Page:The Swiss Family Robinson (Kingston).djvu/304

258 the tree, where sure enough we found the first detachment of the birds already busy with the fruit.

In order to spare ammunition, I resolved to concoct a strong sort of bird-lime, of which I had read in some account of the Palm Islanders, who make it of fresh caoutchouc mixed with oil, and of so good a quality that it has been known to catch even peacocks and turkeys.

Fritz and Jack were therefore dispatched to collect some fresh caoutchouc from the trees, and as this involved a good gallop on Storm and Lightfoot, they nothing loth set off.

They took a supply of calabashes, in which to bring the gum, and we found it high time to manufacture a fresh stock of these useful vessels. I was beginning to propose an expedition to the Gourd-tree wood, regretting the time it would take to go such a distance, when my wife reminded me of her plantation near the potato-field.

There to our joy we found that all the plants were nourishing, and crops of gourds and pumpkins, in all stages of ripeness, covered the ground.

Selecting a great number suited to our purpose, we hastened home, and began the manufacture of basins, dishes, plates, flasks, and spoons of all sorts and sizes, with even greater success than before.

When the riders returned with the caoutchouc, they brought several novelties besides. A crane, for example, shot by Fritz, and an animal which they called a marmot, but which to me seemed much more like a badger. Anise-seed, turpentine, and wax berries for candles, they had also collected, and a curious root which they introduced by the name of the monkey plant. “And pray wherefore ‘monkey plant,’ may I ask?”

“Well, for this reason, father,” asked Fritz: “we came upon an