The Swiss Family Robinson by Johann David Wyss

House in the salt-rock; -- herring fishery.

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 door and windows of the front. This I regulated by the measurement of those I had fixed in my winding staircase, which I had removed for the purpose of placing them in our winter tenement. Intending Falcon's Nest in future as a rural retreat for the hottest days of summer, the windows of the staircase became unnecessary; and as to the door, I preferred making one of bark similar to that of the tree itself, as it would conceal our abode the better, should we at any time experience invasion from savages or other enemies: the doors and windows were therefore taken to Tent-House, and afterwards properly fixed in the rock. 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 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.