PAUL AND VIRGINIA. 49 



tree, loaded with fruit. There, was a corn-field 

 whitening to the harveft; here, an orchard. 

 Through this avenue, you could fee the houfes ; 

 through that, the inacceffible fummits of the moun- 

 tain. Under a tufted grove of tatamaques, inter- 

 laced with liafies, no one objed was diftinguidi- 

 able, even in the brightnefs of noon-day. On the 

 point of that great rock adjoining, which juts out 

 of the mountain, you could difcern all thofe con- 

 tained within the enclofure, with the Sea at a dif- 

 tance, on which fometimes appeared a veffel ar- 

 riving from Europe, or returning thither. On this 

 rock it was that the two families affembled of an 

 evening, and enjoyed, in filence, the coolnefs of the 

 air, the fragrance of the flowers, the bubbling of 

 the fountains, and the laft harmonies of light and 

 fhade. 



Nothing could be more agreeable than the names 

 impofed on the greateft part of the charming re- 

 treats of this labyrinth. The rock of which I have 

 juft now been fpeaking, from whence they could 

 difcern my approach, at a confiderable diftance, 

 was called Friendship's Discovery. PûkI and 

 Virginia, in their fportivenefs, had planted a bam- 

 boo upon it, on the fummit of which they hoifted 

 a fmall white handkerchief, as a fîgnal of my ar- 

 rival as foon as they perceived me ; in imitation of 

 the flag which is difplayed on the neighbouring 



VOL. V. E mountain. 



