Swiss Family Robinson | Page 9

represented to him how much he had
distressed us, and terrified his mother; that he had spoiled his gun, which might have
been so useful to us, and had almost killed the poor animals, who might be more so.
"Anger," said I, "leads to every crime. Remember Cain, who killed his brother in a fit of
passion." "Oh, father!" said he, in a voice of terror; and, acknowledging his error, he
asked pardon, and shed bitter tears.
Soon after our repast the sun set, and the fowls gathered round us, and picked up the
scattered crumbs of biscuit. My wife then took out her mysterious bag, and drew from it
some handfuls of grain to feed her flock. She showed me also many other seeds of useful
vegetables. I praised her prudence, and begged her to be very economical, as these seeds
were of great value, and we could bring from the vessel some spoiled biscuit for the
fowls.
Our pigeons now flew among the rocks, the cocks and hens perched on the frame of the
tent, and the geese and ducks chose to roost in a marsh, covered with bushes, near the sea.
We prepared for our rest; we loaded all our arms, then offered up our prayers together,
thanking God for his signal mercy to us, and commending ourselves to his care. When
the last ray of light departed, we closed our tent, and lay down on our beds, close together.
The children had remarked how suddenly the darkness came on, from which I concluded
we were not far from the equator; for I explained to them, the more perpendicularly the
rays of the sun fall, the less their refraction; and consequently night comes on suddenly
when the sun is below the horizon.
Once more I looked out to see if all was quiet, then carefully closing the entrance, I lay
down. Warm as the day had been, the night was so cold that we were obliged to crowd
together for warmth. The children soon slept, and when I saw their mother in her first
peaceful sleep, my own eyes closed, and our first night on the island passed comfortably.
* * * * *
CHAPTER III.
At break of day I was waked by the crowing of the cock. I summoned my wife to council,
to consider on the business of the day. We agreed that our first duty was to seek for our
shipmates, and to examine the country beyond the river before we came to any decisive
resolution.
My wife saw we could not all go on this expedition, and courageously agreed to remain

with her three youngest sons, while Fritz, as the eldest and boldest, should accompany me.
I begged her to prepare breakfast immediately, which she warned me would be scanty, as
no soup was provided. I asked for Jack's lobster; but it was not to be found. Whilst my
wife made the fire, and put on the pot, I called the children, and asking Jack for the
lobster, he brought it from a crevice in the rock, where he had hidden it from the dogs, he
said, who did not despise anything eatable.
"I am glad to see you profit by the misfortunes of others," said I; "and now will you give
up that large claw that caught your leg, and which I promised you, to Fritz, as a provision
for his journey?" All were anxious to go on this journey, and leaped round me like little
kids. But I told them we could not all go. They must remain with their mother, with Flora
for a protector. Fritz and I would take Turk; with him and a loaded gun I thought we
should inspire respect. I then ordered Fritz to tie up Flora, and get the guns ready.
Fritz blushed, and tried in vain to straighten his crooked gun. I let him go on for some
time, and then allowed him to take another; for I saw he was penitent. The dogs, too,
snarled, and would not let him approach them. He wept, and begged some biscuit from
his mother, declaring he would give up his own breakfast to make his peace with the dogs.
He fed them, caressed them, and seemed to ask pardon. The dog is always grateful; Flora
soon licked his hands; Turk was more unrelenting, appearing to distrust him. "Give him a
claw of the lobster," said Jack; "for I make you a present of the whole for your journey."
"Don't be uneasy about them," said Ernest, "they will certainly meet with cocoa-nuts, as
Robinson did, very different food to your wretched lobster. Think of an almond as big as
my head, with a large cup full of rich milk."
"Pray, brother, bring me one, if you find