and spoiled me for adventure; for, without the least warning, which is
often the case, a piece of earth gave way, and down my worship rolled to
the bottom. The height from whence I had fallen, and the rough
encounters I had met with, stunned me for some time, but when I came to
my recollection, I was charmed to see my beautiful girls running towards
me. They had seen my fall, and, from my lying still, concluded I was
killed; they expressed great joy on hearing me speak, and most
obligingly endeavored to assist me in rising, but their united efforts
were in vain; my leg was broken. This was a great shock to us all. In
the sweetest accents they condoled me on my misfortune, and offered
every assistance and consolation in their power. To a genius so
enterprizing as myself, any accident which furthered my wishes of making
an acquaintance with the object I had been pursuing, appeared trivial,
when the advantages presented themselves to my view. I sat therefore
_like Patience on a monument_, and bore my misfortune with a stoical
philosophy. I wanted much to discover who they were, as their
appearance was rather equivocal, and might have pronounced them
belonging to any station in life. Their dress was exactly the same:
white jackets and petticoats, with light green ribbands, &c. I asked
some questions, which I hoped would lead to the point I wished to be
informed in: their answers were polite, but not satisfactory; though I
cannot say they were wholly evasive, as they seemed artlessly innocent;
or, if at all reserved, it was the reserve which native modesty teaches.
One of them said, I was in great need of instant assistance; and she had
interest enough to procure some from an house not very distant from us:
on which, they were both going. I entreated the younger one to stay, as
I should be the most wretched of all mortals if left to myself. "We go,"
said she, "in order to relieve that wretchedness." I fixed my eyes on
her with the most tender languor I could assume; and, sighing, told her,
"it was in her power alone to give me ease, since she was the cause of
my pain: her charms had dazzled my eyes, and occasioned that false step
which had brought me sooner than I expected at her feet." She smiled,
and answered, "then it was doubly incumbent on her to be as quick as
possible in procuring me every accommodation necessary." At that instant
they spied a herdsman, not far off. They called aloud, and talking with
him some little time, without saying a word further to me, tripped away
like two fairies. I asked the peasant who those lovely girls were. He
not answering, I repeated my question louder, thinking him deaf; but,
staring at me with a stupid astonishment, he jabbered out some barbarous
sounds, which I immediately discovered to be a Welsh language I knew no
more than the Hottentotts. I had flattered myself with being, by this
fellow's assistance, able to discover the real situation of these sweet
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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