Chapter 21 Hello and Goodbye With the passing of winter, we all came out again to the joy of spring.
There was much to do for our expanded family, and we took to the new days with great happiness.
One day, Fritz and Jack were out on Shark Island raising our flag when we heard a strange sound burst out.
It was three shots from a gun.
But had we really heard it?
We all rushed to the beach to be sure.
We were confused and happy and scared all at once.
Was it friendly sailors or attacking pirates?
All at once.
The sailboat came back to shore from the island and Jack and Fritz jumped out to greet us.
Did you hear that? asked Fritz.
Father, what should we do?
I looked to the sky only to see it was getting dark.
There's nothing we can do tonight, I told them.
In the morning we will set out to see what made the noise.
None of us slept that night, and in the morning a storm rolled in and made a mess of the shore.
I knew that we would find nothing in that weather, and so we waited again.
The waiting was agony.
On the third day we went out to Shark Island and fired off our cannons.
There was no sound for a while, but then we heard a shot ring out again.
We came back to our beach, still worried that the ship might be full of pirates or enemies of some kind.
Fritz and I got into the sailboat with our guns and sailed back out to sea to learn more.
We left the family nervous behind us.
We sailed for an hour and found nothing.
But then, through the telescope, I saw what looked to be a ship.
As we got closer, I saw that it was indeed a ship. it was English.
But what could it be doing out this way?
We watched the men on deck closely and felt they were honest men.
We returned to tell the others to get ready to meet them.
Our family was full of joy.
We dressed in our best, got our boat ready, collected fruit as a gift and sailed out to meet the strangers.
Soon we were in front of the ship, and the captain spied us and waved us aboard.
We all tried to remain as calm as possible, but it was no use.
We were clearly amazed to see civilized people once again.
We were not sure how to behave.
The captain invited us to his cabin and asked us to tell him our story and how long we had been there.
He had thought the coast was uninhabited.
We told him our story and of our adventures, and he was amazed to find out we had been there for thirteen years.
And when we told him Jenny's story, he jumped up.
Oh, you must accept my welcome, he said.
One of my reasons for coming on this trip has been to find Miss Montrose.
I was sent by her father, the colonel.
You must be our guests on board the ship.
There is a family with us, the Woolstons, he told us.
You must meet them.
Mr. Woolston is quite ill and has been told to settle somewhere new to live.
He is my second reason for this voyage.
We got back into our boat and both vessels sailed for the shore where we greeted the Woolstons as they got off their ship.
It seemed strange and wonderful to arrive on this land that had been ours alone for so long, and to be with another family on the beach.
They were happy to meet us, but their joy was nothing compared to our sense of amazement at being able to welcome the first guests ever to the land of New Switzerland.
We spent an afternoon entertaining each other with tales and getting to know each other, making everyone feel at home and welcomed.
That night, my wife and I talked in private.
There was something I wanted to tell her that made me feel very nervous.
After so long on the island and after more than a decade of work, I felt that this was my home.
I had no need of a rescue.
I was a happy man.
I had no wish to leave this place, and I told her that I wished to stay on New Switzerland.
It truly was now my home, and I hoped that she felt the same.
I was relieved to find out she felt exactly as I did.
We hugged joyfully, happy to be in such harmony.
We waited until the next day to see what our boys felt about the idea, and we decided that if they wanted to leave, we should tell them that they were free to go.
The next morning the captain brought the ship around to Safety Bay so that we could bring his crew to Rockburg to show them our home.
Fritz and Jack went ahead to make everything ready.
As the ship arrived, the boys fired off the guns at Shark Island in salute.
Everyone on board cheered.
At dinner, Mr. Wolston told us about his desire to settle in a new land because of his health.
He said his sleep the night before was one of the best in recent memory and that this land amazed and intrigued him.
I extended my welcome for the family to stay here and to share our wonderful island of New Switzerland.
We told them we would love the company and that they would find the island plentiful and welcoming.
Mr Wolston's leaped up to embrace me and we laughed and cheered for our new friendship and for our good fortune.
Hooray for New Switzerland, everyone yelled.
Hooray for those who stay here, said Ernest, telling us by his cheer what his decision would be.
What about those of us who are going to England? asked Jenny.
Yes, what about us? said Fritz.
I knew then that he was leaving, and I saw that he would be happy.
Cheers to you, I said.
I will stay, said Jack.
With Fritz gone, I will be the best rider and the best shot here.
We all laughed at this, and I asked Franz what he wanted to do.
I'm the youngest and I think I should go to old Switzerland and go to school, but I will return when the time is right.
We all clapped at this and thought it was a good plan.
We were all going to be happy.
We spent the next days preparing those who would stay and those who would leave.
The Wollstons and their daughter were to have a home here and we all discussed how the captain would tell people at home of our land.
We knew that new settlers would then come to our land to make it a true colony.
It was all we could dream of.
Before they left, Fritz told me that he wished to marry Jenny, and I told him that he had our love.
I had a long talk with each of my boys and told them I was proud of them.
Now we would be known in Europe, and everyone would hear of our little colony.
And that is how our adventures were and how we came to be the settlers of New Switzerland.
It was an incredible time for us, the Swiss family Robinson.
I asked Fritz to take my journals to be made into this book, to give to young people everywhere.
I want them to know that a family can be happy together, no matter where they are and what they have.
Together we made our home and our place in the world.
With family, we are never alone.
