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occasion, when we eat of the large one I took on the beach after the storm. In the evening I pursued some of our daily usual occupations; and, when the stars appeared, we retired composed to our place of rest, anticipating a cool and comfortable sleep, in which we were not disappointed.

Wednesday, 6th,-We arose unusually refreshed, feeling as if we had slept in another climate, and quite delighted with our swinging bed. On coming on shore we visited our third hen, having calculated that her brood should be out about that time, and found her surrounded by a numerous progeny, no less than fourteen. By this accession we had altogether thirty-nine chickens; a most welcome store towards our future subsistence. After breakfast I proposed to my dear wife, that, as all my husbandry was completed for the season, I should seize the interval, and begin my operations for constructing us a house on the open glade near the cotton-tree plantation; for though we might hope it would please God, at some period, to afford us an opportunity to remove from the island to our native home, yet meanwhile it would be to our happiness to wait patiently on him for his own time, and think only on such matters as most directly and immediately concerned us. These were her own sentiments, and she was delighted in hearing me speak as I had done. But she entreated, that whatever I did towards building the house, I would go about it leisurely, and not with that indefatigable zeal which hitherto had manifested itself in the speedy accomplishment of every thing I undertook. I gave her my promise to be moderate

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in my exertions; assuring her that I would confine myself to four hours' work each morning, in the combined operations of getting materials from the ship, and in carrying them across the isthmus, and conveying them by the punt to the nearest place below the intended site of our dwelling.

After this discussion, while I was absent examining the success of my fish-pot, my dear Eliza recollected a large and small coffee-mill she had seen in the captain's cabin; which, perhaps, he was taking for some friend at Honduras; and she brought them on shore. "Edward," said she, "this large one will make a nice corn-mill for the poultry; and I will roast some coffee, and grind it in this," showing me the small mill; "it will save our tea, and be an agreeable change." I was much pleased at the sight of these mills, which had escaped my observation on board; but I was still more pleased with the kind and affectionate manner in which she introduced them to my notice. "After we have dined, darling," said I, " we will fix them both up for service, fastened against the side of our palace." To-day we dined sumptuously on a fine fish I found in the fish-pot, and, being fresh from the sea, we relished it greatly. Our dear little dog, too, seemed to make a better dinner than he lately had done on fish; so that I was led to conclude he had discovered something different in the taste, which perhaps in time would have rendered the live store in the cask even unwholesome. In the evening I fixed up the mills in the interior of our palace, and having brought some coffee, which we roasted in the frying-pan, I ground it; and my Eliza soon

had the pleasure of presenting me with a cup of its refreshing beverage.

Thursday, 7th.-We arose with the dawn; and, while I commenced my operations in the hold, to get up planks and boards, and some long-squared pieces of timber, purposely made for house-building at Honduras, my active helpmate went on shore to attend to our poultry; and, while feeding them, she was delighted with meeting the other two missing ducks, and their broods, near the spring-head; one had brought out nine, the other eight; so that of the four broods we mustered thirty-seven young ones. As the remaining six old ducks were still marching about, we began to suspect they were all drakes; and this suspicion was strengthened by observing a considerable difference in the appearance of their heads, contrasted with that of those now on duty over their broods. These Muscovy ducks are altogether clumsy creatures; far inferior in point of form or plumage to those of England: the drake having little to distinguish him beyond an exuberance of red fleshy excrescences about his head.

After our own breakfast, I set to grinding corn; and found the mill do so well, that we looked to it as a fruitful resource for our own use, in case we should be necessitated, by the spoiling of our flour through time, to eat Indian corn thus prepared in its stead; but we hoped that day was a long way off, for the Americans press their flour so hard into their casks, that air or damp cannot penetrate them. In the afternoon we walked over to the cocoa-nut grove, where I employed myself hoeing

for an hour; and saw, with satisfaction, every thing in a flourishing condition. We finished our evening on the platform of our palace, as usual, and retired early to our vessel.

I will now pass through the rest of the month, by observing cursorily, that I worked for four hours in the morning of every week-day, getting forward the materials for building our residence on the open space beyond the silk-cotton-tree; and I also contrived to find time to make a secure place with planks and fragments of the rock, covered in at the top, under the larboard bow of the brig, for a bathing-place; which proved a source of great comfort and delight to us both. Nor did I neglect to dress the ground, at one or other of the plantations, every evening. My dear wife the while attended to the stock, and other domestic matters: always happy when the Sunday came round, being ever to us a Sabbath day.

Monday, April 8th. During the preceding month I had conveyed all the materials to the spot for our new residence. But many of the melons and pumpkins required gathering; the corn was ripening apace; and the yams and coccos would soon be fit to dig; so that labour of a different kind called on me to suspend further operations towards raising our plantation-house. I, however, set about erecting a temporary shed near the great tree, to shelter the various produce of our grounds, as I might be able to get them in. This operation brought round another week; and on the Sabbath we blessed and praised God, and I rested from my labour.

CHAP. IX.

MONDAY, 15th April. While my dear wife and I were enjoying our breakfast under the wide shadow of our arbour tree, we were struck dumb by the sudden appearance of a large canoe, between us and the opposite island. To arms was the first impulse: I put my pistols, which were lying near us, into my belt; and after looking at each other for a few moments with astonishment, I said, "Fear nothing, my beloved wife! They may be nothing more than a few harmless Indians, driven hither by some accident. I will wave to them to land.". "Then," replied she, " may our God be with us, as we mean them kindly!" I took her pike, and tied a white napkin, that lay in the basket, to it, as a flag; and with it she and I ran to the highest part of the open ground, where we held it up, waving it, the more to attract their attention. In a few minutes the people discovered us, for they were little more than half a mile distant from the shore. They immediately turned the canoe's head towards our flag, and soon began to hail us; but we could not understand them: our only answer, therefore, was still waving our signal. My dear wife, however, bethought herself of running back to the cotton

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