rest to me."

I immediately took advantage of the permission to speak. "Dear Francis,"
said I, holding out my arms, "we are come to seek you and your mother;
after all our dangers, we shall soon meet again, to part no more. But be
composed, my child, and do not risk the happiness of that moment by any
impatience. Trust in God, and in this good friend that He has given us,
and who has restored to me the treasures without which I could not
live." We then waved our hands to him, and he remained still, but wept
quietly, murmuring our names: "Papa, Fritz, Ernest,--tell me about
mamma," said he, at last, in an inquiring tone.

"She does not know we are so near her," said I. "How did you leave her?"

"Very much grieved," said he, "that they brought me away; but they have
not done me any harm,--they are so kind; and we shall soon all go back
to her. Oh! what joy for her and our friends!"

"One word about Jack," said Fritz; "how does his wound go on?"

"Oh, pretty well," answered he; "he has no pain now, and Sophia nurses
him and amuses him. How little Matilda would weep when the savages
carried me off! If you knew, papa, how kind and good she is!"

I had no time to ask who Sophia and Matilda were. They had allowed me to
speak to my son to tranquillize him, but the king now commanded silence,
and, still elevated on the shoulders of his people, began to harangue
the assembly. He was a middle-aged man, with striking features; his
thick lips, his hair tinged with red paint, his dark brown face, which,
as well as his body, was tattooed with white, gave him a formidable
aspect; yet his countenance was not unpleasant, and announced no
ferocity. In general, these savages have enormous mouths, with long
white teeth; they wear a tunic of reeds or leaves from the waist to the
knees. My wife's handkerchief, which I had recognized at first, was
gracefully twisted round the head of the king; his hair was fastened up
high, and ornamented with feathers, but he had nearly removed them all
to deck my boy. He placed him at his side, and frequently pointed him
out during his speech. I was on thorns. As soon as he had concluded, the
savages shouted, clapped their hands, and surrounded my child, dancing,
and presenting him fruit, flowers, and shells, crying out, _Ouraki_! a
cry in which the king, who was now standing, joined also.

"What does the word _Ouraki_ mean?" said I to the missionary.

"It is the new name of your son," answered he; "