his hand across his dark brow and fiery eyes, and said, "These are times when thieves and traitors thrive in the royal court, and the offices of government, and honest patriots are driven to the high way. As a guerilla, I shed my blood for may country; for my king, who, when he returned, would have left me to starve or to beg! But no matter-this is no business of yours. I met you, liked your manners, and have saved you!-that is enough! say no more!" The Englishman of course desisted, and soon after rose to take his leave. The captain who recovered his good humor, told him he should have an escort yet a little further, and be put in the route he wished to follow. The merchant would then have returned the silver button, but the robber insisted on his keeping it."You, or some friend of yours, may have to pass this way again," said he," and whoever has the button to produce will be respected as you have been respected! Go with God! and say nothing as to what has happened between you and me and mine! Adios!" The merchant's farewell was an earnest and cordial one. Guided by the brigands, he soon reached the beaten road on the opposite side of the mountains, and would there have given them some money for the trouble he had caused them. They said they had their captain's strict commands against this-they would not accept a real, but left him, wishing him a happy journey. Some time I believe some years after this adventure-the English merchant heard with deep regret that the Spanish robber-chief, whom he described as being one of the handsomest men he ever beheld, had been betrayed into the hands of government, and put to a cruel and ignominious death.'

The Bandit's Test.- A young man who had been several years an outlaw, on the violent death of the chief of the troop he belonged to, aspired to the Capo bandito in his stead. He had gone through his noviciate with honor, he had shewn both cunning and courage in his calling as brigand, but the supremacy of the band was disputed with him by others, and the state of the times bade the robbers be specially careful as to whom they elected for their leader. He must be the strongest-nerved fellow of the set! The ambitious candidate offered to give any, even the most dreadful proof of his strength of nerve; and a monster among his companions proposed he should go to his native village and murder a young girl to whom he had been formerly attached. I will do it,' said the ruffian, who at once departed on his infernal mission. When he reached the village, he dared not present himself, having begun his crimes there by murdering a comrade: he skulked behind an old stone fountain, outside of the village, until near sunset, when the women came forth with their copper vases on their heads to get their supplies of water at the fountain. His mistress came carelessly gossipping with the rest. He could have shot her with his rifle, but he was afraid of pursuit, and wanted, besides, time to secure and carry off a bloody trophy. He therefore remained quiet, only hoping that she might loiter behind the rest. She however, was one of the first to balance her vessel of water on her head, and to take the path to the village, whither all the gossips soon followed her. What was now to be done? He was determined to go through the ordeal and congummate the hellish crime. A child went by the fountain whistling. He laid down his rifle, so as not to alarm the little villager, and presenting himself to him, gave him the reliquary he had worn round his neck for years, and which was well known to his mistress, and told him to run with it to her, and tell her an old friend desired to speak with her at the fountain. The child took the reliquary, and a piece of silver which the robber gave him on his vowing by the Madonna to say nothing about the matter in the village before one hour of the night, and ran on to the village. The robber then retired behind the old fountain, taking his rifle in his hand, and keeping a sharp look out, lest his mistress should betray him, or not come alone. But the affectionate girl who might have loved him still, in spite of his guilt, who might have hoped to render him succor on some urgent need, or, perhaps, to hear that he was penitent and anxious to return to society, went alone and met him at the fountain, where, as the bells of the village church were tolling the Ave Maria, her lover met her, and stabbed her to the heart! The monster then cut off her head, and ran away with it to join the brigands, who were obliged to own, that after such a deed and such a proof as he produced, he was worthy to be their chief.'

PETER SIMPLE.*

We continued our cruize along the coast, until we had run down into the Bay of Arcapon, where we captured two or three vessels, and obliged many more to run on shore. And here we had an instance how very important it is that a captain of a man of war should be a good sailor, and have his ship in such discipline as to be strictly obeyed by his ship's company. I heard the officers unanimously assert, after the danger was over, that nothing but the presence of mind which was shown by Captain Savage, could have saved the ship and her crew. We had chased a convoy of vessels to the bottom of the bay: the wind was very fresh when we hauled off, after running them on shore, and the surf on the beach even at that time was so great, that they were certain to go to pieces before they could be got afloat again. We were obliged to double reef the topsails as soon as we hauled to the wind, and the weather looked very threatening. In an hour afterwards, the whole sky was covered with one black cloud, which sunk so low, as nearly to touch our mast heads, and a tremendous sea, which appeared to have risen up almost by magic, rolled in upon us, setting the vessel on a dead lee shore. As the night closed in, it blew a dreadful gale, and the ship was nearly buried with the press of canvass which she was obliged to carry, for had we sea room, we should have been lying to, under storm staysails; but we were forced to carry on at all risks, that we might clear off the shore. The seas broke over as we lay in the trough, deluging us with water from the forecastle aft, to the binnacles; and very often as the ship descended with a plunge, it was with such force, that I really thought she would divide in half with the violence of the shock. Double breechings were rove on the guns, and they were further secured with tackles, and strong cleats nailed behind the trunnions, for we heeled over so much when we lurched, that the guns were wholly supported by the breechings and tackles, and had one of them broke loose, it must have broke right through the lee side of the ship, and she must have foundered. The captain, first lieutenant, and most of the officers, remained on deck during the whole of the night; and really, what with the howling of the wind, the violence of the rain, the washing of the water about the decks, the working of the chain pumps, and the creaking and groaning of the timbers, I thought that we must inevitably be lost; and I said my prayers at least a dozen times during the night, for I felt it impossible to go to bed. I had often wished, out of curiosity, that I might be in a gale of wind, but I little thought it was to have been a scene of this description, or anything half so dreadful. What made it more appalling was, that we were on a lee shore, and the consultations of the captain and officers, and the eagerness with which they looked out for daylight, told us that we had other dangers to encounter besides the storm. At last the morning broke, and the look-out man upon the gangway, called out, Land on the lee beam.' I perceived the master dash his fist against the hammock rails, as if with vexation, and walk away without saying a word, and looking very grave.

Up, there, Mr. Wilson,' said the captain, to the second lieutenant, and see how far the land trends forward, and whether you can distinguish the

* Continued from p. 347.

point.' The second lieutenant went up the main rigging, and pointed with his hand to about two points before the beam. 'Do you see two hillocks in land?'

Yes, sir,' replied the second lieutenant.

'Then it is so,' observed the captain to the master, 'and if we weather it, we shall have more sea room. Keep her full, and let her go through the water; do you hear, quarter-master?'

'Aye, aye, sir.'

Thus, and no nearer, my man. Ease her with a spoke or two when she sends; but be careful, or she'll take the wheel out of your hands.' It really was a very awful sight. When the ship was in the trough of the sea, you could distinguish nothing but a waste of tumultuous water; but when she was borne up on the summit of the enormous waves, you then looked down, as it were, upon a low, sandy coast, close to you, and covered with foam and breakers. 'She behaves nobly,' observed the captain, stepping aft to the binnacle, and looking at the compass; if the wind does not baffle us, we shall weather.' The captain had scarcely time to make the observation, when the sails shivered and flapped like thunder. Up with the helm: what are you about, quarter-master?'

The wind has headed us, sir,' replied the quarter-master, coolly.

The captain and master remained at the binnacle watching the compass, and when the sails were again full, she had broken off two points, and the point of land was only a little on the lee bow.

'We must wear her round, Mr. Falcon. Hands, wear ship-ready, oh, ready.'

'She has come up again,' cried the master, who was at the binnacle. 'Hold fast there a minute. How's her head now?'

'N. N. E., as she was before she broke off, sir.'

'Pipe belay,' said the captain. Falcon,' continued he, if she breaks. off again we may have no room to wear; indeed, there is so little room now, that I must run the risk. Which cable was ranged last night-the best bower?'

'Yes, sir.'

'Jump down, then, and see it double bitted and stoppered at thirty fathoms. See it well done-our lives may depend upon it.'

The ship continued to hold her course good; and we were within half a mile of the point, and fully expected to weather it, when again the wet and heavy sails flapped in the wind, and the ship broke off two points as before. The officers and seamen were aghast, for the ship's head was right on to the breakers. 'Luff now, all you can, quarter-master,' cried the captain. 'Send the men aft directly. My lads, there is no time for words-I am going to club haul the ship, for there is no time to wear. The only chance you have of safety, is to be cool, watch my eye, and execute my orders with precision. Away to your stations for tacking the ship. Hands by the best bower anchor. Mr. Wilson, attend below with the carpenter and his mates, ready to cut away the cable at the moment that I give the order. Silence there, forc and aft. Quarter-master, keep her full again for stays. Mind you ease the helm down when I tell you.' About a minute passed before the captain gave any further orders. The ship had closed to within a quarter of a mile of the beach, and the waves curled and topped around us, bearing us down upon the shore, which presented one continued surface of foam, extending to within half a cable's length of our position, at which distance the enormous waves culminated and fell with the report of thunder. The captain waved his hand in silence

to the quarter-master at the wheel, and the helm was put down. The ship turned slowly to the wind, pitching and chopping as the sails were spilling. When she had lost her way, the captain gave the order, 'Let go the anchor. We will haul all at once, Mr. Falcon,' said the captain. Not a word was spoken, the men went to the fore-brace, which had not been manned ; most of them knew. although I did not, that if the ship's head did not go round the other way, we should be on shore, and among the breakers, in half a minute. I thought at the time that the captain said that he would haul all the yards at once, there appeared to be doubt or dissent on the countenance of Mr. Falcon; and I was afterwards told, that he had not agreed with the captain, but he was too good an officer, and knew that there was no time for discussion, to make any remark; and the event prov ed that the captain was right. At last the ship was head to wind, and the captain gave the signal. The yards flew round with such a creaking noise, that I thought the masts had gone over the side, and the next moment the wind had caught the sails, and the ship, which for a moment or two had been on an even keel, careened over to her gunnel with its force. The captain, who stood upon the weather hammock rails, holding by the main rigging, ordered the helm a-midships, looked full at the sails, and then at the cable, which grew broad upon the weather bow, and held the ship from nearing the shore. At last he cried, Cut away the cable.' A few strokes of the axes were heard, and then the cable flew out of the hawse-hole in a blaze of fire, from the violence of the friction, and disappeared under a huge wave, which struck us on the chess tree, and deluged us with water fore and aft. But we were now on the other tack, the ship regained her way, and we had evidently increased our distance from the land.

My lads,' said the captain to the ship's company, 'you have behaved well, and I thank you; but I must tell you honestly, that we have more difficulties to get through. We have to weather a point of the bay on this tack. Mr. Falcon, splice the main-brace, and call the watch. How's her head, quarter-master ?'

'S. W. by S. Southerly, sir.'

'Very well; let her go through the water;' and the captain beckoning to the master to follow him, went down into the cabin. As our immediate danger was over, I went down into the berth to see if I could get anything for breakfast, where I found O'Brien and two or three more.

'By the powers, it was as nate a thing as ever I saw done,' observed O'Brien; the slightest mistake as to time or management, and at this moment the flat fish would have been dubbing at our ugly carcases. Peter, you're not fond of flat fish, are you, my boy? We may thank heaven and the captain, I can tell you that, my lads; but now, where's the chart, Robinson. Hand me down the parallel rules and compasses, Peter-they are in the corner of the shelf. Here we are now, a devilish sight too near this infernal point. Who knows how her head is?'

'I do, O'Brien; I heard the quarter-master tell the captain, S. W. by S. Southerly.'

Let me see,' continued O'Brien, 'variation 2 1-4-lee way-rather too large an allowance of that, I'm afraid; but however, we'll give her 2 1-2 points; the Diomede would blush to make any more, under any circum. stances. Here the compass-now we'll see;' and O'Brien advanced the parallel rule froin the compass to the spot where the ship was placed on the chart. Bother! you see it's as much as she'll do to weather the other point now, on this tack, and that's what the captain meant when he told us we had more difficulty. I could have taken my Bible oath that we were clear of everything, if the wind held.'

'See what the distance is, O'Brien,' said Robinson. It was measured and proved to be thirteen miles. Only thirteen miles; and if we do weather, we shall do very well, for the bay is deep beyond. It's a rocky point, you see, just by way of variety. Well, my lads, I've a piece of comfort for you, any how. It's not long that you'll be kept in suspense, for by one o'clock this day, you'll either be congratulating each other upon your good luck, or you'll be past praying for. Come, put up the chart, for I hate to look at melancholy prospects; and steward, see what you can find in the way of comfort. Some bread and cheese, with the remains of yesterday's boiled pork, were put on the table, with a bottle of rum, procured at the time they "spliced the main-brace;" but we were all too anxious to eat much, and one by one returned on deck, to see how the weather was, and if the wind at all favored us. On deck the superior officers were in conversation with the captain, who had expressed the same fear that O'Brien had in our berth. The men who knew what they had to expect for this sort of intelligence is soon communicated through a ship-were assembled in knots, looking very grave, but at the same time not wanting in confidence. They knew that they could trust to the captain, as far as skill or courage could avail them, and sailors are too sanguine to despair, even at the last moment. As for myself, I felt such admiration for the captain, after what I had witnessed that morning, that whenever the idea came over me, that in all probability I should be lost in a few hours, I could not help acknowledging how much more serious it was that such a man should be lost to his country. I do not intend to say that it consoled me; but it certainly made me still more regret the chances with which we were threatened.

Before twelve o'clock, the rocky point which we so much dreaded, was in sight, broad on the lee bow; and if the low, sandy coast appeared terrible, how much more did this, even at a distance: the black masses of rock covered with foam, which each minute dashed up in the air higher than our lower mast heads. The captain eyed it for some minutes in silence, as if in calculation.

6

'Mr. Falcon,' said he, at last, we must put the mainsail on her.'

'She never can bear, sir.'

She must bear it,' was the reply. Send the men aft to the main sheet. See that careful men attend the bantlines.'

The mainsail was set, and the effect of it upon the ship was tremendous. She careened over so that her lee channels were under the water, and when pressed by a sea, the lee side of the quarter-deck and gangway were afloat. She now reminded me of a goaded and fiery horse, mad with the stimulus applied; not rising as before, but forcing herself through whole seas, and dividing the waves, which poured in one continual torrent from the forecastle down upon the decks below. Four men were secured to the wheel the sailors were obliged to cling, to prevent being washed away-the ropes were thrown in confusion to leeward-the shot rolled out of the lockers, and every eye was fixed aloft, watching the masts, expected every moment to go over the side. A heavy sea struck us on the broadside, and it was some moments before the ship appeared to recover herself; she reeled, trembled, and stopped her way as if it had stupified her. The first lieutenant looked at the captain, as if to say, 'This will not do.' 'It is our only chance,' answered the captain, to the appeal. That the ship went faster through the water, and held a better wind, was certain; but just before we arrived at the point, the gale increased in force. 'If anything starts we are lost, sir,' observed the first lieutenant again.