Swiss Family Robinson

the avenue of fruit trees. The buffalo we left behind, for his services were not needed, and I

se, and were lying prostrate on the ground, others were bent, some few only remained erect. We raised the trees, and

ed, and he handed me the fibres as I requ

uld run away, and in a little while we will untie them and they will trot about after us and give us fr

s, the wild ones grow out in the woods like the crab-apples, and the tame on

trees. No European tree bears good fruit until it is grafted!' I saw a puzzled look co

d produces, not such fruit as the original stock would have borne, but such as the tree from which it was taken would have produced. Thus, if we have a sour crab tree, and an apple tree be

the slips of good fruit come fro

itudes than ours, the most luscious fruit trees are indigenous to the soil, and flourish and bear sweet, wholesome fruit, without the slightest care of attention being bestowe

ple, nut bushes, and bramble bushes, but by grafting on these, fine apples, filberts, and raspberri

even call cherries Swiss? I alway

they are called cherries from Cerasus, a state of Pontus, in Asia, whence they wer

e of the greatest antiquity. We hear, if you remember, of Noah cultivating vines, and they have been

rossed Jackal River and entered our plantation at Tentholm. `H

we are evidently within the tropics, wher

Palestine; the figs originally from the island of Chios; the preaches and apricot

way with fruit, we have been given wisdom and skill, which ha

ent was provided with a stout bamboo prop, and then, with appetites

but at length these good things produced the desired effect, and one after another declared himself satisfied. As

k that the nest itself is perfect, I really wish for nothing better, but I should like to be able to get

project, and turned over ever

ore than once have I thought that this trunk might be hollow or partly so, and if such be the case our task woul

ok at them and one flew right against my face a

be for all we can tell hollow the greater part of its length, for like the willow in our own country it might d

of. The rest followed his example, and they were all soon climbing about like squirrels peepi

es, disturbed by this unusual noise, with an angry buzz burst out and in an instant attacked the causers of the annoyance; they swa

d was soon a most pitiable sight, his face swelled to an extraordinary degree, and it was only by the constant application of cold earth that the pain was alleviated. T

iven the insects from their present abode, we might not lose them entirely. The lower half of the gourd I flattened, I then cut an a

ll dark, and then when all the bees had again returned to their trunk, with Fritz's assistance I carefully stopped up

ne, and inserted one end through the clay into the tree; do

st pipeful, and putting my thumb over the end of the cane, I gave the pipe to Fritz to refill. He did so and I again smoked. The buzzing was no

quick with a hammer and chis

r however, we did not take out, but we left it attached by one corner that it might be remo

ee, and placed them in the hive prepared for their reception. As rapidly I then took every ato

the house with which I had presented them, and insist on returning to their old quarters. To prevent the possibility of this occurrence I took a quantity of

nse deal of noisy humming ensued. Round and round they flew, backwards and forwards between the gourd and tree, now settling here and now there, until, at length, after due consideration, they took pos

ame fluid. This we placed in a clean canvas bag, and subjected to a heavy pressure. The honey was thus soon forced out, and we stored it in a cask, and, though not perhaps quite equal to the former batch

labourious task. A door had first to be made, so at the base of the trunk we cut away the bark and formed an openin

length we had the satisfaction of seeing it entirely accomplished, and, as we stood below

al stairs; in this we cut notches to receive the steps, and corresponding notches in the tree itself to support the outer ends. The

flush with the top of the centre pole. On this pole we erected another to reach the top of the tree, and securi

n a hand-rail on either side, one round the centre pi

accustomed had we become to having a definite piece of work before us t

had both presented us with additions to our flock, and these frisky youngsters had to be seen after; to prevent them straying to any great distance, f

disappeared in that mysterious way in which puppies and kittens are wont to leave the earth. To console the mother, as he said, but also, I susp

They guided him by a bar thrust through the hole in his nose, which was now perfectly healed, and this served the purpose just as a bit in the mouth of a horse. I began his education by securing round him a broad girth of buffalo-hide

ad prepared for him, that the animal might become accustomed to t

these he placed sometimes between the wide-spreading horns of the buffalo or goat, and sometime

bring down small birds upon the wing, when he stooped and struck his quarry in most sportsmanlike manner. We kept him well away from

se. With Jack's help he made a little basket of rushes, which he so arranged with straps that it might be easily fitted on to the m

t; nothing could persuade him that the animals he caught were not at once to be devoured, consequently poor Jack was never able to save from his

he rest and recreation we required while engag

s at first, yet we were soon obliged to acknowledge that the light they gave was imperfect, and their appearance was unsightly;

used as a sweatband, to keep sweat and dirt from lodging in the neckband of the shirt. A collar at t

had prepared. My first idea was to pour the wax in at the end of the mould, and then when the

ed them well, we might pour the melted wax into the two halves bound tightly t

of inflammable wood from a tree, a native of the Antilles, which I thought would serve our purpose; this I cut into long slips, and fixed in the centr

bees' wax and half wax from the candleberries. The moulds carefully prepared-half with karata fibre,

was unanimous: neither gave such a good light as those with the cotton wicks; but even my wife declared that the light from mine was far preferable to that emi

omised myself a pair of waterproof bo

er after layer of caoutchouc I brushed over it, allowing each layer to dry before the next was put on, until at length I considered that the shoes were of sufficient thickness. I dried them,

om all sides, and soon everyone in t

rry the water by pipes from the stream to our present residence. A dam had to be thrown across the river some way up stream, that the water might be raised to a sufficient height to run to Falconhurst. From t

hole sack of potatoes. Thus day after day brought its own work, and day after day saw that wor

pable of, we were suddenly alarmed by hearing a most terrific noise, the roaring or bellowing of

lla, while Ernest gave it as his opinion, and I thoug

epare to receive it; up with you all

I sent them out to protect the animals be

oitre, and Fritz and I carefully crept down; with our guns at full cock we glided amongst the trees; noiselessly and quickly we pushed on further and further

aying his approach right merrily appeared in sight. To our surprise, however, our friend was not alone: behind hi

ager. Creep back to Falconhurst and

returned with the cord, and I was glad to observe also brought some oats and salt. We made one end of the cord fast to a tree, and at the other end made a runnin

s soon munching contentedly. The stranger, on seeing Fritz, started back; but finding her companion show no

he cord, the noose drew tight, and she fell to the earth half strangled. I at once ran up, loosened the rope and replaced it by a hal

lashed out with her heels on every side; and, giving vent to angry snorts, struggled violently to get free. All he

ee, which for the present formed our stables, and there I tied her up

ied, and at length, when the animal was subdued by hunger, I thought I might venture to mount her; and having given her the strongest curb and shackled her feet, I attempted to do so. She

ng ear in my teeth, in spite of her kicking and plunging, bit it through. The result w

obediently and quietly. Proud, indeed, did I feel as I watched this animal, which naturalists and trave

elter for our animals before the rainy season came on; three broods of chickens had been su

d up with clay and moss; and coating the whole over with a mixture of tar and lime-water, we obtained a firm balcony, and a capital roof impervious to the severest fall of rain. I ran a light rail round the balcony

d but to store them with food. Day after day we w

ding the two younger boys home with their mother and the cart, I took a large canvas bag, and with Fritz and Ernest, the

ck. As we were thus engaged, Knips sprang suddenly into a bush close by, from which, a momen

me! I've got a couple of birds an

eedy little monkey from seizing the eggs. We quickly tied the legs of the birds, and removing the eggs from the nest, placed them in Ernest's hat; whi

ght be kept warm, and as soon as possible I handed them over to my wife who managed the mother so cleverly that she ind

panion on whom to exercise his valour, he amused himself for a short time in hewing down ima

heir tissue was composed of long silky fibres. A sudden thought struck me-this must be New Zealand flax. I co

ow be clothed in rags; just make me a spindle, and you shall soon have shirts and stoc

s, and soon the onager and buffalo were galloping home again, each laden with a great b

nd in ingenuity. This must be retted, carded, spun and woven, and then with s

the flax, and next morning we set out thither; the cart drawn by the ass, and laden with the bu

ing, and explained to them how steeping the flax leaves des

so strong that they can neither be overturned nor washed away. They are formed in the shape of blunted cones, and placed point downwards; at the upper and broader end is built

then taking it out and drying it thoroughly in

s, sugar-canes, were all collected and stored in abundance-for grumbling thunder, lowering skies, and sharp showers warne

p. Our dwelling was indeed crowded: the animals and provisions below, and our beds and household goods around us, hemmed us in on every side; by degrees, by dint of patience a

ally obliged to light, was not agreeable; but i

ift for themselves, outside during the daytime, bringing them under the arched roots only at night. To perform this

ushed on several layers of caoutchouc over stout shirts, to which she attached hoods; she then fixed to these duck t

ssisted me in the manufacture of carding-combs and a spindle for their mother. The combs I made with nails, which I placed head downwards on a sheet of tin about an inch wide; h

ed since our arrival in this foreign land; and, while my wife was busy with her needle and Ernest making sketches of

ill close prisoners. Incessant rain battered down ab