14 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



•* end to my fufferings, fince he has infpired you 

 ** with fentiments of greater kindnefs to me, an 

 ** entire ftranger, than I ever received from my 

 *' own relations.'* 



I had the felicity of Margaret^ acquaintance ; 

 and, though I live at the diftance of a league and 

 a half from hence, in the woods, behind the long 

 mountain, 1 looked upon myfelf as herneighbour. 

 In the cities of Europe, a flrcet, a fimple partition, 

 feparates the members of the fame family for years; 

 but in the new Colonies, we confider as neigh- 

 bours, thofe who are only feparated from us by 

 woods and by mountains. At that time particu- 

 larly, vvhen this ifland had little commerce with 

 Indiayneighbourhood alone was a title to friend- 

 Ihip, and hofpitality to ftrangers was confidered as 

 a duty, and a pleafure^ 

 / 



As foon as I learnt that my neighbour had got 

 a companion, 1 went to fee her, in order to offer 

 to both all the afliftance in my power. 1 found 

 in Madame de la lour a perfon of a very interefting 

 figure ; majeftic, and melancholy. She was then 

 very near her time. I faid to thefe two ladies, 

 that it would be better, for the fake of the inte- 

 rcfts of their children, and efpecially to prevent 

 the eftablhhment of any other inhabitant, to dir 

 vide between them the territory of this bafon, 



which 



