It was not without much difficulty that we conducted the cart through the thick entangled bushes, the most intricate of which I every where cut down, and we helped to push it along with all our strength. We succeeded tolerably well at last; and that the poor animals might have time to rest, we determined to pass several hours in this place which furnished such a variety of agreeable and useful objects. We began by gathering a bag full of the guavas; and after regaling ourselves plentifully upon them, we put the remainder into the cart. We next examined anew, and with close attention, the interesting structure of the nest inhabited by the colony of birds, and concluded, contrary to the opinion I had formerly entertained, that the little green parrot was an invader who had seized upon an empty place, and fixed himself in it; for numerous flocks of the brown-coloured birds now passed in and out, rested upon the bushes which produced the wax, and devoured large quantities of the berries, which explained the reason of their building their singularly-contrived abode in this particular spot. We claimed the same privilege as the birds, and had soon filled another bag with the berries we found means to beat down from the bushes. Seeing them so greedily consumed by those little animals, the boys desired to follow their example, and accordingly tasted them, but found them too insipid for their palate.
We had brought the monkey with us to search out the nests of the heath-fowl, that we might seize upon the eggs; but we postponed the setting him on this employment till we should again reach the place on our way back, for fear of breaking the eggs in carrying. We continued our way, and soon arrived at the caoutchouc, or gum-elastic trees: I thought we could not do better than to make a halt here, and endeavour to collect a sufficient quantity of the sap, to make the different kinds of utensils, and the impenetrable boots and shoes, as I had before proposed. It was with this design that I had taken care to bring with me several of the most capacious of the gourd rinds. I made deep incisions in the trunks, and fixed some large leaves of trees partly doubled together lengthways, to the place, to serve as a sort of channel to conduct the sap to the vessels I had kept in readiness to receive it. We had not long begun this process before we perceived the sap begin to run out as white as milk, and in large drops, so that we were not without hopes by the time of our return to find the vessels full, and thus to have obtained a sufficient quantity of the ingredient for a first experiment.
We left the sap running, and pursued our way, which led us to the wood of cocoa-trees; from thence we passed to the left, and stopped half way between the bamboos and the sugar canes, intending to furnish ourselves with a provision of each. We aimed our course so judiciously, that on clearing the skirts of the wood we found ourselves in an open plain, with the sugar-cane plantations on our left, and on our right those of bamboo interspersed with various kinds of palm-trees, and in front the magnificent bay formed by Cape Disappointment, which stretched far out into the sea.
The prospect that now presented itself to our view was of such exquisite beauty, that we determined to choose it for our resting-place, and to make it the central point of every excursion we should in future make: we were even more than half disposed to desert our pretty Falcon’s Stream, and transport our possessions hither: a moment’s reflection, however, betrayed the folly of quitting the thousand comforts we had there with almost incredible industry assembled: and we dismissed the thought with promising ourselves to include this ravishing spot ever more in our projects for excursions. We disengaged the animals, that they might graze and refresh themselves under the shade of the palm-trees, and sat down to enjoy our own repast, and to converse on the beauty of the scene.
Our next proceeding was to divide amongst us the different occupations which were the objects of our walk. Some scampered away to the right to cut bamboos; others to the left, to secure the sugar-canes, of both which a large bundle was collected, tied together, and put into the cart. The bodily exertions made by the boys again excited their desire to eat; they sucked some of the canes, but their hunger was not appeased. Their mother, however, refused to let them have the remainder of the provisions, and they therefore cast a longing eye to the tops of the trees, where they saw a great number of cocoa-nuts suspended. After a short deliberation, it was determined that two of them should venture on climbing to the top, a height of from sixty to eighty feet, and with the hatchet which would be fastened to his waist, should beat them down. Fritz and Jack had no hesitation; they selected the trees which had most fruit for their attempt, and with my assistance they proceeded a considerable way; but when left to themselves, their legs and arms were too short to embrace the trunk of the tree, and having no place of rest for either, they scampered down again much quicker than they had ascended, chagrined and out of countenance. It was now my part to interfere: I wished, said I, to let you try for yourselves first; but though it may be well to be possessed of personal courage, yet at your age, my boys, it is advisable to distrust your own suggestions and to ask advice from persons of experience: had you applied for mine, I should have told you how impossible it would be for you to mount such a tree as this without assistance. It is true, very young sailor-boys mount to the heads of masts, which are nearly as high; but then the mast is of small circumference, and the boys have, besides, the aid of ropes. I have something here which may answer the same purpose;—here are some pieces of prepared shagreen, which must be tied round your legs; then with this cord I shall fasten you by the body to the trunk of the tree, but so loosely that it will move up and down when you do; by sitting occasionally on this cord, you will be enabled to rest when necessary, and so push on by little and little. This manner of climbing trees is practised by savages and by negro slaves with success. At first you will make but slow progress, but after two or three experiments you will find no further difficulty.
The boys had listened with entire attention: excited by the description I had made, they eagerly demanded to be equipped for the experiment, and their success exceeded our expectation; they with tolerable ease reached the top of the tree, where the thick tufted foliage furnished a commodious seat, and from whence they sent forth exulting salutations. They now took their hatchets and set to work, when presently a shower of cocoa-nuts descended, from which the persons below had barely time to escape by running to a distance. The monkey having observed what was going on, took the fancy of imitating his young masters, and springing from the ground into one of the trees, he with his teeth and his paws sent down as many nuts as the hatchet: he then came down with equal swiftness, and seating himself on the ground began to crack one of the nuts, making all the time such strange grimaces as to occasion us all much merriment. The two boys had descended with more caution than the monkey, and with perfect safety: they received our compliments on the skill and address they had evinced in so promptly making themselves masters of so valuable an art.
Ernest was the only person who took no part in this animated scene: his brothers began to banter him a little on the old subject of his indolence; they approached him gravely, and offered him some cocoa-nut, to refresh him after so much fatigue; he made no reply, and pushed the offering aside. He then rose from his seat, and began to examine the trees one by one with deep attention; he requested me to saw off the top of a cocoa-nut for him, which he emptied, and fastened round it cross-ways a string with a loop to hang it to the button of his waistcoat. Not one of us could imagine what he was going to do; he placed a small hatchet in his girdle, and then advancing a few paces out of the group we formed, he in a graceful manner pronounced the following little address:
“I am sensible, my dear parents, that in our republic, or rather in our kingdom, (for our father is to us as a beloved sovereign, and our mother as a much cherished queen,) I am I say sensible, that here, as in Europe, he who has sufficient talent to raise himself above the rest, is held in high consideration and esteem. For my own part, I must confess I had more pleasure in remaining in tranquillity without endeavours to obtain distinction. I have but little ambition, and am fond of quiet, and therefore the greater will be my desert, if I, like the rest, resolve to contribute to the general good of this our country, by executing, as the other subjects have done, the task of climbing trees; well satisfied if, like them, I should obtain the applauses of my king and of my fellow-citizens!—To the tree then, since climbing is the question,” said he, saluting us with his hand as he sprang away to a high palm-tree of the cabbage species[13].
I looked with extreme curiosity; but when I saw him courageously grasp the trunk with his legs and arms, and proceed to climb without assistance, I approached the tree and offered him the shagreen and the cord; he accepted the first, but refused the cord. I am naturally somewhat awkward, observed he, and to have to draw a cord after me would only add to my difficulty; besides, I think I have no occasion for it. In fact, he employed so much earnest desire in the undertaking, and exerted his limbs with so much spirit, that I was astonished at the rapidity of his ascent, and conceived at every remove the most terrible alarm, since the further from the ground, the more danger would attend him, should any slip or other accident occasion him to fall. I kept my station near the foot of the tree, continually encouraging him by calling out: Bravo, bravo, boy Ernest, though last in attempt, yet it is you who have shown the greatest courage, for you have not, like your brothers, had assistance from the cord. Fritz and Jack, who were spectators also, now, instead of seeming humbled by my repeated commendation of Ernest, to my great surprise, were observed whispering each other with an air of self-satisfaction; I could not for my own part conceive what could be the subject of their seeming exultation, but I soon learnt the truth. When Ernest now showed himself at the very top of the tree, Fritz and Jack burst into an immoderate fit of laughter:—Pains enough for nothing, master Ernest, bawled they as loud as they could: in your sublime wisdom, master Ernest, you have chosen a tree which has no fruit upon it. Not a single cocoa-nut will you bring down, your most devoted fellow-subjects can truly assure you!
Not a cocoa-nut, certainly, replied Ernest in his loudest voice; but, brothers, you shall receive a crown instead, and at the same instant he with his hatchet cut off the tufted summit of the palm-tree, and a large mass of tender leaves fell at our feet.