CHAPTER V.

CHAPTER V.

_Return to the wreck._

I broke a silence of some moments, with observing to my wife,

that I could not conquer my alarm at the view of so many cares

and such a variety of exertions to be made! In the first place,

a journey to the vessel. This is of absolute necessity; at least,

if we would not be deprived of the cattle and various other useful

things, all of which from moment to moment we ran the risk of

losing, by the first approach of a heavy sea. On the other hand,

there are so many things to think of, and so much exertion is

to be made, for the comfort of all in this desert spot! What

ought we to resolve upon? For example,—is it not, above all,

necessary to contrive a better kind of habitation, and also the

means of procuring a more secure retreat from wild beasts, for

ourselves, and some separate place of accommodation for our

provisions? I own I am at a loss what to begin upon first.

All will fall into the right order by degrees, observed my wife;

patience and regularity in our plans will go as far as actual

labour. I cannot, I confess, help shuddering at the thought of

this voyage to the vessel; but if you judge it to be of absolute

necessity, it appears to me that it cannot be undertaken too

soon. In the mean while, nothing that is immediately under my

own care shall stand still, I promise you. Let us not be over

anxious about the morrow; sufficient unto the day is the evil

thereof. These were the words of the great and true friend of

mankind, and let us use so wise a counsel for our own benefit.

I will follow your advice, said I, and without further loss of

time. You shall stay here with the three youngest boys; and Fritz,

being so much stronger and more intelligent than the others,

shall accompany me in the undertaking.

At this moment I started from my bed, crying out loudly and briskly:

Get up, children, get up; it is almost light, and we have some

important projects for today; it would be a shame to suffer the

sun to find us still sleeping, we who are to be the founders

of a new colony!

At these words Fritz sprang nimbly out of the tent, while his

little brothers began to gape and rub their eyes, to get rid

of their sleepiness. Fritz ran to visit his jackall, which during

the night had become cold and perfectly stiff. He fixed him upon

his legs, and placed him to look like a sentinel at the entrance

of the tent, joyously expecting the wonder and exclamations of

his little brothers at so singular and unexpected an appearance.

But no sooner had the dogs caught a sight of him, than they began

a horrible barking, and set themselves in motion to fall upon

him instantly, thinking he was alive. Fritz had enough to do

to restrain them, and succeeded only by dint of coaxing and

perseverance.

In the mean time, their barking had awaked the younger boys,

and they all ran out of the tent, curious to know what could

be the occasion. Jack was the first who appeared, with the young

monkey on his shoulders; but when the little creature perceived

the jackall, he sprang away in terror, and hid himself at the

furthest extremity of the grass which composed our bed; with

which he covered himself so completely, that scarcely could the

tip of his nose be seen.

The children were much surprised at the sight of a yellow-coloured

animal standing without motion at the entrance of the tent. O

heavens! exclaimed Francis, and stepping back a few paces for

fear; it is a wolf! No, no, said Jack, going near the jackall

and taking one of his paws; it is a yellow dog, and he is dead;

he does not move at all. It is neither a dog nor a wolf, interrupted

Ernest in a consequential tone; do you not see that it is a _golden_

fox? Best of all, most learned professor! now exclaimed Fritz.

So you can tell an agouti, when you see him, but you cannot tell

a jackall; for jackall is the creature you see before you, and

I killed him myself in the night!

_Ernest._—In the night, you say, Fritz! In your sleep, I

suppose . . . . .

_Fritz._—No, Mr. Ernest; not in my sleep, as you so good-naturedly

suppose, but broad awake, and on the watch to protect you from

wild beasts! But I cannot wonder at this mistake in one who does

not know the difference between a jackall and a _golden_ fox!

_Ernest._—You would not have known it either, if papa had not

told you . . . . .

Come, come, my lads, I will have no disputes, said I. Fritz,

you are to blame in ridiculing your brother for the mistake he

made. Ernest, you are also to blame for indulging that little

peevishness of yours. But as to the animal, you all are right

and all are wrong; for he partakes at once of the nature of the

dog, the wolf, and the fox; and for his skin, it is really of

a golden tint! The boys in an instant became friends; and then

followed questions, answers, and wonder in abundance.

And now, my boys, let me remind you, that he who begins the day

without first addressing the Almighty, ought to expect neither

success nor safety in his undertakings. Let us therefore acquit

ourselves of this duty before we engage in any other occupation.

Having finished our prayers, the next thing thought of was breakfast;

for the appetites of young boys open with their eyes. Today their

mother had nothing to give them for their morning meal but some

biscuit, which was so hard and dry, that it was with difficulty

we could swallow it. Fritz asked for a piece of cheese to eat

with it, and Ernest spied about the second cask we had drawn

out of the sea, and which was standing in our kitchen, to discover

whether, as we had all imagined, it also contained some Dutch

cheeses. In a minute or two he came up to us, joy sparkling in

his eyes. Papa, said he, if we had but a little butter spread

upon our biscuit, do you not think it would improve it?

That indeed it would; but—_if_,—_if_; these never-ending _ifs_

are but a poor dependence. For my part, I had rather eat a bit

of cheese with my biscuit at once, than think of _ifs_, which

bring us so meagre a harvest.

_Ernest._—Perhaps though, the _ifs_ may be found to be worth

something, if we were to knock out the head of this cask.

_Father._—What cask, my boy? and what are you talking of?

_Ernest._—I am talking of this cask, which is filled with excellent

salt butter. I made a little opening in it with a knife; and

see, I got out enough of it to spread nicely upon this piece

of biscuit.

That glutton instinct of yours for once is of some general use,

answered I; and justice requires that I should also commend,

with moderation, the excellence of your nose. But now let us

profit by the event. Who will have some butter on their biscuits?

The boys surrounded the cask in a moment, while I was in some

perplexity as to the safest and most speedy method of getting

out its contents. Fritz proposed taking off the topmost hoop,

by which means one of the ends could be got out. But this I objected

to, observing, that we should be careful not to loosen the staves,

as the great heat of the sun would not fail to melt the butter,

which would run out, and thus be wasted. The idea occurred to

me, that I would make a hole in the bottom of the cask, sufficiently

large to take out a small quantity of butter at a time; and I

immediately set about manufacturing a little wooden shovel, to

use it for the purpose. All this succeeded vastly well, and we

sat down to breakfast, some biscuits and a cocoa-nut shell full

of salt butter being placed upon the ground, round which we all

assembled, and none of us failing from time to time to wish for

a fairy’s wand, to have enabled us to add a little milk from

the cow, or from some cocoa-nuts, to quench our thirst. We however

toasted our biscuit, and while it was hot applied the butter,

and contrived, without the fairy’s wand, to make a hearty breakfast.

Our dogs allowed us to finish our meal in tranquillity. They

were sleeping by our side; but I did not fail to remark, that

their late encounter with the jackalls had not concluded without

their receiving several wounds, which I now, for the first time,

observed in various parts of their body, and principally round

their necks. Fearing that the heat might bring on inflammation,

I desired Jack, the valiant, to wash a small quantity of the

butter thoroughly in fresh water, and then to anoint the wounds

with it while they continued sleeping. This he effected with

much skill and tenderness. The dogs awoke, but did not attempt

the least resistance, seeming to be sensible of the benefit he

was conferring on them; they themselves assisted the cure, by

frequently licking the parts; so that in a few days they were

as well as before.

One of the things we must not forget to look for in the vessel,

said Fritz, is a spiked collar or two for our dogs, as a protection

to them, should they again be called upon to defend themselves

from wild beasts, which I fear it is too probable will be the

case.

Oh! says Jack, I can make some spiked collars, if mamma will

give me a little help.

That I will most readily, my boy; for I should like to see what

new fancy has come into your head, cried mamma.

Yes, yes, pursued I, as many new inventions as you please; you

cannot better employ your time; and if you produce something

useful, you will be rewarded with the honour of our commendations.

But now we must think of setting ourselves to some occupation.

You, Mr. Fritz, who, from your superior age and discretion, enjoy

the high honour of being my privy counsellor, must make haste

and get yourself ready, and we will undertake today our voyage

to the vessel, to save and bring away whatever may be possible.

You younger boys will remain here, under the wing of your kind

mother; I hope I need not mention that I rely on your perfect

obedience to her will, and general good behaviour.

While Fritz was getting the boat ready, I looked about for a

pole, and put a piece of white linen to the end of it; this I

drove into the ground, in a place where it would be visible from

the vessel; and I concerted with my wife, that in case of any

accident that should require my immediate presence, they should

take down the pole and fire a gun three times as a signal of

distress, in consequence of which I would immediately return.

But I gave her notice, that there being so many things to accomplish

on board the vessel, it was very probable that we should not

be able to return the same day; in which case I, on my part,

also promised to make them signals. My wife had the courage and

the good sense to consent to my plan. Though she was well aware

that it could not but be dangerous to pass a night alone with

the children, without my protection, she yet preferred the risk,

to that of my returning late from the vessel. She, however, extorted

from me a promise that we should pass the night in our tubs,

and not on board the ship. We took nothing with us but our guns

and a recruit of powder and shot, relying that we should find

plenty of provisions on board; yet I did not refuse to indulge

Fritz in the wish he expressed to let him take the young monkey,

he feeling the most eager impatience to see how the young creature

would like some milk from the cow or from a goat.

We embarked in silence, casting our anxious looks on the beloved

objects we were quitting. Fritz rowed steadily, and I did my

best to second his endeavours, by rowing from time to time, on

my part, with the oar which served me for a rudder. When we had

reached to a considerable distance, I remarked, that beside the

opening by which we had the first time made land, there was another

that formed the mouth of the river, running not far from that

spot, and the current of which was visible a good way into the

sea.

To take advantage of this current, and to husband our strength

by means of it, was my first thought and my first care. Little

as I knew of the management of sea affairs, I however succeeded

in keeping our boat in the direction in which it ran, by which

means we were drawn gently on, till it had conducted us to within

a short distance of the vessel, without our having any other

trouble than that of keeping in the same line: at length, in

consequence of the gradual diminution of its force, we were again

obliged to have recourse to our oars; but our arms having now

rested for some time, we were ready for new exertions. A little

afterwards we found ourselves safely arrived at the cleft of

the vessel, and fastened our boat securely to one of its timbers.

Scarcely had we got out of the boat than Fritz proceeded with

his young monkey on his arm to the main deck, where he found

all the animals we had left on board assembled. I followed him

with great readiness, well pleased to observe the generous impatience

he betrayed, to relieve the wants of the poor abandoned creatures,

who, one and all, now saluted us by the cry or the sounds natural

to its species! It was not so much the want of food, as the desire

of seeing once more their accustomed human companions, which

occasioned them to manifest their joy in this manner, for they had

a portion of the food and water we had left them, still remaining.

The first thing we did was to put the young monkey to one of

the goats, that he might suck; and this he did with such evident

pleasure, and such odd grimaces, that he afforded us much amusement.

—We next examined the food and water of the other animals, taking

away what was half spoiled, and adding a fresh supply, that no

anxiety on their account might afterwards interrupt our enterprise.

Nor did we neglect the care of renewing our own strength by a

plentiful repast.

While we were seated, and appeasing the calls of hunger, Fritz

and I consulted what should be our first occupation; when, to

my great surprise, the advice he gave was, that we should immediately

contrive a sail for our boat. In the name of Heaven, cried I,

what makes you think of such a thing at so critical a moment,

and when we have so many other things of indispensable necessity

to arrange? We will think of a sail when we have leisure, with

all my heart, for it is an affair which will take a considerable

time to accomplish. In reality, I experienced great uneasiness

at the thought of passing the night at a distance from my family.

All you say is very true, father, said Fritz; but let me confess

the truth, which is, that I found it very difficult to perform

the task of rowing for so long a time, though I assure you I

did my best, and did not spare my strength. I observed that,

though the wind blew strong in my face, the current nevertheless

carried us on. Now, as we cannot be benefited on our return by

the current, I was thinking that we might make the wind supply

its place. Our boat will be very heavy when we have loaded it

with all the useful things we mean to take away, and I am afraid

I shall not be strong enough to row to land. Now do you not think

that a sail would be of great assistance?

Ah ha, Mr. Fritz! So you wish to spare yourself a little trouble,

do you? But to speak seriously, I perceive a great deal of good

sense in your argument, and think myself much obliged to my privy

counsellor for his good advice. The best thing we can do is,

to take care and not overload the boat, and thus avoid the danger of

sinking, or of being obliged to throw some of our stores over-board.

Come then, let us set to work upon your sail, which, if it saves

your labour in rowing, will be at least a little troublesome

at present. Come along, and let us look about for what we want.

I assisted Fritz to carry a pole strong enough to serve for a

mast, and another not so thick for a sail-yard. I directed him

to make a hole in a plank with a chisel, large enough for the

mast to stand upright in it.

I then went to the sail-chamber, and cut off from an ample piece

of sail-cloth enough to make a triangular sail: in the edges

I made holes, and passed cords through them. I then sought for

a pulley, that I might fasten it to the top of the mast, and

thus be enabled to raise and lower my sail at pleasure. Thus

prepared, I hastened to join Fritz, who was earnestly working

at the mast. As soon as he had done, we placed the plank that

he had perforated, upon the fourth of our tubs, and made it fast.

The pulley was suspended from a ring at the top of the mast,

and the cord, attached to the sharpest angle of the sail, was

passed through it. The sail formed a right-angle triangle, one

side of which touched the mast, and was fastened to it. The shortest

side was also fastened with cords to a pole, stretching from

the mast beyond the circumference of our bark, and of which one

end was fastened to the mast, and the other, by means of a cord,

to the helm, in such a manner that I could, from my position,

either weather the sail, or let it go altogether. In the foremost

and hindmost bench of our little bark, we made holes with a piercer,

and passed cords through them, by means of which we could pass

the sail from the right to the left side of us, and back again,

without being obliged to turn the boat entirely round.

While I was thus occupied, Fritz had been taking observations

through a telescope of what was passing on land, and which we

had already done several times. He imparted the agreeable tidings

that all was still well with our dear family. He had distinguished

his mother walking tranquilly along the shore. He soon after

brought me a small streamer, which he had cut from a piece of

linen, and which he entreated me to tie to the extremity of the

mast, and he appeared as much delighted with the streamer as

with the sail itself. He gave to our machine the name of _The

Deliverance_; and in speaking of it, instead of calling it a

_boat_, it was now always denominated _the little vessel_. I

could not withhold a smile at vanity like this, in such a situation

as ours; it gave me too an opportunity of observing the operation

of this prominent feature of human nature, in a lad of fourteen

years of age. I myself took great pleasure in seeing the little

streamer floating in the air, and in the respectable appearance

of our machine altogether.

But now, father, said Fritz, looking kindly on me as he spoke,

as you have eased me of the labour of rowing, it is my turn to

take care of you. I am thinking about making you a better-contrived

rudder; one that would enable you to steer the boat both with

greater ease and greater safety. Your thought would be a very

good one, said I, but that I am unwilling to lose the advantage

of being able to proceed this way and that, without being obliged

to veer. I shall therefore fix our oars in such a manner as to

enable me to steer the raft from either end. Accordingly, I fixed

bits of wood to the stem and stern of the vessel, in the nature

of grooves, which were calculated to spare us a great deal of

trouble.

During these exertions the day became far advanced, and I perceived

that we should be obliged to pass the night in our tubs, not

having as yet entered upon our task of emptying the vessel. We

had promised our family to hoist a flag as a signal of our intention

to pass the night from home, and we decided that our streamer

was precisely the thing we wanted for this purpose.

We employed the rest of the day in emptying the tubs of the useless

ballast of stone, and putting in their place what would be of

service, such as nails, pieces of cloth, and different kinds

of utensils, &c. &c. The Vandals themselves could not have made

a more complete pillage than we had done. The prospect we seemed

to have of an entire solitude, made us devote our principal attention

to the securing as much powder and shot as might fall in our

way, that we might thus secure the means of catching animals

for food, and of defending ourselves against wild beasts to the

latest moment possible. Utensils also for every kind of workmanship,

of which there was a large provision in the ship, were also objects

of incalculable value to us. The vessel, which was now a wreck,

had been sent out as a preparation for the establishment of a

colony in the South Seas, and for that reason had been provided

with a variety of stores not commonly included in the loading

of a ship. Among the rest, care had been taken to have on board

considerable numbers of European cattle; but so long a voyage

had proved unfavourable to the oxen and the horses, the greatest

part of which had died, and the others were in so bad a condition

that it had been found necessary to destroy them. The quantity

of useful things which presented themselves in the store-chambers,

made it difficult for me to select among them, and I much regretted

that circumstances compelled me to leave some of them behind.

Fritz, however, already meditated a second visit; but we took

good care not to lose the present occasion for securing knives

and forks and spoons, and a complete assortment of kitchen utensils.

In the captain’s cabin we found some services of silver, dishes

and plates of high-wrought metal, and a little chest filled with

bottles of all sorts of excellent wine. Each of these articles

we put into our boat. We next descended to the kitchen, which

we stripped of gridirons, kettles, pots of all kinds, a small

roasting-jack, &c. Our last prize was a chest of choice eatables,

intended for the table of the officers, containing Westphalia

hams, Bologna sausages, and other savoury food. I took good care

not to forget some little sacks of maize, of wheat, and other

grain, and some potatoes. We next added such implements for husbandry

as we could find;—shovels, hoes, spades, rakes, harrows, &c.

&c. Fritz reminded me that we had found sleeping on the ground

both cold and hard, and prevailed upon me to increase our cargo

by some hammocks, and a certain number of blankets: and as guns

had hitherto been the source of his pleasures, he added such

as he could find of a particular costliness or structure, together

with some sabres and clasp knives. The last articles we took,

were a barrel of sulphur, a quantity of ropes, some small string,

and a large roll of sail-cloth. The vessel appeared to us to

be in so wretched a condition, that the coming on of the least

tempest must make her go to pieces.

It was then quite uncertain whether we should be able to approach

her any more.

Our cargo was so considerable, that the tubs were filled to the

very brim, and no inch of the boat’s room was lost. The first

and last of the tubs were reserved for Fritz and me to seat ourselves

in and row the boat, which sunk so low in the water, that, if

the sea had been otherwise than quite calm, we should have been

obliged to ease her of some of the loading: we, however, used

the precaution of putting on our swimming-jackets, for fear of

any misfortune.

It will easily be imagined that every moment of the day had been

laboriously employed. Night suddenly surprised us, and it was

no longer possible to form a hope of returning to our family

the same evening. A large blazing fire on the shore soon after

greeted our sight,—the signal we had agreed upon for assuring

us that all was well, and to bid us close our eyes in peace.

We returned the compliment by tying four lanterns with lights

in them to our mast-head. This was answered on their part, according

to agreement, by the firing of two guns; so that both parties

had reason to be satisfied and easy.

After offering up our earnest prayers for the safety and happiness

of all, yet not without some apprehension for the night, we resigned

ourselves to sleep in our tubs, which, it must be confessed,

did not afford us a very enviable place of rest: they were, however,

safer than the vessel, and more convenient for guarding our heavily

loaded machine. At the least cracking of the vessel, we might

cut the rope in an instant, and get out to sea. Our night, thank

God, passed tranquilly enough: my boy Fritz slept as soundly

as if he had been in a bed; while I, notwithstanding my fatigue,

could neither close my eyes, nor keep them from the direction

of the shore, perpetually haunted by the recollection of the

nocturnal visit of the jackalls, some of whose race I feared

might come and enter the tent. I had, however, great reliance

that my valiant dogs would do their duty, and was thankful to

Heaven for having enabled us to preserve so good a protection.