l upon a crab-tree which was growing below them; they
have, like the farina of plants, united, and produced a fish resembling
both. I endeavoured to bring one with me, but it was too cumbersome, and
my salt-water Pegasus seemed much displeased at every attempt to stop
his career whilst I continued upon his back; besides, I was then, though
galloping over a mountain of rocks that lay about midway the passage,
at least five hundred fathom below the surface of the sea, and began
to find the want of air inconvenient, therefore I had no inclination to
prolong the time. Add to this, my situation was in other respects very
unpleasant; I met many large fish, who were, if I could judge by their
open mouths, not only able, but really wished to devour us; now, as my
Rosinante was blind, I had these hungry gentlemen's attempts to guard
against, in addition to my other difficulties.

"As we drew near the Dutch shore, and the body of water over our heads
did not exceed twenty fathoms, I thought I saw a human figure in a
female dress then lying on the sand before me with some signs of life;
when I came close I perceived her hand move: I took it into mine, and
brought her on shore as a corpse. An apothecary, who had just been
instructed by Dr. Hawes [the Baron's father must have lived very lately
if Dr. Hawes was his preceptor], of London, treated her properly, and
she recovered. She was the rib of a man who commanded a vessel belonging
to Helvoetsluys. He was just going out of port on a voyage, when she,
hearing he had got a mistress with him, followed him in an open boat.
As soon as she had got on the quarter-deck she flew at her husband, and
attempted to strike him with such impetuosity, that he thought it most
prudent to slip on one side, and let her make the impression of her
fingers upon the waves rather than his face: he was not much out in his
ideas of the consequence; for meeting no opposition, she went directly
overboard, and it was my unfortunate lot to lay the foundation for
bringing this happy pair together again.

"I can easily conceive what execrations the husband loaded me with when,
on his return, he found this gentle creature waiting his arrival, and
learned the means by which she came into the world again. However, great
as the injury is which I have done this poor devil, I hope he will die
in charity with me, as my motive was good, though the consequences to
him are, it must be confessed, horrible."

CHAPTER X