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Show 20 TilE LILY .AND TilE TOTUt. tho rest of their brethren, by tho choice of the Frenchmen, yielded very readily to the entreaties which beguiled them on board one of tho vessels. 1'hcy probably misunderstood the tenor of tho application i or, in their savage simplicity, concluded that a voyage to the land of the pale-faces was only some such brief journey as they were wont to make, in their cypress canoes, from shore to shore alon"' their rivcra--<lr possibly us far down n.s the great frith in whic~1 their streams were lost. But it was not long before our savage voyagers were sa.til:ificd with the experiment. l'hoy soon ceased to be pleased or flattered with the novelty of their situation. l'hc \'cry attentions bestowed upon them only provoked their apprehensions. 'l'hc cruise wearied tl~em ; and, when they found that the vessels continued to keep away from the land, they became seriously uneasy. llorn swimmers, they bad no fear about making the shore when once in the water : nnd it required the utmost vigilance of the Frenchmen to keep them from darting overboard. It was in vain, for a long time, that they strove to appease and to soothe the unhappy captives. '!'heir detention, against their desires, now made them indignant. G ift.s were pressed upon them, such as they were known to crave and to esteem above all other possessions. But these they rejected with scorn. '!'hey would receive nothing in exchange for their liberty. The simple language in which the old chronicler describes the scene and their sorrows, has in it much that is highly touching, because of its very simplicity. They felt their captivity, nnJ were not to be beguiled from this humiliating conviction by any trappings or sootl1ings. Their freedom-the privilege of eager movements through billow and forest--sporting n.s 'l'antonly as bird nnd fish in both-was too precious for any compensation. Th!!y sank down upon the deck, with clasped hands, sit.ting together apart THE FIRST VOYAGE OF RlllAULT. 21 from tl1e crew, gazing upon the slJOrcs with mournful eyes, and chaunting n melancholy ditty, which seemed to the watcl1ful and listening l~rcnchmen a strain of exile and lamentation-" agreeing so sweetly together, tl1at, in hearing their song, it seemed that they lnmcntcd the aLscnce of tl~eir fricndcs." And thus tl10y continued all night to sing wilhout ceasing Tlw pinnace, meanwhile, lay at anchor, the tide being against them; with the dawn of day the voyage 'vas resumed, and the Rl1ips were rc:lChed in safety where they lay in the roadstead. Transferred to those, the two captives continued to deplore their fate. ]~very effort was made to reconcile them to their situation, nnd·nothing wns withheld which experience l1ad shown to be especially grateful to the savage fancy. But they rejected everything; even the food which had now become necessary to their condition. They held out till nearly sunset, in their rejection of the courtesies, which, with a slJOW of kindness, deprived them of the most precious enjoyment and pass..ion of their lives. But the inferior nature at length insisted upon its rights. "In the end they were constrained to forget their superstitions," and to cat the meat which was set before tLcm. They even received the gifts wl1ich they had formerly rejected; nnd, as if reconciled to a condition from which they found it impossible to escape, they put on a more cheerful countenance. " They became, therefore, more jocundo; every houre made us a tl10usaud discourses, being marvcillous sorry that we could not undcrst.,nd them." Laudonnicre set himself to work to acquire their Iauguage. lie strove still more to conciliate their favor; engaged them in frequent conversation; and1 by showing them the objects for which he sought their names, picked up numerous words wl1ich he carefully put on paper. In a few days he Wfi.!l enabled to make hllusclf understood |