332 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



of the Sea make, when they break, upon it's fliores; 

 that I could even dillinguifh the tumult of the 

 waters of the Seine purfued by Neptune. Their 

 roarings, which had formerly chilled me with hor- 

 ror, at that time tranfported me with joy. I arofe: 

 I went out of the cottage, and liftened attentively; 

 but the founds, which feemed to iflbe from various 

 parts of the Horizon, foon perplexed my under- 

 ftanding : 1 began to difcover that it was the mur- 

 murings of the winds, which agitated at a diftance 

 the foliage of the oaks, and of the beech-trees. 



Sometimes, I endeavoured to make the favages 

 of my cottage comprehend that I had loft a friend. 

 1 applied my hand to my eyes, to my tiîouth, and 

 to my heart ; 1 pointed to the Horizon , I raifed 

 my hands, clafped, to Heaven, and Ihed tears. 

 They underftood this dumb language, by which I 

 expreffed my afflidion, for they wept with me ; 

 but, by a contradiftion, for which I could not ac- 

 count, they redoubled their precautions, in order 

 to prevent me from making my efcape. 



I applied myfelf, therefore, to learn their lan- 

 guage, that I might inform them of my condition, 

 and in order to intereft them in it. They were 

 themfelves eagerly difpofed to teach me the names 

 of the objefts which I pointed out to them. Sla- 

 very is very mild among thefe Nations. My life, 



liberty 



