ntage, and once more his
restless, daring spirit impelled him tot make another voyage among the
islands. This time, however, he left his wife in Manila, where she soon
found many friends, who protected her from the annoying attentions of
the consul, and nursed her through a severe illness.

"On the seventy-fifth day after the sailing of the _Antarctic?_" she
writes, "as I was looking with a glass from my window, as I had done for
many days previously, I saw my husband's well-known signal at the mast
head of an approaching vessel.... I was no sooner on board than I found
myself in my husband's arms; but the scene was too much for my enfeebled
frame, and I was for some time insensible. On coming to myself, I looked
around and saw my brother, pale and emaciated. My forebodings were
dreadful when I perceived that the number of the crew was sadly
diminished from what it was when I was last on board. I dared not
trust myself to make any inquiries, and all seemed desirous to avoid
explanations. I could not rest in this state of mind, and ventured to
ask what had become of the men. My husband, with his usual frankness,
sat down and detailed to me the whole affair, which was as follows:--

A TALE OF THE OLD TRADING DAYS

"It seems that six weeks after leaving Manila" (here I omit some
unimportant details) "he came to six islands that were surrounded by
a coral reef." (The Sir Charles Hardy Group.) "Here was a-plenty of
_beche-de-mer_ and he made up his mind to get a cargo of this, and what
shell he could procure.... On May 21st he sent a boat's crew on shore to
clear away the brush and prepare a place to cure the _beche-de-mer_. The
natives now came off to the vessel, and seemed quiet, although it was
evident that they had never seen a white man before, and the islands
bore no trace of ever having been visited by civilised men. The people
were a large, savage-looking race, but Mr. Morrell was lulled to
security by their civil and harmless (_sic_) appearance, and their
fondness of visiting the vessel to exchange their fruits for trinkets
and other commodities attractive to the savages in these climes. They
were shown in perfect friendship all parts of the vessel, and appeared
pleased with the attentions paid them.... A boat was sent on shore with
the forge and all the blacksmith's tools, but the savages soon stole the
greater part of them.

"This was an unpropitious circumstance, but Mr. Morrell thought th