The Hifiory of Okane. The Fragment of a Voyage to St. Domingo. (From the French f the Mercure de France. (Concluded from Page 588.) ABOUT a year afterwards, I took 2 journey to that part of the island called Port-au-Prince, unfortunately celebrat ed by the earthquakes, which have fo often rendered it a scene of defolation. I was then defirous to fee thofe great lakes, which, in this part of the island, divide the French fectiements from thofe of the Spaniards; and a hunting-party, concerted with fome of the inhabitants, foon gave me the opportutunity. We were five white hunters, attended by five negroe flaves, and fome mules laden with our baggage, with bifcuit and with wine. We repaired to a fiall harbour, at the bottom of the plain, where we embarked in a canoe, in order to crofs the firft lake. We fent our negroes, our horfes, and our mules, by the defiles of the mountains, and rejoined them at the farm of a Spaniard named Narcifio. The Spaniards of St. Domingo lead, in general, a kind of patriarchal life, with which, perhaps, it will not be unentertaining to be acquainted. The defcription of that of Narciffo will exhibit an idea of it. Proprietor of a farm about eight leagues long, and half as many broad, Narciffo poflefled many great herds of cattle, with numerous flocks of goats and fheep. His houfe, fituated in the centre of an extenfive meadow, is very plain and convenient.The galleries which furround, and the periftyle which divides it, preferves a perpetual coolnels. In this periftyle are fulpend ed many light hammocks, in which the men fwing, while the women fitting round, on folding chairs of leather, are employed in embroidery, or needle-work, or in finging fome ballads accompanied by the guittar. At whatever time of the day any ftrangers arrive there, they are prefented with coffee, fweetmeats, fruit, and excellent milk; and a refufal would be almoft deemeed an affront. Narcilo appeared to be fifty years of age; his wife who was younger, and of Indian origin, was ftill very handfome; and live charming daughters compofed the family. We were engaged four or five days together in hunting and fishing, in which this country afforded abundant fport. We were fatiated with fish, with wild fpeckled hens, peacocks, curlews, ring-doves, and other game, not leis del cious. At length I, who was delirous of vifiting the two lakes, propoled to one of my companions to fecond me; he confented: and while the three others remained with Narciffo, he proceed ed along the mountains of Baroco. I fet out on the oppofite fide, followed by my negro; and we agreed to meet at the Bay of Nevbe. On the fecond day of this excursion, after having coasted, for a long time, on the banks of the lake, I was obliged to leave it to feek for an afylum. I proceeded about two leagues, by the fide of a fmall river; and, at laft, among many thickets of cocoa and banana trees, I difcovered a neat little cot. I repaired to this, and requested hofpitality of an Indian woman, at the door. She defired me to alight, and, while my negro took care of my horses, í spread my provifions on the table, and invited to partake with me, not only the Indian woman who had welcomed me, but also two women much younger, one of whom had a child at her breaft. These women kindly accepted my invitation; and after my negro had alfo fupped, he hung my hammock under a finall gallery of the cottage, and I retired to reft. The women alfo retired to their apart→ ment, and it was quite night when a man arrived. From the manner in which he was received, I could not doubt that he was the mafter of the cottage; but imagine my furprize, when I heard his voice, I fancied I heard that of Okano. I could not, however, be quite perfuaded of this. It was too certain, I thought, that Okano had perifhed in the Limba, to be thus refufcitated to Neybe. I durft not even venture to call my hofts, to afcertain the truth. I fpent the night in this fufpenfe, and it was not till fun-rifing that I again beheld the good Carib. His furprize was equal to mine; and it is impoffible to defcribe my tranfports. He kiffed my hands and feet, he wept, laughed, uttered cries of joy, and leaped like a child. In fine, after having breakfasted, • Okano,' faid I, now that you feem happy, you will relate your adventures.'- Very willingly,' he anfwered, I have no longer any thing to conceal from you.' He inRantly began the following narration, interrupted often by his tears. I am of the fmall number of free Indians that are yet exifting in this land. Neither the Spanilu nor African blood has been mingled with my race. Born on the banks of the Ozama, I lived there, thoughtlefs and happy, when an Indian woman, who had then juft loft her husband, came to beg an afylum in our little cottage. The character of my father had led this woman to believe, that she should find a protector in him; and fhe was not difappointed. My mother was dead. My eldest brother lived here, with his wife and two daughters, whom you now fee. I was the only child that lived with my father; and that good old old man was happy to afford the widow the protection the implored. But, alas! why muft I relate an adventure, to which I owe the few happy moments I have enjoyed, and which has embittered the rest of my laborious life? This Indian widow was not alone. She was accompanied by her daughter, or rather by one of our Zemas, who had condefcended to take a human form. To all the charms which we can defire in women, the beautiful Yanga, in the flower of her age, united that celeftial candour which they fometimes poffefs. Her perfon was majeftic as the young palm trees, and flexible as the pliant reeds. But her exterior charms were the leaft worthy of admiration. The fweet-minded Yanga fur paffed in tender the amorous and timid dove. In a word, the moment my eyes beheld, my heart adored her. I delayed not to speak my fentiments to my well-beloved; and with what extafy did I find her fenfible to my paffion! Scarce, however, had we form ed the blissful union, when death deprived me of my father. This was the firft misfortune I ever knew; but Yanga and her nother wept with me; and ah! how foothing were the tears of Yanga! Alas! could I then fort fee, that I fhould foon have to weep for her? My father, in his dying moments, had been vifited by a Carib,nained Tinamou, who knew the virtues of many plants, but who, nevertheless, had not found one that was falutary for us. This Carib faw Yanga then, and the poifon of love infected his heart. Tinamou foon after, loft a wife by whom he had two children, and he eagerly came to defire Yanga to replace her. Yanga and her mother frankly told him the infurmountable obftacle in our union. The Carib retired in filence. Some months paffed away after this adventure we had even forgot it, when I formed a defign to go and catch in the Ozama, a kind of fish of which Yanga was very fond, and which is very plentiful in a parti. enlar pool of that river, fome leagues froin our habitation. I left my cottage at funriting; but before I departed, I embraced my well-beloved. She wept profufely; and never, never were her carelles fo tender and dearing. Oh heaven! I think I ftill fee -I fill hear her--I fill feel her enubraces! I went to fish for my Yanga only, and yet, the whole day, my heart was overwhelmed by melancholy. Fieaven gave me a confufed prefentiment of my misfortune; for our good Zemas conftantly endeavour to difcover the N O TE S. The Indians believe thefe Zemas to be celestial beings; but they regard the Minaton the devil as much fuperior to the evil that awaits us; but the Manitou irreffably drags us on. My fishing was faccefsful. I even refumed my ferenity, when, on a fudden, the idea of Tinamou obtruded upon me. I flew to my cottage; but it was too late the crime was committed; and the first object I faw, on entering my habitation, was the mother of Yanga lying on the body of her dying daughter, and endeavouring in vain to revive her. I flew to my well-beloved. I received her laft figh: fhe expired in my arms. Oh, my friend, if you have ever loved, and in the moment that you have loved the moft, have loft the object of your tendernets, think what was the grief, the anguish of my foul! Without that, you can have no conception of it. I could not weep: I was diftracted: I funk to the earth in long fainting fits. From this ftate of flupefaction, I recovered only to utter cries of rage and desperation, and to invoke death, who would not hear me. At laft in a few ftays, when my fenfes were fomewhat calmed, and a more tranquil grief had fucceeded my diftraction, I was told the caufe of my wife's death. The barbarous Tinamou had taken advantage of my abfence, and watched the moment to furprife Yanga, when she went to bathe in the Ozama. There the monster had feized her, and forced her to fwallow a manchinelle apple, which is the most dreadful poifon in nature. I inftantly fwore, that I would live to avenge my well-beloved. I flew to Tinamou! he was not to be found. I fought for him in vain many months together. At laft, I imagined, that he might be found in that bay of our ifland, where the Spaniards ftill employ fome Indians to dive for pearls. This was the feafon for that fishery. I went there. When I arrived, I mixed with the Caribs, who were on the fhore and obferved the divers as they difappeared, or as they came up again with oyfters. What was my fatisfaction when I difcovered Tinamou ! He did not perceive me. I waited for the moment that he dived again, when I fuddenly plunged in after him, I feized him by one of his legs and dragged him far into the fea, refolved that he should perish, and to perifh with him, were it necessary. Finamou was at leaft twice my age, and much more robuft than I. But all his efforts were in vain : 1 had fo well faftened to him, that he could not difengage himself. At laft, I perceived his limbs benumbed: he was drowned; and I left him to the waves. When I returned to the shore, I related my misfortune and revenge to the Indians, who univerfally applauded me. iinamou left two fons, who foon became men. The cuftom among us is conRautly to punish death by death. The two fons fons of 'Tinamou determined upon mine, and I was obliged to leave the banks of the Ozama, to escape from them. I retired to the mountains of Cihao: they went there to feek me. I removed to Samana, and they fol lowed me there. At laft, I could conceal myfelf no where but on the shore of the Limba, where firft you knew me. After fix years of exile and apprehenfions, I faw, one night, in a dream, my elder brother, who feemed to implore my affiftance. I departed inftant ly: I came hither; and I learned, that the two fons of Tinamou, despairing of finding me, had afsaffinated my unfortunate brother, and had abandoned the island of St. Domingo. I went, at first, to fee my former habitation, and to weep over the grave of Yanga. Not finding her mother, who had gone to die far from thence, I took up the remains of my well beloved: I brought them to this place, and re-interred them in the midst of those cocoa trees, where I can adore them every night I then fettled in this place, that I might be a protector to the widow and daughters of my brother, Shall I avow it to thee? They were all defirous that I should become the husband of her whom you fee with that child; and I have yielded to their defire, and to the dictates of Nature. O Yanga, wilt thou pardon it?' In uttering thefe laft words, the tears flowed more profufely from him; but his young wife, who was weeping alfo, went, and prefented his child to him. Okano took it, careffed it; and began even to smile up. on it; and I faw that in the deepest affliction, the affections and effufions of nature are ever sweet and confolatory. The Happy Interview. Harlowe was a widower for "None, fir; and I am glad to find that my father has none." "Oh no, Charles; on the contrary, I have been on the look out for you.". "Sir ! "And I think, my boy, that I have got a very fine girl for you." "I am forry for it." "How? forry for it! I thought you good wife." -Why, Charles, faid you wished you had a "I did, fir; but one of my own choofing." "Your own choofing!—ay, and mine, too, you impudent dog. Look you, Charles, I have provided a wife for you, and I like her-and fo fhall you; or-mark the confequence-that's all.” "But, fir "But me no buts, fir; for I am refolv ed "Nay, fir, you must hear me-My heart's engaged already." "And how dare your heart engage itself without my confent; but no matter; I don't care about your heart. I fay, Charles, if you don't marry the girl I have chosen for you, damn me if ever I will look in your face again-no, nor thall you look in mine -fo you know my mind.. -Engaged already! to fome poor beggarly huffy. I fuppofe. Eh? what is her naine, pray Charles, fearful that Mifs Walpole (if her name were told) would fhare in the ill usage, would not tell her name; he therefore made an apology; but declined any further confeffion. "What! you won't tell then-Very well, cried the baronet, very well-but I don't care; you fhail marry the girl that I intend for you; yes, you fhall. "That's added the fon; but Sfeveral years. He had one on, Charles, I think my inclinations fhould be first confult for whom he wished to provide before the day of his diffolution; but the baronet was a very strange character: he was obftinate and peevith, and when contradicted, very paffionate. One day he came to Charles, and informed him, that he intended as foon as poffible to get him a wife. The young gentleman having already engaged himself to Mifs Walpole, the daughter of a very rich plumber; but on account of her father being a tradefman, Charles was apprehenfive that the Baronet would be averfe to fuch a match. He therefore concealed his paffion; but on the difcovery of his father's intentions, he began to pave the way for a confeffion. Indeed, fir, faid he, I wish I could get a good wife. "So then, Charles, you have no objection to matrimony. ed." "Your inclinations! d-n your inclinations!" "And pray, fir, who is the young lady? and what is her name?" "I won't tell you, Charles. Tit for tat -you would not tell me ; so now I am even with you." Here the father and fon parted-thelatter for his dear Walpole, to discover to her the intentions of his father, and take a final farewel. But Sir William, apprehenfive that Char les was about eloping in confequence of his harsh language, followed the youth fome paces behind. Charles now faw his dear charmer at a diftance, who haftened with fmiles of joy to see her lover; but on beholding the dejection of his countenance, fhe joined in his for- row. The The young lover now explained the caufe of his melancholy, and a fcene of mifery enfued, Mifs Walpole weptand kiffed her hand. -Charles kneeled, Farewel, my love; this is the last time I muft feek or speak to you more." Here Sir William, who had been concealed all the while, appeared. "No, Charles, cried he-this is the girl I intended for you; and I am very glad to fee you have made fuch a good choice." The old man joined their hands; and in expreffible happiness enfued; the next day made them one. to the enormity of his crime-having whipped feveral of his pealants in fo cruel a manner, that they died in confequence of the ftripes. In Ruffia, the lords have great this tyrant fhews that they are amenable for power over their peasants; but the fate of any wanton abuse of it. A mark of attachment in a domeftic once the feelings of humanity. Close to the prin belonging to this man, muft ftrongly intereft door of this unhappy wretch, an old woman ferable fhed, that scarcely repels the commos of about seventy years of age has built a miviolence of the weather: there the refider from pure motives of compaffion to the pri foner fhe had been his nurse, and continues Anecdote, from Swift's Life of Captain with him (at least at the time when Mr. Coxe Creighton.. Y firft action, fays the captain, after Mhaving been taken into the guards, travelled into the northern kingdoms) in order to render him all the fervice which might happen to be in her power. Such another infance of affection, lays Mr. Coxes feelings. Mr. Coxe immediately handed it to the prisoner. e of money, and the Striking Magnanimity of a British Sailer, laf War, on fealing St. Omsa, belonging to the Spaniards. A Detachment of British feamen being was, with a dozen gentlemen more, to go is not to be met with; for it must be absoin queft of Mafter David Williamion, a not- lutely difintereftefted, as the prifoner, confied covenanter. I had been affured, that dering the greatnefs of his crime, can never this man did much frequent the houfe of my have any hopes of being releafed: nor can Lady Cherrytree, within ten miles of Edin-e ever expect any recompence but what the burgh but when I arrived firft with my derives from her party about the house, the lady, well know- gave her a fmai ing our errand, put Williamfon to bed to her daughter, difguifed in a woman's nightdrefs. When the troopers went to fearch in the young lady's room, her mother pretended that the was not well, and Williamfon fo managed the matter, that when the daughter raifed herself a little in the bed, to let the troopers fee her, they did not discover him, and fo went off disappointed. But the young woman proved with child; and Williamfon, to take off the fcandal, wedded her in fome time after. This Williamfon married five or fix wives fucceffively, and was alive in the reign of Queen Anne; at which time, fays the captain I faw him preaching in one of the kirks at Edinburgh. It is faid, that King Charles the Second, hearing of this man's behaviour in lady Cherrytree's houfe, wifhed to fee one that had difcovered fo much courage while his troopers were in fearch of him; and, in a merry way, declared, that when he was in the Royal Oak, he could not have kiffed the bonnieft lafs in Christendom! Infiance of uncommon Affection, related by 7ITHIN the court of the prifon of the W police in Mofcow a gentleman is onfined, who, alone, of thefe prifoners, is refufed the privilege of ever coming out: and yet this punishment is icarcely adequate about to scale the walls of Fort Omoa, courage, fcrambled fingly over the wall; a failor, infpired with an uncommon share of and, to deal execution with the beft profpect of fuccefs, armed himself with two cutlaffes, one in each hand. Thus prepared, he met in the hurry and confufion which prevailed, a Spanish officer juft roufed from fleep, who, had forgot his fword. This circumstance inftantly reftrained the fury of the British hero, who, difdaining an unarmed fee, prefented him with one of his weapons, crying, on an equal footing with me! The afto"Ifcorn any pitiful advantage: you are now nifhment of the Spaniard at such an act of matchless generolity, when, from the uncouth and hoftile appearance of the seaman, equalled only by the admiration of his counhe expected to be hewn in pieces, could be trymen, when he informed them of the godlike motive which had contributed to his prefervation. He could not encounter the refiftance; he became a prifoner; nor was arm that might have cruthed him without it long before the garrifon furrendered, making no other terins than for their lives. Political |