The Swiss Family Robinson - Full Audiobook : Chapter 24

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wiss, chapter twenty four.
As we went along the avenue of fruit trees, I
was concerned to see my young plants beginning to droop,
and I immediately resolved to proceed to Cape Disappointment the
next morning to cut bamboos to make props for them.

(00:22):
It was determined we should all go as on our
arrival at Falcon's Nest, we discovered many other supplies wanting.
The candles were failing. We must have more berries for now.
My wife sewed by candlelight while I wrote my journal.
She wanted also some wild fowls eggs to set under
her hens. Jack wanted some guavas, and Francis wished for

(00:46):
some sugar canes. So we made a family tour of it,
taking the cart with the cow and ass to contain
our provision, and a large sailcloth to make a tent.
The weather was delightful and we set out singing in
great spirits. We crossed the potato and manioc plantations and
the wood of guavas, on which my boys feasted to

(01:07):
their great satisfaction. The road was rugged, but we assisted
to move the cart and rested frequently. We stopped to
see the berg colony, which greatly delighted them all, and
Ernest declared they belonged to the species of Loxia gregaria,
the sociable grosbeak. He pointed out to us their wonderful

(01:28):
instinct in forming their colony in the midst of the
candleberry bushes on which they feed. We filled two bags
with these berries and another with guavas, my wife, proposing
to make jelly from them. We then proceeded to the
Kutchuuk tree, and here I determined to rest awhile to
collect some of the valuable gum. I had brought some

(01:50):
large gourd shells with me for the purpose. I made
incisions in the trees and placed these bowls to receive
the gum, which soon began to run out out in
a milky stream, and we hoped to find them filled.
On our return. We turned a little to the left
and entered a beautiful and fertile plane, bounded on one

(02:11):
side by the sugar canes, behind which rose a wood
of palms, on the other side by the bamboos, And
before us was cape disappointment, backed by the ocean of
magnificent picture. We at once decided to make this our
resting place. We even thought of transferring our residence from
Falcon's nest to this spot, but we dismissed the thought

(02:34):
when we reflected on the perfect security of our dear
castle in the air. We contented ourselves with arranging to
make this always our station for refreshment in our excursions.
We loosed our animals and allowed them to graze on
the rich grass around us. We arranged to spend the
night there, and taking a light repast, we separated on

(02:56):
our several employments, some to cut sugar canes, others spamboos, and,
after stripping them, to make them into bundles and place
them in the cart. This hard work made the boys hungry.
They were freshed themselves with sugar canes, but had a
great desire to have some coconuts. Unfortunately, there were neither
monkeys nor crabs to bestow them, and the many attempts

(03:19):
they made to climb the lofty, bare trunk of the
palm ended only in disappointment and confusion. I went to
their assistance. I gave them pieces of the rough skin
of the shark, which I had brought for the purpose
to brace on their legs, and showing them how to
climb by the aid of a cord fastened round the
tree with a running noose, a method practiced with success

(03:41):
by the savages. My little climbers soon reached the summit
of the trees. They then used their hatchets, which they
had carried up in their girdles, and a shower of
coconuts fell down. These furnished a pleasant dessert, enlivened by
the jests of Fritz and Jack, who, being the climbers,
did not spare Doctor Ernest, who had contented himself with

(04:03):
looking up at them, and even now, regardless of their banter,
he was lost in some new idea. Rising suddenly and
looking at the palms, he took a cocoanut cup and
a tin flask with a handle, and gravely addressed us. Thus,
gentlemen and lady, this exercise of climbing is really very

(04:24):
disagreeable and difficult. But since it confers so much honor
on the undertakers, I should like also to attempt an adventure,
hoping to do something at once glorious and agreeable to
the company. He then bound his legs with the pieces
of shark skin, and with singular vigor and agility, sprung
up a palm which he had long been attentively examining.

(04:48):
His brothers laughed loudly at his taking the trouble to
ascend a tree that had not a single nut on it.
Ernest took no notice of their ridicule, But as soon
as he reached the top, struck with his hatchet, and
a tuft of tender yellow leaves fell at our feet,
which I recognized as the product of the cabbage palm,
a delicate food highly valued in America. His mother thought

(05:12):
it a mischievous act to destroy the tree thus, but
he assured her his prize was worth many cocoa nuts.
But our hero did not descend, and I asked him
if he wanted to replace the cabbage he had cut off.
Wait a little, said he. I am bringing you some
wine to drink my health, but it comes slower than
I could wish. He now descended, holding his cocoa cup,

(05:36):
into which he poured from the flask a clear, rose
colored liquor, and presenting it to me, begged me to drink.
It was indeed the true palm wine, which is as
pleasant as champagne. And take him moderately a great restorative.
We all drank, and Ernest was praised and thanked by
all till he forgot all the scoffs he had received.

(06:01):
As it was getting late, we set about putting up
our tent for the night, when suddenly our ass who
had been quietly grazing near us, began to brave furiously
erected his ears, kicking right and left and plunging into
the bamboos, disappeared. This made us very uneasy. I could
not submit to lose the useful animal, and moreover, I

(06:24):
was afraid his agitation announced the approach of some wild beast.
The dogs and I sought for any trace of it
in vain. I, therefore, to guard against any danger, made
a large fire before our tent, which I continued to
watch till midnight, when all being still, I crept into
the tent to my bed of moss, and slept undisturbed

(06:47):
till morning. In the morning, we thanked God for our
health and safety, and then began to lament our poor donkey,
which I hoped would have been attracted by the light
of our fire and have returned. But we saw nothing
thing of him, and we decided that his services were
so indispensable that I should go with one of my
sons and the two dogs in search of him, and

(07:10):
crossed the thickets of bamboo. I chose to take Jack
with me, to his great satisfaction, for Fritz and Ernest
formed a better guard for their mother in a strange place.
We set out well armed with bags of provisions on
our back, and after an hour's fruitless search amongst the canes,
we emerged beyond them in an extensive plain on the

(07:31):
borders of the Great Bay. We saw that the ridge
of rocks still extended on the right till it nearly
reached the shore, when it abruptly terminated in a perpendicular precipice.
A considerable river flowed into the bay. Here, and between
the river and the rock was a narrow passage, which,
at high water would be overflowed. We thought it most

(07:54):
likely that our ass had passed by this defile, and
I wished to see whether these rocks merely bordered or
divided the island. We therefore went forward till we met
with a stream, which fell in a cascade from a
mass of rocks into the river. We ascended the stream
till we found a place shallow enough to cross. Here

(08:16):
we saw the shoe marks of our ass mingled with
the footsteps of other animals, and at a distance we
saw a herd of animals, but could not distinguish what
they were. We ascended a little hill, and through our
telescope saw a beautiful and fertile country, breathing peace and repose.
To our right rose the majestic chain of rocks that

(08:39):
divided the island. On our left, a succession of beautiful
green hills spread to the horizon. Woods of palms, and
various unknown trees were scattered over the scene. The beautiful
stream meandered across the valley like a silver ribbon, bordered
by rushes and other aquatic plants. There was no trace

(09:00):
of the footstep of man. The country had all the
purity of its first creation. No living creatures, but some
beautiful birds and brilliant butterflies appeared. But at a distance
we saw some specks, which I concluded were the animals
we had first seen, and I resolved to go nearer,

(09:20):
in hopes our ass might have joined them. We made
towards the spot, and to shorten the road, crossed a
little wood of bamboos. The stalks of which as thick
as a man's thigh, rose to the height of thirty feet.
I suspected this to be the giant reed of America,
so useful for the masts of boats and canoes. I

(09:43):
promised Jack to allow him to cut some on our return,
but at present the ass was my sole care. When
we had crossed the wood, we suddenly came face to
face on a herd of buffaloes, not numerous, certainly, but
formidable in appearance. At the s I was absolutely petrified,
and my gun useless. Fortunately, the dogs were in the rear,

(10:07):
and the animals, lifting their heads and fixing their large
eyes on us, seemed more astonished than angry. We were
the first men probably they had ever seen. We drew
back a little, prepared our arms, and endeavored to retreat.
When the dogs arrived, and, notwithstanding our efforts to restrain them,

(10:27):
flew at the buffaloes. It was no time now to retreat.
The combat was begun. The whole troop uttered, the most
frightful roars, beat the ground with her feet, and butted
with their horns. Our brave dogs were not intimidated, but
marched straight upon the enemy, and falling on a young
buffalo that had strayed before the rest seized it by

(10:49):
the ears. The creature began to bellow and struggle to escape.
Its mother ran to its assistance, and with her the
whole herd. At that moment, I trembled as I write it.
I gave the signal to my brave Jack, who behaved
with admirable coolness, and at the same moment we fired
on the herd. The effect was wonderful. They paused a moment,

(11:13):
and then even before the smoke was dissipated, took to flight.
With incredible rapidity, forwarded the river and were soon out
of sight. My dogs still held their prize, and the mother,
though wounded by our shot, tore up the ground in
our fury and was advancing on the dogs to destroy them.
But I stepped forward, and, discharging a pistol between the horns,

(11:36):
put an end to her life. We began to breathe.
We had looked death in the face, a most horrible death,
and thanked God for our preservation. I praised Jack for
his courage in presence of mind. Any fear or agitation
on his part would have unnerved me and rendered our

(11:57):
fate certain. The dogs still bill held the young calf
by the ears. It bellowed incessantly, and I feared they
would either be injured or lose their prize. I went
up to their assistance. I hardly knew how to act.
I could easily have killed it, but I had a
great desire to carry it off alive, and tried to

(12:18):
tame it to replace our ass whom I did not
intend to follow further. A happy idea struck Jack. He
always carried his lasso in his pocket. He drew it out,
retired a little, and flung it so dexterously that he
completely wound it round the hind legs of the calf
and threw it down. I now approached. I replaced the

(12:39):
lasso by a stronger cord and used another to bind
his fore legs loosely. Jack cried victory and already thought
how his mother and brothers would be delighted when we
presented it. But that was no easy matter. At last,
I thought of the method used in Italy to tame
the wild bulls. I resolved to try it, though it

(13:02):
was a little cruel. I began by tying to the
foot of a tree. The cords that held the legs
then making the dog seize him again by the ears,
I caught hold of his mouth, and with a sharp
knife perforated the nostril and quickly passed a cord through
the opening. This cord was to serve as my rain

(13:23):
to guide the animal. The operation was successful, and as
soon as the blood ceased to flow, I took the cord,
uniting the two ends, and the poor suffering creature, completely subdued,
followed me without resistance. I was unwilling to abandon the
whole of the buffalo I had killed, as it is

(13:44):
excellent meat, and I therefore cut out the tongue and
some of the best parts from the loin, and covered
them well with salt, of which we had taken a
provision with us. I then carefully skinned the four legs,
remembering that the American hunters used these skins for boots,
being remarkably soft and flexible. We permitted the dogs to

(14:04):
feast on the remainder, and while they were enjoying themselves,
we washed ourselves and sat down under a tree to
rest and refresh ourselves. But the poor beasts had soon
many guests at their banquet. Clouds of birds of prey
came from every part. An incessant combat was kept up.
No sooner was one troop of brigands satisfied than another succeeded.

(14:29):
And soon all that remained of the poor buffalo was
the bones. I noticed amongst these ravenous birds, the royal vulture,
an elegant bird remarkable for a brilliant collar of down.
We could easily have killed some of these robbers, but
I thought it useless to destroy from mere curiosity, and
I preferred employing our time in cutting with a small saw.

(14:52):
We had brought some of the gigantic reeds that grew
around us. We cut several of the very thick ones,
which make excellent vessels when separated at the joints. But
I perceived that Jack was cutting some of small dimensions,
and I inquired if he was going to make a
pandeem pipe to celebrate his triumphal return with a buffalo. No,

(15:16):
said he. I don't recollect that Robinson Crusoe amused himself
with music in his island. But I have thought of
something that will be useful to Mamma. I am cutting
these reeds to make molds for our candles. An excellent thought,
my dear boy, said I and if even we break
our molds in getting out the candles, which I suspect,

(15:37):
we may we know where they grow and can come
for more. We collected all our reeds and bundles, and
then set out the calf. Intimidated by the dogs and
galled by the rain, went on tolerably well. We crossed
the narrow pass in the rocks, and here our dogs
killed a large jackal which was coming from her den

(15:59):
in the rock. The furious animals then entered the den,
followed by Jack, who saved with difficulty one of the
young cubs, the others being immediately worried. It was a
pretty little gold colored creature about the size of a cat.
Jack petitioned earnestly to have it to bring up, and
I made him happy by granting his request. In the meantime,

(16:23):
I had tied the calf to a low tree, which
I discovered was the thorny dwarf palm, which grows quickly
and is extremely useful for fences. It bears an oblong
fruit about the size of a pigeon's egg, from which
is extracted an oil, which is an excellent substitute for butter.
I determined to return for some young plants of this

(16:45):
palm to plant a tent house. It was almost night
when we joined our family, and endless were the questions
the sight of the buffalo produced. And great was the
boasting of Jack the Dauntless. I was compelled to look
ower his pride a little by an unvarnished statement, though
I gave him much credit for his coolness and resolution,

(17:07):
and supper time arriving, my wife had time to tell
me what had passed while we had been on our expedition.
End of chapter