Page:Works of Jules Verne - Parke - Vol 6.djvu/148

 of these chelonians, which were really valuable in an alimentary point of view. The turtle soup, flavored with aromatic herbs, often won Neb well-merited praises.

We must here mention another fortunate circumstance by which new stores for the winter were laid in. Shoals of salmon entered the Mercy, and ascended the country for several miles. It was the time at which the females, going to find suitable places in which to spawn, precede the males and make a great noise through the fresh water. A thousand of these fish, which measured about two feet and a half in length, came up the river, and a large quantity were retained by fixing dams across the stream. More than a hundred were thus taken, which were salted and stored for the time when winter, freezing up the streams, would render fishing impracticable. By this time the intelligent Jup was raised to the duty of valet. He had been dressed in a jacket, white linen breeches, and an apron, the pockets of which were his delight. The clever orang had been marvelously trained by Neb, and anyone would have said that the negro and the ape understood each other when they talked together. Jup had besides a real affection for Neb, and Neb returned it. When his services were not required, either for carrying wood or climbing trees, Jup passed the greatest part of his time in the kitchen, where he endeavored to imitate Neb in all that he saw him do. The black showed the greatest patience and extreme zeal in instructing his pupil, and the pupil exhibited remarkable intelligence in profiting by the lessons.

Judge then of the pleasure Master Jup gave to the inhabitants of Granite House when, without their having had any idea of it, he appeared one day, napkin on his arm, ready to wait at table. Quick, attentive, he acquitted himself perfectly, changing the plates, bringing dishes, pouring out water, all with a gravity which gave intense amusement to the settlers, and which enraptured Pencroft.

"Jup, some soup!" "Jup, a little agouti!" Jup, a plate!" "Jup! Good Jup! Honest Jup!" Nothing was heard but that, and Jup without ever being disconcerted, replied to everyone, watched for everything, and he shook his head in a knowing way when Pencroft, referring to his joke of the first day, said to him, "Decidedly, Jup, your wages must be doubled."