the woods, and were so amused with the delightful birds that inhabited
them, and a pretty little sportive green monkey, that they became as
playful as ever. They sang and prattled; but often asked me if papa and
Alfred would not soon return to see these pretty creatures, and if we
were going to seek them. These words rent my heart, and I thought it
best then to tell them they would meet no more on earth, and that they
were both gone to heaven, to that good God to whom they prayed morning
and evening. Sophia was very thoughtful, and the tears ran down her
cheeks: 'I will pray to God more than ever,' said she, 'that he may make
them happy, and send them back to us,' 'Mamma,' said Matilda, 'have we
left the sea to go to heaven? Shall we soon be there? And shall we see
beautiful birds like these?' We walked on very slowly, making frequent
rests, till night drew on, and it was necessary to find a place for
repose. I fixed on a sort of thick grove, which I could only enter by
stooping; it was formed of one tree, whose branches, reaching the
ground, take root there, and soon produce other stems, which follow the
same course, and become, in time, an almost impenetrable thicket. Here I
found a place for us to lie down, which appeared sheltered from wild
beasts or savages, whom I equally dreaded. We had still some eggs, which
we ate; but I saw with fear that the time approached when we must have
more food, which I knew not where to find. I saw, indeed, some fruits on
the trees, but I did not know them, and feared to give them to my
children, who wished to have them. I saw also cocoa-nuts, but quite out
of my reach; and even if I could have got them, I did not know how to
open them. The tree under whose branches we had found protection was, I
conjectured, an American fig-tree; it bore a quantity of fruit, very
small and red, and like the European fig. I ventured to taste them, and
found them inferior to ours,--insipid and soft,--but, I thought, quite
harmless. I remarked that the little green monkeys ate them greedily, so
I had no more fear, and allowed my children to regale themselves. I was
much more afraid of wild beasts during the night; however, I had seen
nothing worse than some little quadrupeds resembling the rabbit or
squirrel, which came in numbers to shelter themselves during the night
under our tree. The children wished to catch one, but I could not
undertake to increase my charge. We had a quiet night, and were early
a