deep-marked features, seemed like some strange and fearful beings, performing their unhallowed rites. We gradually grew more cheerful, and hope represented to us the chance that some vessel might pass by, and relieve us from our present desolate situation. Still our condition was wretched, and our food scarce and unwholesome, consisting merely of roots, and the few fish of various kinds that we occasionally found on the shore.

An incident occurred, which rather startled us, and did not contribute to add to our comfort. A sailor who had been wandering about the island, had remained out later than usual, and came running into our inclosure out of breath, his eyes starting from their sockets, and exhibiting all the marks of violent terror. We enquired earnestly the reason of this appear ance. As soon as he had sufficiently recovered himself, he exclaimed, "I have seen a ghost!" Sailors are generally superstitious, and we stared at each other with wild looks, as if each expected to encounter the eyeless scull and bloody winding-sheet of some terrible apparition. The Captain only preserved his composure unmoved; he laughed at our fears, and joked the ghost-seer unmercifully. The man, however, persisted in his tale. He was walking on the shore, at a part of the island to which we had seldom resorted in our peregrinations, on account of its particularly rugged and barren appearance. Here, as he was picking up some shell-fish, which lay at his feet, his attention was engaged by a slight noise, and, looking up, he perceived, to his horror, the figure of a man, which seemed to skirr along the surface of the water, and was followed by a female form who pursued him, and whom he strove, but in vain, to avoid. The woman overtook him, and with a tremendous laugh, plunged him into the waves. In a moment after, the apparition disappeared, and he saw it

no more.

Various were the speculations which this narration gave birth to, among the members of our society. A degree of fear prevailed among us, and whispers were circulated, as if every one had dreaded to hear the sound of his own voice. The Captain, too, it

was remarked, who had at first made the circumstance an object of merriment, now seemed inwardly troubled, and strove in vain to dispel the me lancholy which clouded his brow.On retiring to rest, all huddled together in the farthest angle of the rocks. Sleep came over us, but the imaginations of many tormented them with ghostly dreams, and occasionally an exclamation of horror would burst from some one, and disturb the others, who, scared at the noise, joined in the hubbub, thus increasing the general confusion.

Morning broke, and dispelled the visions which had haunted us. Our first operation was, to accompany the man to the place where, according to his narration, the spirits had appeared. Nothing was, however, to be found, excepting (what were much more acceptable than ghosts) some shell-fish, which, however, the superstitious apprehensions of one or two of our number prevented their touching. Others, who paid less respect to the supernatural visitors, or were more hungry, speedily devoured this sort of food. The day wore away without any novelty occurring, and the shades of the evening began to descend. The sun, which had sunk beneath the sea, still illuminated the edges of the light clouds that skirted the horizon. It was a sweet evening; one of those whose soft and gentle influence steal upon the soul, conjuring up those delightful reminiscences, and "lang-syne" ideas, that the mind dwells upon with unfading pleasure. The wind was quite still, and we sat down near our habitation (if such a name may be given to such a spot). The Captain, who had been silent all day, now spoke, and informed us, that he thought he was able to disclose some particulars relating to the last night's occurrence. Every one drew nearer to his neighbour, and prepared to listen, with long faces and open mouths, not unmixed with sundry twists of the eyes over the left and right shoulders, to have due warning, in case any unearthly visitant should clandestinely attempt to attack us in the rear. To obviate the possibility of this, however, we drew, as by instinct, into a circle, in which position every side being guarded, no undue advantage

could be taken by any emissary from the invisible world. "When I was a cabin-boy on board the Thunderproof," said the Captain, who, as orator, was stationed in the centre of the assembly, a plot was concerted, by the greater part of the crew, to murder the Captain, and take possession of the vessel. I, with several others who were unconcerned in the scheme, knew nothing of it till the moment of its execution. We were suddenly seized and pinioned; and the Captain, after being severely wounded, was thrown overboard. His wife was in the ship, and hearing the noise, came on deck.

The villain who had concerted the plot, caught her in his arms; she struggled, and escaping his grasp, ran to the ship's side, where stumbling, she was again seized. Perceiving herself in the wretch's power, she desisted from her endeavours to free herself; and he, deceived by her apparent submission, relaxed his hold. At this moment she caught him in her grasp, and with a violent effort, sprung over the ship's side, dragging the ruffian along with her. We heard them fall into the water; we heard the shrill and heart-rending scream of her victim, as he received his wellmerited punishment. We were afterwards unbound; perhaps the villains considered us too few and too insignificant to excite alarm among them. They did not long enjoy the fruits of their crimes. The vessel was wrecked, and I and two others alone escaped; and since that time, the seas near that spot have been considered as haunted by the spirits of the victims and the murderers. Doubtless, it was near this island that the events took place; but having lost our compass, we can only guess at it; and the appearance which was seen by Jenkins last night, bears relation to the events I have mentioned."

This narrative by no means tended to quiet our fears, which rose to a considerable height. After much deliberation, it was proposed that we should sit up and wait in expectation of the unwelcome visitants, which proposal was agreed to by many with fear and trembling, who, however, assented, that they might

not be thought to pcssess less courage than their fellows.

Hour after hour passed, but we neither saw nor heard any thing to justify our fears. The disagreeableness of the situation made the time seem much longer than it was in reality. We began to grow uneasy of waiting for spirits, and some spoke of giving up the watch. Still we delayed, when, on the surface of our ocean, far off, a dim light appeared. Certainly it would be highly indecorous in me to speak aught reflecting on the courage of British sailors, but, natheless, I will venture to affirm, that the hair of every individual stood in a more upright and porcupine position than they were wont to do. The appearance presently assumed a more definite form; it seemed the likeness of a woman, and we perceived, with feelings by no means pleasant, that it approached the shore. A second figure was perceived in the act of avoiding the first. It fled towards the shore, and was pursued with incredible speed by the other. It had almost reached the shore, when it was overtaken by the female form. She seized on the hair of his head, dragged him round, and with a laugh, that curdled the blood in my veins, seemingly plunged her victim in the waves, and disappeared. My companions were petrified with terror, and the captain lay senseless on the ground. At last we regained some degree of self-possession, and raising the captain with much difficulty, restored him to the use of his faculties. But the impression made upon him by the scene was so strong, that it was a considerable time before he perfectly recovered from the effects of it. He declared that he knew the features of the figures as well as he knew any one living. He became extremely uneasy, as did the rest of us, at our abode on this island, and we thought of again trusting to the boat for our deliverance, when we were fortunately taken up by a vessel, and conveyed to England. Our joy at revisiting our native country may be conceived, but not described; but, if I may judge by my own feelings, none of us wish again to tempt like dangers.

THE EMIGRANT'S RETURN.
I TURN me to my native home,
Where all my warm affections be;
My country! wheresoe'er I roam,
My heart is still with thine and thee.

Again I view thy vallies green,

Thy hills, thy woods, thy prospects fair;

And doubly sweet to me the scene,

For all that I have lov'd are there, Where once my infant footsteps rov'd, My mind unclouded, blest, and free, Still happy, loving, and belov'd,

At home, at ease, at liberty. Then all was bright, and all was fair, Undimm'd as yet with tears of sorrow; The passing hour was all my care,

I knew not, thought not of the morrow.

Return'd, I will not wander more

In foreign climes 'mid stranger men, I've brought my little boat to shore, And ne'er will tempt the waves again. 0.

Whom no ambition lures to glare
A transient meteor in the air;
To live in shouts his little day,
By turns the people's dupe and prey;
Who envies not the gold that shines
In rich Hesperia's boundless mines;
Or where, the boast of other lands,
The Tagus rolls her yellow sands;
Or all the fields of golden grains
That wave in Lybia's fertile plains;
Whom e'en with lightning's gleam ob-
lique

The thunderer will not dare to strike;
Who fears not all the winds that rave
Along the Adriatic wave;
Who views the stormy firmament,
With cheek unblanch'd, and heart un-
bent

Who safely lifted up on high,
Sees earth as if beneath him lie
And meets the fate he cannot shun,
With joy, as if his task was done.—
Let kings to battle hasten far,
Who drive the Dacian host to war,
Who rule the realms, which wide sur-
round

The sea, which strews with gems the

ground

The sea, along whose redd'ning breast
Float gales from Araby the blest-

Or who the Armenian confines sway,
Where Caspian hills access display;
Or who the frozen waters tread,
Where Danube's icy ocean's spread
Or where the Seres till the ground,
The Seres by their fleece renown'd :---
Let these, for kingdoms, thousands kill,
"Tis virtue makes the monarch still.
A kingdom can her power bestow,
Which asks not falchion, steed, or bow-→→
Which asks not Parthian spear or lance,
Or engines which, like towers, advance,-
Which solely asks and but requires,
A mind exempt from low desires,
Or fear, and he who thus is blest,
May find this kingdom in his breast.
Let others seek the glitt'ring court,
Where high ambition's votaries sport ;-
Be mine the ease and downy rest,
Which soothe the quiet country's guest;
The humble roof, the lowly shed,
Where trees around their foliage spread;
Where no disdainful Roman eye'
May break upon my privacy.
So when my days at length are past,
Ungloom'd and cloudless to the last,
I may, beneath my darling shades,
Expire, as day-light softly fades ;
My only monuments the trees-
My only dirge the mountain breeze→→→
Such be my lot! For death will fall
On him most dire, who, known to all,
Is found, when comes the mortal blow,
To feel he has himself to know.
E