"
An intense longing for his people filled David's heart; and it grew
stronger every minute. Each day he watched for ships and often sighted
one, but they never neared the island. At last he came to the conclusion
that the coast was rocky and dangerous, and so no ship would ever come
near it.
With this sad thought, he was retracing his steps one day, carrying some
wood to his little retreat. But what a terror seized him. He saw in the
direction of his little retreat thick, black, clouds of smoke ascending
to the heavens, and two red flaming brands of fire, like two church
spires. David had often heard of islands that were volcanic and sent
forth fire, and now he thought that this was one. He threw his wood to
the ground and with palpitating heart drew closer and closer: but all he
could see was smoke and flames. The crackling of the fire filled him
with more fear. At last he saw that it was not from the earth that the
fire issued. He realized that the wind had blown the flames of his
little fire, which he always kept lighted, against some bushes and had
set them on fire. Almost everything he owned was being destroyed and two
immense trees were being consumed.
When he considered, above all, the loss of his little fishing line that
meant so much to him, he cried aloud: "Oh, what a misfortune this is!
Now, I'll die of hunger. I often heard my father say that from
misfortune, fortune sometimes grows, but, when I look at this damage, it
doesn't seem possible that any luck could come from it.
Pages:
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145