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266 THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON
barley-bread, rice, nuts, almonds, and dry fruits; and for drink we took a barrel of water, and one of honey-syrup. These stores, with our tools and fishing implements, loaded down the boat.
The next day a fresh and favourable breeze and a slightly ruffled sea induced us to embark immediately. Francis and his mother were left at home, and we gaily put off, amid their prayers and wishes for our safe return. We took with us young Nip, the successor of our good old monkey, and two of our dogs. Jack occupied a second seat in Fritz's cajack. Ernest and I conducted the canoe loaded with our provisions and animals.
The cajack led the way and we followed, steering our course through the shoals and rocks with the greatest difficulty. We did not encounter any marine monsters ; but the rocks were covered with the whitened bones of walruses and sea-horses, and Ernest made us stop several times, at the risk of bruising our boat against the rocks, in order that he might collect some of these remains for our museum of natural history.
The sea was as calm and brilliant as a mirror, and was covered with the little boats of the nautilus, a sort of shell-fish which much resembles a miniature gondola. |
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