The trees that I had chosen for the construction of my farm were for the most part one foot in diameter; their growth was tolerably regular in the form of a parallelogram with its longest side to the sea, the length being twenty four feet, and the breadth sixteen. I cut little hollow places or mortices in the trunks, at the distance of ten feet one above the other, to form two stories; the upper one I made a few inches shorter before than behind, that the roof might be in some degree shelving: I then inserted beams five inches in diameter respectively in the mortices, and thus formed the skeleton of my building. We next nailed some laths from tree to tree, at equal distances from each other, to form the roof, and placed on them, in mathematical order, a covering composed of pieces of the bark of trees cut into the shape of tiles, and in a sloping position for the rain to run off in the wet season. As we had no great provision of iron nails, we used for the purpose the strong pointed thorn of the acacia, which we had discovered the day before. This tree, which bears an elegant flower, is known by the name of “Acacia with three thorns,” and it in reality exhibits, growing all together, three strong sharp-pointed thorns, which might easily be used as weapons of defence. We cut down a quantity of them and laid them in the sun to dry, when they became as hard as iron, and were of essential service to our undertaking. We found great difficulty in peeling off a sufficient quantity of bark from trees to cover our roof. I began with cutting the bark entirely round at distances of about two feet all the length of the trunk; I next divided the intervals perpendicularly into two parts, which I separated from the tree by sliding a wedge under the corners to raise the bark by degrees; I next placed the pieces on the ground, with stones laid on them to prevent their curving, to dry in the sun; and lastly, I nailed them on the roof, where they had the appearance of the scales of fishes—an effect that was not only pleasing to the eye, but reminded us of the roofs of our native land.
On this occasion we made another agreeable discovery: my wife took up the remaining chips of the bark for lighting a fire, supposing they would burn easily; we were surprised by a delicious aromatic odour which perfumed the air. On examining the half-consumed substance, we found some of the pieces to contain turpentine, and others gum-mastich, so that we might rely on a supply of these ingredients from the trees which had furnished the bark. It was less with a view to the gratifying our sense of smelling, than with the hope of being able to secure these valuable drugs for making a sort of pitch to complete our meditated boat, that we indulged our earnestness in the pursuit. The instinct of our goats, or the acuteness of their smell, discovered for us another acquisition of a no less pleasing quality; we observed with surprise that they ran from a considerable distance to throw themselves about on some particular chips of bark which lay on the ground, and which they began to chew and eat greedily. Jack seized a piece also, to find out, as he said, what could be the reason of so marked a preference as the goats had shown. Oh, it is indeed excellent, exclaimed he; and I perceive that goats are animals of taste! Only try this little bit, brother Fritz, and tell us if it is not exactly like cinnamon? Fritz did as he was desired, and was of Jack’s opinion. My wife and I then followed their example, and were convinced that it was cinnamon, though not so fine a sort as that from the isle of Ceylon.
This new commodity was certainly of no great importance to us; but we nevertheless regarded it with pleasure, as an article that would serve to distinguish some day of particular rejoicing. Ernest and Francis asked to taste it also, and agreed with us that the occasional use of it would be agreeable. The tree from which we had taken our bark was old, and the cinnamon was no doubt the coarser flavoured on this account: I remembered to have read, that young trees produce this spice in much greater perfection.
During our next meal we amused ourselves with a retrospect of the different discoveries we had made that day. I had to relate to my wife what I knew on the subject of the nature of these new productions; the turpentine, the mastich, and the cinnamon. I informed her that the two first had been discovered by the Venetians, who had gone so far as the islands of ancient Greece in search of them, and that they had afterwards become articles of commerce. And of what use is turpentine? asked Francis.
Father.—It is used in medicine; also for varnishes, and in the composition of resin; by putting it over the fire and mixing a little oil with it, it makes an excellent kind of pitch, and in this last form it will be of essential service to me for the outer coat of my new boat. It is also useful, applied to the wheels of any sort of carriages.
Ernest.—And the mastich, father?
Father.—This production comes from a tree of the same name; it oozes out in drops and hardens in the sun, something like amber. It is used in perfumes, and as a varnish for porcelain, being soluble in spirits of wine. As to cinnamon, I can only tell you that the best sort is a production of the island of Ceylon; it is gathered from young plants; the outside covering being first taken away, the next coat is the perfect cinnamon, and its smell is quite delicious; it is put to dry in the sun, and it rolls of itself into the shapes in which you must have seen it; they are afterwards tied in small parcels and sewed into cotton bags, which are again enclosed in reed matting; lastly, the parcels are put into buffalos’ skins, which are as hard and as impenetrable as horn. By this process the cinnamon is so effectually preserved, that it may be safely transported to any distance. It is used in Europe for imparting a delicious flavour to the more delicate kinds of liqueurs and sweetmeats.
When our meal and the lecture were both ended, we resumed with ardour our undertaking of the farm, which we continued without interruption for several days.
We formed the walls of our building with matted reeds interwoven with pliant laths to the height of six feet; the remaining space to the roof was enclosed with only a simple grating, that the air and light might be admitted. A door was placed in the middle of the front. We next arranged the interior, with as much convenience as the shortness of the time and our reluctance to use all our timber would allow; we divided it halfway up by a partition wall, into two unequal parts; the largest was intended for the sheep and goats, and the smallest for ourselves, when we should wish to pass a few days here. At the further end of the stable we fixed a house for the fowls, and above it a sort of hayloft for the forage. Before the door of entrance we placed two benches, contrived as well as we could of laths and odd pieces of wood, that we might rest ourselves under the shade of the trees, and enjoy the exquisite prospect which presented itself on all sides. Our own apartment was provided with a couple of the best bedsteads we could make of twigs of trees, raised upon four legs two feet from the ground, and these were destined to receive our cotton mattresses. Our aim was to content ourselves for the present with these slight hints of a dwelling, and to consider hereafter what additions either of convenience or ornament could be made, such as plastering, etc. etc. All we were now anxious about, was to provide a shelter for our animal colonists, which should encourage and fix them in the habit of assembling every evening in one place. For several days, at first, we took care to fill their troughs with their favourite food mixed with salt, and we agreed that we would return frequently to repeat this indirect mode of invitation for their society, till they should be entirely fixed in their expectation of finding it.
I had imagined we could accomplish what we wished at the farm in three or four days; but we found in the experiment that a whole week was necessary, and our victuals fell short before our work was done. We began to consider what remedy we could apply to so embarrassing a circumstance; I could not prevail upon myself to return to Falcon’s Stream before I had completed my intentions at the farm, and the other objects of my journey. I had even come to the determination of erecting another building upon the site of Cape Disappointment; I therefore decided that on this trying occasion I would invest Fritz and Jack with the important mission. They were accordingly dispatched to Falcon’s Stream and to Tent-House, to fetch new supplies of cheese, ham, potatoes, dried fish, manioc bread, for our subsistence, and also to distribute fresh food to the numerous animals we had left there. I directed one to mount the onagra, and the other the buffalo. My two knight-errants, proud of their embassy, set off with a brisk trot; they at my desire took with them the old ass to bring the load of provisions. Fritz was to lead him with a bridle, while Jack smacked a whip near his ears to quicken his motions; and certainly, whether from the influence of climate or the example of his companion the onagra, he had lost much of his accustomed inactivity: and this was the more important, as I intended to make a saddle for my wife to get on his back and relieve herself occasionally from the fatigue of walking.
During the absence of our purveyors, I rambled with Ernest about the neighbouring soil, to make what new discoveries I could, and to procure if possible some coconuts or other valuable addition to our store of provisions.
We followed the winding of a river we had remarked, and which conducted towards the centre of the wall of rocks; our course was here interrupted by an extensive marsh which bordered a small lake, the aspect of which was enchantingly picturesque. I perceived with joyful surprise that the whole surface of this swampy soil was covered with a kind of wild rice, ripe on the stalk, and which attracted the voracity of large flocks of birds. As we approached, a loud rustling was heard, and we distinguished on the wing bustards, Canada heath-fowl in abundance, and great numbers of smaller birds, with the names of which we were unacquainted. We succeeded in bringing down five or six of them, and I was pleased to remark in Ernest a justness of aim that promised well for the future. The habits of his mind discovered themselves on this as on many previous occasions; he betrayed no ardour, he did everything with a slowness that seemed to imply dislike; yet the cool deliberation and constancy he applied to every attempt he had to engage in, so effectually assisted his judgement, that he was sure to arrive at a more perfect execution than the other boys. He had practised but little in the study of how to fire a gun to the best advantage; but Ernest was a silent inquirer and observer, and accordingly his first essays were generally crowned with success. In this affair, however, of the birds, his skill would have proved fruitless, if Jack’s young jackal, which had followed us in our walk, had not plunged courageously into the swamp and brought out the birds as they fell.
At a small distance was also master Knips, who had taken his post on Ponto’s back. Presently we saw him jump off and smell earnestly along the ground among some thick-growing plants, then pluck off something with his two paws and eat of it voraciously. We ran to the spot to see what it could be, when, to the infinite relief of our parched palates, we found he had discovered there the largest and finest kind of strawberry, which is called in Europe the Chile or pine strawberry.
On this occasion the proud creature, man, generously condescended to be the imitator of a monkey: we threw ourselves upon the ground, as near to Knips as we could creep, and devoured as fast as we could swallow, till we felt sufficiently refreshed. Many of these strawberries were of an enormous size, and Ernest with his usual coolness, and I must needs confess there was no want of his constancy either, devoured an immense quantity: he however recollected his absent friends, and filled a small gourd-shell we had brought with us with the finest fruit, and then covered them with leaves and tied them down with a tendril from a neighbouring plant, that he might present them in perfection to his mother. I, on my part, gathered a specimen of the rice to offer, that she might inform us if it was fit for culinary purposes.
After pursuing our way a little further along the marsh, we reached the lake, which we had descried with so much pleasure from a distance, and whose banks being overgrown with thick underwood, were necessarily concealed from the momentary view we had leisure to take of surrounding objects, particularly as the lake was situated in a deep and abrupt valley. No traveller who is not a native of Switzerland can conceive the emotion which trembled at my heart, as I contemplated this limpid, azure, undulating, body of water, the faithful miniature of so many grand originals, which I had probably lost sight of forever! My eyes swam with tears!—How glad I am to see a lake! I could almost think myself in Switzerland, father, said Ernest.
Alas, a single glance upon the surrounding pictures, the different characters of the trees, the vast ocean in the distance, destroyed the momentary illusion, and brought back our ideas to the painful reality that we were strangers in a desert island!
Another sort of object now presented itself to confirm the certainty that we were no longer inhabitants of Europe; it was the appearance of a quantity of swans which glided over the surface of the lake; but their colour, instead of white, like those of our country, was a jetty black; and their plumage had so high a gloss as to produce, reflected in the water, the most astonishing effect. The six large feathers of the wing of this bird are white, exhibiting a singular contrast to the rest of the body; in other respects these creatures were remarkable, like those of Europe, for the haughty gracefulness of their motions, and the voluptuousness of their nature. We remained a long time in silent admiration of the scene; some of the swans pursued their course magnificently on the bosom of the blue water; others stopped and seemed to hold deliberations with their companions, or to admire themselves, or caress each other; many young ones followed in the train of the parent bird, who frequently turned half round in execution of her watchful and matronly office. This was a spectacle which I could not allow to be interrupted by bloodshed, though Ernest, rendered a little vain by his success and my encomiums, would have been ready to fire upon the swans, if I had not absolutely forbidden the attempt; at the same time I consoled him with the promise that we would endeavour to obtain a pair of the interesting creatures for our establishment at Falcon’s Stream.
Ponto just at this moment dragged out of the water a bird he had seized; we ran to examine it, and our surprise was extreme on remarking the singularity of its appearance. It was somewhat in shape like an otter, and, like the tribe of waterbirds, web-footed: its tail was long and erect, and covered with a soft kind of hair; the head was very small, and the ears and eyes were almost invisible; to these more ordinary characters was added, a long flat bill, like that of a duck, which protruded from its snout, and produced so ludicrous an effect that we could not resist a hearty laugh. All the science of the learned Ernest, joined with my own, was insufficient to ascertain the name and nature of this animal. We had no resource but to remain ignorant; in the meantime we christened it by the name of “Beast with a bill,” and decided that it should be carefully stuffed and preserved.
We now began to look for the shortest path for rejoining our companions at the farm, which we reached at the same time with Fritz and Jack, who had well performed the object of their journey, and were received by all with satisfaction. We, on our parts, produced our offering of strawberries and our specimen of rice, which were welcomed with shouts of pleasure and surprise.
The beast with a bill was next examined with eager curiosity, and then laid aside for the plan I had formed. My wife proceeded to pluck and salt the birds we had killed, reserving one fresh for our supper, which we partook of together upon the benches before the door of our new habitation. We filled the stable with forage, laid a large provision of grain for the fowls within their house, and began arrangements for our departure.
The following day we took a silent leave of our animals and directed our course towards Cape Disappointment. On entering Monkey Wood, innumerable animals of the species from which it derives its name began to scamper away, grinding their teeth in sign of anger at our approach. We pursued our way, and arrived shortly after at the eminence we were in pursuit of in the vicinity of Cape Disappointment; we ascended it, and found it in every respect adapted to our wishes. From this eminence we had a view over the country which surrounded Falcon’s Stream in one direction, and in others of a richly diversified extent of landscape comprehending sea, land, and rocks. When we had paused for a short time upon the exhaustless beauties of the scene, we agreed with one voice that it should be on this spot we would build our second cottage. A spring of the clearest water issued from the soil near the summit, and flowed over its sloping side, forming, in its rapid course, agreeable cascades: in short, every feature of the picture contributed to form a landscape worthy the homage of a taste the most delicate and refined. I presented my children with an appropriate word.—Let us build here, exclaimed I, and call the spot—Arcadia; to which my wife and all agreed.
We lost no time in again setting to work upon this additional arduous undertaking; our experience at the farm enabled us to proceed in it with incredible rapidity, and our success was in every respect more complete. The building contained a dining-room, two bedchambers, two stables, and a storeroom for preserving all kinds of provisions for man and beast. We formed the roof square, with four sloping sides, and the whole had really the appearance of a European cottage, and was finished in the short space of six days.