lia, I leave you, my love, to the generofity of your friends and the protection of the Almighty God." Upon faying this he flew from my embrace, and I saw him no more. It was in the bleak and dreary month of November that my dear hufband left me in the pursuit of fickle For tune, and three weeks had fcarcely elapfed from the date of his departure, before he failed for India. About four months after, I was much relieved by a letter he fent me from the Cape, replete with tenderness and affection. He was on the beft terms with the captain and the officers-agreed perfectly with being on fhipboard, and had nothing to make him uneafy, but being abfent from his dearest Celia, who, he trufted, was by that time happy with a pledge of our mutual love. It was fo. A month before the receipt of my husband's letter, I was delivered of a fon, the very picture of his father, and who now comforts and chiefly fupports his mother in the vale of life. For ten long months more I heard nothing further of my dear Dholson, and had nearly fallen a victim to extreme anxiety, when my fifter Isabella came one evening running into my apartment, and prefented me with a letter from the partner of my heart. It contained a fuccinct account of all his proceedings fince his laft writing me,and acquainted me of his fettlement in the vicinity of Fort St George, in a lucrative employment: and as his remaining in India for fome years was now a matter of certainty, his greateft with on earth was to be bleffed with the prefence of his Celia and her infant, if till in life: a bill for 400l. was inclosed in his letter to bear our expences, and he concluded with an earneft entreaty that I fhould lofe no time in hastening to his impatient arms. From the moment I gave my hand to Mr Dholfon, I knew no other happiness than promoting his, and fo great was my anxiety to comply with the wishes of a beloved hufband, that in ten days from the receipt of his letter, I left my father's houfe-all friends and favourites at home, to undertake a long and hazardous voy age across the immenfe Pacific ocean. With a maid to attend myself and infant, I accordingly embarked on board the Romney, a pretty little veffel then lying in the Downs, and taken up by the Indian Company to carry out fome ftores to Surat. We were eight days in clear ing the British Channel, and for nine weeks longer enjoyed a pleasant and profperous gale. The weather about this time became rather unfettled and fqually, and the veffel had for fome days paft la boured much from the great swell in the fea. One night when the captain and his mate, with myself and maid-servant fat chatting in the main cabin after fupper, the officer of the watch called haftily down to Captain Danviers, (for that was his name,) to jump inftantly on deck,and he had fcarcely got up when I heard him ftamp with his foot, and vociferately exclaim," God have mercy on us, we're all gone." The alarm was foon given to the whole fhip's company, and all was in a moment hurry and confufion; every one too anxious about his own fafety to regard that of his neighbour. I flew out of the cabin with my child in my arms, and my maid followed me; but by the time we got to the quarter-deck, two boats had been hoifted out, one of them funk a few yards from the veffel's fide, being overloaded, and every foul on board of it perished; the other got clear off, but it is highly probable they who were in it must also have perished, as I have never fince heard of their reaching land. All that remained now on board was the captain, myfelf, my child and maid, and two of the crew, one of whom in attempting to get down between the decks to recover, if poffible, fome provisions, never again appeared; the other was fo terrified at his approaching fate, that he became quite mad, and extremely outrageous, as to force the captain to throw him overs board. I fhould have told you, that the caufe of all the alarm was, the veffel having fprung a leak, which was unfortu nately not difcovered until beyond the power of human effort to fave her. We had now been about three hours flanding trembling on the quarter-deck, “ misęrable wretches in a ftorm, whom every moment the greedy deep was waiting to devour," when the captain suggested, that in order to keep ourselves as dry from the lafhing of the fea as poffible, we should endeavour to get up into the fhip's maintop: this at firft appeared to me quite impracticable, but "Hope fprings eternal in the human breaft," and often, in the moft perilous fituations, affifts us in overcoming difficulties which, at other times, would appear unfurmountable. The moft diftant profpect of faving the life of my dear babe fet afide from me every confideration of danger. After reaching with, you may be fure, extreme difficulty, the top, l'entreated Pp2 the 1 the captain to get up, if poffible, my poor maid, who, with a wifhful look towards me, food trembling on the deck, palfied with terrer and difmay. He according ly made the attempt, and, had got up nearly half way, when, by part of the cordage breaking, both fell headlong down into the bottomless ocean; the girl I never again faw, but poor Capt. Danviers, fhocking to relate, had his brains knocked out againft the gunwale, and his lifeless body lay floating on the furface of the water. Already overcome by fatigue, and at fo dreadful a fcene of death, petrified with fear, I funk into a fwoon, how long I continued in that ftate, it is impoffible for me to fay with accuracy, but it must have been confiderable, as upon recovering my fenfes, day feemed to be confirmed; the fun was breaking through the hazy horizon, and the contending elements were greatly reconciled; I found myfelf lying on my back, with my head refting on the netting of the top, and my dear boy, unconfcious of his danger, lay found afleep upon my breast, with his little arms entwined about his helpless mother's neck. In a few minutes he awakened, and I eagerly fearched my pockets for fomething to comfort him,in the midst of the watery wafte-far removed from the eye of Pity, and the affifting hand of Confolation, every moment expecting inevitable deftruction; in fuch a dreadful ftate of wretchednefs, all I could command in the world to appease the calls of nature in myself and infant was,-a fingle fugar bifcuit, which, by chance, happened to be in my pocket, but even that was a precious morfel. 1 Tortured with anxiety and pain, and almoft diftracted with the thoughts of my difmal fituation, I ftarted upon my legs, and folicitoufly wandering with my eyes alongst the inexhauftable expanfe of T water which furrounded me, there ap peared to my view, at an immense diftance, fomething like unto the fpire of a church: it was fome time before I could believe it more than the effects of a deranged imagination, but it gradually became more diftinct, and, at laft, fairly proved to be, O heaven! what a joyful fight,-a fhip!-deftined by the kind and all-powerful hand of Providence, to the relief of a wretched mother and her harmless infant. Almoft frantic with joy at the appearance of being faved from the jaws of Death, I haftily tore off my wrapper, and contrived to hoift it up as a fignal of my diftrefs; it had the wifhed-for effect, the propitious bark crowded all fail towards me, and in three hours after, I and my child were kindly receiv ed on board the St Antonio, a Spanish trader, bound, from what I could learn, for Manilla. We had scarcely failed tw● hours from the Romney, when the totally disappeared. I recounted to the Spanifh captain the particulars of my hiftory, and, in return, the generous Caftilian treated me with the utmoft tenderness and humanity. All my wants within his reach were haftily fupplied; he fteered many leagues out of his course to land me at the Cape, and, upon our arrival there, fecured me proper lodgings, leaving me wherewithall to fupport myself until an opportunity should occur of profecuting my voyage to India. I repeatedly intreated this worthy man to give me his address, so as it might be in my power to repay, in fome degree, his fervices, but he wanted no requittal, and at laft told me to forbear further inquiry, as he was upon a fecret expedition, the fuccefs of which much depended upon his being unknown in that part of the world. My ftay at the Cape was much longer than I could have wifhed. [To be concluded in our next.} POETRY, FOR THE EDINBURGH MAGAZINE. ELEGIAC STANZAS HE Spring returns, mild morning of the year, Clad in her fmiling robe of flow'rygreen, The angry ftorms of Winter disappear, And joy reanimates the chequer'd scene. Scatter'd the leafy honours of the woods, And nature's blooming beauties quite defac'd? Fled all before the Sun's enliv'ning ray, Reviving verdure cloathes anewtheplains; For here the progrefs of the year you trace, Affiduous ev'ry moment to improve claim, The page records an abfent brother's name, Who,'midft hiswand'rings round this world of care, Still in your heart demands a Brother's fhare. If this known hand awakes Affection's glow, Or, while a deareft father's bed you tend, chear, And Love fraternal dry the falling tear; Then, not in vain, this humble gift you'll view, And think of him, who, while he thinks of you, Heaves the foft figh, and breathes an ardent pray'r, That Heav'n may view your love, and crown your pious care. SONNET S. From Lloyd's Poems on the Death of Prifcilla Farmer, his Grandmother. One fmile, Monimia, grant to foothe my MY pleafant home! where erft when woe, WRITTEN IN A BLANK PAGE OF AN ALMANACK POCKET-BOOK, Addressed to the Author's Sister. NNA, to you this little book I fend, faint Ah me! when flow th' accuftom'd doors unfold, No more her looks affectionate and mild Beam on my burthen'd heart! O still and cold The cherish'd fpot where welcome fat and fmil'd! A Reflection's monitor, and Mem'ry'. My fpirit pines not nurfing fancied ill; friend; 'Tis not the fev'rish and romantic tie And fee where Caledonia's Genius mourns, And plants the holly round the grave of BURNS: But late its" polifh'd leaves and berries red Play'd graceful round the rural poet's head," And while with manly force and native fire He wak'd the genuine Caledonian lyre, Tweed's fevering flood exulting heard her tell, Not Roman wreaths the holly could excell; Not Tiber's ftream,along Campania's plain, More pleas'd convey'd the gay Horatian ftrain, Than bonny Doon, or fairy-haunted Ayr, That wont his ruftic melody to share, Refound along their banks the pleasing theme, Sweet as their murmurs, copious as their stream; And RAMSAY, once the Horace of the North, Who charm'd with varied strains the liftening Forth, Bequeath'd to him the fhrewd peculiar art That, while they wound, they dazzle and they please: But when he fung to the attentive plain, to mourn," Now courted oft by the licentious gay, With them thro' devious paths behold him ftray, The opening rofe conceals the latent thorn, Convivial hours prolong'd awake the morn, Ev'n Reason's facred pow'r is drown'd in wine, And Genius lays her wreath on Folly's fhrine; Too fure, alas! the world's unfeeling train Corrupt the fimple manners of the swain, The blufhing Mufe indignant fcorns his lays, And Fortune frowns, and honest fame decays, Till low on earth he lays his forrowing head, And finks untimely 'midft the vulgar dead. Yet while for him belov'd, admir'd in vain, Thus fond Regret pours forth her plaintive ftrain, While Fancy, Feeling, Tafte, their griefs rehearse, And deck with artlefs tears his mournful hearfe, See Cunning, Dullness, Ignorance, and Pride, Exulting o'er his grave, in triumph ride, And boaft," tho' Genius, Humour, Wit agree," 19 Cold felfifh Prudence far excels the three, Nor think, while grovelling on the earth they go, How few can mount fo high to fall fo low. Thus Vandals, Goths, and Huns exulting come, With many a fplendid hue the breezy Gleam to the morning fun, and dazzle o'er ftrand. Oh there was once a time when Elinor Gazed on thy opening beam with joyous eye, Undimm'd by guilt and grief! when her full foul Felt thy mild radiance, and the rifing day Wak'd but to pleasure! on thy fea-girt verge, Oft, England! have my evening steps stole on, Oft have mine eyes furveyed the blue expanfe, And mark'd the wild wind fwell the ruf filed furge, And feen the upheaved billows bofomed rage Rufh on the rock; and then my timid foul Shrunk at the perils of the boundless deep, And heav'd a figh for suffering mariners. Ah! little deeming I myself was doom'd To tempt the perils of the boundless deep, An Outcaft-unbeloved and unbewail'd. Why *The female convicts are frequently employed in collecting shells for the purpofe of making lime. |