CHAPTER XV.

CHAPTER XV.

I had observed on the shore, the preceding day, a quantity of wood,
which I thought would suit to make a sledge, to convey our casks and
heavy stores from Tent House to Falcon's Nest. At dawn of day I woke
Ernest, whose inclination to indolence I wished to overcome, and leaving
the rest asleep, we descended, and harnessing the ass to a strong branch
of a tree that was lying near, we proceeded to the shore. I had no
difficulty in selecting proper pieces of wood; we sawed them the right
length, tied them together, and laid them across the bough, which the
patient animal drew very contentedly. We added to the load a small chest
we discovered half buried in the sand, and we returned homewards, Ernest
leading the ass, and I assisted by raising the load with a lever when we
met with any obstruction. My wife had been rather alarmed; but seeing
the result of our expedition, and hearing of the prospect of a sledge,
she was satisfied. I opened the chest, which contained only some
sailors' dresses and some linen, both wetted with sea-water; but likely
to be very useful as our own clothes decayed. I found Fritz and Jack had
been shooting ortolans; they had killed about fifty, but had consumed so
much powder and shot, that I checked a prodigality so imprudent in our
situation. I taught them to make snares for the birds of the threads we
drew from the karata leaves we had brought home. My wife and her two
younger sons busied themselves with these, while I, with my two elder
boys, began to construct the sledge. As we were working, we heard a
great noise among the fowls, and Ernest, looking about, discovered the
monkey seizing and hiding the eggs from the nests; he had collected a
good store in a hole among the roots, which Ernest carried to his
mother; and Knips was punished by being tied up, every morning, till the
eggs were collected.

Our work was interrupted by dinner, composed of ortolans, milk, and
cheese. After dinner, Jack had climbed to the higher branches of the
trees to place his snares, and found the pigeons were making nests. I
then told him to look often to the snares, for fear our own poor birds
should be taken; and, above all, never in future to fire into the tree.

"Papa," said little Francis, "can we not sow some gunpowder, and then we
shall have plenty?" This proposal was received with shouts of laughter,
which greatly discomposed the little innocent fellow. Professor Ernest
immediately seized the opportunity to give a lecture on the composition
of gunpowder.

At the end of the day my sledge was finished. Two long curved planks of
wood, crossed by three pieces, at a distance from each other, formed the
simple conveyance. The fore and hind parts were in the form of horns, to
keep the load from falling off. Two ropes were fastened to the front,
and my sledge was complete. My wife was delighted with it, and hoped I
would now set out immediately to Tent House for the butter-cask. I made
no objection to this; and Ernest and I prepared to go, and leave Fritz
in charge of the family.

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