CHAPTER XIX

Another Trip to the Wreck—Baking

After breakfast the next morning we returned to the seaside to complete the unloading of the raft, that it might be ready for sea on the flowing of the tide. We were not long in taking two cargoes to Falcon’s Stream. At our last trip the water was nearly up to our craft. I sent back my wife and the boys, and remained with Fritz till we were quite afloat; when observing Jack still loitering near, I guessed at his wish, and consented to his embarking with us. Shortly after, the tide was high enough for us to row off. Instead of steering for Safety Bay to moor our vessels there securely, I was tempted by a fresh sea-breeze to go out again to the wreck; but it was too late to undertake much, and I was unwilling to cause my dear partner uneasiness by passing another night on board. I therefore determined to bring away only what could be obtained with ease and speed: we searched hastily through the ship for any trifling articles that might be readily removed. Jack was up and down everywhere, at a loss what to select; and when I saw him again, he drew a wheelbarrow after him, shouting that he had found a vehicle for carrying our wild roots.

But Fritz next disclosed still better news, which was, that he had discovered, behind the bulkhead amidship, a pinnace (i.e. a small craft, the fore part of which is square), taken to pieces, with all its appurtenances, and even two small guns for its defence. This intelligence so delighted me, that I quitted everything else to run to the bulkhead, when I was convinced of the truth of the lad’s assertion: but I instantly perceived that to put it together, and launch it, would be an Herculean task. I collected various utensils, a copper boiler, some plates of iron, tobacco-graters, two grinding-stones, a small barrel of gunpowder, and another full of flints, which I much valued. Jack’s barrow was not forgotten; two more were afterwards found and added, with straps belonging to them. All these articles were hurried into the boat, and we re-embarked with speed, to avoid the land wind that rises in the evening.

Arrived at Falcon’s Stream, my wife exhibited a good store of tuberous roots, which she had got in during our absence, and a quantity of the roots I had taken for manioc, and in which I was not mistaken.

“But now,” said I, “for some supper and repose; and if my little workmen should be industriously inclined to-morrow, I shall reward them with the novelty of a new trade to be learned.” This did not fail to excite the curiosity of all; but I kept my word, and made them wait till the following day for the explanation I had to give.

I waked the boys very early, reminding them that I had promised to teach them a new trade.

“What is it? What is it?” exclaimed they, all at once, springing suddenly out of bed, and hurrying on their clothes.

Father.—It is the art of the baker, my boys. Hand me those iron plates that we brought yesterday from the vessel, and the tobacco-graters also, and we will make our experiment. Ernest, bring hither the roots you found; but first, my dear, I must request you to make me a small bag of a piece of strong wrapper cloth.

My wife set instantly to work to oblige me; but having no great confidence in my talents for making either bread or cakes, she first filled a copper boiler with roots, and put it on the fire, that we might not be without something to eat at dinner-time: in the meanwhile I spread a piece of coarse linen on the ground, and assembled my young ones round me: I gave each of the boys a grater, and showed him at the same time how to rest it on the linen, and then to grate the roots of manioc: in a short time each had produced a considerable heap of a substance somewhat resembling pollard.

By this time my wife had completed the bag. I had it well filled with what we called our pollard, and she closed it securely by sewing up the end. I was now to contrive a kind of press: I cut a long, straight, stout branch, from a neighbouring tree, and stripped it of the bark; I then placed a plank across the table we had fixed between the arched roots of our tree, and which was exactly the right height for my purpose, and on this I laid the bag; I put other planks again upon the bag, and then covered all with the large branch, the thickest extremity of which I inserted under an arch, while to the other, which projected beyond the planks, I suspended all sorts of heavy substances, such as lead, our largest hammers, and bars of iron, which, acting with great force as a press on the bag of manioc, caused the sap it contained to issue in streams, which flowed plentifully on the ground.

We then opened the bag, and took out a small quantity of the pollard, which already was dry enough: we stirred the rest about with a stick, and then replaced it under the press. The next thing was to fix one of our iron plates, which was of a round form, and a little hollow, so as to rest upon two blocks of stone at a distance from each other; under this we lighted a large fire, and when the iron plate was completely heated, we placed a portion of the dough upon it with a wooden spade. As soon as the cake began to be brown underneath, it was turned, that the other side might be baked also.

When the cake was cold, we broke some of it into crumbs, and gave it to two of the fowls, and a larger piece to the monkey, who nibbled it with a perfect relish, making all the time a thousand grimaces, while the boys stood by envying the preference he enjoyed.

The first thing after dinner was to visit our fowls. Those which had eaten the manioc were in excellent condition, and no less so was the monkey. “Now then to the bakehouse, young ones,” said I, “as fast as you can scamper.” The grated manioc was soon emptied out of the bag, a large fire was quickly lighted, and I placed the boys where a flat surface had been prepared for them, and gave to each a plate of iron and the quantity of a cocoa-nut full to make a cake apiece, and they were to try who could succeed the best. They were ranged in a half circle round me, that they might observe how I proceeded, and adopt the same method for themselves. The result was not discouraging for a first experiment, though it must be confessed we were now and then so unlucky as to burn a cake; but there was not a greater number of these than served to feed the pigeons and the fowls, which hovered round us to claim their share of the treat.

The rest of the day was employed by the boys in making several turns with their wheelbarrows, and by myself in different arrangements, in which the ass and our sledge had a principal share, both being employed in drawing to Tent House the remaining articles we had brought from the ship.