, after he was
far from the spot where they took place, strongly portrayed the fearless
independence of his former life. He spoke with the decision of one whose
commands had been unappealable, and all the barbarian chief lightened in
his eyes. But when he recalled his home there, his family happiness, his
countenance fell, his eyes clouded, and he spoke in half-stifled words.
He described his palace-hut; his arms, his hunting spear, his canoe; his
return to his hut, with the fruits of the chase; the graceful, delicate
person of his wife; her clinging fondness on his entrance; his
tenderness for her, and for his children--for she bore to him a son and
a daughter; and, while he spoke, he burst into tears, and sobbed like a
child. "I was then beloved," said he, "Honoured!--master of all around
me; Now, I am nothing:--no home--no wife--no friend! I am an outcast
here!--when there! Oh, Berea! wilt thou have forgotten me?" His tears,
and wild agonies, prevented him proceeding; and my eyes could not remain
dry, when seeing such genuine grief, such real suffering.

But the cause of his being separated from his South-Sea home, and his
beloved Berea and her babes, remains to be told. It appears, that about
three years before the period I met him, a Russian ship, sent on a
voyage of discoveries, touched at the island where Laonce had become
naturalized. The captain was received with royal hospitality by the
king; and the _Prince Laonce_ became the glad interpreter between the
Europeans and his august father-in-law--for the captain spoke French.
And, besides procuring the crew all they wanted for common comforts, the
young chief loaded the commander and his officers with useful presents.
One night it blew a violent gale, and the Russian captain, deeming it
impossible to keep his anchorage in a bay so full of unseen dangers,
made signals to the land, in hopes of exciting some native, experienced
in the navigation, to come off, and direct him how to steer. Every
moment increased his jeopardy; the storm augmented; and, at each growing
blast, he expected to be torn from his cables, and dashed to atoms
against the rocks. No one moved from the shore. Again the signals were
repeated: Laonce had risen from his bed on hearing the first. Who was
there amongst all in that island, excepting his British comrade, who
would have known how to move _a ship_ through those boiling waves? The
light canoe, and a vessel of heavy burthen, were different o