At this moment, Bridget placed in her father’s hand the lately invented telescope,[91] when, raising it to his eye, he narrowly observed the whole breadth of the copse; the distant creek and the farther ocean; but nothing met his eye—nothing, save the wavy green, or the wing of a weary sea-fowl as it sought its nest. Slowly dropping the instrument, the governor once more gazed with his naked eye in that direction. The sun had set some minutes before, and as the last of his golden beams faded in the west, he turned upon his heel, and, followed by the females, was once more lost in the verdant shrubbery. ------ [89] Now called the Memora’s. [90] Now called English Harbour. [91] Telescopes were said to have been invented during the reign of James I., although some attribute the invention to Roger Bacon, 1292. CHAPTER XXIV. CONTINUATION OF THE LEGEND. It was a calm, delicious, West Indian night. The moon shone in all her glory, bathing lawn and lea, upland and woodland, in her silvery light. The waters of the creek we have already noticed were rife with beauty; and the waves of the far-off ocean, as they dashed in measured cadence on the beach, broke musically upon the listener’s ear. A stately figure, enveloped in a dark mantle, glided from behind a screen of lime and coffee trees; and gaining the open ground, looked cautiously around. As if assured its movements were unobserved, the figure darted off at a rapid pace in the direction of a magnificent grove; but with steps so light, that it would scarcely have crushed the lowliest flower. Upon reaching the verge of the grove, it stopped; and placing a finger upon a small gittern,[92] carried beneath the ample cloak, struck a single note. The crushing of the younger twigs and leaves told that the signal was heard; and springing from the covert, a young man bounded forward, exclaiming—“Zulmiera! dearest Zulmiera! how long thou hast stayed to-night!”