but kept quite close to the feet of his mistress, eyeing the negroes with fear and suspicion.

When they had finished their repast, which was scanty enough for so many, I made one of them take up the empty basket, and another the canteen, and then proceeding in a body to the great tree, I signed to them to lay down to rest. They instantly obeyed, and all but the elder man fell asleep. He and I endeavoured to converse; but could not understand each other in the least. I was, however, satisfied he spoke Spanish, though perhaps in the sort of way the negroes of Jamaica speak English. If he had spoken pure Castilian, I should not have understood him the better for it. All that I could comprehend was, that his name was Diego, and that he called the other man Shaver; which, as he repeated it several times, caused my dear wife to smile, at which old Diego laughed heartily, although ignorant of the joke. The man's name no doubt was Xavier, though pronounced in a manner that produced a ridiculous meaning to our English ears. Our mirth awakened Xavier, who seemed quite happy when Diego explained to him the part he had borne in the jocular affair; however, he soon lay down again, and dropped asleep. My dear wife then suggested, that as these poor strangers had but a spare breakfast, it were well to take Diego, and bring some provisions for their ampler dinner. I readily fell into her kindly idea; and putting the basket into the negro's hand, he appeared to understand that his service was required, and followed us through the woodland region without showing any fear. He was delighted with the fountain of

water at the turn of the cave promontory, and seemed greatly pleased on observing the broods of ducks, and the goats feeding by the stream.

No doubt he expected to see a fine house, and plenty of people; for after passing along the path between the promontory and the rock, he looked around and around, and then at us, with a sort of amazement. He then followed us closely up to the plank house, where we collected some yams, biscuit, salt meat, and old pumpkins, with a few cocoa-nuts, and filled his basket. As we came out on the platform, he turned his eyes upon the brig, and then said something to me. I made signs, to inform him she had been wrecked, and that all but ourselves had perished. He understood me completely; his eyes instantly filled with tears, and he covered his face with his hands. Poor negro! thy sympathies were awakened; thou thyself, like ourselves, had been snatched from a watery grave! and the divine spirit, breathed into man, became manifest in thee at this moment, without, perhaps, thy knowing that there is a God, and that that God is your Father and ours! My beloved Eliza was deeply affected by this language of universal nature, which so distinctly spoke how much the poor negro compassionated our present situation.

We proceeded on our return to his sleeping friends; but I stopped when we arrived at the rocky point; and taking up one of the rods which lay there, I baited the hook with a bit of raw pork, which I cut off from a piece in the basket, and presenting it to my dear wife, I said to her, "Go, my Eliza, and catch us a fish." She received the

rod from my hand; and while Diego and I stood at the base of the rock, she dropped the bait into our conservatory, when a fish immediately took it, which, with a little exertion, she soon drew out upon the rock. Diego, on seeing the great size of the prize, caught in a moment, as he thought, from the sea, and by a white woman too, (whom, he believed, could do nothing but yawn and count her beads,) burst into an ecstacy, and sprung on the rock, to disentangle the fish from the hook. My dear Eliza thanked him with a smile, and the next instant he descended with the fish in his hand; and my little angler, who now moved like a kid among the rocks, sprang from her position, and was by my side in a moment. Thus well provided, we returned to the cotton tree within the hour, and found all the party still asleep.

Diego seemed to think they had had repose enough, for he roused them immediately on our arrival: they were much startled by the suddenness of his manner: the women, indeed, appeared somewhat frightened; but the old fellow was a wag in his way, and seemed, by his laugh, to enjoy the confusion he had occasioned; while with an air of triumph, he held the fish over the face of one, and a great yam over another, as the people lay close together. After rubbing their eyes, they one and all began to talk and smile, and we rejoiced to see in our new companions nothing but what was cheerful and inoffensive. "Shawveer," said I, (imitating Diego as well as I could in pronouncing the name,) and at the same time taking him by the arm, come with me.” He was much amused

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by hearing me endeavour to call him by name. I led him to a little distance, where there is a large upright stone standing between the cotton tree and the open ground; and, having taken with me a few leaves and some bits of stick, I struck a light there, and ignited the leaves and sticks, making signs to him, meanwhile, to build up a fire on that spot. He was pleased with the occupation, and soon called on one of the women, who was his wife: she came to him. On this I put my hand on his breast, saying "Shawveer," then touching his wife's shoulder, at the same time pointing to him, and repeating his name, and then pointing to her; after the pause of a second he understood my question, and answered "Hachinta :" I repeated the word, patting her on the shoulder, and then left them to collect wood and make up the fire.

On returning to the cotton tree, I found Diego in full detail to the other two women, or rather to the other woman, and a girl, about seventeen years of age; the one his wife, the other his daughter: they seemed full of surprise: and I suppose he had told of his seeing the brig, and his understanding our misfortune; for, at the moment I came close up to them, his wife fell before the knees of my dear Eliza, weeping and kissing her feet. This scene sealed our friendship for these poor outcasts; and from that hour we cherished the feeling towards them, of which they had set us so eminent an example.

We now thought it best to retire to the plank house, and leave them to cook and eat their own dinner, as they might please; beside it was time that we ourselves should have some food. This

determination being taken, I beckoned to Diego to follow me, and led him up to the little spring, where he replenished the canteen with water. On our return to the tree, we made them comprehend that we were going to retire for awhile; but Diego, no doubt, had made his wife understand we were without any one to help us, for she took her daughter by the hand, pronouncing the word "Mira," and tendered her to my wife, giving her, at the same moment, a gentle push, as much as to "I have turned you over.' My dear Eliza looked so kindly on the girl, that she showed no reluctance in going along with her; and we now left the cotton tree arm in arm, followed by the young negress and our faithful little dog, walking leisurely through the woodland region up to our wooden palace.

say,

Mira took small notice of any thing, yet did not appear sulky. As soon as we entered our house, her new mistress cut a musk-melon, and gave her a slice of it, which she eat with evident pleasure; while we, too, regaled ourselves with some of the same, to stay our hunger until we could get dinner ready. I made haste to take a fish from the conservatory, which having duly prepared, I returned in a trice, and gave it to Mira, who helped it into the kettle with much adroitness; she also seemed to know what she was about in roasting the yams. When the dinner was ready, it was served up on the table placed within doors; and, after taking for ourselves, I filled a plate, and gave it to the girl on the platform, where she eat with great composure. When she had finished it, I bored a young cocoa