Page:The Swiss Family Robinson - 1851.djvu/27

18 cried out, "A sucking pig! a sucking pig!" And he then, with, great pride and satisfaction, produced his booty, which I recognized, from the description of travellers, to be the agouti, common in these regions, a swift animal, which burrows in the earth, and lives on fruits and nuts; its flesh, something like that of the rabbit, has an unpleasant flavour to Europeans.

All were anxious to know the particulars of the chase; but I seriously reproved my son for his little fiction, and warned him never to use the least deceit, even in jest. I then inquired where he had met with the agouti. He told me he had been on the other side of the river, "a very different place to this," continued he. "The shore lies low, and you can have no idea of the number of casks, chests, planks, and all sorts of things the sea has thrown up; shall we go and take possession of them? And to-morrow, father, we ought to make another trip to the vessel, to look after our cattle. We might, at least, bring away the cow. Our biscuit would not be so hard dipped in milk."

"And very much nicer," added the greedy Ernest.

"Then," continued Fritz, "beyond the river there is rich grass for pasturage, and a shady wood. Why should we remain in this barren wilderness?"

"Softly!" replied I, "there is a time for all things. To-morrow, and the day after to-morrow will have their work. But first tell me, did you see anything of our shipmates?"

"Not a trace of man, living or dead, on land or sea; but I saw an animal more like a hog than