11.

'Murder! murder!' the dragon cried, Alack, alack, for grief;

Had

you but missed that place, you could Have done me no mischief.'

Then his head he shaked, trembled and quaked,
And down he laid and cried;

First on one knee, then on back tumbled he;
So groaned, and kicked, and died!

BLACK-EYED SUSAN.

1.

All in the Downs the fleet was moored,
The streamers waving in the wind,
When black-eyed Susan came aboard;
'Oh! where shall I my true-love find?
Tell me, ye jovial sailors, tell me true
If my sweet William sails among the crew.'

2.

William, who high upon the yard
Rocked with the billow to and fro,
Soon as her well-known voice he heard

He sighed, and cast his eyes below:
The cord slides swiftly through his glowing hands,
And quick as lightning on the deck he stands.

3.

So the sweet lark, high poised in air,

Shuts close his pinions to his breast If chance his mate's shrill call he hear, And drops at once into her nest:

The noblest captain in the British fleet

Might envy William's lip those kisses sweet.

4.

'O Susan, Susan, lovely dear,

My vows shall ever true remain ; Let me kiss off that falling tear;

We only part to meet again.

Change as ye list, ye winds; my heart shall be The faithful compass that still points to thee.

5.

'Believe not what the landmen say,

Who tempt with doubts thy constant mind: They'll tell thee, sailors, when away,

In every port a mistress find:

Yes, yes, believe them when they tell thee so,
For thou art present wheresoe'er I go.

6.

'If to fair India's coast we sail,

Thy eyes are seen in diamonds bright;

Thy breath is Afric's spicy gale;

Thy skin is ivory so white.

Thus every beauteous object that I view,
Wakes in my soul some charm of lovely Sue.

7.

Though battle call me from thy arms, Let not my pretty Susan mourn; Though cannons roar, yet safe from harms

William shall to his dear return.

Love turns aside the balls that round me fly,

Lest precious tears should drop from Susan's eye.'

8.

The boatswain gave the dreadful word,
The sails their swelling bosom spread;
No longer must she stay aboard ;

They kissed, she sighed, he hung his head.
Her lessening boat unwilling rows to land;
'Adieu!' she cries; and waves her lily hand.

JOSEPH II. AND THE GRENADIER.

The Emperor Joseph II. of Austria was very fond of seeking for adventures. One morning, dressed in a very ordinary way, he got into a public conveyance, and told the driver to take him through the town. The cab having been obstructed by some carts, a soldier came up to the disguised monarch and said: Comrade, will you give me a lift?'

Emperor. Gladly; jump up quickly, for I am in a hurry.

Soldier. Ah! you are a fine fellow; you only want moustaches to look like a soldier. Tell me now [Tapping his royal neighbour on the shoulder], are you a good hand at guessing?

Emperor. Maybe I am. Try.

Soldier. Well then, friend, give your whole mind to it, and tell me what I ate this morning for breakfast? Emperor. Saurkraut, and a cup of coffee.

Soldier. Better than that.

Emperor. A slice of ham, then.

Soldier. Better than that.

Emperor. Then it must have been a sausage, with a glass of wine after it to help digestion.

Soldier. Better than that. But, friend, you will never be able to guess: I breakfasted off a pheasant killed in the emperor's park. What do you think of that?

Emperor. I think that very extraordinary indeed. Had you not told me, I should never have guessed it. Now it is my turn, grenadier. I will put your sharpness to the Tell me who I am, and what rank I hold in the

proof. army?

Soldier. Well, I should have taken you for an ensign; but you are not well enough dressed to be an officer. Emperor. Better than that.

Soldier. You are a lieutenant, perhaps.

Emperor. Better than that.

Soldier. A captain, then.

Emperor. Better than that.

Soldier. Why, then, you must be a general.
Emperor. Better than that.

Soldier. [Very much excited, and taking off his cap] I beg a thousand pardons of your excellency; you are a field-marshal of the empire. [He tries to get out of the cab.1

Emperor. Better than that.

Soldier. Pardon, sire, you are the emperor-I am a lost man. [He jumps out of the cab. The emperor, delighted with the adventure, and laughing heartily, throws him a purse.] Take that, soldier, in proof that you have lost nothing!'

THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE TONQUIN.

The Tonquin set sail from the mouth of the river on the 5th of June. The whole number of persons on board amounted to twenty-three. In one of the outer bays they picked up, from a fishing-canoe, an Indian named Lamazae, who had already made two voyages along the coast, and knew something of the language of the various tribes. He agreed to accompany them as interpreter.

Steering to the north, Captain Thorn arrived in a few days at Vancouver's Island, and anchored in the harbour of Neweetee, very much against the advice of his Indian interpreter, who warned him against the perfidious character of the natives of this part of the coast.

Numbers of canoes soon came off, bringing sea-otter skins to sell. It was too late in the day to commence a traffic, but Mr M'Kay, accompanied by a few of the men, went on shore to a large village to visit Weccananish, the chief of the surrounding territory, six of the natives remaining on board as hostages. He was received with great professions of friendship, entertained hospitably, and a couch of otter-skins was prepared for him in the dwelling of the chieftain, where he was prevailed upon to pass the night.

In the morning, before Mr M'Kay had returned to the ship, great numbers of the natives came off in their canoes to trade, headed by two sons of Weccananish. As they brought abundance of sea-otter skins, and there was every appearance of a brisk trade, Captain Thorn did not wait for the return of Mr M'Kay, but spread his wares upon