to gaze upon the wonderful scene presented to his inquiring eyes, but he feels strange sensations (proceeding from the all potent draught he has just quaffed); something like distant thunder rumbles within him, a kind of earthquake of the body, and every now and then, as the vaporous fermentation ascends, he feels a twitch in the nose, and which he begins to fancy may be the first symptoms of la maladie du pays, whilst the heat becomes oppressive, and the musquitoes and sand-flies keep the truce signal, the white handkerchief, in constant motion, but to little purpose. About to seek shelter at Goodall's,' he stumbles upon a fat punchy Israelite, who stands purposely in the way, and avails himself of the favourable moment, like a skilful trafficking tactician, to court an introduction, by bows and a thousand beg-pardons,' and then going on the other tack- Sirs, I begs no apologies-it vas mines own fault, I declares; vil you do me de honors to step into mine shops, and takes a little sangarées; you're heartily welcomes, sirs; I shows de ways.' This is a sort of appeal to a stranger's politeness-a disinterested hospitality, unusual in more frigid climes. Johnny could not resist it; and, maugre the unsightly Lombardian golden sign, in he steps; but it is two to one' if he comes out again under half-a-joe!

Escaping at last from the Jew's clutches, minus a piece of gold, and 'half cocked' with disguised brandy, under the assumed mixture of wine, water, lime-juice, nutmeg and sugar-the fascinating sangarée, he enters the grand rendezvous of the blue-coats, Goodall's tavern: he is met at the door by the host, a greasy, flabby fellow, with a strong obliquity of vision, and wearing merely a white shirt and trowsers. This doughty champion of good fare advances towards Johnny, and soon contrives to extract an order for a beef-steak and a jorum of hock, for both of which mine host is supereminent. Having thus drawn his purse-strings, and satisfied his appetite, Johnny is next introduced into the billiard-room; on entering which, he finds a party in shirt-sleeves,' driving about the balls, betting upon cannons that are never made, and levelling the queue in scientific style; he soon catches the eye of Black Tom,' (the marker,) who begins to hum a tune- Man-of-war buckra,' and to dance a fandango round the stranger, and in a very little time sets the whisper round that there is a Johnny Newcome just arrived; and the usual toast upon such an occasion follows- A bloody war and a sickly season!' Here Johnny loses his doubloon, and retires with a head-ache, and it may be added, with many heart-aches, before he is dubbed a stager.

"The sequel of his progress is a repetition of similar adventures, in which he always finds himself much reduced in pocket, but advancing in experience, until he arrives at that crisis where novelties cease to appear so to him, and he is no longer so to others."

Perhaps the reader will readily excuse the plain colouring of the above picture, when (if he is not an old stationer himself) he is assured that a more correct one could not have been drawn. Things are greatly altered since the peace, and, I have no doubt, for the better in many respects; but those individuals who were solely dependent on the navy for support, have felt the difference between war and prize-money,' and peace without plenty! The accidental fire which nearly razed * the

13th July, 1815.

entire town, was a dreadful event to the poor inhabitants. The want of society, in the hours of relaxation on shore, generally threw the officers into the company of the coloured females, who, in allusion to their stately deportment and creolian pride, were termed "dignity ladies." There are few people in the world, however, let the shade of complexion be what it may, from that of the fairest Circassian to that of the darkest Papuan, possessing more feeling or more friendly hearts, or whose general character has so many fair traits to counterbalance the frailties of human nature. Many officers owe their lives to the care and humane attentions of these tender-hearted females; and it were injustice, whilst speaking of Port Royal and its inhabitants, not to mention them.

*

In Port Royal harbour there are three long and slender fishes, that are seen in great numbers on the surface of the water, and may be ranked among the peculiarities of this place. They are known by the following names: the guardo or guard-fish (Gar fish, Esox major); the jack (sword fish, Trichiurus Lepturus); and the ballahou (piper, Esor minor). The jack is the largest, and appears to be at eternal war with the two others, for which purpose it is armed with rows of sharp teeth, very formidable to its adversaries; it basks on the surface of the water during the heat of the day, in a sort of indolent, unguarded state; but this is merely an assumed position, the better to ensnare its enemies, and to be ready to catch the floating bodies that may happen to pass near it, for the moment anything is thrown into the sea from a ship, it darts with the rapidity of lightning upon it, and seizing it, as quickly retreats. This warrior fish is particularly possessed of a foresight or instinctive quality, which we sometimes see exemplified in different animals, amounting almost to second reason: I mean the sagacity which it displays in avoiding the hook when baited; although voracious in the extreme, it seems aware of the lure held out for its destruction, and avoids it with as much care as the generality of fishes show eagerness to devour it. The situation it takes, immediately in the wake of the ships at anchor, gives another instance of its sagacity; as whatever is thrown overboard passes astern, where he is ever on the alert to glean from the miscellaneous articles such as is suited to his taste, and guards his treasured supply with the jealousy of a miser. No other fish of equal size dare approach; and they have obtained the popular name of Jack from the sailors, probably because those eccentric mortals would associate with the sobriquet fancy has bestowed upon themselves, the finny warrior of their own element. The jack is, however, sometimes enticed, no doubt, when hunger presses him, to swallow the treacherous bait; but this is rare, and he is more frequently struck with a barbed lance, or entrapped in a net. The guardo has similar habits with the jack, but yields the palm of victory to its stronger and more courageous opponent; and yet it tyrannizes with unrelenting vigour over the more delicate and less warlike associate, the ballahou. But whilst the various productions of nature in this clime-fertile to infinitude—have always claimed my attention, and been a source of interest and unfeigned delight to my mind, I have never ceased to regret my inability to take that philosophic view of their structures, qualities, and habits, so as to afford me a closer and more intimate acquaintance

* There are two fishes so called at Port Royal: the tail of the sword-fish tapers to a point, in which it differs from the other jack.

with them. The reader, however, who takes pleasure in these matters, will have nothing to regret, as minute scientific descriptions are to be found in books written for the express purpose.

The most extraordinary animal I have seen in this harbour is the seadevil (Lophius maximus), which frequently weighs 3000 lbs. No doubt it has obtained its name from its hideous appearance, so uncouth and strange, indeed, as to baffle all description. The water of the harbour is at times covered with the medusa, sea-blubber, and sea-nettle, as they are variously termed; some of these attain a great size, and have the appearance of animated pieces of jelly, the body being of an orbiculated convex figure; of a gelatinous substance, semi-transparent, and provided with fringy plicæ tinged with a purple colour. These singular animals are very lively in the water, although their locomotion is heavy; and, from their numbers and constant movements, give an air of unusual animation to the waters of the harbour. They appear to derive their motion and to alter their situation by alternately expanding and contracting the tentaculæ and plica.

Thousands of those beautiful little marine animals, called by sailors "Portuguese men-of-war," (Holothuria physalis, or Aretusa of Brown,) are met with off Port Royal harbour, studding the sea as far as the eye can trace them. The colour is a clear pink, in some parts bordering on lilac, but, from their motion in the water, the shades of the internal membranes often assume a darker purple. This little creature possesses, like the orbicular tribe of zoophytes, the power of deadening the flesh of persons who handle it; but it is very slight and gives no pain, a numbing sensation only being felt; and I believe either common salt or lime-juice applied to the part affected will entirely remove it. This little transparent bladder (which is said to be very like in shape to the human stomach) is so delicate and tender that it soon fades and dies away, when handled or cast upon the shore; it is, like the nautilus, provided with many tentaculæ, some of which are very small. I have been often amused at observing their movements, like a Lilliputian fleet, amidst the agitation of the waves: when the wind has freshened, I have remarked that they lay flat on the surface, and rise again when the gust has passed; but I know not whether this be voluntary or occasioned by the pressure of the wind.

That tiger of the ocean, the shark, is often seen cruising about the harbour; but I do not recollect any person having been injured or devoured by that animal here during the period I was on the station. At Kingston, however, such distressing events often occurred. Several years ago there was a well-known fish of this kind, considered in the light of a pet in Port Royal harbour; it was called "Old Tom of Port Royal," and was fed whenever it approached any of the ships, but was at last killed by the father of a child which it devoured. I was told that, whilst it remained here, no other of the squalus tribe dare venture on his domain; he reigned lord paramount in his watery empire; and had never committed any depredation but the one for which he suffered. The story of Lieut. Fitton's shark is well known.

(To be continued.)

IN REPLY TO THE ARTICLE ON THAT SUBJECT IN OUR LAST NUMBER.

YOUR last number contains an article on "the Defence of Ireland during the late War," which, though written in a complimentary style, requires some comments.

In the first place, the writer, after saying that Colonel Napier was Chief Field Engineer to the army in Ireland, at the period of Hoche's invasion, proceeds to describe the absurd and unmilitary state of the Engineer's defences in the northern parts, from whence it might be inferred, that under Colonel Napier's superintendence the service had suffered from such ridiculous proceedings and culpable ignorance. Now, Sir, at the period of Hoche's menaced invasion, the late Colonel George Napier was a half-pay infantry officer, residing near Dublin; but his great capacity, his experience, and extensive knowledge in every branch of military affairs, and his commanding character, had in a manner obliged the government of the day to call for his assistance at that critical period. The office of Chief Field Engineer was actually created for the purpose of giving him an opportunity of assisting in the military councils.

A quarrel with Lord Carhampton, the particulars of which may be seen in the Appendix to Moore's Life of Lord Edward Fitzgerald, induced him to refuse the salary; and the departure of the French fleet put an end to his functions in a few weeks after his appointment. It is plain, therefore, that he could have had no hand in the follies of the day described by your correspondent.

The next point upon which I wish to comment is the censure passed upon Lord Cornwallis's military conduct during Humbert's invasion. I think I can convince the writer of the article in question that Lord Cornwallis's military conduct in this instance was quite worthy of his great and deserved reputation.

1st. He censures Lord Cornwallis for having sent a militia force instead of a regular force, to fight the enemy at Castlebar, and has rather loosely described his Lordship as having, after the affair of Castlebar, put ten thousand men in motion to stop the progress of eight hundred French troops, whose cause was hopeless.

Humbert's corps was, I believe, nearer eighteen than eight hundred men; but setting that point aside, I shall proceed to give you a short abstract, taken from unquestionable sources, of the real state of affairs and of the conduct of Lord Cornwallis. The rebellion of 1798 had just been crushed, and Lord Cornwallis's wise and humane measures of conciliation were beginning to take effect; but the spirit of disaffection to the Government was subdued rather than crushed, many bands of insurgents were still wandering about, many chiefs still at large, burning to renew the contest, if a favourable opportunity offered; and well knowing, what Lord Cornwallis also was informed of by the Duke of Portland, that two armaments-the one at Brest, the other at Dunkirk-were preparing for the invasion of Ireland.

In this state of affairs, on the 24th of August, intelligence reached the Castle that Humbert had landed at Killala bay. The information as

to the number was not precise; but they had been well received. The troops were at this time in march for different permanent stations, allotted to them after the late campaign against the insurgents; and the first thing was to order the army to concentrate again, posting, however, sufficient bodies in certain places to check any fresh insurrectional

movements.

General Lake was ordered to Galway, to assemble a force there; General Nugent was directed to draw troops from the north, and assemble them on the side of Sligo; and General Taylor, then at Sligo, General was directed to feel for the enemy, but not to commit himself. Lake was particularly warned not to risk an action before assembling a force sufficient to ensure success, as the actual state of the country was such, that any check at the beginning might produce serious ill consequences. Meanwhile the late Sir J. Moore and General Campbell's brigades, with some other troops, marched to concentrate at Longford and Athlone, and all troops that could be spared from the garrisons and interior districts were likewise directed upon the Shannon. On the 26th, the troops began to concentrate upon that river, and Lord Cornwallis, although suffering from the gout, arrived in person.

Thus far it would appear, that neither activity nor intelligence were wanting. The enemy was hemmed in on the right and left, by Lake and Nugent; Taylor, with a column of observation, was put upon his track, and the main army was concentrating in his front, and in the centre of Ireland, ready to act whenever circumstances should require its presence; and by its force, and the rapidity with which it was brought together, checking any disposition in the people to rise in favour of the enemy; and so far from Lake being sent with an inferior force to combat the French, he was especially desired to avoid an action. Now began the errors, not of Lord Cornwallis, but of his Lieutenant.

On the 26th he received intelligence that Humbert had not advanced beyond Ballina; but at the same time information arrived that General Hutchinson, who commanded in Galway, had, previous to Lake's arrival, moved from thence, with a small force, to Castlebar, thus courting an action, with troops probably inferior in numbers, and certainly in quality, to the enemy, and at a most critical moment.

On the 27th, news arrived that Lake, having joined Hutchinson at Castlebar, about eleven o'clock at night, and much fatigued with constant travelling, had no time to correct the position of the troops, which was bad, or to make any arrangements; for at five o'clock the next morning he was informed that the enemy was near; and at seven o'clock Humbert, who had made a forced march by the unguarded mountain-road of Barnagee, fell upon him, and totally routed his forces, taking nine pieces of artillery, ammunition, &c. The fugitives. did not rally until they reached Holymount, twenty miles from the field of battle. General Hutchinson had detached a good many troops in observation, and had not more than eleven or twelve hundred infantry engaged, and these behaved generally very ill. Yet Humbert's force was inferior, because he had left men in Killala, and during his forced march of thirty Irish miles, had lost nearly half his troops by straggling. The negligence of the British generals was indeed the primary cause of the disaster, for the artillery stood manfully to their guns; Captain