LA PERFIDE FRANCE. 77 



favour if the principal persons of the island would be 

 present at the burial. Everything was promised 

 without suspicion; and the greater part of the in- 

 habitants, arrayed in their best garments, assembled 

 to render the last honours to the foreigner by follow- 

 ing his body to the grave. They even volunteered 

 their assistance to carry the corpse, as the chapel was 

 more than a mile distant on the other side of the 

 island, and the access to it was not, as now, by a good 

 broad road, but by steep and difficult paths. The 

 coffin, indeed, seemed more than usually heavy ; but 

 they supposed that the deceased captain might have 

 "been a very corpulent man, especially as Dutchmen 

 are reputed to manifest a tendency to a somewhat 

 bulky build, and, therefore, this circumstance passed 

 without exciting any particular notice. 



The little chapel is at length reached, the corpse 

 deposited on a bier, and the burial service commenced. 

 A little hesitation occurs ; one or two of the foreigners 

 whisper among themselves ; and then one of them 

 steps up to the islanders, respectfully intimating that 

 the customs of their religion forbid those of a dif- 

 ferent persuasion to be present at that part of the 

 ceremony which is now about to be performed. It 

 will, however, he assures them, occupy but a few 

 moments, after which they shall be readmitted to see 

 the interment. The inhabitants comply with prompt 

 courtesy, leaving the strangers in undisturbed posses- 

 sion of the chapel. 



In a few minutes the door was thrown open, and a 



