"Madam," said I to the youngest female, "you have never been to those countries--to the station, as your father calls it? I know _you_ have never yet been exposed to its privations?" I noticed her husband smile, and nod to her, as much as to say, "Tell him."
"No," said she--"it cannot, however, be worse than I have painted it to myself, from _his_ description"--looking across at the old gentleman with an affectionate smile--"But I hope I shall be strengthened, as my cousin has been, to endure my privations, and whatever may befall, as becomes a Christian, and the wife of a sincere one."
I was told by the captain, that the greater part of his cargo consisted of implements of husbandry; and that to their heavenly calling they had added that of a competent knowledge of all the useful arts of agriculture; so that, wherever such a virtuous family was planted, the savages who surrounded them would not only have their mental darkness dispelled, but their temporal condition improved, and their wants more amply supplied. We had now no farther apology for remaining. I rose; the clash of my cutlass against the chair awoke the sleeping child. He opened his blue eyes where he lay on the sofa, and looked up; presently he stretched forth his little hands towards me--I stooped down over the blessed infant, and kissed his forehead.
"Good-night," he said, "good-night, and be good boy like me."--A tear stood in my eye, for the soul of me, I could not have helped it.
I again shook hands with the old man. And as I was turning to take my leave of the other members of this most interesting family, he placed his hands on my head.
"Young man, we thank you for your visit, and your urbanity--our meeting has been like an oasis in the desert, like a green spot in a dry parched land--and we shall pray for thee to Him 'whose way is in the sea, and whose path is in the waters, and whose footsteps are not known.'"
I had no heart to speak--so after a long pause--
"My sons," said the patriarch, "we are about concluding our Sunday evening's service--stay a few minutes longer." Seeing I hesitated, and looked towards Lanyard, he addressed himself to him.--"It is no great boon to concede this to us, whom in all human probability you shall never meet again."