An American Robinson Crusoe for American Boys and Girls, Page 4

  He sewed the skins together with the hair side inward, made himself ajacket, a pair of trousers, a hat, and finally covered his parasol withrabbit skin, for the rain had already dripped through the leaves of it.All went well, only the trousers did not fit. He loosened them andpuckered them to no purpose. "Anyway," he thought, "I am now wellprotected from the cold, when it does come."

  ROBINSON IN HIS NEW SUIT]

  XXI

  HOW ROBINSON LAYS UP A STORE OF FOOD

  Now for the food. Could Robinson preserve the meat? He had often heardhis mother tell about preserving meat in salt. He had even eaten saltmeat, pickled meat. But where could he get salt?

  One day when the wind blew hard the water was driven upon the shore andfilled a little hollow. After a few days the ground glistened white assnow where the water had been. Was it snow? Robinson took it in hishands and put it in his mouth. It was salt. The sun had evaporated thewater in the hollow--had vaporized it--and the air had drunk it up. Whatwas left behind? Salt. Now he could get salt as long as he needed it.

  He took cocoanut shells and strewed salt in them. Then he cut the rabbitmeat in thin strips, rubbed them with salt, and laid them one on theother in the salt in the shells. He covered it over with a layer ofsalt. He put over each shell the half of a larger one and weighted itdown with stones. After a period of fourteen days he found the meatquite red. It had pickled.

  But he did not stop here. He gathered and stored in his cellar cocoanutsand corn in such quantities that he would be supplied for a wholewinter. It seemed best to catch a number of rabbits, build a house forthem and keep them. Then he could kill one occasionally and have freshmeat. Then it came to him that goats would be much better, for theywould give milk. He determined immediately to have a herd of goats. Hemade a string or lasso out of cocoa fibre.

  Then he went out, slipped up quietly to a herd of goats and threw thelasso over one. But the lasso slipped from the horns and the goat ranaway. The next day he had better luck. He threw the lasso, drew it tightand the goat was captured. He brought it home. He rejoiced when he sawthat it gave milk. He was happy when he got his first cocoanut shellfull of sweet rich milk. His goat herd grew. He soon had five goats. Hehad no more room in his yard. He could not provide food enough. He mustlet them out. He must make another hedge around his yard so that thegoats could get food and yet be kept from going away. He got stakesfrom the woods and gathered them before his cave. He sharpened them andbegan to drive them in the earth. But it rained more and more each day.He was wet through as he worked. He had finally to stop work, for therain was too heavy.

  XXII

  ROBINSON'S DIARY

  Robinson was much disturbed because he had no means of keeping a recordof things as they happened from day to day. He had his calendar, it istrue. He would not lose track of the time. But he wished for some way towrite down his thoughts and what happened. So he kept up keen search foranything that would serve him for this purpose.

  Every time he journeyed about the island he kept careful watch forsomething that he might write upon. He thought of the leaves of the palmtree, the white under surface of the shelf fungus. But these he foundwould not do. He tried many kinds of bark and leaves. There was a kindof tall reed or grass growing in the marshes whose rind seemed good whendried. He examined the inner bark of many trees. He at last found thatthe inner bark of a tree which resembled our elm tree worked best. Hewould cut through the bark with his stone knife around the tree. Atabout one foot from this he would cut another ring. He then would cutthrough the bark lengthwise from one circular cut to the other. He couldthen peel off the section easily. While it was yet full of sap he wouldseparate the soft, tough, thin inner layer of the bark. This usuallycame off in sheets without a break. When these sheets of bark werestretched and dried they could be used very nicely instead of paper.

  Robinson next searched for something that would serve him as ink, andthis was much easier to find than paper. He had noticed many kinds ofgalls of many different colors growing on trees. He did not know whatthey were, or how they grew, but he had learned in his father's storethat ink was often made from galls gathered from trees. "Anyway," hethought, "I can get ink from the cuttle-fish." He had watched thisanimal get away from its enemies by sending out a cloud of purplishfluid, in which to hide as it darted away. He had learned also thatindigo is made from the leaves of a plant. He had noticed a plantgrowing in the open places in the forest whose leaves turned black whendried.

  Robinson gathered a quantity of gall-nuts and soaked them in water. Tothe black fluid thus obtained he added a little rice water to make itflow well, and this served very well as an ink. He kept his ink in a cupmade from a cocoanut shell.

  He was not long in getting a pen, though the lack of a good sharp knifemade it hard to make a good one. In going about he had gathered aquantity of large feathers. He saved these for the time when he shouldhave his paper and ink ready. Now, he cut away a quill to a point andsplit it up a little way. He was now supplied with writing materials."Is it not wonderful," he thought, "how all our wants are filled? Wehave only to want a thing badly enough and it comes."

  Robinson began at once to write down the date for each day and the mainthing he did or that happened on it. He called this his diary. He hadnow a better way of keeping time than on his tree calendar. He did notneed it any more.

  You have no doubt wondered how Robinson could work in his cave,especially at night without a light. The truth is, it was a great sourceof discomfort to him. At sunset he was in total darkness in his cave.During the day light enough streamed in from the open doorway. To bealone in total darkness is not pleasant. "If I only had fire!" he saidagain and again.

  He watched the many large beetles and fire-flies flash their light inthe dark of the evening as he sat in front of his shelter. The thoughtcame to him that if he only had some way of keeping together a number ofthem, they would serve very well for a candle in his cave at night. Howhe longed for a glass bottle such as he had so often wantonly brokenwhen at home! Back of his shelter there was a hill where the rock layersjutted out. He had noticed here several times the thin transparent rockthat he had seen in his father's store. It is called isinglass.

  "I will make a living lantern," he said aloud in his eagerness.

  He soon had a suitable piece pried loose. He cut a part of a cocoanutshell away and in its place he put a sheet of isinglass. That evening atdark he gathered several handfuls of the great fire beetles and put themin his lantern. What joy their glow gave him in his cave at night. Itwas almost as much comfort as a companion. But while it lighted up thedeep dark of the cave and enabled him to move about, he was unable afterall to write in his diary at night. Every morning he set his captivesfree. In the evening he would go out and capture his light.

  XXIII

  ROBINSON IS SICK

  One evening Robinson went to bed sound and well. The next morning he wassick. Before he had only the heat of the day to complain of. To-day hewas freezing. He wanted to go to work to get warm, but even this did notbreak his chill. It increased till his teeth chattered with the cold.

  "Perhaps," thought he, "if I can sleep a little I will get better." Buthe could not sleep. He was burning with fever and then shaking with coldby turns. He felt a strong thirst, but he was so weak that he couldscarcely get the goat's milk. He had no sooner drunk the milk than histongue was as dry as before. He felt better after a night of sleep, butthe next day his fever and chills were worse than before. Then hebethought him of his parents. How kindly his mother had taken care ofhim! Now no one was near that could assist him.

  "Ah," he sighed, "must I die here? Who would bury me? There is no oneto miss me." At this the tears came to his eyes.

  His sickness increased with each day. Occasionally the fever would godown sufficiently to allow him to get something to eat. Then it would beworse than before. In his dire need he wanted to pray, but he was soweak that he could only stammer, "Dear God, help me, or I shall die!"

  One ni
ght he had a strange dream. He thought he saw his good old fatherstanding before him calling to him. He spread out his arms and criedaloud, "Here I am, here I am!" He tried to get up, but he was so weakthat he fell back fainting.

  He lay there a long time, but finally came to. He felt a burning thirst,but no one reached him a drop of water. He prepared to die. He foldedhis hands and prayed to God that he would be merciful to him. He prayedforgiveness from his parents. Once more he raised his head and gazedwildly around, then he sank back and knew no more.

  When he again awoke he felt better. His hot fever had gone. He attemptedto walk. He had just enough strength to crawl to the table and fetch ashell of water. When he tried to walk he had to sit down at every two orthree steps.

  From this he recovered gradually, growing better and better, and hethanked God inwardly for his recovery. His sickness had continued fromJune 18 to July 3.

  XXIV

  ROBINSON'S BOWER

  Robinson's sickness set him thinking about his home. He had been soafraid of animals when he came to the island that he thought of nothingbut protection from them. He had been now a year on the island and hadseen nothing more dangerous than a goat. The fear of animals hadpractically faded away. In thinking over his sickness he made up hismind that it was caused by sleeping in his cave where the sun nevershone. The ventilation seemed good, but the walls were damp, especiallyin the rainy season. Then the water would trickle down through the cleftin spite of all he could do.

  He resolved to build, if possible, a little cottage, or, as he calledit, a bower, in the yard in front of his shelter. The hedge of thistleswas growing and formed a fence that an animal could not get through. Hisscreen of willows on the outside of this would soon hide him from viewfrom the sea. He had the wall of rock and the hill behind him.

  He planned out his way of building it very carefully. "It must be done,"he said (Robinson formed the habit of talking to himself, so that hewould not forget how to talk), "without hammer, nails, or saw."

  He first sought out four posts, as large as he could well handle. Therewere always broken trees and branches in the forest. If he searched longenough he could find posts just suited to his need. He wanted four ofthe same thickness and height and with a fork at the end. After longsearching he found what he wanted. He was careful to get those that hecould drag to his shelter.

  He placed these in the ground, forming the corners of a square about tenfeet long. In the forks he placed poles running around about eight feetfrom the ground. At about every three feet he fastened others, runningin the same way, with heavy cords made of fibre. He found his greatesttrouble with the roof. It must be sloped to shed rain. He had to findtwo more forked posts, three or four feet longer than the others. Thesehe placed opposite each other in the centers of two sides. Upon these heplaced a ridge pole. He then laid other poles lengthwise from ridge poleto the edge of the frames.

  His frame was now done. His plan was now to cover this frame with strawor grasses tied in bundles. He had seen the barns in the countrythatched in this way by the Dutch farmers in New York State. He gatheredthe straw of the wild rice. It was long, straight and tough. It waseasily tied into flat bundles. These he bound securely on to the framework with cords. He began at the bottom so that the ends of the rowwould lap over the tops of the last one put on.

  ROBINSON'S BOWER]

  In this way he built a very comfortable and rainproof bower. It waseasy to make a bed of poles covered with straw. A table and bench wereadded and shelves of poles.

  Robinson felt great joy over this new home. "I will not now be sick anymore," he said. "In case of danger I can get into my cave. But at allother times I will live in my bower." He had use still for his cave. Hecould use it to store some things in. But he had to be careful about thedampness in wet weather.

  Robinson was getting to feel at home. He was no longer so sad. He didnot grieve so much for home. He looked upon his home with great delight.It was secure. He had his herd of goats always in his sight. At eveninghe would do his milking. He found he could keep the milk for some timein the cave. He was tempted to try making some butter from the good,rich cream. "But," said Robinson, "I have neither vessels to make it innor bread to eat it on."

  He planned many things to do. "I will make a hammock some day for mybower and some vessels to use in my work," he thought.

  XXV

  ROBINSON AGAIN EXPLORES HIS ISLAND

  When Robinson recovered his strength he had a strong desire to see moreof the island. At first he had been in constant fear of wild animals,but now he thought he would like to see all there was to see in theisland. On the 15th of July he started out. First he went to a brookwhich ran into the sea near his cave. Its water was clear and pure;along its shore lay beautiful meadows. As he came to the upper course ofthe brook the meadow gave way to forest. On the border of the forest hefound melons and grapes.

  The night came on and he slept again in a tree. The next morning he wentfarther and came to a clear rivulet. Here the region was wonderfullybeautiful. The flowers bloomed as in a garden, and near the flowersstood splendid apple and orange trees. He took as much of the fruit ashe could carry and went on his way. This journey continued three days.The grapes which he had carried he dried in the sun and made raisins.

  The 10th of September came, one year had passed on the island. He wasmany hundred miles from home, alone on an island. With tears he criedout, "Ah! what are my dear parents saying? They have no doubt long givenme up as dead. If I could only send them a message to comfort them andlet them know how much I love them!"

  The day was celebrated as a holiday. He thanked God that He had givenhim so many good things. Often he had lived the whole day in care andanxiety. Now he tried to be more cheerful and to meet the troubles ofeach day with courage.

  But Robinson was not yet satisfied. He longed to know more of the islandand prepared himself for a greater journey. He slung his hunting pouchover his shoulder, filled it full of food, took his bow and arrows,stuck his stone hatchet in his belt and started on his way. He traveledover meadows, through beautiful forests in which were hundreds of birds.He was delighted as they sang and fluttered about.

  The journey was beautiful and pleasant to Robinson. In the forests heoften saw small wild creatures, but he shot nothing. After the firstnight he slept under a tree in the soft grass, for he had now no fear ofwild animals.

  Along the shore he saw great groves of palms with their large nuts. Hesaw, too, many goats in all parts of the island.

  Now he was ready to take the shortest way home. He had not gone farbefore he came into a dark forest. He became confused and wandered aboutfor several days. On the fourth day he came to a little pile of stones,which he had made to mark the way as he was going out. From this placethe way was easy to find. On this trip he was gone already two weeks.

  XXVI

  ROBINSON AND HIS BIRDS

  Of all the things he saw on his journey Robinson was most delighted withthe birds. They were of the most beautiful colors. The forest was fullof them. They gleamed like jewels in the deep masses of foliage. In themorning their singing filled the air with sound.

  Robinson had never taken much notice of the birds at home. But now everyliving thing attracted him. He loved to see them happy. He would watchoften by the hour and learn the habits of nesting and getting food ofnearly every bird on the island.

  Robinson did not know the names of many of the birds he saw on theisland. He had to make names for them. The strangest thing he saw on hisjourney was the nest of what he called the yellow-tail. This bird livesin colonies and makes its nest at the ends of the long leaves of themountain palm. When he first saw these queer looking sacks hanging fromthe leaves he was amazed. He had never seen so strange a sight. Fromthe end of each great leaf hung a long, closely woven nest. Robinsoncould not make out at first what they were. Soon, however, he saw thebirds come out of the mouths of the nests. Here, one hundred feet fromthe ground, they hung their nests. But they were perfectly sa
fe.

  He had not gone far from the tree in which the yellow tails had theirnests when he was suddenly startled by a voice crying, "Who, who areyou?" Robinson was greatly frightened and hid beneath the droopingbranches of a cedar tree. He feared every moment that the owner of thevoice would make his appearance. But it kept at a distance. Every fewminutes from the depths of the forest would come the doleful cry, "Who,who are you?" Robinson did not dare to stir from his hiding place. Heremained there over night. After the night came on he heard the strangevoice no more.

  The next day he renewed his journey. He saw many birds that were whollystrange to him. There was a kind of wild pigeon that built its home in ahole in the rock. It was a most beautiful bird with long, slender,graceful feathers in its tail. He saw the frigate bird soaring highabove the island. The number and beauty of the humming-birds amazedRobinson. They were of all colors. One had a bill in the shape of asickle. The most brilliant of them all was the ruby-crestedhumming-bird.

  Near noon, while Robinson was shielding himself from the scorching heatof the sun in a deep, shaded glen, he was startled again by the strangevoice crying, "Who, who, who are you?" He lay quite still, determined ifpossible to allow the voice to come, if it would, within sight. He heardit slowly coming up the glen. Each time it repeated the cry it soundednearer. At last he saw spying at him through the boughs of the treeunder which he was lying a large bird with soft, silky feathers of greenand chestnut. "Who, who, who are you?" said the bird. Robinson could nothelp but laugh. He had been frightened at the cry of a bird.