the safety of a place confided to them, was to a surprising degree effected for the district of Killalla by these three French officers, without the support of a single soldier of their own country; and that for the long space of twenty-three days, from the first of SepIt is natural to suptember to the day of the battle.

pose, that in such a tract of time, a tolerable insight must have been obtained into their characters; and where the part they acted was of so much conse quence, the reader may expect some description of them.

"Lieutenant colonel Charost had attained to the age of five-and-forty. He was born in Paris, the son (as I am told) of a watchmaker in that city, who sent him over early to some connections in St Domingo, where he was fortunate enough to marry a wife with a plantation for her dowry, which yielded him, before the troubles, an income of two thousand pounds sterling per annum. By the unhappy war which still desolates that island, he lost every thing, even to his wife and his only child, a daughter; they were taken on their passage to France, and sent away to Jamaica. His eyes would fill when he told the family, that he had not seen these dear relatives for six years past, nor even had tidings of them for the last three years. returning to France, he embraced the military life, at first in the royal service, afterwards, when the times changed, in that of the republic, where he had risen by degrees to the rank he now filled. His residence had been at Rochelle with a brother, with whom he

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had shared bed and board till he was called, at only three days' notice, to go out on thepresent expedition. In person he was strong and vigorous, inelining to fat; his countenance was chearful, and on the whole, pleasing, notwithstanding a blemish in one eye; he had a plain, good understanding, which served him for all the uses that he put it to, and he had either no leisure, or no liking, to strain it with over labour. His religion, he told the bishop, he had yet to seek; because his father being a catholic, and his mother a protestant, they had left him the liberty of choosing for himself, and he had never yet found time to make the inquiry, which however, he was sensible he ought to make, and would make at some time when Heaven should grant him repose. In the interim, he believed in GoD, was inclined to think there must be a future state, and was very sure that, while he lived in this world, it was his duty to do all good to his fellow-creatures that he could. The bishop offered a present to this half-christian of a book that might have satisfied his doubts, La religion naturelle et revelee par l' Abbe Tremblay. He was thankful; but it is not unlikely the sight even of three small volumes frightened him, for he never afterwards claimed the promise. Yet what he did not exhibit in his own conduct, he appeared to respect in others; for he took care that no noise nor disturbance should be made in the castle on Sundays, while the family and many protestants from the town were assembled in the library at their devotions.

"Boudet, the next in rank to the commandant, was a captain of foot, a native of Normandy, twenty-eight years of age. His father, he said, was yet living, though sixty-seven years old when he was born. His height was six feet, two inches. In person, complexion, and gravity, he was no inadequate representation of the Knight of La Mancha, whose example he followed in a recital of his own prowess and wonderful exploits, delivered in measured language, and an imposing seriousness of aspect. He came to Killalla from the town of Newport-Pratt, which he assured us he had taken with his own hand, though defended by four English troopers ; he had gallantly kept the place for three or four days, and retired from it only because it was assailed by fifteen horse-but we were not to be surprised that so much should be achieved by an officer, bred in the echole Militaire at Paris to be one of the late King's body-guard, trained from his childhood to arms, a man who had served in Flanders and on the Rhine, and had more than once been obliged to trample on mountains of dead and dying men after a battle. To vanity he added a fault that does not often go along with it, pride. He valued himself on an education superior to that of his companions in arms; was argumentative, contradictious, and irrascible ; so that his superior officer found it no easy matter to maintain peace with him.. His manner, however, though distant, was polite; and he seemed to possess a more than common share of feeling, if a judgment might be formed from the energy with which he declaimed on the miseries of wars and revolutions. His

integrity and courage appeared`unquestionable. On the whole, when we became familiarized to his failings, we saw reason every day to respect his virtues.

"The last of this trio was named Ponson, a curious contrast, in every respect, to the character just described. In stature he did not exceed five feet, six inches; but if the body was little, it was alive from head to foot. Navarre gave him birth, the country of Henry IV. and his merry countenance recalled to mind the features of that celebrated inonarch, though without the air of benevolence through them; for this monkey seemed to have no great feeling for any body but himself. Wherever he was, his presence was testified by a noise as loud and as pertinacious as that of a corncreak; it was a continued roll of talk, or laughter, or whistling. The decencies of polished life he had probably never known; or if he had, he affected to despise them. Yet in a gloomy hour this eternal rattle had its use it more than once kept our spirits buoyant, when terror pressed heaviest. I shall mention two instances. One day a crowd of pikemen, clamorous with some insolent demand upon the commandant, appeared on the point of breaking down the castle gate. The bishop expressed his apprehensions to Ponson.. I will tell you what to do,' said he: step out among them suddenly, and cry stop thief, and they will every man of them take to their heels.' The other occasion was that very serious one, when (as shall be related presently) the news of the French overthrow had weakened the authority of the commandant to

that degree, that the rebels were deterred from laying hands on the protestants at Killalla only by the bishop's proposals of sending ambassadors to Castlebar, to obtain good treatment for the rebel prisoners there. The bishop and the commandant stood outside at the gate, close circled by malecontents; authority and argument had been tried by turns, mutinous whispers were going round, the final issue of the parley was very uncertain. At this critical moment appeared Ponson, coming in from the town, with a face expressive of horror. • Commandant,' said he, I have a shocking piece of news to tell you.' What news? said the other, who was not in a very good humour to listen to any news. 'I am married,' cried Ponson- married, I give you my oath, to miss such a one, naming the prettiest girl in the town. This here wicked cu

rate,' (Mr Nixon, whom he held by the arm,) has • tied the knot, before I could find out what he was ' about. This ridiculous safly, when explained to the by-standers, relaxed the features of the whole company; scowling looks were dropt, and peace and mutual agreement succeeded..

"Ponson was hardy, and patient to admiration of labour and want of rest. A continued watching of five days and nights together, when the rebels were growing desperate for prey and mischief, did not appear to sink his spirits in the smallest degree. He was ready at a moment's notice to sally out upon the marauders, whom, if he caught them in the fact, he belaboured without mercy, and without a symptom