THE GENTLE NARINA. 35

unable to render him the slightest assistance. Ah!
how frequently, when friendship has misled me,
when seducing appearances have allured my confi-
dence, have I thought of poor Ingland, and invo-
luntarily cast my eye upon the hand he had go
often heked !”

Le Vaillant, however, exceeded all his other
portraitures in his picture of the fair Narina. IJn-
deed, it has been said there is scarcely a more
delicate creature in poetry than his young Gonaquoi
girl. He was visited by a party of this horde,
among whom were several women. ‘ In the midst
of them I remarked,” he says, “a young girl about
sixteen, who showed less eagerness to partake of
the ornaments 1 bestowed on her companions, than
to consider my person. She examined me with
such marked attention, that I drew near to satisfy
her curiosity. Her figure was charming, her teeth
beautifully white, her height and shape elegant and
easy,and might have served as a model for the pencil
of Albano. In short, she was the youngest sister of
the graces, under the figure of a female Hottentot.

‘The force of beauty 1s universal ; ‘tis a sovereign
whose power is unlimited. I felt by the prodigality
of my presents that I paid some deference to its
power. The young savage and myself were soon
acquainted. I gave her a girdle, bracelets, and a

necklace of small white beads which appeared to
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