upon the fountain. The surgeon to the governor,
who had shown the most humane attention to Paul, and the whole family, told
us that, in order to cure that deep melancholy which had taken possession
of his mind, we must allow him to do whatever he pleased, without
contradiction, as the only means of conquering his inflexible silence.

"I resolved to follow this advice. The first use which Paul made of his
returning strength was to absent himself from the plantation. Being
determined not to lose sight of him, I set out immediately, and desired
Domingo to take some provisions and accompany us. Paul's strength and
spirits seemed renewed as he descended the mountain. He took the road of
the Shaddock Grove; and when he was near the church, in the Alley of
Bamboos, he walked directly to the spot where he saw some new-laid earth,
and there kneeling down, and raising up his eyes to heaven, he offered up a
long prayer, which appeared to me a symptom of returning reason; since this
mark of confidence in the Supreme Being showed that his mind began to
resume its natural functions. Domingo and I followed his example, fell upon
our knees, and mingled our prayers with his. When he arose, he bent his
way, paying little attention to us, towards the northern part of the
island. As we knew that he was not only ignorant of the spot where the body
of Virginia was laid, but even whether it had been snatched from the waves,
I asked him why he had offered up his prayer at the foot of those bamboos.
He answered, 'We have been there so often!' He continued his course until
we reached the borders of the forest, when night came on. I prevailed with
him to take some nourishment; and we slept upon the grass, at the foot of a
tree. The next day I thought he seemed disposed to trace back his steps;
for, after having gazed a considerable time upon the church of the Shaddock
Grove with its avenues of bamboo stretching along the plain, he made a
motion as if he would return; but, suddenly plunging into the forest, he
directed his course to the north. I judged what was his design, from which
I endeavoured to dissuade him in vain. At noon he arrived at that part of
the island called the Gold Dust. He rushed to the seashore, opposite to the
spot where the Saint Geran perished. At the sight of the Isle of Amber and
its channel, then smooth as a mirror, he cried, 'Virginia! Oh, my dear
Virginia!' and fell senseless. Domingo and myself carried him into the
wood