He set off, and soon returned: what he brought had the appearance of sea salt, but was so mixed with earth and sand, that I was on the point of throwing it away. My wife however prevented me; and by dissolving and afterwards filtering some of it through a piece of muslin, we found it admirably fit for use.
Why could we not have used some seawater, said Jack, instead of having all this trouble?
Sea water, answered I, is even more bitter than it is salt; and it has besides a disagreeable sickly taste. While I was speaking, my wife tasted the soup with a little stick with which she had been stirring it, and pronounced that it was all the better for the salt, and now quite ready. But, said she, Fritz is not come in. And then, how shall we manage to eat our soup without spoons, or dishes? Why did we not remember to bring some from the ship?
Why did we not think of them?—Because, my dear, one cannot think of every thing at once. We shall be lucky if we do not discover that we have forgotten even more important things.
But indeed, said she, this is a matter which cannot easily be set to rights. How will it be possible for each of us to raise this large boiling pot to his lips?
A moment’s further reflection convinced me my wife was right. We all cast our eyes upon the pot with a sort of silent and stupid perplexity, and we looked a little like the fox in the fable, when the stork desires him to help himself from a vessel with a long neck. Silence was at length broken, by all bursting into a hearty laugh at our want of every kind of utensil, and at the thought of our own folly, in not recollecting that spoons and forks were things of absolute necessity.
Ernest observed, that if we could but get some cocoa-nuts, we might divide and empty them, and use the pieces of the shells for spoons.
Yes, yes, that is true enough, replied I; if we could but get,—but we have them not; our ifs will do but little good; and if wishing were to any purpose, I had as lief wish at once for a dozen silver spoons; but alas! of what use is wishing?
But at least, said the boy, we can use some oyster-shells for spoons.
Why, this is well, Ernest, said I, and is what I call a useful thought. Run then quickly, and get us some of them. But, gentlemen, I must give you notice, that no one of you must give himself airs because his spoon is without a handle, or if he should chance to grease his fingers in the soup.