CHAPTER XXXII.

CHAPTER XXXII.

The trees which I had chosen for my farmhouse were about a foot in
diameter in the trunk. They formed a long square; the long side facing
the sea. The dimensions of the whole were about twenty-four feet by
sixteen. I cut deep mortices in the trees, about ten feet distant from
the ground, and again ten feet higher, to form a second story; I then
placed in them strong poles: this was the skeleton of my house--solid,
if not elegant; I placed over this a rude roof of bark, cut in squares,
and placed sloping, that the rain might run off. We fastened these with
the thorn of the acacia, as our nails were too precious to be lavished.
While procuring the bark, we made many discoveries. The first was that
of two remarkable trees,--the _Pistacia terebinthus_ and the _Pistacia
atlantica;_ the next, the thorny acacia, from which we got the
substitute for nails.

The instinct of my goats led us also to find out, among the pieces of
bark, that of the cinnamon, not perhaps equal to that of Ceylon, but
very fragrant and agreeable. But this was of little value, compared to
the turpentine and mastic I hoped to procure from the pistachios, to
compose a sort of pitch to complete our intended boat.

We continued our work at the house, which occupied us several days. We
formed the walls of thin laths interwoven with long pliant reeds for
about six feet from the ground; the rest was merely a sort of light
trellis-work, to admit light and air. The door opened on the front to
the sea. The interior consisted simply of a series of compartments,
proportioned to the guests they were to contain. One small apartment was
for ourselves, when we chose to visit our colony. On the upper story was
a sort of hayloft for the fodder. We projected plastering the walls with
clay; but these finishing touches we deferred to a future time,
contented that we had provided a shelter for our cattle and fowls. To
accustom them to come to this shelter of themselves, we took care to
fill their racks with the food they liked best, mingled with salt; and
this we proposed to renew at intervals, till the habit of coming to
their houses was fixed. We all laboured ardently, but the work proceeded
slowly, from our inexperience; and the provisions we had brought were
nearly exhausted. I did not wish to return to Falcon's Nest till I had
completed my new establishment, and therefore determined to send Fritz
and Jack to look after the animals at home, and bring back a fresh stock
of provisions. Our two young couriers set out, each on his favourite
steed, Fritz leading the ass to bring back the load, and Jack urging the
indolent animal forward with his whip.

During their absence, Ernest and I made a little excursion, to add to
our provision--if we could meet with them, some potatoes and cocoa-nuts.
We ascended the stream for some time, which led us to a large marsh,
beyond which we discovered a lake abounding with water-fowl. This lake
was surrounded by tall, thick grass, with ears of a grain, which I found
to be a very good, though small, sort of rice. As to the lake itself, it
is only a Swiss, accustomed from his infancy to look on such smooth,
tranquil waters, that can comprehend the happiness we felt on looking
upon this. We fancied we were once more in Switzerland, our own dear
land; but the majestic trees and luxuriant vegetation soon reminded us
we were no longer in Europe, and that the ocean separated us from our
native home.

In the mean time, Ernest had brought down several birds, with a skill
and success that surprised me. A little after, we saw Knips leap off the
back of his usual palfrey, Flora, and, making his way through the rich
grass, collect and carry rapidly to his mouth something that seemed
particularly to please his palate. We followed him, and, to our great
comfort, were able to refresh ourselves with that delicious strawberry
called in Europe the Chili or pineapple strawberry. We ate plentifully
of this fruit, which was of enormous size; Ernest especially enjoyed
them, but did not forget the absent; he filled Knips's little pannier
with them, and I covered them with large leaves, which I fastened down
with reeds, lest he should take a fancy to help himself as we went home.
I took, also, a specimen of rice, for the inspection of our good
housekeeper, who would, I knew, rejoice in such an acquisition.

We proceeded round the lake, which presented a different scene on every
side. This was one of the most lovely and fertile parts we had yet seen
of this country. Birds of all kinds abounded; but we were particularly
struck with a pair of black swans, sailing majestically on the water.
Their plumage was perfectly black and glossy, except the extremity of
the wings, which was white. Ernest would have tried his skill again, but
I forbade him to disturb the profound tranquillity of this
charming region.

But Flora, who probably had not the same taste for the beauties of
nature that I had, suddenly darted forward like an arrow, pounced upon a
creature that was swimming quietly at the edge of the water, and brought
it to us. It was a most curious animal. It resembled an otter in form,
but was web-footed, had an erect bushy tail like the squirrel, small
head, eyes and ears almost invisible. A long, flat bill, like that of a
duck, completed its strange appearance. We were completely puzzled--even
Ernest, the naturalist, could not give its name. I boldly gave it the
name of the beast with a bill. I told Ernest to take it, as I wished to
stuff and preserve it.

"It will be," said the little philosopher, "the first natural object for
our museum."

"Exactly," replied I; "and, when the establishment is fully arranged,
we will appoint you curator."

But, thinking my wife would grow uneasy at our protracted absence, we
returned by a direct road to the tent. Our two messengers arrived about
the same time, and we all sat down together to a cheerful repast. Every
one related his feats. Ernest dwelt on his discoveries, and was very
pompous in his descriptions, and I was obliged to promise to take Fritz
another time. I learnt, with pleasure, that all was going on well at
Falcon's Nest, and that the boys had had the forethought to leave the
animals with provisions for ten days. This enabled me to complete my
farmhouse. We remained four days longer, in which time I finished the
interior, and my wife arranged in our own apartment the cotton
mattresses, to be ready for our visits, and put into the houses the
fodder and grain for their respective tenants. We then loaded our cart,
and began our march. The animals wished to follow us, but Fritz, on
Lightfoot, covered our retreat, and kept them at the farm till we were
out of sight.

We did not proceed directly, but went towards the wood of monkeys. These
mischievous creatures assaulted us with showers of the fir-apples; but a
few shots dispersed our assailants.

Fritz collected some of these new fruits they had flung at us, and I
recognized them as those of the stone Pine, the kernel of which is good
to eat, and produces an excellent oil. We gathered a bag of these, and
continued our journey till we reached the neighbourhood of Cape
Disappointment. There we ascended a little hill, from the summit of
which we looked upon rich plains, rivers, and woods clothed with verdure
and brilliant flowers, and gay birds that fluttered among the bushes.
"Here, my children," cried I, "here we will build our summer house. This
is truly Arcadia." Here we placed our tent, and immediately began to
erect a new building, formed in the same manner as the Farm House, but
now executed more quickly. We raised the roof in the middle, and made
four sloped sides. The interior was divided into eating and sleeping
apartments, stables, and a store-room for provisions; the whole was
completed and provisioned in ten days; and we had now another mansion
for ourselves, and a shelter for new colonies of animals. This new
erection received the name of Prospect Hill, to gratify Ernest, who
thought it had an English appearance.

However, the end for which our expedition was planned was not yet
fulfilled. I had not yet met with a tree likely to suit me for a boat.
We returned then to inspect the trees, and I fixed on a sort of oak, the
bark of which was closer than that of the European oak, resembling more
that of the cork-tree. The trunk was at least five feet in diameter, and
I fancied its coating, if I could obtain it whole, would perfectly
answer my purpose. I traced a circle at the foot, and with a small saw
cut the bark entirely through; Fritz, by means of the rope ladder we had
brought with us, and attached to the lower branches of the tree,
ascended, and cut a similar circle eighteen feet above mine. We then cut
out, perpendicularly, a slip the whole length, and, removing it, we had
room to insert the necessary tools, and, with wedges, we finally
succeeded in loosening the whole. The first part was easy enough, but
there was greater difficulty as we advanced. We sustained it as we
proceeded with ropes, and then gently let it down on the grass. I
immediately began to form my boat while the bark was fresh and flexible.
My sons, in their impatience, thought it would do very well if we nailed
a board at each end of the roll; but this would have been merely a heavy
trough, inelegant and unserviceable; I wished to have one that would
look well by the side of the pinnace; and this idea at once rendered my
boys patient and obedient. We began by cutting out at each end of the
roll of bark a triangular piece of about five feet long; then, placing
the sloping parts one over the other, I united them with pegs and strong
glue, and thus finished the ends of my boat in a pointed form. This
operation having widened it too much in the middle, we passed strong
ropes round it, and drew it into the form we required. We then exposed
it to the sun, which dried and fixed it in the proper shape.

As many things were necessary to complete my work, I sent Fritz and Jack
to Tent House for the sledge, to convey it there, that we might finish
it more conveniently. I had the good fortune to meet with some very
hard, crooked wood, the natural curve of which would be admirably
suitable for supporting the sides of the boat. We found also a resinous
tree, which distilled a sort of pitch, easy to manage, and which soon
hardened in the sun. My wife and Francis collected sufficient of it for
my work. It was almost night when our two messengers returned. We had
only time to sup and retire to our rest.

We were all early at work next morning. We loaded the sledge, placing on
it the canoe, the wood for the sides, the pitch, and some young trees,
which I had transplanted for our plantation at Tent House, and which we
put into the boat. But, before we set out, I wished to erect a sort of
fortification at the pass of the rock, for the double purpose of
securing us against the attacks of wild beasts or of savages, and for
keeping enclosed, in the savannah beyond the rocks, some young pigs,
that we wished to multiply there, out of the way of our fields and
plantations.

As we crossed the sugar-cane plantation, I saw some bamboos larger than
any I had ever met with, and we cut down one for a mast to our canoe. We
now had the river to our left, and the chain of rocks to our right,
which here approached the river, leaving only a narrow pass. At the
narrowest part of this we raised a rampart before a deep ditch, which
could only be crossed by a drawbridge we placed there. Beyond the
bridge, we put a narrow gate of woven bamboos, to enable us to enter the
country beyond, when we wished. We planted the side of the rampart with
dwarf palms, India fig, and other thorny shrubs, making a winding path
through the plantation, and digging in the midst a hidden pitfall, known
to ourselves by four low posts, intended to support a plank bridge when
we wished to cross it. After this was completed, we built a little
_chalet_ of bark in that part of the plantation that faced the stream,
and gave it the name of the Hermitage, intending it for a
resting-place. After several days of hard labour, we returned to
Prospect Hill, and took a little relaxation. The only work we did was to
prepare the mast, and lay it on the sledge with the rest.

The next morning we returned to Tent House, where we immediately set to
work on our canoe with such diligence that it was soon completed. It was
solid and elegant, lined through with wood, and furnished with a keel.
We provided it with brass rings for the oars, and stays for the mast.
Instead of ballast, I laid at the bottom a layer of stones covered with
clay, and over this a flooring of boards. The benches for the rowers
were laid across, and in the midst the bamboo mast rose majestically,
with a triangular sail. Behind I fixed the rudder, worked by a tiller;
and I could boast now of having built a capital canoe.

Our fleet was now in good condition. For distant excursions we could
take the pinnace, but the canoe would be invaluable for the
coasting service.

Our cow had, in the mean time, given us a young male calf, which I
undertook to train for service, as I had done the buffalo, beginning by
piercing its nostrils; and the calf promised to be docile and useful;
and, as each of the other boys had his favourite animal to ride, I
bestowed the bull on Francis, and intrusted him with its education, to
encourage him to habits of boldness and activity. He was delighted with
his new charger, and chose to give him the name of Valiant.

We had still two months before the rainy season, and this time we
devoted to completing the comforts of our grotto. We made all the
partitions of wood, except those which divided us from the stables,
which we built of stone, to exclude any smell from the animals. We soon
acquired skill in our works; we had a plentiful supply of beams and
planks from the ship; and by practice we became very good plasterers. We
covered the floors with a sort of well-beaten mud, smoothed it, and it
dried perfectly hard. We then contrived a sort of felt carpet. We first
covered the floor with sailcloth; we spread over this wool and goats'
hair mixed, and poured over it isinglass dissolved, rolling up the
carpet, and beating it well. When this was dry, we repeated the process,
and in the end had a felt carpet. We made one of these for each room, to
guard against any damp that we might be subject to in the rainy season.

The privations we had suffered the preceding winter increased the
enjoyment of our present comforts. The rainy season came on; we had now
a warm, well-lighted, convenient habitation, and abundance of excellent
provision for ourselves and our cattle. In the morning, we could attend
to their wants without trouble, for the rain-water, carefully collected
in clean vessels, prevented the necessity of going to the river. We then
assembled in the dining-room to prayers. After that we went to our
work-room. My wife took her wheel, or her loom, which was a rude
construction of mine, but in which she had contrived to weave some
useful cloth of wool and cotton, and also some linen, which she had made
up for us. Everybody worked; the workshop was never empty. I contrived,
with the wheel of a gun, to arrange a sort of lathe, by means of which
I and my sons produced some neat furniture and utensils. Ernest
surpassed us all in this art, and made some elegant little things for
his mother.

After dinner, our evening occupations commenced; our room was lighted up
brilliantly; we did not spare our candles, which were so easily
procured, and we enjoyed the reflection in the elegant crystals above
us. We had partitioned off a little chapel in one corner of the grotto,
which we had left untouched, and nothing could be more magnificent than
this chapel lighted up, with its colonnades, portico, and altars. We had
divine service here every Sunday. I had erected a sort of pulpit, from
which I delivered a short sermon to my congregation, which I endeavoured
to render as simple and as instructive as possible.

Jack and Francis had a natural taste for music. I made them flageolets
of reeds, on which they acquired considerable skill. They accompanied
their mother, who had a very good voice; and this music in our lofty
grotto had a charming effect.

We had thus made great steps towards civilization; and, though
condemned, perhaps, to pass our lives alone on this unknown shore, we
might yet be happy. We were placed in the midst of abundance. We were
active, industrious, and content; blessed with health, and united by
affection, our minds seemed to enlarge and improve every day. We saw
around us on every side traces of the Divine wisdom and beneficence; and
our hearts overflowed with love and veneration for that Almighty hand
which had so miraculously saved, and continued to protect us. I humbly
trusted in Him, either to restore us to the world, or send some beings
to join us in this beloved island, where for two years we had seen no
trace of man. To Him we committed our fate. We were happy and tranquil,
looking with resignation to the future.

END OF THE FIRST PART OF THE JOURNAL.

* * * * *

POSTSCRIPT BY THE EDITOR.

It is necessary to explain how this first part of the journal of the
Swiss pastor came into my hands.

Three or four years after the family had been cast on this desert coast,
where, as we see, they lived a happy and contented life, an English
transport was driven by a storm upon the same shore. This vessel was the
_Adventurer_, Captain Johnson, and was returning from New Zealand to the
eastern coast of North America, by Otaheite, to fetch a cargo of furs
for China, and then to proceed from Canton to England. A violent storm,
which lasted several days, drove them out of their course. For many days
they wandered in unknown seas, and the ship was so injured by the storm,
that the captain looked out for some port to repair it. They discovered
a rocky coast, and, as the violence of the wind was lulled, ventured to
approach the shore. At a short distance they anchored, and sent a boat
to examine the coast. Lieutenant Bell, who went with the boat, knew a
little German. They were some time before they could venture to land
among the rocks which guarded the island, but, turning the promontory,
they saw Safety Bay, and entering it, were astonished to see a handsome
pinnace and boat at anchor, near the strand a tent, and in the rock
doors and windows, like those of a European house.

They landed, and saw a middle-aged man coming to meet them, clothed in
European fashion, and well armed. After a friendly salutation, they
first spoke in German and then in English. This was the good father; the
family were at Falcon's Nest, where they were spending the summer. He
had seen the vessel in the morning through his telescope, but, unwilling
to alarm, or to encourage hopes that might be vain, he had not spoken of
it, but come alone towards the coast.

After much friendly conference, the party were regaled with all
hospitality at Tent House, the good Swiss gave the Lieutenant this first
part of his journal for the perusal of Captain Johnson, and, after an
hour's conversation, they separated, hoping to have a pleasant
meeting next day.

But Heaven decreed it otherwise. During the night, another fearful storm
arose; the _Adventurer_ lost its anchor, and was driven out to sea; and,
after several days of anxiety and danger, found itself so far from the
island, and so much shattered, that all thoughts of returning were given
up for that time, and Captain Johnson reluctantly relinquished the hope
of rescuing the interesting family.

Thus it happened that the first part of this journal was brought to
England, and from thence sent to me, a friend of the family, in
Switzerland, accompanied by a letter from the Captain, declaring, that
he could have no rest till he found, and became acquainted with, this
happy family; that he would search for the island in his future voyages,
and either bring away the family, or, if they preferred to remain, he
would send out from England some colonists, and everything that might be
necessary to promote their comfort. A rough map of the island is added
to the journal, executed by Fritz, the eldest son.

* * * * *