Early the next morning, though it was scarcely light enough to distinguish the coast, I was already on the deck of the vessel, endeavouring to have a sight of the beloved inhabitants of the tent through a spying-glass. Fritz speedily prepared a good substantial breakfast of biscuit and ham; but before we sat down to this refreshment, we recollected that in the captain’s cabin we had seen a telescope of a much superior size and power, and we hastily conveyed it upon the deck. While this was doing, the brightness of the day had succeeded to the imperfect light of an earlier hour. I eagerly fixed my eye to the glass, and discovered my wife coming out of the tent and looking attentively towards the vessel, and we at the same moment perceived the motion of the flag upon the shore. A load of care and solicitude was thus taken from my heart; for now I had obtained the certainty that the beloved beings I had left were all in good health, and had escaped the dangers of the night. Fritz, said I to my boy, I thought this morning that it would be impossible for me to remain another moment on board the vessel, without returning to see what was passing in the island; but now that I have had a sight of your mother, and an assurance of their being well and safe, my compassion is awakened for the poor creatures on board, who are in so wretched a condition, and every hour in danger of destruction: a great object of my anxiety now, is to endeavour to save the lives of some of them at least, and to take them with us to the shore.
Would it be impossible to construct a raft, to get them all upon it, and in this way afford them a conveyance? said Fritz.
But recollect, my boy, what a difficulty we should find in completing such a raft, and that a greater still would be to induce a cow, an ass, and a sow, either to get upon a raft, or, when there, to remain motionless and quiet. The sheep and goats one might perhaps find means to remove, they being of a more accommodating temper; but for the larger animals, I am quite at a loss how to proceed. Do you consider of it, and tell me what thoughts occur to your young and active imagination.
My advice, father, is, to tie a long rope round the sow’s neck, and throw her without ceremony into the sea: her immense weight will be sure to sustain her above water; and we can easily get hold of the other end of the rope and draw her after the boat.
Your idea is excellent, my boy: but unfortunately it cannot be applied to any of the animals except the pig; and I confess, she is the one I care the least about preserving.
Then here is another idea, father: let us tie a swimming-jacket round the body of each animal, and contrive to throw them into the water; you will see that they will swim like fish, and we can draw them after us in the same manner.
Right, very right, my boy; your invention is admirable: let us therefore not lose a moment in making the experiment.
We accordingly hastened to the execution of our design: we fixed on a jacket to one of the lambs, and threw it into the sea; and full of fear, of hope, and anxious curiosity, I followed the poor animal with my eyes. He sunk at first under water, and I thought he was drowned; but he soon reappeared, shaking the water from his head, and in a few seconds we perceived that he had learned completely the art of swimming. After another interval, we observed that he appeared fatigued, gave up his efforts, and suffered himself without resistance to be borne along by the course of the water, which conducted and sustained him to our complete satisfaction. Victory! exclaimed I, hugging my boy with delight: these useful animals are all our own; let us not lose a moment in adopting the same measures with those that remain, but take care not to lose our little lamb. Fritz now would have jumped eagerly into the water to follow the poor creature, who was still floating safely on the surface; but I stopped him till I had seen him tie on one of the swimming-jackets, and then I suffered him to go. He took with him a rope, first making a slip knot in it, and, soon overtaking the lamb, threw it round his neck, and thus drew him to our boat; and then, to his great content, drew him out of the water.
We then went and looked out four small casks, such as had been used for keeping the fresh water for the vessel. I first emptied them of their contents, and then carefully closed them again; next I bound them together with a large piece of sailcloth, the two ends of which I nailed to each. I strengthened this with a second piece of sailcloth, and this machine I destined to support the cow and the ass, two casks to each, the animal being placed in the middle with a cask on either side. The weight of the animal pressed down the sailcloth, and would have brought the casks into close contact on each side, but that I took care to insert a wisp of hay or straw, to prevent injurious friction or pressure. I added a thong of leather, stretching from the casks across the breast and haunches of the animal, to make the whole secure; and thus, in less than an hour, both my cow and my ass were equipped for swimming.
It was next the turn of the smaller animals: of these, it was the sow who gave us the most trouble; we were first obliged to put her on a muzzle to prevent her biting; and this being done, we tied a large piece of cork under her body. The sheep and goats were more docile, and we had soon accoutred them for the expedition. And now we had succeeded in assembling our whole company on the deck, in readiness for the voyage: we tied a cord to either the horns or the neck of each animal, and to the other end of the cord a piece of wood similar to the mode used for marking nets, that it might be easy for us to take hold of the ropes, and so draw the animal to us if it should be necessary. We struck away some more of the shattered pieces of wood from the side of the vessel, which only served to encumber the cleft by which we had entered, and were again to pass to put out to sea, when we should have completed our last work of throwing the animals into it. We began our experiment with the ass, by conducting him as near as possible to the brink of the vessel, and then suddenly shoving him off. He fell into the water, and for a moment disappeared; but we soon saw him rise, and in the action of swimming between his two barrels, with a grace which really merited our commendation.
Next came the cow’s turn; and as she was infinitely more valuable than the ass, my fears increased in due proportion. The ass had swum so courageously, that he was already at a considerable distance from the vessel, so that there was sufficient room for our experiment on the cow. We had more difficulty in pushing her overboard, but she reached the water in as much safety as the ass had done before; she did not sink so low in it, and was no less perfectly sustained by the empty barrels; and she made her way on the surface with gravity, and, if I may so express it, a sort of dignified composure. According to this method we proceeded with our whole troop, throwing them one by one into the water, where by and by they appeared in a group floating at their ease, and seemingly well content, at a short distance from the vessel. The sow was the only exception; she became quite furious, set up a loud squalling, and struggled with so much violence in the water, that she was carried to a considerable distance, but fortunately in a direction towards the landing-place we had in view for ourselves. We had now not a moment to lose; our last act was to put on our cork-jackets; and then we descended without accident through the cleft, took our station in the boat, and were soon out to sea, surrounded by our troop of quadrupeds. We carefully took up from the water, each of the floating bits of wood which we had fastened to the ropes round the animals, and thus drew them all after us by fastening the bits of timber to the boat. When everything was adjusted, and our company in order, we hoisted our sail, which soon filling with a favourable wind conducted us and our escort safe to the land.
We now perceived how impossible it would have been for us to have executed our enterprise without the assistance of the sail; for the weight of so many animals sunk the boat so low in the water, that all our exertions to row to such a distance would have been ineffectual; while by means of the sail, and the improvement I had invented for the steering, she proceeded completely to our satisfaction, bearing in her train our suite of animals; which produced altogether the most singular effect. Proud of the success of so extraordinary an enterprise, we were in high spirits, and seated ourselves in the tubs, where we made an excellent dinner. Fritz amused himself with the monkey, while I was wholly occupied in thinking of those I had left on land, and of whom I now tried to take a view through my telescope. My last act on board the vessel had been to take one look more at them, and I perceived my wife and the three boys all in motion, and seeming to be setting out on some excursion; but it was in vain that I endeavoured, by anything I saw, to conjecture what their plan might be.
I therefore seized the first moment of quiet to make another trial with my glass, when a sudden exclamation from Fritz filled me with alarm. O heavens! cried he, we are lost! a fish of an enormous size is coming up to the boat. And why lost? said I half angry, yet half partaking of his fright. Be ready with your gun in an instant, and the moment he is close upon us, let us both fire upon him at the same instant. Our guns were each loaded with two balls, and we got up from our tubs to give the intruder a hearty reception. He had nearly reached the boat, and with the rapidity of lightning had seized the foremost sheep: at this instant Fritz aimed his fire so skilfully, that the balls were lodged in the head of the monster, which was an enormous shark. The fish half turned himself round in the water and hurried off to sea, leaving us to observe the lustrous smoothness of his belly, and that as he proceeded, he stained the water red, which convinced us he had been severely wounded. I determined to have the best of our guns at hand the rest of the way, lest we should be again attacked by the same fish, or another of his species.
Fritz had great reason to be proud of the achievement of having forced the shark to retreat; whilst I on my part rather felt surprise; for I had always understood that this kind of sea-monster was not easily to be frightened from his purpose, and also that the heaviest load of shot was rarely known to do him any injury, the creature being extremely voracious of his prey, and his skin so hard, as to present an extraordinary degree of resistance to all attempts of this kind. For this time, however, the animal left us in tranquillity; I resumed the rudder; and as the wind drove us straight towards the bay, I took down the sail, and continued rowing till we reached a convenient spot for our cattle to land. I then untied the end of the cords, which had been fastened to the boat, and they stepped contentedly on shore. Our voyage thus happily concluded, we followed their example.
I had already been surprised and uneasy at finding none of my family looking out for us on the shore, and was at a loss to conjecture in what they could be occupied to prevent them: we could not, however, set out in search of them, till we had disencumbered our animals of their swimming apparatus. Scarcely had we entered upon this employment, when I was agreeably relieved by the exclamations and joyful sounds which reached our ears, and filled our hearts with rapture. It was my wife and the youngest boys who uttered them, the latter of whom were soon close up to us, and their mother followed not many steps behind; each and all of them in excellent health, and eager for our salutations. When the first burst of happiness at meeting had subsided, we all sat down on the grass, and I began to give them an account of our occupations in the vessel, of our voyage, and of all our different plans, and their success, in the order in which they occurred. My wife could find no words to express her surprise and satisfaction at seeing so many useful animals round us, and her language respecting them had such a vein of affectionate simplicity, as greatly to increase the gratification it could not otherwise but inspire. I had been ransacking my poor brains, said she, every moment of your absence, to conceive some means by which you might succeed in protecting the poor animals; but I could fix on none that seemed to promise the least success.
Yes, said Fritz a little consequentially, for this once the privy-counsellor has tried his talents at invention.
This indeed is very true, replied I; in all humility have I to confess, that to Fritz alone all praise belongs, and that to his sagacity it is, that we are indebted for our success. His mother could not refrain from giving him a hearty kiss. Our gratitude is due to both, said she; for both have laboured to give us the possession of this troop of animals, an acquisition beyond any other, agreeable and serviceable to us, in the situation in which it has pleased Providence to place us.
Ha ha! cried little Francis, what is that I see in your boat? Look, mamma, there is a sail and a new flag floating about in the air. How pretty they are! I like the sail and the flag much better than the ass and the cow.
Little blockhead! said his mother, you will change your mind when I give you every morning a coconut full of delicious milk.
Ernest and Jack now ran also to the boat, and bestowed no less admiration than Francis had done upon the mast, the sail, and the flag, desiring their brother to explain to them how all the things they saw had been effected, and what he had himself done towards them. In the meantime we began to unpack our cargo, which was by no means a trifling undertaking; while Jack, who had no fancy for the occupation, stole aside and amused himself with the animals, took off the jackets from the sheep and goats, bursting from time to time into shouts of laughter at the ridiculous figure of the ass, who stood before them adorned with his two casks and his swimming apparatus, and braying loud enough to make us deaf. Jack tried a long time to disengage the ass from his incumbrances, but constantly found difficulties he knew not how to overcome; till at last, tired out with so many fruitless endeavours, and longing to be in some way a more effectual actor in the scene, he got upon the ass’s back between the casks, and kicked and stirred so violently against his sides, that he at last succeeded in causing the animal to advance to the place where we were all assembled.
We were much amused, and laughed heartily at the sight of so singular an equipage; when, as I was assisting him to get down from the ass’s back, I perceived, with surprise, that he had round his waist a belt of metal covered with yellow skin, in which were fixed a pair of pistols.
In the name of Heaven! exclaimed I, where did you procure this curious costume, which gives you the look of a smuggler?
From my own manufactory, replied he; and if you cast your eyes upon the dogs, you will see more of my specimens.
Accordingly I looked at them, and perceived that each had on a collar similar to the belt round Jack’s waist, with, however, the exception of the collars being armed with a number of nails, the points of which were outwards, and exhibited a most formidable appearance. And is it you, Mr. Jack, cried I, who have invented and executed these collars and your belt?
Yes, papa, they are indeed my invention, with a little of mamma’s assistance wherever it was necessary to use the needle.
But where did you get the leather and the thread and the needle?
Fritz’s jackall furnished the first, answered my wife; and as to the last, a good mother of a family is always provided with them. You men think only of more serious concerns, while those of less importance fall to the care of a wife, and are frequently more useful. Then have I not an enchanted bag, from which I draw out such articles as I stand in need of? So, if you have a particular fancy for anything, you have only to acquaint me with it. I tenderly embraced my wife, to express my thanks for this effort to amuse by so agreeable a raillery, and Jack too came in for his share, both of the caresses and our most hearty commendations. But Fritz was somewhat angry and discontented on finding that Jack had taken upon him to dispose of his jackall, and to cut his beautiful skin into slices. He, however, concealed his ill-humour as well as he could; but, as he stood quite near to his brother, he called out suddenly, holding his nose as he spoke: What a filthy smell! it is enough to give me the plague! Does it perchance proceed from you, Mr. Currier? Is this the perfume we may expect from your manufactory? It is rather yours than mine, replied Jack in a resentful tone; for it was your jackall which you hung up in the sun to dry.
And which would have been dried in a whole skin, if it had not pleased your sublime fancy to cut it to pieces, instead of leaving me the power to do what I pleased with my own booty.
Son Fritz, said I in a somewhat angry tone, this is not generous on your part. Of what importance is it, whether it was your brother or yourself who cut up the skin of the jackall, if by so doing it has contributed to our use? My dear children, we are here in this desert island, in just such a situation as that of our first parents when they were driven out of the garden of Eden; it was still in their power to enjoy happiness in the fertile land in which God permitted them to live; and this happiness was to proceed from their obedience, from the work of their hands, and the sweat of their brow: a thousand and a thousand blessings were granted for their use, but they suffered the passions of jealousy, envy, and hatred to take root in their bosoms; Cain killed his brother Abel, and thus plunged his unhappy parents into the deepest affliction, so that he and his race were cursed by God. This is the horrid crime to which the habit of disputing may conduct. Let us then avoid such an evil, let us share one with the other in every benefit bestowed upon us, and from this moment may the words yours and mine be banished from our happy circle! What is discovered or procured by one of you, should be equally for the service of all, and belong to all, without distinction. It is quite certain, Jack, that the belt round your waist, not being dry, has an offensive smell; the pleasure of wearing what you had ingeniously contrived, makes you willing to bear with the inconvenience: but we should never make our own pleasure the pain of another. I therefore desire that you will take it off and place it in the sun to dry, and take care that it does not shrink during the operation; and then you can join your brothers, and assist them to throw the jackall into the sea.
Fritz’s ill-humour was already over; but Jack, whose temper was less docile, persisted in keeping on the belt, assuming an air of importance, which was meant to express that he was not disposed to yield. His brothers, however, continued their warfare, by pretending to avoid him, and crying out—What a smell! What a smell! till at length Jack, tired with the part he had been acting, suddenly stripped off the belt, and ran to assist his brothers in dragging the dead jackall to the sea, where he no longer occasioned us any inconvenience.
Perceiving that no preparations were making for supper, I ordered Fritz to bring us the Westphalia ham, for that I was hungry. The eyes of all were now fixed upon me with astonishment; for everyone believed that I could only be in jest; when Fritz returned, jumping and displaying with exultation a large and excellent ham, which we had begun to cut in the morning. A ham! cried one and all; a ham! and ready dressed! What a nice supper we shall have! said they, clapping their hands, to give a hearty welcome to the bearer of so fine a treat.—It comes quite in the nick of time too, interrupted I; for, to judge by appearances, a certain careful steward I could name, seems to have intended to send us supperless to bed, little thinking, I suppose, that a long voyage by water is apt to increase the appetite.
I will tell you presently, replied my wife, what it was that prevented me from providing a supper for you all at an earlier hour: your ham, however, makes you ample amends; and I have something in my hand with which I shall make a pretty side dish; in the twinkling of an eye you shall see it make its entrance. She now showed us about a dozen of turtle’s eggs, and then hurried away to make an omelette of some of them.
Oh! look, papa, said Ernest, if they are not the very same sort which Robinson Crusoe found in his island! See, they are like white balls, covered with a skin like wetted parchment! We found them upon the sands along the shore.
Your account is perfectly just, my dear boy, said I: by what means did you make so useful a discovery? Oh, that is a part of our history, interrupted my wife; for I also have a history to relate, when you will be so good as to listen to it.
Hasten then, my love, and get your pretty side-dish ready, and we will have the history for the dessert. In the meanwhile I will relieve the cow and the ass from the encumbrance of their sea accoutrements, for I am sure they will be glad to get rid of them. Come along, boys, and give me your help. I got up, and they all followed me gaily to the shore, where the animals had remained. We were not long in effecting our purpose with the cow and the ass, who were both animals of a quiet and kind temper; but when it was the turn of the grunting sow, our success was neither so easy nor so certain; we had no sooner untied the rope than she escaped from us, and with so much rapidity that none of us could get hold of her. The idea occurred to Ernest of sending the two dogs after her, who caught her by the ears and brought her back, while we were half deafened with the hideous noise she made; but at length she suffered us to take off her cork jacket quietly enough. We now laid the swimming apparatus across the ass’s back, and returned to the kitchen; our slothful Ernest being highly delighted at finding that he was likely in future to have our loads carried for us by a servant.
In the meanwhile, my kind wife had prepared the omelette, and spread a tablecloth on the end of the cask of butter, upon which she had placed some of the plates and silver spoons we had brought from the ship. The ham was in the middle, and the omelette and the cheese opposite to each other; and all together made a figure not to be despised by the inhabitants of a desert island. By and by the two dogs, the fowls, the pigeons, the sheep, and the goats, had all assembled round us, which gave us something like the air of sovereigns of the country. It did not please the geese and ducks to add themselves to the number of these our curious-looking subjects: they seemed to prefer their natural element, and confined themselves to a marshy swamp, where they found a kind of little crabs in great abundance: these animals furnished a delicious food for them, and relieved us of the care of providing for their support.
When we had finished our repast, I bade Fritz present our company with a bottle of Canary wine, which we had brought from the captain’s cabin, and I then desired my wife would indulge us with the promised history. I first requested her to taste our wine, and then she began her narrative, as will be seen in the ensuing volume.