Swiss Family Robinson

about; and then I daresay the cunning rascals put a little monkey in at some small opening, and bid him unfasten the shutters--you know what nimble fingers they have. Then of course the whole posse of them swarmed into our nice tidy cottage and skylarked with every single thing they could lay paws on, till perhaps they got hungry all at once, and bethought them of the "ginseng", as you call it, out in the woods yonder, where we found them so busy refreshing themselves, the mischievous villains!'
    `While we were gazing at all this ruin in a sort of bewilderment,' pursued Fritz, `we heard a sound of rushing wings and strange ringing cries as of multitudes of birds passing high above us, and looking up we perceived them flying quickly in a wedge-shaped flock at a great height in the air. They began gradually to descend, taking the direction of the lake, and separated into a number of small detachments which followed in a long straight line, and at a slower rate, the movements of the leaders, who appeared to be examining the neighbourhood . We could now see what large birds they must be, but dared not show ourselves or follow them, lest they should take alarm.
    `Presently, and with one accord, they quickened their motion, just as if the band had begun to play a quick march after a slow one, and rapidly descended to earth in a variety of lively ways, and near enough for us to see that they must be cranes.
    `Some alighted at once, while others hovered sportively over them. Many darted to the ground, and, just touching it, would soar again upward with a strong but somewhat heavy flight.
    `After gambolling in this way for a time, the whole multitude, as though at the word of command, alighted on the rice-fields, and began to feast on the fresh grain.
    `We thought now was our time to get a shot at the cranes and cautiously approached; but they were too cunning to let themselves be surprised, and we came unexpectedly upon their outposts or sentinels, who instantly sprang into the air uttering loud trumpet-like cries, upon which the whole flock arose and followed them with a rush like a sudden squall of wind.
    `We were quite startled, and it was useless to attempt a shot; but unwilling to miss the chance of securing at least one of the birds, I hastily unhooded my eagle, and threw him into the air.
    `With a piercing cry he soared away high above them, then shot downwards like an arrow, causing wild confusion among the cranes.
    `The one which the eagle attacked, sought to defend itself; a struggle followed, and they came together to the ground not far from where we stood.
    `Hastening forward, to my grief I found the beautiful crane already dead. The eagle, luckily unhurt, was rewarded with a small pigeon from my game-bag.
    `After this we went back to Woodlands, got some turpentine and a bag of rice--and set off for home.'
    Fritz's interesting story being ended, and supper ready, we made trial of the new roots, and found them very palatable, either boiled or stewed; the monkey plant, however, if it really proved to be the ginseng of the Chinese, would require to be used with caution, being of an aromatic and heating nature.
    We resolved to transplant a supply of both roots to our kitchen garden.

    Chapter 10

    On the following morning we were early astir; and as soon as breakfast was over, we went regularly to work with the bird-lime. The tough, adhesive mixture of caoutchouc oil and turpentine turned out well.
    The boys brought rods, which I smeared over, and made them place among the upper branches, where the fruit was plentiful, and the birds most congregated.
    The prodigious number of the pigeons, far beyond those of last year, reminded me that we had not then, as now, witnessed their arrival at their feeding-places, but had seen only the last body of the season, a mere party of stragglers, compared to the masses which now weighed down the branches of all the trees in the neighbourhood .
    The sweet acorns of the evergreen oaks were also patronized; large flocks were there congregated; and from the state of the ground under the trees it was evident that at night they roosted on the branches. Seeing this, I determined to make a raid upon them by torchlight, after the manner of the colonists in Virginia .
    Meantime, the bird-lime acted well: the pigeons alighting, stuck fast. The more they fluttered and struggled, the more completely were they bedaubed with the tenacious mixture, and at length, with piteous cries, fell to the