Swiss Family Robinson | Page 7

time, had loaded our guns. He took one to the side of the river; Ernest
declined accompanying him, as the rugged road was not to his taste; he preferred the
sea-shore. Jack proceeded to a ridge of rocks on the left, which ran towards the sea, to get
some muscles. I went to try and draw the two floating hogsheads on shore, but could not
succeed, for our landing-place was too steep to get them up. Whilst I was vainly trying to
find a more favourable place, I heard my dear Jack uttering most alarming cries. I seized
my hatchet, and ran to his assistance. I found him up to the knees in a shallow pool, with
a large lobster holding his leg in its sharp claws. It made off at my approach; but I was
determined it should pay for the fright it had given me. Cautiously taking it up, I brought
it out, followed by Jack, who, now very triumphant, wished to present it himself to his
mother, after watching how I held it. But he had hardly got it into his hands, when it gave
him such a violent blow on the cheek with its tail, that he let it fall, and began to cry
again. I could not help laughing at him, and, in his rage, he seized a stone, and put an end
to his adversary. I was grieved at this, and recommended him never to act in a moment of
anger, showing him that he was unjust in being so revengeful; for, if he had been bitten
by the lobster, it was plain he would have eaten his foe if he had conquered him. Jack
promised to be more discreet and merciful in future, and obtained leave to bear the prize
to his mother.
"Mamma," said he, proudly, "a lobster! A lobster, Ernest! Where is Fritz! Take care it
does not bite you, Francis!" They all crowded round in astonishment. "Yes," added he,
triumphantly, "here is the impertinent claw that seized me; but I repaid the knave,"
"You are a boaster," said I. "You would have got indifferently on with the lobster, if I had
not come up; and have you forgotten the slap on the cheek which compelled you to

release him? Besides, he only defended himself with his natural arms; but you had to take
a great stone. You have no reason to be proud, Jack."
Ernest wished to have the lobster added to the soup to improve it; but his mother, with a
spirit of economy, reserved it for another day. I then walked to the spot where Jack's
lobster was caught, and, finding it favourable for my purpose, drew my two hogsheads on
shore there, and secured them by turning them on end.
On returning, I congratulated Jack on being the first who had been successful in foraging.
Ernest remarked, that he had seen some oysters attached to a rock, but could not get at
them without wetting his feet, which he did not like.
"Indeed, my delicate gentleman!" said I, laughing, "I must trouble you to return and
procure us some. We must all unite in working for the public good, regardless of wet feet.
The sun will soon dry us."
"I might as well bring some salt at the same time," said he; "I saw plenty in the fissures of
the rock, left by the sea, I should think, papa?"
"Doubtless, Mr. Reasoner," replied I; "where else could it have come from? the fact was
so obvious, that you had better have brought a bagful, than delayed to reflect about it. But
if you wish to escape insipid soup, be quick and procure some."
He went, and returned with some salt, so mixed with sand and earth, that I should have
thrown it away as useless; but my wife dissolved it in fresh water, and, filtering it through
a piece of canvas, managed to flavour our soup with it.
Jack asked why we could not have used sea-water; and I explained to him that the bitter
and nauseous taste of sea-water would have spoiled our dinner. My wife stirred the soup
with a little stick, and, tasting it, pronounced it very good, but added, "We must wait for
Fritz. And how shall we eat our soup without plates or spoons? We cannot possibly raise
this large boiling pot to our heads, and drink out of it."
It was too true. We gazed stupified at our pot, and, at last, all burst into laughter at our
destitution, and our folly in forgetting such useful necessaries.
"If we only had cocoa-nuts," said Ernest, "we might split them, and make basins and
spoons."
"If!" replied I--"but we have none! We might as well wish for a dozen handsome silver
spoons at once,