, and hoped he would use it to visit us in our island,
to which we were returning. He appeared pleased, and wished to accompany
us in our pinnace, which he seemed greatly to admire; some of his people
followed him on board to row, the rest placed themselves in the canoes.
We soon entered the sea again, and, doubling the second point, we came
to an arm of the sea much wider, and deep enough for our pinnace, and
which conducted us to the object of our dearest hopes.

* * * * *

CHAPTER LIII.

We were never weary with caressing our dear Francis. We were very
anxious to learn from him all the particulars of the arrival of the
savages in our island, the seizure of his mother and himself, their
voyage, and their residence here, and who were the friends they had met
with: but it was impossible, his tawny majesty never left us for a
moment, and played with the boy as if he had been a child himself.
Francis showed him all the toys from our chest; he was extremely amused
with the small mirrors, and the dolls. A painted carriage, driven by a
coachman who raised his whip when the wheels turned, appeared miraculous
to him. He uttered screams of delight as he pointed it out to his
followers. The ticking of my watch also charmed him; and as I had
several more, I gave him it, showing him how to wind it up. But the
first time he tried to do it, he broke the spring, and when it was
silent he cared no longer for it, but threw it on one side. However, as
the gold was very glittering, he took it up again, and suspending it
from the handkerchief that was wound round his head, it hung over his
nose, and formed a striking ornament. Francis showed him his face in a
mirror, which royal amusement made him laugh heartily. He asked the
missionary if it was the invisible and Almighty God who had made all
these wonderful things. Mr. Willis replied, that it was he who gave men
the power to make them. I do not know whether Bara-ourou comprehended
this, but he remained for some time in deep thought. I profited by this
to ask the missionary what were the words which had terrified them so
when they wished to keep my son from me, and which had compelled them to
surrender him?

"I told them," answered he, "that the Almighty and unseen God, of whom I
spoke to them daily, ordered them, by my voice, to restore a son to his
father; I threatened them with his anger if they refused, and promised
them his mercy if they obey