"But are you certain it is safe to drink this?" asked she.
I assured her it was so, and advised the boys to cut enough to quench the thirst of the whole party, including our animals. This they did, only finding it necessary, as with the sugar-canes, to cut air holes above the joints.
After struggling onward for a short time, we emerged from the thickets into open ground, and saw the calabash trees in the distance. As we drew near, their curious appearance and singular fruit caused much surprise and also amusement, for we were speedily established among the trees, where, as I chose and cut down the gourds most likely to be useful, everyone engaged merrily in the work of cutting, carving, sawing, and scooping some manner of dish, bowl, cup, jar, or platter, according to his several taste or ability.
We were to dine here, and after a time Fritz and Jack began to prepare a fireplace, their great ambition being to heat the stones red hot, and cook the crab in a hollow gourd. Their mother, therefore, left them to their own devices, and attended to the hungry animals, unharnessing the ass to graze, and giving cocoanut milk to the poor little monkey, who had been obliged to travel in a covered basket for some time, lest he should be lost in the woods. The wounded bustard had been completely forgotten, and from heat and thirst was suffering greatly until her friendly care revived it, and it was tied to a tree and allowed to move about, its fierce spirit greatly tamed by adversity.
The cooking operations came to a stand soon after the fire was lighted, for it appeared that we had no more water in the jars we had brought, so the boys proposed to go in search of a spring. I agreed to accompany them; Ernest also wished to join us, and as our intention was to examine merely the surrounding wood, I saw no objection to leaving their mother and Franz for a short time.
Very soon after our exploration began, Ernest, who was in front, turned with a face of terror, shouting, "A wild boar! an immense wild boar, father! Do come quick!" And sure enough, I heard a loud snorting and puffing as some large animal passed hastily through the thick underwood beyond us. "After him, lads, after him!" cried I, hurrying forward. "Call the dogs! stand ready to fire!" And we pressed through the bushes to the spot where Ernest had seen the creature. The ground was grubbed up, and some potatoes lay about, showing that we had disturbed him at his mid-day meal. Ernest and Jack were more disposed to gather the roots than to follow up the chase. Fritz and I alone went after the dogs, who eagerly pushed on, and by the sounds we heard had evidently attacked the boar at no great distance. Terrific barking, snarling, and grunting guided us to the scene of action, and we beheld our mastiffs one on each side of a large respectable-looking pig, holding on by the great ears, while the animal, on seeing us, appeared rather to beseech our interference than to propose to offer a desperate resistance.
In a moment the truth became apparent! The captive grunter was no fierce native of the forest, but our own run-away sow! Our excitement had been wound to so high a pitch that the discovery was quite a shock, and we felt half angry with the creature who had disappointed us; then the absurdity of the whole thing made us laugh heartily, and calling off the dogs, the old lady was released from her ignominious position. Our laughter resounding through the wood brought Ernest and Jack from their potatoes, to see what was going on.
"Much use you two would have been suppose we had required help," cried Fritz, as they recognized their old friend.
"Ah, well, you see," returned Jack, "Ernest and I had a sort of a kind of presentiment that this was going to be the old sow. And just look at our fine potatoes!"
A good deal of joking on the subject ensued, but was interrupted by Ernest, who drew our attention to fruit resembling apples on the surrounding bushes, and on the grass beneath them.