The family Robinson Crusoe

by Johann David Wyss

In the eighth, a father, to whose paternal care the task of guiding the machine for the safety of his beloved family was intrusted. Each of us had useful implements within reach; the hand of each held an oar, and near each was a swimming apparatus in readiness for what might happen. The tide was already at half its height when we left the ship, and I had counted on this circumstance as favourable to our want of strength. We held the two paddles longways, and thus we passed without accident through the cleft of the vessel into the sea. The boys devoured with their eyes the blue land they saw at a distance (for to us it appeared to be of this colour). We rowed with all our strength, but long in vain, to reach it: the boat only turned round and round: at length, however, I had the good fortune to steer in such a way that she proceeded in a straight line. The two dogs we had left on board, perceiving that we had abandoned them, plunged immediately into the sea and swam to the boat; they were too large for us to think of giving them admittance, and I dreaded lest they should jump in and upset us. Turk was an English dog, and Ponto of the Danish breed. I was in great uneasiness on their account, for I feared it would not be possible for them to swim so far. The dogs however managed the affair with perfect intelligence. When they found themselves fatigued, they rested their fore paws on one of the paddles, which were now turned crossways, and the rest of their bodies followed with very little effort.

Jack was disposed to refuse them this accommodation: but he soon yielded to my argument, that it was cruel and unwise to neglect creatures thrown on our protection, and who indeed might hereafter protect us in their turn by guarding us from harm, and assisting in our pursuit of animals for food. Besides, added I, animals are created beings, and God has given the dog to man to be his friend and faithful companion.

Our voyage proceeded securely, though slowly; but the nearer we approached the land, the more gloomy and unpromising we thought its aspect appeared. The coast was occupied by barren rocks, which seemed to offer nothing but hunger and distress. The sea was calm; the waves, gently agitated, washed the shore, and the sky was serene; in every direction we perceived casks, bales, chests, and other vestiges of shipwrecks, floating round us. In the hope of obtaining some good provisions, I determined on endeavouring to secure two of the casks. I bade Fritz have a rope, a hammer, and some nails ready, and to try to seize them as we passed. He succeeded in laying hold of two of them, and in such a way that we found it easy to draw them after us to the shore. Now that we were close on land, its hideous aspect was considerably softened, the rocks no longer appeared one undivided chain; Fritz with his hawk’s eyes already descried some trees, and exclaimed that they were palm trees. Ernest expressed his joy that he should now get much larger and better cocoa nuts than those of Europe. I for my part was venting audibly my regret, that I had not thought of bringing with us a telescope that I knew was in the captain’s cabin, when Jack drew a small spy-glass from his pocket, and, with a look of triumph that he was able to compensate this neglect, instantly presented it to me.

So, so, then, said I, you meant to keep this spy-glass for yourself, and to let no one else have the benefit of it! This was not fair; pleasures and pain, all should be in common in such a situation as ours. Jack assured me that he had forgot to give it to me sooner, and that he had taken it for the benefit of all. In reality, the glass was of great importance; for with its aid I was able to make the necessary observations, and consequently became more sure of the route I ought to take. I remarked that the shore before us had a desert and savage aspect, but that towards the left, the scene was much more agreeable: but when I attempted to steer in that direction, a current carried me irresistibly towards the coast that was rocky and barren. By and by we perceived a little opening between the rocks, near the mouth of a creek, towards which all our geese and ducks betook themselves; and I, relying on their sagacity, followed in the same course. This opening formed a little bay, the water of which was tranquil, and neither too deep nor too shallow to receive our boat. I entered it, and cautiously put on shore on a spot where the coast was about the same height above the water as our tubs, and where at the same time there was a quantity sufficient to keep us afloat. The shore extended inland in a shelving declivity in the form of an isosceles triangle, the upper angle of which terminated among the rocks, while the margin of the sea formed the basis.

All that had life in the boat jumped eagerly on land. Even little Francis, who had been wedged in his tub like a potted herring, now got up and sprang forward; but, with all his efforts, he could not succeed without his mother’s help. The dogs, who had swam on shore, received us as if they were appointed to do the honours of the place, jumping round us with every demonstration of joy: the geese kept up a loud continual cackling, to which the ducks, with their broad yellow beaks, contributed a perpetual thorough bass: the cocks and hens, which we had already set at liberty, clucked; the boys chattering all at once; produced all together an overpowering confusion of sounds: to this was added the disagreeable scream of some penguins and flamingos, which we now perceived, some flying over our heads, others sitting on the points of the rocks at the entrance of the bay. By and by the notes of the latter had the ascendant, from the superiority of their numbers; and their society became the more unpleasant, from a comparison we could not avoid making, between the sounds they uttered, with the harmony of the feathered musicians of our own country. I had however one advantage in perspective;—it was the reflection that, should we hereafter be short of food, these very birds might serve for our subsistence.

The first thing we did on finding ourselves safe on terra firma, was to fall on our knees, and return thanks to the Supreme Being who had preserved our lives, and to recommend ourselves with entire resignation to the care of his paternal kindness.

We next employed our whole attention in unloading the boat. Oh, how rich we thought ourselves in the little we had been able to rescue from the merciless abyss of waters! We looked every where for a convenient place to build a tent under the shade of the rocks; and having all consulted and agreed upon a place, we set to work. We drove one of our poles firmly into a fissure of the rock; this formed the ridge of our tent, and rested upon another pole, which was driven perpendicularly into the ground. A frame for a dwelling was thus made secure. We next threw some sail-cloth over the ridge; and, stretching it to a convenient distance on each side, fastened its extremities to the ground with stakes. By way of precaution, we left the chests of provisions and other heavy matters on the shore, and fixed some tenter-hooks near the edge of the sail-cloth in front, that we might be able to inclose the entrance during night. I next desired my sons to look about and collect all the grass and moss they could find, and spread it to dry in the sun, as it would then serve us for beds. During this occupation, in which even the little Francis could take a share, I erected at a small distance from the tent, and near a river from which I hoped to be supplied with fresh water, a kind of little kitchen. A few flat stones that I found in the bed of the river served for a fire-place. I got a quantity of dry branches: with the largest I made a small inclosure round it; and with the little twigs, added to some of our turf, I made a brisk cheering fire. We put some of the soup cakes, with water, into our iron pot, and placed it over the fire; and my wife, with her little Francis for a scullion, took charge of preparing the dinner. Francis, from their colour, had mistaken the soup cakes for glue. Why, papa, said he, what are you going to use glue for? I am going to make some soup of it, said his mother laughing. That is droll enough, answered he; for how shall we get any meat to put into it, here, where there is nothing like a butcher’s shop?

Little blockhead, said I, what you have been thinking was glue, is in reality excellent meat, reduced as you see to a jelly, by the process of cookery, and which being dried, is in no danger of becoming stale. In this state it will bear long voyages by sea, where it would be difficult to take sufficient animals for the use of the ship’s company, who would otherwise be kept constantly on a less wholesome soup made from salted meat; but ours, I assure you, Francis, will be excellent. The poor child was hungry enough to believe he should partake of it with joy.

In the mean while Fritz had been reloading the guns, with one of which he had wandered along the side of the river. He had proposed to Ernest to accompany him; but Ernest replied that he did not like a rough and stony walk, and that he should go alone to the sea-shore. Jack took the road towards a chain of rocks which jutted out into the sea, with the intention of gathering some of the muscles which grew upon them. My own occupation was now an endeavour to draw the two floating casks on shore, but in which I could not succeed; for our place of landing, though convenient enough for our machine, was too steep for the casks. While I was looking about to find a more favourable spot, I heard loud cries proceeding from a short distance, and recognised the voice of my son Jack. I snatched my hatchet, and ran in an agony of apprehension to his assistance. I soon perceived him up to his knees in water in a shallow, and that a large sea lobster had fastened his claws in his leg. The poor boy screamed pitiably, and made useless efforts to disengage himself. I jumped instantly into the water; and the enemy was no sooner sensible of my approach, than he let go his hold, and would have scampered out to sea, but that I indulged the fancy of a little malice against him for the alarm he had caused us. I turned quickly upon him, and took him up by the body and carried him off, followed by Jack, who shouted our triumph all the way. He begged me at last to let him hold the animal in his own hand, that he might himself present so fine a booty to his mother. Accordingly, having observed how I held it to avoid the gripe, he laid his own hand upon it in exactly the same manner; but scarcely had he grasped it, than he received a violent blow on the face from the lobster’s tail, which made him lose his hold, and the animal fell to the ground. Jack again began to bawl out, while I could not refrain from laughing heartily. In his rage he took up a stone, and killed the lobster with a single blow. I was a little vexed at this conclusion to the scene. This is what we call killing an enemy when he is unable to defend himself, Jack, said I;—it is wrong to revenge an injury while we are in a state of anger: the lobster, it is true, had given you a bite; but then you on your part, would have eaten the lobster. So I think the game was equal. Another time I advise you to be both more prudent and more merciful. But pray, papa, let me carry it to my mother, said Jack, fearless now of further warfare; and accordingly he carried it to the kitchen, triumphantly exclaiming, Mamma, mamma, a sea-lobster!—Ernest, a sea-lobster! Where is Fritz? Where is Fritz? Take care, Francis, he will bite you. In a moment all were round him to examine the wonderful creature, and all proclaimed their astonishment at his enormous size; while they observed that its form was precisely that of the common lobster so much in use in Europe.