The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss

The settling in the giant tree.

I had thought it necessary to keep watch during this first night, for the protection of my family. Every leaf that stirred, gave me the apprehension that it was the approach of a jackall or a tiger, who might attack some member of my family. As soon as one of the heaps was consumed, I lighted another; and at length, finding that no animal appeared, I by degrees became assured, and at last fell into so sound a sleep, that I did not awake early enough for the execution of my project for that day. The boys were all up and about me. We took our breakfast, and fell to our work. My wife, having finished her daily occupation of milking the cow, and preparing the breakfast for the family, and for all the animals, set off with Ernest, Jack, and Francis, attended by the ass, to the seashore; they had no doubt of finding some more pieces of wood, and they thought it would be prudent to replenish our exhausted store. In her absence, I ascended the tree with Fritz, and made the necessary preparations for my undertaking, for which I found it in every respect convenient; for the branches grew extremely close to each other, and in an exactly horizontal direction. Such as grew in a manner to obstruct my design, I cut off either with the saw or hatchet, leaving none but what presented me with a sort of foundation for my work. I left those which spread themselves evenly upon the trunk, and had the largest circuit, as a support for my floor. Above these, at the height of forty-six feet, I found others, upon which to suspend our hammocks; and higher still, there was a further series of branches, destined to receive the roof of my tent, which for the present was to be formed of nothing more than a large surface of sailcloth.