harnessed him to the sledge; the cow, as she had not been milked, enjoyed the privilege of further repose, and with the rest of the family, I left her dozing.

My fears as to the safety of the boats were soon dispelled, for they were all right; and, being in haste to return, the load I collected from their freight was but a light one, and the donkey willingly trotted home with it, he, as well as I, being uncommonly ready for breakfast.

Approaching the tree, not a sound was to be heard, not a soul was to be seen, although it was broad day; and great was my good wife's surprise, when, roused by the clatter and hullabaloo I made, she started up, and became aware of the late hour!

'What can have made us oversleep ourselves like this?' she exclaimed.

'It must be the fault of those mattresses, they are delightful, but really too lulling; see the children are sound asleep still.'

With much stretching and many yawns, the boys at last came tumbling down from the tree, rubbing their eyes and seeming but half awake; Ernest last, as usual.

'Come, my boys,' said I, 'this will never do! Your beds were too luxurious last night, I see.'

In my own opinion, however, I felt there was something else to blame besides the comfortable mattresses, and I made a mental resolve that the captain's fine canary should be dealt with very sparingly in future. 'So now for prayers and breakfast,' I continued, 'and then off to work; I must have our cargo landed in time to get the boats off with the next tide.'

By dint of downright hard work, we accomplished this, and I got on board with Fritz as soon as they were afloat; the rest turned homewards, but Jack lingered behind with such imploring looks, that I could not resist taking him with me.

My intention had been simply to take the vessels round to the harbour in Safety Bay, but the calm sea and fine weather tempted me to make another trip to the wreck. It took up more time than I expected, so that, when on board, we could only make a further examination of the cargo, collect a few portable articles and then avail ourselves of the sea-breeze which would fail us later in the evening.

To Jack the pleasure of hunting about in the hold, was novel and charming, and very soon a tremendous rattling and clattering heralded his approach with a wheelbarrow, in the highest spirits at his good fortune in having found such a capital thing in which to bring home potatoes.

He was followed by Fritz, whose news was still more important. He had found, carefully packed and enclosed within part.i.tions, what appeared to be the separate parts of a pinnace, with rigging and fittings complete, even to a couple of small bra.s.s guns. This was a great discovery, and I hastened to see if the lad was right. Indeed he was, but my pleasure was qualified by a sense of the arduous task it would be to put such a craft together so as to be fit for sea.

For the present, we had barely time to get something to eat and hurry into the boat, where were collected our new acquisitions, namely, a copper boiler, iron plates, tobacco-graters, two grindstones, a small barrel of powder, and another of flints, two wheelbarrows besides Jack's, which he kept under his own especial care.

As we drew near the sh.o.r.e, we were surprised to see a number of little figures ranged in a row along the water's edge, and apparently gazing fixedly at us. They seemed to wear dark coats and white waistcoats, and stood quite still with their arms dropping by their sides, only every now and then one would extend them gently, as though longing to embrace us.

'Ah! Here at last come the pigmy inhabitants of the country to welcome us!' cried I, laughing.

'Oh, father!' exclaimed Jack, 'I hope they are Lilliputians! I once read in a book about them, so there must be such people you know, only these look rather too large.'

'You must be content to give up the Lilliputians and accept penguins, my dear Jack,' said I. 'We have not before seen them in such numbers, but Ernest knocked one down, if you remember, soon after we landed.

They are excellent swimmers, but helpless on land, as they can neither fly nor run.'

We were gradually approaching the land as I spoke, and no sooner was the water shallow, than out sprang Jack from his tub, and wading ash.o.r.e, took the unsuspecting birds by surprise, and with his stick laid half a dozen, right and left, either stunned or dead at his feet.

The rest escaped into the water, dived, and disappeared.

As these penguins are disagreeable food, on account of their strong oily taste, I was sorry Jack had attacked them; but going to examine them when we landed, some of the fallen arose from their swoon, and began solemnly to waddle away, upon which we caught them, and tying their feet together with long gra.s.s, laid them on the sand to wait until we were ready to start.

The three wheelbarrows then each received a load, the live penguins seated gravely were trundled along by Jack, and away we went at a great rate.

The unusual noise of our approach set the dogs barking furiously, but discovering us, they rushed forward with such forcible demonstrations of delight, that poor little Jack, who, as it was, could scarcely manage his barrow, was fairly upset, penguins and all. This was too much for his patience, and it was absurd to see how he started up and cuffed them soundly for their boisterous behaviour.

This scene, and the examination of our burdens, caused great merriment: the tobacco-grater and iron plates evidently puzzling everybody.

I sent the boys to catch some of our geese and ducks, and bid them fasten a penguin to each by the leg, thinking that it was worth while to try to tame them.

My wife had exerted herself in our absence to provide a good store of potatoes, and also of manioc root. I admired her industry, and little Franz said, 'Ah, father! I wonder what you will say when mother and I give you some Indian corn, and melons, and pumpkins and cuc.u.mbers!'

'Now, you little chatterbox!' cried she. 'You have let out my secret! I was to have the pleasure of surprising your father when my plants were growing up.'

'Ah, the poor disappointed little mother!' said I. 'Never mind! I am charmed to hear about it. Only do tell me, where did those seeds come from?'

'Out of my magic bag, of course!' replied she. 'And each time I have gone for potatoes, I have sown seeds in the ground which was dug up to get them; and I have planted potatoes also.'

'Well done, you wise little woman!' I exclaimed, 'Why, you are a model of prudence and industry!'

'But,' continued she, 'I do not half like the appearance of those tobacco-graters you have brought. Is it possible you are going to make snuff? Do, pray, let us make sure of abundance of food for our mouths, before we think of our noses!'

'Make your mind easy, my wife. I have not the remotest intention of introducing the dirty, ridiculous habit of snuffing into your family!

Please to treat my graters with respect, however, because they are to be the means of providing you with the first fresh bread you have seen this many a long day.'

'What possible connection can there be between bread and tobacco-graters? I cannot imagine what you mean, and to talk of bread where there are no ovens is only tantalizing.'

'Ah, you must not expect real loaves,' said I. 'But on these flat iron plates I can bake flat cakes or scones, which will be excellent bread; I mean to try at once what I can do with Ernest's roots. And first of all, I want you to make me a nice strong canvas bag.'

This my wife willingly undertook to do, but she evidently had not much faith in my powers as a baker, and I saw her set on a good potful of potatoes before beginning to work, as though to make sure of a meal without depending on my bread.

Spreading a large sailcloth on the ground, I summoned my boys and set to work. Each took a grater and a supply of well-washed manioc root, and when all were seated round the cloth--'Once, twice, thrice! Off!'

cried I, beginning to rub a root as hard as I could against the rough surface of my grater. My example was instantly followed by the whole party, amid bursts of merriment, as each remarked the funny att.i.tude and odd gestures of his neighbours while vehemently rubbing, rasping, grating and grinding down the roots allotted to him. No one was tempted by the look of the flour to stop and taste it, for in truth it looked much like wet sawdust.

'Ca.s.sava bread is highly esteemed in many parts of the New World, and I have even heard that some Europeans there prefer it to the wheaten bread of their own country. There are various species of manioc. One sort grows quickly, and its roots ripen in a very short time. Another kind is of somewhat slower growth. The roots of the third kind do not come to maturity for two years. The two first are poisonous, if eaten raw, yet they are preferred to the last, which is harmless, because they are so much more fruitful, and the flour produced is excellent, if the sc.r.a.pings are carefully pressed.'