CHAPTER XXXV.

CHAPTER XXXV.

_Completion of two farm-houses;—a lake;—the beast with a bill._

The trees that I had chosen for the construction of my farm were

for the most part one foot in diameter; their growth was tolerably

regular in the form of a parallelogram with its longest side

to the sea, the length being twenty four feet, and the breadth

sixteen. I cut little hollow places or mortices in the trunks,

at the distance of ten feet one above the other, to form two

stories; the upper one I made a few inches shorter before than

behind, that the roof might be in some degree shelving: I then

inserted beams five inches in diameter respectively in the mortices,

and thus formed the skeleton of my building. We next nailed some

laths from tree to tree, at equal distances from each other,

to form the roof, and placed on them, in mathematical order,

a covering composed of pieces of the bark of trees cut into the

shape of tiles, and in a sloping position for the rain to run

off in the wet season. As we had no great provision of iron nails,

we used for the purpose the strong pointed thorn of the acacia,

which we had discovered the day before. This tree, which bears

an elegant flower, is known by the name of _Acacia with three

thorns_, and it in reality exhibits, growing all together, three

strong sharp-pointed thorns, which might easily be used as weapons

of defence. We cut down a quantity of them and laid them in the

sun to dry, when they became as hard as iron, and were of essential

service to our undertaking. We found great difficulty in peeling

off a sufficient quantity of bark from trees to cover our roof.

I began with cutting the bark entirely round at distances of

about two feet all the length of the trunk; I next divided the

intervals perpendicularly into two parts, which I separated from

the tree by sliding a wedge under the corners to raise the bark

by degrees; I next placed the pieces on the ground, with stones

laid on them to prevent their curving, to dry in the sun; and

lastly, I nailed them on the roof, where they had the appearance

of the scales of fishes,—an effect that was not only pleasing

to the eye, but reminded us of the roofs of our native land.

On this occasion we made another agreeable discovery: my wife

took up the remaining chips of the bark for lighting a fire,

supposing they would burn easily; we were surprised by a delicious

aromatic odour which perfumed the air. On examining the half-consumed

substance, we found some of the pieces to contain turpentine,

and others gum-mastich, so that we might rely on a supply of

these ingredients from the trees which had furnished the bark.

It was less with a view to the gratifying our sense of smelling,

than with the hope of being able to secure these valuable drugs

for making a sort of pitch to complete our meditated boat, that

we indulged our earnestness in the pursuit. The instinct of our

goats, or the acuteness of their smell, discovered for us another

acquisition of a no less pleasing quality; we observed with surprise

that they ran from a considerable distance to throw themselves

about on some particular chips of bark which lay on the ground,

and which they began to chew and eat greedily. Jack seized a

piece also, to find out, as he said, what could be the reason

of so marked a preference as the goats had shown. Oh, it is indeed

excellent, exclaimed he; and I perceive that goats are animals

of taste! Only try this little bit, brother Fritz, and tell us

if it is not exactly like cinnamon? Fritz did as he was desired,

and was of Jack’s opinion. My wife and I then followed their

example, and were convinced that it was cinnamon, though not

so fine a sort as that from the isle of Ceylon.

This new commodity was certainly of no great importance to us;

but we nevertheless regarded it with pleasure, as an article

that would serve to distinguish some day of particular rejoicing.

Ernest and Francis asked to taste it also, and agreed with us

that the occasional use of it would be agreeable. The tree from

which we had taken our bark was old, and the cinnamon was no

doubt the coarser flavoured on this account: I remembered to

have read, that young trees produce this spice in much greater

perfection.

During our next meal we amused ourselves with a retrospect of

the different discoveries we had made that day. I had to relate

to my wife what I knew on the subject of the nature of these

new productions; the turpentine, the mastich, and the cinnamon.

I informed her that the two first had been discovered by the

Venetians, who had gone so far as the islands of ancient Greece

in search of them, and that they had afterwards become articles

of commerce. And of what use is turpentine? asked Francis.

_Father._—It is used in medicine; also for varnishes, and in

the composition of resin; by putting it over the fire and mixing

a little oil with it, it makes an excellent kind of pitch, and

in this last form it will be of essential service to me for the

outer coat of my new boat. It is also useful, applied to the

wheels of any sort of carriages.

_Ernest._—And the mastich, father?

_Father._—This production comes from a tree of the same name;

it oozes out in drops and hardens in the sun, something like

amber. It is used in perfumes, and as a varnish for porcelain,

being soluble in spirits of wine. As to cinnamon, I can only

tell you that the best sort is a production of the island of

Ceylon; it is gathered from young plants; the outside covering

being first taken away, the next coat is the perfect cinnamon,

and its smell is quite delicious; it is put to dry in the sun,

and it rolls of itself into the shapes in which you must have

seen it; they are afterwards tied in small parcels and sewed

into cotton bags, which are again inclosed in reed matting; lastly,

the parcels are put into buffalos’ skins, which are as hard and as

impenetrable as horn. By this process the cinnamon is so effectually

preserved, that it may be safely transported to any distance.

It is used in Europe for imparting a delicious flavour to the

more delicate kinds of liqueurs and sweetmeats.

When our meal and the lecture were both ended, we resumed with

ardour our undertaking of the farm, which we continued without

interruption for several days.

We formed the walls of our building with matted reeds interwoven

with pliant laths to the height of six feet; the remaining space

to the roof was inclosed with only a simple grating, that the

air and light might be admitted. A door was placed in the middle

of the front. We next arranged the interior, with as much convenience

as the shortness of the time and our reluctance to use all our

timber would allow; we divided it half way up by a partition

wall, into two unequal parts; the largest was intended for the

sheep and goats, and the smallest for ourselves, when we should

wish to pass a few days here. At the further end of the stable

we fixed a house for the fowls, and above it a sort of hay-loft

for the forage. Before the door of entrance we placed two benches,

contrived as well as we could of laths and odd pieces of wood,

that we might rest ourselves under the shade of the trees, and

enjoy the exquisite prospect which presented itself on all sides.

Our own apartment was provided with a couple of the best bedsteads

we could make of twigs of trees, raised upon four legs two feet

from the ground, and these were destined to receive our cotton

mattresses. Our aim was to content ourselves for the present

with these slight hints of a dwelling, and to consider hereafter

what additions either of convenience or ornament could be made,

such as plastering, &c. &c. All we were now anxious about, was

to provide a shelter for our animal colonists, which should encourage

and fix them in the habit of assembling every evening in one

place. For several days, at first, we took care to fill their

troughs with their favourite food mixed with salt, and we agreed

that we would return frequently to repeat this indirect mode

of invitation for their society, till they should be entirely

fixed in their expectation of finding it.

I had imagined we could accomplish what we wished at the farm

in three or four days; but we found in the experiment that a

whole week was necessary, and our victuals fell short before

our work was done. We began to consider what remedy we could

apply to so embarrassing a circumstance; I could not prevail

upon myself to return to Falcon’s Stream before I had completed

my intentions at the farm, and the other objects of my journey.

I had even come to the determination of erecting another building

upon the site of Cape Disappointment; I therefore decided that

on this trying occasion I would invest Fritz and Jack with the

important mission. They were accordingly dispatched to Falcon’s

Stream and to Tent-House, to fetch new supplies of cheese, ham,

potatoes, dried fish, manioc bread, for our subsistence, and

also to distribute fresh food to the numerous animals we had

left there. I directed one to mount the onagra, and the other

the buffalo. My two knight-errants, proud of their embassy, set

off with a brisk trot; they at my desire took with them the old

ass to bring the load of provisions. Fritz was to lead him with

a bridle, while Jack smacked a whip near his ears to quicken

his motions; and certainly, whether from the influence of climate

or the example of his companion the onagra, he had lost much

of his accustomed inactivity: and this was the more important,

as I intended to make a saddle for my wife to get on his back

and relieve herself occasionally from the fatigue of walking.

During the absence of our purveyors, I rambled with Ernest about

the neighbouring soil, to make what new discoveries I could,

and to procure if possible some cocoa-nuts or other valuable

addition to our store of provisions.

We followed the winding of a river we had remarked, and which

conducted towards the centre of the wall of rocks; our course

was here interrupted by an extensive marsh which bordered a small

lake, the aspect of which was enchantingly picturesque. I perceived

with joyful surprise that the whole surface of this swampy soil

was covered with a kind of wild rice, ripe on the stalk, and

which attracted the voracity of large flocks of birds. As we

approached, a loud rustling was heard, and we distinguished on

the wing bustards, Canada heath-fowl in abundance, and great numbers

of smaller birds, with the names of which we were unacquainted.

We succeeded in bringing down five or six of them, and I was

pleased to remark in Ernest a justness of aim that promised well

for the future. The habits of his mind discovered themselves

on this as on many previous occasions; he betrayed no ardour,

he did every thing with a slowness that seemed to imply dislike;

yet the cool deliberation and constancy he applied to every attempt

he had to engage in, so effectually assisted his judgement, that

he was sure to arrive at a more perfect execution than the other

boys. He had practised but little in the study of how to fire

a gun to the best advantage; but Ernest was a silent inquirer

and observer, and accordingly his first essays were generally

crowned with success. In this affair, however, of the birds,

his skill would have proved fruitless, if Jack’s young jackal,

which had followed us in our walk, had not plunged courageously

into the swamp and brought out the birds as they fell.

At a small distance was also master Knips, who had taken his

post on Ponto’s back. Presently we saw him jump off and smell

earnestly along the ground among some thick-growing plants, then

pluck off something with his two paws and eat of it voraciously.

We ran to the spot to see what it could be, when, to the infinite

relief of our parched palates, we found he had discovered there

the largest and finest kind of strawberry, which is called in

Europe the _Chili_ or _pine strawberry_.

On this occasion the proud creature, man, generously condescended

to be the imitator of a monkey: we threw ourselves upon the ground,

as near to Knips as we could creep, and devoured as fast as we

could swallow, till we felt sufficiently refreshed. Many of these

strawberries were of an enormous size, and Ernest with his usual

coolness, and I must needs confess there was no want of his constancy

either, devoured an immense quantity: he however recollected

his absent friends, and filled a small gourd-shell we had brought

with us with the finest fruit, and then covered them with leaves

and tied them down with a tendril from a neighbouring plant,

that he might present them in perfection to his mother. I, on

my part, gathered a specimen of the rice to offer, that she might

inform us if it was fit for culinary purposes.

After pursuing our way a little further along the marsh, we reached

the lake, which we had descried with so much pleasure from a

distance, and whose banks being overgrown with thick underwood,

were necessarily concealed from the momentary view we had leisure

to take of surrounding objects, particularly as the lake was

situated in a deep and abrupt valley. No traveller who is not

a native of Switzerland can conceive the emotion which trembled

at my heart, as I contemplated this limpid, azure, undulating,

body of water, the faithful miniature of so many grand originals,

which I had probably lost sight of for ever! My eyes swam with

tears!—How glad I am to see a lake! I could almost think myself

in Switzerland, father, said Ernest.

Alas, a single glance upon the surrounding pictures, the different

characters of the trees, the vast ocean in the distance, destroyed

the momentary illusion, and brought back our ideas to the painful

reality that we were strangers in a desert island!

Another sort of object now presented itself to confirm the certainty

that we were no longer inhabitants of Europe; it was the appearance

of a quantity of swans which glided over the surface of the lake;

but their colour, instead of white, like those of our country,

was a jetty black[23]; and their plumage had so high a gloss

as to produce, reflected in the water, the most astonishing effect.

The six large feathers of the wing of this bird are white, exhibiting

a singular contrast to the rest of the body; in other respects

these creatures were remarkable, like those of Europe, for the

haughty gracefulness of their motions, and the voluptuousness

of their nature. We remained a long time in silent admiration

of the scene; some of the swans pursued their course magnificently

on the bosom of the blue water; others stopped and seemed to

hold deliberations with their companions, or to admire themselves,

or caress each other; many young ones followed in the train of

the parent bird, who frequently turned half round in execution

of her watchful and matronly office. This was a spectacle which

I could not allow to be interrupted by bloodshed, though Ernest,

rendered a little vain by his success and my encomiums, would

have been ready to fire upon the swans, if I had not absolutely

forbidden the attempt; at the same time I consoled him with the

promise that we would endeavour to obtain a pair of the interesting

creatures for our establishment at Falcon’s Stream.

Ponto just at this moment dragged out of the water a bird he

had seized; we ran to examine it, and our surprise was extreme

on remarking the singularity of its appearance. It was somewhat in

shape like an otter, and, like the tribe of water-birds, web-footed:

its tail was long and erect, and covered with a soft kind of

hair; the head was very small, and the ears and eyes were almost

invisible; to these more ordinary characters was added, a long

flat bill, like that of a duck, which protruded from its snout,

and produced so ludicrous an effect that we could not resist

a hearty laugh. All the science of the learned Ernest, joined

with my own, was insufficient to ascertain the name and nature

of this animal. We had no resource but to remain ignorant; in

the mean time we christened it by the name of _Beast with a bill_,

and decided that it should be carefully stuffed and preserved.

We now began to look for the shortest path for rejoining our

companions at the farm, which we reached at the same time with

Fritz and Jack, who had well performed the object of their journey,

and were received by all with satisfaction. We, on our parts,

produced our offering of strawberries and our specimen of rice,

which were welcomed with shouts of pleasure and surprise.

The beast with a bill was next examined with eager curiosity[24],

and then laid aside for the plan I had formed. My wife proceeded

to pluck and salt the birds we had killed, reserving one fresh

for our supper, which we partook of together upon the benches

before the door of our new habitation. We filled the stable with

forage, laid a large provision of grain for the fowls within

their house, and began arrangements for our departure.

The following day we took a silent leave of our animals and directed

our course towards Cape Disappointment. On entering Monkey Wood,

innumerable animals of the species from which it derives its

name began to scamper away, grinding their teeth in sign of anger

at our approach. We pursued our way, and arrived shortly after

at the eminence we were in pursuit of in the vicinity of Cape

Disappointment; we ascended it, and found it in every respect

adapted to our wishes. From this eminence we had a view over

the country which surrounded Falcon’s Stream in one direction, and

in others of a richly diversified extent of landscape comprehending

sea, land, and rocks. When we had paused for a short time upon

the exhaustless beauties of the scene, we agreed with one voice

that it should be on this spot we would build our second cottage.

A spring of the clearest water issued from the soil near the

summit, and flowed over its sloping side, forming, in its rapid

course, agreeable cascades: in short, every feature of the picture

contributed to form a landscape worthy the homage of a taste

the most delicate and refined. I presented my children with an

appropriate word.—Let us build here, exclaimed I, and call the

spot—Arcadia[25]; to which my wife and all agreed.

We lost no time in again setting to work upon this additional

arduous undertaking; our experience at the farm enabled us to

proceed in it with incredible rapidity, and our success was in

every respect more complete. The building contained a dining-room,

two bed-chambers, two stables, and a store-room for preserving

all kinds of provisions for man and beast. We formed the roof

square, with four sloping sides, and the whole had really the

appearance of a European cottage, and was finished in the short

space of six days.