iar friend, of their fortune, of their family
interests, of their views for the establishment of their only
daughter; and Desclieux in return imparted to them his plans. By
degrees these communications led to projects of marriage between him
and Louisa. It was no unpleasing thought to either, and the very day
they crossed the line, a declaration was made, and an engagement
formed, and it was agreed that their union should take place
immediately on their return to France.

We may well think that Louisa became more attached than ever to the
plant, now become a source of distinction in which she would one day
share: imagine, then, her consternation when, one morning, she beheld
it languishing. She said nothing, hoping it might revive; but the
next morning found its leaves still more withered. She did not trust
herself to speak of it to Desclieux, who also had but too plainly
seen it. At last, the thought occurred to him that whilst in the
intense heat of the tropics, the plant would require more water; and
therefore poured on it almost his whole allowance. The effect was
immediate in restoring its life and verdure, and Louisa was again
happy. The ship was still some hundreds of leagues from Martinique,
when a violent tempest arose, apparently the last of a fearful
hurricane which had raged through the Antilles. It was found that the
ship had sprung a leak; the pumps were not sufficient: they were in
imminent danger, and the necessity of lightening the vessel was so
urgent that they were forced to throw overboard almost all the
merchandise, a part of the ballast, and even several barrels of
water. This last sacrifice was an appalling one: it was with a solemn
feeling they made it, similar to that with which one hears the earth
fall upon a coffin, or gives to the departed one the ocean for its
tomb. Indeed, these casks of water carried with them the lives of
many individuals, who had now no escape from a cruel death by thirst.
Desclieux, impressed, like the others, with this idea, only thought
of his precious coffee-plant. However, they were not very far from
port, and, with a favourable wind, might get in in a few days; and in
effect the tempest being over, and the leak closed with great
difficulty, a fresh breeze sprang up, and for a day and a night they
sailed fast, and the stormy state of the atmosphere had produced on
the coffee-plant the usual effect. It might almost have been said to
have flourished the more for the