Swiss Family Robinson Part 17

'What is the good of pressing them, father?' inquired Ernest.

'It is in order to express the sap, which contains the poison. The dry pith is wholesome and nouris.h.i.+ng. Still, I do not mean to taste my cakes, until I have tried their effect on our fowls and the ape.'

By this time our supply of roots being reduced to damp powder, the canvas bag was filled with it, and tying it tightly up, I attempted to squeeze it, but soon found that mechanical aid was necessary in order to express the moisture.

My arrangements for this purpose were as follows. A strong straight beam was made flat on one side, smooth planks were laid across two of the lower roots of our tree; on these we placed the sack, above the sack another plank, and over that the long beam; one end was pa.s.sed under a root near the sack, the other projected far forward. And to that we attached all the heaviest weights we could think of, such as an anvil, iron bars and ma.s.ses of lead. The consequent pressure on the bag was enormous, and the sap flowed from it to the ground.

'Will this stuff keep any time?' inquired my wife, who came to see how we were getting on. 'Or must all this great bagful be used at once? In that case we shall have to spend the whole of tomorrow in baking cakes.'

'Not at all,' I replied, 'once dry, the flour in barrels will keep fresh a long time. We shall use a great deal of this, however, as you shall see.'

'Do you think we might begin now, father?' said Fritz.

'There does not seem the least moisture remaining.'

'Certainly,' said I. 'But I shall only make one cake today for an experiment; we must see how it agrees with Master Knips and the hens before we set up a bakehouse in regular style.'

I took out a couple of handfuls of flour for this purpose, and with a stick loosened and stirred the remainder, which I intended should again be pressed. While an iron plate placed over a good fire was getting hot, I mixed the meal with water and a little salt, kneaded it well, and forming a thick cake, laid it on the hot plate when, one side presently becoming a nice yellow brown colour, it was turned and was quickly baked.

It smelt so delicious, that the boys quite envied the two hens and the monkey, who were selected as the subjects of this interesting experiment, and they silently watched them gobbling up the bits of cake I gave them, until Fritz turned to me, saying, 'Suppose the cake is poisonous, what effect will it have on the creatures? Will they be stupefied, or will they suffer pain?'

'That depends upon the nature of the poison. Some cause violent pain, as colchic.u.m, h.e.l.lebore, and aconite. Others produce stupefaction and paralysis, as opium, hemlock, and prussic acid; while others again, as strychnine, are followed by violent convulsions, or, as belladonna, by delirium.

'The effects of course vary according to the quant.i.ty taken, and such remedies should be applied as will best counteract the effect of each poison: emetics in any case, to remove as much as possible of the noxious substance, combined with oils and mucilaginous drinks to soothe and protect the stomach in the case of irritants; stimulants, such as spirits, ammonia, or strong coffee to rouse from the stupor of the narcotics; and sedative drugs, which are perhaps in themselves poisons, to counteract the over stimulation of the nerves caused by the convulsant poisons.

'But now let us think no more of poisons; here is supper ready and we need not be afraid to eat roast penguin and potatoes.'

No sooner said than done; we left the fowls picking up the least crumb they could find of the questionable food, and a.s.sembled to enjoy our evening meal of roast penguin. The potatoes were as usual excellent, the penguin really not so bad as I expected, although fishy in taste and very tough.

Next morning every one expressed the tenderest concern as to the health of Knips and the hens; and lively pleasure was in every countenance when Jack, who ran first to make the visit of inquiry, brought news of their perfect good health and spirits.

No time was now to be lost, and bread-baking commenced in earnest. A large fire was kindled, the plates heated, the meal made into cakes, each of the boys busily preparing his own, and watching the baking most eagerly. Mistakes occurred, of course, some of the bread was burnt, some not done enough; but a pile of nice tempting cakes was at length ready, and with plenty of good milk we breakfasted right royally, and in high spirits at our success.

Soon after, whilst feeding the poultry with the fragments of the repast, I observed that the captive penguins were quite at ease among them and as tame as the geese and ducks; their bonds were therefore loosed, and they were left as free as the other fowls.

Chapter 6

Having now discovered how to provide bread for my family, my thoughts began to revert to the wreck and all the valuables yet contained within it. Above all, I was bent on acquiring possession of the beautiful pinnace, and aware that our united efforts would be required to do the necessary work, I began to coax and persuade my wife to let me go in force with all the boys except Franz.

She very unwillingly gave her consent at last, but not until I had faithfully promised never to pa.s.s a night on board. I did so with reluctance, and we parted, neither feeling quite satisfied with the arrangement.

The boys were delighted to go in so large a party, and merrily carried provision-bags filled with ca.s.sava-bread and potatoes.

Reaching Safety Bay without adventure, we first paid a visit to the geese and ducks which inhabited the marsh there, and having fed them and seen they were thriving well, we buckled on each his cork-belt, stepped into the tub-boat, and, with the raft in tow, steered straight for the wreck.

When we got on board, I desired the boys to collect whatever came first to hand, and load the raft to be ready for our return at night, and then we made a minute inspection of the pinnace.

I came to the conclusion that difficulties, well-nigh insuperable, lay between me and the safe possession of the beautiful little vessel. She lay in a most un-get-at-able position at the further end of the hold, stowed in so confined and narrow a s.p.a.ce, that it was impossible to think of fitting the parts together there. At the same time these parts were so heavy, that removing them to a convenient place piece by piece was equally out of the question.

I sent the boys away to amuse themselves by rummaging out anything they liked to carry away, and sat down quietly to consider the matter.

As my eyes became used to the dim light which entered the compartment through a c.h.i.n.k or crevice here and there, I perceived how carefully every part of the pinnace was arranged and marked with numbers, so that if only I could bestow sufficient time on the work, and contrive s.p.a.ce in which to execute it, I might reasonably hope for success.

'Room! Room to work in, boys! That's what we need in the first place!'

I cried, as my sons came to see what plan I had devised, for so great was their reliance on me, that they never doubted the pinnace was to be ours.

'Fetch axes, and let us break down the compartment and clear s.p.a.ce all round.'

To work we all went, yet evening drew near, and but little impression was made on the ma.s.s of woodwork around us. We had to acknowledge that an immense amount of labour and perseverance would be required before we could call ourselves the owners of the useful and elegant little craft, which lay within this vast hulk like a fossil sh.e.l.l embedded in a rock.

Preparations for returning to sh.o.r.e were hastily made, and we landed without much relish for the long walk to Falconhurst, when, to our great surprise and pleasure, we found my wife and little Franz at Tentholm awaiting us. She had resolved to take up her quarters there during the time we should be engaged on the wreck. 'In that way you will live nearer your work, and I shall not quite lose sight of you!'

said she, with a pleasant smile.

'You are a good, sensible, kind wife,' I exclaimed, delighted with her plan, 'and we shall work with the greater diligence, that you may return as soon as possible to your dear Falconhurst.'

'Come and see what we have brought you, mother!' cried Fritz. 'A good addition to your stores, is it not?' and he and his brothers exhibited two small casks of b.u.t.ter, three of flour, corn, rice, and many other articles welcome to our careful housewife.

Our days were now spent in hard work on board, first cutting and clearing an open s.p.a.ce round the pinnace, and then putting the parts together. We started early and returned at night, bringing each time a valuable freight from the old vessel. At length, with incredible labour, all was completed. The pinnace stood actually ready to be launched, but imprisoned within ma.s.sive wooden walls which defied our strength.

It seemed exactly as though the graceful vessel had awakened from sleep, and was longing to spring into the free blue sea, and spread her wings to the breeze. I could not bear to think that our success so far should be followed by failure and disappointment. Yet no possible means of setting her free could I conceive, and I was almost in despair, when an idea occurred to me which, if I could carry it out, would effect her release without further labour or delay.

Without explaining my purpose, I got a large cast-iron mortar, filled it with gunpowder, secured a block of oak to the top, through which I pierced a hole for the insertion of the match, and this great petard I so placed, that when it exploded, it should blow out the side of the vessel next which the pinnace lay.

Then securing it with chains, that the recoil might do no damage, I told the boys I was going ash.o.r.e earlier than usual, and calmly desired them to get into the boat. Then lighting a match I had prepared, and which would burn some time before reaching the powder, I hastened after them with a pounding heart, and we made for the land.

We brought the raft close in sh.o.r.e and began to unload it; the other boat I did not haul up, but kept her ready to put off at a moment's notice; my anxiety was un.o.bserved by anyone, as I listened with strained nerves for the expected sound. It came!--a flas.h.!.+ a mighty roar--a grand burst of smoke!

My wife and children, terror-stricken, turned their eyes towards the sea, whence the startling noise came, and then in fear and wonder, looked to me for some explanation. 'Perhaps,' said my wife, as I did not speak, 'perhaps you have left a light burning near some of the gunpowder, and an explosion has taken place.'

'Not at all unlikely,' replied I quietly, 'we had a fire below when we were caulking the seams of the pinnace. I shall go off at once and see what has happened. Will anyone come?'

The boys needed no second invitation, but sprang into the boat, while I lingered to rea.s.sure my wife by whispering a few words of explanation, and then joining them, we pulled for the wreck at a more rapid rate than we ever had done before.

No alteration had taken place in the side at which we usually boarded her, and we pulled round to the further side, where a marvellous sight awaited us. A huge rent appeared, the decks and bulwarks were torn open, the water was covered with floating wreckage--all seemed in ruins; and the compartment where the pinnace rested was fully revealed to view.

There sat the little beauty, to all appearance uninjured; and the boys, whose attention was taken up with the melancholy scene of ruin and confusion around them, were astonished to hear me shout, in enthusiastic delight, 'Hurrah! She is ours! The lovely pinnace is won!

We shall be able to launch her easily after all. Come, boys, let us see if she has suffered from the explosion, which has set her free.'

The boys gazed at me for a moment, and then guessing my secret, 'You planned it yourself, you clever, cunning father! Oh, that machine we helped to make, was on purpose to blow it up!' cried they; and eagerly they followed me into the shattered opening, where, to my intense satisfaction, I found everything as I could wish and the captive in no way a sufferer from the violent measures I had adopted for her deliverance.

The boys were deeply interested in examining the effects of the explosion, and in the explanation I gave them, of the principle, and proper way to manage a petard.

It was evident that the launch could now be effected without much trouble; I had been careful to place rollers beneath the keel, so that by means of levers and pulleys we might, with our united strength, move her forward towards the water.

A rope was attached by which to regulate the speed of the descent, and then, all hands putting their shoulders to the work, the pinnace began to slide from the stocks, and finally slipped gently and steadily into the water, where she floated as if conscious it was her native element; while we, wild with excitement, cheered and waved enthusiastically.