Fritz.—And this is the great witchcraft! Tobacco-smoke! it was worth puffing off to be sure! Your secret is not equivalent to the property of my monkey, is it, Father?
Why not? If the bargain is fair, as I think it is, it should by all means hold good; if not, Ernest will not require any thing for useless counsel; but I have reason to think well of the method, and therefore approve of it. Bees may be stupefied in the same manner, so as to take them without resistance, or how could the honey-comb be obtained? The notion I assure you, boys, is far from bad.
Francis.—Oh! then there is a way to hinder the naughty bees from stinging poor little boys who want just to taste their honey? Good papa, pray go and smoke awhile opposite that hole in the tree, and make these stinging gentry sleep long enough for us to take away at least half of their honey without being devoured by them.
Fritz having consented to the experiment, took some tobacco and a pipe, of which we had found plenty in the sailors’ chests, and began to smoke, at the same time gradually approaching the unruly bird. As soon as it was somewhat composed, he replaced the fillet over the eyes, and smoked close to its beak and nostrils so effectually, that it became motionless on the spot, and had the exact air of a stuffed bird. Fritz thought it dead, and was inclined to be angry with his brother; but I told him it would not hold on the perch if it were lifeless, and that its head alone was affected,—and so it proved. The favourite came to itself by degrees, and made no noise when its eyes were unbound; it looked at us with an air of surprise, but void of fury, and grew tamer and calmer every day. The monkey was adjudged unanimously to Ernest, who took possession of it the same evening, and made it lie down near him. We all passed an excellent night in our green castle, and in our good beds, which we returned to with abundant satisfaction.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Origin of some European fruit-trees.—Bees.
We commenced early the next day a business which we had long determined to engage in: it was to plant bamboos close to all the young trees, to support them effectually in their growth. We quitted our tree with great alertness, having our cart loaded with canes and a large pointed iron to dig holes in the ground. We left my wife this time with only her dear little Francis, requesting them to prepare us a plentiful dinner, and to include the palm-tree cabbage and the sago-macaroni mixed with some Dutch cheese; in addition to these performances, they volunteered the melting some of the wax berries for our store of candles.
We did not take the buffalo with us, as I wished to give it a day’s rest for its nose to heal up; the cow was sufficient for drawing the load of light bamboo canes. Before setting out, we gave the buffalo a few handfuls of salt, to ingratiate ourselves with our horned companion; and this treat pleased him so highly, that he showed by many signs his inclination of accompanying us; and to prevent this, we were compelled to fasten him securely till we were out of sight.
We began our work at the entrance of the avenue which we had formed, and nearest to Falcon’s Stream. The walnut, chesnut, and cherry-trees we had planted in a regular line and at equal distances, we found disposed to bend considerably to one side, seemingly as they had been directed by the wind. Being the strongest, I took the task of making holes with the implement, upon myself, which, as the soil was light, I easily performed, taking care to go deep enough to fix the stake firmly. In the mean time the boys selected the bamboos, cut them of equal lengths, and pointed the ends to go into the ground. When they were well fixed, we threw up the earth compactly about them, and fastened the saplings by the branches to them with some long, straight tendrils of a plant which we found near the spot. In the midst of our exertions we entered with much detail into a conversation respecting the culture of trees. Till then my boys had only thought of eating fruits, without giving themselves much trouble about their production; but now their curiosity was excited, and they questioned me so closely on the subject, that I was somewhat at a loss in answering them. I communicated however, with pleasure, all within my knowledge: I perceived that the occasion was particularly favourable for rendering my lessons instructive and truly profitable, as the occupation we were engaged in gave me an opportunity to illustrate the lesson by means of the objects before our eyes. I shall briefly relate the summary of our discourse, which may be of use to young persons designed for an agricultural life.
Fritz.—Are the young trees that we have recently planted, and just propped up, wild or cultivated?
Jack.—A pretty question indeed! Do you imagine that trees are tamed like buffalos and eagles? You would perhaps teach them to stoop politely when we come to gather their fruit, to avoid giving us the trouble of reaching to their branches.