Southern Africa, and it has even been acclimatized in Europe, under zones of a relative coolness.
On this day all the colony, except Pencroft who walked at the animals' heads, mounted the cart, and set out on the road to Port Balloon. Of course they jolted on the rough road, but the vehicle arrived without accident, and was soon loaded with the case and rigging of the balloon.
At eight o'clock that evening the cart, after passing over the Mercy bridge, stopped on the beach. The onagers were unharnessed and led to their stable; and Pencroft before going to sleep gave vent to his feelings in a deep sigh of satisfaction that woke all the echoes of Granite House.
CHAPTER VIII
TOIL AND COMFORT
The first week of January was devoted to the manufacture of the linen garments required by the colony. The needles found in the box were used by sturdy if not delicate fingers, and what was sewn was sewn firmly.
There was no lack of thread, thanks to Cyrus Harding's idea of re-employing that which had been already used in the covering of the balloon. This with admirable patience was all unpicked by Gideon Spilett and Herbert, for Pencroft had been obliged to give this work up, as it irritated him beyond measure; but he had no equal in the sewing part of the business. Indeed, everybody knows that sailors have a remarkable aptitude for tailoring.
The cloth of which the balloon-case was made was then cleaned by means of soda and potash, obtained by the incineration of plants, in such a way that the cotton, having got rid of the varnish, resumed its natural softness and elasticity; then, exposed to the action of the atmosphere, it soon became perfectly white. Some dozen shirts and socks the latter not knitted of course, but made of cotton—were thus manufactured. What a comfort it was to the settlers to clothe themselves again in clean linen, which was doubtless rather rough, but they were not troubled about that! and then to go to sleep between sheets, which made the couches at Granite House into quite comfortable beds!
