Erewhon, or, Over the range / by Samuel Butler.

  • Samuel Butler
Date:
1923
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Erewhon, or, Over the range / by Samuel Butler. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    62/360 page 38
    the shore, not more than up to my knees in water and pulling my raft to land, fortunately upon the left bank of the river, which was the one I wanted. When I had landed I found that I was about a mile, or perhaps a little less, below the point from which I started. My swag was wet upon the outside, and I was myself dripping; but I had gained my point, and knew that my difficulties were for a time over. 1 then lit my fire and dried myself; having done so I caught some of the young ducks and sea-gulls, which were abundant on and near the river-bed, so that I had not only a good meal, of which I was in great want, having had an insufficient diet from the time that Chowbok left me, but was also well pro¬ vided for the morrow. I thought of Chowbok, and felt how useful he had been to me, and in how many ways 1 was the loser by his absence, having now to do all sorts of things for myself which he had hitherto done for me, and could do infinitely better than I could. Moreover, I had set my heart upon making him a real convert to the Christian religion, which he had already em¬ braced outwardly, though I cannot think that it had taken deep root in his impenetrably stupid nature. I used to catechise him by our camp fire, and explain to him the mysteries of the Trinity and of original sin, with which I was myself familiar, having been the grandson of an archdeacon by my mother's side, to say nothing of the fact that my father was a clergy¬ man of the English Church. I was therefore suffi¬ ciently qualified for the task, and was the more
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