CHAPTER XXIII.

_Excursion into unknown countries._

It is scarcely necessary to relate, that my first thought the
next morning, was to fetch the sledge from the wood. I had a
double motive for leaving it there, which I had refrained from
explaining to my wife, to avoid giving her uneasiness. I had
formed a wish to penetrate a little further into the soil, and
ascertain whether any thing useful would present itself beyond
the wall of rocks. I was, besides, desirous to be better acquainted
with the extent, the form, and general productions of our island:
I wished Fritz only, who was stronger and more courageous than
his brothers, to accompany me; and accordingly left the three
others, and Ponto, to protect my wife. We allowed Turk to be
our travelling companion, who did not fail to testify his joy
by jumping about, and barking loud. We set out very early in
the morning, and drove the ass before us for the purpose of drawing
home the sledge.

On reaching the wood of ever-green oaks, we found the sow feeding
voluptuously upon the acorns under the trees. We wished her a
good appetite, and begged her to admit us to the honour of partaking
her breakfast; and accordingly Fritz filled the pockets of his
waistcoat with some of them. We perceived with pleasure that
the lecture of the preceding day had rendered the animal more
tractable: she did not now seek to avoid us; and we might even
have induced her to return home, if we had had time to take the
pains. As we were quietly picking up some of the acorns, we observed
some birds, which occupied the wood in every direction, advancing
towards us. Some of them were clothed with a plumage of exquisite
beauty; and for this once, I could not refuse Fritz the pleasure
of firing upon them, that we might in consequence obtain a nearer
view, and inform ourselves respecting their species. He brought
down three. I recognised one to be the great blue Virginia jay,
and the other two were parrots. One of the two was a superb red
parrot; the other was green and yellow.

While Fritz was reloading his gun, we heard a singular sort of
noise which came from a distance: at one moment it resembled
a muffled drum, at another, the noise made in sharpening a saw.
My first idea was of music played by savages, and we retreated
quickly to hide ourselves among the bushes to listen. By degrees
we advanced towards the place from whence the sound appeared
to come; but perceiving nothing to alarm us, we separated some
of the branches with our hands, and then discovered a handsome
bird about the size of the English cock; and, like it too, adorned
with elegantly-formed smooth feathers round the neck, and a comb
upon his head. The animal stood erect on a decayed trunk of a
tree, which was lying on the ground, and at this moment exhibited
some singular gestures. His tail was spread in the form of a
fan, similar to that of the turkey-cock, but shorter; the feathers
round his neck and head were erect and bristling. He sometimes
agitated them with so quick a motion, as to make them appear
like a vapour which suddenly inclosed him; sometimes he whirled
himself round and round on the trunk of the tree; at others he
moved his head and eyes in such a manner as to express a state
of distraction, making at the same time, the singular kind of
noise with his voice, which had alarmed us, and which was preceded
and followed by a sort of explosion. This last was caused by
a motion of his wing striking in a quick measure on the trunk,
which was hollow and dry, and made the noise resemble a muffled
drum. All around him, there was assembled a great number of birds
of the same species, but much smaller, and of a less beautiful
form. One and all fixed their eyes upon him, and seemed delighted
with the pantomime. I contemplated this extraordinary spectacle,
of which I had formerly read an account, with astonishment. The
number of the spectators of the feathered actor, increased every
moment; and the performance increased in spirit also, in proportion,
presenting the idea of a perfect intoxication or delirium of
the creature. At this moment, Fritz, who stood a little behind
me, put an end to the scene by firing off his gun. The actor
fell from the stage, and stretching himself on the sand, breathed
his last, and the spectators betook themselves suddenly to flight.
I must confess, the interest I took in the scene was of so lively
a nature, that I could not refrain from reproaching Fritz in
an angry tone. Why, said I, must we be always applying the means
of death and annihilation to the creatures that fall in our way?
Is not nature a thousand times more exhilarating in her animated
movements, which express life and enjoyment, than in the selfish
scheme of destruction you seem so fond of? Some allowance should
no doubt be made for the curiosity of youth, for necessities
caused by our situation, and even for the taste you have acquired
for sporting; I therefore, as you well know, do not object to
your killing now and then a little game, or some singular or
dangerous kind of animal; but moderation is on all occasions
useful, and the spectacle of this bird, employed in such earnest
endeavours to draw his females around him, was at least as amusing,
as to see him stretched there at length, and lifeless, who but
two minutes ago exhibited such rapid and lively motions! His
pretty hens too all dispersed in terror, and deprived of the
possibility of ever more admiring him or being his companions.

Fritz looked down, ashamed and sorry. I observed to him that
the thing being done, there was now no remedy; that the tetrix[5]
or heath-cock was much esteemed as game; and that as the mischief
had occurred, he had better take it from the ground and carry
it to his mother.

He did as I desired; and in spite of my lecture I saw that he
was rejoiced to have acquired such a prize. Is it not a beautiful
creature, father? said he: but I am most curious to be informed
what all his action was intended to represent.

_Father._—I imagine his gestures and his cries were intended
to assemble his females, of which he has a large number, similar
to the common cock of Europe. I cannot help thinking, Fritz,
how cruel it was thus to interrupt the poor creature’s innocent
amusements.

_Fritz._—I am now extremely sorry for it, father; particularly
when I recollect that we might have caught him alive, and that
it is so desirable to have possessed this kind of fowl at Falcon’s
Stream.

_Father._—This is precisely what I was going to observe; I am
not sure that it is now too late to effect such a plan;—when
we see either of the hens disposed to brood, we will bring the
monkey here to search about for the eggs of these animals; if
we should be so lucky as to find a nest, which I think probable,
we will take away the eggs, and put them under the brooding hen;
by these means we shall procure some of this handsome race of
fowls.

We now laid the dead cock upon the ass’s back, and proceeded
on our journey. We soon arrived at the guava trees, and a little
after at the spot where we had left the sledge in the wood of
gourds, when we found our treasures in the best possible condition:
but as the morning was not far advanced, we entered upon our
intended project of penetrating beyond the wall of rocks.

We pursued our way in a straight line at the foot of these massy
and solid productions of nature, every moment expecting to reach
their extremity, or to find some turn, or breach, or passage
through them, that should conduct us into the interior of the
island, if, as I presumed, it was not terminated by these rocks.
We walked on, continually looking about, that nothing might escape
us worthy of notice, or to be enabled to anticipate and avoid
such dangers as should threaten. Turk with his usual bravery
took the lead, the ass followed with lazy steps shaking his long
ears, and Fritz and I brought up the rear. We met from time to
time with some small streams which afforded a most agreeable
refreshment; we passed a wood of guava trees and fields of potatoes
and manioc, the stalks of which perplexed our way; but we were
recompensed for this inconvenience by the fine views which every
where presented themselves, and which the low stature of the
plants enabled us to see in perfection. To the right, on the
high grounds, we saw hares and agoutis in considerable numbers,
amusing themselves on the grass in the morning sun. Fritz mistook
them for marmots, but not one of them made the whistling kind
of sound which is customary with these animals when they see a
strange object. The idea of my son seemed therefore to be unfounded:
again he wished to be convinced by firing his gun; but fortunately,
the rock on which they were stationed, was at too great a distance
for it to take effect.

We next entered a pretty little grove, the trees of which were
unknown to us; their branches were loaded with large quantities
of berries of an extraordinary quality, being entirely covered
with a wax which stuck to our fingers as we attempted to gather
them[6]. I knew of a sort of bush producing wax that grows in
America, and named by botanists _Myrica cerifera_; I had no doubt
that this was the plant, and the discovery gave me great pleasure.
Let us stop here, said I to Fritz, for we cannot do better than
collect a great quantity of these berries as a useful present
to your mother.

A short time after, another kind of object presented itself with
equal claims to our attention; it was the singular modes of behaviour
of a kind of bird scarcely larger than a chaffinch, and clothed
in feathers of a common brown colour. These birds appeared to
exist as a republic, there being among them one common nest,
inhabited at pleasure by all their tribes. We saw one of these
nests in a tree in a somewhat retired situation; it was formed
with considerable skill of platted straws and bulrushes intermixed;
it appeared to us to inclose great numbers of inhabitants, and
was constructed in an irregular sort of form round the trunk
of the tree where the branches sprout: it appeared to us to have
a kind of roof formed of roots and bulrushes, but more carefully
knit together than the rest of the structure. In the sides, which
were unequally formed, we observed a quantity of small apertures
seemingly intended as doors and windows to each particular cell
of this general receptacle; from a few of these apertures, issued
some small branches, which served the birds as points of rest
for entering and returning: the external appearance of the whole,
excited the image of an immensely large, open, spunge. The birds
which inhabited it were very numerous; they passed in and out
continually, and I estimated that it might contain at least a
million. The males were somewhat larger than the females, and
there was a trifling difference in their plumage: the number
of the males was very small in proportion to the females; I do
not know whether this had been the cause of their thus assembling
together.

While we were attentively examining this interesting little colony,
we perceived a very small kind of parrot, not much larger than
the birds themselves, hovering about the nest[7]. Their gilded
green wings and the variety of their colours produced a beautiful
effect; they seemed to be perpetually disputing with the colonists,
and not unfrequently endeavoured to prevent their entrance into
the building; they attacked them fiercely, and even endeavoured
to peck at us if we but advanced our hand to the structure. Fritz,
who was well trained in the art of climbing trees, was earnestly
desirous to take a nearer view of such extraordinary beings,
and to secure, if possible, a few individuals. He threw his whole
equipage to the ground, and climbed till he reached the nest;
he then tried to introduce his hand into one of the apertures,
and to seize whatever living creature it should touch, in that
particular cell; what he most desired, was to find a female brooding,
and to carry both her and the eggs away. Several of the cells
were empty, but by perseverance he found one in the situation
he wished. But he did not pursue his plan without meeting with
the full punishment of his curiosity and ungenerous behaviour.
He received so violent a stroke from the beak of an invisible
bird, that his only care was now to withdraw his hand, which
he shook in the air to ease the pain, uttering all the time the
most dismal lamentations. But though punished, he was not cured
of his fault: no sooner had the pain subsided, than he ventured
a second time to pass his hand into the nest, and succeeded in
seizing his prey, which he laid hold of by the middle of the
body; and in spite of the bird’s resistance, its cries and wailings,
he drew it through the aperture and squeezed it into the pocket
of his waistcoat; and buttoning it securely, he slided down the
tree and reached the ground in safety. The signals of distress
sent forth by the prisoner collected a multitude of birds from
their cells, who all surrounded him, uttering the most hideous
cries, and flying at him with their beaks, till he had made good
his retreat. The birds pursued him till he was quite close to my
side, when by making a loud noise and waving my pocket-handkerchief,
I succeeded in driving them away. He now released the prisoner,
and we discovered him to be a beautiful little green parrot,
which Fritz entreated he might be allowed to preserve, and make
a present of to his brothers, who would make a cage to keep him
in, and would then tame him and teach him to speak. I did not
oppose his request; but thinking we had spent too much time upon
this singular phenomenon of the bird colony, I bade him prepare
quickly for returning home. The birds were naturally the subject
of our conversation on the road. It was the first time I had
ever witnessed such a spectacle as a swarm of birds living together
in a state of society in one nest; and I was surprised at it.
From the circumstance of so young a bird being nestled within
the structure, it appeared probable that the true right of property
was in this species, and that the brown-coloured birds we at
first observed, were intruders, endeavouring to deprive them
of it. Thus we find, said I to Fritz, the existence of social
dispositions in almost every class of the animal kingdom, which
leads to the combining together for a common cause or benefit.
I have not hitherto observed these dispositions among amphibious
animals, but it is not unlikely that instances will at some time
or other present themselves. A multitude of causes may induce
animals to form a body or society, instead of living singly;
among them may be supposed the deficiency of females or of males;
the charge of the young; providing them with food; or as a means
for their safety and protection. Who shall dare to fix limits
to the instinct, or to the faculties of the animal creation?

_Fritz._—I do not, however, recollect any kind of animals who
live thus together in society, except the bees.

_Father._—What say you then, my boy, to wasps, drones, and different
kinds of ants?

_Fritz._—I did not indeed recollect the ants, though I have so
often amused myself with looking at them: nothing can be more
interesting than the ingenious little houses they construct;
observing them attentively, we perceive their industry, their
economy, their care of their young;—in a word, all their
undertakings, conducted on a plan of society and numbers.

_Father._—Have you also observed with what a provident kind of
instinct they bring out their eggs to be warmed by the sun, and
for this end remove them from place to place till the time of
their maturity?

_Fritz._—Is it not probable, father, that what we take for eggs,
are chrysales of ants, which, like many other insects, are thus
shut up while the process of their taking wings is in the operation?

_Father._—You may be right. Writers on natural history have
considered the industry and frugality of these insects, as a subject
not unworthy of their close consideration[8]; but if the common ant
of our own country excited so much of your admiration, in what
words will you express your astonishment at the almost incredible
labours which are performed by the ants of foreign countries!
Of these there is a kind which build nests of four, six, and
eight feet in height, and large in proportion: the external walls
of these structures are formed so thick and solid, that neither
sun nor rain can penetrate them. These houses contain within,
little streets, arched roofs, piazzas, colonnades, and particular
apartments for the offices of housewifery: and the whole of this
complicated mass is put together with so much solidity of
workmanship, that if emptied and cleaned, it might serve for an oven.
The ant is for the most part an animal of pilfering propensities,
on the profits of which it principally lives; it is also remarkable
for constancy in its designs, and remaining ever in one place:
a species of them exists, however, in America, which is known
by the name of the _cephalate_ or visiting ant; they make their
appearance in numerous troops every two or three years, and disperse
themselves abundantly in every house: as soon as this visitation
is observed, it is customary to open all the apartments, and
every receptacle for stores; they enter every where, and in a
short time it is found that they have exterminated as effectually
the rats, mice, bugs, kakerles (a sort of insect that gives great
annoyance in hot countries);—in a word, all the different animals
offensive or injurious to man, as if sent on a special mission
to remedy the evils these occasion. They do no injury to man,
unless they find in him an enemy, who pursues and disturbs their
quiet; in which case they attack his shoes so violently, that
they are destroyed with incredible rapidity. On the other hand,
they cause terrible devastations in plantations of trees, of
which they will entirely strip the leaves in a single night:
some of the ants crawl up and separate them from the tree, and
then throw them down to their fellow-labourers, who are in waiting
to receive and carry the leaves to the ant house. This curious
species does not build its house above ground, but they dig holes,
sometimes not less than eight feet in depth, and plaster the walls
according to the rules of the art of masonry[9]. Some travellers
assert that one of the islands of the South Sea is infested by
them to such a degree, that human beings cannot venture to disembark
in it. The place is therefore, as it were, yielded to them, and
is known to mariners by the name of Ant-island.

_Fritz._—And has no means been found to stop the progress of
their devastations?

_Father._—As to what in this respect relates to the ant-island,
I am not able to answer your question. In Europe, fortunately
for the inhabitants, they are not so formidable: they however
occasion sufficient inconvenience to make us study by what means
we can best destroy them; and the surest methods are found to
be fire and boiling-water. They have, besides, numerous enemies among
insects and birds: the most terrible of all is the _myrmecophage_,
or great ant-eater. Nature, who no doubt intended in this animal
to produce a counterpoise against the abundant increase of ants,
furnished it with a long gluey tongue, which it drops into the
holes of the ant-house: the ants crawl upon it, and remain fixed.
When the tongue is sufficiently covered with them, the ant-eater
draws it back, swallows its mouthful greedily, and drops it again
with the same success. It is pretended, that two ant-eaters hostilely
engaged against an ant-house, will destroy every inhabitant in
a short time. They raise small channels of light sand in the
ants’ road, which the creatures in passing, fall entirely through,
and are received by the enemy, who swallows them in an instant.
Different savage nations, the Hottentots in particular, also
devour ants by handfuls.

_Fritz._—What a frightful idea! I can scarcely believe the account,
father: but this is enough on the chapter of ants. You mentioned
just now, that in each class of the animal creation there were
some individuals to be found which formed themselves into societies;
pray tell me which they are.

_Father._—I know of no instance among birds, but that we have
just been witnessing; but among quadrupeds there is at least
one striking example of the social principle:—try to recollect
it yourself.

_Fritz._—It is perhaps the elephant or the sea-otter?

_Father._—You have not guessed the one I thought of: in reality,
however, the animals you have named discover also a strong
disposition to live in society with their species, but they build
nothing like a common house of reception:—try again; when you
mentioned the sea-otter, you were not far from the right creature.

_Fritz._—Ah, now I have found it: is it not the beaver, father?
These animals are said to possess so much intelligence, that
they are able to contrive and place dams to such streams or rivers
as obstruct their design of building entire villages: by this
operation they are furnished with a sort of ditch, which they
use for their purpose.

_Father._—This is well observed; and, strictly speaking, the
marmoset also may be included in the number of sociable quadrupeds:
but these latter cannot be said to build, in the literal sense
of the word; they dig themselves a common place of abode, a sort
of cavern, in the mountains, and in these whole families of them
pass the winter comfortably, in a continual sleep. It would have
been more blameable in us to have forgotten them, as they are
natives of our country; for it is principally in the highest
Alps of Switzerland that the animal is found.

We had proceeded a considerable way in this kind of conversation,
and had reached a wood, the trees of which were unknown to us:
they in a small degree resembled the wild fig-tree; at least
the fruit they bore, like the fig, was round in form, and contained
a soft juicy substance full of small grains: there was, however,
a sharpness and sourness in the taste. We took a nearer view
of these trees, so remarkable for their height, which was from
forty to sixty feet: the bark of the trunk was prickly or scaly,
like the pine-apple, and wholly bare of branches, except at the
very top, where they are loaded with them; some growing straight,
and others bent in different directions. The leaves of these trees,
at the extremity of the branches, are very thick; in substance,
tough, like leather; and their upper and under surfaces presented
different tints. But what surprised us the most, was a kind of
gum, or bituminous matter, which appeared by some accidental
means to issue in a liquid state from the trunk of the tree,
and to become immediately hardened by the air. This discovery
awakened Fritz’s whole attention: in Europe he had often made
use of the gum produced by cherry-trees, either as a cement or
varnish in the process of some of his youthful occupations; and
the thought struck him, that he could do the same with what he
now saw. He accordingly collected with his knife a certain quantity.

As we continued walking, he looked frequently at his gum, which
he tried to soften with his breath, or with the heat of his hand,
as he had been accustomed to do with that from the cherry-trees;
but he found he could not succeed. On the other hand, his endeavours
revealed a still more singular property in the substance, that
of stretching considerably on being pulled by the two hands at
its extremities; and, on letting go, of reducing itself instantly,
by the power of an elastic principle. He was struck with surprise
at this phenomenon, and sprang towards me, repeating the experiment
before my eyes, and exclaiming, Look, father! if this is not
the very kind of Indian rubber we formerly used, to rub out the
bad strokes in our drawings: see! I can stretch it, and it instantly
shrinks back when I let go.

Ah! what do you tell me? cried I with joy: such a discovery would
be an invaluable benefit. The best thanks of all will be due
to you, if you have discovered the true _caoutchouc_ tree which
yields the Indian rubber. Quick, hand it here, that I may examine
it.

_Fritz._—Look, father, how it will stretch! But I do not however
understand how it can be so immensely valuable to us: can it
be made to serve any other purpose than rubbing out a pencil
mark? Nor am I quite sure that it is the very same ingredient.
Why is it not black, like that we used in Europe?

_Father._—How many questions you ask at once! But give me time
to breathe, and I will answer them. Caoutchouc is a kind of milky
sap, which runs from certain trees, and no doubt from these before
us, in consequence of incisions made in the bark. This liquor
is received in vessels placed expressly for the purpose: it is
afterwards made to take the form of dark-coloured bottles of
different sizes, such as we have seen them, in the following
manner. Before the liquor which runs out has time to coagulate,
some small earthen bottles are dipped into it a sufficient number
of times to form the thickness required. These vessels are then
hung over smoke, which completely dries them, and gives the dark
colour you allude to. Before they are entirely dry, a knife is
drawn across them, which produces the lines or figures with which
you have seen them marked. The concluding part of the operation
is to break the bottle, which has served for a mould, and to
get out the pieces by the passage of the neck, when the ingredient
remains in the complete form of a bottle; soft to the touch,
firm in substance, yet flexible and convenient to carry about,
from being not subject to break; and may be even used as a vessel
to contain liquor if necessary. In later times it has been discovered
that this remarkable substance would extract the mark of black
lead from paper; and it is common for artists to cut them into
pieces, and to be generally provided with one of them.

_Fritz._—The fabrication of this article seems simple enough;
therefore let us try to make some bottles of it, father, which
will be convenient for carrying something for us to drink, when
we go a long way in pursuit of game. But still I do not perceive
how the discovery is, as you say, of so much value to us?

_Father._—Not by this use of it alone, certainly; but its quality
is admirable for being made into shoes and boots without seams,
if we can add the assistance of earthen moulds of the size of
the leg or foot to be fitted. Now then I suppose you can understand
my reason for the joy I expressed at the sight of so unexpected
a benefit. We must consider of some means of restoring masses
of the caoutchouc to its liquid form, for spreading upon the
moulds; and if we should not succeed, we must endeavour to draw
it in sufficient quantities, when wanted for use and in its liquid
state, from the trees themselves. There is besides another use
for which this substance is both fit and excellent;—that of rendering
water-proof any kind of linen or woollen production to which
it may be applied.

Well satisfied with the discovery we had made, and our fancy
already heated by the image of our fine India rubber boots and
shoes[10], we continued our way, endeavouring still further to
explore the wood, which stretched before us to a considerable
distance. After passing through it, we reached another called
Cœos, with a small part of the skirts of which we were already
acquainted, it being the same which stretches from the sea shore
to the top of the rocks. There we rested ourselves with great
pleasure for a few minutes, and were regaled with two cocoa-nuts,
which Turk had forced from two little monkeys which were playing
on the ground like children. Upon the loss of their food they
left him and scampered to the top of the trees, while we on our
parts devoured the booty. After this refreshment, we once more
resumed our route; we were determined to reach the furthest outlet
of this great wood of cocoa-trees, to examine the dimensions and
limits of our empire: in a short time we had taken some observations
that enabled us to ascertain this point; and looking attentively,
we recognised the great bay on the right, and on the left Cape
Disappointment, which latter had been the furthest point of our
earliest excursion.

In this spot alone, and mixed with a quantity of cocoa-trees,
I discovered a sort of tree of smaller growth which I presumed
must be the sago palm: one of these had been thrown down by the
wind, so that I was able to examine it thoroughly. I perceived
that the trunk of it contained a considerable quantity of a mealy
substance; I therefore, with my hatchet laid it open long-ways,
and cleared it of the whole contents; and on tasting the ingredient,
I found it was exactly like the sago I had often eaten in Europe[11].
The operation of cutting the trunk had disclosed also a new treasure,
and one which confirmed my belief of having found the real sago
palm-tree; it was the perceiving in the powder, the particular
kind of larva which lives entirely on sago, and is considered
the greatest delicacy of the West Indies for the palate. The
interest I felt on the subject, made me eager for an experiment
which would immediately determine my conclusion. I directed Fritz
to get some dry branches and make a fire; I ran a sharp stick
through half a dozen of the larvae, and toasted them on the flame;
the agreeable odour which exhaled from them, and is peculiar
to the species, made me certain I was not mistaken: I soon ate
one or two of them with a potatoe, which served for bread, and
I may venture to assure the epicures of Europe, that if they
desire to obtain a delicious morsel, this alone is worth the
pains of a sea-voyage for the purpose. Fritz, who from the first
had taken the liberty to smile at my fancy, and to assure me
that nothing in the world should induce him to partake of my
dish, attracted by the delicious smell and good appearance of
the food, had no longer the power to desist: he asked me to give
him a small share, and joined me in a chorus of the highest praise.
It was now his turn to search for more, and to use the same ceremony
in dressing them.

After our repast, we got up and began to consider how much further
we would go: the thick bushes of bamboo, through which it was
impossible to pass, seemed to furnish a natural conclusion to
our journey. We were therefore unable to ascertain whether we
should or should not have found a passage beyond the wall of
rocks: we perceived then no better resource than to turn to the
left towards Cape Disappointment, where the luxurious plantations
of sugar-canes we had discovered on our first visit, now again
drew our attention. That we might not return empty-handed to
Falcon’s Stream, and might deserve forgiveness for so long an
absence, we each took the pains to cut a large bundle of the
canes, which we threw across the ass’s back, not forgetting the
ceremony of reserving one apiece to refresh ourselves with along
the road. We soon arrived on the well-known shore of the sea,
which at length afforded us an open and shorter path; we next,
and not long after, reached the wood of gourds, where we found
our sledge loaded as we had left it the night before: we took
the sugar-canes from the ass, and fastened them to the sledge,
and then we harnessed the ass, and the patient animal began to
draw towards home.

We arrived at Falcon’s Stream without any further adventure,
and rather early in the evening. We received at first some kind
reproofs; we were next questioned, and lastly thanked, as we
displayed our various treasures, but particularly the sugar-canes:
each of the boys seized one and began to suck it, as did their
mother also. Nothing could be more amusing than to hear Fritz
relate, with unaffected interest, the recent discoveries we had
made, and imitate the gestures of the heath-cock as he held it
up for them to examine:—the whole company continued to shout
with laughter for many minutes. Then came the history of the
colony of birds and their singular habitation, and of the green
parrot, all of which was listened to with the delight excited
by a fairy tale. Fritz showed them the handsome red parrot dead,
also the great blue jay, both of which they did not cease to
admire; but when Fritz took out of his waistcoat pocket the little
parrot all alive, there was no bounds to their ecstasy: they
jumped about like mad things, and I was obliged to interpose
my authority to prevent their tearing him to pieces, in the struggle
who should have him first. Francis asked his eldest brother if
he had not already taught him some words in their way home? I
intended the office of preceptor for you, said Fritz, who are
such a little prate-apace that the parrot would not be long in
learning. Francis nearly devoured the little animal with kisses,
repeating a thousand times _pretty little parrot!_ At length
the bird was fastened by the leg to one of the roots of the trees,
till a cage could be made for him; and was fed with acorns, which
he appeared exceedingly to relish. We next gave an account of
the excellent dinner we had made on the larvæ found in the sago-meal,
which excited the envy of all but my wife, who was never partial
to new kinds of food. I therefore promised her for her share
of so many dainties, some real mushrooms which grew spontaneously
from the powder of the sago. She was delighted with the prospect
of the candles I assured her I was now able to furnish, and also
of the boots and shoes. Fritz took a bit of the rubber from his
pocket and drew it to its full length, and then let it suddenly
go, to the great amusement of little Francis.

Soon after night fall, being much fatigued, and after partaking
of a hearty supper, we all mounted the ladder; and having carefully
drawn it up, we fell exhausted, into sound and peaceful slumbers.