The family Robinson Crusoe

by Johann David Wyss

Father.—It was quite right to be cautious my son: but let me look at these roots. I am always glad to hear that you observe and reflect upon all the objects which fall in your way. How did you first discover them?

Ernest.—I was rambling about, father, and met with the sow, who with her snout was turning up the earth under the plant I have been speaking of, and stopped only to chew and swallow greedily something she seemed to find there. I drove her away; and on looking into the place, I found a knot of roots, which I tore out and brought home.

Father.—If my suspicion is right, you have made a beneficial discovery, which with the assistance of our potatoes may furnish us the means of existence as long as we may remain in this island! I am tolerably certain that these roots are manioc, of which the natives of the West Indies make a sort of bread or cake which they call cassave. But if we would make this use of it, we must first carry it through a certain preparation, without which these roots possess pernicious properties. If you are sure of finding the same place, or we can collect enough in any other, we will secure a sufficiently large quantity for our first experiment, which I have great confidence will succeed.

By the time of ending this discourse, we had also finished unloading the sledge, and I bade the three eldest boys accompany me to fetch another load before it should be dark. We left Francis and his mother busy in preparing what we indeed stood much in need of after a day of such fatigue, a refreshing meal for supper, the tortoise having presented itself most opportunely for this effect. I promise you, cried my wife, as we were moving off, you shall not at your return find reason to complain.

As we walked along, Fritz asked me if this handsome shell was of the kind so much valued in Europe for making into boxes, combs, &c.? and if it was not a pity to use it for a water-tub?

I replied, that in our deserted situation the utility of a thing formed its greatest, and indeed only value. According to this way of reasoning then, were your water-tub of diamonds, it would be of no more worth to us than the rudest stone, if in such a form as to be able to contain water. However, dear boy, I shall inform you, for your consolation, that our tortoise, which makes such excellent food, is not of the species, the shells of which are so much esteemed for the uses you have mentioned. This latter kind, which is called caret, does not furnish a wholesome food, its flesh being no less remarkable for its bad and unpalatable properties, than those of our tortoise for savouriness and nourishment. The shell of the caret tortoise is prepared for use by the action of heat, which separates the layer that from its colour and transparency is so attractive, from the inferior and useless parts. It is usual to preserve even the clippings of the real tortoise shell and unite them by heat for making articles of small price; but these are much more liable to break than the former, and of course possess very little of their beauty.

We now reached the raft, and took from it as many effects as the sledge could hold, or the animals draw along. The first object of my attention was to secure two chests which contained the clothes of my family, which I well knew would afford the highest gratification to my exemplary wife, who had frequently lamented that they were all compelled to wear clothes that were not their own; reminding her at every moment, she said, how much they might be wanted by their proper claimants. I reckoned also on finding in one of the chests some books on interesting subjects, and principally a large handsomely printed Bible. I added to these, four cart-wheels and a hand-mill for grinding; which, now that we had discovered the manioc, I considered of signal importance. These and a few other articles completed our present load.

On our return to Falcon’s Nest, we found my wife looking anxiously for our arrival, and ready with the welcome she had promised, of an ample and agreeable repast; nor was her kind humour diminished by the view of the acquisitions we now added to her store of necessaries. Before she had well examined them, she drew me, with one of her sweetest smiles, by the arm,—Step this way, said she, and I too will produce something that will both refresh and please you. And leading to the shade of a tree,—This, continued she, is the work I performed in your absence, pointing to a cask of tolerable size, half-sunk into the ground, and the rest covered over with branches of trees. She then applied a small cork-screw to the side, and filling the shell of a cocoa-nut with the contents, presented it to me. I found the liquor equal to the best canary I had ever tasted.—How then, said I, have you performed this new miracle? I cannot believe the enchanted bag produced it.—Not exactly, replied she; for this time it was an obliging white wave which threw on shore the agreeable liquid with which I have now the pleasure to regale you. I took a little ramble in your absence yesterday, to see what I could find, and behold how well my trouble was rewarded! The boys ran for the sledge, and had but little difficulty in getting it to Falcon’s Stream, where our next care was to dig a place in the earth, to receive and keep it cool. We guessed it must contain some sort of wine; but to be quite sure, Ernest and Jack bored a small hole in the side, and inserting a hollow reed, they contrived to taste it, and assured me the cask was filled with a most delicious beverage. I now thought it was high time to forbid their proceeding any further with the tasting, fearing for the effect on their poor heads; and I closed up the hole with a small piece of wood. I have nothing more to relate, but that the boys kept the secret, as I desired them.

My wife and I agreed that we would now recompense them, by giving each a small glass of the precious liquor; but the young creatures took such a fancy to it, that they obtained again and again a little more, till at last we perceived their spirits so much raised, that we were obliged to refuse their further entreaties with gravity and firmness; observing to them, that man is required to restrain his appetite, and not to abuse, by excesses, the good things a bountiful Providence allows us for the purpose of rejoicing our hearts and strengthening our bodies when used with moderation.

By means of this little lecture I succeeded in appeasing their turbulence, and in drawing them from the dangerous vicinity of the cask. For my own part, the generous character of the wine had so invigorated me, that I found myself able to complete my day’s work, by drawing up the mattresses we had brought from the ship, to our chamber in the tree, by means of a pulley. When I had laid them along to advantage, they looked so inviting, that I could scarcely resist my desire of at once committing myself to the kind relief they seemed to offer to my exhausted strength.