in us; we had in this time completed several
works of less importance; and many events had amused us amidst our toil.

A few days after we commenced, Flora produced six puppies; but the
number being too large for our means of support, I commanded that only a
male and female should be preserved, that the breed might be
perpetuated; this was done, and the little jackal being placed with the
remainder, Flora gave it the same privileges as her own offspring. Our
goats also, about this time, gave us two kids; and our sheep some lambs.
We saw this increase of our flock with great satisfaction; and for fear
these useful animals should take it into their heads to stray from us,
as our ass had done, we tied round their necks some small bells we had
found on the wreck, intended to propitiate the savages, and which would
always put us on the track of the fugitives.

The education of the young buffalo was one of the employments that
varied our labour as carpenters. Through the incision in his nostrils, I
had passed a small stick, to the ends of which I attached a strap. This
formed a kind of bit, after the fashion of those of the Hottentots; and
by this I guided him as I chose; though not without much rebellion on
his part. It was only after Fritz had broken it in for mounting, that we
began to make it carry. It was certainly a remarkable instance of
patience and perseverance surmounting difficulties, that we not only
made it bear the wallets we usually placed on the ass, but Ernest, Jack,
and even little Francis, took lessons in _horsemanship_, by riding him,
and, henceforward, would have been able to ride the most spirited horse
without fear; for it could not be worse than the buffalo they had
assisted to subdue.

In the midst of this, Fritz did not neglect the training of his young
eagle. The royal bird began already to pounce very cleverly on the dead
game his master brought, and placed before him; sometimes between the
horns of the buffalo, sometimes on the back of the great bustard, or the
flamingo; sometimes he put it on a board, or on the end of a pole, to
accustom it to pounce, like the falcon, on other birds. He taught it to
settle on his wrist at a call, or a whistle; but it was some time before
he could trust it to fly, without a long string attached to its leg, for
fear its wild nature should carry it from us for ever. Even the indolent
Ernest was seized with the mania of instructing animals. He undertook
the educati