а for an insolent son of a. -; he pre, it best to keep clear for fear of accitend to kiss the pretty girl! I'll let dents: accordingly all the spare canhim know she belongs to his betters! vass was set, and we were soon gainThe black wench is good enough for ing large before the wind. But the him any day. Come, my dear!” he Dart, though reckoned the first sailer continued, turning to Isabella, “give out of Clyde when close hauled on a me the same hire, and I'll undertake wind, was by no means so fleet when to clear the way for you myself." He squared away and going free: she made as if he meant to approach her, had now met with her match, for the when, careless of what the conse- stranger was evidently gaining raquences might be to myself, I bastily pidly on us, and in two hours we saw stepped forward, and lifting up the it was impossible for us to escape, head of the companion, Isabella in The priest and I were ordered down 'an instant darted below. “ This lady with a threat of instant death if we is no fit subject for either wit or inso- offered to come on deck, or make any lence," said I, shutting the doors, attempt to attract observation. “ and he is less than man who would I now communicated to Isabella insult an unprotected female.” For my apprehensions with respect to the a little while he stood eyeing me as crew, along with my resolution to if hesitating whether he should re- leave the vessel if the other proved a sent my interference, or remain pas- man of war, and earnestly advised sive ; at length he turned slowly and both her and the priest to take addoggedly away as he uttered- You vantage of it also. She thanked me ruffle big, and crow with a brisk note, with a look and smile that told me my lad! But I've seen me do as how sensible she was of the interest wonderful a thing as twist your wind. I felt in her welfare, and expressed pipe and send you over the side to her willingness to be guided by me cool yourself a bit; and so I would in whatever way I thought best. serve you in the turning of a wave, Shortly after this we heard a gun if it wasn't that we may have use fired to bring us to, and the Dart for you yet! I see in what quarter hailed and questioned as to her port the wind sets ; but mind your eye! and destination. The answers, it apfor sink me if I don't keep a sharp peared, were thought evasive and look out a-head over you. unsatisfactory, for we were ordered I now saw that things had come to to come close under the lee-quarter a crisis that the crew meant to turn of his Majesty's sloop of war Tartar, pirates ; and I was to be detained while they sent to examine our papers. among them for the sake of my pro- This was now our only chance, and fessional services. I could not, with- I resolved, that if the officer should out a shudder, reflect on what must not come below, I would force the be the fate of Isabella among such a companion-door, and claim his progang of reckless villains: but I firmly tection. But I was not put to this resolved that, come what might, my alternative. As soon as he arrived, protection and care over her should I heard him desire the hatches to be cease but with my life. taken off, and order his men to exTo be prepared for the worst, I amine the hold. The inspection did immediately went below, loaded my not satisfy him; for he hailed the pistols, and concealed them in my sloop, and reported that there were breast, securing at the same time all Spanish goods on board which did my money and papers about my per- not appear in the manifest:-"Then son. While thus employed, one of remain on board, and keep your stern the cabin-boys came down for a spy- lights burning all night, and take glass, saying that a sail had hove in charge of the ship !” was the reply. sight to wind ward. Upon this I fol- In a state of irksome suspense we relowed him up, and found the crew mained nearly two hours, expecting collected together in clamorous con- every minute to hear the officer desultation as to the course they should scending. At length, to our relief, follow. Some were for laying-to till the companion-doors were unlocked, she came down, and taking her, if a and a young man, attended by our merchantman ; and if not, they could Captain, entered the cabin. He lookeasily sheer off-but this motion was ed surprised on seeing us, and howing overruled by the majority, who judged to Isabcila, apologized for intruding a at such an unseasonable hour. “But put to flight all thoughts for my own I was not given to understand," he individual safety ; I, therefore, huradded, “that there were passengers ried back to the cabin, determined, in the ship-prisoners I should rather that if I could not rescue her along pronounce it, Mr. Mahơne, for you with myself, to remain, and protect seem to have had them under lock her with my life. And in a happy and key, which is rather an unusual time I arrived! The candles were mode of treating ladies at least. No still burning on the table; and wine, Sir!” he continued, motioning through the smoke of the pistols, away the bottles which the Captain which still filled the cabin, I beheld was hastily placing on the table- her struggling in the arms of a negro “ no wine, but be pleased to show the identical slave who had disme your register and bill of lading." played such insolence in the early He had not been long seated to in- part of the evening. With one stroke spect them when a shuffling and of the butt end of my pistol I frachurried sound of feet was heard tured the cursed villain's sculloverhead, and a voice calling on Mr. caught up Isabella in my arms—ran Duff for assistance showed that up the ladder, and had nearly gained some scuffle had taken place above. the side, when the boatswain, atInstantaneously we all started to our tracted by her white garments, left feet, and the lieutenant was in the the helm to intercept me and I saw act of drawing his sword, when, ac- the gleam of his uplifted cutlass on cidentally looking round, I observed the point of descending, when he Mahone presenting a pistol behind. was suddenly struck down by some With a cry of warning, I threw my- person from behind. I did not stop self forward, and had just time to to discover who had done me this strike the weapon slightly aside, good office, but hailing Duff, and when it went off. The ball nar- clasping Isabella firmly to my heart, rowly missed the head of Duff, for I plunged into the water, followed whom it had been aimed, but struck by my unknown ally. With the aid the priest immediately over the right of my companion, whom I now found eye, who, making one desperate and to be John Wyllie, the mate, we convulsive leap as high as the ceiling, easily managed to support our charge sunk down dead, and before the till the boat reached us; when we Captain could pull out another, I dis- found that the greater part of the charged the contents of mine into his men had been rescued in a similar breast. We then rushed upon deck; manner. but it was only to find the boat's When the morning dawned, we crew had been mastered, and to be- perceived the Dart, like a speck in hold the last of the men tumbled the horizon, and the sloop of war in overboard. The pirates then dis- close chase. Our attention was next persed, and exerted themselves to turned to our own situation, which get the ship speedily under-way; was by no means enviable: we had while the boatswain sang out to ex- escaped, it is true, with our lives, for tinguish the lanterns, that the Tartar the present; but without a morsel of might not be guided by the lights. food, or a single drop of fresh water, * It's all over with us!” exclaimed with us in the boat; we could, at my companion; “ but follow me- best, only expect to protract existence we have one chance for our lives yet. for a few days longer, and then yield Our boat is still towing astern; do them up ultimately in horror and you throw yourself over, and swim misery. By an observation taken till I slide down the painter, and cut the day before, on board of the Tarher adrift. Come, bear a hand, and tar, Mr. Duff informed us we were jump! non't you see them hasten- to the north-east of the Bahamas; ing aft?” and in an instant he pitch- and distant about one hundred and ed himself off the taffrel, slid down seventy miles from Walling's Island, the rope which held the boat, and which was the nearest land. This cast her loose. But this advice, was a long distance ; but, as despair however judicious, it was impossible never enters the breast of a British for me to follow-for, at that mo- sailor, even in situations of the utment, repeated shrieks from Isabella most extremity, we cheered up each а other; and, as no other resource was Jaguar faintly wafted from the main left us, we manned our oars, and land. We ran the cutter into a pulled away with life, trusting to deep and narrow creek; moored her the chance of meeting with some safe, and proceeded, well armed, to vessel, of which there was a strong the eastern extremity. There we probability, as this was the common found the projecting point of land, course of the leeward traders. And and the old vanilla tree exactly in the our hopes were not disappointed ! for situation describedits huge, twisted next day we fortunately fell in with trunk was still entire; and from the a brig from the Azores, bound for end of its solitary branch, which was Porto Rico, on board of which we graced by a few scattered leaves, the were received with much kindness; body of a man in the garb of a sailor and, in five days, we found ourselves hung suspended in irons. The clothes safely moored in Porto-real harbour. had preserved the body from the My first step on landing was to birds of prey, but the head was picked inquire for a boarding-house for Isa- clean and bare, leaving the eyeless bella, and I had the good luck to be and bleached scull to glitter white in directed to one kept by a respecta- the moonlight. In perfect silence, ble Scotch family, in Orange Terrace, and with something of awe on our and to this I conducted her. Mý spirits impressed by the solitude, and next transaction was to charter à dreariness of the scene, we seated small cutter; and to communicate to ourselves on the rocks, and, with my Duff the secret of the hidden trea- time-piece in my hand, I began to sure; at the same time, asking him mark the progress of the shadow. to adventure himself and his men on For nearly three hours we watched its recovery. I also gave him to un- in this manner, listening attentively derstand the probability of a ren- for the slightest sound from seacontre with the pirates, in the event ward; but everything, continued of their having escaped the sloop, hushed and still, except the creaking for I was aware that Mahone had of the chain as the dead man swang overheard the whole confession, from to and fro in the breeze. Midnight my finding him listening at the cabin was now drawing near-the moon, door. Without hesitation, the lieu- radiant and full, was careering high tenant at once agreed to accompany through the deep blue of heaven, me, and engaging some hands out of and the shadows of the branch and a vessel newly arrived, we soon mus- stem were approaching each other, tered a party of fourteen men. As and towards the desired point. At it wanted only six days of the fes- length the hand of my time-piece tival of St. Jago, and the distance pointed to within one minute of the across the Caribbean sea was great time. It passed over. The branch enough to require all our exertions to and stem now merged into one, and be there in time, we embarked and threw their shadow due east: and sailed that very night. the first spadeful of earth had been Our cutter proved a prime sailer- thrown out, when the man who had and though the winds were light been stationed to keep a look out and variable, by the help of our came running to inform us that a sweeps we made the Roccas on the boat was rapidly approaching from evening of the sixth day. As the the east. We immediately concluded Spaniard had foretold, the moon was that they must be part of the Dart's climbing the western sky, and pour- crew and their long and vigorous ing the fulness of her splendour with strokes, as they stretched out to the a mild and beautiful effulgence on full extent of their oars, showed that the untroubled deep, as we slowly they knew the importance of every drifted with the current between the minute that elapsed. Our impleWolf-rock and the adjacent isle. All ments for digging were hastily laid was silent and calm over the whole aside, and we concealed ourselves desart archipelago and the vast sur among the rocks till they should rounding waters, save now and then come within reach. In a short time the sudden flight of a sea-fowl a- the boat was seen ashore, and eight wakening from its slumbers as we armed men came forward, partly passed; or the occasional roar of the Spaniards and partly the ship's crew; among whom 1 recognized had been mastered after a severe the boatswain, and, to my surprise, conflict-in which four had been Mahone, whom I had shot and left for slain, and left on the island; two had dead in the cabin. Without giving escaped unobserved during the fight, them time to prepare for the assault, and made off with their boat; and we quitted our shelter, and sprung two had been wounded, and were among them at once, laying about prisoners on board, one of whom was with our cutlasses. For a little space Mahone. On our arrival at Porto the skirmish was toughly and hotly Rico, we delivered them over to the contested; for the pirates were reso- civil power; and, soon afterwards, lute and reckless, and fought with Mahone was tried for the murder of the desperation of men who knew the priest, when he was convicted on that the only chance for their lives our evidence, condemned, and exelay in their own exertions. In the cuted. confusion of the fray I had lost sight Under good nursing, and care, I of Duff, and was closely engaged gradually recovered ; and, by the fall with one of the Spaniards, when the of the season, without any farther voice of the boatswain shouting adventures, I once more landed safe in forth a horrible imprecation sounded Scotland. immediately behind me. I turned Isabella is not now that destitute round, and sprung aside from the and unprotected orphan whom I sweep of his cutlass, and, as my first saw on the middle of the wese pistols were both empty, retreated, tern ocean-but the happy mistress acting on the defensive; when he of a happy home, diffusing life and pulled out his, fired, and' hurled the gladness on all around her. My weapon at my head. The shot passed friend Duff has lately been placed on without injuring me-but the pistol, the list of post captains, and is aimed with better effect, struck me anxiously waiting for more bustling full on the forehead. A thousand times, when there will be more sparks of light flashed from my eyes knocking about, and more hard blows -I felt myself reeling, and on the got, than what our present peace espoint of falling, when a cut across tablishment admits of. John Wyllie, the shoulder stretched me at once on too, has had advancement in his line, the ground. When I recovered from being now master of one of the my stupor, and opened my eyes, the finest ships from Clyde: and I had morning was far advanced--the sun the additional satisfaction of knowwas shining bright overhead; and I ing that none of the crew had reason found myself at sea, lying on the to regret their having jeopardized deck of the cutter; and Duff busily their lives in fighting for the “ Piengaged in examining my wounds. rate's Treasure. H. From him I learned that the pirates 1 SONNET TO M. F. M. The bird inconstant rests a while, and sings, Ere to another turn its fitful wings. The hour for peace, and constancy, and rest, And sings itself to slumber in its nest. Some rosy charms, and tune an idle song Nor is she truant to thy graces long. ON THE AUTHOR OF THE “ CONNUBIA FLORUM.” To the Editor of the London Maguzine. Chesterfield, December 2, 1823. Your Correspondent at p. 93 of Vol. VII. will find the poem De Connubiis Florum, at p. iii. of the Prolegomena to the Botanicon Parisiense of Vaillant, published in 1727, by his friend Boerhaave, signed “ Mac-encroe Hibernus medicinae doctor," written immediately after the death of Vaillant, and at p. viii. laudatory verses, evidently written previous to the death of Vaillant, signed Demetrius de la Croix. Omnibus in terris quaesitum ad Florea regna, Et nemo in terris inveniebat iter ; Foemineus, vel mas foemineusque simul ; Pistillum melius conjugis esse tubam, Inventum decus est hoc Valiante tuum. Hic longos habuit magni Fagonis amores, Laurigero quantum Lodoicus vertice reges. It is probable that he was naturalized, if he did not graduate under, I presame, the translated name of De la Croix, or perhaps only a poetical licence of a young poet. If the professor is desirous of making out his history, he will consult the collections of theses of Leyden and Montpelier, and the medical records of Paris, prior to 1722, and if he would give to the public through the channel of your magazine, his Letters to Jenkins, he would confer an obligation on the admirers of the founder of the sexual system. . I wish you could obtain permission to reprint the remarks which your Correspondent X. Y. Z. at p. 556, Vol. VII. speaks of having published in a provincial paper on the Danish Origin of the Dialects of Cumberland and Westmorland. I am, Sir, your obedient Servant, JONATHAN STOKES. A LETTER FROM ONE OF THE “ DRAMATISTS OF THE DAY,” To John Lacy, Esquire. SIR,– You are somewhat hard up- to do, to crown your good work:on us, the unhappy “ Dramatists of Set us an Example ! the Day." You knock us all down Do I say this in envy ?-in anger? with a breath, and then buffet us –No. On the contrary-if you he singly. What man or men do you the man I guess at-you are, I think, suppose can stand this? By Apollo, as likely to produce a good comedy we will not bear your gibes. Here of the old school as any one who are at least twenty of us, all immor- has lived since the days of Elizabeth. tal (though you know it not) puffing Yet, -take heed of one of the faults out our spleen against you. Mr. that you charge upon us; and God Lacy, you have given us much pic be wi' you! With this valedic. I thy language, some abuse, and a turn from you to your letters. little advice. Your letter smacks of You divide our dramatists into the critic, rather than of the author. three schools,—the dramatic, the You have now only one thing more rhetoric, and the poetical ; and you |