accordingly, about noon, they'd catch'd us a horse apiece with their lassos, and we began to get under way. But ha, ha, ha! Mr. Thompson! the pigs was a fool to that start-not a horse had any saddle, only a piece o' cowskin, with a strip o' the same for a bob-stay, bent on round the beast's under jaw; so, as most on us had never been outside a horse afore, no sooner was a hand well up on the larboard side, and beginning to right on to an even keel, and take a pull on the bob-stay, than the horse gets stern-way, and off goes Jack, plump over the starboard-bow; some, to be sure, contrived to hang on for a good bit, by getting a hold o' the horse's mane, or his ears, or his tail, or any other standin' part they could overhaul, being no ways particular, and so weathered it out; but a good many swore they'd rather walk than be keel-hauled after such a fashion.

"I was sarved with a rough beast, to be sure, but luckily I know'd something more than a guess o' the matter, for I'd rode afore that at Portsdown races, where we used to hire a horse between

three on us. So the very moment I got slew'd well round on his back, I twisted the bite of his long mane about my left hand, bows'd the bridle taught as a fiddle with the right, and so stay'd myself up, as stiff as a pump-bolt.

"Next to me, our junior supercargo was the best jockey o' the squad, for I never saw him clean capsized only twice. But after the first day's sail, Mr. Thompson, O dear! I'd given a trifle to ha' bin copper'd, I promise you; my two knees, with holdin' on, was as red as a marine's jacket; and yet not a pace would that cross-grained beast o' mine go, but a rough, up and down short-sea jog, that made me fairly sing out for pain. At last we got safe into Buenos Ayres, where they hurra'd after us like devils, thinkin' we were prisoners o' war, they being at loggerheads with the Brazilians; and to be sure we didn't look much like Christians-all half naked, black as colliers, and with beards as long as my arm; some with jackets, and no trowsers or shoes; others with long stripes o' silk, all in rags, twisted about them, just as they'd rigged themselves at the wreck, out o' the cotton and silk bales; some with cotton shawls about their heads, like Turks; some bareheaded; but not a hat or cap amongst the whole squad. As for me, I'd bought the half of a plaid cloak from one of our hungry Super's for a ration

o' rice; and in this I'd cut a slit, and poked my head through it, making it into a punchy, as our guide called it; and as I'd gotten a pair o' trowsers be. sides, I was in pretty decent rig.

"Our next trip was afore the police, and then all hands began to look out for themselves; and after a day or two I found my way, with a messmate as know'd the country, down to a place called Elsenada-for there was no gettin' out o' Buenos Ayres, it being closely blockaded by Pedro's fleet.

"At Elsenada there was a country brig just about to weigh for St. Kitt's; and the captain said, if I liked to run the ship's chance, he'd give me a passage. I thought I might just as well be taken into Rio as stop here; so, walks my pumps aboard the brig, with my bag in my hand; and if it hadn't been for the American agent there, I'd ha' had as much use for a clothes bag, as a baboon has for a wig-box; but he'd supplied all hands with a few slops, and me amongst the rest, though I'd nothing due to me, and fairly told him I intended to shape my course for old England. But I was out o' my reckoning there, Mr. Thompson; for, after a short run, we got to St. Kitts; and, would you believe it? the only craft there, after all, was a schooner belonging to my old owner, bound home to Boston, and going to sail next day. I thought it rather hard luck; but it was Hobson's choice that or nothing, go or starve. On board the schooner I went, and was back in Boston in just eighty-four days after I sailed in the Miss Ouri. After this spell, I guessed how things was: I felt that it was no use kicking agin orders; so here I've held on all weathers, for more than seven years-and here I am for my life, you may depend upon it, Mr. Thompson, laugh as much as you please."

"Well, old boy, I hope it will be a long one, at all events; and, as for the rest, we don't choose our own billet here, as the soldier says, Mr. Tibbs, and ought to think ourselves lucky when we're served with a good one. You've had no more total losses, then, since the Patagonian mishap, eh?"

66

Why, two on 'em in three months is pretty well, and ought to serve a man for a good spell. No, I've sailed in three or four of our good old owner's ships since the loss of the Miss Ouri, and always, God be thanked, with a pretty fair run o' good luck."

"Meantime, as you've made up your

mind, like the starling, that you can't get out,' you've written to let your sister and your little girl know how you're getting on, I trust?"

"I've done that, every home trip, I promise you, sir; and through our owner I've sent 'em more money than I could ha' done if I'd stayed at home, that I must confess; but, after all, a man can't be content, no way, when he's cruising with a line bent on to his leg, no matter how long a range you serve out to him-no, not if you'd feed him with hot bread and roast beef three times every day, and give him a twelvehour spell below every night; and I feel I'm moor'd to America for life, as sure as there's a squall in them harmattan clouds lifting away to the east'ard yonder, Mr. Thompson."

or

As the old sailor spoke, he stretched his hand out towards the eastern horizon, in which direction I had noticed his keen eye turned anxiously for some minutes before; following the line thus indicated, I readily observed two three little fleecy-looking clouds, like snow-wreaths, shooting rapidly upwards in the direction of the moon. I turned from my look-out to question my sagacious old comrade, but Tibbs was already mounted on the top-gallant forecastle; and in a moment after, I heard him give orders to turn up all hands to take in sail. Not to lose time, I observed that, while the watch was coming on deck, the old man in his quiet but active manner was stirring round the deck, getting everything clear to furl away-halliards and clew-lines were overhauled carefully, the spanker brailed, and both fore and main royals and top-gallant-sails clewed up. These important operations, I confess, not a little surprised me, since I saw no immediate cause for apprehension; yet, though there was nothing like precipitancy in the mate's manner of proceeding, it was nevertheless evidently his desire to get his ship under snug sail with the least possible delay.

Meantime there had occurred no perceptible change in wind, sea, or sky; all combined to create the most perfect and lovely repose nature was ever rocked in. I had continued to watch the course of those silvered clouds, until they were swallowed in the full blaze of the most lovely moon I ever beheld; they must in their career have rushed across her bright face, but not for one second had they shadowed her beauty from my watchful observance. Still, in no way

imposed upon by the continuance of this flattering aspect aloft, Tibbs calmly continued to press his orders to "lay out and furl away;" nor did he cease until every sail in the ship was laid as close to the yards as ready hands and well passed gaskets could bind them; the only bit of canvass left to swear by, was the forestaysail, and that was hauled as flat aft as the sheets could well jam it.

Although all this had been very smartly performed, and the ship consequently made snug in good time, there was, as it chanced, no great deal of it to spare, after all; and when at length the looked-for blow did come, the fierceness of its onset far exceeded any thing in the shape of a squall it had ever been my luck to encounter before. The first rush was, however, luckily for us, the worst, and the good ship received it bravely. It passed over the face of the deep, changing its dark, clear surface, into a vast plain of snow; nor was it until that mighty blast had done its course, and whirled away, that the cowed sea ventured again to set her many-crested waves in motion, and ruffle it with the gale.

In truth, it is a fearful but a proud sight for a poor journeyer on the waters in such a moment-first shrinking to watch the strong ship yield like a rush before the wild assault of the tempest, and, turning to your crew, next to note the seaman, calm and unmoved, winning his fearful way, amidst the furious winds and waves, ruling and subjugating them, and forcing those terrible elements that shake the world to its foundations, to administer to his purpose, and become his servants to work out his pleasure.

These, and such other thoughts, occupied my mind during the continuance of the harmattan, till, as the gale became steady, I crept below to my snug berth, and was quickly oblivious of the hurlyburly of the storm that raged about us : still the impression of that first wild blast was altogether too vivid to be wholly banished, even by sleep, and my rest was less sound than usual; the roar of the wind yet rung in my ears, and I dreamed of wandering about, in the dark caves of the ocean, and clambering over rocks of coral, hundreds of fathoms beneath the waves; I was disgusted and bewildered by myriads of fishes, that kept shooting by me in endless droves ; I saw them glance aside in their rapid course, and bend their columns to the right and left, as if to avoid me; I strained my sight to detect the outline

of many dull-eyed, shapeless monsters, that kept tumbling awkwardly about me; for it was a strange, green light, I stood in, with now and then a bright, flickering ray, darting zig-zag through, as though the blessed sun was striving to shed his radiance even in those awful depths. Whilst standing, wrapt in fear and wonder, on a sudden I became conscious of an approaching shadow, of some magnitude; it added momentarily to the dimness of the place, and threa tened total darkness. Instinctively I cast my eyes upwards towards the faroff source of light, and perceived a huge moving body, gradually settling down upon me; at once I darted aside and upwards, with arrow-like velocity again I beheld a flickering of daylight, and rejoiced that I was gaining the confines of that monster shadow; my stroke was plied with redoubled vigour; my pulse beat thick and strong; I felt a burst of sun-ray through the thin surface between me and the upper world, whilst the water became warmer and more genial. At this moment of hope and impatience, a rude grasp was fixed upon my shoulder, and seemed endeavouring again to press me downwards, and, dared I have opened my lips, I should have shrieked in agony; as it was, I quickly turned on my side in the yielding element, and, with the force of desperation, made a last effort at preservation, grasping that horrid icy hand within my own: in the act, I awoke, and found the hand of my servant firmly clenched in mine. I shook with terror, and cold drops of sweat coursed down my forehead; my servant stared at me wildly, as I thought, and appeared scarcely less agitated than myself.

"What's the matter, Mills?" cried I, after taking free breath, and satisfying myself that I had really once emerged into the upper world.

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"Oh! get up quick, sir, for the love of God!" exclaimed Mills, in evident trepidation; "here's old Captain Tibbs has fallen into the fore-top, and murdered himself entirely."

"Fallen into?-fallen out of the foretop, man, you mean to say, I suppose. Here, reach me my dressing-gown and slippers."

"Och, I dare say you're right, sir," cried the honest and kind-hearted fellow, as he assisted me to pull on my things; "but that's what I heard the men say: any how, he's as cruelly smashed as ever you see any poor devil in your life."

I was mounting the companion-stairs

in one minute. The island of our des tination was lying bold upon our lee bow, the ship was bounding gaily toward it, and the morning sun shone gloriously upon the glad sparkling waters. About the foot of the foremast was collected an anxious but passive group, consisting of the whole of our crew, except one hand at the wheel and the man on the topgallant forecastle, whose look-out, however, for the present, was under the foot of the fore-sail.

As I and Mills were observed advancing along the deck, the men made way, and before me lay my honest old Briton, Tibbs; he was stretched upon his back on the lower stu'n-sail, with a jacket or two beneath his head; his eye was fixed and glassy, his thin gray locks dabbled with his blood, whilst his lower limbs lay contorted in a way that at once be-, trayed the injuries they had sustained. By his left side knelt my excellent companion and friend, G, wiping, from time to time, the froth and blood which kept oozing from the poor fellow's pallid lips. As I approached the dying man, G- raised his eyes, and, at once reading my anxious glance of inquiry, shook his head.

"Are both his legs fractured, does any one know?" was my first question.

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Every limb and leg he has is knocked into chips, sir," replied the carpenter, who was kneeling at the feet of Tibbs, busily splitting some plank. into splints, under G- -'s direction.

We now set to work, with all the care and skill we possessed, although our means were as limited as our experience; even the ship's medicine-chest was ashore, having, as it appeared on inquiry, been left for the use of the captain at St. Jago, where he lay sick of a fever, in the house of the American Consul. We soon procured linen enough, however, which we tore and sewed into bandages, and assisted by the carpenter and directed by my servant Mills, managed in a little time to bind up the shattered frame of our poor commander into some decent form. Mills proved no bad surgeon, and indeed had picked up some little practical experience in the many hospitals wherein he had occasionally acted as assistant, during the Peninsular war; for it had been the poor fellow's luck to get hit, more or less hard, in every action in which he had fought.

We did hope at one time to be able to get our patient to the island; but alas! this hope proved too soon delusive.

He had endured our dressing with few indications of perception, and now we had leisure attentively to observe him, evidently grew weaker every minute. I did not once quit his side, but continued to cleanse his mouth, and occasionally moisten his swollen lips with a little white wine; all this while his look contined vacant, and I considered him incapable of recognition.

My heart was painfully grieved as I thought over the superstitious notion which had so oddly taken possession of his imagination, and which it had been my ill fortune to see so quickly and so fearfully wrought to a fulfilment.

As we worked up to our anchorage, the black port-captain boarded us, and with his crew came on deck. Their jabber, and the bustle incident to their coming alongside, was the first thing that appeared to awaken the perceptions of my old friend; and as that sable boat'screw gathered about us, all chatter and commiseration, the old man's eye suddenly lighted up, his head turned towards me, and a slight smile just gave motion to the muscles of his mouth. I observed, too, that he moved the fingers of his right hand, as if making an effort to close them; and, guessing his desire, I took them gently within my hand, rising upon my knee at the same time, and bending above his pale, weather-beaten face, dedesirous, if possible, to anticipate any wish he might form. For a moment or two, he continued to gaze steadfastly into my features. I began to fear that he could not make them out, when, as though by a violent rally of nature, his lips unlocked, and as I moistened, for the last time, his mouth with a spoonful of the wine, he articulated in his clear, low, quiet way

"God Almighty bless you, Mr. Thompson, did'nt I tell you how it was, sir!-I know'd it-fixed for" a few muttered words, evidently followed, but were wholly unintelligible-a moment after, and his lips were again sealed; a thicker froth gurgled and bubbled through them; suddenly they sundered, shewing the teeth closely set; the eys grew glassy, and the hand within mine felt clammy and cold. I feared to move; when I was roused to a conviction of the truth, I would fain have doubted, by a strange voice above me exclaiming, "El ha Murio mi Padre!"

I now walked quickly aft, and descending to my berth, threw myself upon my bed, nor did I again rise from it until the afternoon, when G- appeared, and

requested me to come on deck, and read prayers over our departed crony. They could not have selected a sorrier parson. However, I made myself decent, and mounted the deck; it was nigh sunset, and a more lovely evening never shone, even on this latitude of brilliant skies. They had rolled the old sailor neatly up in his hammock, and had stretched him upon a plank, over which was spread the starry ensign of America, whilst across the Briton's breast drooped the unionjack of his own country, to which he had whilst living been an honour the gang port was open, the carpenter at his post," and all things as decent and well ordered as the means of the ship would allow. Mastering my feelings, for, in my eyes, there was more of impressiveness in this rude ceremonial than I had ever found in any more formal display, I went through the beautiful service for the dead; and into a broad path-way of molten gold, which the sun, as it sunk, flung over the waves, directly to that gang-port, was launched the "sheer-hulk" of as simple hearted and honest a tar as ever stepped over a ship's side.

Little remains, save to allude to the particulars that led to this melancholy consummation of Tibbs's prepossession, and few words will suffice for that. It appeared that while anxiously looking out for land, Tibbs had, at an early hour, gone aloft, and was seen standing for a long time on the top-gallant yard, from whence, having attained his object, he hailed the forecastle, at which moment, by some mischance or other, he was suddenly observed to fall-in his descent he struck against the edge of the fore-top, whence bounding towards the larboard side, he alighted right athwart of the iron of the lower stu'n-sail-boom, breaking his left arm in two places, and both his thighs, besides receiving a dreadful fracture on the crown of the head.

Our trip, which promised so much novelty and excitement at starting, was doomed to be every way unlucky and fruitless. The mysterious pirate chief had died of his wounds-leaving no word, or sign behind, by which his country might be known, and the schooner of his excellency, the governor of St. Jago, was under orders to sail the next day after our arrival. We had no option but to go on board, and a moɛt awful four days we had of it. Of salt-fish, and garlic, we had abundance, with a plentiful scarcity of every thing else—so that we hailed even the volcanic hills of St. Jago with satisfaction.

No. 57.

state, in this more important division of the empire, south of Tweed. But the Author of Waverley's account of the gipsy life, though forming part of a romance, is rather statistical than poetical-it is much of a piece with the matter-of-fact details respecting the gipsies a century ago, which he extracts from Fletcher of Saltoun ;-there is much more in it of political economy than of romantic fiction. This is not said invidiously; it is a reflection arising spontaneously in the writer's mind, from a comparison of the hard, though faithful, gipsy sketches of the Author of Waverley with the delineations of Cervantes, clothed in those aërial tints which his fine imagination lends even to the meanest object. The former (to borrow a pictorial illustration) seems to present us, in this instance, with a landscape and figures, true indeed to nature, but with little diversity of light and shade; while the prolific pencil of the latter sheds a beautiful variety of hues, such as are produced by the alternate gleams and shadows of a fine April or October sky. The number of gipsies in Spain was