Part 200

= how they must (Imp. Subj.) build.

to clear the ground (= land), +eine Strecke Landes urbar machen+.

here +erzielen+; any = a large.

to cut in two, +entzwei´schneiden+, sep. comp. irr. v.

= as well as possible.

from their feeding = as they lived; on, +von+.

in — lard = on account of their lard (+Schmalz+, n.).

Section 239.

A CURIOUS STORY.

VII.

In the month of April 1872, a singular misfortune befell them. While burning some of the brushwood below to make a clearing, the tussock-grass in the gully, by which they had been in the habit of ascending the cliff, caught fire, and as it had been only by its assistance that they had been able to scramble up to the plateau, their only hunting-ground was now inaccessible from the strip of beach on which their hut and garden stood, which was closed in on either side by a headland jutting into the sea. While their half-boat remained seaworthy, they were able to paddle round in fine weather to the west side of the island, where there was an access to the top; but the “sea-cart,” as they called it, was washed off the beach and broken up in June, and after that the only way they had of reaching the plateau was by swimming round the headland—a risky feat, even in the finest weather, in these wild regions.

In winter it was found to be impossible to reach the terrace, and as their supply of food was low, they experienced considerable privations during their first winter. Their daily allowance of food was reduced to a quantity just sufficient to maintain life, and in August they were little better than skeletons.

Help was, however, near. Early in August a multitude of penguins landed hard by their hut,—stupid animals, which will scarcely get out of one’s way, and are easily knocked down with a stick, and with fleshy breasts, wholesome enough, though with a rather fishy taste; and in the end of August the females began to lay large blue eggs, sufficiently delicate in flavour.

+Vertiefung+, f.

I was in the habit of ascending the mountain every day, +ich pflegte täglich den Berg zu ersteigen+.

= +und im August waren sie fast zu Skeletten geworden.+

= settled, +sich niederlassen+.

Begin a new period here and say: ‘These are stupid animals’, etc.

and — stick, +sich leicht mit einem Stock niederschlagen lassen+; and with — taste = and have a fleshy breast, which (supply +zwar+ here) yields (+bieten+) a wholesome food, but (+jedoch+) possesses a rather (+etwas+) fishy taste.—The whole period is difficult to translate into good German; the author considers it therefore necessary to assist the student.

Section 240.

A CURIOUS STORY.

VIII.

A French barque hove-to off the beach in the middle of September, and in her they shipped their seal-skins, and bartered penguins’ eggs with her for biscuits and tobacco. Had the bark arrived a week earlier, the brothers would have left the island; but the eggs had set them up again, and they determined to remain a little longer. In October, a schooner, which proved to be “The Themis,” a whaler from the cape of Good Hope, was seen standing towards the island. A gale of wind blew her off for a couple of days, but she returned and landed some men from Tristan, who had crossed to see what the hermits were about. Their guests remained a day and a half, and then returned to Tristan.

Early in November, that is, early in the second summer, the brothers thus swam round the eastern headland:—Frederick with their blankets, the rifle, and a spare suit of clothes—Gustav with powder, matches, and the kettle in an oil-cask. They mounted by the help of the tussock-grass to the top of the cliff, went over to the west side of the plateau, and there built a small hut, where they remained a month, living on goats’ flesh and fresh pork.

On the 10th of December they returned home, mended their thatch, dug the early potatoes, and put the garden in order.

On the 19th of December the Tristan men made their second sealing expedition. They remained nine days on the island, and killed forty seals, one sea-elephant, and eight of the remaining twelve goats. They left some flour in exchange for an oil-cask, and this was the last communication between the brothers and the outer world until the “Challenger” called eight months later.

+legte sich ... unweit der Insel vor Anker.+

= had strengthened them again.