hed our humble repast under the umbrage
of that wonderful tree, my father would go and amuse himself with the
chase; my sister Caroline and myself went to search for rare plants, to
assist our studies in botany; whilst the children hunted butterflies and
other insects. Charles, the eldest of the boys, swam like a fish; and,
when my father shot a duck or _aigrette_ upon the water, he would
instantly throw himself in, and fetch the game. At other times he would
climb to the top of the trees to rob the birds, or bury himself in the
midst of bushes to gather the fruits of the country, then ran, all
breathless and delighted, to present us with his discovery. We would
remain in the island till nearly four in the afternoon, then return to
our boat, and our negroes rowed us to our island.

During the time of the greatest heats, for we could not long endure the
rays of the sun, we passed a part of the Sunday under a very bushy
tamarind-tree, which stood at a little distance from our cottage. Thus,
in the good old times, did the lords, barons, and marquises gather
themselves under the old elms of the village, to discuss the concerns of
their vassals; in like manner did my father collect us under the
tamarind-tree to regulate the affairs of his republic, and also to enjoy
the landscapes which our island afforded. We sometimes took our meals
there, and on those occasions the ground served us at once for table,
table-cloth, and seat. The children gamboled on the grass, and played a
thousand tricks to amuse us. We now began to discover that every
condition of life had its own peculiar enjoyments. If the labours of the
week seemed long and laborious, the Sabbath recompensed us by our
country recreations. We lived thus for some time in the greatest
tranquillity. Shut up in a desert island, from all society, we ventured
to think we had discovered the condition of real happiness.

Every Wednesday we sent two negroes to the village of Gandiolle, to
purchase provisions, such as butter, milk, eggs, &c. One day, however,
my father resolved to purchase a cow and thirty fowls, that we might
have in our island all the little necessaries used by a family. Our
poultry yard being thus augmented, we looked upon ourselves as great as
the richest princes in Africa; and in truth, since we had a cottage,
milk, butter, eggs, maize, millet, cotton, tranquillity and health, what
more was necessary for our comfort?

CHAPTER XIII.

FRESH MISFORTUN