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CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF THE O. 



363 



the cottage is situated upon the border of a 

 vvood, just where the cocos end, and the dark 

 green foliage of the forest-trees is seen behind, 

 then the view is even romantic ; and if the 

 wind is high, the rustling of the coco- trees, and 

 the dashing of the waves, increase much the 

 wildness of the scene. 



However, to return. As soon as the church- 

 service was ended we mounted our horses, and 

 rode back to Our Lady of the O. We alighted 

 at a cottage which stood near to the church, 

 the inhabitants of which were acquainted with 

 some of our party ; the moon was bright and 

 the breeze moderate. We sat down upon mats 

 before the door, and were regaled with quanti- 

 ties of young coco-nuts, a most delightful 

 fruit when they are in this state. Some of 

 us walked down towards the beach ; the tide 

 was out, and I observed several large blocks 

 of hewn stone, partly buried in the sand, below 

 high water-mark. I enquired what had caused 

 them to be there, and was answered, that a 

 church had formerly stood upon that spot ; and 

 I heard then, and afterwards often saw, that the 

 sea was making considerable encroachments 

 along the coast, to the distance of half a league 

 or more each way. The new church of Our 

 Lady of the O. was now building, at the distance 

 of about three hundred yards from the shore. 

 Strange tales are told of the miraculous deeds 





