heard, which had startled me by Maria's bedside, and occasioned the sudden and fatal exertion which had been the cause of the bursting out afresh of the blood vessel.

"Why," said I, "it is little more than three o'clock in the afternoon yet, dark as it is; let us sally out, Mr Bang, for I verily believe that the hollo we have heard is my Captain's voice, and, if I conjecture rightly, he must have arrived at the other side of the river, probably with the Doctor."

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Why, Tom," quoth Aaron, "it is only three in the afternoon, as you say, although by the sky I could almost vouch for its being midnight, --but I don't like that shouting-Did you ever read of a water-kelpie, Don Richy ?"

"Poo, poo, nonsense," said the Don; "Mr Cringle is, I fear, right enough." At this moment the wind thundered at the door and windowshutters, and howled amongst the neighbouring trees and round the roof, as if it would have blown the house down upon our devoted heads. The cry was again heard, during a momentary pause.

"Zounds!" said Bang, "it is the skipper's voice, as sure as fate-he must be in danger-let us go and see, Tom."

“Take me with you,” said Campana, the foremost always when any good deed was to be done,-and, in place of clapping on his great-coat to meet the storm, to our unutterable surprise, he began to disrobe himself, all to his trowsers and large straw hat. He then called one of the servants, "trae me un lasso." The lasso, a long thong of plaited hide, was forthwith brought; he coiled it up in his left hand. "Now, Pedro," said he to the negro servant who had fetched it, (a tall strapping fellow,) you and Gaspar follow me. Gentlemen, are you ready?" Gaspar appeared, properly accoutred, with a long pole in one hand and a thong similar to Don Ricardo's in the other, he as well as his comrade being stark naked all to their waistcloths. "Ah, well done, my sons," said Don Ricardo, as both the negroes prepared to follow their master. So off we started to the door, although we heard the tormenta raging without with appalling fury. Bang undid the

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latch, and the next moment he was flat on his back, the large leaf having flown open with tremendous violence, capsizing him like an infant.

The Padre from the inner chamber came to our assistance, and by our joint exertions we at length got the door to again and barricaded, after which we made our exit from the lee-side of the house by a window. Under other circumstances, it would have been difficult to refrain from laughing at the appearance we made. We were all drenched in an instant after we left the shelter of the house, and there was old Campana, naked to the waist, with his large sombrero and long pigtail hanging down his back, like a mandarin of twenty buttons. Next followed his two black assistants, naked as I have described them, all three with their coils of rope in their hands, like a hangman and his deputies; then advanced friend Bang and myself, without our coats or hats, with handkerchiefs tied round our heads, and our bodies bent down so as to stem the gale as strongly as we could.

But the planting attorney, a great schemer, a kind of Will Wimble in his way, had thought fit, of all things in the world, to bring his umbrella, which the wind, as might have been expected, reversed most unceremoniously the moment he attempted to hoist it, and tore it from the staff, so that, on the impulse of the moment, he had to clutch the flying red silk and thrust his head through the centre, where the stick had stood, as if he had been some curious flower. As we turned the corner of the house, the full force of the storm met us right in the teeth, when flap flew Don Ricardo's hat past us; but the two blackamoors had taken the precau tion to strap each of theirs down with a strong grass lanyard. We continued to work to windward, while every now and then the hollo came past us on the gale louder and louder, until it guided us to the fording which we had crossed on our first arrival. We stopped there;—the red torrent was rushing tumultuously past us, but we saw nothing save a few wet and shivering negroes on the opposite side, who had sheltered themselves under a cliff, and were busily employed in attempting to light a fire. The holloing continued.

H

Why, what can be wrong?" at length said Don Ricardo, and he shouted to the people on the oppo. oppo site side. 16147 60,ein reid ge He might as well have spared his breath, for, although they saw his gestures and the motion of his lips, they no more heard him than we did them, as they very considerately in return made mouths at us, bellowing no doubt that they could not hear us. "Don Ricardo-Don Ricardo!" at this crisis sung out Gaspar, who had clambered up the rock, to have a peep about him," Ave Maria-Alla son dos pobres, que peresquen pronto, si nosotros no pueden ayudarlos."

"Whereabout?" said Campana"whereabouts? speak, man, speak." "Down in the valley-about a quarter of a league, I see two men on a large rock, in the middle of the stream; the wind is in that direction, it must be them we heard."

"God be gracious to us! true enough-true enough, let us go to them then-my children." And we' again all cantered off after the excellent Don Ricardo. But before we could reach the spot, we had to make a detour, and come down upon it from the precipitous brow of the beetling cliff above, for there was no beach nor shore to the swollen river, which was here very deep, and surged, rushing under the hollow bank with comparatively little noise, which was the reason why we heard the cries so distinctly.

The unfortunates who were in peril, whoever they might be, seemed to comprehend our motions, for one of them held out a white handkerchief, which I immediately answered by a similar signal, when the shouting ceased, until, guided by the negroes, we reached the verge of the cliff, and looked down from the red crumbling bank on the foaming water, as it swept past beneath. It was here about thirty yards broad, divided by a rocky wedgelike islet, on which grew a profusion of dark bushes and one large tree, whose top most branches were on a level with us where we stood. This tree was divided, about twelve feet from the root, into two limbs, in the fork of which sat, like a big monkey, no less a personage than Captain Nhim self, wet and dripping, with his clothes besmeared with mud, and shivering

with cold. At the foot

foot of the tree sat in rueful mood, a small antique beau of an old man in a coat which had once been blue silk, wearing breeches the original colour of which no man could tell, and without his wig, his clear bald pate shining amidst the surrounding desolation like an ostrich's egg. Beside these worthies stood two trembling way-worn mules with drooping heads, their long ears hanging down most disconsolately. The moment we came in sight, the skipper hailed us.

"Why, I am hoarse with bawling, Don Ricardo, but here am I and el Doctor Pavo Real, in as sorry a plight as any two gentlemen need be. On attempting the ford two hours ago, blockheads as we were -beg pardon, Don Pavo"-the Doctor bowed, and grinned like a baboon-"we had nearly been drowned; indeed, we should have been drowned entirely, had we not brought up on this island of Barataria here.

But how is the young lady? tell me that," said the excellent-hearted fellow, even in the midst of his own danger.

f

"Mind yourself, my beautiful child," cried Bang. "How are we

to get you on terra firma?"

Poo-in the easiest way possible," rejoined he, with true seamanlike self-possession. "I see you have ropes-Tom Cringle, heave me the end of the line which Don Ricardo carries, will you?"

No, no-I can do that myself," said Don Ricardo, and with a swing he hove the leathern noose at the skipper, and whipped it over his neck in a twinkling. The Scotch Spaniard, I saw, was pluming himself on his skill, but N was up to him, for in an instant he dropped out of it,while in slipping through he let it fall over a broken limb of the tree.

"Such an eel-such an eel!" shouted the attendant negroes, both expert hands with the lasso themselves.

"Now, Don Ricardo, since I am not to be had, make your end of the thong fast round that large stone there." Campana did so. Ah, that will do." And so saying, the skipper warped himself to the top of the cliff with great agility. He was no sooner in safety himself, however,

than the idea of having left the poor doctor in peril flashed on him.

"I must return-I must return! If the river rises, the body will be drowned out and out."

And notwithstanding our entreaties, he did return as he came, and descending the tree, began apparent ly to argue with the little Medico, and to endeavour to persuade him to ascend, and make his escape as the Captain himself had done; but it would not do. Pavo Real-as brave a little man as ever was seen-made many salams and obeisances, but move he would not. He shook his head repeatedly, in a very solemn way, as if he had said, " My very excellent friends, I am much obliged to you, but it is impossible; my dignity would be compromised by such a proceeding."

Presently N appeared to wax very emphatic, and pointed to a pinnacle of limestone rock, which had stood out like a small steeple above the surface of the flashing, dark red eddies, when we first arrived on the spot, but now only stopped the water with a loud gurgle, the top rising and disappearing as the stream surged past, like a buoy jaugling in a tide way. The small man shook his head, but the water now rose so rapidly, that there was scarcely dry standing room for the two poor devils of mules, while the Doctor and the skipper had the greatest difficulty in finding a footing for themselves.

same

kicked, and spurred, and backed like a restive horse. At one and the moment, N- made fast a guy round his waist, and we hoisted away, while e he hauled on the other line, so that we landed the Lilliputian Esculapius safe on the top of the bank, with the wind nearly out of his body from his violent exertions, and the running of the noose.

It was now the work of a moment for the Captain to ascend the tree and again warp himself ashore, when he set himself to apologize with all his might and main, pleading strong. necessity; and having succeeded in pacifying the offended dignity of the Doctor, we turned towards the house.

"Look out there," sung out Campana sharply. Time indeed, thought I, for right a-head of us, as if an invisible gigantic ploughshare had passed over the woods, a valley or chasm was suddenly opened down the hillside with a noise like thunder, and branches and whole limbs of trees were instantly torn away, and tossed into the air like straws. "Down on your noses, my fine fellows," cried the skipper. We were all flat in an instant except the Medico, the stubborn little brute, who stood until the tornado reached him, when in a twinkling he was cast on his back, with a violence, as I thought, to have driven his breath for ever and aye out of his body. While we lay we heard all kinds of things hurtle past us through the air, pieces of timber, branches of trees, coffee, bushes, and even stones. Presently it lulled again, and we got upright to look round us.

Time and circumstances began to press, and N, after another unavailing attempt to persuade the Doctor, began apparently to rouse himself, and muster his energies. He first drove the mules forcibly into the stream at the side opposite where we stood, which was the deepest water, and least broken by rocks and stones, and we had the pleasure to see them scramble out safe and sound; he then put his hand to his mouth, and hailed us to throw him a rope-it was done he caught it, and then by a significant gesture to Campana, gave him to understand that now was the time? Don, comprehending him, hoye his noose with great precision, right ight over the little doctor's head, and before he recovered from his surprise, the Captain slipped it under his arms, and signed to haul taught, while the Medico

The

"How will the old house stand all this, Don Ricardo?" said the drenched skipper. He had to shout to be heard. The Don was too busy to answer, but once more strode on towards the dwelling, as if he expected something even worse than we had experienced to be still awaiting us.

10

By the time we reached it, it was full of negroes, men, women, and children, whose huts, had already been destroyed, poor, drenched, miserable devils, with scarcely any clothing; and to crown our comfort, we found the roof leaking in many places. By this time the night began to fall, and our prospects were far from flattering, The rain had

the glorious King Alonzo Henriquez, the founder of the monarchy; and that it should be so ordained, that the throne may never again be inherited by any foreign king or prince whatsoever; so that the sovereign who is to be such over this kingdom of Portugal, be a natural and legitimate Portuguese born in the kingdom, and held bound to abide and dwell personally therein," &c. &c.

The petition of the Nobility prayed, that "a law be passed, ordaining that the succession of this kingdom shall not at any time come to a foreign prince, nor to his children, notwithstanding they may be next of kin to the last King in possession. Further, that when it happens that the sovereign of these realms succeeds to any larger kingdom or lordship, he shall always be bound to reside in this; and having two or more male children, that the eldest shall succeed to the foreign kingdom, and the second to this one of Portugal."

The third estate, the Clergy, adopted the same sentiments, declaring that "experience having shewn the injuries which result to kingdoms from princes, who are not natural born, succeeding thereto, they submitted to the King the expediency and fitness of putting an end to those grievances," &c. &c. The King, John the Fourth, immediately acquiesced in those petitions; his answers confirming their requests were embodied into letters patent, and the law of the Cortes of Lamego, thus reinforced, became once more the law of the land, by decree of the 12th of September 1642, signed by the King. The state of the question having been thus given from acknowledged documents, the conclusion is inevitable, that whoever may have the right to the Portuguese throne, Dom Pedro and his descendants have none. His right is nullified by the ancient laws, by his own direct acts, and by the national opinion. If he cannot govern Portugal in his own person, he cannot govern it by a delegated authority, let the name be Donna Maria, Count Palmela, or what it will. At this moment there is not the slightest evidence that he has any valid portion of the national will on his side. He has been a twelvemouth in Europe, and not a single province of Portugal has declared in

his favour; he has been nearly three months in Portugal, and notwithstanding proclamations, and the lavish distribution of money, no portion of the people have joined him; no man of rank has come over to his side; he has seized on a single strong position, and in that he is besieged. In that position, too, he is sustained altogether by foreign succours, for if he were left to his Portuguese resources, he must surrender within a week. His provisions, his ammunition, his arms, his troops, come from foreign countries. His recruits Poles, Swiss, French, English-every thing but Portuguese; while his adversary is surrounded by all the influential classes, traverses the provinces with a couple of grooms, is every where received with triumphal arches, feasts, and congratulations; and fights his competitor's foreign brigades, at the head of a native militia. This settles the question of public opinion; and if Dom Pedro is to be made Regent of Portugal, it must be by the bayonet.

The personal merits of the competitors can be a matter of but little import to us. They are, probably, nearly on a par for good and evil. The brothers are both brave, and possibly both disposed to use their authority as men born under arbitrary governments are in the habit of doing. Dom Pedro has been already expelled from a throne for alleged unconstitutional and arbitrary conduct. Dom Miguel has, at least, the advantage of him in this point, for he has not been so expelled; and the nation even plunge into foreign war to keep him on the throne. He has been called a tyrant; but it is clear that he has not yet earned the odium of his country. That there may be men in Portugal who love the charter, and hate the King,—that there may be real lovers of liberty, who prefer the constitution of Dom Pedro to the ancient forms of

government, that there are many Voltairists, French agents, avowed atheists, and conscious Jacobins, who would prefer any change that gave them a chance of general rapine or revenge,--that Dom Miguel may have imprisoned open repugnants to his authority, or hanged soldiers mutinying under arms, may all be true; but as neither the attachment of the

one to the charter, nor the corruptions of the other, can prove that the rule of Dom Pedro is the national wish, so neither the imprisonment, nor even the death, of the individuals in question, can stigmatize the government with the name of tyranny. Unquestionably his reign has not exhibited any of those sweeping executions, that love for indiscriminate vengeance, that passion for a fierce and bloody exercise of power, which deserves the name of tyranny. There has been no one instance of the death of a man of rank or fortune on the scaffold, there has been no death, even of the lowest order, so far as we have heard, without a trial, there has been no arbitrary confiscation, certainly there has been no systematic public plunder, viclence, or vindictiveness. And yet the throne has been perpetually in a situation which might have offered strong temptations to severity. Surrounded with incentives to the most violent exercise of power; party, whether right or wrong, busy, for the last four years, against the possessor of the throne; conspiracy incessantly sowed in the provinces; correspondence with foreign and hostile courts sedulously sustained; a rival sovereign going the rounds of Europe, and canvassing commiseration from every people; Dom Pedro holding an integral portion of the realm in actual possession, and fit ting out from it an expedition against the royal authority; attempts of all kinds made to rouse the populace to revolt, to corrupt the army, to shake the credit of the throne with foreign powers, and, finally, to drive its possessor to the last extremities of personal disgrace and ruin;-if personal vengeance could be justified, it might seek its justification in circumstances like these. Yet this vengeance has never been detected. We in vain at this moment ask if there is on record a single authentic charge of cruelty against the possessor of the Portuguese throne. The English newspapers, undoubtedly, have decided otherwise. There is not a Radical journal, from the Land's End to the Orkneys, that has not sat in judgment on him, and summarily pronounced him to be a monster. The Radical orators in the House, the echoes of the Radical journals, and

who dare not be any thing else, have followed this high authority, and blackened him with the most sulky physiognomy of despotism. But if we demand the facts for our own guidance, we still are answered by mere declamation.

The charge against Dom Miguel of having violated his oath, a charge which has earned for him the angry animadversions of the successive Foreign Secretaries, Lords Aberdeen and Palmerston, is of a more serious quality. Our business is not to vindicate him; but let us know the exact state of the case, before we fasten upon a prince the charge of perjury more than upon any other man. The only known and formal declaration on the point is his oath to the charter taken at Vienna. That oath was, unquestionably, taken under circumstances in which no oath should be demanded of any individual. The Prince was not a free agent—he was under duresse. He had been sent a prisoner to Vienna-he had been kept there in surveillance for three years and a half-he might have been kept there during his life, if it had answered the policy of Austria. At the end of the three years and a half an oath was tendered to him, notoriously opposed to all his opinions. Who can tell but the refusal of that oath would have been the sentence of his exile or imprisonment? Who is there now to tell us the distinct features which might have made an oath of that nature no more valid than an oath extorted by the pistol of a highwayman? All is cloudy still. On this point we have no materials for decision. Common justice must wait for clearer information than any that has reached the world.

Dom Miguel's presumed pledges to our King and his Ministers, have not yet been presented to the public knowledge with even the feeble and imperfect formality of the Vienna oath. Whether they were delivered as promise, opinion, or conjecture; whether they were solemnly given, or simply expressed in the laxity of conversation, or extorted in the shape of hopes or fears, remains to be told. This only is certain, that at the time of Dom Miguel's brief sojourn in this country, the late King was unfortunately in a state of health which nearly precluded all public business;