53d lord’s discovery of the banians and persees.

be treafured up in darknefs, in the arms of fo coarfe an element; which mine takingadvantage by the darknefs of the heavens, the better to fet off his fparkling luftre,feerned to invite Shuddery to come and take knowledge of its admirable fhining ; whofuppofing it to be fire, began to move the loofe fparkles of the fame, but perceivingtheir glory nothing to decreafe by their motion, grew enkindled with a great defire toprove the ftrangenefs of the accident, by the touching of his finger; but the darknefs,and his unacquaintance with the thing, rather begetting admiration than right infor-mation of his knowledge (fince it had the light of fire, but wanted the heat), he wascontent with a patient abode to await the day’s light to give him better inftrudtion con-cerning thefe myfteries ; which no fooner appeared, but thefe diamonds concealed theirglory, affording only a waterilh coloured beauty to the eye. The difannulment ofthis luftre amazed him as much as the prefentation thereof made him admire; butdefirous to have this excellency made known to mankind, that feerned fo wonderful tohimfelf, he carried fo great a quantity of the diamonds with him, as might be no impedi-ment to him in the bearing, taking a remarkable obfervation of the place, that he mightthereunto repair upon better proof of the diamonds excellence and worth.

Thus Shuddery continuing his progrefs foreward, at lad arrived where the womanto which he was lent, was wandering by the fide of a wood, clofe adjoining whereuntowas an even plain, through which he made his path; of whom, when his eyes had gainedfight, and that fhe prefented a perfon formed like himfelf, he diverted from his waytowards her, to gain more perfect knowledge of her ; fhe no lefs filled with wonderand defire in the view of him, yet fometimes poffeffed with fear, fometimes with joy,fometimes with fhame, in the variety of paflions purpofing many things, but reallyprofecuting nothing. Shuddery at length accofted her, whofe approach fhe receiveddoubtfully, as if fhe fought a means of evafion into the wood ; at which he faid, “ Oh,thou worthy creature, mod like unto myfelf, fly me not; who haft caufe to love me,becaufe I refemble thee ; fhun not the converfation of him, that followeth thee not togive thee difpleafure, but that he might enjoy thy fociety ; things that have reafemblancein fhape fhould embrace confortfhip.”

The woman then, whofe name was Vifagundah, perceiving by the flownefs of his pace,that he rather feerned to be a fuer to her, than a purfuer of her, by the retardmentof her flight witneffing her contentment to ftay, if fhe might prefume of her fafety, thusreplied to his words, That if fhe could as much prefume of his good ulage, as fhewas contented to behold him, fhe would grant his requeft ; who giving her affurancethereof, they entertained conference with each other, fhe moving the queftion how itmight be that they two could be capable of one another’s language, having neverbefore feen each other. He made anfwer, that that God that had made them likein bodies, had alfo made them like in languages, that they might receive the comfort ofone another’s fpeeches, and be acquainted with one another’s thoughts, without which,converfation fhould lofe the greateft part of his comfort.

So receiving ftronger gages of each other’s love, they continued together, he notunmindful to impart the fortunes of his travels in finding of pearls and diamonds, where-with he adorned her, till they in future times became a cuftomary ornament, as alfoacquainting her with the works of the creation, together with his parents and brethren;they proved the comforts of the conjoined ftate ; from whom a generation defcended,that became merchant-men, and followed Shuddery’s profeffion, who, with fome of hisfons, did afterwards travel to the mine of diamonds by him difcovered, and ftoredthemfelves with them, which ever fince have been merchandize of dear eftimation}and thus the north became inhabited.

9

Chap*