(54 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



Hevlng you had perifhed, I refolved to pdfs over 

 to it, to vifit my relations. The greateft part of 

 them had paid the debt of Nature, during my 

 abfence : thofe who remained overwhelmed mc 

 with kindnefs ; but not even a brother can 

 compenfate for the lofs of a friend. I returned 

 almoft immediately to the other fide of the ri- 

 ver. There they unloaded our unfortunate vef- 

 fel, of which nothing had been loft but the men. 

 I fought your body along the fea-fhore, and I 

 repeated my demand of it evening, morning, 

 and in the middle of the night, from the n-ympbs 

 of the Ocean, that I might rear you a monu- 

 ment near to that of Heva. I fhould have pafled 

 all my life, I believe, in thefe vain refearches, 

 had not the King, who reign.s on the banks of 

 this river, informed îhat a Plifcnician veflcl was 

 wrecked on his domains, claimed the pFoperty 

 which, according to the laws of the Gauls, be- 

 longed to him. I colkcled, accordingly, every 

 thing which we had brought from Egypt, even 

 to the very trees, which had not been damaged 

 by tlie water; and 1 prefented myfelf, with 

 thefe wretched fragments, before that Prince. 

 Let us blefs, then, the providence of the Gods, 

 which has united us again, and which has ren- 

 dered your misfortunes more ufeful to my Coun- 

 try than even your prefents. If you had not 

 made fliipwreck on our coafts, the barbarous 



*♦ cuftom 



