When my wife and I were awake next morning, we resumed the question of our change of abode. I observed to her, that it was a matter of great difficulty, and required mature consideration; otherwise we might hereafter have reason to repent the useless labour and inconvenience we should have brought upon ourselves, by a fruitless removal. My own opinion is, said I, that, upon the whole, we had better remain here, where Providence seems to have conducted us; the situation of the place affords conveniences, both with respect to our personal safety and being so near to the vessel, from which we may continue to enrich ourselves. See how completely we are on all sides protected by the rocks; it is an asylum, inaccessible but by sea or by the passage of the river, which is not easily accomplished. Let us then have patience yet a little longer, at least, till we have got all that can be removed, or that would be useful to us, from the ship. + 

Nothing can be sounder than your reasons, my love, replied my wife; but indeed no patience can endure the intense heat of these sands, which is even increased by the vicinity of the rocks. It is not easy for you to conceive how great my sufferings are from this cause; for you have generally been out on some voyage of discovery, and have been occasionally relieved by the shade of trees. Another consideration is, that by remaining here, we must renounce all hope of procuring fruits of any kind, and must live on oysters, to which we have all a great aversion, or on such wild birds as that which you found so unpalatable. And, for the safety you boast of, the rocks did not prevent our receiving a visit from the jackalls; nor is it improbable that tigers or other animals might follow their example. Lastly, in regard to the treasures we might continue to draw from the vessel, I renounce them with all my heart. We are already in possession of a great abundance of provisions and other useful things; and, for my part, my heart is always filled with the most distressing apprehensions, whenever you and Fritz are exposed to the danger of that perfidious element the sea. + 

Upon my word, my love, the shade of your giant trees has inspired you with a most powerful eloquence; and I perceive that nothing so effectually animates the language of a female, as an ardent desire and a fixed determination to carry a particular point; I see that the affair will end by my submitting to your will. You are, as you ought to be, the director of our plans; but let us have a well-digested scheme of operation before we leave this spot for your favourite wood.⁠—First, we must contrive a place among the rocks, where we can leave our provisions and other things, which may serve both for a fortress and a storehouse, and to which, in case of any danger from invasion in the wood, we can immediately retreat.⁠—Come then, this agreed, the next thing is to throw a bridge across the river, if we are to pass it with all our family and baggage. + 

A bridge! exclaimed my wife; can you possibly think of such a thing? If we stay while you build a bridge, we may consider ourselves as fixed here for life. What reason can there be, that we should not cross the river as we did before? The ass and the cow will carry all our goods upon their backs. + 

But do you recollect, that to preserve dry what they carry, they must not perform their journey as they did from the vessel? For this reason, then, if for no other, we must contrive a bridge. We shall want also some sacks and baskets to contain our different matters; you may therefore set about making these, and I will undertake the bridge, which the more I consider, the more I find to be of indispensable necessity; for the stream will, no doubt, at times increase, and the passage become impracticable in any other way. At this very time it would be found so for our shortest-legged animals, and I am sure you would not wish to see them drowned. But even our own boys, at least the youngest, will derive a means of safety from my bridge; for it is not quite certain that they would always succeed so well as they did the first time, in their jumping from stone to stone. + 

Well, then, a bridge let there be, said my wife; I see I must consent. But let us not allow ourselves a moment of leisure till we have completed all that is necessary for our departure. You will leave our stock of gunpowder here, I hope; for I am not easy with a large quantity of it so near us; a thunderstorm, or some thoughtless action of one of the boys, might expose us to serious danger. + 

You are right, my love; and I will carefully attend to your suggestion. We will keep on hand only a sufficient quantity for daily use; I will contrive a place in the rock for the rest, where it will be safe from the chance of fire or dampness. It is an article which, according to the use which is made of it, may become on the one hand, a most dangerous enemy, and, on the other, a most useful friend. + 

Thus, then, we decided the important question of removing to a new abode; after which we fixed in concert upon a plan of labour for the day, and then awaked the boys. Their ecstasy on hearing of our project may easily be conceived; but they expressed their fear that it would be a long while before a bridge could be built; a single hour appearing an age to them, with such a novelty in view as the prospect of removing to the wood, to live under the giant trees. They, in the fullness of their joy, entreated that the place might be called, “The promised Land.” + 

We now began to look about for breakfast; Fritz taking care not to neglect his monkey, who sucked one of the goats as quietly and as contentedly as if she had been his mother. My wife undertook to milk another, and then the cow, and afterwards gave some of the milk to each of the children: with a part of what remained she made a sort of soup with biscuits, and the rest she put into one of the flasks, to accompany us in our expedition. During this time, I was preparing the boat for another journey to the vessel, to bring away a sufficient quantity of planks and timbers for the bridge. After breakfast we set out; and this time I took with me Ernest as well as Fritz, that we might accomplish our object in a shorter time. We rowed stoutly till we reached the current, which soon drew us on beyond the bay; but scarcely had we passed a little islet, lying to one side of us, than we perceived a prodigious quantity of seagulls and other birds, whose various and discordant sounds so disagreeably assailed us, that we were obliged to stop our ears. Fritz would instantly have fired upon them, if I had not prevented him. I had a great curiosity to discover what could possibly be the reason of so numerous an assembly of these creatures. I therefore steered to the spot; but, finding that the boat made but little way, I hoisted my sail, that we might have the assistance of the wind. + 

To Ernest our expedition afforded the highest delight. He was in ecstasies at seeing the sail begin to swell, and the motion of the streamer in the air. Fritz, on his part, did not for a moment take his eyes from the islet where the birds had assembled. Presently he suddenly exclaimed: I see what it is; the birds are all pecking, tooth and beak, at a monstrous fish, which lies dead upon the soil. + 

Tooth! brother Fritz, replied Ernest; it must be curious to see birds with teeth. Fritz, however, was right; I approached, sufficiently near to step upon the land, and after bringing the boat to an anchor with a heavy stone, we walked cautiously and gently up to the birds. We soon perceived that the object which attracted them was in reality an enormous fish, which had been thrown by the sea upon the islet, and whose dead body lay invitingly there for all the birds which should pass that way. Indeed, so eagerly were they occupied with the feast, that though we were within the distance of half gunshot, not one of them attempted to fly off. We observed with astonishment the extreme voracity of this plumed group; each bird was so intent upon its prey, that nothing could have been more easy than to have killed great numbers of them with our sticks alone: we did not, however, envy them their prize. Fritz did not cease to express his wonder at the monstrous size of the animal, and asked me by what means he could have got there. + 

I believe, answered I, you were yourself the means; there is every appearance that it is the very shark you so skilfully wounded yesterday. See, here are the two balls which you discharged at its head. + 

Yes, yes, it is the very same, said my young hero skipping about for joy; I well remember I had two balls in my gun, and here they are, lodged in his hideous head. + 

I grant it is hideous enough, continued I; its aspect even when dead makes one shudder with disgust, particularly when I recollect how easy it would have been for him to have devoured us. See what a horrible mouth he has, and what a singular kind of mustachio projecting above! and what a rough and prickly skin! one might almost use it for a file. Nor is he small of his species; for I would lay any wager that he measures more than twenty feet, from head to tail. We ought to be thankful to Providence, and a little to our Fritz also, for having delivered us from such a monster! But let us each take away with us a bit of his skin, for I have an idea that it may in some way or other be useful to us. But how to drive away these eager intruders, so as to get at him, is the difficulty. + 

Ernest instantly drew out the iron ramrod from his gun, and in a few moments killed several, by striking among them to right and left, while all the others took their flight. Fritz and I then advanced and cut several long strips of the skin from the head of the shark, with which we were proceeding to our boat, when I observed, lying on the ground, some planks and timbers which had recently been cast by the sea on this little island. I therefore made choice of such as seemed proper for my purpose; and, with the assistance of the crow and a lever which we had brought with us, I found means to get them into the boat, and thus spare ourselves the trouble of proceeding further to the vessel. I bound the timbers together, with the planks upon them, in the manner of a raft, and tied them to the end of the boat; so that, in consequence of this adventure, we were ready to return in about four hours after our departure, and might with justice boast of having done a good day’s work. I accordingly pushed again for the current, which soon drove us out to sea; then I tacked about, and resumed the direct route for the bay and for our place of embarkation, by this means avoiding the danger of touching upon shallows. All this succeeded to my utmost wishes; I unfurled my sail, and a brisk wind soon conveyed us to our landing-place. + 

While we were sailing, Fritz, at my request, had nailed the strips of skin we cut from the shark, to the mast to dry. Ernest had been employed in examining the birds he had killed with his ramrod. I cannot imagine, father, said he, why you should think they are not good to eat. What is their name? + 

I believe they are called seagulls, a bird that lives upon the carcases of other animals, and whose flesh for that reason must have contracted a bad flavour; there are many kinds of them, and all of so senseless a nature, as to fly down in flocks upon dead whales, even while the fishermen are round them cutting them up; and the birds try to seize upon small pieces of the fat, as they hold them in their hands; and they suffer themselves to be killed, rather than let go their prize. + 

They must indeed be stupid creatures, said Fritz, to have let Ernest kill them with the ramrod. But look here, father, you were wrong in telling me to nail my skins to the mast; for they have curled round in drying, and I cannot make them flat again. + 

That was precisely my intention, replied I, they will be much more useful to us round than flat: besides, you have still some left, which you may dry flat; and then we shall have a fine provision of shagreen, if we can find out a good method to rub off the sharp points, and afterwards to polish it. + 

I thought, said Ernest, that shagreen was made of ass’s skin. And you were not mistaken, rejoined I; the best shagreen is made in Turkey, Persia, and Tartary, from skin taken from the back of the ass and of horses. While the skin is yet moist, it is stretched upon a kind of hard fat; they then beat the skin, by which means the fat is incorporated, and gives the surface the appearance of a kind of file: but very good shagreen is also made from the skin of sea-fish, particularly in France. + 

Ernest asked his brother if he knew why the mouth of the shark is not, as in other animals, placed in the middle of the snout, but directly under. Fritz confessed his inability to answer this question. And for my part, continued he a little consequentially, all I know is how to kill them when the occasion presents itself. So pray, learned brother, be kind enough to let us share your information on the subject, for I take for granted, your question means that you can answer it yourself. + 

I suppose, rejoined Ernest, that the mouth of the shark is thus placed, with the intention of preventing him from depopulating the sea and the land. With so excessive a voraciousness of appetite as he possesses, nothing would escape him, if he had the power to seize his prey without turning his body; but as it is, there is time enough for a smaller animal to make his escape. + 

Well reasoned, my young philosopher, cried I; and though we should not always be able to comprehend the intention of the Creator in the objects which surround us, at least the conjectures we are induced to form respecting them, cannot fail of being a useful exercise to the mind. + 

I have already said we were once more landed safely on our shore, but no one of our family appeared. We called out to them as loud as we could, which was answered by the same sounds in return, and in a few minutes my wife appeared between her two little boys returning from the river, a rising piece of ground having concealed her from our sight: each carried a handkerchief in hand, which appeared filled with some new prize; and little Francis had a small fishing-net formed like a bag and strung upon a stick, which he carried on his shoulder. No sooner did they hear our voices, than they flew to meet us, astonished at our quick return. Jack reached us before the rest; and his first act was to open the handkerchief he held, and pour out a large number of lobsters at our feet: their mother and little Francis produced each as many more, forming all together a prodigious heap, and all alive; so that we were sure of excellent dinners for some days at least. Some of the animals tried to escape in different directions; and the boys in following them, were kept in full chase, sometimes pleased and sometimes angry; sometimes laughing, sometimes scolding at the bootless trouble they were engaged in; for no sooner had they seized on one deserter, than ten more had followed his example. + 

Now, have I not been very lucky, papa? said little Francis; for you must know it was I who found them out! Look, there are more than two hundred of them, and see how large they are, and what fine claws they have! I am sure they will be quite delicious! + 

Father.⁠—Excellent indeed, my little fellow, and particularly if it was your industry that first discovered them. + 

Jack.⁠—Yes, father, it was Francis who saw them first; but it was I who ran to tell mamma, and it was I who fetched the net and put it to rights, and it was I who went up to my knees in water to catch them. + 

Father.⁠—You make a charming story of it together, my boys; but as it is an interesting subject, you may tell me as many particulars as you please; it is indeed an event of some importance for our kitchen, and I have great pleasure in looking forward to partaking of a dish of your providing. + 

Jack.⁠—Well, papa, I will tell you. As soon as you were gone, mamma sat down outside the tent and began to work, while Francis and I took a little walk towards the river, to find out a proper place for you to begin the bridge. + 

Father.⁠—Bravo! Mr. Architect, it is you then who will direct the workmen; but joking apart, I am much gratified to find that careless head of yours for once employed upon a useful subject. Well then, did you find a proper place for me to begin the bridge? + 

Jack.⁠—Yes, father, yes. But listen, and you will know all. We were advancing towards the river, and Francis was amusing himself with taking up some parti-coloured stones, calling out whenever he found one that seemed extraordinary: Jack, Jack, look what a beautiful stone I have found, all yellow! I am sure it must be gold, so I shall pound it, and make sand of it for my writing. As we reached the river, he saw a stone of this kind just upon the brink, and kneeling down with his head out over to take it up, he all at once cried out: Jack, Jack, Fritz’s jackall is covered all over with lobsters! Run as fast as you can. I sprang to him in an instant, and I saw not only the jackall covered with them, but legions more coming in with the stream. I ran to tell mamma, who immediately got the net which you brought from the vessel. Partly with this net, and partly with our hands, we caught those you see in a very few minutes; and we should have caught a much larger number if we had not heard you call, for the river is quite full of them. You took quite enough for once, my boy, said I: A little at a time is the maxim that suits us best, and I should even advise your taking the smallest of them back to the river, where they will grow larger; we shall still have sufficient for several magnificent repasts. This then, said I to myself, is a new source for our support: even here, in these arid regions, we find means to procure, not only the necessaries of life, but luxuries in abundance. May we never cease to evince our gratitude to Providence, by the exercise of a more than ordinary care and industry! + 

It was now our turn to relate the events of our voyage on the water. Ernest gave an account of his seagulls, but it did not inspire his mother with a desire for one of them for our next day’s dinner. We now put our remaining lobsters into the handkerchiefs and the net, and the boys took them to the place allotted for keeping our provisions. My wife set about dressing some of them, and in the meantime Fritz and I employed ourselves in untying the raft of timbers and planks, and in taking them out of the boat. I then imitated the example of the Laplanders, in harnessing their reindeer for drawing their sledges. Instead of traces, halters, etc., I put a piece of rope with a running knot at the end, round the neck of the ass, and passed the other end between its legs, to which I tied the piece of wood which I wished to be removed. The cow was harnessed in the same manner, and we were thus enabled to carry our materials, piece by piece, to the spot which our architect Jack had chosen at the river, as the most eligible for our bridge; and to say the truth, I thought his judgement excellent; it was a place where the shore on each side was steep, and of equal height; there was even on our side, an old trunk of a tree lying on the ground, on which I rested my principal timber. + 

Now then, boys, said I, the first thing is to see if our timbers are long enough to reach to the other side: by my eye I should think they are; but if I had a surveyor’s plane, we might be quite sure, instead of working at a venture. + 

But my mother has some balls of packthread with which she measured the height of the giant tree, interrupted Ernest, and nothing would be more easy than to tie a stone to the end of one of them, and throw it to the other side of the river; then we could draw it to the very brink, and thus obtain the exact length that would be required for our timbers. + 

Your idea is excellent, cried I; nothing gives me more pleasure than to see you exercise your invention; run quickly and fetch the packthread. He returned without loss of time; the stone was tied to its end, and thrown across as we had planned; we drew it gently back to the river edge, marking the place where the bridge was to rest; we next measured the string, and found that the distance from one side to the other was eighteen feet. It appeared to me necessary, that to give a sufficient solidity to the timbers, I must allow three feet at each end of extra length for fixing them, amounting therefore in all to twenty-four feet; and I was fortunate enough to find that many of those we had brought, did not fall short of this length. There now remained the difficulty of conducting them across the stream; but we determined to discuss this part of the subject while we ate our dinner, which had been waiting for us more than an hour. + 

We all now proceeded homewards, and entering the kitchen, we found our good steward had prepared a large dish of lobsters for us; but before she would let us taste them, she insisted we should see another useful labour she had been employed about; she accordingly displayed two sacks intended for the ass, which she had seamed with packthread; the work she assured us, had with difficulty been accomplished, since for want of a needle large enough to carry packthread, she had been obliged to make a hole with a nail for every stitch: we might therefore judge by her perseverance in such a task, or the ardour with which she longed to see her plan of a removal executed. She received on this occasion, as was well her due, abundance of compliments and thanks from her companions, and also a little good-humoured raillery. For this time, we hurried through our meal, all being deeply interested in the work we were about to undertake, and concerning which, each gave his advice without the least ceremony. The impatience we all felt to begin, scarcely left us time to strip the lobsters of their shells, each thinking only of the part which might be assigned him towards the execution of the “Nonpareil”; for this, for mutual encouragement, was the name we gave our bridge, even before it was in existence. + 

Having consulted together as to the means of laying our timbers across the river, the first thing I did, was to attach one of them to the trunk of the tree of which I have already spoken, by a strong cord, long enough to turn freely round the trunk; I then fastened another cord to the other end of the beam; this cord I fastened round a stone, and then threw the stone across the river. I next passed the river as I had done before, furnished with a pulley, which I secured to a tree; I passed my second cord through the pulley, and recrossing the river with this cord in my hand, I contrived to harness the ass and the cow to the end of the cord. I next drove the animals from the bank of the river; they resisted at first, but I made them go by force of drawing. I first fixed one end of the beam firm to the trunk of the tree, and then they drew along the other end, so as gradually to advance over the river: presently, to my great joy, I saw it touch the other side, and at length become fixed and firm by its own weight. In a moment Fritz and Jack leaped upon the timber, and, in spite of my paternal fears, crossed the stream with a joyful step upon this narrow but effective bridge. + 

The first timber being thus laid, the difficulty of our undertaking was considerably diminished; a second and a third were fixed in succession, and with the greatest ease. Fritz and I, standing on opposite sides of the river, placed them at such distances from each other, as was necessary to form a broad and handsome bridge: what now remained to be done, was to lay some short planks across them quite close to each other, which we executed so expeditiously, that our whole undertaking was completed in a much shorter time than I should have imagined possible. The reader should have seen our young workmen, to form the least conception of the delight they felt: they jumped, and danced, and played a thousand antics, and uttered a thousand joyful sounds upon their bridge. For my own part, I could hardly restrain myself from joining in these demonstrations of their perfect happiness; and my wife, who had been the mover of all our operations, was as little disposed to a silent calm enjoyment of our success, as any of the rest: she ran to one, and then to another, embracing each in turn, and was never tired of passing and repassing on our piece of workmanship, which was everywhere safe and even, and at least ten feet in breadth. I had not fastened the cross planks to each other, for they appeared to be close and firm without it; and besides, I recollected that in case of danger from any kind of invasion, we could with the greater ease remove them, and thus render the passage of the river more difficult. Our labour however had occasioned us so much fatigue, that we found ourselves unable for that day to enter upon new exertions; and the evening beginning to set in, we returned to our home, where we partook heartily of an excellent supper, and went to bed. + 