break down one barrier which religion has erected against sin, God will chastise them in his day of wrath.

These reflections may, I think, be said to apply to that indecorous and brutal custom which has great predominance in our country, and is become even a fashionable acquirement amongst those over whom education and birth, it might have been hoped, would have had a better influence-I mean boxing. That a man is liable to be insulted, and that it would be well if he could defend himself, perhaps, from an assault upon his life, I will readily acknowledge; but that our nature should be so far brutalized as to descend to cultivate the object, and to train the mind to relish so heterogeneous and barbarous a practise, is a conclusion to which I cannot bring myself, and must therefore pronounce a detest for the thing. Fashion is a great deal; and men often turn their minds to the obtainment of what their nature deems disgusting, but which they are led to suppose is a genteel accomplishment.. Boxing has been reckoned amongst our arts, and is cherished and lauded by thousands, of whom we might have anticipated better. It is classed, by many, as first in gymnastic exercises; it is said to be a recreation-to inure the limbs to fatigue- to be invigoratingand to bring strength into action. Let all these even have their way: yet there is enough to counterbalance with them in the effects which too often accrue from pugilistic exhibitions; broken heads deformed faces- engendering all violent passions-giving the evil-disposed man greater opportunities to be quarrelsotne-breaking down ties of friendship-throwing into unnecessary risk that life which man may take away, but cannot restore-violating all the laws of decorum and peace-throwing society and kindred friends into dismay and fear-and, finally, it too often occasions the death of some one of the parties. All the respectability of the man is deformed, and the canons of our holy religion suffer a slight. The nature of brutes becomes, on a parallel, with that of our own: their conduct becomes our conduct; their vicious deformities spoil the form of our race; their degenerate and uncouth revels become the imitation of that being who is endowed with faculties so superior and transcendant;

and the noblest creature of creation descends to follow the work of the savage, the delight of the beast, and the exercise of the cruel.

To look upon men stripped to half nudity, and wielding their hard and bony fists in opposition to each otherto see some dreadful bruise succeed every stroke-to behold blood spouting from the nose, eyes, and ears-to mark nature brutalized, and, though ready to sink under the weight of fatigue, and the force of blows, yet standing forth in hope of inflicting some terrible wound, or even effecting the death of an adversary -to witness the countenance of our race -the image of the Most High---deformed and defaced from the recklessness of another-to observe these things, I say, and such heartless sights which always accompany the progress of a boxing match, to the virtuous and the feeling man, is most abhorrent and disgusting. Cruelty is the medium through which the pugilist must go, ere he can take up his delight; blood is in his train; death waits upon his victim.

It is to be regretted, that there is to be found one person, so inconsiderate for decency, as to encourage, in any respect, this detestable practise. It is, however, our doom to meet with many, who not only commend it as being essential to the redress of an injury, but who carry their admiration of it to such a length, as to applaud it as being a handsome, genteel, and fashionable amusement. It is said to be fanciful; and young men are not deemed as having been fully educated if they cannot box, fence, leap, race, &c. &c. Thus this foul and blood-marked custom finds countenance in a manner which might be least expected. We boast of our laws, and we have a right to boast of them, as possessing qualities which do not belong to the character of the laws of any other country; but, I think it may be justly urged as an oversight in the organization of them, that they carry not with them a power to stop the existence of pugilistic exhibitions, &c. The feelings of the good man may be as much outraged, in one sense, by some disgusting scene before his eyes, as a person, on the other hand, who is attacked by ruffians, and undergoes a maltreatment. Why, then, should the offenders escape with impunity?

As we witness the alarming increase of this brutal custom, may we not aptly tremble, and justly think that we are degenerating in our refinement of principle and feeling, rather than increasing in it. In reading history, do we not shudder at the descriptions given of the Roman Amphitheatre, and recoil at the conduct of the ancient Grecians. Even now we hear of exhibitions in which the Spaniards, Italians, French, &c. &c. take a delight, and we censure them in the strongest terms. But we need not leave our own country to pick up a subject on which to hurl our reprobation. The people of England-that land where religion blooms, and morality spreads her wings-encourage and reap pleasure from witnessing a bloody boxing-match, a cruel bear-baiting, a hateful bull chase, a dog fight, and many other things which they pursue for amusement, and countenance as being recreative.

These pastimes have got into an alarming growth. Societies are even formed for their encouragement; and I am sorry that our respectable journals of London and in the country, will prostitute their columns so much as to give a detail of the proceedings on the Occasion of a boxing-match. Those details produce many technical terms, at whose drollness we cannot refrain from smiling, but their tendency is to bring such things into notice; and if these actions were only punished by law, or treated with silence, I think there would not be so many. Men love fame, even if it be the fame of an expert rogue, and will do much to be taken notice of in public print.

It is alarming to reflect upon the deaths that have lately taken place from fighting; and they appear to strike no awe into the hearts of others. They dream not of the sin which they commit in thus hazarding unnecessarily their lives; but the brutal outrage which boxing scenes offer to the moral and religious feelings, and the cruelty and danger attendant upon them, ought to call forth the rigorous interference of the law. This is a subject not unworthy the best philosopher; and the statesman, who aims at the enhancement of his country's moral worth, may derive as much and greater glory from his labours, as him who makes an honourable treaty, or manages with dexterity the helm of the

state!

SHIPWRECK.

(From the New South Wales Paper.)

Just as Captain Raine was on the eve of leaving Valparaiso for this part of the world once more, he was informed of a most marvellous affair relating to an American whaler, that had been attacked by a whale at sea in so violent and dreadful a manner as to occasion the vessel to founder, and most of the crew eventually to perish; something of whose disastrous history we have been favoured with, and shall present the same to our readers. Captain Raine received information that there were three men on Ducie's Island, who had preferred remaining there rather than venture across the ocean in a boat, to which the crew had been compelled to fly from the ship. The boat, to which these three men belonged, had been picked up by an American whaler, about 60 days after the melancholy occurrence. Another boat, in which was the captain and the remainder of the crew, soon parted company, and were also fallen in with by another whaler of America, which vessel was the bearer of the intelligence to Valparaiso; and the horrible account given by the two survivers in this boat was truly deplorable and shuddering. They had been 90 days at sea before they were fallen in with, and had experienced the most dreadful of all human vicissitudes: from the extremity of hunger, they had been reduced to the painful necessity of killing and devour. ing each other, in order to sustain a wretched life, that was hourly expected to be terminated. Eight times had lots been drawn, aud eight human beings had been sacrificed, to afford sustenance to those that remained; and, on the day the ship encountered them, the captain and the boy had also drawn lots, and it had been thus determined that the poor boy should die. 'But, providentially, a ship hove in sight and took them in, and they were restored to existence. Dolefull in the extreme as it is to hear such things, and painful as it is to relate them, it is nevertheless asserted as a fact by Captain Raine, that the fingers and other fragments of their deceased companions were in the pockets of the captain and boy when taken on board the whaler. The commander of the Surrey becoming opportunely acquainted with those painful and distressing

circumstances, humanely determined on calling at Ducie's Island, and be instrumental in restoring three unfortunate fellow-creatures to society, and very possible rescue them from a miserable ead, particularly as this island was no great distance out of his tract from Valparaiso to New Holland. On Thursday, the 5th of April, Captain Raine, considering himself within a very short distance of Ducie's Island, which is laid down in Norie's Epitome to be in lat. 24 deg. 40 min. S. and long. 124 deg. 37 min. W. kept a good look-out. At about 2 p. m. land was perceived, which turned out to be an island in lat. 24 deg. 26 min. As the vessel neared the land, a gun was discharged, and shortly after the three poor men were seen to issue forth from the woods. The boats were presently lowered, Captain Raine taking one himself. On approaching the shore, it was found not only dangerous, but utterly impracticable, to land, of which circumstance they were informed, in weak and tremulous voices, by the almost starved and nearly wornout creatures themselves, who could scarcely, from the miserable plight they were in, articulate a syllable. One poor fellow summoned up courage to plunge into the waves, and with great difficulty reached the boat; he said one of the others only could swim. After warily backing in the boat as near the rocks as possible, amidst a heavy surf, they succeeded in getting on board, much bruised and lacerated by repeated falls; which object was no sooner affected, than each devoutly expressed his gratitude to that benign Being, who had so wonderfully preserved them from sharing in the destruction to which their unhappy shipmates had fallen victims. These men are now with Captain Raine, and declare their names to be Thomas Chapel, William Wright, and Seth Weeks; and the following is the account they gave of the distressing circum stances, which we feel no hesitation in declaring may be numbered with one of those events that are without a parallel in the history of man. They sailed from Nontucket in the American ship Essex, of two hundred and sixty tons, G. PolJard, master, on the 19th of August, 1819, on a whaling voyage; they arrived in the South Seas, where they were pretty fortunate, having succeeded in procuring 750 barrels of oil, and where

in the latitude of 47 deg. south, and long. 118 west, when the accident hap pened, which was on the 13th of November, 1820. On that day they were among whales, and the three boats were lowered down: the mate's boat got stove, and had returned to the ship to be repaired. Shortly after a whale of the largest class struck the ship, and knocked part of the false keel off, just abreast of the main channels. The animal then remained for some time along side, en deavouring to clasp the ship with her jaws, but could not accomplish it; she then turned, went round the stern, and came up on the other side, and went away ahead about a quarter of a mile, and then suddenly turning, came at the ship with tremendous velocity, head on. The vessel was going at the rate of five knots, but such was the force when she struck the ship, which was under the cat-head, that the vessel had stern-way, at the rate of three or four knots; the consequence was, that the sea rushed into the cabin windows, every man on deck was knocked down, and worse than all, the bows were stove completely in, and in a very few minutes the vessel filled, and went on her beam ends. At this unhappy juncture, the captain and second mate were fast to a whale each; but on beholding the awful catastrophe that had taken place, immediately cut from the fish, and made for the ship. By cutting away the masts, the vessel righted; the upper deck was then scuttled; and some water and bread were procured for the two boats, in which they were compelled to remain, as all thought of saving the ship were given up. In expectation of falling in with some vessel, they remained three days by the wreck, making sails, &c., but were compelled at length to abandon it, and stood away to the southward, in hope of getting the variable winds and experiencing fine weather; but the wind being constantly from the east and east south east, they made much lee-way, and were prevented from keeping to the southward; in consequence of which, on the 20th of December, they made to the island from which Captain Raine took them, and which was taken for Ducie's Island, at which place the boats remained one week; but the island affording hardly any nourishment, in fact exhibiting nothing but sterility, they resolved on venturing for

the coast, leaving behind them the three men now on board the Surrey, with whose sufferings, and those of their shipmates, we are by this opportunity favoured with an account; and certainly they are poignant in the extreme.

THE MAN IN THE BELL.

In my younger days, bell-ringing was much more in fashion among the young men of than it is now. Nobody, I believe, practises it there at present except the servants of the church, and the melody has been much injured in consequence. Some fifty years ago, about twenty of us who dwelt in the vicinity of the Cathedral, formed a club, which used to ring every peal that was called for; and, from continual practice and rivalry which arose between us and a club attached to another steeple, and which tended considerably to sharpen our zeal, we became very Mozarts on our favourite instruments. But my bell-rining practice was shortened by a singular accident, which not only stopt my performance, but made even the sound of a bell terrible to my ears.

One Sunday, I went with another into the belfry to ring for noon prayers, but the second stroke we had pulled shewed us that the clapper of the bell we were at, was muffled. Some one had been buried that morning, and it had been prepared, of course, to ring a mournful note. We did not know of this, but the remedy was easy. "Jack," said my companion, step up to the loft, and cut off the hat ;" for the way we had of muffling was by tying a piece of an old hat, or of cloth (the former was preferred) to one side of the clapper, which deadened every second toll. I complied, and mounting into the belfry, crept as usual into the bell, where 1 began to cut away. The hat had been tied on in some more complicated manner than usual, and I was perhaps three or four minutes in getting it off; during which time my companion below was hastily called away, by a message from his sweetheart I believe, but that is not material to my story. The person who called him was a brother of the club, who,

the reason at once- it was a moment of terror; but by a hasty, and almost convulsive effort, I succeeded in jumping down, and throwing myself on the flat of my back under the bell.

The room in which it was, was little more than sufficient to contain it, the bottom of the bell coming within a couple of feet of the floor of lath. At that time I certainly was not so bulky as I am now, but as I lay it was within an inch of my face: I had not laid myself down a second, when the ringing began. It was a dreadful situation. Over me swung an immense mass of metal, one touch of which would have crushed me to pieces; the floor under me was principally composed of crazy laths, and if they gave way, I was precipitated to the distance of about fifty feet upon a loft, which would, in alt probability, have sunk under the impulse of my fall, and sent me to be dashed to atoms upon the marble floor of the chancel, an hundred feet below. I remembered-for fear is quick in re collection-how a common clock-weight, about a month before, had fallen, and bursting through the floors of ths steeple, driven in the cielings of the porch, and even broken into the marble tombstone of a bishop who slept beneath. This was my first terror, but the ringing had not continued a minute, before a more awful and immediate dread came on me. The deafening sound of the bell smote into my ears with a thunder which made me fear their drums would crack. There was not a fibre of my body it did not thrill through: It entered my very soul; thought and reflection were almost utterly banished; I only retained the sensation of agonizing terror. Every moment I saw the bell sweep within an inch of my face; and my eyes-I could not close them, though to look at the object was bitter as death-followed it instinctively in its oscillating progress until it came back again. It was in vain I said to myself that it could come no nearer at any future swing than it did at first; every time it descended, I endeavoured to shrink into the very floor to avoid being buried under the down. sweeping mass: and

ringing for service, and not thinking that any one was above, began to pull. At this moment I was just getting out, when I felt the bell moving; I guessed

too weightily on my frail support, would cower up again as far as I dared.

At first my fears were mere matter of fact. I was afraid the pullies above

would give way, and let the bell plunge on me. At another time, the possibility of the clapper being shot out in some sweep, and dashing through my body, as I had seen a ramrod glide through a door, flitted across my mind. The dread also, as I have already mentioned, of the crazy floor, tormented me, but these soon gave way to fears not more unfounded, but more visionary, and, of course more tremendous. The roaring of the bell confused my intellect, and my fancy soon began to teem with all sort of strange and terrifying ideas. The bell pealing above, and opening its jaws with a hideous clamour, seemed to me at one time a ravening monster, raging to devour me; at another, a whirlpool ready to suck me into its bellowing abyss. As I gazed on it, it assumed all shapes; it was a flying eagle, or rather a roc of the Arabian story-tellers, clapping its wings and screaming over me. As I looked upward into it, it would appear sometimes to lengthen into indefinite extent, or to be twisted at the end into the spiral folds of the tail of a flying-dragon. Nor was the flaming breath, or fiery glance of that fabled animal, wanting to complete the picture. My eyes imflamed, bloodshot, and glaring, invested the supposed monster with a full proportion of unholy light.

It would be endless were I to merely hint at all the fancies that possessed my mind. Every object that was hideous and roaring presented itself to my imagination. I often thought that I was in a hurricane at sea, and that the vessel in which I was embarked tossed under me with the most furious vehemence. The air, set in motion by the swinging of the bell, blew over me, nearly with the violence, and more than the thunder of a tempest; and the floor seemed to reel under me, as under a drunken man. But the most awful of all the ideas that seized on me were drawn from the supernatural. In the vast cavern of the bell hideous faces appeared, and glared down on me with terrifying frowns, or with grinning mockery, still more appalling. At last, the devil himself, accoutred, as in the common description of the evil spirit, with hoof, horn, and tail, and eyes of infernal lustre, made bis appearance, and called on me to curse God and worship him, who was powerful to save me. This dread suggestion he uttered with the full-toned

clangour of the bell.

I had him within an inch of me, and I thought on the fate of the Santon Barsisa. Strenuously and desperately I defied him, and bade him be gone. Reason, then, for a moment, resumed her sway, but it was only to fill me with fresh terror, just as the lightning dispels the gloom that surrounds the benighted mariner, but to shew him that his vessel is driving on a rock, where she must inevitably be dashed to pieces. I found I was becoming delirious, and trembled lest reason should utterly desert me. This is at all times an agonizing thought, but it smote me then with tenfold agony. I feared lest, when utterly deprived of my senses, I should rise, to do which I was every moment tempted by that strange feeling which calls on a man, whose head is dizzy from standing on the battlement of a lofty castle, to precipitate himself from it, and then death would be instant and tremendous.When I thought of this, I became desperate. I caught the floor with a grasp which drove the blood from my nails; and I yelled with the cry of despair. I called for help, I prayed, I shouted, but all the efforts of my voice were, of course, drowned in the bell. As it passed over my mouth, it occasionally echoed my cries, which mixed not with its own sound, but preserved their distinct character. Perhaps this was but fancy. To me, I know, they then sounded as if they were the shouting, howling, or laughing of the fiends with which my imagination had peopled the gloomy cave which swung over me.

You may accuse me of exaggerating my feelings; but I am not. Many a scene of dread have I since passed through, but they are nothing to the self-inflicted terrors of this half hour. The ancients have doomed one of the damned, in their Tartarus, to lie under a rock, which every moment seems to be descending to annihilate him,—and an awful punishment it would be. But if to this you add a clamour as loud as if ten thousand furies were howling about you-a deafening uproar banishing reason, and driving you to madness, you must allow that the bitterness, of the pang was rendered more terrible There is no man, firm as his nerves may be, who could retain his courage in this situation,

In twenty minutes the ringing was done. Half of that time passed over me