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STANZAS.

Recal that strain! whose harrowing spell
Moves not this withered heart in vain,
Recal that strain! thou know'st full well,
It gives my sorrowing bosom pain.
Why wilt thou wake that joyful measure,
Why touch that chord in careless glee?
Although to thee it may bring pleasure,
It doth bring madness unto me.

The hand, that struck that note of gladness,
Is cold and mouldering in the tomb ;-
The eye, that glanced in softened sadness,
Is closed in death's untimely gloom.
That form of beauty's brightest moulding
Where is it now? Go! search and see!
Its earthly charms are now unfolding,
Their fragrance in eternity!

Oh! Wake not, then, that joyful measure,
Strike not that chord in careless glee,
Although to thee it may bring pleasure,
It brings but madness unto me.

VAN DIEMEN'S LAND IN 1803.

It was during the winter of a southern climate that our vessel bore down on the bold and mountainous Island of Van Diemen's Land, a country then only known to Europeans, from the imperfect accounts given by those who first discovered its coast-and consequently, the information as to its localities was uncertain and indefinite. The directions by which our commander pursued his course, were to enter a river on the southern side of the Island. On our approaching its entrance we found it to be of considerable width, with various inlets and bays; the neighbouring land was thickly wooded with trees of the largest size, from the coast to the tops of the most lofty mountains. The weather became variable, it was the extreme depth of winter-yet when the sky was cleared of clouds, the season resembled that of an European spring, the trees retaining their foliage as it were in defiance of the violent winter storms experienced at this season of the year. Our vessel proceeded slowly up the river, so as to allow the men in the boat, to reconnoitre the bays for safe anchorage, or to discover a rivulet of fresh water. It was during the suspense of information from the men in the boats, which were on each side of the river, when the anxious looks of our little party were directed towards the land, that I experienced those feelings of agitation and despondency which might be expected from a being, cast out as it were, from society, to live on an unknown

B

land, inhabited by an unknown savage race. While thus contemplating, a breeze sprung up from sea, our vessel cut the foaming element, and we approached a jutting neck of land, round which the current of the river flowed strong, its breadth being scarcely two miles; the country exhibiting on either side, stupendous mountains, one of which, was covered with snow as it appeared towering above the clouds. We were still proceeding against the current, when the captain, in consequence of a signal hoisted in one of the boats, suddenly gave orders for the anchor to be cast, at the same time remarking, "here will we rest-down," and strange as it may appear, "REST-DOWN" became henceforward the name of our encamp

ment.

I have oftentimes experienced pleasure, when hearing the chain cable rattle through the gang-way on the anchor, viz, cast to grapple with the strand, but on this occasion, the noise fell upon my ear with a doleful sound, which seemed ever to prognosticate troubles and difficulties-and which prognostication has proved eventually but too true. The bay had been sounded, and the attractions to the spot having been confirmed as suitable for a young settlement― we landed with the necessary utensils to erect temporary buildings for our future habitations. The various divisions of labor were assigned to each of us-some were actively employed in cutting down and clearing away the trees-others were occupied in cutting branches to lattice stakes, which were erected one against the other, to form side walls for our dwellings. The broken branches and decayed trees which had fallen, having "meted their measure of life," now stretched on the ground, waiting the hand of time to moulder them with their mother earth, served us for fires without the assistance of the wood-cutter. It was impossible to help moralizing on the wild and uncultivated face of nature, I looked as far as my sight could reach, still was there only one continued forest, with nothing to relieve the monotonous landscape, but the grandeur of the distant mountains. By degrees my reflections unawares and unperceptibly became drawn to the natural state of what were now densely populated countries. I contemplated what had been produced by the hand of man, what toil, what "sweat of the brow" had been bestowed before the face of the country could have become transformed from nature's wild rugged forest, to verdant fields and flowery shrubberies-to busy villages and busier cities.

The original possessors of all land, said I to myself, acquired their right by force, maintained that right by possession—and by the labor bestowed upon the land, it became subservient to useful purposes-thereby making that, their exclusive right, which ought by the law of right to have been the inheritance of others. But then again, nature, it would seem, informed man, that having been born with the right to live, he had also a right to some portion of that, by which existence could be sustained-the soil was then the means by which to procure support, for without it who could live? alas! as if to mock the law of nature, it has become the portion of few

and these few rule with despotic power, the very requisites for human sustenance. There is a predominant passion in man, which is put in force on all occasions, where he has the power to rule and domineer. This land, thought I, is now in possession of tribes of Aborigines, who enjoy themselves in their native forests according to their own fashions and inclinations-but we came to deprive them of their all-and if we cannot keep possession by seductive allurements-do not we know that we have the right to maintain possession, because it is our will so to do; thus man usurps power when he is aware that he can do so with impunity.

A small space of land being cleared, and the huts which we had erected for our temporary residence being completed, we landed a few articles of domestic use. The first night passed without interruption, unless from the croaking noise of the opossum-who, when the searching light of day passes from the forest, leaves its holes in the decayed trees, and comes abroad to feed on the leaves of the peppermint tree. When first I heard the unmusical sound, I awoke with a sort of fear, and starting from my grassy bed, quietly left my tent with my gun in my hand, and listened until I had ascertained the sound proceeded from an adjacent long leafy tree. Putting on my best courage, I proceeded towards the sound, and by the light of the stars, which shine with such transcendant brightness in the southern hemisphere, I soon perceived an animal about the size of a cat, fixed on a branch of the tree, apparently surprised at my intrusions on its solitude-fearing not my little animal, I returned to my tent. It became necessary for us, now that we had taken possession of the land, to look after the means of supportwe had as yet, supplied ourselves by fishing in the bay, where the fish were found in great plenty-but still, other nutriment became necessary. At day-break therefore, we started for the mountains to procure animal food, nor were we long before we fell in with kangaroo, who looked with apparent surprise at our appearance, squatting down, and, as it were, making motions with its front paws, and erecting its long ears, as if it would fain have asked us our business there. We fired at them, but with little success-we next set our dogs on the chase, but the swiftness with which they bounded through the forest, and the dogs being little accustomed to the bush, prevented us from procuring a sufficient supply. Weeks elapsed before we encountered the native tribes, which we attributed to our having landed at a place where the sloping land enclosed, by a ridge of hills stretching along the banks of the river, prevented them from observing us, in their emigration from one part of the Island to the other-the natives having no fixed place of abode, travel about as fancy may direct them. It had been our determination to keep together, at least, in such numbers that we might be a protection to each other, in case of being surprised by the savages. One fine evening, when we were all at our huts, little prepared for a visitor, and as little expecting one, suddenly were we surprised by the appearance of a native, who had taken his station

on a small eminence of ground within musket-shot of our encampment. His stature was of the ordinary size-but the bold and determined manner with which he had apparently fixed himself on the spot, showed a man of no ordinary courage-in his left hand, were several spears of about seven feet in length, and in his right, a short club or stick of not more than three feet-both of these he appeared to grasp with such muscular strength and resolution, that he convinced us he was not dismayed by our appearance. He was entirely naked, and his hair appeared matted with grease, and bedaubed here and there with patches of red ochre. His appearance was such that I could not emphatically express with the Poet

"When unadorned, adorned the most,"

although a native grace sat dark proportioned on his polished limbs. He waved with his hand, which signified to us "to go away," at the same time making use of words which we supposed to be in unison with the action. His face though strongly marked with the character peculiar to the African-still-differed materially upon closer inspection-the brow was full, and the eyebrows knitted over-small, quick, and cunning eyes-the lips too were large, pouting with a parallel to the nose and chin-below the under lip was a little tuft of hair, which needed not artificial aid to curl it. Desirous of maintaining a friendly intercourse with the natives, we signified by the best means in our power, our disposition to this savage, whom we judged from his appearance to be some chief that had in all probability received information from his tribe, that we had taken possession of his territories, when doubtlessly, according to custom, he had watched our movements without our ever being aware that we were observed by any one. Two of the principal officers walked towards him, with a few articles as an offering-but he regarded our movements with great caution-until he saw that the persons who approached him were unarmed-and that our looks did not indicate violence-he then was induced to come near our dwelling.

(To be continued.)

A POINT FOR THE CRITICS.

From the French of Armand Gouffé.

Write just as you speak-say modern critics,
That desperate band of merciless ascetics :
O ye! who fix the laws of composition,
Have ye no pity for my sad condition?
Tell me, in God's name, how should I compose,
For, gentle critics, I speak through my nose !

(Addressed to

STANZAS,

-, at Sydney; and written at Midnight, on the summit of Mount Nelson, October, 1832.)

Shine on bright star! thy midnight beam

Is seen by other eye than mine :
Shine on, bright star! and, as a dream,
Pass by us in thy course divine.
Does she I love, now gaze on thee,
And mark thy beauty lonely star,
Thinking with tenderness on me—
Distant from her so long and far?
Does she, as now she looks upon
Thy twinkling ray and softened light,
Ponder upon the fate of one

Who loves her with a fond delight?
Who, toss'd on life's tempestous wave,
Still clings to hope-still thinks of her,
As one, that from life's gloom may save
A sad and lonely wanderer.

Long years have past since last we met-
To me they have been years of pain;
Of sorrow and of grief-but yet,

I would not shun their course again :
For still to her my heart has turn'd
In all my ecstacy of tears:
With purest thoughts of her hath burn'd,
Mingled with love's bewitching fears.
In all my wanderings, her young love
Hath been to me a dear delight-
A dawning star-beam from above,
A gladdening ray of cheering light.
And if, in after years, my fate

Shall be, from her, in grief to sever,

I will not turn away in hate,

But still love on, and love for ever!

THE ISLAND OF DEATH.

A FRAGMENT.

The day had been unusually sultry; but the evening had brought with it the beauty and tranquillity that belong only to evening.

The passengers stood on deck, indulging in that feeling of glowing pleasure, which pervades the mind on leaving, perhaps for ever, the shores which contain the treasures of affection and endearment; the home of infancy; the scenes of youth; the friends and companions of the heart. Nor had Mary Seton, till that time, escaped the visitings of that sorrowful spirit. Often had she proceeded

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