24 A CHANGE OF COUNTRY. 



after a little practice, I used with great skill, lying 

 in wait for whole days. My former taste now be- 

 came a passion which disturbed even my hours of 

 rest, and which daily grew stronger." 



In 1765 the family of Le Vaillant left Surinam 

 to return to Europe. " In the joy of my heart," 

 says our author, " I partook of all the pleasures 

 and projects of my parents during the voyage ; a 

 curiosity natural to my age, added to my trans- 

 port. But this excitement did not render me in- 

 sensible of regret ; I could not so soon become 

 ungrateful ; my eyes were often cast back to the 

 country where I received my being, to the shores 

 which gradually lessened to my sight; and as I 

 approached the frozen climates of the north, a pro- 

 found melancholy overwhelmed me, preyed upon 

 my spirit, and dissipated the promised enjoyments 

 of the future. 



"Arrived in Europe, all I beheld was new to 

 me; and I showed so much impatience, fatiguing 

 every one with questions, all around appearing to 

 me so extraordinary, that I myself occasioned sur- 

 prise ; but my importunity did not always turn 

 the laugh against me, for I paid amply, in keen 

 remarks on America, the information I received 

 about Europe. 



" After some stay in Holland, we proceeded to 

 Metz, where my favourite tastes had ample scope 



