PAUL AND VIRGINIA. l6l 



grief burft from every breafl. Paul was hadening 

 to throw himfelf into the fea, when I feized him 

 by the arm. *' My fon," faid I to him, " are you 

 ** determined to deftroy yourfelf ?" " Oh, let me 

 *' go to her afliftance," cried he, " or let me die !" 

 As defpair had overpowered his reafon, Domingo 

 and I, in order to prevent his deftrudlion, tied 

 round his middle a long cord, one of the extre- 

 mities of which we held fall. Paul then advanced 

 toward the Saint-Gerand, fometimes fwimming, 

 fometimes walking on the fliallows. Sometimes, 

 he had the hope of getting on board, for the fea, 

 in thefe irregular movements, left the vefTel nearly 

 dry, fo that you might almofh walk round and 

 round her : but prefently, returning with reno- 

 vated fury, it covered her with enormous arches 

 of water, which carried away the whole fore-part 

 of her bottom, and daOied the unhappy Paul a 

 great way upon the fhore, his legs bleeding, his 

 cheft bruifed, and half-drowned. Scarcely had 

 this young man recovered the ufe of his fenfes, 

 than he got up again, and returned, with redoubled 

 ardor, toward the fliip, which the fea, meanwhile, 

 had torn afunder with unremitting attacks. Upon 

 this, the whole crew, defpairing of fafety, threw 

 themfelves, in crowds, into the fea; fome on 

 mafts, on planks, on hen-coops, on tables, and on 

 caiks. Then, appeared an objed worthy of eternal 

 regret ; a young lady was feen on the ftern-gal- 

 VOL. V. M lery 



