o try them. They all at first declined the
unattractive repast, except Jack, who, with great courage, closed his
eyes, and desperately swallowed one as if it had been medicine. The rest
followed his example, and then all agreed with me that oysters were not
good. The shells were soon plunged into the pot to bring out some of the
good soup; but scalding their fingers, it was who could cry out the
loudest. Ernest took his large shell from his pocket, cautiously filled
it with a good portion of soup, and set it down to cool, exulting in his
own prudence. "You have been very thoughtful, my dear Ernest," said I;
"but why are your thoughts always for yourself; so seldom for others? As
a punishment for your egotism, that portion must be given to our
faithful dogs. We can all dip our shells into the pot, the dogs cannot.
Therefore, they shall have your soup, and you must wait, and eat as we
do." My reproach struck his heart, and he placed his shell obediently on
the ground, which the dogs emptied immediately. We were almost as
hungry as they were, and were watching anxiously till the soup began to
cool; when we perceived that the dogs were tearing and gnawing Fritz's
agouti. The boys all cried out; Fritz was in a fury, took his gun,
struck the dogs, called them names, threw stones at them, and would have
killed them if I had not held him. He had actually bent his gun with
striking them. As soon as he would listen to me, I reproached him
seriously for his violence, and represented to him how much he had
distressed us, and terrified his mother; that he had spoiled his gun,
which might have been so useful to us, and had almost killed the poor
animals, who might be more so. "Anger," said I, "leads to every crime.
Remember Cain, who killed his brother in a fit of passion." "Oh,
father!" said he, in a voice of terror; and, acknowledging his error, he
asked pardon, and shed bitter tears.

Soon after our repast the sun set, and the fowls gathered round us, and
picked up the scattered crumbs of biscuit. My wife then took out her
mysterious bag, and drew from it some handfuls of grain to feed her
flock. She showed me also many other seeds of useful vegetables. I
praised her prudence, and begged her to be very economical, as these
seeds were of great value, and we could bring from the vessel some
spoiled biscuit for the fowls.

Our pigeons now flew among the rocks, the cocks and hens perched on the
frame of the tent, and the geese and du