The winding staircase was very useful ; the upper part was crowded with things want, and my wife frequently worked lower part, at windows We crowded our beasts little more, and gave current of air places they had left I placed outside the enclosure the animals country, which could bear the inclemency season; thus half-liberty buffalo onagra, tying their legs loosely, them straying, the boughs tree affording them shelter as few fires as possible, as, fortunately never cold, and we had no provisions that required long process of cookery We had milk in abundance, smoked meat, and fish, the preserved ortolans, and cassava cakes sent out animals morning, with bells round their necks, Fritz and I had to seek them and bring them in every evening, when we were invariably wet through This induced my ingenious Elizabeth us sort of blouse and hood out of old garments sailors, which we covered with coatings caoutchouc, and thus obtained two capital waterproof dresses; all exhausted state gum permitted us

The care animals occupied us great part morning, then we prepared our cassava, and baked our cakes on iron plates Though we had glazed door to our hut, the gloominess weather, obscurity caused vast boughs tree, made night come on early We then lighted candle, fixed in gourd table, round which we were all assembled The good mother laboured with her needle, mending the clothes; my journal, which Ernest copied, as he wrote beautiful hand; while Fritz and Jack taught their young brother to read and write, or amused themselves with drawing the animals or plants they struck with We read the lessons Bible in turns, and concluded the evening with devotion We then retired to rest, content with ourselves and innocent and peaceful life Our kind housekeeper often made us little feast of roast chicken, pigeon, or duck, and once in four or five days we had fresh butter made gourd churn; delicious honey which we ate to our cassava bread treat to European epicures

The remains repast was always divided among our domestic animals We had four dogs, the jackal, the eagle, monkey, who relied on their masters, and were never neglected But buffalo, the onagra, sow able for themselves, killed them, for we had no food

We now decided that expose ourselves to another rainy season an unsuitable habitation; even my gentle Elizabeth got out of temper inconveniences, and begged build better winter house; stipulating, however, that return to our tree in summer We consulted great deal on ; Fritz quoted Robinson Crusoe, who had cut dwelling rock, which sheltered him inclement season; idea of making our home at Tent House naturally came into my mind It would probably be long and difficult undertaking, but with time, patience, and perseverance, work wonders We resolved, weather would allow us, and examine the rocks at Tent House

The last work winter was, at my wife's incessant request, beetle for her flax, and some carding-combs The beetle was easily made, but the combs cost much trouble I filed large nails till they were round and pointed, I fixed them, slightly inclined, at equal distances, in sheet of tin, and raised the edge like box; I then poured melted lead nails edge, to fix them more firmly I nailed this on board, machine was fit for use, and my wife was all anxiety her manufacture

* * * * *

CHAPTER XXIX

describe our delight when, after long and gloomy weeks, we saw the sky clear, sun, dispersing the dark clouds of winter, spread its vivifying rays over all nature; the winds were lulled, the waters subsided, air became mild and serene We went out, with shouts of joy, to breathe the balmy air, and gratified our eyes sight fresh verdure already springing up around us Nature seemed in her youth again, and amidst the charms that breathed on every side, we forgot our sufferings, and, like the children of Noah coming forth ark, we raised hymn of thanksgiving Giver of all good

All our plantations and seeds had prospered The corn was springing, trees were covered with leaves and blossoms The air was perfumed odour of countless beautiful flowers; and lively songs and cries of hundreds of brilliant birds, all busy building their nests really spring in all its glory

We began our summer occupation by cleaning and putting our dormitory tree, which the rain scattered leaves had greatly deranged; and we were able to inhabit it again My wife immediately began with her flax; while my sons were leading the cattle pasture, the bundles of flax open air, where I constructed sort of oven of stone, which dried it completely We began that very evening to strip, beat, and comb it; and I drew out such handfuls of soft, fine flax, ready for spinning, that my wife was overjoyed, and begged me her wheel, that she might commence

I had formerly had little taste for turning, and though I had now neither lathe nor tools, yet how spinning-wheel and reel , and, by dint of application, I succeeded in completing these two machines to her satisfaction She began to spin with earnestness, that hardly take walk, and reluctantly left her wheel dinner ready She employed Francis to reel off the thread as she spun it, and would willingly the elder boys her place when she was called off; but they rebelled effeminate work, except Ernest, whose indolent habits made him prefer it to more laborious occupation

mean time we walked over to Tent House the state of things, and found that winter had done more damage there than at Falcon's Nest The storm had overthrown the tent, carried away sailcloth, and injured our provisions , that great part was good for nothing, rest required immediately dried Fortunately our beautiful pinnace suffered much,-- still safe at anchor, and fit for use; but our tub boat was entirely destroyed

Our most important loss was two barrels of gunpowder, which left tent, instead of under the shelter rock, and which the rain had rendered wholly useless This made us feel still more strongly the necessity of securing future more suitable shelter than canvas tent, or roof of foliage Still I had small hope gigantic plan of Fritz or the boldness of Jack I blind difficulties undertaking The rocks which surrounded Tent House presented an unbroken surface, like wall without any crevice, and, to all appearance, of so hard nature leave little hopes of success However, necessary to contrive some sort of cave, if only gunpowder up my mind, and selected the most perpendicular face rock place our work much pleasanter situation than our tent, commanding view whole bay, two banks of Jackal River, with its picturesque bridge I marked out with chalk the dimension entrance I wished cave; then my sons and our chisels, pickaxes, and heavy miner's hammers, and began boldly to hew the stone

Our first blows produced very little effect; the rock seemed impenetrable, the sun had so hardened the surface; sweat poured off our brows hard labour Nevertheless, the efforts young workmen relax Every evening we left our work advanced, perhaps, few inches; and every morning returned task with renewed ardour end of five or six days, surface rock was removed, the stone become easier to work; it then seemed calcarious, and, finally, only sort of hardened clay, which remove with spades; and we began to hope After ' more labour, we had advanced about seven feet Fritz wheeled out the rubbish, and formed sort of terrace with it opening; while working higher part, Jack, least, worked below One morning hammering an iron bar, which he had pointed end, rock, to loosen the earth, when he suddenly cried out--

"Papa ! papa ! pierced through ! "

"Not through your hand, child ? " asked I

"No, papa ! " cried he; " pierced mountain ! Huzza ! "

Fritz ran in shout, and told him he had better have said at once that he had pierced earth ! But Jack persisted that, however his brother might laugh, he had felt his iron bar enter an empty space behind I now came down from my ladder, and, moving the bar, really hollow into which the rubbish fell, but apparently very little below the level we were working on long pole and probed the cavity, and found of considerable size My boys wished the opening enlarged and to enter immediately, but this I strictly forbade; for, as I leaned forward to examine it opening, rush of mephitic air sort of vertigo "Come away, children," cried I, in terror; "the air breathe certain death " I explained that, under certain circumstances, carbonic acid gas was frequently accumulated in caves or grottoes, rendering the air unfit for respiration; producing giddiness head, fainting, and eventually death them to collect some hay, which I lighted and threw cave; immediately extinguished; we repeated the experiment same result I now saw that more active means resorted to