was plentifully supplied with plates, glasses, spoons, knives, and forks. Besides the turtles' eggs omelette, our cook treated us to some slices of ham; this extra dish, with fresh biscuit, salt butter, and Dutch cheese, composed a delicious repast, which a small glass of Canary wine, from the captain's cellaret, rendered still more complete. All this time our dogs, hens, pigeons, sheep, goats, and, in fact, all our "live stock," collected around us, seemed to watch our proceedings with peculiar curiosity. The ducks and geese alone stood aloof from our society; they found themselves more comfortable in their own native element, where they feasted upon innumerable worms and small crabs, to which they appeared excessively partial. When supper was over, and I had described the doings of Frederick and myself, I reminded my wife of her promise, and she proceeded to fulfil it by relating, as follows, the events which had transpired during our absence. Beautiful is the land, with its prairies and forests of fruit-trees; THE WIFE'S NARRATIVE. T'S kind of you (said my good wife, smiling) to show so much anxiety to hear my story, and yet half an hour has passed since I was ready to begin it, and you have given me no opportunity. But it matters not. The longer the water is gathering, says the proverb, the longer it is flowing. I will spare you, however, the recital of our first day's labours; it passed very sadly and slowly, on account of the anxious thoughts your absence caused me, and very monotonously, because I dared not move far from the spot whence I could catch sight of your signals. Besides, the day was only noticeable for the accomplishment of Rudly's scheme of making defensive collars for our dogs. I was seated close to the tent, the only place where I could find a little shade, when I descried Rudly, at a short distance from me, busily engaged on the jackal which Frederick had killed. By the help of his knife, which he sharpened at intervals on the rock, he cut up the skin into long strips, cleaning them in the best manner possible. Meanwhile Ernest, with folded arms, stood contemplating the work; but from the mocking air with which he regarded his brother, while pronouncing the trade of tanner, which Ernest had RUDLY'S SUCCESS AS A TANNER. 85 chosen, a peculiarly disgustful one, I foresaw that they were on the brink of a quarrel. I hastened immediately to prevent it. Ernest I blained for a fastidiousness which in our position was simply ridiculous, while I praised Rudly for having undertaken a not very attractive task in order to contribute to the general utility. My approbation fired the zeal and imagination of our young Having finished cutting and cleaning his strips of hide, he went in search of a sufficient number of large-headed nails; he stretched out the skin, and covered it with a triple lining of sail-cloth of exactly the same size, that the heads of the nails might not wound the dogs' necks; then he begged me to sew together the skin and the canvas, as boys generally do not handle a needle with much dexterity: I consented, though to sew the newly-flayed skin was not a very pleasant occupation, and its smell, though Rudly will not confess it, is, entre nous, intolerable. When the collars were finished, he wanted a belt; but Ernest judiciously remarking that the skin would shrink as it dried, and spoil the shape of everything made from it, Rudly followed his brother's advice, nailed his belt and collars on a plank, and exposed them to the sun; before night they were quite dry and fit to be worn, except for their disagreeable odour, which, I fear, they will long retain. The remainder of the day passed without any remarkable incident. Towards evening, my mind being set at ease by your welcome signals, I retired with my children into our tent, whose entrance was guarded by our two faithful dogs. The night proved tranquil, but the reflections suggested by our position aroused me at an early hour. My children had suffered greatly on the preceding day from the heat, and I felt it would be impossible for us to remain much longer in a place so exposed on all sides to the sun's burning rays. A longing to discover some more suitable locality took entire possession of my mind, while the thought of the dangers you were bearing to improve our condition filled me with courage, and inspired me with the resolve to do something on my own part towards the general welfare. I recalled to my 86 STARTING ON A JOURNEY. mind all you had told us of the fair fresh country which you had visited two days agone, and I doubted not that Providence had there reserved for us an asylum quite as secure as, and much more convenient than, this bare and sandy coast. At daybreak I hastened to the beach to make the signals we had agreed upon, and the joy with which I recognized yours you can understand; and as you had informed me it was probable you would not return until the evening, I prepared to undertake the little excursion I had projected. After breakfast I communicated my intention to the children, who received the announcement with great delight, and each one provided himself with necessaries for the journey. The two eldest carried each a gun, a hunting-knife, and a game-bag filled with munitions and provisions; for my part, I took a hunting-bag well stored, a flask of water, and a small hatchet in my hand. I closed the entrance to the tent, and having cast a last look at the sea, we started on our journey, accompanied by our two dogs, and leaving the rest in God's good guardianship. Our steps were naturally directed along the course of the stream; Turk, who had followed you in your expedition, appeared to recognize the road, and acted as our guide. By this means we soon arrived at the point where you had crossed the brook, which we, in our turn, crossed in safety, although not without some difficulty. Having reached the other side, we took our road a little by chance. On seeing myself alone in this desert, and with no protection for little Fritz and myself but two young boys of eleven and thirteen years old, formidable only because they were able to use their weapons, I thanked God, and blessed him specially in my heart, dear husband, because from infancy you had accustomed your children to the management of fire-arms, although I had often blamed you secretly for what I regarded as a complaisance which might be attended with fatal consequences, while it was, on your part, a prudent precaution, and at the same time a means of inspiring them with promptness and courage. When we had climbed the ascent I was enchanted with the smiling aspect of the green and fertile country; and, for the first time since our shipwreck, my heart thrilled with mingled emotions APPEARANCE OF STRANGE BIRDS. 87 of joy and hope. I noticed especially a pleasant little grove at a short distance, and I resolved to direct our march towards it but we had to cross a plain covered with such tall grass that it rose above my head, and considerably retarded our progress. This induced us to diverge towards the left, and we soon discovered your original track; we followed it until we came in a right line with the little wood I speak of, when we quitted the path you had marked out, and moved in that direction. We found ourselves once more among the tall grass, when a strange noise suddenly broke on our ears, and at the same moment a bird of prodigious size darted through the herbage, to our surprise as well as terror. My two boys seized their guns, but before they could take aim the bird was far away. "What a nuisance!" cried Ernest; "if I had only had time to raise my gun, I would certainly have brought him down." "That is not so certain as you affirm," I replied; "and, besides, why did you let him take you unawares? A good hunter ought always to be on the alert." "That may be," rejoined Ernest; "and if similar game should present itself, I will have a word to say to it in passing. But let us find out the place whence our visitor emerged; perhaps he has his nest there, and we shall ascertain his species." "For myself," said little Fritz, I think he was an eagle; hi... size was so prodigious." |