The Swiss Family Robinson; or, Adventures on a Desert IslandWyss, Johann David
General
The Swiss Family Robinson; or, Adventures on a Desert Island
Wyss, Johann David
Family life -- Fiction; Islands -- Fiction; Survival -- Fiction
"The name by which they are distinguished is derived from the Latin
word, 'mamma,' a breast, and is given to them because all the species
belonging to this class are furnished with a set of organs called the
mammary glands, secreting the liquid known as milk, by which the young
are nourished.
"The bones of the whale differ from those of animals simply in being of
a hollow construction, and filled with air so as to render the carcass
more buoyant. The bones of birds are also hollow, for the same reason,
and in all this we see conspicuously the wisdom and goodness of the
great Creator."
"What a marvelous structure it is, father!" said Fritz. "What a
ponderous mass of bones! Can we not make use of any of them?"
"Nothing strikes me at this moment; we will leave them to bleach here
yet awhile, and perhaps, by sawing them up afterward, make a few chairs,
or a reading desk for the museum. But now it is time to return home.
Bring the boat round to where the turtle awaits his fate; we must settle
how to deal with him."
It was soon decided that he must swim. I fastened the empty water-cask
to a long line, one end of which was made fast to the bow of the boat,
the other carefully passed round the neck and forepaws of the creature,
who was then lifted, so as to let him regain his feet, when he instantly
made for the water, plunged in, the cask floated after him and prevented
his sinking. We were all on board in a moment; and the worthy fellow,
after vainly attempting to dive, set himself diligently to swim right
forward, towing us comfortably after him. I was ready to cut the line on
the least appearance of danger, and kept him on the course for Safety
Bay by striking the water with a boat-hook, right or left, according as
the turtle was disposed to turn too much one way or the other.
The boys were delighted with the fun, and compared me to Neptune in his
car, drawn by dolphins, and accompanied by Amphitrite and attendant
Tritons.
We landed safely at the usual place, near Rockburg, and the turtle was
condemned and executed soon afterward; the shell, which was quite eight
feet long, and three broad, was, when cleaned and prepared, to form a
trough for the water supply at the cave, and the meat was carefully
salted, and stored up for many a good and savory meal.
It had been my intention to bring a piece of land under cultivation
before the next rainy season, to be sown with different sorts of grain;
but many unforeseen circumstances had intervened to hinder this, and our
animals, unaccustomed to the yoke, were not available for the plow.
I therefore gave up the idea for the present, and applied myself, with
Ernest's assistance, to completing the loom, which, although the
workmanship was clumsy, I succeeded in making quite fit for use. I had
fortunately in my younger days spent many hours in the workshops of
weavers and other artisans, and therefore I understood more than might
have been expected of their various crafts.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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