CHAPTER XII.

CHAPTER XII.

_The Sabbath and the parable._

On awaking in the morning, we were all sensible of an unusual

refreshment, and a new activity of mind. Well, young ones, cried

I jocosely, you have learned, I see, how to sleep in a hammock,

I heard not a single complaint all the night! no disputing about

room from any one of you; all was still and tranquil. Ah, answered

they, stretching and yawning as they spoke, we were so heartily

fatigued yesterday, that it is no wonder we slept so soundly.

_Father._—Here then, my children, is another advantage derived

from labour; that of procuring a sweet and peaceful sleep.

Yes, yes, father, that is very true, said they, so let us go

to work again to-day: What is there to do? What will you give

each of us to do?

_Father._—Nothing at all; you will do no work with your hands

for the whole day.

_The Boys._—Oh, father, you are joking now, I see you are; you

are laughing at us because we slept a little too long.

_Father._—No, my dear boys, I am not joking. This day is Sunday,

and God said, _Six days shall thou labour, but the seventh is

the Sabbath of the Lord thy God;_ and we will therefore celebrate

it as we ought.

_Jack._—Sunday! What, are there Sundays here? That is quite

delightful! Oh, I will go and shoot my arrows, and I will walk about

and play, and I will do no work the whole day.

_Father._—Do you think, then, that it was solely for the purpose

that people might amuse themselves, and indulge in idleness,

that God reserved Sunday to himself? You mistake; what he intended

was, that there should be a day set apart for worship and

thanksgiving for all his goodness, and such an employment of our time

ought to be our greatest pleasure.

_Ernest._—I thought, father, that the worship of God consisted

in going to church to hear a sermon and sing hymns: we have no

church here, how then can we properly observe Sundays?

_Francis._—And we have no organ either, and I am very sorry,

for I like very much to hear it.

_Jack._—You see then, papa, that it is not possible for us to

celebrate Sunday in the way you propose.

_Fritz._—How childishly you talk! Do you think that papa, who

made sermons for us in our own country, cannot make them here?

Is not God in every place, as certainly as in a church? And what

should hinder us from singing without an organ? When there were

soldiers encamped near our town, they had neither church nor

organ, and yet the service of the church was performed to them:

we have a good minister, and that is the principal thing.

_Father._—Your brother is quite right, my boys; God is indeed

every where, and the best worship consists in thinking of him,

and of his holy will, and resolving to fulfil it. In this sense,

there is no place in the world that may not serve for a church,

because we may entertain pious sentiments every where; and this

majestic arch of heaven, the immediate work of the Almighty,

ought more effectually to raise the soul and touch the heart,

than an edifice of stone made by the hand of man! We will, therefore,

perform divine service this morning; we shall have no sermon

to-day, those I know by heart being beyond your comprehension:

young persons should be addressed on the subject of the Supreme

Being, according to their feeble understanding, and not as we

would address an audience whose judgement and reason are matured.

I will hereafter compose a sermon that shall be suitable for

you: today we will repeat the prayers, and sing one of those

affecting hymns of adoration which your mother taught you. I

will then relate to you a parable of the Great King, which is

well adapted to awaken pious thoughts and sentiments in your

minds.

_The Boys._—A parable, a parable! What, like that of the Sower

in the Testament. Ah, yes, do, papa; we will listen for ever

to that; do begin directly.

_Father._—Every thing in its turn, if you please: first, let

us perform our usual morning devotions; then we will descend

to breakfast, and take care of our animals, a work which God

permits us to engage in even on Sundays: in the meanwhile, I

will reflect a little on the history I am to relate, and then

I will call you round me.

Accordingly, after prayers, we descended the ladder, and breakfasted

on warm milk; we served the animals also with their meal, and

then we all sat down on the tender grass; the boys full of impatient

curiosity; their mother absorbed in silent reflection, her hands

joined and her eyes sometimes turned towards the sky; while I

was penetrated with the most lively desire to impress upon the

young minds of my children, a subject I considered of the highest

importance for their well-being, both in this world and in that

which is to come.

All now standing up, I repeated aloud the church service, which

I knew by heart, and we sung some verses from the hundred and

nineteenth psalm, which the boys had before learned; after which

we sat down, and I began as follows:

“My dear children, there was once a Great King, whose kingdom

was called The country of Light and Reality, because the purest

and softest light of the sun reigned there continually, which

caused the inhabitants to be in a perpetual state of activity.

On the furthest borders of this kingdom, northward, there was

another country which also belonged to the Great King, and the

immense extent of which, was unknown to all but himself. From

time immemorial, a plan the most exact of this country, had been

preserved in the royal archives. This second kingdom was called

The kingdom of Obscurity or of Night, because every thing in

it was gloomy and inactive.

“In the most fertile and agreeable part of his empire of Reality,

this Great King had a residence called the Heavenly City, in

which he lived and kept his court, which was the most brilliant

that the imagination can form an idea of. Millions of guards,

and servants high in dignity, remained for ever round him, and

a still larger number held themselves in readiness to receive

his commands. The first of these were clothed in robes of cloth

that was lighter than silk, and white as snow; for white, the

image of purity, was the favourite colour of the Great King.

Others of his attendants carried flaming swords in their hands,

and their garments displayed the most brilliant colours of the

rainbow; each of these stood in waiting to execute the will of

the King, with the rapidity of lightning, on receiving from him

the slightest sign. All were happy to be admitted into his presence;

their faces shone with the mildest joy, and wore the impression

of a calm serenity, and of the absence of all inquietude and

pain: there was but one heart, and one soul among them; the sentiment

of paternal concord so united these beings, that no envy or jealousy

ever arose among them. The common centre of all their thoughts,

and all their sentiments, was devotion to their sovereign: it

would have been impossible either to see or converse with them,

without passionately desiring, even at any sacrifice, to obtain

their friendship, and to partake their lot. Among the rest of

the inhabitants of the Heavenly City, there were some less close

in their attendance upon the Great King; but they were all virtuous,

all happy, all had been enriched by the beneficence of the monarch,

and, what is of still higher price, had received constant marks

of his paternal care; for his subjects were all equal in his

eyes, and he loved them and treated them as if they had been

his children.

“The Great King had, besides the two kingdoms I have been describing,

an uninhabited island of considerable extent; it was his wish

to people and cultivate this island, for all within it was a

kind of chaos: he destined it to be for some years the abode

of such future citizens as he intended to receive finally into

his residence, to which only such of his subjects were admitted,

as had rendered themselves worthy by their conduct. This island

was called Earthly Abode; he who should have passed some time

in it, and by his virtues, his application to labour, and the

cultivation of the land, should have rendered himself worthy

of reward, was afterwards to be received into the Heavenly City,

and made one of its happy inhabitants.

“To effect this end, the Great King caused a fleet to be equipped,

which was to transport the new colonists to this island. These

he chose from the kingdom of Night, and for his first gift bestowed

upon them the enjoyment of light, and the view of the lovely

face of nature, of which they had been deprived in their gloomy

and unknown abode. It will easily be imagined that they arrived

joyful and happy, at least they became so, when they had been

for a short time accustomed to the multitude of new objects which

struck their feeble sight. The island was rich and fertile when

cultivated. The beneficent King provided each individual who

was disembarked upon it, with all the things he could want in

the time he had fixed for their stay in it, and all the means

for obtaining the certainty of being admitted as citizens of

his magnificent abode, when they should leave the Earthly Island.

All that was required to entitle them to this benefit was, that

they should occupy themselves unceasingly in useful labour, and

strictly obey the commands of the Great King which he made known

to them. He sent to them his only son, who addressed them from

his father in the following terms:

“‘My dear children, I have called you from the kingdom of Night

and Insensibility to render you happy by the gifts of life, of

sentiment, and of activity. But your happiness for the most part

will depend upon yourselves. You will be happy if you wish to

be so. If such is your sincere desire, you must never forget

that I am your good king, your tender father; and you must faithfully

fulfil my will in the cultivation of the country I have confided

to your care. Each of you shall receive, on his arriving at the

island, the portion of land which is intended for him; and my

further commands respecting your conduct, will be soon communicated

to you. I shall send you wise and learned men, who will explain

to you my commands; and that you may of yourselves seek after

the light necessary for your welfare, and remember my laws at

every instant of your lives, it is my will that each father of

a family, shall keep an exact copy of them in his house, and

read them daily to all the persons who belong to him. Further,

each first day of the week, I require to be devoted to my service.

In each colony, all the people shall assemble together as brothers

in one place, where shall be read and explained to them, the

laws contained in my archives. The rest of this day shall be

employed in making serious reflections on the duties and destination

of the colonists, and on the best means to fulfil the same: thus,

it shall be possible to all, to receive instruction concerning

the best manner and most effectual means, of improving the land

which has been confided to your care: thus, you will each day

learn to manure, to sow, to plant, to water, and cleanse the

land from tares, and from all evil weeds that may choke the good

seed. On this same day, each of you may present his supplications,

may tell me what he stands in need of, and what he desires to

have, to forward the perfection of his labour; all these requests

will appear before me, and I shall answer, by granting such as

I shall think reasonable, and tending to a salutary end. If your

heart tells you that the various benefits you enjoy, deserve

your gratitude, and if you will testify it by doubling your activity,

and by consecrating to me the day I have chosen for myself, I

will take care that this day of rest, instead of being an injury

to you, shall become a benefit, through the salutary repose of

your body, and that of the animals given you to assist your labours,

and who, as well as yourself, should enjoy repose on that day

to recruit their strength. Even the wild animals of the field,

and of the forests, ought on that day to be protected from the

pursuit of the hunter.

“‘He, who in his Earthly Abode shall most strictly have observed

my will, who shall have best fulfilled the duties of a brother

towards his fellow inhabitants, who shall have preserved his

land in the best order, and shall show the largest produce from it,

shall be recompensed for his deeds, and shall become an inhabitant

of my magnificent residence in the Heavenly City. But the neglectful

and the idle man, and the wicked man, who shall have spent their

time in interrupting the useful labours of others, shall be condemned

to pass their lives in slavery, or, according to the degree of

their wickedness, shall be condemned to live in subterraneous

mines, in the bowels of the earth.

“‘From time to time, I shall send ships to fetch certain individuals

from the Earthly Island, to reward or punish them, according

as they have done well or ill; and as none will be warned beforehand,

of the time of the coming of my messenger, it will be well for

you to keep watch, that you may be ready to perform the voyage,

and worthy to be received into the Heavenly City. It will not

be permitted for any one to pass by stealth on board the ship,

and leave his abode without my orders; for such a one shall be

severely punished. I shall have the most certain knowledge of

all that passes in the Earthly Island, and no one will be able

to deceive me. A magical mirror will at all times show me the

actions of each individual in the island, and you shall be judged

according to your most secret thoughts and acionst.’

“All the colonists were well satisfied with the discourse of

the Great King, and made him the most sacred promises. After

a short time allowed for repose from the fatigue of the voyage,

a portion of land and the proper instruments for labour, were

distributed to each of the strangers. They received also seeds,

and useful plants, and young trees for producing them refreshing

fruits. Each was then left at liberty to act as he pleased, and

increase the value of what was confided to his care. But what

happened? After some time, each followed the suggestions of his

fancy: one planted his land with arbours, flowery banks, and

sweet-smelling shrubs; all pleasing to the sight, but which brought

forth nothing. Another planted wild apple-trees, instead of the

good fruit as the Great King had commanded; contenting himself

with giving high-sounding names to the miserable fruit he had

caused to be brought forth. A third had indeed sown good grain;

but not knowing how to distinguish the tares that grew up along

with it, he pulled up the good plants before they were mature,

and left only the tares in his ground. But the greater part let

their land lie fallow, and bestowed no labour upon it, having

spoiled their implements, or lost their seed, either from negligence

or idleness, or liking better to amuse themselves than to labour;

many of them had wilfully misunderstood the instructions of the

Great King, and sought by subtleties to change their meaning.

“Few, very few, worked with diligence and courage, and seeking

to improve their land, according to the orders they had received.

The great fault of these was, that they would not believe what

the Great King had sent to tell them. All the fathers of families,

had indeed a copy of the laws of the Sovereign, but most of them

omitted to read in the book: some saying that it was useless

to read it, for they knew it by heart, while they never employed

their thoughts upon it. Others pretended that these laws were

good for times past, but were no longer beneficial for the present

state of the country. Some had even the audacity to assert, that

it contained many inexplicable contradictions; that the laws

it prescribed were merely supposed or falsified, and that they

had therefore a right to deviate from them. Others among them

maintained, that the magical mirror was a mere fable; that the

King was of too merciful a nature to keep galleys; that there

was no such place as the subterranean mines; and that all would

at last enter the Heavenly City. From habit they continued to

celebrate the first day of the week, but by far the smallest

part of it was consecrated to the honour of the Great King. Great

numbers of them dispensed with going to the general assembly,

either from idleness, or to employ themselves in occupations

which had been expressly forbidden. By far the greater part of

the people considered this day of repose as intended for pleasure,

and thought of nothing but adorning and amusing themselves as

soon as daylight appeared. There were only then a small number

of persons who kept the day according to the decree; and even

of those who frequented the assembly, many had their thoughts

absent, or were sleepy, or engaged in forming empty projects,

instead of listening to the words, which fell from the lips of

the minister of the sovereign. The Great King, however, observed

unalterably the laws he had laid down and announced, respecting

them. From time to time, some frigates appeared on their coasts,

each bearing the name of some disastrous malady; and these were

followed by a large ship of the line, named the _Grave_, on board

of which, the admiral, whose name was _Death_, caused his flag

of two colours, green and black, to be constantly floating in

the air. He showed the colonists, according to the situation

in which he found them, either the smiling colour of Hope, or

the gloomy colour of Despair.

“This fleet always arrived without being announced, and seldom

gave any pleasure to the inhabitants. The admiral sent the captains

of his frigates, to seize the persons he was ordered to bring

back with him. Many who had not the smallest inclination were

suddenly embarked, while others, who had prepared every thing

for the harvest, and whose land was in the best condition, were

also seized. But these last took their departure cheerfully,

and without alarm; well knowing that nothing but happiness awaited

them. It was those who were conscious they had neglected to cultivate

their land, who felt the most regret. It was even necessary to

employ force to bring them under subjection. When the fleet was

ready for departure, the admiral sailed for the port of the Royal

Residence; and the Great King, who was present on their arrival,

executed with strict justice both the rewards and punishments

which had been promised to them. All the excuses alleged by those

who had been idle, were of no avail. They were sent to the mines

and to the galleys, while those who had obeyed the Great King

and well cultivated their land, were admitted into the Heavenly

City, clothed in robes of brilliant colours, one exceeding the

other according to the degree of merit.”—Here, my dear children,

ends my parable. May you have thoroughly understood its meaning,

and may you reap the advantage it is capable of affording you!

Make it the subject of your reflections the whole of this day.

You, Fritz, I see, are thoughtful; tell me what struck you most

in my narration.

_Fritz._—The goodness of the Great King, and the ingratitude

of the colonists, father.

_Father._—And you, Ernest, what is your thought?

_Ernest._—For my part, I think they were great fools to have

made so bad a calculation. What did they get by conducting themselves

as they did? With a little pains they might have passed a very

agreeable sort of life in the island, and would have been sure

of going afterwards to the Heavenly City.

_Jack._—To the mines, gentlemen, away with you! you have well

deserved it.

_Francis._—For my part, I should have liked best to have lived

with the men who were drest in the colours of the rainbow. How

beautiful they must have looked!

_Father._—This is well, my boys. I perceive that each of you,

according to his age and character, has seized the meaning of

my parable. I have by this image endeavoured to represent to

you the conduct of God towards man, and that of man towards God:

let us see now if you have completely seized the sense.—I then

put different questions to them, and explained what they had

not perfectly comprehended; and after a short review of the principal

parts of my discourse, I concluded it by a moral application.

“Human creatures, said I, are the colonists of God; we are required

to perform the business of probation for a certain period, and

sooner or later are destined to be taken hence. Our final destination

is Heaven, and a perfect happiness with the spirits of just men

made perfect, and in the presence of the bountiful Father of

us all. The piece of land intrusted to each is the soul! and

according as he cultivates and ennobles it, or neglects or depraves

it, will be his future reward or punishment. At present, dear

children, that you know the true sense of my parable, each of you

should make the application of it according to his own consciousness.

You, Fritz, should think of the subjects who planted the wild

apples, and wished to make them pass for sweet savoury fruit

of a superior kind. These represent persons who make a parade

of the natural virtues belonging to their character, and which

are consequently exercised without any trouble to themselves; such as

courage, strength, &c. who prefer them to more essential qualities

acquired by others, with sacrifices and labour to themselves;

and who, full of presumption and arrogance, consider themselves

as irreproachable, because nature has given them personal courage,

and bodily strength, and a certain skill in the use of these

qualities.

“You, Ernest, should think of the subjects of the Great King

who cultivated their land so as to produce arbours, flowery banks,

and sweet-smelling shrubs, and such productions in general as

would please the eye, but which produced no fruit. These are

they, who give their whole attention to the acquiring unfruitful

knowledge, sciences, &c., and consider with a sort of contempt

the things more immediately required for the conduct of life;

who exert themselves solely for the understanding, and neglect

the heart; whose principal aim it is, to obtain self-indulgences,

and who neglect what is useful in society.

“You, Jack, and you, Francis, should apply to yourselves the

case of those men who let their land lie fallow, or, in their

thoughtlessness, mistook the grain, and sowed tares instead of

wheat. These are the neglectful subjects, who neither think nor

learn, but give to the winds what is taught them, or entirely

forget instruction; who reject virtuous sentiments, and let the

bad ones grow in their hearts. But for ourselves, one and all,

we will adopt the model of the good and zealous labourers; and

should our exertions be a little painful, we shall think of the

reward which awaits us, when we shall have adorned our souls

with all that is good, just, and praiseworthy. Thus, when death,

which cannot fail to come at last, shall summon us, we may follow

him with joy to the throne of the Good and Great King, to hear

him pronounce these sweet and consoling words: O good and faithful

servant! thou hast been tried, and found faithful in many things;

enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.” With these words, and a

short prayer of benediction, I concluded the solemnity of our

Sunday; and I had the satisfaction of seeing, that my four sons

had not only listened attentively, but that they were struck

with the application I had made to each of them. They remained

for a short time reflecting in silence. Jack was the first to

break it: You have explained to us every part of the parable,

father, except the copy of the laws of the Great King, which

was to be kept and read in every family: have you one of these

copies? for you never read it to us.

_Father._—Alas! my children, I have never been without such a

copy; and not only one, but several, and we have read in it almost

every day. This copy is the Holy Bible, which contains all God’s

laws, and which we ought constantly to study carefully. I cannot

forgive myself for not having thought of bringing it from the

vessel. Should we not be able to go another voyage, we shall

for ever be deprived of this divine doctrine. I can hardly imagine

how it could be possible for me, a minister of the Holy Gospel,

and the father of a family, to be so occupied about things for

the comfort of our poor mortal bodies, and forget what might

console and sustain our immortal souls, and which was so necessary

for the conduct of my children!

_My Wife._—Have you then forgot my enchanted bag, which I have

promised shall furnish every thing you can desire? You wish for

a Bible. In a minute I will put one into your hands; and heartily

do I rejoice in having the power to bring you so great a satisfaction.

_Father._—O best and most excellent of women! how ashamed I am

of myself in the comparison! While, in the midst of confusion

and horrors, you thought of so many little things conducive to

our comfort, and which we as males disdained to be occupied about,

have you then also taken care of the most essential of all, the

health of our souls? A thousand thanks are due to you! Give me

the inestimable book, these laws of the Great King, which I have

mentioned in my parable, and which from this moment, we will

take for the rule of our lives. She opened her bag, and with joy

I received from her the book of life. I opened it, and immediately

read some passages from it to my family. In this solitude, in

which for so long a time we had heard only our own thoughts expressed

in an appropriate language, we were singularly affected with

the voice from heaven, which now seemed to address us: we felt

forcibly that, notwithstanding our exile, we were still connected

with the community of mankind: by the invisible tie of the same

religion, and the same Father, we were for ever numbered among

the children of God, to whom he enjoins laws, and on whom he bestows

his care, no less in a desert, than in an immense capital; our

island, containing only our own family, was no doubt as interesting

in his eyes, as whole nations of people. I explained with the

utmost care what I read to them, and I gave the book in turn

to each of the boys, that they might have the pleasure of reading

for themselves.

I chose in preference, such passages as were applicable to our

circumstances. We then raised our hearts to God, to thank him

for so signal a benefit as the preservation of our Bible! My

young folks still remained thoughtful and serious; but by and

by the gaiety natural to their age, prevailed, and each slipped

away to seek the recreation he liked best. But as it had been

enjoined them not to undertake any kind of labour, they rambled

about from place to place, with more appearance of listlessness

than of reflection. This gave me an opportunity of observing,

that at their age, the soul is too feeble to sustain herself

through the whole day without occupation. I recalled them, therefore,

and observed that the Great and Good King did not require complete

inaction from them, and that they might amuse and occupy themselves

the rest of the day, without giving him offence, provided they

should avoid unruly sports. Jack desired me to lend him my bow

and arrows, as he wished to see how they would fly, now that

they had been completed from the quills of his porcupine. Fritz

had a great desire to be employed about the case he was to make

of the skin of the tiger-cat, and asked my advice how to proceed.

Little Francis, also, laid my activity under contribution, by

requesting me to make him a bow and arrows, he being yet too

young to be intrusted with a gun. I began with giving Jack the

bow and arrows as he desired, and told him how to make the sand

run out, and to put on the sharp points at the end, and tie them

securely round with packthread, and then to dip them into some

glue.

Yes, yes, I understand, said Jack wagging his head knowingly;

I know how to do it very well, father. But will you be kind enough

to tell me where there is a glue-shop, that I may step and buy

some glue in a minute?

I will show you where, said little Francis, laughing as he spoke:

ask mamma to give you one of her soup cakes, which are exactly

like good strong glue.

Little blockhead! replied Jack, you think then it is enough to

be like; what I want is glue, and not soup.

_Father._—Not so much of a blockhead as you think, Jack, interrupted

I. The truth often comes from the lips of children, and you will

do well to follow his advice. I am of opinion, that one of the

cakes, dissolved in a little water, and afterwards thickened upon

the fire, would produce what would be an excellent substitute for

glue; give yourself therefore the trouble of making the experiment.

Put a soup cake over the fire in one of our cocoa-shells, and

you will soon know the event.

While Jack was preparing his glue, and Francis, proud of being

the inventor, was busied in assisting his brother, blowing the

fire &c., Fritz came to me for my advice about the making of

his case. Run, said I, and fetch your skin, and we will work

at it together. I sat down on the grass, took out my knife, and

with the remains of a bamboo cane, began to make a bow for Francis.

I was well satisfied to observe them one and all, take a fancy

to shooting with an arrow, having been desirous to accustom them

to this exercise, which constituted the principal defence of

the warriors of old, and might possibly become our only means

of protection and subsistence: our provision of powder must at

last be exhausted; we might even, from moment to moment, be deprived

of it by accident; it therefore was of the utmost importance

to us, to acquire some other means of killing animals, or attacking

our enemies. The Caribees, I recollected, were taught at a very

tender age, to strike an object at the distance of thirty or

forty steps; they hit the smallest birds perched on the top of

the tallest trees. Why then should it not be possible for my

boys to learn to do the same? I will at least, said I, provide

them with bows and arrows, and try what can be done.

While I was silently reflecting on the subject, employed in finishing

a bow for Francis, Ernest, who had been observing me for some

time, slipped suddenly away; and Fritz coming up at the same

moment, with the wetted skin of the tiger-cat in his hand, I

paid no attention to the circumstance. I began my instructions

to my eldest boy, respecting the trade of a tanner. I told him

the method of getting rid of the fat of the skin, by rubbing

it over with sand, and placing it in running water till it had

no longer any appearance of flesh, or any smell; next to rub

it with soft butter, to make it supple, and then to stretch the

skin in different directions; and also to make use of some eggs

in the operation, if his mother could spare them. You will not

at first produce such excellent workmanship as I have seen of

this kind from England; but with a little patience, regretting

neither your time, nor your labour, you will have completed some

decent-looking cases, which will give you the more pleasure,

from being made from an animal of your own taking, and by the

work of your own hands. When your skin shall have thus been prepared,

cut certain small cylinders of wood of the size and length required;

scoop these cylinders hollow, so as to form a convenient case

for a knife, a fork, or a spoon; then stretch your softened skin

upon the surface of the cylinders, in such a manner, that the

skin may stretch a little beyond the extremity of the wood, and

close at the top; you have then nothing more to do, than to let

the skin cling to, and dry upon these moulds. Your work will

then be finished, and will turn out a neat and masterly production.

_Fritz._—I understand perfectly, and I hope I shall succeed;

but if I were to take some cork for my moulds, the cases would

be lighter, and more convenient for carrying.

_Father._—No doubt they would, but where can you get any cork?

and how would you be able to cut it and scoop it out? It is a

wood singularly impracticable, and would resist the knife.

_Fritz._—If you would let me take one of the cork jackets we

keep for swimming, I could try, by means of heating it, to render

it fit for my purpose.

_Father._—To this I have no objection; I like to see you inventive,

and casting about for the means of success. In reality, we have

a pretty considerable number of those jackets; and I am in hopes

we shall not want them any more. You may get one of them, but

take care not to hold it too long to the fire. What is the matter,

wife, that you shake your head? You seem dissatisfied with your

boy’s undertaking?

_My Wife._—No, I am not dissatisfied with his work, provided

he can accomplish it, but with the use for which it is intended.

Do you imagine that I shall let you have our silver table utensils

to be dragged about, at the risk of losing them, in your expeditions?

In the first place, I do not consider them as our own; and what

account should we have to give the captain, should we ever meet

again?

_Jack._—Oh, we should have accounts enough for him. We would

tell him, that but for the pains we took to preserve them, they

would all have gone to the bottom; that the last thing our friends

the sharks would have thought of, would be to restore his silver

spoons; and that, as we had all the trouble, they ought to be

considered of our own earning.

_My Wife._—So you have made a partnership with the sharks, my

boy! I hope, however, that you entertain a higher idea than you

profess, of your own nature; and that upon more reflection you

will perceive, that in equity and justice, we ought to consider,

not only these utensils, but all the other things of value we

took from the vessel, as a trust committed to our care; and which

we ought to use our utmost endeavours to preserve. I am, however,

of opinion, that having rescued them at the risk of our lives,

we have a right to use them for our own convenience, while we

remain destitute of all human aid; but that, if we should ever

find the persons to whom they belong, it is a duty incumbent

on us to return them.

_Fritz._—And I, for my part, am of opinion, that the captain,

however great a man he may be, will not be sorry to receive them

in a magnificent case made from the skin of the tiger-cat, with

which I shall present him, in return for the use of his utensils.

I was laughing at the vanity of my young pretender, when suddenly,

we heard the firing of a gun, which proceeded from our tent in

the tree, and two birds at the same time fell dead at our feet.

We were at once surprised and alarmed, and all eyes were turned

upwards to the place. There we saw Ernest standing outside the

tent, a gun in his hand, and heard him triumphantly exclaiming,

Catch them! catch them there! I have hit them; and you see I

did not run away for nothing. He descended the ladder joyfully

and precipitately, and ran with Francis to take up the two birds;

while Fritz and Jack mounted to our castle in the tree, hoping

to meet with the same luck. I observed them when they were got

near the top, and called after them,—What are you going about?

Have you already forgot the Great King, who commands that the

birds of the air and the beasts of the field should rest on the

day he has consecrated to himself?

These words suddenly interrupted the zeal of the young sportsmen,

and diminished the pleasure of Ernest. He blushed, and cast his

eyes on the ground, without attempting an excuse; while his brothers

quietly descended the ladder, and began to examine the birds

which had fallen from the tree. One of the dead birds proved

to be a sort of thrush, and the other was a very small kind of

pigeon, which in the Antilles is called an ortolan: they are

very fat, and of a delicious taste. We now observed, for the

first time, on looking about, that the wild figs began to ripen,

and that they attracted a great number of these birds. I foresaw,

in consequence, that we were about to have our larder well stored,

and our table furnished with a dish which even a nobleman might

envy us. I consoled the boys for the reproach I had made them,

by giving them permission to kill as many of these birds, in

future, as they liked. I knew that, half roasted and put into

barrels with melted butter thrown over them, it was a food that

would keep a long time, and might prove an excellent resource

in time of need. My wife set about stripping off the feathers

of the birds Ernest had killed, to dress them for our supper.

I seated myself by her side, and proceeded in my work of arrow-making

for Francis; and observed to my wife, that she would find an

excellent substitute in the figs, for the grain we should want

to feed our fowls, who no doubt would be found to have as high

a relish for them, as was evinced by the ortolans.

Thus finished our day of rest. The birds proved excellent; but

in point of quantity, we ran no risk of indigestion. Supper ended,

and prayers said, we ascended the ladder in procession; and each

withdrew to his hammock to taste the sweets of a tranquil sleep,

though unprompted by such fatigue as we had experienced the preceding

day.