beat so loud and so violently that they could
be heard in the midst of the silence that reigned around all nature.

"Day at last appeared: we descried by degrees, in the mist of the
morning, the rocks that lined the shore, and we could see far enough
in the distance that no one was pursuing us. Then were our hearts
filled with cheering hope, and we continued rowing towards the north,
in order to land on some Christian isle.

"I had taken with me some cocoa-nuts, but they were a very small
resource, and we had been at sea three whole days without eating
anything, when, exhausted by fatigue and want, we fell upon our knees
and invoked the pity, compassion, and succour of the Infant Jesus of
Zebou. Our prayer over, we felt our strength completely exhausted;
the oars fell from our hands, and we lay down in the bottom of the
pirogue, decided upon dying in each other's arms.

"Our weakness gradually increased, and finally we swooned away,
the pirogue all the while dashing heedlessly on with the waves.

"When we recovered from our fainting fit--I know not how long it
lasted--we found ourselves surrounded by Christians, who, having
perceived us in our light skiff, had come to our aid, conveyed us
to their hospitable dwelling, and took the most pious care of us. We
had not long been disembarked when Theresa was taken with the pains
of labour, and was confined of a very diminutive, sickly child. I
went down on my knees before the innocent little creature that had
so miraculously escaped from slavery, and prayed for it--it was a boy!"

Here the poor old fisherman heaved a heavy sigh, while tears were
fast falling upon his shrunken hands.

We one and all respected this painful recollection of the poor old man.

"Our convalescence was very long indeed," said Relempago; "at last our
health was sufficiently restored to permit of us leaving the isle of
Negros, where the Infant Jesus had so miraculously caused us to land,
and we came to settle here, on the side of this large lake, which,
being situated in the interior of the isle of Lucon, afforded me the
means of pursuing my avocation of fisherman without in any way fearing
the Malays, who might very easily have captured us again at Zebou.

"My first care--yes, the dearest act of my life--on arriving, was to
have our marriage celebrated in the church of Moron. I had promised it
to God, and I would not fail in the promise I had made Him who reads
all hearts. After that I built t