The Child of the Atlantic (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: too well acquainted with the character and habits of her husband, not to entertain reasonable fears that he might still be deterred from his good purpose, or by idly loitering on his passage, arrive too late to make an advantageous bargain. Besides the disappointment that would arise to her child, and the gratification of retaining him with her, she felt an earnest desire that by the success of this, Harvey's first essay in lawful traffic, he might be induced to abandon his vicious pursuits, and engage in a regular and honest way of business. But with Charles, no misgivings of a painful nature arose to damp his joy, and he turned from the sea-shore after his father's departure, to resume, with unmixed delight and satisfaction, his usual employments. Chapter III. Charles had no little play-fellows; but never having known the companionship of children, he did not feel the want of it; and the care of a variety of pets, and attendance upon the domestic animals in and about the house, occupied a part of that time which little boys in general pass at marbles, cricket, or other sports. First on this list, but by no means first among Charles's favourites, shall be mentioned the hogs,which, with Malo the old Indian's assistance, he took care of. The flesh of these animals, in Florida and the adjoining countries, excels any of the kind in Europe, owing to the abundance and delicacy of the food upon which they feed. Those among the herd from which bacon was to be prepared, were supplied by Charles with Indian corn, in order to harden the fat; and the others he used often to assist in placing on a raft, in order to pass them over to a small island near the coast, which abounded with the species of palmeto, called after their name, the hog palmeto. This tree, which grows to the height...