ch I tasted, and thought very good. From the colour, form, and
taste, I knew them to be turtle's eggs; there were at least sixty, so I
had no more care about food. I carried away in my apron as many as I
could preserve from the rays of the sun: this I endeavoured to effect by
burying them in the sand, and covering them with one end of our plank,
and succeeded very well. Besides these, there were as many to be found
on the shore as we required; I have sometimes found as many as ninety
together. These were our sole support while we remained there: my
children liked them very much. I forgot to add, that I was fortunate
enough to discover a stream of fresh water, running into the sea; it was
the same which runs past this house, and which conducted me here. The
first day we suffered greatly from thirst, but on the second we met
with the stream which saved us. I will not tire you by relating day by
day our sad life; every one was the same, and took away by degrees every
hope from me. As long as I dared to indulge any, I could not bear to
leave the shore; but at last it became insupportable to me. I was worn
out with gazing continually on that boundless horizon, and that moving
crystal which had swallowed up my hopes. I pined for the verdure and
shade of trees. Although I had contrived to make for my daughters little
hats of a marine rush, they suffered much from the extreme heat,--the
burning rays of a tropical sun. I decided at last to abandon that sandy
shore; to penetrate, at all risks, into the country, in order to seek a
shady and cooler abode, and to escape from the view of that sea which
was so painful to me. I resolved not to quit the stream which was so
precious to us, for, not having any vessel to contain water, I could not
carry it with us. Sophia, who is naturally quick, formed, from a large
leaf, a sort of goblet, which served us to drink from; and I filled my
pockets with turtles' eggs, as provision for a few days. I then set off
with my two children, after praying the God of all mercy to watch over
us; and, taking leave of the vast tomb which held my husband and my son,
I never lost sight of the stream; if any obstacle obliged me to turn a
little way from it, I soon recovered my path. My eldest daughter, who
was very strong and robust, followed me stoutly, as I took care not to
walk too far without resting; but I was often compelled to carry my
little Matilda on my shoulders. Both were delighted with the shade of