CHAPTER XVII.

CHAPTER XVII.

I rose early, and descended the ladder, a little uneasy about my
kangaroo, and found I was but just in time to save it, for my dogs had
so enjoyed their repast on the entrails, which I had given them the
night before, that they wished to appropriate the rest. They had
succeeded in tearing off the head, which was in their reach, and were
devouring it in a sort of growling partnership. As we had no store-room
for our provision, I decided to administer a little correction, as a
warning to these gluttons. I gave them some smart strokes with a cane,
and they fled howling to the stable under the roots. Their cries roused
my wife, who came down; and, though she could not but allow the
chastisement to be just and prudent, she was so moved by compassion,
that she consoled the poor sufferers with some remains of last
night's supper.

I now carefully stripped the kangaroo of his elegant skin, and washing
myself, and changing my dress after this unpleasant operation, I joined
my family at breakfast. I then announced my plan of visiting the vessel,
and ordered Fritz to make preparations. My wife resigned herself
mournfully to the necessity. When we were ready to depart, Ernest and
Jack were not to be found; their mother suspected they had gone to get
potatoes. This calmed my apprehension; but I charged her to reprimand
them for going without leave. We set out towards Tent House, leaving
Flora to protect the household, and taking our guns as usual.

We had scarcely left the wood, and were approaching Jackal River, when
we heard piercing cries, and suddenly Ernest and Jack leaped from a
thicket, delighted, as Jack said, in having succeeded in their plan of
accompanying us, and, moreover, in making us believe we were beset with
savages. They were, however, disappointed. I gave them a severe reproof
for their disobedience, and sent them home with a message to their
mother that I thought we might be detained all night, and begged she
would not be uneasy.

They listened to me in great confusion, and were much mortified at
their dismissal; but I begged Fritz to give Ernest his silver watch,
that they might know how the time passed; and I knew that I could
replace it, as there was a case of watches in the ship. This reconciled
them a little to their lot, and they left us. We went forward to our
boat, embarked, and, aided by the current, soon reached the vessel.

My first care was to construct some more convenient transport-vessel
than our boat. Fritz proposed a raft, similar to those used by savage
nations, supported on skins filled with air. These we had not; but we
found a number of water-hogsheads, which we emptied, and closed again,
and threw a dozen of them into the sea, between the ship and our boat.
Some long planks were laid on these, and secured with ropes. We added a
raised edge of planks to secure our cargo, and thus had a solid raft,
capable of conveying any burden. This work occupied us the whole day,
scarcely interrupted by eating a little cold meat from our game-bags.
Exhausted by fatigue, we were glad to take a good night's rest in the
captain's cabin on an elastic mattress, of which our hammocks had made
us forget the comfort. Early next morning we began to load our raft.

We began by entirely stripping our own cabin and that of the captain. We
carried away even the doors and windows. The chests of the carpenter and
the gunner followed. There were cases of rich jewellery, and caskets of
money, which at first tempted us, but were speedily relinquished for
objects of real utility. I preferred a case of young plants of European
fruits, carefully packed in moss for transportation. I saw, with
delight, among these precious plants, apple, pear, plum, orange,
apricot, peach, almond, and chesnut trees, and some young shoots of
vines. How I longed to plant these familiar trees of home in a foreign
soil. We secured some bars of iron and pigs of lead, grindstones,
cart-wheels ready for mounting, tongs, shovels, plough-shares, packets
of copper and iron wire, sacks of maize, peas, oats, and vetches; and
even a small hand-mill. The vessel had been, in fact, laden with
everything likely to be useful in a new colony. We found a saw-mill in
pieces, but marked, so that it could be easily put together. It was
difficult to select, but we took as much as was safe on the raft, adding
a large fishing-net and the ship's compass. Fritz begged to take the
harpoons, which he hung by the ropes over the bow of our boat; and I
indulged his fancy. We were now loaded as far as prudence would allow
us; so, attaching our raft firmly to the boat, we hoisted our sail, and
made slowly to the shore.

* * * * *