should be exposed to the full fury of the wind and waves, the frail bark being as yet protected by the land under which they had for an hour laboured their perilous passage. Antonio ejaculated a short prayer, crossed himself very devoutly some half dozen times, then seizing the oars, cried out "Here goes. We can't miss her. She lies dead to leeward of that reef." The boat shot forth from her cover, and was immediately whirled round by the wind, one of the oars escaping from his hand; it was caught in a minute by his companion, ere the rower had time to utter the cry of terror the accident occasioned. The sea was like a turbulent field of snow; the spray flew past them with terrible velocity-a single wave, ere it could lift its head on high, was cut off into foam, and mist and smoke; with the speed of an arrow shot from a bow, did they skim and gurr through the water. When the American cried out, "Starboard oar-hard a starboard," it was promptly obeyed, and the bark swirled round the stern of the slaver, and as she touched her dark hull, the adventurers seized the mizen chains, and in less time than we have taken to describe it, were safely upon the deck: the boat being swamped beneath the gunwales of the ship as she rolled to leeward. The storm was now at its height-the captain was upon his knees crossing himself, and crying out to that God for mercy, whose divine precepts he had forgotten, when he entered into the dreadful traffic of his fellow men. At every plunge of the vessel, the water poured over her bows and deluged the decks. From the bosom of the labouring craft issued a yell of mingled agony and terror, from eight hundred souls confined below, which mingled with the blast, and must have been heard far inland by the distant Aldeano* who might fancy that a thousand fiends were shrieking in the elemental strife above. "Where's your axe?-give it me! Antonio take another. Where is the cruiser? I see her-we can clear her. Hard a port your helm. All hands run up the fore-topmast stay-sail-cut!" rapidly uttered the dauntless youth. The cables were severed at a blow, the sail burst from the bolt-ropes, the ship rose upon a roller crested with foam, careened round before the blast, and under the impulse of the hurricane, dashed madly towards the shore, passing the cruiser like a phantom, and disappearing amidst the haze and drift and surf; in a moment after she struck. A tremendous roller lifted her again from the ground, and after several successive shocks, she plunged into comparatively smooth water. The next morning the Esperanza lay high and dry a half mile from the shore, and landed her cargo in safety. And before night the bold and penniless adventurer was in possession of one hundred thousand dollars-his wellearned share of a cargo, valued at that time, at nearly four hundred thousand dollars; whilst the British cruiser was content to weigh anchor and renew his honourable efforts against a trade now almost universally denounced the worst of piracy. The hero of our sketch has since acquired great * Cottager. wealth, and possesses an income of some two hundred thousand dollars per annum, and is a Grandee of Spain, with several titles of distinction. It is nearly forty years since this incident occurred. He still enjoys excellent health, and in the conduct of his affairs is distinguished for that energy which marked his first career—as well as for every other quality that can adorn the character of a gentleman. So much for making the best of a chance; the first instance, we suppose, of doubloons being coined out of a hurricane. A BURIAL BY THE SEA-SIDE. Oh! place him on the shore-that grave will be ANON. THE shades of night were thickening round the foot of the mountain, whilst the hill-tops were yet gilded by the last rays of the setting sun, whose broad disk was slowly sinking into the bosom of the Caribbean sea. The twinkling stars of a tropical twilight already gemmed the firmament. Like a jewelled coronet, the departing luminary for a moment glowed upon the dark waters of the horizon, and then disappeared beneath the wave. As yet, his beams, unquenched, streamed forth from that bright pavilion to the zenith, and spread a golden mantle over the quiet landscape. The purple mountain and the distant cape were seen through a beautiful thin mist of powdered gold. That breeze which had waved all day the branches of the cocoa, and graceful palm, and ruffled the sea into innumerable white caps, had died away. Not a leaf rustled upon the mountain's side, or stirred the long rank grass of the savanna. The bay was like a polished mirror, distinctly reflecting the inverted images of the numerous craft that reposed upon its glassy sur face, occasionally rimpled into feathery streaks by the breath of a loitering zephyr, unwilling to abandon the shores now redolent of the perfume of flowers and a luxuriant vegetation. In the shadowy places, the Cuculla* was trimming his evening lamp, and sparkled upon the bushes or streamed through the air his phosphorescent light. So profound was the calm, that from a distance through the dewy air, peopled with myriads of humming insects, pierced the silvery tones of the evening trumpet of the cavalry guard, and was heard the tinkling bells of a cavalcade of mules descending the mountain pass, mingled with the solemn, melancholy and wild chorus of the African at the Baracoon.† It is difficult to analyse the feelings inspired by such a scene. The prevailing sentiment is sadness, mingled with admiration of the works of Him "who spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea," and wonder and delight at the various and sublime transformations of lights and shadows. These feelings are experienced in every clime, whether the orb be dimmed in his parting glory by northern mists, or "sinking in one unclouded blaze of living light” into the golden mirror of a tropical sea. * Cuculla-The light emitted by this curious beetle is so strong, that by the united glare of two or three you can read quite a small print. In the dark nights, a bush or tree covered with them, appears to be illuminated with innumerable small tapers. The Spanish ladies adorn their hair, and make bracelets and zones of them, which have a beautiful and striking effect. + Baracoon-The place where the slaves are deposited soon after their arrival. At sunset they join in a wild monotonous song, keeping time by clapping the hands together. In the stillness of the evening, this melancholy chant can be heard at a great distance. |