Page:The Swiss Family Robinson (Kingston).djvu/364

318 “A serpent!” cried I, hurrying towards it in alarm, and fearing there must be a brood of them in the swamp after all.

“A fine large eel you mean, my boy. This will provide an excellent supper for us to-night. I am glad you had the courage to kill it, instead of taking to your heels and fleeing from the supposed serpent.”

“Well, I thought it would be so horrid to be pursued and caught that I preferred facing it; my shot took effect, but it was very difficult to kill the creature outright, it moved about although its head was smashed.”

“The tenacity of life possessed by eels is very remarkable,” I said. “I have heard that the best mode of killing them is to grasp them by the neck and slap their tails smartly against a stone or post.”

We made our way back more easily by keeping close to the cliffs, where the ground was firmer, and found the mother washing clothes at the fountain. She rejoiced greatly at our safe return and was much pleased with the supply of fuller's earth, as she said there was now very little soap left. The eel was cooked for supper, and during the evening a full account was given of our passage through the swamp, and discovery of the rock-crystal cavern.

It was most important to ascertain whether any serpent lurked among the woods of our little territory between the cliffs and the sea. Preparations were set on foot for the second and greater undertaking of a search throughout the country beyond the river, as far as the Gap. I wished all the family to go on the expedition, a decision which gave universal satisfaction.

Intending to be engaged in this search for several weeks, we took the small tent and a store of all sorts of necessary provisions, as well as firearms, tools, cooking utensils, and torches.

All these things were packed on the cart, which was drawn by Storm and Grumble. Jack and Franz mounted them, and acted