The Swiss Family Robinson by J.D. Wyss

Author:J.D. Wyss
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781101635506
Publisher: Signet Classics
Published: 2013-05-07T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER XXX

House in the Salt Rock—Turtles

THE lucky discovery of a previously existing cavern in the rock had, as must be supposed, considerably lessened our labour; excavation was no longer requisite. I had more room than was wanted for the construction of our dwelling: to render it habitable was the present object, and to do this did not seem a difficult task. The upper bed of the rock, in front of the cavern, through which my little Jack had dug so easily, was of a soft nature, and to be worked with moderate effort. I hoped also that, being now exposed to the air and heat of the sun, it would become by degrees as hard and compact as the first layer that had given me so much trouble. From this consideration I began, while it retained its soft state, to make openings for the doors and windows of the front. This I regulated by the measurement of those I had fixed in my winding stair-case, which I had removed for the purpose of placing them in our winter tenement. I had previously marked out the openings to be cut for the frames, which were received into grooves for greater convenience and solidity. I took care not to break the stone taken from the apertures, or at least to preserve it in large pieces, and these I cut with the saw and chisel into oblongs an inch and a half in thickness, to serve as tiles. I laid them in the sun, and was gratified in seeing they hardened quickly; I then removed them, and my sons placed them in order against the side of the rock, till they were wanted for our internal arrangements.

When I could enter the cavern freely with a good doorway, and it was sufficiently lighted by the windows, I erected a partition, for the distribution of our apartments and other conveniences. The extent of the place afforded ample room for my design, and even allowed me to leave several spaces in which salt and other articles could be stored. I laid out the interior in the following manner: A very considerable space was first partitioned off in two divisions; the one on the right was appropriated to our residence, that on the left was to contain the kitchen, stables, and work-room. At the end of the second division, where windows could not be placed, the cellar and storeroom were to be formed; the whole separated by partition-boards, with doors of communication, so as to give us a pleasant and comfortable abode.

The side we designed to lodge in was divided into three apartments; the first, next the door, was the bedroom for my wife and me, the second a dining-parlour, and the last a bedroom for the boys. As we had only three windows, we put one in each sleeping-room; the third was fixed in the kitchen, where my wife would often be. A grating for the present fell to the lot of our dining-room, which when too cold was to be exchanged for one of the other apartments.

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