my kinsman, I
seized him by the shoulders, I dragged him to his feet.

'Silence, man,' said I, 'respect your God in words, if not in action.
Here, on the very scene of your transgressions, He sends you an occasion
of atonement. Forward and embrace it; welcome like a father yon creature
who comes trembling to your mercy.'

With that, I tried to force him towards the black; but he felled me to
the ground, burst from my grasp, leaving the shoulder of his jacket, and
fled up the hillside towards the top of Aros like a deer. I staggered to
my feet again, bruised and somewhat stunned; the negro had paused in
surprise, perhaps in terror, some halfway between me and the wreck; my
uncle was already far away, bounding from rock to rock; and I thus found
myself torn for a time between two duties. But I judged, and I pray
Heaven that I judged rightly, in favour of the poor wretch upon the
sands; his misfortune was at least not plainly of his own creation; it
was one, besides, that I could certainly relieve; and I had begun by that
time to regard my uncle as an incurable and dismal lunatic. I advanced
accordingly towards the black, who now awaited my approach with folded
arms, like one prepared for either destiny. As I came nearer, he reached
forth his hand with a great gesture, such as I had seen from the pulpit,
and spoke to me in something of a pulpit voice, but not a word was
comprehensible. I tried him first in English, then in Gaelic, both in
vain; so that it was clear we must rely upon the tongue of looks and
gestures. Thereupon I signed to him to follow me, which he did readily
and with a grave obeisance like a fallen king; all the while there had
come no shade of alteration in his face, neither of anxiety while he was
still waiting, nor of relief now that he was reassured; if he were a
slave, as I supposed, I could not but judge he must have fallen from some
high place in his own country, and fallen as he was, I could not but
admire his bearing. As we passed the grave, I paused and raised my hands
and eyes to heaven in token of respect and sorrow for the dead; and he,
as if in answer, bowed low and spread his hands abroad; it was a strange
motion, but done like a thing of common custom; and I supposed it was
ceremonial in the land from which he came. At the same time he pointed
to my uncle, whom we could just see perched upon a knoll, and touched his
head to indicate that he was mad.

We took the long way round t