The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss
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. we raised them gently by a crowbar; I_made a hole in_the earth, in_which one of_my sons placed the bamboo props, driving them firmly down with a mallet, and we proceeded to another, while Ernest and jack tied the trees to_them with a long, tough, pliant plant, which I suspected was a species of llana . as_we were working, Fritz inquired if these fruit-trees were wild .

"A pretty question ! " cried jack ." do_you_think that trees are tamed like eagles or buffaloes ? you perhaps could teach them to bow politely, so_that we_might gather the fruit ! "

" you fancy you_are a wit," said I, " but you speak like a dunce . we_cannot make trees bow at our pleasure; but we_can make a tree, which by nature bears sour and uneatable fruit, produce what_is sweet and wholesome . this_is effected by grafting into a wild tree a small branch, or even a bud, of_the sort you wish . i_will show you this method practically at some future time, for by_these means we_can procure all sorts of fruit; only we_must remember, that we_can only graft a tree with one_of_the same natural family; thus, we_could_not graft an apple on a cherry- tree, for_one belongs to_the apple tribe, and_the other to_the plum tribe ."

" do we_know the origin of all these European fruits ? " asked the inquiring Ernest .

" all our shell fruits," answered I, " such as_the nut, the almond, and_the chesnut, are natives of_the east; the peach, of Persia; the orange and apricot, of Armenia; the cherry, which_was unknown in Europe sixty years Before_Christ, was brought by_the proconsul Lucullus from_the southern shores of_the Euxine; the olives come from Palestine . the first olive-trees were planted on mount Olympus, and from thence were spread through_the rest of Europe; the fig is from Lydia; the plums, your favourite fruit, with_the exception of some natural sorts that_are natives of_our forests, are from Syria, and_the town of damascus has_given its name to one sort, the Damascene_, or Damson . the pear is a fruit of Greece; the ancients called it the fruit of Peloponnesus; the mulberry is from Asia; and_the quince from_the island of Crete ."

our work progressed as_we talked thus, and we had soon propped all our valuable plants . it_was now noon, and we returned to falcon's nest very hungry, and found an excellent dinner prepared, of smoked beef, and_the tender bud of_the cabbage- palm, the most delicious of vegetables .

after dinner, we began to discuss a plan I had long had in my head; but the execution of it presented many difficulties . it_was, to substitute a firm and solid staircase for_the ladder of ropes, which_was a source of continual fear to my wife . it_is true, that we only had to ascend it to_go to bed; but bad weather might compel us to remain in_our apartment; we_should then have frequently to ascend and descend, and_the ladder was very unsafe . but the immense height of_the tree, and_the impossibility of procuring beams to sustain a staircase round it, threw me into despair . however, looking at_the monstrous trunk of_the tree, i_thought, if_we_cannot succeed outside, could we not contrive to mount within ?

" have_you not said there_was a swarm of bees in_the trunk of_the tree ? " I inquired of_my wife ." yes," said little Francis, " they stung my face dreadfully the other day, when i_was on_the ladder . i_was pushing a stick into_the hole they came out of, to_try how deep it_was ."

" now, then," cried I, " I_see through my difficulties . let_us find out how far the tree is hollow; we_can increase the size of_the tunnel, and I_have already planned the sort of staircase I_can construct ." I had hardly spoken, when_the boys leaped like squirrels, some upon_the arched roots, some on_the steps of_the ladder, and began to strike with sticks and mallets to sound the tree . this rash proceeding had nearly been fatal to jack, who, having placed himself just before_the opening, and striking violently, the whole swarm, alarmed at an attack, which probably shook their palace of wax, issued forth, and revenged themselves amply on all the assailants . nothing was heard but cries and stamping of feet . my wife hastened to_cover the stings with moist earth, which rather relieved them; but it_was some hours before_they could open their eyes . they begged me to_get them the honey from their foes, and I prepared a hive, which I had long thought of--a large gourd, which I placed on a board nailed upon a branch of_our tree, and covered with straw to shelter it from_the sun and wind . but it_was now bedtime, and we deferred our attack on_the fortress till next_day .

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chapter XXVI .

an hour before day, I waked my sons to assist me in removing the bees to_the new abode I had prepared for_them .I commenced by plastering up the entrance to_their present dwelling with clay, leaving only room to admit the bowl of_my pipe . this_was necessary, because I had neither masks nor gloves, as_the regular bee-takers have .I then began to smoke briskly, to stupify the bees . at first we heard a great buzzing in_the hollow, like the sound of a distant storm: the murmur ceased by degrees, and a profound stillness succeeded, and I withdrew my pipe without a single bee appearing .Fritz and I then, with a chisel and small axe, made an opening about three feet square, below the bees' entrance . before we detached this, I repeated the fumigation, lest the noise and_the fresh air should awake the bees; but there_was no fear of_such a thing,-- they were quite stupified . we removed the wood, and through_this opening beheld, with wonder and admiration, the work of_this insect nation . there_was such a store of wax and honey, that we feared we should_not have vessels to contain it . the interior of_the tree was filled with_the honeycombs; I cut them carefully, and placed them in_the gourds the boys brought me . as_soon_as I had made a little space, I placed the upper comb, on_which the bees were hanging in clusters, in_the new hive, and put it on_the plank prepared for_it; I then descended with_the rest of_the honeycomb, and filled a cask with it, which I had previously washed in_the stream; this we covered with sailcloth and planks, lest the bees, attracted by_the smell, should come to claim their own . we left out some comb for a treat at dinner, and my wife carefully put by_the rest .

to_prevent the bees returning to_their old abode, we placed some burning tobacco in_the hollow, the smell and fumes of_which drove them from_the tree, when_they wished to enter; and, finally, they settled in_the new hive, where the queen bee, doubtless, had fixed herself .

we now began our work; we emptied the cask of honey into a large boiler, except a little reserved for daily use; we added a little water, placed the boiler on a slow fire, and reduced it to a liquid mass; this_was strained through a bag into_the cask, and left standing all night to cool . the next morning the wax had risen to_the top, and formed a hard and solid cake, which we easily removed; and beneath was_the most pure and delicious honey . the barrel was then carefully closed, and placed in a cool place . we now proceeded to examine the interior of_the tree . i_took a long pole, and tried the height from_the window I had made; and tied a stone to a string to sound the depth . to my surprise, the pole penetrated without resistance to_the very branches where our dwelling was, and_the stone went to_the roots . it_was entirely hollow, and i_thought I_could easily fix awinding staircase in_this wide tunnel . it would seem, that_this huge tree, like the willow of_our country, is nourished through_the bark, for it_was flourishing in luxuriant beauty .

we began by cutting a doorway, on_the side facing the sea, of_the size of_the door we had brought from_the captain's cabin, with its framework, thus securing ourselves from invasion on_that side . we then cleansed, and perfectly smoothed the cavity, fixing in_the middle the trunk of a tree about ten feet high, to_serve for_the axis of_the staircase . we had prepared, the evening before, a number of boards from_the staves of a large barrel, to_form our steps . by_the aid of_the chisel and mallet, we_made deep notches in_the inner part of_our tree, and corresponding notches in_the central pillar; I placed my steps in_these notches, riveting them with large nails; I raised myself in_this manner step after step, but always turning round the pillar, till we got to_the top . we then fixed on_the central pillar another trunk of_the same height, prepared beforehand, and continued our winding steps .Four times we had to repeat this operation, and, finally, we reached our branches, and terminated the staircase on_the level of_the floor of_our apartment .I cleared the entrance by some strokes of_my axe . to render it more solid, I filled up the spaces between_the steps with planks, and fastened two strong cords from above, to each side of_the staircase, to hold by . towards different points, I_made openings; in_which were placed the windows taken from_the cabin, which gave light to_the interior, and favoured our observations outside .

the construction of_this solid and convenient staircase occupied us during a month of patient industry; not that we laboured like slaves, for we had no one to constrain us; we had in this_time completed several works of less importance; and many events had amused us amidst our toil .

a few_days after we commenced, Flora produced six puppies; but the number being too large for_our means of support, I commanded that only a male and female should_be preserved, that_the breed might_be perpetuated; this was_done, and_the little jackal being placed with_the remainder, Flora gave it the same privileges as her own offspring . our goats also, about_this_time, gave_us two kids; and_our sheep some lambs . we saw this increase of_our flock with great satisfaction; and for fear these useful animals should take it into their heads to stray from_us, as our ass had done, we tied round their necks some small bells we had found on_the wreck, intended to propitiate the savages, and which would always put us on_the track of_the fugitives .

the education of_the young buffalo was one_of_the employments that varied our labour as carpenters . through_the incision in_his nostrils, I had passed a small stick, to_the ends of_which I attached a strap . this formed a kind of bit, after_the fashion of_those of_the Hottentots; and by_this I guided him as I chose; though not without much rebellion on_his part . it_was only after Fritz had broken it in for mounting, that we began to_make it carry . it_was certainly a remarkable instance of patience and perseverance surmounting difficulties, that we not_only made it bear the wallets we usually placed on_the ass, but Ernest, jack, and even little Francis, took lessons in horsemanship_, by riding him, and, henceforward, would_have_been able to ride the most spirited horse without fear; for_it could_not_be worse than_the buffalo they had assisted to subdue .

in_the midst of_this, Fritz did_not neglect the training of_his young eagle . the royal bird began already to pounce very cleverly on_the dead game his master brought, and placed before him; sometimes between_the horns of_the buffalo, sometimes on_the back of_the great bustard, or the flamingo; sometimes he put it on a board, or on_the end of a pole, to accustom it to pounce, like the falcon, on other birds . he taught it to settle on_his wrist at a call, or a whistle; but it_was some_time before he_could trust it to fly, without a long string attached to its leg, for fear its wild nature should carry it from_us for ever . even the indolent Ernest was seized with_the mania of instructing animals . he undertook the education of_his little monkey, who gave him sufficient employment . it_was amusing to_see the quiet, slow, studious Ernest obliged to_make leaps and gambols with_his pupil to accomplish his instruction . he_wished to accustom master Knips to carry a pannier, and to climb the cocoa- nut trees with it on_his back; jack and he wove a small light pannier of rushes, and fixed it firmly on_his back with three straps . this_was intolerable to him at first; he ground his teeth, rolled on_the ground, and leaped about in a frantic manner, trying in vain to release himself . they left the pannier on_his back night and day, and only allowed him to eat what he had previously put into_it . after a little time, he became so accustomed to_it, that he rebelled if_they wished to remove it, and threw into_it everything they gave him to hold . he_was very useful to_us, but he obeyed only Ernest, who had very properly taught him equally to love and fear him .

jack was not so successful with_his jackal; for, though he_gave him the name of " the hunter," yet, for_the first six months, the carnivorous animal chased only for himself, and, if he brought anything to_his master, it_was only the skin of_the animal he had just devoured; but I charged him not to despair, and he continued zealously his instructions .

during this_time I had perfected my candle manufacture; by_means of mixing the bees' wax with_that obtained from_the candle- berry, and by using cane moulds, which jack first suggested to_me, I succeeded in giving my candles the roundness and polish of_those of Europe . the wicks

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