d to Ernest, and I now present you
the _Grotto Ernestine_."

"And after all," said Jack, "it will make a pretty dwelling for the
first of us that marries."

"Silence, little giddy-pate," said I; "where do you expect to find a
wife in this island? Do you think you shall discover one among the
rocks, as your brothers have discovered the grotto? But tell me, Fritz,
what directed you here."

"Our good star, father," said he. "Ernest and I were walking round these
rocks, and talking of his wish for a resting-place for my mother on her
way to the garden. He projected a tent; but the path was too narrow to
admit it; and the rock, heated by the sun, was like a stove. We were
considering what we should do, when I saw on the summit of the rock a
very beautiful little unknown quadruped. From its form I should have
taken it for a young chamois, if I had been in Switzerland; but Ernest
reminded me that the chamois was peculiar to cold countries, and he
thought it was a gazelle or antelope; probably the gazelle of Guinea or
Java, called by naturalists the chevrotain. You may suppose I tried to
climb the rock on which this little animal remained standing, with one
foot raised, and its pretty head turning first to one side and then to
the other; but it was useless to attempt it here, where the rock was
smooth and perpendicular; besides, I should have put the gazelle to
flight, as it is a timid and wild animal. I then remembered there was a
place near Tent House where a considerable break occurred in the chain
of rocks, and we found that, with a little difficulty, the rock might be
scaled by ascending this ravine. Ernest laughed at me, and asked me if I
expected the antelope would wait patiently till I got to it? No matter,
I determined to try, and I told him to remain; but he soon determined to
accompany me, for he fancied that in the fissure of a rock he saw a
flower of a beautiful rose-colour, which was unknown to him. My learned
botanist thought it must be an _erica_, or heath, and wished to
ascertain the fact. One helping the other, we soon got through all
difficulties, and arrived at the summit; and here we were amply repaid
by the beautiful prospect on every side. We will talk of that
afterwards, father; I have formed some idea of the country which these
rocks separate us from. But to return to our grotto. I went along, first
looking for my pretty gazelle, which I saw licking a piece of rock,
where doubtless she found some sal