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THE RETURN TO CLIFF HOUSE 293
showed her the colonies of fowls which she had established, and which had prospered beyond our hopes.
We again embarked in the pinnace, and from Prospect Hill we sailed to Shark Island, where we secured, in passing, a quantity of the soft wool of the Angora rabbit. From Shark Island we directed our course toward Cliff House, and could just distinguish it, when a salute greeted our ears.
We returned the polite salute, and soon after we
saw Fritz and Francis coming toward us in their
canoe. They received us at the entrance of the
bay, and followed us to the shore. They landed
before us, and the moment Emily's foot touched
the sand a hurrah resounded through the air, and
Fritz, springing forward, led her up to the grotto.
There a surprise awaited us. A table was spread
in the middle of the gallery, and loaded with all
the fruits that the country produced. Bananas,
figs, guavas, oranges, rose up in perfumed heaps
upon flat calabashes. All the vases of our making,
cocoa-nut cups and ostrich eggs mounted on turned
wooden pedestals, urns of painted porcelain—all
were filled with hydromel and milk; while a large
dish of fried fish, and a huge roast turkey, stuffed
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