chase this trifle of the beautiful Merchandista," | Spanish lover; and of him, of course, received the cried Arrias, in Spanish, good humouredly hold- impassioned assurance that he would yield her all ing out the pincushion. relations' services-serve her with more than all her relations' love. "Oh, certainly, to oblige, certainly," said the other, who comprehended the action though not the words, producing the half-crown. "Allow me to put it in paper, sir," joined in Harriette, without one tinge of triumph in her tuneful tone. "Oh no, never mind, never mind," exclaimed the discomfited, now the object of much curiosity, and he crammed the superb article into his zephyr. "Deuce take me if I come it Frenchman again," and so he departed: nor did the Spaniard tarry longer than to receive the rich guerdon of his kindness in the shape of one grateful glance of modest thankfulness from the bright eyes of the lovely bazaar girl. And thus did Harriette Stanley make the first step in the shape of a gentle prepossession that advanced her towards the total surrender of her heart's affections to one, of whose honourable love and great desert she was by a long and assiduous courtship well assured. But Don Jose De Arrias was too much of a gentleman to prosecute his attentions in public, to the hindrance and annoyance of the fair object. No, he hesitated not to apprise the ever-watchful Mrs. Jones of his intentions, and beneath vigilant surveillance of that lady was he allowed to make his approaches in due form. But if Harriette did, as I have hinted, fall into the passion so precipitously and Sapphoish as to deem his visits almost as those of an angel, the unamiable dragon, as Moore unamiably terms our prudery, caused her to carry out their perfect identity in respect to their being few and far between. Still, where there exists an earnest, virtuous affection, it is astonishing what a great deal may be said in a few words, and what an amazing quantity of sentiment and of passion may be conveyed in a single look. At the close of her first year at bazaar-stand-keeping, and at the commencement of her nineteenth summer, which if I recollect rightly was about the time the more remote ringlets of her finely formed head fell back upon the main body, and formed themselves in lofty tiara somewhat more in front; at which time also, I judge, those costly but by no means gaudy or shewy combs and ear-drops made their appearance-Don Arrias was as happy as an accepted lover could be. But was not she alsothe fair enslaved enslaver-was not she proportionably delighted? Alas, no; her state of wretched uncertainty respecting her parentage ruffled the rose leaves love had otherwise strewn for her repose. Of the farmer-man she had heard nothing for many months, but she had no reason to suppose him dead, and therefore she dared not to open the sealed note he had entrusted her with, under solemn promise not to do so until assured of his demise. The broach containing her mother's hair she bore ever about with her in her reticule, on her wrist, nay, on her ivory neck she bore it; but from some strange anomaly in her feelings on the subject, perhaps she could not herself account for, never on her breast! Its history together with her own, as far as she knew, she had confided to her " Forty thousand mothers Could not, with all their quality of love, Make up his sum." But though no doubt Harriette drew some consolation from this, since we have it upon high authority that females like exaggeration, yet was her mind very disturbed, as people say, when suffering under an unsatisfiable curiosity; and whenever she was standing at ease behind her bazaar-stand, whenever on such occasions, I say, Arrias was not in her thoughts, be sure her mother was; and as surely was her mother's locket in her hand. (To be concluded in our next.) THE THREE ERAS OF ROYALTY. (IMPROMPTU STANZAS.) (Written on seeing Her Majesty and the Royal Family on the Cliff at Brighton, Sunday, Sept. 10, 1843.) BY MRS. C. BARON-WILSON. When first I saw that fair young face, That lustre gave the crown, When next beheld, a noble youth And led thee thence-a bride; But here I see thee far more bless'd, And feel, as circled thus thou'rt seen, CHARADE. One letter put before my first, and you will see quite clear An article of general use that fair equestrians wear ; Then gaze intently on your hands, or even on your feet, And your ideas will, I'm sure, my second quickly meet ! To every purpose there's a time-a time for all below, third must show. A time to mourn, a time to -, nay, scripture my Of command, hearts as loyal, true, and brave as any in the land. Bristol. A BLUE BELLE. THE VOICES OF LOVE. FIRST VOICE. I have enter'd the halls of the high-born and great, I dwell in a glance, in a tone, in a smile, And though riches may boast of their power, all the while My power is the greatest on all earth above, SECOND VOICE. I shrink not, I care not, I willingly die A CRUISE IN THE "LAVINIA." BY JOHN LUKE CLENNELL, ESQ. CHAP. X. FRIENDLY FACES. There is a charm beyond what beauty gives,- A stranger's welcome to some resting place. Why beeds the mariner not Arctic cold? Why does he 'neath the scorching tropics burn, But from a hope he shall again behold Those rendered happy by his safe return, The cherished objects of most kind concern? For the peace of the loved one; and danger, when Your schools of beauty, as you will compare, nigb, I fearlessly meet, and fearlessly brave. I cannot be bound by mountain or wave; Fetters cannot enchain me, Or dungeons detain me. My flight I still wing, for all things own my sway; I have been to the shrine of a weeping maid, I left it there, and pluck'd the dart Of my king away, for 'twas fest'ring there, And I gave her in charge to the fiend Despair; A moment's time, and they were dead. On each breaking heart a string I placed, And on some they bloom'd, and with brightness graced Its shrine again; Whilst for some 'twas vain; Nought could ease their pain. And the wrecks of most hearts there I left despair and death to share. I am the weakest of his powers above, For I am the Pilgrim, the Pilgrim of Love. I am barter'd for gold, and love must die, CLEORA. Of lordly mansion or of humble cot; A friendly face appeareth ever fair, How homely it may be it matters not. The Ebor took the lead, and we soon lost sight of her; she was not half so deep as we were, and we had weathered the Cape the wind scanted conshowed such a tremendous spread of canvas. When siderably, and at one time we were almost afraid that we should not be able to fetch the Orkneys. It came on very thick, with heavy showers of rain and sleet, and there was a good deal of sea on. Notwithstanding all the allurements held out by Davy to tempt me into Stromness, I was desirous of pressing forward, if in any way possible to do so. We succeeded at length in making the entrance of the Pentland Firth, and we set the schooner's nose to it, but she wouldn't look at it; there was such a swell, it would have buried her. 66 "Well, well, Garrioch," said I, we must just get into Stromness, there is nothing else for us;" so into Stromuess harbour we went. It was just after daybreak in the morning, when we came to anchor a little to the westward of Sinclair's quay; we had scarcely handed the sails when two or three boats' full of visitors came alongside. Leask was the first on deck, and warm were his congratulations on my safe return from Dublin. Davy had a message from the wife by one of his sons; and James received greetings from his " good 'oman" by his father-in-law. There seemed pleasure in store for all. Irish Jim and Crompy were appointed ship-keepers, and the others had permission to go ashore. Leask, Davy, and I had a wee drop together in the cabin before leaving the schooner, and "fought our battles o'er again," and smiled at dangers past. We landed at Sinclair's, and sent the lads back with the boat. The first house I entered was Robertson's, where I was most warmly welcomed by the kind lady and her daughters. The lassies looked as bonny as ever; and so, once more, behold the Captain quite at home. I know not if it be a constitutional habit with me, or whether phrenologists could discover any developments on my cranium significant of such predilection; but stat sententia, in plain English, the fact is, give me a glass of grog and a pretty girl, and I am quite comfortable anywhere, heeding little how the world wags. I have no doubt many of my readers will say that I am not singular in this respect. Why should I be? There is abundance of grog and plenty of pretty damsels in the world for those who will strive to win the smiles of the one and earn by honest industry a claim to occasionally indulge themselves with a taste of the other. We looked in at Nesbitt's and took a dram; at Sinclair's, and took another; repeated the dose at the hostel of Patterson (a Newcastle man), and wound up our before-dinner potations with a drop at Dr. Hamilton's. In the afternoon we had a ramble on the hills, and a peep at the weather, and then returned to take tea and spend the evening with "the leddies." Jessie favoured me with some pretty Scotch tunes on her piano, and sang me a sweet little simple ballad. I had given the lads orders to bring the boat to Nesbitt's landing, and get two more of the hands to assist in pulling off, if it should blow hard. Between ten and eleven o'clock I made a move to go on board, but found the wind so boisterous, and such a heavy swell on, that Leask strongly advised me to remain and take half his bed. "Well, but," said I, "what's to be done with the lads? Some one must be on board, as the schooner cannot be left to herself." "Send your men on board," replied he. body well with dry towels, donned a clean shirt, and tumbled in, "To sleep-perchance to dream.” What an agreeable change in the weather the following morning brought us! The sun shonescarcely a breath of wind was stirring, and the harbour was as smooth as a mill-pond; it seemed as though nature, tired of her petulance, had fallen into a gentle slumber. A pleasant surprise awaited me at the breakfast table; Jim, the cook, handed me a basket of newly-laid eggs, which had been sent on board as a present to Captain Clennell from Miss Graham, who thought he might fancy them. I made a point of calling directly I went ashore, to thank the lady for her politeness. According to invitation, Leask and I, before the morning was over, beat up Dr. Hamilton's quarters to have " a crack." In the course of conversation, Hamilton spoke to us of a clipper of a boat he had, which, under canvas, could beat anything in that part of the world. Leask said that he thought the Lavinia's jolly boat a match for the clipper, and after a little further chat upon the subject, it was agreed that the next day, if there should be wind, their respcctive merits should be put to the test in a race from one end of the barbour to the other, for a wager of a dozen glasses of grog. I was made prisoner, as usual, for the evening at Robertson's, and Jessie again played and sang to amuse me. The appointed day being favourable, Leask was early on board the schooner, and after breakfast we made preparations for our excursion. The mast was fixed, the sails bent, the boat ballasted, and we were all ready for a start before Hamilton made his appearance. He came at last, however, in apple-pie order, with his boy to manage the It took some persuasion to make me consent to this; but at last I agreed that Leask should tell them that I would remain ashore all night, and that they were to go off directly. They, however, seemed to entertain similar opinions with ourselves, and remonstrated against putting off in such a hurricane. There certainly was a most terrific stormthe water drifting in large sheets upon the quays, and the tiles tumbling from the houses in quite a shower. I was ensconced very cosily by the fire-jib. This being the doctor's first appearance on side, when Leask informed me of the state of affairs in my little principality. My resolution was formed instanter. The schooner could not be left, and my determination, therefore, was to go on board myself, as the men would then be obliged to accompany me, and could have no excuse when I was thus with them. The seamen were not a little astonished when I made my appearance amongst them, and informed them of my intention. Stepping into the stern of the boat (which was knocking against the sides of the quay, as though it would be dashed to pieces,) I fixed the tiller, and ordered them to take their places, and pull away as hard as they could for the schooner. Having bade Leask and Nesbitt good night, and received their best wishes for a safe passage, away we went. It required my most minute attention in steering the boat to keep her head to wind, for had the swell caught her on the quarter, or a-midships, we should have been swamped to a certainty. The sea broke right over us, and we had none of us a dry rag on in a very short time; after about half an hour's severe pulling we reached the schooner. Had the weather been fair, it would not have taken us five minutes to complete the distance. I gave the men a good stiff dram each, and, having taken one myself, put off my wet clothes, rubbed my board the schooner, we must needs of course have ping club, and a real merry old boy, and no mistake. He was said to be worth heaps o' money. I laughed heartily at his dry observation with regard to myself" Aweel," said the laird, "he's no such a bad fellow after all." This was considered by those who knew him well to be very high commendation. We had quite a jollification. The laird became jocose-Leask, a most unusual thing with him, was very talkative, and Nesbitt spun long yarns of handsome widows with large jointures. Having detected Crompy in two or three affairs of pilferage, I discharged him, and shipped in his place a smart lad named Robert. I also received into my service an apprentice from one of the company's ships, called the Victory; the boy's name was Loutit. He was of a most incorrigibly bad temper; but in ability equal to almost any seaman. The skipper of the Victory could do nothing with him, and none of the other masters would have anything to say to him; I proposed to receive him, and my offer was eagerly accepted. Leask introduced to me two spectable females of his acquaintance, desirous of taking a passage in my vessel to Newcastle; and Davy having consented to manage turning in with James, we fitted up Davy's berth for their accommodation. The "Rambler" was also windbound in Stromness, and on two or three occasions I fell in with the skipper, and had the pleasure of hearing some of his wonderful stories, right marvellous adventures by flood and field. CHAP. XI. GOOD BY E. Good bye! Ah, who can rightly tell Upon the saddened heart comes stealing? We love to still go dreaming on, With sunny smiles our steps attending, And hope, till hope itself is gone, Such pleasure will not have an ending. 'Tis only when the shadows come More closely round the path we're treading, Unable to escape the gloom Which sorrow o'er the mind is spreading, And consciousness, alas! encroach re The day of sailing came at last, and a fine morning we had to start with. What biddings "good bye," and parting glasses to be sure! Your Orkney and Highland bodies can do nothing without a dram. At a christening they have whiskey-marriages can only be fortunate in proportion as the health of the happy couple is toasted in "potations pottle deep ;" and in the house where death has been exhibiting his terrors, sorrow must be drowned in whiskey. In meetings, whether of pleasure or business, you have still the dram-that alpha and omega of Highland notions of enjoyment. When saying adieu to my kind friends the Robertsons, I was agreeably surprised at the receipt of a little present from my favourite, Jessy. She begged my acceptance of some socks which she had knit for me during my absence at Dublin, as a remembrance of Orkney. I received with pleasure this token of kindness, and thanked the fair donor most heartily. Leask, and one or two other friends, came on board to accompany us out of the harbour, and my passengers, with their goods and chattels being properly located, we took our departure from Strom ness. What a strange eventful history is human life! what a very paradox! seeming impossibilities becoming simple, even to a proverb, and the coveted and unattainable object of one day a mere incident of memory in another. Had any one told me twelve months before that I should visit the Orkney islands as skipper of a vessel, I should have mocked at the idea; yet see the issue! Reader, say not this or that thou wilt do or leave undone at any future period of life. Thy present thoughts are but the influence of what thou hast seen and known, and a new chapter of accidents may be the preface to thy history in some fresh character. My visit to Stromness will ever form a pleasant subject of remembrance. It made me acquainted more than years of reading could have done with my fellow-man-I had seen society under many artificial, or, as some would say, more civilized phases (heaven save the mark), but I had yet to learn "How little may suffice for nature's claim." There are many happy, contented souls (at least they seem so) in Stromness, who seek their daily bread upon the waters, and depend for support on the precarious produce of each morning's fishing. Rye-bread and fish is their almost unvaried fare, yet are they robust and healthy, and found, with a smile on their manly faces, in the house of God on every returning sabbath, listening attentively to the minister, and contributing their mite towards the furtherance of the good work. "Full many a gem of purest ray serene, The dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear; Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, And waste its sweetness on the desert air." Stromness is particularly celebrated for its pilots, who take charge of ships through the Minch, to the Baltic, or any part of the North Sea. Garrioch, as I believe I mentioned before, was one of the craft. In the war-time they were in great request, and there was always one or more government ships in Stromness Harbour in quest of their services, and trying to pick up a few of the thorough-bred tars, whom the officers held in high esteem. Well, we got out to sea, shook hands with our friends who returned in their boat, hoisted the stunsails, set the watch, and then amused ourselves as best we might. James kept the deck with his watch. Davy, who was three sheets in the wind, turned in to have a snooze. The ladies took to their berth, and I, to pass away an hour, scribbled the following sonnets: MY LOVE. I sometimes wish myself a little dove, The while I nestled in her bosom lie. Which on her 10sy lip so sweetly plays; That I might then each care of life beguile, With sips of honey there for all my days. Anon, I'd be a slip of jessamine, To serve to ornament the maiden's dress; And call, indeed, a happy fortune mine, Thus to be smothered in her soft caress. What, verily, would I not wish to be, When I, my darling, fix my thoughts on thee? MY FRIEND. I have a friend-not such a one as those To other climes at once take flight together. His true opinion, he at once discloses For those in whom he confidence reposes. There is nothing, I think, worth recording on our passage to Shields, save that the ladies could eat nothing, and therefore Davy and I were regaled with cold chicken, tongue, &c., which they had brought on board, but were unable themselves to partake of. We were only two days in completing the distance, and moored safely in Shields' Harbour on the 2nd March, 1841, thus completing MY FIRST VOYAGE. We had not been long at anchor, when I received a message from Messrs. John Allen and Co., desiring me to moor the schooner up the river, a-breast of their works. I immediately engaged a steam-towing boat, and proceeded to the appointed place. They commenced to discharge the cargo directly on our arrival, and in two days and a-half it was all out. Twelve days were specified in my charter-party, as the allowed time for loading and discharging the sulphur-ore, and eleven of these having been taken up at Dublin, there remained, therefore, but one day for the consignees at Newcastle, and I thus had a claim, in addition to my freight, of 4l. 10s. for one day and a-half's demurrage. Mr. John Allen behaved in the most honest and straightforward manner, for, on the production of the memorandum of charter party, he handed me a check for the amount of freight and demurrage-a thing somewhat unusual, as demurrage claims are often disputed, and generally obtained only with much difficulty, I make mention of this matter, because there are so many whose creed is that any trickery is fair in trade, and to show that there are honourable exceptions to these Yankee notions-merchants, like those of England's olden time, whose word is as their bond. I met on the quay an acquaintance from Dublin (Captain Baird), who sailed from the Liffey a few days prior to our departure. He had chosen the south passage, and fallen in with very tempestuous weather. The fore-topmast of his brig had been carried away, and the vessel had likewise received much other damage. His nerves, poor man, were much shaken by a dreadful casualty which had occurred on the passage. He had on board a smart active lad, who had been in the government service, and who was ever skylarking some way or other with his shipmates. This lad was a favourite with the whole ship's company. In a heavy gale off the Land's End, he had gone aloft with the others to reef, and he must needs even then be at his pranks. One of the boom-irons had been left on the fore-yard, and he went along the yard to remove it a thing no one would have dreamed of in such weather but himself. Whilst he was unscrewing the iron, the ship gave a sudden yaw, and he was thrown from the yard. He struck against the rail, which was covered with his blood and brains, and then rolled overboard. It was no use attempting to recover the body in such a sea, and besides life was evidently extinct. I did not at all wonder at Baird's nerves being shaken at such a horrid spectacle: a man must have possessed very little feeling indeed not to have been sensibly affected by so melancholy a disaster. I had many visitors on board the schooner whilst she lay at St. Anthony's, and received their congratulations on the happy issue of my first voyage. I balanced my accounts, and found that I cleared between fifty and sixty pounds on the trip-not so far amiss, considering the dulness of the times. I arranged with Messrs. Anthony Parker and Co. to load a cargo of coals forthwith, for Messrs. Armstrong and Walton of Deptford Creek, and the day after the sulphur ore was out, moored the "Lavinia " to the spout to take in her coals. Of course, whilst the vessel was in port, I spent as much of my time as possible with my friends; and as I had brought plenty of Denis Doyle's best, to regale my visitors, I had a few glorious evenings at home! As some of the sayings and doings of these festive meetings will bear repeating, and the portraits of those present are really far from uninteresting, I will, reader, with thy kind permission, in my next chapter, before commencing an account of my second voyage, sketch from recollection MY FRIENDS AND THEIR FANCIES. ON AN INFANT. (From an Old Tomb in St. Saviour's), Death saw the blossom to the desert given, Pluck'd the sweet flower, and planted it in Heaven. |