Our work went on merrily, nevertheless, and the Christopher Columbus,
hauled up, lay helpless on her side like a great fish out of water. While
she was in that state, there was a feast, or a ball, or an entertainment,
or more properly all three together, given us in honour of the ship, and
the ship's company, and the other visitors. At that assembly, I believe,
I saw all the inhabitants then upon the Island, without any exception. I
took no particular notice of more than a few, but I found it very
agreeable in that little corner of the world to see the children, who
were of all ages, and mostly very pretty--as they mostly are. There was
one handsome elderly lady, with very dark eyes and gray hair, that I
inquired about. I was told that her name was Mrs. Venning; and her
married daughter, a fair slight thing, was pointed out to me by the name
of Fanny Fisher. Quite a child she looked, with a little copy of herself
holding to her dress; and her husband, just come back from the mine,
exceeding proud of her. They were a good-looking set of people on the
whole, but I didn't like them. I was out of sorts; in conversation with
Charker, I found fault with all of them. I said of Mrs.
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