It was moonlight when we resumed our journey;–and such a moon,–earth, air, and sky, were all swathed up like costly treasures in glittering cloth of silver! it was resplendent. We had much admired, during the night, the glorious southern cross, and another lovely constellation, also very much in the form of a cross: all was so beautiful, that heaven and earth seemed almost contending for the palm of loveliness.

We rode silently on, overwhelmed with ad miration, and after going for some time through the thick forest, which made the moonlight appear like a soft illumination through an emerald-coloured glass or transparency, we suddenly emerged from the woods on a clearing; and so dazzling and glorious was the flood of light that poured down upon us, that I exclaimed to V––, that we must have been mistaken in the hour, as it was broad daylight. But a glance overhead, where the triumphant suzerain of the night was riding in her zenith, pouring, I may say snowing, down rays of intense white light on every side, undeceived me. It was truly splendid: the air seemed all powdered crystal, or shivered diamonds. The heavenly arch looked so high, and so clear, that the eye seemed to see for a million of miles, up and up, and the air appeared all One Star; verily, the glory sank and melted into the very soul.