After unharnessing the animals,
we began to load. We took the cask of butter, the cheese, and the
biscuit; all the rest of our utensils, powder, shot, and Turk's armour,
which we had left there. These labours had so occupied us, that we had
not observed that our animals, attracted by the pasturage, had crossed
the bridge, and wandered out of sight. I sent Ernest to seek them, and
in the mean time went to the bay, where I discovered some convenient
little hollows in the rock, that seemed cut out for baths. I called
Ernest to come, and till he arrived, employed myself in cutting some
rushes, which I thought might be useful. When my son came, I found he
had ingeniously removed the first planks from the bridge, to prevent the
animals straying over again. We then had a very pleasant bath, and
Ernest being out first, I sent him to the rock, where the salt was
accumulated, to fill a small bag, to be transferred to the large bags on
the ass. He had not been absent long, when I heard him cry out, "Papa!
papa! a huge fish! I cannot hold it; it will break my line." I ran to
his assistance, and found him lying on the ground on his face, tugging
at his line, to which an enormous salmon was attached, that had nearly
pulled him into the water. I let it have a little more line, then drew
it gently into a shallow, and secured it.
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