A singular Adventure that befell in the Snowy Isle.

Whilst they were considering about this, afar off they discovered a ship, the sight of which revived their hopes; she came near, her sails were furled, her anchors lowered, and speedily a small boat appeared, making for the bay where the mournful little party were in the act of embarking in the skiff. Auristella advised that they should delay awhile, in order to learn who these people might be. The boat approached, and ran in upon the frozen snow. Two fine strong-looking young men sprang out, seemingly of brisk and gay temperament; they lifted from the boat the fainting and nearly exhausted form of a young woman, who looked as if she could hardly live to reach the shore.

They called aloud to the party who were already in the skiff, and desired that they would stop to witness an event that was about to take place.

Maurice answered, that they had no oars to manage their boat with, unless they could lend them some of theirs. The sailors, who belonged to the newly-arrived boat, brought them some, and then returned to trample the snow. Then the two young men, each being armed with a wooden buckler to protect his breast, and each with a short sword in his hand, again leaped on shore. Auristella, full of terror with the foreboding of some new misfortune, hastened to assist the fainting damsel, and the others followed her. The two young men exclaimed, "Stay one moment, ladies and gentlemen, and hear what we have to say." "This gentleman and myself," said one of the two, "are engaged to fight for the possession of yonder weak damsel who lies there; the death of one of us can alone decide the question of which is to have her, since we have no other means of settling our dispute, unless she herself would choose which of us she would prefer for a husband, in which case we would sheathe our swords, and calm our spirits. What we ask of you is, that you do not in any way interrupt our quarrel, which we shall carry to extremity without fear of hindrance, unless it should be from you; as you may perceive in these deserts there is nothing we can obtain wherewith to restore the life of this damsel, who is about to cost one of us our own. We are too much hurried to find time to ask you who you are, or how you came to be in this desert island, without even oars to guide your boat, so that you cannot depart from a place which seems uninhabited even by animals."

Maurice replied that they would do as they desired in all respects; and immediately the two drew their swords, and without waiting for the damsel to pronounce her decision, began the combat; thus rather wishing to let their quarrel be determined by the chance of arms than the inclination of the lady.

The two combatants fought without observing rules; after a few passes the sword of one entered his opponen............