Page:A Lady's Cruise in a French Man-of-War.djvu/174

150 tappa; just as an old wife in Scotland would wrap hers in a white handkerchief!

In the afternoon my hostess accompanied me to the convent, where the children sang prettily while we sat in the pleasant garden. The sisters bade me good-bye quite sadly. "It has been des adieux all day," said one.

M. de Gironde came at daybreak to escort me on board. All the Puletoa chiefs crowded round to say good-bye—and I ran down the garden for a last word with their "orator," a fine young fellow, who was nursing his new-born baby in the large native house. His wife is such a nice pretty young woman. I felt quite sorry to leave them all, not knowing what may be the next tidings of woe. We know that war may be renewed at any moment.

With a dreary waste of grey waters on every side of us, and no