"What cheer, in thy woodland cruise, Monsieur Broad-Pennant?" he said,
with infinite coolness, the instant his steady glance had ascertained they
were alone. "This is safer navigation for an officer of thy draught of
water, than running about the bay, in a periagua. What may be the
longitude, and where-a-way did you part company from the consorts?"
"Sair, I valk in de vood for de plaisir, and I go on de bay for
de--parbleu, non! 'tis to follow ma jeune maitresse I go on de bay; and,
sair, I wish dey who do love de bay and de sea, would not come into de
vood, du tout."
"Well spoken, and with ample spirit;--what, a student too! one in a wood
should glean something from his labors. Is it the art of furling a main
cue, that is taught in this pretty volume?"
As the mariner put his question, he very deliberately took the book from
Francois, who, instead of resenting the liberty, rather offered the
volume, in exultation.
"No, sair, it is not how to furl la queue, but how to touch de soul; not
de art to haul over de calm, but--oui, c'est plein de connoissance et
d'esprit! Ah! ha! you know de Cid! le grand homme! l'homme de genie! If
you read, Monsieur Marin, you shall see la vraie poesie! Not de big book
and no single rhyme--Sair, I do not vish to say vat is penible, mais it is
not one book widout rhyme; it was not ecrit on de sea. Le diable! que le
vrai genie, et les nobles sentiments, se trouvent dans ce livre, la!"
"Ay, I see it is a log-book, for every man to note his mind in.
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