CHAPTER XVII.
More stores from the wreck.
I rose with the first crowing of the cock, before the rest of the family was awake, descended the ladder, and employed myself in carefully skinning the kangaroo, so as not to deface its beautiful mouse-coloured coat; and it was really high time to think about it. Our dogs were so well satisfied the preceding evening with their meal on the entrails of the animal, that they became partial to it, and had just sprung up in the design of making a complete breakfast of the whole carcase. Before I was at the bottom of the ladder, they had torn off the head of the kangaroo, which I had suspended at some height by the hind feet, and, half friends half foes, they were going to divide it amongst them, when my presence opportunely prevented the partition. It occurred to me, that as I had neither cellar nor safe to keep my provisions in, it behoved me to give them a slight correction: growling and barking, they took refuge under the roots, and the half-suppressed kind of howling they continued to make, awoke my wife, who, on missing me, came down alarmed to know what was the matter. For the love of God, exclaimed she, what has happened? Are the dogs run mad, or have you lost your senses?—Nothing of the kind, I answered; I was only giving our dogs a short sermon on temperance and the necessity of self-control.—Then better it would be to enforce your precepts by example, to begin by subduing anger, and not by exercising your vengeance on poor faithful animals, who are innocent, and unconscious of the mischief they are doing.
Kind-hearted creature, said I: it is well known to me how glad you would be if there were no sticks in the world! But I assure you I did not beat Turk and Ponto through anger or revenge, but from prudence and precaution; and be persuaded I have not hurt them much: they modestly intended only to eat up our kangaroo, which you promised yourself such pleasure in cooking; and unable as I was to acquaint them in the canine tongue, that it was not placed there for their use, it was proper to let them know this in such a way as to deter them in future; otherwise, as they are strongest, they would end by devouring all our stock.
My wife owned I was in the right: but I observed her from a corner of my eye hovering about the roots, and patting the dogs to console them. As to myself, I set about stripping my kangaroo, and endeavoured to remove the skin entirely without injuring it; but this gave me so much trouble, and I advanced so slowly in the business, that all my little family were assembled about me and their mother, and calling out, Famine, before I had finished my work. Having completed it, I went to the stream to wash myself thoroughly, and then to the sailor’s chest to change my coat, that I might make a decent appearance at breakfast, and give my sons an example of that cleanliness which their mother was at all times eager to inculcate. Breakfast over, I ordered Fritz to prepare everything to go to Tent-House, and prepare our boat, that we might proceed to the vessel. At the moment of departure, wishing to take leave of all my family, I found that Ernest and Jack were wanting: their mother knew no more than myself what was become of them, but she thought they were gone to get some potatoes, which we wanted. I charged her to reprove them a little for this, to prevent their accustoming themselves to stray from home alone and without leave, in an unknown country; but they had taken Turk along with them this time, and I was therefore the less uneasy.
We began our journey after having taken an affectionate leave of my wife and of my little Francis. I left Ponto with her, and I entreated her not to be uneasy, and to commit herself to the care of the kind Providence who had till then so graciously watched over us, and who would again bring us back to her safe and sound, enriched with many things conducive to our welfare. But to bring her to reason on the subject of these trips to the vessel, was impracticable: I left her bathed in tears, and praying God that this might be the last.
We separated with mutual emotion, hastening our steps to make our stay the shorter, and we soon reached and crossed the bridge: at this moment, to our astonishment, we heard the shrill sounds of human voices, and almost at the same time we saw Ernest and master Jack come forth from a bush, delighted to have half alarmed us.—Ah! did not you think we were savages? said Jack;—or some of the vessel’s company? continued Ernest.
——Or rather, said I, two little thoughtless rogues whom I soon knew, and am much inclined to chide as they deserve, not for their little artifice, but for having left their home without permission.
Ernest.—Oh! father, we have such a desire to go with you to the vessel, and we were afraid you would refuse us if we asked you; but we thought that when you saw us so near to the place, you would consent to our accompanying you.
Very badly argued, my young gentleman, replied I. At Falcon’s Stream I might perhaps have consented, although I have so many things to take, that it would be wrong to let you occupy a place in the boat; but as it is, I would on no account leave your poor mother in anxiety the whole day as to what is become of you, and you cannot yourselves desire it: besides, I have a commission to give you for her that I have much at heart. I then requested them to tell her that it was probable we should be forced to pass the night on board the vessel, and not return to her till the evening of the following day. I knew that was what she most feared, and I had wanted resolution to apprise her of this possibility: I was to blame for this weakness, for not to see us return at the expected time was still more painful; yet it was of essential consequence to get out of the vessel, if it yet remained afloat, all that could be saved, as every moment might complete its destruction, and all our future hopes be swallowed up with it. With this view I told my sons what they should say to their mother; I exhorted them to obey and to assist her; and that their excursion might not be useless, I made them collect some salt, and I enjoined them to be at Falcon’s Stream before noon. I suffered in knowing the double anguish of my poor wife, resulting from our departure and the prolonged absence of two of her sons. To be sure of the fulfilment of this order, I requested Fritz to lend Ernest his silver watch, and told him he would find a gold one in the vessel, in which case he would allow his brother to keep the one he lent him, and that we might perhaps get another for Jack. This hope filled them with joy, and consoled them for not going on with us.