leave to go ashore, for he was in dreadful suspense in regard to his wife's fate. On arriving at his house, he found his fears realized and his foundest hopes blasted. His wife had been dead about six months-murdered by the villain who had previously threatened her life. He accomplished his fell purpose by poison-a most cowardly process indeed! He found means to do it in the following manner: Mrs. Elliott, as was the custom of the place, sent one morning to the coffee house to get her breakfast beverage, as usual, by her servant girl. The villain Francisco met her as she was returning with the coffee, and requested her to run into a neighboring store to get some article for him, and he said he would hold the coffee meanwhile. While she was gone, for being acquainted with him, the girl did not suspect any harm, he mingled the fatal drug with the beverage. When she came back she took it to her mistress who drank it, and was in a very short time taken very sick. A physician was immediately called, but to no purpose, for the poor girl soon expired in dreadful agony! Her aunt, who drank some of the coffee, was also

taken sick, but as she drank less than her illated neice, she recovered.

Although there could be no doubt but this revengeful scoundrel put the poison into the coffee, nothing had been done to bring him to justice when our hero got home. He immediately had him arrested and hrought to trial; but notwithstanding the evidence was plain enough against him, and would have sufficed to have convicted him had he been in this country, he was acquitted.

After he was liberated from prison, he swore he would take our hero's life also, and went armed for that purpose. This induced the latter to be on his guard, and to prepare for the worst-he well knew, from the sullen and determinate nature of Portuguese revenge, that the ruffian would make an attempt upon his life. He therefore went to the Mayor of the city, it was against the law there to carry arms, and took 'oath that his life had been threatened, and said dignitary granted him license to arm himself, for which he had to pay his honor fourteen milrays—a little more than the same number of dollars, that being the lawful fee for such a "privilege." Thereafter our

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hero carried two loaded pistols with him. One night, when returning from a place called Glorio, he was met by this Francisco and two black ruffians, (whom he had hired,) between two huge rocks that skirted the road on either side, thro' which he had to pass. This lonely place they deemed a fitting spot in which to dispatch him. They began to brandish their knives as a prelude of attack; but our hero was ready for them, and drew forth his pistols. This defensive manœuvre had a wonderful effect upon the nervous system of the intended assassins, and they showed a disposition to retreat somewhat precipitately, But our hero told them peremptorily, that if they offered to budge an inch without his orders, he would shoot them on the spot. The cowardly rascals was fain to obey him. He then deliberately marched them to the guard house, where they were confined for the night. Next morning the negroes were sentenced to be flogged and the white man, and principal in the contemplated murder, was let off by paying a paltry fine!

Elliott finding that the hand of justice was feeble, and that it would not avenge his wife's murder, and knowing too that his own life was

in jeopardy, he came to the determination to leave the country. Accordingly he sold what real estate he possessed, and changed his paper money into hard,—at thirty-three per cent discount-as their paper rags were greatly below par. After squaring all up, he found himself in possession of the neat little sum of one thousand dollars. He engaged his passage to the United States in a Portuguese brig, bound for Baltimore and Boston. But his misfortunes were to follow him. It would be well for us could we escape from trouble by removing from the scene of its first attack; -if we could but dodge from its sight and out run it, our condition would be some brighter and better in this vale of tears. But trouble has the scent and speed of a hungry wolf, and is far moro sure of its prey. Thus it was in the case of Elliott. The officers of the brig in which he had engaged a passage to Boston, were little better than a pack of downright drunkards, and totally unfit, to sail a vessel upon the treacherous deep.. Just previous to sailing they were ashore to have a parting carouse, and came off before the chaos of intoxication had subsided in their heated brains. In this state of unfitness, the

Captain ordered the brig to be got under weigh, although there was every indication of a violent storm very near at hand. He was advised by his brother owners, for he was a joint owner, not to sail till next morning; but being pot wise and pot valiant withal, he would take no counsel. He swore there would be no stormin his happy state of mind,—for 'tis said that the mind gives coloring to everything out ward, he could see no clouds-everything appeared to be in fine condition, but he was soon startled from this illusion. The brig set sail about two o'clock, P. M., and about six the storm came careering abroad upon the roused-up deep, wielding its three-fold powers, of darkness, wind and rain. It seemed as if all nature was in fierce commotion. It was soon manifest that the brig could not abide the awful conflict of wind and waves. Like an affrighted steed, it became unmanagable, and soon dashed upon the shore, and went to pieces. Everything was lost save the crew. Our hero, now penniless and almost naked, returned to Rio Janeiro. Here he wandered about in an almost dispairing condition-he could have gone to his wife's friends, but he stood in fear of her assassin. His old