Fritz, tell us how you obtained your prize.'`Observing that something moved among the branches,' said he, `I went softly round the tree with my gun, and making sure the creature was a wild cat I fired and brought it down. It was severely wounded, but, rising in a fury, it attempted to climb the tree, when I luckily having a loaded pistol, gave it a quietus. And do tell me, father, what sort of cat it is.'
`It is a mercy the brute did not fly at your throat instead of attempting to escape,' said I. `It belongs to a fierce and bloodthirsty race--that of the ocelots or tiger-cats, natives of the tropical parts of America. I should say this was a margay, and as it would have proved a cruel foe, not only of our poultry, but also of our sheep and goats, I am well pleased that you have rid us of it.'
`May I have the beautiful skin, father? And will you tell me what will be the best use to make of it?'
`I advise you to skin the animal very carefully, and of the handsome black and yellow tail, make a hunting-belt for yourself. The paws--let me see--why, I fancy the paws might be made famous cases for knife, fork and spoon, and look well hanging from the belt. The skin of the body you had better preserve until you find some suitable use for it.'
`Oh, father, what a splendid plan!' cried Jack. `Do tell me some good use for my porcupine.'
`I think its feet may make cases also; at least, you may try. The quills, I am sure, may be used for packing needles, and for tipping arrows, and I should try to make defensive armour for the dogs out of the rest. They may fall in with foes more dangerous than any we have yet seen.'
`To be sure, father, the very thing!' shouted Jack in high glee. `I have seen pictures of boar-hunts, in which the dogs were protected by a sort of leather coat of mail. That will be grand!'
After giving this advice, I got no peace until I had shown my boys how to act upon it, and in a short time each had his prize fastened up by the hind legs, and carefully slitting the skin, was stripping it from the carcase.
Ernest, meanwhile, was fetching large flat stones in order to form a fireplace, while Franz gathered sticks, as his mother was anxious
to prepare some food.
`What sort of tree do you suppose this to be, father?' inquired Ernest, seeing me examining that under which we were encamping.
`Is not the leaf something like a walnut?'
`There is a resemblance, but in my opinion these gigantic trees must be mangroves or wild figs. I have heard their enormous height described, and also the peculiarity of the arching roots supporting the main trunk raised above the soil.'
Just then little Franz came up with a large bundle of sticks, and his mouth full of something he was eating with evident satisfaction.
`Oh, mother!' cried he, `this is so good! So delicious!'
`Greedy little boy!' exclaimed she in a fright. `What have you got there? Don't swallow it, whatever you do. Very likely it is poisonous! Spit it all out this minute!' And his anxious mother quickly extracted from the rosy little mouth the remains of a small fig.
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`Where did you find this?' said I.
`There are thousands lying among the grass yonder,' replied the little boy. `They taste very nice. I thought poison was nasty. Do you think they will hurt me? The pigeons and the hens are gobbling them up with all their might and main, papa!'
`I think you have no cause for alarm, dear wife,' I said. `The trees seem to be the fig-bearing mangrove of the Antilles. But remem-
ber, Franz, you must never eat anything without first showing it to me, never mind how good it seems.
`If birds and monkeys eat a fruit or vegetable, it is usually safe to believe it wholesome,' added I, turning to the other boys, who instantly taking the hint, coaxed Franz to give them the figs he still had in his pocket, and ran to offer them to Knips, who was closely watching the skinning of the tiger-cat and porcupine, apparently giving his opinion on the subject with much chattering and gesticulation.
`Here, Knips, allow me to present you with a fig!' cried Jack, holding one out to the funny little creature.
Knips took it readily, and after turning it about, and sniffing and smelling it, he popped it into his mouth, with such a droll grimace
of delight and satisfaction that the boys all laughed and clapped their hands, crying `Bravo, Knips! You know a good thing when you see it, don't you, old fellow! Hurrah!'
My wife, with her mind set at rest on the question of the figs, now continued her preparations for dinner.
The flesh of the margay was given to the dogs, but part of the porcupine was put on the fire to boil, while we reserved the rest for roasting.
I employed myself in contriving needles for my wife's work, by boring holes at one end of the quills, which I did by means of a red hot nail, and I soon had a nice packet of various sizes, which pleased her immensely. I also laid plans for making proper harness for our beasts of burden, but could not attempt to begin that while so many wants more pressing demanded attention.
We examined the different trees, and chose one which seemed most suited to our purpose. The branches spread at a great height above us, and I made the boys try if it were possible to throw sticks or stones over one of these, my intention being to construct a rope ladder if we could once succeed in getting a string across a strong bough.
Finding we could not succeed in that way, I resolved other schemes in my mind, and meantime went with Jack and Fritz to a small brook close by, where I showed them how to place the skins to steep and soften in the water, with stones placed on them to keep them beneath the surface.
When dinner was over, I prepared our night quarters. I first slung our hammocks from the roots of the tree, which, meeting above
us, formed an arched roof, then covering the whole with sailcloth, we made a temporary tent, which would at least keep off the night damps and noxious insects.
Leaving my wife engaged in making a set of harness for the ass and cow, whose strength I intended to employ the following day in drawing the beams up to our tree, I walked down with Fritz and Ernest to the beach to look for wood suitable for building our new abode and also to discover, if possible, some light rods to form a ladder.
For some time we hunted in vain, nothing but rough driftwood was to be seen, utterly unfit for our purpose. Ernest at length pointed out a quantity of bamboos half buried in the sand. These were exactly what I wanted, and stripping them of their leaves I cut them into lengths of about five feet each; these I bound in bundles to carry to the tree, and then began to look about for some slight reeds to serve as arrows.
I presently saw what I required in a copse at a little distance. We advanced cautiously lest the thicket should contain some wild beast or venomous serpent. Juno rushed ahead; as she did so a flock of flamingos, which had been quietly feeding, rose in the air. Fritz instantly firing brought a couple of the birds to the ground, the rest of the squadron sailing away in perfect order, their plumage continually changing, as they flew, from beautiful rose to pure white, as alternately their snowy wings and rosy breasts were visible.
One of those which fell was perfectly dead, but the other appeared only slightly wounded in the wing, for it made off across the swampy ground. I attempted to follow, but soon found that progress was impossible on the marsh; Juno, however, chased the bird and, seizing it, speedily brought it to my feet. Fritz and Ernest were delighted at the sight
