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Show 304 THE LILY .AND THE TOTEM. warned Laudonnicrc against the policy he pursued, had foreseen nil the evils rcsultin"' from his unwise counsels, and there was that in his bosom wl~ch urged the glorious results to France, of a vigorous and just adminiJ>tration of a settlement in tlJC western hemisphere, in which he was to participate, with his energy and forethought, without having these perpetually balled by the imbecility and folly of' an incapable superior. In such an event, l10w sweetly did l1is fancy rningle with his own fortunes those of the gentle and loving crcnturc who stood beside him. He told her not his thoug!Jts-thcy were indeed, fancies, rather than thoughts-but his arm gently encircled her waist, and while her head drooped upo~ her bosom, be pressed her hand with a. tender earnestness, which spoke much more loudly than any language to her heart. The hour of separation came at length. 'l'hrce days lmd elap!!-cd iu the delights of the F loridian Eden. Our Frenchmen were compelled to tear themselves away. The objects for which they came had been gratified. The bounty of the lovely lrncana. had filled with grain their boats. Her subjects had gladly borne the burdens from the fields to the vessels, while the strangers revelled with the noble and the lo\·ely. But their revels were now to end. The garrison nt La Caroline, it wns felt, waited with hunger, as well as hope and anxiety for their return, and they dared to delay no longer. The parting was more difficult than they themselves had fancied. All had been well entertained, and all made happy by tllCir entertainment. If Alphonse D'.Erlach had been favored with the sweet attentions of n queen, Captain La Vasseur had been rendered no less happy by the smiles of the loveliest among her subj~?cts. He had touchccl her heart also, quite as sensibly as bad tho former that of Iracano.. 30b Similarly fortunate had been their followers. Aulhority had ceased to rcstr:tin in a region where tlJCrc was no danger of insub4 ordination, and our Frencluncn 1 each in turn, from the sergeant to the sentinel, had been honored by regards of beauty, such as made him forgetful, for the time, of precious memories in France. Nor had these favors, bestowed upon the Frenchmen, provoked the jealousy of the numerous Indian chieftains who were present, nnd who ~harcd in these festivities. It joyed them the rather to see how frankly the white men could unbend themselves to un4 wonted pleasures, throwing aside that jealous state, that sus4 picious vigilance, which, J,ithcrto, had distinguished their bearing in all their intercourse with the Indians. "Women of Iracann too sweet," said the gigantic son of Sntouriova, Athore, to Captain La Vasseur, as tl10 parties, each with a light and laughing damsel in his grasp, whirled beside each otllCr in tho mystic maze of the dance. "I much love thc~e women of Jracana,'' said Apnlou, as fierce a. warrior in battle, as ever swore by the altars of the Indian .Moloch. "I glad you love them too, like me. Irac:ma woman good for too much love ! They make great warrior forgot his enemies." "Ha !"said one addressiug D'Erlach1 " You have beautiful women in your couutry1 like Iracana, tlle Queen?" But, we need not pursue tl1ese details. The hour of scpara4 tion had arrived. Our Frenchmen had brought with them a variety of commodities grateful to the Ind ian eye, with which they designed to traffic; but the bounty "Jf lracana, which had anticipated all their wants, had asked for nothing in return. The treasures of tlJC Frenchmen were accordingly distributed in gifts among the noble men and women of the plnce. Some of these |