Swiss Family Robinson

guessing from my pronunciation, I am afraid, that I was not in the habit of speaking English every day of my life, said in French:
    `"Long, long, have I waited since the bird returned with your message. Thank God, you have come at last!"
    `Then, with tears of joy and gratitude, she led me to the shore, where she had built a hut and a safe sleeping-place, like Falconhurst on a small scale, among the branches of a tree. I was delighted with all she showed me, for indeed her hut and its fittings evinced no ordinary skill and ingenuity. Round the walls hung bows, arrows, lances and bird-snares; while on her work-table, in boxes and cases, carved skilfully with a knife, were fish-hooks of mother-of-pearl, needles made from fishbones , and bodkins from the beaks of birds, fishing-lines of all sorts, and knives and other tools.
    These latter she told me were, with a chest of wearing apparel, almost the only things washed ashore after the wreck, when three years ago she was cast alone upon this desolate coast. I marvelled more and more at the wonderful way in which this girl had surmounted obstacles, the quarter of which would completely have appalled the generality of her sex.
    The hut itself was a marvel of skill; stout posts had been driven into the ground, with cross pieces of bamboo, to form a framework; the walls had then been woven with reeds, the roof thatched with palm-leaves, and the whole plastered smoothly with clay, an open space being left in the centre of the roof for a chimney to carry off the smoke of the fire.
    `As we entered, a cormorant, with a cry of anger, flew from under the table towards me, and was about to attack me fiercely. Miss Montrose called it off, and she then told me she had captured and tamed the bird soon after first landing, and since that time had contrived to train it to assist her in every conceivable way: it now not only was a pleasant companion, but brought her food of every description, fish, flesh and fowl, for whether it dived into the waters, according to its natural habit, struck down birds upon the wing, or seized rabbits and other small animals upon the land, it laid all its booty at her feet.
    `Before darkness closed in, all the curiosities and ingenious contrivances of the place had been displayed the kitchen-stove, cooking utensils, skin bottles, shell plates and spoons, the fishing raft, and numberless other things--and then, sitting down with my fair hostess to a most appetizing meal, she gave me a short account of her life:
    `Jenny* Montrose was the daughter of a British officer who had served for many years in India , where she herself was born. At the early age of three years she lost her mother.
    * Some translations give her name as Emily.
    `After the death of his wife, all the Colonel's love and care was centred upon his only child; under his eye she was instructed in all the accomplishments suited to her sex; and from him she imbibed an ardent love of field sports. By the time she was seventeen she was as much at home upon her horse in the field as in her father's drawing-room.
    `Colonel Montrose now received orders to return home with his regiment and as, for certain reasons, he did not wish her to accompany him in the ship with the troops, he obtained a passage for her on board a vessel which was about to sail at the same time.
    `The separation was extremely painful to both the old soldier and his daughter, but there was no alternative. They parted, and Miss Montrose sailed in the Dorcas for England . A week after she had left Calcutta, a storm arose and drove the vessel far out of her course; more bad weather ensued; and at length, leaks having been sprung in all directions, the crew were obliged to take to the boats.
    Jenny obtained a place in one of the largest of these. After enduring the perils of the sea for many days, land was sighted; and, the other boats having disappeared, an attempt was made to land. The boat was capsized, and Miss Montrose alone reached the shore. For a long time she lay upon the sand almost inanimate; but, reviving sufficiently to move, she at length obtained some shellfish, and by degrees recovered her strength.
    From that time forth until I appeared she never set eyes upon a human being. To attract any passing vessel, and obtain assistance, however, she kept a beacon continually blazing at the end of the reef; and, with the same purpose in view, attached missives to the feet of any birds she could take alive in her snares. The