172 STCDIES OF NATURE. 



He continued his journey to the entrance of the 

 foreft, where night overtook us. There, I per- 

 fuaded him, by my example, to take fome nou- 

 ridiment ; we then repofed ourfelves upon the 

 grafsj at the foot of a tree. The next day, I was 

 in expedation, that he would dired his fteps 

 homewards again. In truth, he fixed his eyes, for 

 fome time, from the plain, on the church of Pam- 

 plemoufles, with it'ç long rows of bamboos, and 

 made fome movements to return thither ; but he 

 fuddenly buried himfelf in the foreft, always di- 

 reeling his courfe toward the North. I penetrated 

 his intention, and in vain endeavoured to diffuade 

 him from it. We arrived, about mid-day, at the 

 quarter of Gold-Duft. He haftily defcended to 

 the fea-fhore, exaftly oppofite to the place where 

 the Saint-Gerand had periftied. At fight of the 

 Ifle of Amber, and it's channel, then as fmooth as 

 a mirror, he exclaimed : " Virginia ! oh, my 

 " beloved Virginia !'* and then fell down in a 

 fwoon. Domingo and I carried him to the in- 

 terior of the foreft, where we brought him to 

 himfelf, with much difficulty. When he had re- 

 covered his fenfes, he was preparing to return to 

 the fea-(hore ; but, having entreated him not to 

 renew his own grief and ours, by fuch cruel recol- 

 lerions, he took another road. In fhort, for eight 

 days together, he rambled to all thofe places which 



he 



