men got quite tantalized and jaundiced at seeing so much of the yellow bunting,-for the enemy had hoisted it every where out of bravado.

"So, d'ye see, messmates, the crews of the boats got busy about their gear, and placed the oars aud boat-hooks, the rudders and tillers, all in their proper places, ready for a moment's sarvice. The captain twigged 'em at it, but he never said nothing till the next day but one, when he orders the hammocks to be opened to air and spread out over the boats, and he stands off-and-on till about noon, when he makes a long stretch out from the land, and the men thought he was going to give it up. So, d'ye see, they pipes to dinner, and after that they sarves the grog out, of course; but at bells, instead of calling the watch, the hands were turned up, and all ordered aft on to the quarter-deck, where the captain was standing as upright as a fathom of smoke in a calm, and the master was bent down like a yard of pump-water measured from the spout, and looking over a chart of the harbour, as busy as the devil in a gale of wind.

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"Well, every soul fore-and-aft mustered in the twinkling of a hand-spike, and they all crowded together as if they'd been stowed with a jack-screw for a long voyage; and then the captain up and tells 'em that he meant to head the boats himself, and cut the Harmoine out, if they would do their duty like men, and back him. My eyes, if there warn't a cheer then, there never was one before nor since; and the lads, to seal the bar gain, gived one another a grip of the fist that would have squeezed a lemon as dry as a biscuit.

"So, you see, the murder was out, and every man betwixt the cabin windows and the figure-head volunteered to the duty; but the captain said he wouldn't take more than one hundred, including officers and marines; he was sorry to leave any behind, as he believed them to be all brave fellows, but some must stay to work the ship, and, if necessary, bring her into action.

“Well, the men were picked out, the muskets, pistols, tommyhawks, and cutlashes got ready, and long hook-ropes coiled away in the starn-sheets of each boat, and clinched to the ring in the bottom; the oars and rullocks were muffled and well greased, so that not a sound might be heard louder than the sigh of a periwinkle.

"The sun set soon after six o'clock, and as soon as twilight came on,-which,

in them latitudes, when the sun is on the equator, and it was very near it then, comes on in a few minutes,-the ship was hove in stays, and stood in-shore, with a pleasant breeze and a stern swell setting after her. About eight o'clock the wind died away, the yards were laid square, and the boats hoisted out, whilst those on the quarters were lowered, and all were soon manned for the expedition and shoved off. Whilst they're pulling in-shore, messmates, I'll just lucydate Captain Hamilton's plan of attack.

"Now, mind me, this here paper of 'bacca shall be one battery, and this here 'bacca-box shall be the other battery, and this here shut-knife shall be the Harmoine,—the laniard sarving for one cable out of the hawse-hole, and this piece of marline for the other cable out of the gun-room port ;-(he arranged the articles on the table). Now, the boats were to pull in, and the boarding parties had each a different place to board at. As soon as they got upon deck, the boats, with their respective crews, were to cut the cables, and then go a-head to tow; whilst four of the boarders were instantly to shin aloft to loose the fore-topsail, and two to loose the mizen-topsail, which, if possible, were to be sheeted home, to catch the breeze coming off the land. The Surprise was to come in close to the harbour's mouth, to act as circumstances required.

"The boats kept close together, but didn't make any quick head-way, as the captain meant to get in about midnight, when he expected the Spaniards would have their eyes buttoned up, and their ears plugged with their nightcaps, like the hawse-holes in blue water.

"Well, d'ye see, it was just about eight bells when the mast-heads of the Harmoine showed above the dark mass of land, and the light rigging looked like a fine spider's web traced on the silvery sky; and there too fluttered the yellow rag, that was soon to be humbled under the saucy pennant of St. George. On pulled the boats, and except the ripple of the oars and the hissing of the foam in their wakes, silence slept deep and still, disturbed only by the moan of the sea as it broke upon the rocky shore.

"Suddenly there was a flash, and before the report could be heard, grapeshot were jumping about the boats and splashing up the water like a shoal of flying-fish at play. This firing was from a couple of guard-boats, each mounting a twelve-pounder; and if it did no other mischief, it aroused Jack Spaniard,

who, it appeared, was up, and rigged like a sentry-box; and before a cat could lick her ear, flames of fire seemed to be bursting from the dark rocks, like lightning from a black thunder-cloud; it was the frigate, speaking with her main-deck and fokstle guns.

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'Finding that the enemy were prepared, the captain had less delicacy in alarming them out of their sleep, and so the boats' crews gave three tremendous cheers. Mayhap, your honour never heard the cheers on going into action, when the voice of man goes from heart to heart, and stirs up all that is brave and noble in the human breast; it invigorates and strengthens every timber in a fellow's frame, and is to the weak or mild what mother's milk is to the infant. "Well, they gave three British cheers as would have stirred up the blood of an anchor-stock, if it had any, and on they dashed, stretching to their oars with a good-will and making the water brilliant with their track as they pulled for the devoted frigate, then about three-quar. ters of a mile distant, which kept sending forth the red flames from the muzzles of her guns as the boats gallantly approached.

"Captain Hamilton boarded on the starboard bow, and with the gunner and eight or ten men cleared the fokstle. The doctor boarded on the larboard bow, and with his party joined the captain; and the other boats having discharged their men, the whole of the boarders attacked the quarter-deck, where the Spanish officers had collected and fought with desperation. And now mind the downright impudence of the thing; for whilst they were fighting for possession on deck, the sails were loosed aloft, the cables were cut, and the boats were towing the ship out of the harbour; and the craft, as if she knew she warn't honestly come by, was walking off from the land like seven bells half-struck ;-if that warn't going the rig, then blow me if I know what is.

"When the Spaniards saw that the ship was actually under way with sail on her, and boarding parties cutting down all afore 'em, a great number jump'd overboard and some ran below, whilst the killed and wounded lay in all directions. About this time Captain Hamilton received such a tremendous crack on the head from the butt end of a musket, as brought a general illumination into his eyes and stretched him senseless on the deck. A Spaniard, who had fallen near him, raised his dagger

to stab him to the heart; but the tide of existence was ebbing like a torrent, his brain was giddy, his aim faltered, and the point descended in the captain's right thigh. Dragging away the blade with the last convulsive energy of a death-struggle, he lacerated the wound. Again the reeking steel was upheld, and the Spaniard placed his left hand near the captain's heart to mark his aim more sure again the dizziness of dissolution spread over his sight, down came the dagger into the captain's left thigh, and the Spaniard was a corpse.

"The upper deck was cleared, and the boarders rushed below on the maindeck to complete their conquest. Here the slaughter was dreadful, till the Spaniards called out for quarter and the carnage ceased; but no sooner was the firing on board at end, when the sodgers at the batteries-who had been wondering at the frigate moving away as if by magic, and had been calling a whole reg❜ment of saints to help 'em,-let fly from nearly two hundred pieces of cannon, as if they were saying their prayers and wanted the British tars to count the beads. Howsomever, the wind was very light close in-shore, and the smoke mantled thick and heavy on the waters, so as to mask the ship from view; but a chance twenty-four-pounder hulled her below the water-mark, and they were obliged to rig the pumps. The mainmast, too, at one time was in danger from the stay and spring-stay being shot away, and the head swell tumbling in made the frigate roll heavily; but about two in the morning they got out of gunshot, the towing boats were called alongside, and every thing made snug. Thus in an hour and three-quarters the frigate was boarded, carried, and clear from the batteries; but, to be sure, considering the little wind there was, and the head swell setting in, she did stretch her legs as if glad to be out of bad company and the quarantine flag; *-for you know, Darby, none in our sarvice likes to be yellowed, it looks so like a landcrab.

"Well, messmates, sail was soon made on the Harmoine, the shot-hole was plugged up, and the party mustered; when there were found to be only twelve men wounded, amongst whom were the captain and the gunner, Mr. Maxwell. There was not one man killed on the

Ships and vessels coming from unclean ports, hoist a yellow flag; and the pensioners are punished for drunkenness by being compelled to wear a yellow coat with red sleeves.

British side, but the Spaniards had 119 killed and 97 wounded, most of them dangerously, and the decks were again stained with human blood, some of which was no doubt shed by those murderers and traitors who had mutinied.

"At day-light next morning the Spaniards were indulged with the sight of both ships standing off shore, and the Harmoine with a British ensign and pennant over the Spanish colours. The prisoners were put on board of a schooner, that was captured during the day, and sent ashore; and the Surprise, with her prize, stood for Jamaica, where she arrived seven days afterwards, and brought up at Port Royal.

"You may be sure, messmates, Captain Hamilton was well received; the Parliament-men at the island gave him a beautiful sword that cost three hundred guineas; he was made a knight on, and the Harmoine was called the Retaliation, and she was immediately

put in commission as an English frigate; though in logging her name in the navy list, the Lords of the Admiralty changed it to the Retribution, and I had the honour to be drafted on board her as captain of the main-top.

"Captain Hamilton was invalided home on account of his wounds; but the packet was taken by a French privateer, and he went to see Boneypart, who treated him like a messmate for his bravery, and allowed him to be exchanged for six French middies; and now, my lads, I've told you all I know about the recapture of the Harmoine."

We will now insert a specimen of the smaller cuts, which are sprinkled over the volume; we need hardly say, that the subject is not the attraction, for we believe we should feel as uneasy in such company as the affrighted wight, who has just caught a glimpse of his convoy-

but the nonchalance of his Satanic majesty is inimitable.

ANECDOTE OF FENELON'S

TELEMACHUS.

Bausset, in his life of Fenelon, says, that the manuscript of this celebrated work was secretly circulated in several families previous to its publication.

This circulation was occasioned by the faithlessness of the valet to whom he gave it to transcribe.

It was afterwards sold to the widow of Claude Barbin, who committed it to the press; but only two hundred and eight pages had been printed when it was discovered to be the work of Fenelon; and that suspicious king, Louis XIV., ordered strict search to be made at the printer's after the sheets had been worked off, which were confiscated and burnt, and every effort made to annihilate this admirable production. Fortunately, a few copies escaped, with transcripts of that part which had not been printed; one of these was obtained by Adrien Moetgens, a bookseller at the Hague, who, in 1699, published it, in four volumes.

JEAN PREVOST;

A. H.

OR THE ARM OF THE DEVIL.

It is of little importance, gentle and judicious reader, whether thou ever wert across the channel of the waters, which flow betwixt the chalky cliffs of Dover, and the sandy beach of Calais :-I mean in so far as regardeth thy capacity to understand my tale; seeing that it formeth no part of my intention to quote French phrases, or hinge the interest of my narration on customs exclusively Gallic; although I must, as a faithful historian, apprise thee that the circumstances I shall relate, took place in the commune of Beauvais, in the department of Brest, in the kingdom of France, in the year of grace one thousand eight hundred and seventeen.

Jean Prevost was as honest a man, and his family of children and grandchildren, who all dwelt under his roof, was as well provided for, as any in the whole parish. He had the best cured bacon, and the finest flavoured cheeses, in the district, and, on holidays, he could indulge himself and his guests with a rasher of the one, and dressed lentils; a slice of the other, and, to wash all over, a draught of wine, superior to the small beer sort of stuff, the poorer folks swallowed, under the fine name of vin du pays.

But Jean was old:-" he had been a

soldier in his youth," and that did not make him a whit younger, for a soldier's life is a rough one, and wears a man sadly. But, though old, he was as brave in spirit as he had ever been; and, except when the weather changed, and his old wounds, barometer-like, felt it, he was vastly good-natured and happy. And so he might-for he was above want, and in comfort himself, and knew that he had wherewithal to make those he cared for equally so; for he owed no man anything, and was the owner of a snug little corner of land, which he had bought from the commissioners of confiscated domains six and twenty years before, with a little money he had saved when quartered for two years in the house of one rich widow in the Fauxbourg, St. Antoine, in Paris, and twelve months and a half with another in the Rue de Provence in Lyons, for, though now bent and weak, he was once tall, comely, and strong. He also received a pension from the state, for the wounds he had gotten in its service.

At the time my tale begins, Jean was old, however, and even ill. He had caught a cold after dancing at the wedding of his eldest grandson. The apothecary of a neighbouring village, in passing, having heard that Jean was sick, called to see him, and brought from out his saddle bags a goodly store of gallipots and pill boxes, papers of brickdust, and other medicines; but Jean, who had never been so ill before, said he would have none of them, and told the man of glysters to go "au diable." Whether he took this advice or not I cannot, for a certainty, state; though I deem it improbable that he did, seeing that he left the house muttering "Mon Dieu,"-not a very likely way of talking when about making a call on the Devil.

Jean ate, or tried to eat, fat bacon, and drank, or tried to drink, some of his best wine-but all would not do. When honest John Prevost, sometime ploughboy, and sometime cultivator at the farm of Clos- Giraud, next grenadier in Biron's Chasseurs, and, lastly, proprietaire in the department of Brest, was born, it was decreed that sixty-eight years should be the term of his lease of life; and nature had fulfilled the contract. Now the time of expiry had arrived, and Jean felt, and his children saw, that he was dying. The veteran had always been a good Catholic, and had not missed hearing mass, and keeping lent and fast days, as strictly as his love of bacon, when cured after his own fashion, would

let him, at least for the last dozen years. But his old friend, the curate, who had visited, and married, and buried, and eaten with every family in the parish in turn, had died lately of a surfeit, from disposing of the greater part of a young pig, the half of a turkey, and six "omelettes a la Fermière," at a merrymaking, on the marriage of a young woman whom he called his niece, and the world called his daughter; and he had been succeeded by some zealous lenten-faced, soup-maigre eating, but plotting and avaricious Jesuits, called, in modern parlance, missionaries, who settled themselves in an old monastery, and undertook the cure of all the souls in the parish.

Jean had a mortal dislike to these fellows, who were always preaching about the lost property of the church,-the propriety of refunding it, and the blessedness of tithe-paying. But how could the old fellow act, when he saw himself dying? No other priest was to be had, and what good Catholic would die sans absolution? So he even sent for one of these lean-faced gentry, on purpose to receive his certificate of discharge from the army of this world, that he might the more readily get admission into one of the standing regiments of heaven. A member of the scarecrow tribe soon arrived, for they knew Jean to be a man who could pay; and proceeded without delay to his bedside. He was fast approaching to the grave; but the friar would not let him get quietly into it, by easing his soul, and by giving him extreme unction, till he confessed and did penance. Did penance-why old Jean could not turn on his side!-yet he was obliged to own that he had flirted with the widows-had liked wine too well, and had eaten too much bacon in his lifetime--even on Fridays. "Now," thinks he, "he'll surely dismiss me;"-but no:-Jean Prevost was told he could not have absolution till he restored to the church the lands which had once been its property, but which he had fairly bought and paid for! At this startling proposition, Prevost, weak as he was, raised himself up and stared—as well he might. He then by looks, declined to acquiesce in this modest demand. It was reiterated with threats.-Jean recovered speech-cursed the old Monk-made signs to his son to kick him down stair-was eagerly obeyed -shook hands with his children blessed their offspring-said an ave-and gave his spirit to its Giver. The priest, with an aching breech, hastened to communicate this bad success to his brethren,

and they swore to be revenged. This, they thought they would do, by sending word to Jean's family, that they would not permit him Christian burial, "even if he came to the churchyard-which he would never do;"-(true, dead men don't walk far), "for," said they, "the Devil and three of his servants, would carry him to hell the same night."

Jean's friends were dreadfully frightened at all this; but an old fellowsoldier of his, who happened to be a guest in the house at the time, smelt the rat beneath the cassock, and answered them that "his old friend's bones would lie in the churchyard, and devil a bit of the Devil would touch them, till they got there."-" How shall we secure them?" they inquired." Leave that to me," answered the old boy; "Give me a bottle of brandy-a slice of your bacon

leave your door on the latch, and I'll dare all the devils that come, to touch the coffin of Jean Prevost, my old and worthy comrade!" Night arrived -Jean's friends crept fearfully to bedthe old soldier had his brandy and bacon; and, having primed himself with a dose of both, and sharpened a massy hangger, which hung at his side, he sat down by his friend's corpse, and sang old songs, and smoked from old pipes, till twelve o'clock. A few minutes after that hour, strange noises were audible without, screams were echoed by owls, and grunts by groans;-footsteps were heard on the ground floor of Prevost's cottage, and, above all, a strong smell of sulphur was perceptible. Pierre Jaquemont - that was the old soldier's name-began to feel queerish at the sulphur; but, recollecting it was used in manufacturing gunpowder, he took another petite verre of brandy, and was quite ready for the noc turnal visitors, who soon floundered into the dead man's chamber, and began to unscrew his coffin. "What d'ye want with my old friend, you rogues?" cried Pierre,-but he got no answer. They began to lift the body-"Come, come,' said he, "let him alone, will ye?" No reply. "Then have at ye, you old humbugs!" bawled Pierre, and with one swing of his hanger, he cut off the hand of the most forward devil of the party. If devils don't feel pain, they at least cry when they appear to be hurt, for this one roared unmercifully. He was, however, carried off; Jean Prevost was replaced in his coffin-next day was quietly buried in it-his friend Pierre Jaquemont got well paid for his sentinelship; and it was remarked for ever