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great shout in a very shrill accent, and after it ceased I heard one of them cry aloud, Tolgo phonac; when, in an instant, I felt above a hundred arrows discharged on my left hand, which pricked me like so many needles; and besides, they shot another flight into the air, as we do bombs in Europe, whereof many, I suppose, fell on my body (though I felt them not) and some on my face, which I immediately covered with my left hand. When this shower of arrows was over I fell a groaning with grief and pain; and then striving again to get loose, they discharged another volley, larger than the first; and some of them attempted with spears to stick me in the sides, but, by good luck, I had on me a buff jerkin, which they could not pierce.

and my

I thought it the most prudent method to lie still; design was to continue so till night, when my left hand being already loose, I could easily free myself: and as for the inhabitants, I had reason to believe I might be a match for the greatest army they could bring against me, if they were all of the same size as him that I saw. But fortune disposed otherwise of me. When the people observed I was quiet, they discharged no more arrows; but by the noise I heard, I knew their numbers increased; and about four yards from me, over against my right ear, I heard a knocking for above an hour, like that of people at work; when, turning my head that way as well as the pegs and strings would permit me, I saw a stage erected about a foot and-a-half from the ground, capable of holding four of the inhabitants, with two or three ladders to mount it; whence one of them, who seemed to be a person of quality, made me a long speech, whereof I understood not one syllable. I answered in a few words, but in the most submissive manner, lifting up my left hand and both my eyes to the sun, as calling him for a witness; and being famished with hunger, not having eaten a morsel for some hours before I left the ship, I found the demands of nature so strong upon me that I could not forbear showing my impatience-perhaps against the strict rules of decency-by putting my finger frequently to my mouth to signify that I wanted food. The great lord then descended from the stage and commanded that several ladders should be applied to my sides, on which above a hundred of the inhabitants mounted and walked towards my mouth laden with baskets full of meat, which had been provided and sent thither

CHARACTER OF LORD NELSON.

187

by the king's orders, on the first intelligence he received of me. I observed there was the flesh of several animals, but could not distinguish them by the taste. There were shoulders, legs, and loins, shaped like those of mutton, and very well dressed-but smaller than the wings of a lark. I eat them by two or three at a mouthful, and took three loaves at a time-about the bigness of musket-balls. They supplied me as fast as they could, showing a thousand marks of wonder and astonishment at my bulk and appetite. I then made another sign that I wanted drink. They found by my eating that a small quantity would not suffice me; and being a most ingenious people, they slung up with great dexterity one of their largest hogsheads, then rolled it towards my hands, and beat out the top. I drank it off at a draught, which I might well do, for it did not hold half a pint, and tasted like a small wine of Burgundy, but much more delicious. They brought me a second hogshead, which I drank in the same manner, and made signs for more, but they had none to give me. When I had performed these wonders they shouted for joy, and danced upon my breast, repeating several times as they did at firstHekinah Degul. They made me a sign that I should throw down the two hogsheads, but first warning the people to stand out of the way, crying aloud, Borach Mevolah; and when they saw the vessels in the air, there was a universal shout of Hekinah Degul..

The Character of Lord Nelson.

HE great merit in Lord Nelson's character was his wonderful energy and perseverance, which made him the admiration of his countrymen and the terror of his enemies.

He was also very unselfish and self-denying, and was prepared so undergo any hardships for the good. of his country.

His character was not, however, without blemishes. His separation from his wife, and his connection with Lady Hamilton cannot be justified, or even excused. His conduct at Naples has also cast a stain upon his honour. He was a

thorough egotist, and in the account of his services, drawn up by himself, he does not forget to record them in an emphatic

manner.

The services which he rendered his country were incalculable, and well deserved its highest thanks. At the time he lived, England was engaged in a contest with nearly the whole of Europe, and it was only the great naval victories of Nelson-the Nile, Copenhagen, and Trafalgar-combined with the able generalship of the Duke of Wellington, which enabled her to come forth triumphantly from the conflict.

The Death of Nicaeus.

SOLITARY Christian knight entered a winding pass in the green hills, apart from the scene of strife. The Christian knight was covered with gore, unhappily not alone that of his enemies. He was indeed streaming with desperate wounds, and scarcely could his fainting form retain its tottering seat.

The winding path, which for some singular reason he now pursued in solitude, instead of returning to the busy camp for aid and assistance, conducted the knight to a small green valley, covered with sweet herbs, and entirely surrounded by hanging woods. In the centre rose the ruins of a Doric fane, three or four columns, grey and majestic. All was still and silent, save that in the clear blue sky an eagle flew high in the air, whirling round the temple.

The knight reached the ruins of the Doric fane, and with difficulty dismounting from his charger, fell upon the soft and flowery turf, and for some moments was motionless. His horse stole a few yards away, and, though scarcely less injured than its rider, instantly commenced cropping the inviting pasture.

At length the Christian knight slowly raised his head, and, leaning on his arm, sighed deeply. His face was very pale; but as he looked up, and perceived the eagle in the heavens, a smile played upon his pallid cheek, and his beautiful eye gleamed with a sudden flash of light.

DEATH OF NICAEUS.

189

"Glorious bird," murmured the Christian warrior, " once I deemed that my career might resemble thine! 'Tis over now, and Greece, for which I would have done so much, will soon forget my name. I have stolen here to die in silence and in beauty. This blue air, and these green woods, and these lone columns, which oft to me have been a consolation, breathing of the poetic past, and of the days wherein I fain had lived,—I have escaped from the fell field of carnage to die among them. Fare well, my country! Farewell to one more beautiful than Greece farewell, Iduna!

"

These were the last words of Nicæus, Prince of Athens.

The Rise of Iskander. By the Right Hon. B. DISRAELI, M.P. [Doric, denoting one of the Grecian orders of architecture; fane (L. fanum, a temple), a temple; fain (Anglo-Saxon, fægen, joyful), gladly, joyfully:]

ANECDOTE OF PETER THE GREAT.-Nothing was so much an object of aversion to Peter the Great as a black insect of the scarabeus or beetle kind, which breeds in houses that are not kept clean, and especially in places where meal and other provisions are deposited. In Russia, where they abound most, the walls and ceilings of the peasants' houses are covered with them. Although the Russian Emperor was far from being subject to childish fears or weak fancies, one of these insects was sufficient to drive him out of an apartment, nay, even out of the house. In his frequent journeys in his own dominions, he never went into a house without having the apartments carefully swept by one of his own servants, and being assured there were none of those insects, which they call taracans. One day he paid a visit to an officer, who stood high in his esteem, in his country house, which was built of wood, at a short distance from Moscow. The Czar expressed his satisfaction with what was offered him, and with the order he observed in the house. The company sat down at table, and dinner was already begun, when he asked the nobleman if there were any taracans in the house? "Not many," carelessly replied the officer, "and the better to get rid of them I have pinned a living one to the wall;" at the same time he pointed to the place where the insect was pinned, and where it still continued palpitating. Unfortunately it was just beside the Czar, in whom the unexpected sight of the object of his aversion produced so much excitement, that he rose instantly from the table, gave the officer a violent blow, and left the house with all his attendants.

Young Scholars' Compositions.

[We have received three papers for insertion under this head. We select the following as the best. In future these papers must be certified by teachers or parents.Ed. YDS. From 29°F W

AN AUTUMN RAMBLE.

ONE fine afternoon in September, some children set out for a ramble in the woods to pick blackberries and nuts.

After walking for some time through green fields, jumping over hedges, and gathering flowers, they arrived at length at a wood, where very fine blackberries grew. They soon found the bushes, with plenty of fruit on them; so they picked their basket full, and then ate as many as they wanted. There was a brook which ran through the wood, so they sat down by the side of it to rest.

When they had rested a little while they went on to look for some nuts, but could not find any; so, as it was getting late, they started to go home. Before they got out of the wood it began to rain, and while they were sheltering under a large tree, it began to thunder and lighten, so they ran out of the wood as fast as they could: but the rain poured down so fast that they were quite wet through when they got home, and were all obliged to go to bed for fear of taking cold.

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CARRIE SCHOFIELD.

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Answers should reach the Editor by the 10th instant. They should be written on only one side of the paper, and should not contain a larger number of words than would fill one-half or three-quarters of a page of this Magazine. Each answer should be signed by the writer, and should state his age from his last birthday. Boys and girls who have completed their twelfth year are eligible to answer the first question; boys and girls under twelve must confine themselves to the second question. The papers written by scholars of the same age will be examined together, and the names of twenty of the best essayists, with the addresses of their schools, published in each division. The prizes will be awarded to the papers that excel most within the limit of the prescribed ages, varying from eight to fifteen years inclusive. Papers sent from schools should contain a certificate from the teacher that they have been honestly worked; in the cases of writers who are receiving their education at home, a certificate from the parent will suffice.

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