I was proceeding down the poop ladder, with the intention of getting up my chest, when he called after me in a voice of thunder. Our conversation had hitherto been carried on in so low a tone as to attract little or no attention, but this loud and angry exclamation drew all eyes upon us. He motioned me to follow him into his cabin. "I know not what induced me to take such a useless lubber into my ship I suppose," said he, sneeringly, "you thought you had only to come on board and enjoy yourself; I tell you what, young man, I am not much used to argufy with my servants-but go ashore, if you like."

It happened, however, that Captain Green had indispensable need of a person of my description; besides, I suspect there were motives I was not aware of, that would have rendered it impolitic in him to allow me to depart. He, however, as a last resource, put on a big look and exclaimed

"D'ye threaten me in my own ship, 'tis well you hav'nt signed articles, or damme, I'd give ye a taste of salt ell."

"This is nothing to the purpose," said I, "I therefore wish you good day, and a pleasant voyage."

"Then you are going," said he, half increduously.

I bowed in token of assent, but said nothing.

He muttered an oath or two, but presently added aloud, "Well, I dont see that your messing with me will make much difference," and quitted the cabin. Now I had seen quite enough in this short interview to convince me, that if I did gain my point, my situation would be the reverse of comfortable during the voyage. The captain was not a man to be thwarted with impunity, and I had penetration sufficient to gather from his significant scowl, as he went on deck, that he would find an opportunity at sea to evince his recollection of what had just past. I would, on this account, have persevered in my intention of going on shore, but I had no further grounds of complaint, or rather, I recollected none at the moment, and was obliged to submit to my fate. Shortly after daybreak on the following day, a favourable breeze springing up, the Glyceria got under weigh, and proceeded down the Channel. As soon as the Captain came on deck, he immediately looked about for me, and finding I was below, he dispatched the second mate

after me.

"Ah, messmate," cried he, as soon

as I appeared," what, skulking already for shame; come, come, make yourself smart: clap your weight upon those top-sail haliyards, and the yard will fly up like smoke."

I would readily have lent a hand, but the tone of mockery in which he spoke, and the laugh it raised at my expense galled me to the quick, and I walked away forward. He called after me, but a violent squall, accompanied by a change of wind, which almost laid the ship aback, just then drew all his attention, and for this time, Lescaped further persecution.

As is usually the case with ships at the commencement of long voyages, we had been in much confusion, but now things getting a little in their places, I began to hope that I should find better sleeping accommodation than I had hitherto met with. I accordingly stated my grievances to the chief mate, telling him that I had swung my cot for several nights with the servants in the steerage. He heard me with a grin sort of gravity, and then asked me what I would have him do? I suggested that he might provide me a more suitable berth.

"Shall I turn the captain out of his cabin?" inquired he with a short laugh. "I did not want that," said I, somewhat confounded.

"You didn't, eh? then get away, and don't bother me sleep in the main-top, or the main-chains, if you like; or go to h-1, if it please ye better!"

A few days after we had been at sea, Green pointed out to me the duties he required at my hands. There was nothing particularly unreasonable in them, but from the manner in which he contrived they should be discharged, my office seemed little better than that of a menial. It was a portion of my duty to. see the ship's provisions served out, and a boy was assigned me for that purpose; but after a day or two, he was taken from me, under pretence that he could not be spared. This is but a solitary instance of a series of unworthy and mean persecutions: when, therefore, both the captain and mate would have looked upon me with a more favourable eye, I haughtily turned my back upon them, for contempt was now added to the utter dislike I had conceived for the pair.

Meanwhile, I had become a great favourite with the crew, from the predilection I shewed for their calling; and they beheld with grim, though well-meant indignation (for Jack abhors tyranny),

the petty and vexatious conduct of Harris towards me. My society was sought by them, and they took infinite pains to initiate me into the more mechanical part of their profession. I was, indeed, pleased with their romantic and adventurous calling. I had witnessed, as yet, but few of those spirit-stirring scenes so familiar to the seaman, but from that little my mind had caught a decided bias, and I longed to dwell for ever amid tempests and strife and contention. The aspect, too, of every thing around me afforded ample new food for the indulgence of my sullen and sickly fancies. The huge ship, her lofty masts and immense sails; the crowds of busy men that hurried to and fro on her spacious decks, or clung aloft upon the dizzy yards; the broad expanse of "eternal waters," relieved by naught, save a like monotony of sky, were to me alternate objects of wonder, admiration and awe. In the still hour of midnight I would lean over the ship's side, watching the moon's beams flickering in the dark and fathomless sea; or marking the long line of snow-white foam she left behind her; and my heart beat with gloomy exultation, as I reflected that every league bore me further and further on my self-imposed, and, as I hoped, termless exile from my native land.

We sped on our voyage. We were within a few degrees of the equator, and the saturnalia invariably observed by the crews of East India ships was anticipated, and discussed in the forecastle. From my intercourse with its inmates, I became acquainted with their intentions, and what victims were particularly marked out as the objects of the rather painful waggery of these eccentric sons of Neptune. For many a poor unconscious wight did I tremble, as I heard the whimsical, but unpleasant ordeal he had to undergo; and for one of the passengers, a young cadet, peculiarly disliked by the people, as well from his foppish and effeminate manners, as from an expression that once escaped him, more, I believe, from the agitation of the moment, than from any indifference he entertained for their worthy fraternity, I was fairly alarmed. The incident that created a feeling of hostility towards the lad was this. It chanced, in the second dog watch, that one of the crew was out on the bowsprit doing some little job. The ship was lying nearly before the wind with a faint breeze, the jib sheet swinging to and fro swept the poor fellow into the sea. Immediately there was an alarm throughout the ship of

"A man overboard! a man overboard!" Mr.White (at the time in his cabin) ran on deck, and, in the hurry of the moment, exclaimed, “ Is it a man or agentleman?" The seaman he addressed, a thorough soldier hater, thinking that y this question he meant to convey that had it been one of the crew only, it was a matter of trifling consequence, gruffly replied, "I suppose if it is only a sailor, he's of more sarvice nor a lubberly soldier." Ever after poor Mr. White was hated by all hands,-at least by those who dwelt before the main-mast; and the occasion of crossing the Line was the opportunity they took of wreaking their revenge, for the imaginary insult their dignity had received.

The day "big with the fate" of White and the uninitiated at length arrived. Neptune and Amphitrite, in solemn state, attended by Tritons, the barber and his clerk, in dripping and fantastic procession, ascended the ship's side, and proceeded aft to the quarter deck. The list of the uninitiated was produced; the bath, the razor (an iron barrel hoop deeply notched), and the lather (a mixture of grease, tar and ship's filth) prepared; and, one by one, we were conducted blindfolded to the main deck.Here, seated on a plank, placed crossways on a large wash-deck tub (still blindfolded), by way of preliminary, the patient was saluted with a deluge of sea water from Neptune's myrmidons, who stood ready with buckets for that purpose. The filthy lather was next applied over the whole face, and fortunate was he whose hair and shirt escaped a like defilement; Neptune, all the time, putting a variety of questions to the shaved, which (did he open his mouth to answer) was a signal for the active latherer to begrim lips and teeth with the nauseous contents of his brush. The razor was then brought into play, and, lastly, the plank being slipped from under the victim, he was plunged head over heels into the tub, while those who stood by dashed buckets of water upon him as he crawled, breathless and gasping, from the scene of action, to make room for the next.

Mr. White was the last that was produced. He had divested himself of his clothes, excepting his shirt, trowsers, and a silk handkerchief. Twenty pails of water were at once discharged on his head. So sudden a salute made him gasp mechanically for breath; and at the same moment the barber dashed his brush, heavy with tar alone, into his open mouth. The poor fellow of course

spit, or rather endeavoured to do so, for the tar obstinately adhered to his teeth and gums, and another copious shower descended upon him. His face, hair, and neck, were all besmeared with tar, and the skin in some places fairly torn away from his lips and cheeks, by the vigorous strokes of the barber's jagged razor. In vain the poor fellow interceded for mercy; immediately he opened his mouth, the brush, or a great lump of filth, was dashed into it, till, at length, he fainted, and the officers of the ship were obliged to interfere, and reseue him from his tormentors. The discipline he had undergone confined him to his cabin for several days; and when he did appear on deck, he cut a most grotesque though pitiable figure:patches of tar still clinging to his flesh, his hair standing out from his head, matted into thick, stiff tails, and his chin rough and raw from the punishment he had suffered.

But a circumstance, singular enough, (for it was no less than the total wreck of the ship in a tremendaus hurricane off the S.E. coast of Madagascar,) contributed to dispel, in a great degree, the feelings of hostility I entertained towards Captain Green; to form the bas is of mutual esteem and confidence, and lay the foundation of a certain and honourable independence, but for my accursed self-will. H. D.

RECOLLECTIONS OF SWEDEN.

HONESTY OF THE Swedes.

The Swedes are proverbially honest, and are the strangest contradiction to all received opinions. The Swedes are drunkards, desperate drunkards, but they are all honest ;-house-breakers, pickpockets, highwaymen, thieves of all sorts, are exotics, and belong not to the soil. You may leave your purse in the open carriage all night, and the next morning will find it untouched-you may leave any thing but spirits, and need be under no apprehensions for its security. I shall give here a short anecdote to confirm this statement, although it belongs not to this part of my wanderings.

In spite of my resolutions, so cautiously entered in the journal, I embarked on board a schooner at Stockholm to proceed to Petersburgh. The morning was unusually foggy, and at times the rain fell as plenteously from the clouds as the tears did from the ladies' eyes

when our departure was known. The schooner was at anchor about four miles from the London Hotel, and, in pursuit of her, we did what people often do in the dark,-lost our way; the noise of divers workmen on our right directed us to the shore, and on the quay, where several ships were undergoing repairs, we disembarked ourselves and baggage, and turned the crew to bale the water out, the boat being a regular sieve. The fog clearing away suddenly, and having caught sight of the schooner, we re-embarked, as we thought, all our goods and chattels. The schooner was under-weigh when we got alongside, and, in handing the luggage on board, I missed my writing-case, in which case was all our earthly treasure-English sovereigns, besides the journal, and money to no small amount; this occasioned a nota bena in the memorandumbook, which stands thus-" N. B. never to have more money than we want." "Gustaff," roared my companion, “d-n your Swedish honesty, there is lost the national honour, and our money."Gustaff, who was as calm as a cucumber, merely said, and with some point, too, "if the workmen are not foreigners, the case is quite safe:" he returned with my companion to commence the search. The fog was still very thick, and the place not easily discernible, but, in rowing along shore, they heard a man calling out to every boat, "Have you lost a writing case?" and, on landing, received it back as it was left. My companion asked the man what he would have done with it, provided the owner had not been found; "I should have taken it, of course, to the police, as I know there is a great deal of money in it from the weight and the noise of the coin,"-which occurs to me to be the very reason which would have deprived me of it in this country. So much for Swedish honesty, which I believe to be unrivalled.

SWEDISH TRAVELLING.

The curse of Swedish travelling is the million of gates which are found for the exclusion of cattle from one man's property to another's; this ceaseless annoyance is found from Helsingbourg to Stockholm; every mile or half mile a dead halt to open a gate, and thus the journey, which would otherwise be rapid, becomes a tedious lengthened route. At the inns, or rather houses of call, the law requires the landlord to have bread and porter always ready, and, with these exceptions, the traveller in vain asks for food; they seem to

care not if you enter or walk on; here is no friendly welcome; no servant anxious to see you alight, knowing that it will bring grist to his mill; no landlord roaring for the chambermaid; and no officious boots unpacking the carriage before you have determined if to stay or proceed. No, in Sweden you may stand, as I have stood for hours, looking in vain towards the village for the approach of the cattle; and when at last they do make their appearance, driven by a little urchin of about ten years old, you must use your own har ness, you must harness the horses, and you, or your servant, must drive; the little urchin gets behind the carriage, and is only of use to open the eternal gates. The interior of a Swedish inn has not much to recommend it, the sprinkling the floors with the tops of the young firs gives at first a very disagreeable perfume to the room; for in Sweden, as in Russia, air is a rare article: in summer it is excluded because it is hot, and in winter because it is cold; the consequence is, a nasty, fusty, close smell, only differing from that in the Black Hole at Calcutta, inasmuch as the fir-tops already mentioned give a slight perfume to the various close smells so often distinguished in small and heated apartments. The beds were excellent, as beds, but we found we were not the only inhabitants; the bugs, the ferocious bugs, left our skins and our shapes in durability, and undulations like the back-bone of a pike.

GAMES.

The Quinquennial Games were established by Augustus, to perpetuate the glory of his victory at Actium. He built the city of Nicopolis, near the bay, and having enlarged an old temple of Apollo, adorned it with naval spoils, and dedicated it to Neptune and Mars.

LAW AGAINST ADULTERY.

The law against adultery was called Lex Julia, because Augustus, the author of it, had been adopted by Julius Cæsar." The wife who was found guilty forfeited half her effects, and was banished to an island. By the old law, as stated by Livy, the woman convicted of a crime be punished in private. If there was was delivered over to her relations, to nobody to whose custody she could be committed, she was punished in public.

HONOURS AND REWARDS.

It was the policy of the court to make all favours to the army issue immediately from the prince, as from the fountain of honours and rewards. Another rule was, to make new friends, by keeping men in expectation of preferment.

MORE MEJORUM.

For the Olio.

ADVANTAGE OF MANY CHILDREN.

By the law called Pupia Poppaa, the candidate who had the greatest number of children was to be deemed duly elected. In consequence of this law, it became the common practice of men who had no issue, but were determined, at all events, to secure their election, to adopt a competent number, and as soon as they obtained the government of provinces, to renounce their fictitious children. Though the fraud was afterwards repressed, it is still customary with all candidates, at least for parochial situations, first to set forth their claims as requiring particular preference on account of their large families, the greatest number being considered the strongest reasons for an eligible election.

his head fastened within a forked stake.

THE WATCHES.

might not pretend that their masters left a greater number of empty bottles. Horace praises the master who could with temper see the seal of his bottle broken by his slaves :

Et signo læso non insarire lagenæ.

Persius represents a miser, anxious about his vapid wine, and smelling at the seal :

Et signum in vapida naso tetigisse lagena. The new married man gave a seal to his bride, to show that he committed the house affairs to her management.

THE UNEARTHLY WITNESS.

BY THE ETTRICK SHEPHERD.

Concluded from p. 182.

THE ghost of Tibbers, or himself, continued frequently to be seen; for, till this day, I cannot calculate with certainty whether it was the one or the other. I certainly would have judged it to have been an apparition, had it not been for the most extraordinary scene that ever was witnessed in this or any other country; and of which I myself was an ear and eye witness, and even that was no decisive proof either ways. It was as follows:

There were some official men sent from Edinburgh to take a precognition relating to facts before our sheriff, to save expences to the litigants. Fifty or sixty were summoned that day, but in fact the main evidence depended on the statement of Johnie Gaskirk, and it being that day quite the reverse of all his former statements, and decisive in behalf of the Misses Tibbers, the deputy advocate and the sheriff got both into a high fever at his inconsistency, and persisted in knowing from whence he had got this new light; insomuch, that after a great deal of sharp recrimination, Johnie was obliged to tell them flatly that he had it from very good authority -from Mr. Tibbers himself! They asked him if it was from his ghost: he said he could not tell; he took it for himself at the time. He came into his office and conversed with him, and brought facts clearly to his remembrance.

The sheriff and his compeers laughed Johnie Gaskirk to scorn; and the pursuers' counsel said they would have none of this dreamy evidence related at second-hand. If the said William Tibbers had any thing of that sort to communicate, he must come into court himself, or answer by his deputy from the other world. The sheriff acquiesced,

and granted rule, half out of spite at the equivocation of Johnie Gaskirk. The counsel wrote out the summons, of the words of which I have an indistinct recollection, weening them at the time a little blasphemous. The name was three times called in court by the proper officer, who then read out the summons aloud. "In the name of God and the King, we their liege subjects and lawful officers, warn, summon, and charge you, William Tibbers, to appear here in court, either in your own person or by proxy, to answer upon oath such questions as may be asked of you."

The man had scarce done bawling or the crowded assembly with laughing at the ludicrous nature of the summons, nor had a single remark been made, save one by Johnie Gaskirk, who was just saying to the sheriff, "Ods, sir, ye had better hae letten him alane. He was never muckle to lippen to a' his days, and he's less sae now than ever."

Ere this sentence was half said, Tibbers stepped into the witnesses' bench! But such a sight may human eyes never again look on. No corpse risen from the vaults of a charnel house-no departed spirit returning from the valley of terrors, could present a form or a look so appalling. It is impossible to describe it. A shuddering howl of terror pealed through the house. The sheriff, who was well acquainted with Tibbers, flung himself from his seat, and on his hands and knees escaped by the private door, while the incorrigible Johnie Gaskirk called to him to stay and take the witness's evidence.

A scene now ensued, the recollection of which still makes my heart cold. The court-room of our old town-house is ample but ill lighted. It was built in days of old, for a counsel chamber to the kings of Scotland. The entry is dark and narrow, and from the middle of this entry a stair as dark and narrow leads to what is still termed the ladies' gallery. The house was crowded, and the moment the horrid figure made its appearance, the assembly made one simultaneous rush to gain the door. They were instantly heaped above each other to suffocation. Yells and cries of murder! resounded from every quarter.The rush from the stair quite overwhelmed those beneath, and trode them to death. Such scenes have been often witnessed, but never by me; and when the ominous cause was taken into consideration, it was a most impressive and judgment-looking catastrophe. The one half of that numerous assembly were