"When I saw them walking before me in this savage fashion, with their
little white bodies exposed to the storm, I could not refrain from
tears. I blamed myself for condemning them to such an existence, and
thought of returning to the shore, where some vessel might rescue us;
but we were now too far off to set about it. I continued to proceed with
much more difficulty than my children, who had nothing on but their
shoes and large hats. I carried the valuable box, in which I had placed
the remains of our last night's supper, an act of necessary prudence, as
there was neither fishing nor hunting now.
"As the day advanced, the rain diminished, and even the sun appeared
above the horizon.
"'Look, my darlings,' said I, 'God has heard us, and sent his sun to
warm and cheer us. Let us thank him,'
"'Papa has begged it of him!' said Matilda. 'Oh! mamma, let us pray him
to send Alfred back!'
"My poor little girl bitterly regretted the loss of her brother. Even
now she can scarcely hear his name without tears. When the savages
brought Francis to us, she at first took him for her brother. 'Oh, how
you have grown in heaven!' cried she; and, after she discovered he was
not her brother, she often said to him, 'How I wish your name
was Alfred!'
"Forgive me for dwelling so long on the details of my wretched journey,
which was not without its comforts, in the pleasure I took in the
development of my children's minds, and in forming plans for their
future education.
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