Pagina 345 di 483

The sun had far descended, and I still sat on the shore,

satisfying my appetite, which had become ravenous, with an oaten

cake, when I saw a fishing-boat land close to me, and one of the

men brought me a packet; it contained letters from Geneva, and

one from Clerval entreating me to join him. He said that he was

wearing away his time fruitlessly where he was, that letters from

the friends he had formed in London desired his return to

complete the negotiation they had entered into for his Indian

enterprise. He could not any longer delay his departure; but as

his journey to London might be followed, even sooner than he now

conjectured, by his longer voyage, he entreated me to bestow as

much of my society on him as I could spare. He besought me,

therefore, to leave my solitary isle and to meet him at Perth,

that we might proceed southwards together. This letter in a

degree recalled me to life, and I determined to quit my island at

the expiration of two days.