CHAPTER V

Return to the Wreck

I broke a silence of some moments, with observing to my wife that I could not but view with alarm the many cares and exertions to be made:—“In the first place, a journey to the vessel. This is of absolute necessity; at least, if we would not be deprived of the cattle and other useful things, all of which from moment to moment we risk losing by the first heavy sea. What ought we to resolve upon? For example, should not our very first endeavour be the contriving a better sort of habitation, and a more secure retreat from wild beasts, also a separate place for our provisions? I own I am at a loss what to begin first.”

“All will fall into the right order by degrees,” observed my wife; “patience and regularity in our plans will go as far as actual labour. I cannot, I confess, help shuddering at the thought of this voyage to the vessel; but if you judge it to be of absolute necessity, it cannot be undertaken too soon. In the meanwhile, nothing that is immediately under my own care shall stand still, I promise you. Let us not be over-anxious about to-morrow: sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. These were the words of the true Friend of mankind, and let us use so wise a counsel for our own benefit.”

“I will follow your advice,” said I, “and without further loss of time. You shall stay here with the three youngest boys; and Fritz, being so much stronger and more intelligent than the others, shall accompany me in the undertaking.”

At this moment I started from my bed, crying out loudly and briskly, “Get up, children, get up; it is almost light, and we have some important projects for to-day; it would be a shame to suffer the sun to find us still sleeping, we who are to be the founders of a new colony!”

At these words Fritz sprang nimbly out of the tent, while the young ones began to gape and rub their eyes, to get rid of their sleepiness. Fritz ran to visit his jackal, which during the night had become cold and perfectly stiff. He fixed him upon his legs, and placed him like a sentinel at the entrance of the tent, joyously anticipating the wonder and exclamations of his brothers at so unexpected an appearance. But no sooner had the dogs caught sight of him, than they began a howl, and set themselves in motion to fall upon him instantly, thinking he was alive. Fritz had enough to do to restrain them, and succeeded only by dint of coaxing and perseverance.

In the meantime, their barking had awaked the younger boys, and they ran out of the tent, curious to know what could be the occasion. Jack was the first who appeared, with the young monkey on his shoulders; but when the little creature perceived the jackal, he sprang away in terror, and hid himself at the furthest extremity of the grass which composed our bed, and covered himself with it so completely, that scarcely could the tip of his nose be seen.

The children were much surprised at the sight of a yellow-coloured animal standing without motion at the entrance of the tent.—“Oh, heavens!” exclaimed Francis, stepping back a few paces for fear, “it is a wolf!”—“No, no,” said Jack, going near the jackal, and taking one of his paws, “it is a yellow dog, and he is dead; he does not move at all.”—“It is neither a dog nor a wolf,” interrupted Ernest in a consequential tone: “do you not see that it is the golden fox?”—“Best of all, most learned professor!” now exclaimed Fritz. “So you can tell an agouti when you see him, but you cannot tell a jackal; for jackal is the creature you see before you, and I killed him myself in the night.”

Ernest.—In the night, you say, Fritz? In your sleep, I suppose—

Fritz.—No, Mr. Ernest; not in my sleep, as you so good-naturedly suppose, but broad awake, and on the watch to protect you from wild beasts! But I cannot wonder at this mistake in one who does not know the difference between a jackal and a golden fox!

Ernest.—You would not have known it either, if papa had not told you—

“Come, come, my lads, I will have no disputes,” interrupted I. “Fritz, you are to blame in ridiculing your brother for the mistake he made. Ernest, you are also to blame for indulging that little peevishness of yours. But as to the animal, you all are right and all are wrong; for he partakes at once of the nature of the dog, the wolf, and the fox.” The boys in an instant became friends; and then followed questions, answers, and wonder in abundance.—“And now, my boys, let me remind you, that he who begins the day without first addressing the Almighty ought to expect neither success nor safety in his undertakings. Let us therefore acquit ourselves of this duty before we engage in other occupations.”

Having finished our prayers, the next thing thought of was breakfast; for the appetites of young boys open with their eyes. To-day their mother had nothing to give them for their morning meal but some biscuit, which was so hard and dry, that it was with difficulty we could swallow it. Fritz asked for a piece of cheese to eat with it, and Ernest cast some searching looks on the second cask we had drawn out of the sea, to discover whether it also contained Dutch cheeses. In a minute he came up to us, joy sparkling in his eyes. “Father,” said he, “if we had but a little butter spread upon our biscuit, do you not think it would improve it?”

“That indeed it would; but—if—if; these never-ending ifs are but a poor dependence. For my part, I had rather eat a bit of cheese with my biscuit at once, than think of ifs, which bring us so meagre a harvest.”

Ernest.—Perhaps, though, the ifs may be found to be worth something, if we were to knock out the head of this cask.

Father.—What cask, my boy? and what are you talking of?

Ernest.—I am talking of this cask, which is filled with excellent salt butter. I made a little opening in it with a knife; and see, I got out enough to spread nicely upon this piece of biscuit.

“That glutton instinct of yours for once is of some general use,” answered I. “But now let us profit by the event. Who will have some butter on his biscuit?” The boys surrounded the cask in a moment, while I was in some perplexity as to the best method of getting at the contents. Fritz was for taking off the topmost hoop, and thus loosening one of the ends. But this I objected to, observing that the great heat of the sun would not fail to melt the butter, which would then run out, and be wasted. The idea occurred to me, that I would make a hole in the bottom of the cask, sufficiently large to take out a small quantity of butter at a time; and I set about manufacturing a little wooden shovel to use for the purpose. All this succeeded vastly well, and we sat down to breakfast, some biscuits and a cocoa-nut shell full of salt butter being placed upon the ground, round which we all assembled. We toasted our biscuit, and, while it was hot, applied the butter, and contrived to make a hearty breakfast.

“One of the things we must not forget to look for in the vessel,” said Fritz, “is a spiked collar or two for our dogs, as a protection to them should they again be called upon to defend themselves from wild beasts, which I fear will probably be the case.”

“Oh!” says Jack, “I can make spiked collars, if my mother will give me a little help.”

“That I will, most readily, my boy; for I should like to see what new fancy has come into your head,” cried she.

“Yes, yes,” pursued I, “as many new inventions as you please; you cannot better employ your time; and if you produce something useful, you will be rewarded with the commendations of all. But now for work. You, Mr. Fritz, who, from your superior age and discretion, enjoy the high honour of being my privy-counsellor, must make haste and get yourself ready, and we will undertake to-day our voyage to the vessel, to bring away whatever may be possible. You younger boys will remain here, under the wing of your kind mother: I hope I need not mention, that I rely on your perfect obedience to her will, and general good behaviour.”

While Fritz was getting the boat ready, I looked about for a pole, and tied a piece of white linen to the end of it: this I drove into the ground, in a place where it would be visible from the vessel; and I concerted with my wife, that in case of any accident that should require my prompt assistance, they should take down the pole and fire a gun three times as a signal of distress, in consequence of which I would immediately turn back. But I gave her notice, that there being so many things to accomplish on board the vessel, it was probable that we should not, otherwise, return at night; in which case I, on my part, also promised to make signals.

We embarked in silence, casting anxious looks on the beloved objects we were quitting. Fritz rowed steadily, and I did my best to second his endeavours, by rowing from time to time, on my part, with the oar which served me for a rudder. When we had gone some distance, I remarked a current which was visible a long way. To take advantage of this current, and to husband our strength by means of it, was my first care. Little as I knew of the management of sea affairs, I succeeded in keeping our boat in the direction in which it ran, by which means we were drawn gently on, till at length the gradual diminution of its force obliged us again to have recourse to our oars; but our arms having now rested for some time, we were ready for new exertions. A little afterwards we found ourselves safely arrived at the cleft of the vessel, and fastened our boat securely to one of its timbers.

Fritz the first thing went to the main deck, where he found all the animals we had left on board assembled. I followed him, well pleased to observe the generous impatience he showed to relieve the wants of the poor abandoned creatures, who, one and all, now saluted us by the sounds natural to their species. We examined the food and water of the animals, taking away what was half spoiled, and adding a fresh supply, that no anxiety on their account might interrupt our enterprise. Nor did we neglect the care of renewing our own strength by a plentiful repast.

While we were seated, and appeasing the calls of hunger, Fritz and I consulted what should be our first occupation; when, to my surprise, the advice he gave was, that we should contrive a sail for our boat.—“In the name of Heaven,” cried I, “what makes you think of this at so critical a moment, when we have so many things of indispensable necessity to arrange?”—“True, father,” said Fritz; “but let me confess that I found it very difficult to row for so long a time, though I assure you I did my best, and did not spare my strength. I observed that, though the wind blew strong against us, the current still carried us on. Now, as the current will be of no use in our way back, I was thinking that we might make the wind supply its place. Our boat will be very heavy when we have loaded it with all the things we mean to take away, and I am afraid I shall not be strong enough to row to land; so do you not think that a sail would be a good thing just now?”

“Ah—ha, Mr. Fritz! You wish to spare yourself a little trouble, do you? But seriously, I perceive much good sense in your argument, and feel obliged to my privy-counsellor for his good advice. The best thing we can do is to take care and not overload the boat, and thus avoid the danger of sinking, or of being obliged to throw some of our stores overboard. We will, however, set to work upon your sail; it will give us a little trouble. But come, let us begin.”

I assisted Fritz to carry a pole strong enough for a mast, and another not so thick for a sailyard. I directed him to make a hole in a plank with a chisel, large enough for the mast to stand upright in it. I then went to the sail-room, and cut a large sail down to a triangular shape: I made holes along the edges, and passed cords through them. We then got a pulley, and with this and some cords, and some contrivance in the management of our materials, we produced a sail.

“But now, father,” said Fritz, “as you have eased me of the labour of rowing, it is my turn to take care of you. I am thinking to make you a better contrived rudder; one that would enable you to steer the boat both with greater ease and greater safety.”—“Your thought would be a very good one,” said I, “but that I am unwilling to lose the advantage of being able to proceed this way and that, without being obliged to veer. I shall therefore fix our oars in such a manner as to enable me to steer the raft from either end.” Accordingly I fixed bits of wood to the stem and stern of the machine, in the nature of grooves, which were calculated to spare us a great deal of trouble.

During these exertions the day advanced, and I saw that we should be obliged to pass the night in our tubs, without having made much progress in our task of emptying the vessel.

We employed the remnant of the day in emptying the tubs of the useless ballast of stones, and putting in their place what would be of service, such as nails, pieces of cloth, and different kinds of utensils, etc., etc. The Vandals themselves could not have made a more complete pillage than we had done. The prospect before us of an entire solitude made us devote our attention to the securing as much powder and shot as we could, as a means of catching animals for food, and of defending ourselves against wild beasts to the latest moment possible. Utensils for every kind of workmanship, of which there was a large provision in the ship, were also objects of incalculable value to us. The vessel, which was now a wreck, had been sent out as a preparation for the establishment of a colony in the South Seas, and had been provided with a variety of stores not commonly included in the loading of a ship. Among the rest, care had been taken to have on board considerable numbers of European cattle: but so long a voyage had proved unfavourable to the oxen and the horses, the greatest part of which had died, and the others were in so bad a condition, that it had been found necessary to destroy them. The quantity of useful things which presented themselves in the store-chambers made it difficult for me to select among them, and I much regretted that circumstances compelled me to leave some of them behind. Fritz, however, already meditated a second visit; but we took good care not to lose the present occasion for securing knives and forks, and spoons, and a complete assortment of kitchen utensils. In the captain’s cabin we found some services of silver, dishes and plates of high-wrought metal, and a little chest filled with bottles of many sorts of excellent wine. Each of these we put into our boat. We next descended to the kitchen, which we stripped of gridirons, kettles, pots of all kinds, a small roasting-jack, etc. Our last prize was a chest of choice eatables, intended for the table of the officers, containing Westphalia hams, Bologna sausages, and other savoury food. I took good care not to forget some little sacks of maize, of wheat, and other grain, and some potatoes. We next added such implements for husbandry as we could find; shovels, hoes, spades, rakes, harrows, etc. Fritz reminded me that we had found sleeping on the ground both cold and hard, and prevailed upon me to increase our cargo by some hammocks, and a certain number of blankets; and as guns had hitherto been the source of his pleasures, he added such as he could find of a particular costliness or structure, together with some sabres and clasp-knives. The last articles we took were a barrel of sulphur, a quantity of ropes, some small string, and a large roll of sail-cloth. The vessel appeared to us to be in so wretched a condition, that the least tempest must make her go to pieces. It was then quite uncertain whether we should be able to approach her any more.

Our cargo was so large, that the tubs were filled to the very brim, and no inch of the boat’s room was lost. The first and last of the tubs were reserved for Fritz and me to seat ourselves in and row the boat, which sank so low in the water, that if the sea had not been quite calm, we should have been obliged to ease her of some of the loading: we, however, used the precaution of putting on our swimming-jackets, for fear of any misfortune.

It will easily be imagined that the day had been laboriously employed. Night suddenly surprised us, and we lost all hope of returning to our family the same evening. A large blazing fire on the shore soon after greeted our sight,—the signal agreed upon for assuring us that all was well, and to bid us close our eyes in peace. We returned the compliment, by tying four lanterns, with lights in them, to our mast-head. This was answered, on their part, by the firing of two guns; so that both parties had reason to be satisfied and easy.