260 WHALING AND FISHING. 



approached. He knew her, and had been the first 

 to inform her of her brother's death. He smiled 

 as ho listened to her prattle, but entered heartily 

 aU her plans, and at once promised that if I 

 j?OJLld stay on shore he would give me employ- 

 ment, for a time, in sailing a boat between the 

 town and his plantation, which was situated on a 

 neighboring bay. This proposal met my views., 

 and I hastened to express my gratification. It 

 was therefore arranged that I should remain on 

 board till the cargo was discharged, and then take 

 up my residence ashore in a small cabin belonging 

 to the captain. 



Having arranged these matters to our mutual 

 satisfaction, she returned on shore to condole with 

 Marie on their mutual loss, while I spent the bal- 

 ance of the day in the re-perusal of Bernandin St. 

 Pierre's delightful story of Paul and Virginia, the 

 scene of which, he who has read it will remember, 

 is laid in the Isle of France ; Tombo Bay, wherf 

 Virginia, on her return from France, was ship- 

 wrecked, being, singularly enough, the locality of 

 my captain's plantation. 



On the morrow we commenced discharging our 

 cargo of horses. They were noble little ponies, 

 but rather wasted from a long passage in our ill- 

 veixtilated lower deck. They were hoisted out by 

 a strap fastened about their middle, and being 

 becurely haltered, were made to swim ashore, a 

 boat going with each to support and guide it. 

 Arrived once more on dry land, the grateful 



