markets are of an inferior dwarf kind, or, properly,
waterfalls,
i.e., fruit shook off the branches
of the tree it grows upon by the motion of the water,
as those in our gardens are by that of the wind!
The lobster-trees appeared the richest, but the crab
and oysters were the tallest. The periwinkle is
a kind of shrub; it grows at the foot of the oyster-tree,
and twines round it as the ivy does the oak.
I observed the effect of several accidents by shipwreck,
&c., particularly a ship that had been wrecked by striking
against a mountain or rock, the top of which lay within
three fathoms of the surface. As she sank she
fell upon her side, and forced a very large lobster-tree
out of its place. It was in the spring, when the
lobsters were very young, and many of them being separated
by the violence of the shock, they fell upon a crab-tree
which was growing below them; they have, like the
farina of plants, united, and produced a fish resembling
both. I endeavoured to bring one with me, but
it was too cumbersome, and my salt-water Pegasus seemed
much displeased at every attempt to stop his career
whilst I continued upon his back; besides, I was then,
though galloping over a mountain of rocks that lay
about midway the passage, at least five hundred fathom
below the surface of the sea, and began to find the
want of air inconvenient, therefore I had no inclination
to prolong the time. Add to this, my situation
was in other respects very unpleasant; I met many
large fish, who were, if I could judge by their open
mouths, not only able, but really wished to devour
us; now, as my Rosinante was blind, I had these hungry
gentlemen’s attempts to guard against, in addition
to my other difficulties.
“As we drew near the Dutch shore, and the body
of water over our heads did not exceed twenty fathoms,
I thought I saw a human figure in a female dress then
lying on the sand before me with some signs of life;
when I came close I perceived her hand move: I
took it into mine, and brought her on shore as a corpse.
An apothecary, who had just been instructed by Dr.
Hawes [the Baron’s father must have lived very
lately if Dr. Hawes was his preceptor], of London,
treated her properly, and she recovered. She
was the rib of a man who commanded a vessel belonging
to Helvoetsluys. He was just going out of port
on a voyage, when she, hearing he had got a mistress
with him, followed him in an open boat. As soon
as she had got on the quarter-deck she flew at her
husband, and attempted to strike him with such impetuosity,
that he thought it most prudent to slip on one side,
and let her make the impression of her fingers upon
the waves rather than his face: he was not much
out in his ideas of the consequence; for meeting no
opposition, she went directly overboard, and it was
my unfortunate lot to lay the foundation for bringing
this happy pair together again.
“I can easily conceive what execrations the
husband loaded me with when, on his return, he found
this gentle creature waiting his arrival, and learned
the means by which she came into the world again.
However, great as the injury is which I have done
this poor devil, I hope he will die in charity with
me, as my motive was good, though the consequences
to him are, it must be confessed, horrible.”