The Solitariness
Of My Situation, Which They Thought Terrible, Interested Them Very
Much In My Favour.
They gathered round me, sung to me, and one of
the prettiest, to whom I gave my hand with some degree of
cordiality, to meet the glance of her eyes, kissed me very
affectionately.
At dinner, which was conducted with great hospitality, though we
remained at table too long, they sung several songs, and, amongst
the rest, translations of some patriotic French ones. As the
evening advanced they became playful, and we kept up a sort of
conversation of gestures. As their minds were totally uncultivated
I did not lose much, perhaps gained, by not being able to understand
them; for fancy probably filled up, more to their advantage, the
void in the picture. Be that as it may, they excited my sympathy,
and I was very much flattered when I was told the next day that they
said it was a pleasure to look at me, I appeared so good-natured.
The men were generally captains of ships. Several spoke English
very tolerably, but they were merely matter-of-fact men, confined to
a very narrow circle of observation. I found it difficult to obtain
from them any information respecting their own country, when the
fumes of tobacco did not keep me at a distance.
I was invited to partake of some other feasts, and always had to
complain of the quantity of provision and the length of time taken
to consume it; for it would not have been proper to have said
devour, all went on so fair and softly.
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