I^Z STUDIES OF NATURE. 



mances; that, at prefent, her only wifh was, once 

 more, to fee and embrace her dear family, and that 

 ihe would have gratified this ardent wifh that very 

 day, if the captain would have allowed her to em- 

 bark in the pilot-boat, but that he had oppofed 

 her departure, on account of the diftance of the 

 fhore, and of a heavy fwell at fea, in the offing, 

 notwiihftanding the flillnefs of the wind. 



Scarce was this letter read, thn the whole fa- 

 mily, tranfported with joy, cried out : " Virginia 

 ** is arrived." Mailers and fervants embraced 

 each other by turns. Madame de la Tour faid to 

 Paul: ** My fon, go and inform our neighbour of 

 << Virginia^ arrival." Domingo immediately lighted 

 a flambeau of round-wood, and then, in company 

 with Paul, direded his courfe toward my habi- 

 tation. 



It might be about ten o'clock at night : T had 

 juft extinguiflied my lamp, and had lain down to 

 ileep, when I perceived, through the pallitades of 

 my cottage, a light in the woods. Soon after, I 

 heard the voice of Paul^ calling me by name. I 

 immediately arofe, and was fcarcely drelTed, when 

 Puuh almoll diftrafted, and breathlefs, clafped me 

 round the neck, faying : " Come, come along, 

 " Virginia is arrived. Let us haflen to the port, 

 " the vefTel will anchor there by day-break." 



We 



