14 THE CRATER; Although Mark, and Heaton, and Bridget, and all pro- sent indeed, were fully aware that the natives of the South Seas could, and often did pass hours in the water, this pro posal struck them all, at first, as so wild, that no one be lieved it could be accepted. Reflection, however, did its usual office, and wrought a change in these opinions. Peters assured the governor that he had often known Unus to swim from island to island in the group, and that on the score of danger to him, there was not the least necessity of feeling any uneasiness. He did not question the In dian s power to swim the entire distance to the Reef, should it be necessary. Another difficulty arose, however, when the first was overcome. Unus could speak no English, and how was he to communicate with Juno, even after he had entered her boat ? The girl, moreover, was both resolute and strong, as her present expedition sufficiently proved, and would be very apt to knock a nearly naked savage on the head, when she saw him attempting to enter her boat. From this last opinion, however, Bridget dissented. Juno was kind- hearted, and would be more disposed, she thought, to pick up a man found in the. water at sea, than to injure him. But Juno could read writing. Bridget herself had taught her slaves to read and write, and Juno in particular was a sort of * expert, in her way. She wrote and read half the nigger-letters of Bristol, previously to quitting America She would now write a short note, which would put the girl on her guard, and give her confidence in Unus. Juno knew the whole history of Peters and Peggy, having taken great interest in the fate of the latter. To own the truth, the girl had manifested a very creditable degree of princi ple on the subject, for Jones had tried to persuade his friend to take Juno, a nice, tidy, light-coloured black, to wife, and to forget Peggy, when Juno repelled the attempt with spirit and principle. It is due to Peters, moreover, to add that he was ahvays true to his island bride. But the occurrence had made Juno acquainted with the whole his tory of Peggy ; and Bridget, in the few lines she now wrote to the girl, took care to tell her that the Indian was the brother of Peggy. In that capacity, he would be almost certain of a friendly reception. The rest of the note was
