and borne by seamen, his hat and sword lying on the centre of the flag.

"The chaplain preceded the bier, which was followed by a train of sailors, a guard of marines, and officers of various ranks with crape on their arms, cocked hats, and sword-handles.

"As we were pulling slowly away from this burial-place of bravery and enterprize, we heard a volley fired; and a humming-bird, possibly startled by the noise, in the suddenness of its little flight, struck against the hat of one of the men, and fell dead on the plank where the coffin had rested. By its death an insect which it had in its mouth escaped with life.

"I was now mate, and had become the friend of my worthy master. On our arrival in England I gave the stuffed humming-bird to Mary, who preserved it as a sad remembrance of the fate of her poor brother.

"Twelve months after this period, Mary became my wife; and if there is happiness on earth,

Harold, it is surely found in possessing such a woman. I would not for all this world's riches have parted with her, and to the last day of my life shall be as much wedded to her memory as I was to her person.

"Our felicity, however, was not doomed to be of long continuance. It was marred by one of those unforeseen circumstances which entail misery on folly.

"I had not been married more than seven months, when returning from a West-India voyage, full of joy and hope to clasp my own Mary to my heart, in passing the North Foreland, the wind suddenly chopped round to the northward, blew strong, and obliged us to seek shelter in the Downs, where a frigate was in the very act of weighing for the East Indies; and before our sails were half furled, a boat was sent on board with a lieutenant, to muster our men, to see if there was a lawful possibility of impressing any of us. For myself I had not the slightest dread, and my feelings at that time

partook of the delight pourtrayed in the old ballad that one of our men (a second Incledon) sang the night before

And as the much-loved shore we near,
With transport we behold the roof
Where dwells a friend or partner dear,
Of love and truth a matchless proof.'

But you shall hear, Harold. The first man that came out of the boat, after the lieutenant, was Thomas Forster, one of my fellow survivors from the wreck, who had been impressed.

Ah! Williams, my boy,' said he, how fares it with you? I have been nabbed, you see.'

"I was so glad to see my old shipmate, that my change of name never struck me to be of the least consequence, till the lieutenant, after looking over the apprentices' indentures, &c., and mustering the crew, said, 'I do not see the name of Williams here: did I not hear you call that person Williams, Forster ?'

"Yes, Sir,' said Forster unthinkingly, we were wrecked together on the Farn Islands."

"How is this, Sir,' said the officer to the

6

master; you are imposing on me by a false muster.'

"The man may be mistaken,' replied my father-in-law; on which Forster, seeing the scrape he had unwittingly led me into, began to prevaricate but the officer turned on his heel and desired me to get my things into` the boat, saying, 'I shall take this man of two names from your ship, captain.'

My father-in-law, well knowing that my papers were too irregular to expect any thing from their exposure, begged him not to ruin us by such an act, which, though it might appear to be supported by justice, was, in fact, one of cruelty.

"The lieutenant replied, that it was more than his commission was worth, and more power

VOL. 11.

than he possessed, to grant a privilege to me, which the law of the land denied to thousands of seamen as deserving as myself.*

On the power which is granted to the executive government for the impressment of seamen, the Author cannot but remark, that although the most aristocratical legislator seems willing to admit that nothing but necessity can justify its continuance, yet it is somewhat extraordinary that while the Negroes' cause is advocated by thousands, and the Roman Catholies' Emancipation Bill supported by almost as many as it is opposed, and progressive amelioration taking place in the laws respecting both these classes, no parliamentary measure has been adopted for the abolition of the slavery of seamen.

It is not enough that in time of peace no impressment takes place, for the strong, and, in this instance, tyrannical arm of the law still hangs over the heads of sailors, and to-morrow they may be taken like felons (for it would be idle to hide the dreadful truth under milder terms), dragged from their wives and families, and forced to serve against their inclination. The evil is the more grievous, as it is left to chance in its operations, for by that alone men often escape, or are kidnapped by the press-gang.

Real public good can scarcely accrue from private injury, and it is to be hoped some means may be assayed, in which the civil authorities, acting under a wisely-regulated system of laws, applicable to the different seaports of the United Kingdom, may be enabled to raise men for the navy, at any time, and to any required number, without resorting to that species