30 CAMPS IN THE CARIBBEES. 
source of grief. How eagerly she would seize upon 
a garment that showed signs of dissolution ! 
Jabbering a few hurried words in patois to a gargon 
who quickly departed, Mrs. Jean Baptiste sat down 
with the garment in her hands to await the arrival, as 
I soon found, of the adult female population of Laudat. 
When they had all arrived she arose and displayed to 
their united view the broadest part of my inoffensive 
nether habiliments. At first they were speechless with 
admiration, but soon broke forth into a chorus of Mon 
Dieus ! each one reaching forward for a closer inspec- 
tion. 
The simple explanation of this is, they recognized 
the work of a master-hand. Had some connoisseur 
of paintings found in a garret — as some one is con- 
stantly finding in a garret —a painting that, the dust 
being removed, disclosed a Murillo or a Van Dyke, 
he could not have been more delighted and surprised. 
I say delighted, but sober reflection convinced them 
that such handiwork should not be shown their lords 
and masters; and they grew troubled lest they should 
see this masterpiece, and becoming dissatisfied with 
their spouses’ needlework, eventually sue for divorce 
on grounds of incompetency, or some kindred cause. 
Then they desired I should teach them; but I pro- 
tested that I never had taken lessons in that science, and 
that unless they could puzzle it out for themselves, the 
art, as an art, must be a lost one to them. Mine host 
heard of it, however, and to him I gave the garment. 
And it is said that he has caused to be preserved (by 
framing or some other way) that design in darning, 
and, having lopped off the legs for his youngest son, 
regards the remainder as an art treasure of the highest 
