"My life," she began, "passed without any remarkable events, till the misfortune occurred which brought me to this island.

I was married, when very young, to Mr.Hirtel, a merchant at Hamburg, an excellent man, whose loss I have deeply felt.

I was very happy in this union, arranged by my parents, and sanctioned by reason.

We had three children, a son and two daughters, in the first three years of our marriage; and M.
Hirtel, seeing his family increase so rapidly, wished to increase his income.

An advantageous establishment was offered him in the Canary Islands; he accepted it, and prevailed on me to settle there, with my family, for some years.