CHAPTER XXX

House in the Salt Rock—Turtles

The lucky discovery of a previously existing cavern in the rock had, as must be supposed, considerably lessened our labour; excavation was no longer requisite. I had more room than was wanted for the construction of our dwelling: to render it habitable was the present object, and to do this did not seem a difficult task. The upper bed of the rock, in front of the cavern, through which my little Jack had dug so easily, was of a soft nature, and to be worked with moderate effort. I hoped also that, being now exposed to the air and heat of the sun, it would become by degrees as hard and compact as the first layer that had given me so much trouble. From this consideration I began, while it retained its soft state, to make openings for the doors and windows of the front. This I regulated by the measurement of those I had fixed in my winding stair-case, which I had removed for the purpose of placing them in our winter tenement. I had previously marked out the openings to be cut for the frames, which were received into grooves for greater convenience and solidity. I took care not to break the stone taken from the apertures, or at least to preserve it in large pieces, and these I cut with the saw and chisel into oblongs an inch and a half in thickness, to serve as tiles. I laid them in the sun, and was gratified in seeing they hardened quickly; I then removed them, and my sons placed them in order against the side of the rock, till they were wanted for our internal arrangements.

When I could enter the cavern freely with a good doorway, and it was sufficiently lighted by the windows, I erected a partition, for the distribution of our apartments and other conveniences. The extent of the place afforded ample room for my design, and even allowed me to leave several spaces in which salt and other articles could be stored. I laid out the interior in the following manner: A very considerable space was first partitioned off in two divisions; the one on the right was appropriated to our residence, that on the left was to contain the kitchen, stables, and work-room. At the end of the second division, where windows could not be placed, the cellar and store-room were to be formed; the whole separated by partition-boards, with doors of communication, so as to give us a pleasant and comfortable abode.

The side we designed to lodge in was divided into three apartments; the first, next the door, was the bedroom for my wife and me, the second a dining-parlour, and the last a bedroom for the boys. As we had only three windows, we put one in each sleeping-room; the third was fixed in the kitchen, where my wife would often be. A grating for the present fell to the lot of our dining-room, which when too cold was to be exchanged for one of the other apartments. I contrived a good fireplace in the kitchen near the window; I pierced the rock a little above, and four planks nailed together, and passing through this opening, answered the purpose of a chimney. We made the work-room near the kitchen of sufficient dimensions for the performance of undertakings of some magnitude; it served also to keep our cart and sledge in. Lastly, the stables, which were formed into four compartments, to separate the different species of animals, occupied all the bottom of the cavern on this side; on the other were the cellar and magazine.

The long stay we made at Tent House, during these employments, furnished us an opportunity of perceiving several advantages we had not reckoned upon. Immense turtles were often seen on the shore, where they deposited their eggs in the sand, and they regaled us with a rich treat; but, extending our wishes, we thought of getting possession of the turtles themselves for livestock, and of feasting on them whenever we pleased. As soon as we saw one on the sands, one of my boys was despatched to cut off its retreat; meanwhile we approached the animal, and quietly, without doing it any injury, turned it on its back, then passed a long cord through the shell, and tied the end of it to a stake, which we fixed close to the edge of the water. This done, we set the prisoner on its legs again; it hastened into the sea, but could not go beyond the end of the cord; apparently it was all the happier, finding food with more facility along shore than out at sea; and we enjoyed the idea of being able to take it when wanted.

A number of sea-dogs came into Safety Bay, and ascended the river in search of prey, sporting in the water along shore, without evincing any fear of us. The fish presented no attraction to the palate, but its skin, tanned and dressed, makes excellent leather. I was in great need of it for straps and harness, to make saddles for Fritz and Jack to ride the onagra and buffalo, and in short for our own use to cut up into soles, belts, and pantaloons, of which articles we much wanted a fresh supply; besides, I knew the fat yielded good lamp oil, that might be substituted for tapers in the long evenings of winter; and that it would be further useful in tanning and rendering the leather pliant.

At this time I likewise made some improvements in our sledge, to facilitate the carrying of stores from Falcon’s Stream to our dwelling in the rock at Tent House. I raised it on two beams, on axle-trees, at the extremities of which I put on the four gun-carriage wheels I had taken off the cannon from the vessel; by this alteration I obtained a light and convenient vehicle, of moderate height, on which boxes and casks could be placed. Pleased with the operations of the week, we set out all together with cheerful hearts for Falcon’s Stream, to pass our Sunday there, and once more offer our pious thanks to the Almighty, for all the benefits He had bestowed upon His defenceless creatures.