ual
sorrows. I knew how to bleed, and could replace a dislocated limb. I had
often made cures; but since my arrival at the island I had neglected my
medical studies, which happily had not been needed. I hoped now,
however, to recall as much of my knowledge as would be sufficient to
cure my poor wife. I examined her foot first, which I found to be
violently sprained. She begged me then to look at her leg, and what was
my distress when I saw it was fractured above the ancle; however, the
fracture appeared simple, without splinters, and easy to cure. I sent
Fritz without delay to procure me two pieces of the bark of a tree,
between which I placed the leg, after having, with the assistance of my
son, stretched it till the two pieces of broken bone united; I then
bound it with bandages of linen, and tied the pieces of bark round the
leg, so that it might not be moved. I bound the sprained foot very
tightly, till I could procure the balsam which I expected to find in the
chest. I felt assured, that the giddiness of the head, which had caused
her fall, proceeded from some existing cause, which I suspected, from
the pulse and the complexion, must be a fulness of blood; and it
appeared to be necessary to take away some ounces, which I persuaded her
to allow me to do, when I should have brought my medicine-chest and
instruments from Tent House. I left her, with many charges, to the care
of my three younger sons, and proceeded to Tent House with Fritz, to
whom I now related my morning adventure, and consulted him how we should
mention it to his mother. Fritz was astonished. I saw how his mind was
employed; he looked round on our fields and plantations, increasing and
prospering.

"We must not tell her, father," said he. "I will be at Tent House early
in the morning; you must give me some commission to execute; I will
await the arrival of the Captain, and tell him that my dear mother is
ill,--and that he may return as he came."

"You speak rashly, Fritz," answered I. "I have told you that this ship
has suffered much from the storm, and needs repairs. Have you not often
read the golden rule of our divine Master, _Do unto others as you would
have others do unto you?_ Our duty is to receive the Captain into our
island, and to assist him in repairing and refitting his vessel."

"And he will find," said he, "we know something of that kind of work.
Did you show him our beautiful pinnace and canoe? But can such a large
vessel enter our