The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss
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embraced her kind friend, and observing that_the evening was advanced, and_that my wife, after such agitation, needed repose, we agreed to defer till next_day the conclusion of_the interesting narrative . my elder sons and myself followed the missionary to_his hut, which resembled the king's palace_, though it_was smaller; it_was constructed of bamboos, bound together, and_the intervals filled with moss and clay; it_was covered in_the same way, and was tolerably solid .a mat in one corner, without any covering, formed his bed; but he brought out a bear's skin, which he used in winter, and which he now spread on_the ground for_us .I had observed a similar one in_the grotto, and he_told us we_should hear the history of_these skins next_day, in_the continuation of_the story of Emily, or Mimi_, as she was affectionately called by all . we retired to our couch, after a prayer from Mr Willis; and for_the first time since my dear wife was taken from me, I slept in peace .

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chapter LV .

we went to_the grotto early in_the morning, and found our two invalids much improved: my wife had slept better, and Mr Willis found jack's wound going on well .Madame Mimi told her daughters to_prepare breakfast: they went out and soon returned, with a native woman and a boy of four or five years old, carrying newly- made rush baskets filled with all sorts of fruit: figs, guavas, strawberries, cocoa-nuts, and_the bread- fruit .

" I_must introduce you," said Emily, " to_the rest of_my family: this_is Canda, the wife of your friend Parabéry, and this_is their son, _Minou-minou, whom I regard as my own . your Elizabeth is already attached to_them, and bespeaks your friendship for_them . they_will follow us to_the happy island ."

"Oh, if you_knew," said Francis, " what a well-behaved boy Minou is ! he_can climb trees, run, and leap, though he_is less_than I_am . he_must_be my friend ."

" and Canda," said Elizabeth, " shall be our assistant and friend ."

she gave her hand to Canda, I_did the same, and caressed the boy, who seemed delighted with me, and, to my great surprise, spoke to_me in very_good German-- the mother, too, knew several words of_the language . they busied themselves with_our breakfast: opened the cocoa-nuts, and poured the milk into_the shells, after separating the kernel; they arranged the fruits on_the trunk of a tree, which served for a table, and did great credit to_the talent of_their instructress .

" i_should_have liked to_have offered you coffee," said Madame Hirtel, " which grows in_this island, but having no utensils for roasting, grinding, or preparing it, it_has_been useless to_me, and I_have_not even gathered it ."

" do_you_think, my dear, that_it would grow in_our island ? " said my wife to_me, in some anxiety .

I then recollected, for_the first time, how fond my wife was of coffee, which, in Europe, had always been her favourite breakfast . there would certainly be in_the ship some bags, which I_might_have brought away; but I had never thought of it, and my unselfish wife, not seeing it, had never named it, except once wishing we had some to plant in_the garden . now that there_was a probability of obtaining it, she confessed that coffee and bread were the only luxuries she regretted .I promised to_try and cultivate it in_our island; foreseeing, however, that_it would probably not be of_the best quality, i_told her she_must not expect Mocha; but her long privation from_this delicious beverage had made her less fastidious, and she assured me it would_be a treat to her . after breakfast, we begged Madame Hirtel to resume her interesting narrative . she continued:

" after_the reflections on my situation, which i_told you of last night, I determined only to return to_the sea- shore, when our food failed us in_the woods; but I acquired other means of procuring it . encouraged by_the success of_my fishing, I_made a sort of net from_the filaments of_the bark of a tree and a plant resembling hemp . with_these I succeeded in catching some birds: one, resembling our thrush, was very fat, and of delicious flavour .I had the greatest difficulty in overcoming my repugnance to taking away their life; nothing but the obligation of preserving our own could_have reconciled me to_it . my children plucked them; I then spitted them on a slender branch and roasted them before_the fire .I also found some nests of eggs, which I concluded were those of_the wild ducks which frequented our stream . I_made myself acquainted with all the fruits which the monkeys and parroquets eat, and which were_not out of_my reach . I_found a sort of acorn which had the flavour of a nut . the children also discovered plenty of large strawberries, a delicious repast; and I_found a quantity of honeycomb in_the hollow of a tree, which I obtained by stupifying the bees with asmoking brand .

" i_took care to mark down every day on_the blank leaves of_my pocket- book .I had now marked thirty days of_my wandering life on_the border of_the river, for I never strayed beyond the sound of_its waters . still I kept continually advancing towards the interior of_the island .I had yet met with nothing alarming, and_the weather had_been most favourable; but we were_not long to enjoy this comfort . the rainy season came on: and one night, to my great distress, I heard it descend in torrents . we were no longer under our fig- tree, which would_have sheltered us for a considerable time . the tree under which we now were had tempted me by having several cavities between_the roots, filled with soft moss, which formed natural couches, but the foliage was very thin, and we were soon drenched completely .I crept near my poor children to protect them a little, but in vain; our little bed was soon filled with water, and we were compelled to leave it . our clothes were so heavy with_the rain that we_could scarcely stand; and_the night was so dark that we could_see no road, and ran the risk of falling, or striking against some tree, if_we moved . my children wept, and I trembled for their health, and for_my own, which_was so necessary to_them . this_was one_of_the_most terrible nights of_my pilgrimage . my children and I knelt down, and I prayed to our heavenly father for strength to bear this trial, if_it_was his will to_continue it . I_felt consolation and strength from my prayers, and rose with courage and confidence; and though the rain continued unabated, I waited with resignation the pleasure of_the almighty .I reconciled my children to our situation; and Sophia told me she had asked her father, who was near the gracious god, to entreat him to send no more rain, but let the sun come back .I assured them god would_not forget them; they began to_be accustomed to_the rain, only Sophia begged they_might take off their clothes, and then it would_be like a bath in_the brook .I consented to_this, thinking they_would_be less liable to suffer than by wearing their wet garments .

" the day began to break, and I determined to walk on without stopping, in_order to warm ourselves by_the motion; and to_try to_find some cave, some hollow tree, or some tree with thick foliage, to shelter us the next night .

"I undressed the children, and made a bundle of_their clothes, which i_would_have carried myself, but I_found they would_not_be too heavy for_them, and I judged it best to accustom them early to_the difficulties, fatigue, and labour, which would_be their lot; and to attend entirely on themselves; I, therefore, divided the clothes into two unequal bundles, proportioned to_their strength, and having made a knot in each, I passed a slender branch through it, and showed them how to carry it on their shoulders .

" when I_saw them walking before me in_this savage fashion, with their little white bodies exposed to_the storm, I_could_not refrain from tears .I blamed myself for condemning them to such an existence, and thought of returning to_the shore, where some vessel might rescue us; but we were now too far off to set about_it .I continued to_proceed with much more difficulty than my children, who had nothing on but their shoes and large hats .I carried the valuable box, in_which I had placed the remains of_our last night's supper, an act of necessary prudence, as_there_was neither fishing nor hunting now .

" as_the day advanced, the rain diminished, and even the sun appeared above the horizon .

"' look, my darlings,' said I, ' god has heard us, and sent his sun to warm and cheer us . let_us thank him,'

"'Papa has begged it of him ! ' said Matilda .'Oh ! mamma, let_us pray him to send Alfred back ! '

" my poor little girl bitterly regretted the loss of her brother . even now she_can scarcely hear his name without tears . when_the savages brought Francis to_us, she at first took him for her brother .'Oh, how you_have grown in heaven ! ' cried she; and, after she discovered he_was not her brother, she often said to him, ' how i_wish your_name was Alfred ! '

" forgive me for dwelling so_long on_the details of_my wretched journey, which_was not without its comforts, in_the pleasure i_took in_the development of_my children's minds, and in forming plans for their future education . though anything relating to science, or the usual accomplishments, would_be useless to_them, I_did_not wish to bring them up like young savages; I hoped to_be_able to communicate much useful knowledge to_them, and to_give them juster ideas of_this world and_that to_come .

" as_soon_as_the sun had dried them, I_made them put on their dresses, and we continued our walk by_the brook, till we arrived at_the grove which_is before this rock .I removed the branches to_pass through it, and saw beyond them the entrance to_this grotto . it_was very low and narrow; but I_could_not help uttering a cry of joy, for_this was_the only sort of retreat that could securely shelter us . i_was going to enter it without thought, not reflecting there_might_be in_it some ferocious animal, when i_was arrested by a plaintive cry, more like that of a child than a wild beast; I advanced with more caution, and tried to_find out what sort of an inhabitant the cave contained . it_was indeed a human being ! -- an infant, whose age I_could_not discover; but it seemed too young to walk, and was, besides, tied up in leaves and moss, enclosed in a piece of bark, which_was much torn and rent . the poor infant uttered the most piteous cries, and I_did_not hesitate a moment to enter the cave, and to take_the innocent little creature in my arms; it ceased its cries as_soon_as it felt the warmth of_my cheek; but it_was evidently in want of food, and I had nothing to_give it but some figs, of_which I pressed the juice into its mouth; this seemed to satisfy it, and, rocking it in my arms, it soon went to sleep .I had then time to examine it, and to look round the cave . from_the size and form of_the face, I concluded it might_be older than I had first thought; and I recollected to_have read that_the savages carried their children swaddled up in_this_way, even till they_could walk . the complexion of_the child was a pale olive, which I_have since discovered is_the natural complexion of_the natives, before_the exposure to_the heat of_the sun gives them the bronze hue you_have seen; the features were good, except that_the lips were thicker and_the mouth larger than those of_the Europeans . my two girls were charmed with it, and caressed it with great joy .I left them to rock it gently in its cradle of bark, till I went round this cave, which I intended for_my palace, and which I_have never quitted . you_see it-- the form is_not changed; but, since heaven has sent me a friend," looking at_the missionary, " it_is adorned with furniture and utensils which_have completed my comforts . but to return .

" the grotto was spacious, and irregular in form . in a hollow I_found, with surprise, a sort of bed, carefully arranged with moss, dry leaves, and small twigs . i_was alarmed . was_this grotto inhabited by men or by wild beasts ? in either case, it_was dangerous to remain here .I encouraged a hope, however, that, from_the infant being here, the mother must_be the inhabitant, and_that, on her return, finding me nursing her child, she might_be induced to share her asylum with_us . I_could_not, however, reconcile this hope with_the circumstance of_the child being abandoned in_this open cave .

" as i_was considering whether I ought to remain, or leave the cave, I heard strange cries at a distance, mingled with_the screams of_my children, who came running to_me for protection, bringing with_them the young savage, who fortunately was only half awaked, and soon went to sleep again, sucking a fig .I laid him gently on_the bed of leaves, and told my daughters to remain near him in a dark corner; then, stepping cautiously, I ventured to look out to discover what_was passing, without being seen . the noise approached nearer, to my great alarm, and I_could perceive, through_the trees, a crowd of men armed with long pointed lances, clubs, and stones; they appeared furious, and_the idea that they_might enter the cave froze me with terror .I had an idea of taking the little native babe, and holding it in my arms, as my best shield; but this_time my fears were groundless . the whole troop passed outside the wood, without even looking on_the same side as_the grotto; they appeared to_follow some traces

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