Swiss Family Robinson Part 51

They hastened towards us in great agitation, and their joy on seeing us safe was only equalled by the grief they felt on learning of the death of Juno.

The night was now far advanced; the fire burnt low; but we piled on more wood, and, by the renewed light, drew poor Juno from between the paws of the lioness; and, by the brookside, washed and bound up the torn body, wrapping it carefully in canvas, and carrying it with us on board the yacht, that it might be buried at Rockburg, whither, on the following day, it was our purpose to return.

Wearied and sorrowful, but full of thankfulness for our personal safety, we at length lay down to sleep, having brought all the dogs on board.

Next morning, before quitting Pearl Bay, we once more landed, that we might possess ourselves of the magnificent skins of the lion and lioness, whose visit, fatal to themselves, had caused such a commotion during the night.

In about a couple of hours we returned to the yacht, leaving the flayed carca.s.ses to the tender mercies of the birds of prey sure to be attracted to them.

'Homeward bound,' sang out the boys, as they cheerily weighed anchor, and prepared to stand out to sea. I could see, though he did not complain, that poor Jack had not yet recovered from the boar's rough treatment, and moved very stiffly.

'You must pilot us through the channel in the reef, this time, Fritz,'

said I; adding, in a lower tone, 'and then is it to be "farewell", my son!'

'Yes, dear father--Au revoir!' returned he, brightly with a glance full of meaning, while he threw into his canoe a cushion and fur cloak.

'Thanks, Fritz! But I'm going to honour them with the care of my battered bones in the yacht here. You are awfully considerate though, old fellow,' remarked Jack, not for a moment doubting that his brother expected him to return, as he came, beside him in the cajack.

Fritz laughed, and commended his decision. Then, springing into his skiff, he led the way towards the open sea.

We followed carefully and soon pa.s.sed the reef; after which the boys were very busy with the sails, putting the vessel on the homeward course, when, waving his hand to me, Fritz turned in the opposite direction, and quickly vanished behind the point, which I afterwards named Cape Farewell.

When missed by his brothers, I said he had a fancy to explore more of the coast, and if he found it interesting, he might, instead of only a few hours, remain absent for two or three days.

Towards evening, we sailed into Safety Bay.

Chapter 17

My wife and Franz, though somewhat startled by the unexpected absence of Fritz, were delighted to see us return safely, and listened with eager interest to our adventures. My wife shuddered, and scarcely suppressed an involuntary scream as she heard of our desperate encounter with the lion and his mate. Jack's danger and providential escape, too, made her tremble; and so pale did he still look, that she could scarcely believe he was uninjured.

Tears came into Franz's eyes when he heard of the sad death of poor old Juno; and he inquired most tenderly whether her remains had been brought back, that they might be interred near the house which had been her home for so many years.

Next day he saw her buried carefully; and Ernest, at his request, produced an epitaph, which was inscribed upon a slab of stone above her grave.

'JUNO

'A servant true lies here:

'A faithful friend,

'A Dog,

'To all most dear;

'Who met her end

'Fighting right bravely in her master's cause.

The flesh of the wild boar and the truffles were handed over to my wife, who received them with delight, promising us therefrom many a savoury dish. She would fain have had the boar's head too; but my word was pledged to Ernest that it should adorn his museum, and, though my lips watered to taste it baked in Hottentot fashion, I would not break my promise. This splendid head, therefore, together with the lions'

skins, we carried to the tannery on Whale Island, where they were cleaned and dressed.

Five days pa.s.sed, but Fritz still remained absent. I could not conceal my anxiety, and at length determined to follow him. All were delighted at the proposal, and even my wife, when she heard that we were to sail in the pinnace, agreed to accompany us.

The boat was stored, and on a bright morning, with a favourable breeze, we five, with the dogs, stepped aboard, and ran for Cape Minster.

Our beautiful little yacht bounded over the water gaily, and the bright sunshine and delicious sea-breeze put us all in the highest spirits. The entrance of the archway was in sight, and thither I was directing the boat's course.

Suddenly, right ahead, I saw a dark and shadowy ma.s.s just below the surface of the water. 'A sunken rock,' I thought to myself, 'and yet it is strange that I never before noticed it.'

I put down the helm in a moment, but a catastrophe seemed inevitable.

We surged ahead! A slight shock, and all was over! The danger was pa.s.sed!

I glanced astern, to look again at the dangerous spot; but the rock was gone, and, where but a moment before I had distinctly seen its great green shadow, I could now see nothing.

Before we had recovered from our amazement, a shout from Jack surprised me.

'There is another,' he exclaimed, 'to starboard, father!' Sure enough, there lay, apparently, another sunken rock.

'The rock is moving!' shouted Franz; and a great black body emerged from the sea, while from the upper extremity rushed a column of water, which, with a mighty noise, rose upwards, and then fell like rain all around. The mystery was explained; for, as the great beast emerged yet further from the water, I recognized, from its enormous size and great length of head, the cachalot whale.

The monster was apparently enraged at the way we had scratched his back; for, retreating to a short distance, he evidently meditated a rush upon us.

Fearful stories occurred to me of the savage temper of this whale, how he has been known to destroy boat after boat, and even to sink great ships, and with a feeling of desperation I sprang to one of the guns.

Jack leaped to the other, and almost simultaneously we fired. Both shots apparently took effect; for the whale, after lashing the water violently for a few seconds, plunged beneath its surface, and disappeared.

We kept a sharp look-out for him, for I was unwilling to lose such a valuable prize and, reloading, stood towards the sh.o.r.e, in which direction he was apparently making. Presently we again sighted him in shallow water, lashing fearfully with his tail, and dyeing the waves around him with blood. Approaching the infuriated animal as nearly as I dared, we again fired.

The struggles of the whale seemed for a few moments to become even yet more frantic, and then, with a quiver from head to tail, he lay motionless--dead!

The boys were about to raise a cry of victory, but checked the shout upon their very lips; for darting behind a rock they espied a canoe paddled by a tall and muscular savage, who now stood up in his skiff and appeared to be examining us attentively. Seeing that we were standing towards him, the swarthy native seized his paddle and again darted behind a rock. An awful thought now took possession of me. There must be a tribe of blacks lurking on these sh.o.r.es, and Fritz must have fallen into their hands.

We, however, I determined, should not be easily taken; and our guns were loaded and run out.

Presently a dusky face appeared, peeping at us from a lofty rock: it vanished, and we saw another peeping at us from lower down.

Then again the skiff put out as though to make a further reconnoitre.

All, even Jack, looked anxious, and glanced at me for orders.

'Hoist a white flag,' said I, 'and hand me the speaking-trumpet.' I seized the instrument and uttered such peaceable words in the Malay language as I could recall: neither the flag nor my words seemed to produce any effect, and the savage was about to return to the sh.o.r.e.

Jack hereupon lost patience, and in his turn took up the trumpet.

'Come here, you black son of a gun,' he exclaimed. 'Come on board and make friends, or we'll blow you and your--'

'Stop! Stop! You foolish boy,' I said. 'You will but alarm the man, with your wild words and gestures.'

'No! But see,' he cried, 'he is paddling towards us!'