One hour's paddling brought us to the island, and it was truly a magnificent spot.

It was covered with ruins; graceful obelisks were shaded by the thick foliage of immense trees, and the soft light of the moon, beaming on the angles of the ruined monuments, gave to the whole scenery the hue of an Italian landscape.
"Here we are safe," said Gabriel, "and to-morrow you will discover that my old resting-place is not deficient in comfort." As we were very tired, we lay down and soon slept, forgetting in this little paradise the dangers and the fatigues of the day.

Our host's repose, however, was shorter than mine, for long before morn he had gone to fetch our saddles.

Roche and I would probably have slept till his return, had we not been awakened by the report of a rifle, which came down to us, repeated by a thousand echoes.

An hour of intense anxiety was passed, till at last we saw Gabriel paddling towards us.