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prescribe salt water for his patients in all disorders. Having sailed one evening on a party of pleasure, he happened by some mischance to be drowned. The captain, who had not heard of the disaster, asked one of the tars next day if he had heard any thing of the doctor? "Yes," answered Jack, after a turn of his quid, "he was drowned last night in his medicine chest."

LACONIC INVITATION.-Upon one occasion, the Ettric Shepherd, with the true waywardness of a poet, took umbrage at Sir Walter Scott, for some imaginary slight or neglect, and refused for a long time to speak to him. The Baronet knew his man, and said nothing; till Hogg's better feelings reawakened, and induced him to write a long explanatory and apologetic letter. Sir Walter's answer was highly characteristic-" Dear Jamie,-Now that you have come to your senses, come over to your dinner. Your's, Walter Scott."

TO CURE DRAM-DRINKING.

Dr.

Lettsom mentions a person who usually
drank twelve drams a day; but, being
convinced of his approaching misery,
took the resolution to wean himself
from this poison. He always drank
out of one glass, into which he daily
let fall a drop of sealing-wax.
this means he had twelve drops less of
spirit every day, till at length, his
glass being filled with wax, his habit
was cured.

happy an end as his. To enjoy the folly of life with groaning of the Spirit, -this is what I call virtue and understanding; patience and wakefulness, and melancholy and ecstasy, and to build the mansion of peace in one's own bosom, are ten thousand times more costly possessions than gold or virtue. Our business will not hitch; and I will do my utmost as a widow."-Athenæum. SINGULAR ANECDOTE OF GARRICK.One afternoon, when Garrick expected Dr. Monsey to call on him, he desired the servant to conduct the doctor into his bed-room. Garrick was announced for King Lear on that night, and, when Monsey saw him in bed, he expressed. his surprise, and asked him if the play was to be changed. Garrick was dressed, but had his night-cap on, and the quilt was drawn over him to give him the appearance of being too ill to rise. Dr. M. expressed his surprise, as it was time for Garrick to be at the theatre to dress for King Lear. Garrick, in a languid and whining tone, told him that he was too much indisposed to perform himself, but that there was an actor named Marr, so like him in figure, face, and voice, and so admirable a mimic, that he had ventured to trust the part to him, and was sure the audience would not perceive the difference. Pretending that he began to feel worse, he requested Monsey to leave the room, in order that he might get a little sleep, but desired him to attend the theatre, and let him know the result. As soon TORTOISE-SHEll. -The following as the doctor quitted the room, Garrick jumped out of bed, and hastened to the singularly barbarous process for obtaintheatre. Monsey attended the performing the tortoise-shell is abstracted from an Indian newspaper. called the Sinance. Having left Garrick in bed he was bewildered by the scene before him, gapore Chronicle:-This highly-prized sometimes doubting, and sometimes be aquatic production, when caught by ing astonished at the resemblance be- the Eastern islanders, is suspended over a fire, kindled immediately after tween Garrick and Marr. At length, its capture, until such time as the effect finding that the audience were convinced of the heat loosens the shell to such a of Garrick's identity, Monsey began to degree that it can be removed with the suspect a trick had been practised upon The animal, now striphim, and instantly hurried to Garrick's greatest ease. house at the end of the play; but Garrick ped and defenceless, is set at liberty to re-enter its native element. If was too quick for him, and was found by Monsey in the same state of illness. caught in the ensuing season, or at any Some friends of Garrick who had been subsequent period, it is asserted that the unhappy animal is subjected to a let into the secret, and were present at second ordeal of fire, rewarding its the performance, witnessed and enjoyed Monsey's perplexity, who, when he capturers this time, however with a discovered the deception, shared in the very thin shell. This, if true, shows laugh at his own expense, determining, in the method thus adopted by the more policy and skill than tenderness however, to retaliate on the first op- islanders: it is a questionless proof, portunity.-Taylor's Records of his Life. too, of tenacity of life in the animal. and must further be accounted a very singular fact in natural history.

EFFICACY OF SALT WATER.-A surgeon on board a ship of war used to

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TO CORRESPONDENTS-Ghertrude Bremmel will appear in our next number.-We cannot fudge of the merits of Ellen Gray until we have read the whole.

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How exceedingly tedious did that part of the road that passes over a dreary wild, lying between Wynberg and Muzemberg, (a distance of about eight miles) appear to me, as I journied thereon towards Simons Town, on a dismal and threatening day, in the winter of 18-. It is perfectly straight from one extremity to the other; the moor on either side is covered with low stunted bushes, and straggling briars, stretching for miles, and bounded in the distance by rugged mountains, presenting the same mountainous scene during the whole extent of the road; the only individual of the human species that encountered my strained gaze, was a Dutch boor, conducting his bullock waggon to Cape Town: a few little birds of the most beautiful plumage fluttered among the VOL. X.

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bushes, and occasionally a puff adder (a reptile which I hold in utter abhorrence) would crawl across the road. The heavy masses of black clouds, overcharged with rain, darkened the heavens, and a vapoury mist hung on the mountain tops; the air was excessively damp, and the low moaning of the wind was heard, as it swept in sudden fitful gusts over the gloomy waste. I put my paard to his fastest speed, in order that I might if possible obtain shelter in one of the cottages at Muzemberg (which I had now nearly reached,) ere the rain fell. The first habitation that I came to was a low thatched and white-washed cabin; a rudely painted sign-board hung over the door-way, on which some cunning limner had depicted a man of most villanous countenance, habited in a smock frock, and leathern gaiters, at the foot of which the following inscription was written, "The Gentle shepherd of Salisbury Plain." This house of entertainment for man and baste," was kept by an old west countryman, yclept Peck. Farmer Peck, as he was entitled, was a man about the middling stature,

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rather inclined to be stout; his head bore a strong analogy in shape to that of a cod fish, and his long, straight, dark hair hung on his shoulders with rude negligence; his habit consisted of a duffle jacket that had once been white, but had long since changed its original colour for that of a dirty, yellowish brown, a blue striped shirt, his indispensible nether garment was composed of tanned goat's skin, and reached very little lower than the calf of his leg. Such was mine host of the "Gentle Shepherd Scarcely had I concluded the repast which I had ordered to be served up, when the large rain drops began to patter against the casements; not being by any means prepossessed in favour of a wet jacket, I determined to pass the night in an arm chair, (for beds there were none), at Peck's fire-side. Evening had far advanced, the Nor-wester howled with furious and unabating violence around the cottage, and the rain fell in deluging torrents. I desired the farmer to throw some fresh logs on the fire, and had taken up my position for repose, when the tramping of a horse's hoofs were heard approaching, and a tremendous knocking at the door speedily followed, which was opened by Peck, and the stranger having requested that his horse might be attended to, made his appearance, drenched of course to the skin; he appeared to be a man of about forty years of age, bearing a very pleasing and prepossessing countenance, and I was highly delighted at the prospect of such a companion; after having taken a glass or two of schedum, and applied very vigorously to his snuff box, he became very communicative and chatty; I soon discovered him to be a man of highly polished manners, and conversation, and a perfect gentleman; it proved to be Mr. Ts, proprietor of the great whale fishery at Fish Hook Bay. To beguile the tedious hours of night he related the following narrative. In the hope therefore that it will (although but a tale of humble life) excite that interest in the breasts of others, that it did in my own, I have committed it to paper. In a situation highly romantic and picturesque, at the foot of one of the Muzemberg hills, stood the cottage of Hendrick Bremmel the fisherman; a rocky and almost perpendicular mountain reared its cloud embosomed head to a dizzy height behind the cot, seeming to threaten annihilation to this fragile work of human hands; before its front were spread the broad expansive waters of False Bay, which were terminated by

an immense chain of mountains stretching themselves into the interior; here and there a peak belonging to a distant chain, towering high above the rest, was faintly discernible, and appeared to blend with the horizon. In the centre of the bay is a small island, or rather a white sand bank, which is inhabited by penguins, and other sea-fowl, who flock thither in countless numbers to deposit their eggs, and rear their young.* The neighbourhood of the cottage was covered with rich herbage, and shrubs of the most luxuriant descriptions, among which lay embedded immense fragments of rock that had rolled down the mountain, while its immediate vicinity was surrounded by a fence, composed of rib bones of the whale, inclosing a small spot for cultivation, and the arched gateway was formed by the two bones of the under jaw, of the same huge monster of the deep. Within the fence grew a hedge of ponegranite bushes, intermingled with the geranium and prickly pear; a sort of verandah of lattice work extended from the gate of the cottage door, which likewise served as a supporter to a vine, over which it spread its creeping branches, and broad leaves, forming a shady avenue, and a cool retreat during the heat of the day. Hendrick Bremmel had quitted his native country, Germany, to seek a home in a far distant clime, which his own afforded not, his spirits buoyed up by the hopes and golden dreams that in general pervade the bosom of the emigrant. His expectations had been so far realized that he was at length enabled to live in comparative ease and independence. He had on the onset to combat with crosses and disappointments, which combined against him, but by dint of unflinching perseverance and industry he had from time to time amassed sulficient sums of money to purchase a slave, to whom he entrusted the duties of his avocation, and if report spoke truly, had contrived to lay by a considerable sum to boot. The most severe affliction that he had to bear up against was the loss of a beloved wife, and two smiling babes, who had died of the scarlet fever within a short period of each other; one lovely girl alone remained to bless the habitation of his declining years, in whom all his happiness wes concentrated. Ghertrude Bremmel, at the time of our narrative, had attained her seven

* The eggs of the Penguin are accounted by many delicious eating, and afford a consider. able revenue to the fishermen and others, who plunder them by the boat load.

teenth year. To a set of exquisitely formed features were added a peculiar sweetness of expression; her hair, of rich auburn, floated in playful curls over her neck, on which the sun had exerted his influence; in short, she was a pretty brunette. Her disposition was gentle but romantic: she loved to listen to the roaring of the breakers, that lashed and foamed among the rocks near to her own dwelling or to wander amidst the mountains, and watch the columns of spray, caused by the thundering cataract which dashed down the perpendicular precipices. It was in returning from one of these rambles that she had occasion to pass over the sands of Fish Hook Bay, on one of those bright cloudless nights peculiar to the Cape; the moon was shining with a degree of splendour and brilliancy that the inhabitants of cold northern climates can never hope to witness; not a breath stirred to cause a ripple upon the dark blue waters of the Bay, whose surface might have been compared to a polished mirror; all nature seemed hushed into repose, the only sounds that broke upon the ear were the faint gurgling of the waters, which were reduced to the gentlest murmur, as they layed the beach, or at intervals the long melancholy howl of the wolf among the distant mountains. The surrounding rocky hills presented the most fantastic shapes to the eye, the projecting parts of which were beautifully mellowed by the soft rays of the moon, while the ravines were darkened into the deepest obscurity; to heighten the effect of which the bushes, which covered the side of one of the hills, were on fire, and the dense volume of smoke rolled suddenly along the mountain's side; at a short distance stood a cabin, or hut, the door of which being open disclosed several men belonging to the whale-fishery seated round a blazing fire; upon the beach lay scattered in every direction sculls, fins, tails, and other parts of the whale, which had been washed up by the sea. Lightly tripped Ghertrude over the silvery sand, when on a sudden her at tention was arrested by a low growl, seemingly very near her, and on turning her head towards the spot, she be held two flaming eyes glaring on her, from beside a huge fragment of putrid whale's flesh. Merciful heaven! it was an enormous wolf, feasting and gorging upon a carcase :* uttering a wild pierc

ing scream, the affrighted maiden fled
from before him, towards the cottage,
terror added speed to her footsteps;
a horrible yell and the pattering of his
feet upon the sand, announced her pur-
suer close in the rear; loud were the
cries of Ghertrude for assistance; her
cries were heard, the barking of seve-
ral dogs rang in the air, and a powerful
voice; already she feels the sharp
claws of her' pursuer, her loose flying
garments are in his fangs, he was sur-
rounded by his fierce assailants, and
was obliged to desert his intended
victim, to defend himself from the
hounds who attacked him with great
fury, and endeavoured to keep him at
bay until their master arrived; one of
them however was speedily crushed by
the powerful jaws of the enraged ani-
mal. In the mean time the figure of a
man approached; he was tall, well
made and most powerfully built, and ha-
bited in a rough seaman's dress; in his
uplifted arms he poised a harpoon, the
polished steel head of which glittered in
the moonbeams. The wolf finding him
self so beset made a desperate spring at
the man, who avoided him by slipping
on one side; in another instant the
fierce animal lay writhing in strong
convulsive struggles, pierced completely
through and nailed to the earth by the
barbed weapon, while he snapped at
and bit the iron shank thereof in his
expiring agonies. His struggles became
less and less violent; at length one ter-
rific hideous howl broke upon the still-
ness of night, echoing through the
mountains, and the ferocious beast sank
lifeless, bathed in his heart's blood,
which dyed the white sands of the
beach, at the feet of Wilhelm Muller
the barponeer of the Fish Hook Bay
Whalers. This exploit, it must be un-
derstood, occupied considerable less time
in the performance than is taken up in
the recital thereof. In the meantime a
number of other fishermen came to the
spot who were so intent upon mangling
the carcase of the wolf with their
hatchets and knives, that they did not
bestow a thought upon the main object;
not so Wilhelm, who having taken
breath after the tremendous exertion
that he had undergone, gazed eagerly
around for the girl whose life he had
preserved. She had fallen fainting to
the ground. He raised her in his arms;
the moon shone brightly on her pale
face, and the dark locks drooped over
her forehead, but when his eye en-
countered the well-known features of
Ghertrude Bremmel, a tremor came

When pressed by banger the wolves will often descend from the mountains to the precints of the fisheries in search of food. This is by no means an uncommon occurrence. «.

over his whole frame; he could scarcely master his feelings sufficiently to prevent himself from falling on the sands; he who had braved death in numerous shapes was completely overpowered by the bare idea of the narrow and providential escape from the jaws of death of her whom he loved far beyond all things of an earthly nature.

"Where am I?" she exclaimed, in a tone of wildness.

"Fear not, dear Ghertrude," returned Wilhelm;" you are in safety now." "Ah! is it Wilhelm that speaks to me then? am I beyond the reach of danger? but what will my poor father think of my long absence? I must hasten homewards."

Wilhelm of course tendered his services as a protector, which were joyfully received, and while the lovers (for such they were,) are on their way, it may perhaps be as well to give the reader a little insight into the character of the young harponeer.

The father of Wilhelm Muller, a Dutchman by birth, was possessed of a farm, near Stellenbosch, by which he had amassed considerable wealth, but was a man of a sordid and niggardly disposition, and had given his children to understand that they were to expect nothing from him during his life time; eat and drink they might to their heart's content, it is true, by toiling from the rising of the sun to the going down thereof, but not a stiver could they extract from his gripe; it therefore suited not the proud spirit of Wilhelm to submit to the obligation of labouring as a menial on his father's farm. Possessed of a robust and powerful, though finely made form, to which was added more bodily strength than usually falls to the lot of man, he had sought an employment more congenial to his bold and daring nature, namely, that of a whalefisher, which he now followed, and by his superior skill had risen to be chief harponeer, an office of considerable emolument in a successful season.*

In childhood endowed with courage beyond his years he loved to roam amidst the wild gigantic mountains of his native Africa, bounding from rock, to rock, with the agility of a chamois, or climbing almost inaccessable heights in search of the eagle's nest. In his youth was there a lion near the kraal, who was so forward in pursuing him

*The chief harponeer is entitled to receive the sum of one hundred rix dollars for every fish he kills, independent of his ordinary salary.

to his lair as Wilhelm Muller, and in the calling he was now engaged, who kept a boat's crew in such order, or was first on the beach on the signal fire being lightedt as he? His dexterity in handling his weapon was unrivalled, and he was universally allowed to be the most skilful harponeer in the colony. He had long loved Ghertrude, which love was most affectionately returned by her; their dispositions were congenial, but Wilhelm dared not break the matter to her father, lest the gratification of her society, which their stolen interviews afforded, should be entirely cut off; he was poor and friendless. Hendrick Bremmel was rich; an opportunity however had now arrived, and he determined to throw himself upon the generosity of the father of Ghertrude, with a faint hope that the old man would encourage his suit, in gratitude for his having preserved the life of his only child.

The joy of old Bremmel was great on beholding Ghertrude in safety, for he had felt some uneasiness at her prolonged stay; but when he learned the circumstance of her late deliverance from death, his ecstacy knew no bounds, he caught Wilhelm in his arms and wept over him like a child, but his tears were the tears of joy; Wilhelm made good use of her father's kindness, he declared his love for Ghertrude and requested his permission to their marriage. This unexpected proposal at first staggered the old man, but perceiving the bent of his daughter's inclination he waved every consideration, to Wilhelm's great astonishment and pleasure, cheerfully acquiesced, adding that he knew of none to whom he could so well entrust her future care as to him who had saved her life, at the imminent peril of his own. It was finally managed that they should be united at the termination of the ensuing fishing season; after which period, Wilhelm should follow some less dangerous occupation; in furtherance of which, Hendrick Bremmel promised to supply the means. The frequent visits of the young harponeer to the cottage of Hendrick, afforded a vast matter of speculation for several old vrows who lived near the spot; they congregated together round the doors of their hovels to prat, chatter discuss the subject

+ A man is generally stationed upon one of the hills on the look out, who when he perceives a fish in the Bay, kindles a fire as a sig nal, which is answered by a flag being hoisted on a signal post near the fishery house.

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