After having bid adieu to our dear boys, we got into the boat, and we left the shore to gain the current of the stream: thus we quickly cleared Safety Bay, and reached the vessel, whose open side offered us an ample space to get up it. As soon as we had got on board and our boat was securely fastened, our first care was to look out for fit materials to construct a raft. I wished to begin by executing an excellent idea suggested by my son Ernest. Our boat being built of staves had neither room nor solidity enough to carry a considerable burthen; we therefore looked about, and soon found a sufficient number of water-casks which appeared to me very proper for my intended new enterprise. We immediately emptied them, then replaced the bungs carefully, and threw the casks overboard, after securing them by means of ropes and cramps, so as to keep them together at the vessel’s side: this completed, we placed a sufficient number of planks upon them to form a firm and commodious platform or deck, to which we added a gunwale of a foot in depth all round, to secure the lading. Thus we contrived to possess a very handsome raft, in which we could stow thrice as much as in our boat. This laborious task had taken up the whole day; we scarcely allowed ourselves a minute to eat a mouthful of cold meat we had provided for the expedition, that we might not lose any time in looking for the provisions on board the vessel. In the evening, Fritz and I were so weary, that it would have been impossible for us to row back to land, even if our business had not detained us; we therefore came to the necessary resolution of passing the night on board; and having taken all due precautions in case of a storm, we reposed ourselves in the captain’s cabin, on a good elastic mattress essentially different from our hammocks: in fact, it so lulled us to rest, and induced such sound repose, that our prudent design to watch in turn for fear of accident, quite escaped us, and we both slept heavily, side by side, till broad day-light opened our eyes, when we awoke with lively gratitude to that Providence to whom we were indebted for the quiet and comfortable night we had passed. We rose, and actively set to work to load our raft.
In the first place we completely stripped the cabin which had been occupied by my family on board the vessel, removing every thing it contained which belonged to us previous to the fatal event of the wreck: from it we proceeded to the one in which we had slept so well, and carried off the very doors and windows, with their appendages; some valuable chests of the officers were there: but this discovery and the rich lace clothes which seemed to court our grasp, were less acceptable to us than the carpenter’s and gunner’s chests, containing all their tools and implements: those we could remove with levers and rollers, were put entire upon the raft; and we took out of the others what rendered them too heavy. One of the captain’s chests was filled with a number of costly articles, which no doubt he meant to dispose of to the opulent planters of Port Jackson, or among the savages. In the collection were several gold and silver watches, snuff-boxes of all descriptions, buckles, shirt-buttons, necklaces, rings, in short an abundance of all the trifles of European luxury; there was also a strong box full of louis d’or and dollars, which attracted our notice less than another containing a very pretty table-service of fine steel, which we had substituted for the captain’s that were silver, and for which my wife had shown no small regard: but the discovery that delighted me most, and for which I would readily have given the box with the louis, &c. was a chest containing some dozens of young plants of every species of European fruits, which had been carefully packed in moss for transportation. I perceived pear, plum, almond, peach, apple, apricot, chesnut trees, and vine shoots. I beheld with a feeling I cannot describe, those productions of my dear country, which once so agreeably embellished my rural dwelling, and which, if God vouchsafed to bless them, would thrive in a foreign soil. We discovered a number of bars of iron and large pigs of lead, grinding-stones, cart-wheels ready for mounting, a complete set of farrier’s instruments, tongs, shovels, ploughshares, rolls of iron and copper wire, sacks full of maize, pease, oats, vetches, and even a little hand-mill. The vessel had been freighted with every thing likely to be useful in an infant colony so distant; nothing had been forgotten. We found a saw-mill, in a separated state, but each piece numbered, and so accurately fitted, that nothing was easier than to put it together for use.
I had now to consider what of all these treasures I should take or leave. It was impossible to carry with us in one trip such a quantity of goods; and to leave them in the vessel, ready to fall to pieces and threatened every moment with complete destruction, was exposing ourselves to be wholly deprived of them, while every article so lost would be a subject of regret to us.
Ah! said Fritz, let us leave, in the first place, this useless money and the chest of trinkets; except the watches we promised my brothers: all the rest can be of no service to us.
It gives me pleasure, my boy, to hear you speak thus of gold, that idol so universally adored: we will do, then, as you wish, and determine upon taking with us what is really useful, such as the powder, lead, iron, the corn and the fruit-trees, implements for gardening and agriculture; let us take as many as possible of these: if we should have any room left, we can then select a few of the objects of luxury: however, begin by taking from the chest the two watches I have promised, and keep the best of them for yourself.
We then loaded our raft, not without difficulty and hard labour; we moreover stowed away for use in a chest, a large and handsome fishing-net, quite new, and the vessel’s great compass. With the net, Fritz found luckily two harpoons and a rope windlass, such as they use in the whale fishery. Fritz asked me to let him place the windlass, with the harpoons attached to the end of the rope, over the bow of our tub-boat, and thus hold all in readiness in case of seeing any large fish; and as I thought it was unusual to meet with these so near the shore, I indulged him in his innocent fancy.
It was afternoon before we had finished our lading; for not only our raft was as full as it could hold, but our boat likewise.
Having well and completely executed our undertaking, both as to construction and lading, we stepped into the tub-boat, and with some small difficulty, which a little reflection and a few experiments soon enabled us to overcome, we pushed out for the current, drawing our raft triumphantly after us with a stout rope, which we had been careful to fasten securely at its head.
CHAPTER XVIII.
The tortoise harnessed.
The wind was in a humour favourable to our undertaking, and briskly swelled our sail; the sea was calm, and we advanced without fear at a considerable rate. Fritz had been looking steadfastly for some time at something of a large size which was floating at some distance on the water, and he now desired me to take the glass and see what it could be. I soon perceived distinctly that it was a tortoise, which, agreeably to the habits of its singular species, had fallen asleep in the sun on the surface of the water, and we observed that it did not in the least appear sensible of our approach. No sooner had Fritz gained this information, than he earnestly entreated me to steer softly within view of so extraordinary a creature, that he might examine it at his ease. I readily consented; but as his back was towards me, and the sail was between us, I did not observe what he was about, till a violent jerk of the boat, a sudden turning of the windlass, and then a second jerk, accompanied by a rapid motion of the boat, gave me the necessary explanation. For Heaven’s sake what are you about, Fritz? exclaimed I. Have you a mind to destroy us with your thoughtlessness, which has put it out of my power to govern the boat?