PAUL AND VIRGINIA. 167 



city, and that from thence, he meant to have it 

 carried to the church of Pamplemouffes. I immedi- 

 ately went down to Port-Louis, where I found the 

 inhabitants affembled from all parts, to affift at her 

 funeral, as if the illand had loft, in her, the moft 

 precious treafure which it contained. Tn the port, 

 the fhips had their fail-yards laid acrofs, their flags 

 half hoifted up, and they were firing minute guns. 

 The grenadier company opened the funeral pro- 

 ceffion. They carried their arms inverted. Their 

 drums, covered with long pieces of crape, emitted 

 only founds of woe : grief fat ftrongly depidled on 

 the countenances of thofe warriors, who had, a 

 thoufand times, braved death in the field, with 

 undaunted courage. Eight young ladies, of the 

 moft confiderable rank in the ifland, clothed in 

 white, and holding palm-boughs in their hands, 

 bore the body of their virtuous companion, ftrewed 

 over with flowers. A choir of little children fol- 

 lowed it, chanting hymns : then, after them, the 

 officers of higher rank, and the principal inhabi- 

 tants of the ifland, and, laft of all, the Governor 

 himfelf, followed by a crowd of the common 

 people. 



Thus far had Government interpofed, in order- 

 ing that fome honours might be rendered to the 

 virtues of Virginia. But when the body had ar- 

 rived at the foot of this mountain, at the fight of 



M 4 thofe 



