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everywhere," cried Spiers."Ay, ay, dealt in a species of eloquence that your right," returned M'Arthur; was well suited to the peculiarity of « but the longest thread you ever the scene, and the novelty of his situ« wound off a pirn, wouldn't reach it ation. Indeed, the objects around him where we are now."-"What are you could hardly fail to have an inspiring all speaking about ?" said Mrs Burrel; effect. On every side a silent and un“ we've been made acquainted with ruffled expanse of ocean stretched to the depth of the water every two hours the horizon, which was skirted by long since we set sail. Haven't you seen ranges of pyramidal-shaped clouds. the mate throw a cord with a bit wood These floated, as it were, upon the at the end of it, over the ship's side, verge of the sea, and received the full and let it run off a reel till it sinks to radiance of an unobscured and almost the bottom ? He then draws it in and vertical sun, while their serene and looks at it, and so finds out how much unchanging masses had an aspect of water we have below us. The last time mute attention that harmonized comhe did this I asked what the depth pletely with the religious impressions was, and he said, eight miles."-"You produced by the sermon which our are under an egregious mistake,” cried orator was then delivering. The ship the man with the quadrant ; ( the in- sometimes rolled gently from side to strument you mention is used for the side, and made the sails flap against purpose of ascertaining the rate of the the masts, but the noise of this did ship's progress, and is denominated the not at all overpower his voice, which log-line. It was invented about the was strong, impressive, and melodi, year

“Oh,” interrupted Mrs ous. His audience, consisting of men, Burrel, “ it's a fine thing to have a women, and children, sat or stood greater share of lear than one's neigh- around in various groups; and several bours, or maybe impudence. I sus- ardent hearers had climbed up the pect the mate's wiser than you, not- rigging, that they might have a full withstanding the whirligigs you carry view of him. After some time he about the deck.” My grandfather brought forward, and endeavoured to had great skill of the sea," said an old support, a doctrine so new and extrawoman; “ he used to tell me that it vagant, that many of the emigrants was fifty miles deep in some places, began to express their disapprobation and had mountains of salt in the bot- by significant looks and gestures. tom,"-" There's nae use of speaking However, he paid no regard to their here," exclaimed Mrs Burrel, angrily; implied censures, but continued to de« the less some folks know, the less fend his opinions with additional vethey wish to learn."

hemence and fluency of language, till On the first Sunday that occurred a slight heaving of the ship

made him after we had set sail, the weather was lose his equilibrium, and he fell down calm, sunny, and delightful. The the main hatch, and was followed in emigrants strolled about the deck in his descent by the cask upon which he groups, or sat in different parts of had stood. Its head unfortunately the vessel reading their Bibles; and the came out, and a large quantity of flour seamen, having no duty to perform, dropped upon the ill-fated preacher, participated in the general inactivity. and whitened every part of his body so About mid-day, a man wbo had often completely, that his audience started before attracted my attention, came back, and scarcely knew him when he up from the steerage, and began to appeared upon deck again. The Caplook around him, as if desirous of as- tain, who had sat near the companion certaining if all the passengers were during the whole sermon, immedipresent; he then mounted a large ately rose up, and swore he would cask, and gave out. a text from the throw him overboard if he did not Scriptures, and proceeded to expound pay for the flour he had been the it. A general commotion took place means of destroying. “ Can ye expect among the emigrants, most of whom good without evil, when human creaseemed too much astonished to think tures are the agents ?" said the preachof interrupting him; however, they er. “ I am unable to pay for what is soon became quiet again, and listen- lost, but will gladly have it taken off ed with individed attention. The my allowances during the voyage." enthusiasm of the preacher became. This proposal was received with great greater the longer he spoke, and he applause by the emigrants, many of

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whom, notwithstanding their aversion asserted, that one dark morning, while

'to the tenets he had inculcated, offer- at the helm, he had seen a white figure *ed to share their provisions with him; standing upon the bowsprit, and that

however, the mate succeeded in ap- he called to the people of the watch,

peasing the Captain, and all further al- who were lying about the deck half 5 tercation ceased.

asleep, but before he could rouse them, After this was adjusted, those who the spectre had vanished. Another had stationed themselves in the rig- said, he sometimes heard voices whisging began to descend to the deck, but pering beneath him when he lay in his

on getting a certain way down the birth, but could neither tell what they as shrouds, they were astonished to find uttered, nor from whom they proceedi their farther progress impeded by three ed, though he believed that the thing

seamen who stood in a line, and occu- that made such noises was at least a de pied all the foot-ropes. On requesto fathom below the steerage floor. ning permission to pass, they were in- The superstitious alarm produced 131 formed that it would not be granted, among the seamen by these circuml: unless they agreed to pay the forfeit of stances, was speedily communicated to

a bottle of rum, which it was usual to the passengers, and the subject under

exact from each person when he went went so much discussion, that it soon saloft the first time. They all declared reached the Captain's ears. He affectis they had no rum, but the seamen in- ed to treat the matter lightly, saying,

formed them that the Captain would there was no room for ghosts in a ship sell as much as they chose. Being un- so crowded as ours, and at the same willing to part with their money, they time remarked, that if the stories told were puzzled how to act, and began to by the sailors had any foundation, exclaim against the justness of the de- they were to be accounted for by sup. mand that was made upon them; how- posing that some of the emigrants had ever, their fellow-passengers, instead of been playing tricks upon their creduattending to these complaints, laughed lity. I'he mate, however, did not seem at their embarrassment, and encouraged to be satisfied with this explanation, the sailors to persist in requiring the and he took me aside, and stated, that customary tribute. Those who had ig- as a strange figure had been seen near norantly exposed themselves to its ex- the bows of the vessel the preceding action, would not consent to pay it, and night, he intended to watch for its reremained on the shrouds, exposed to appearance, and hoped I would second the jeers and taunts of the spectators his purpose. below, for nearly half an hour. At About twelve o'clock we took our length a breeze sprung up, the sea be- station near the companion; all the came agitated, and the ship began to emigrants had retired to their births, roll; their terror was then so great, that and the helmsman and five of his comthey seemed willing to agree to any rades alone remained upon deck. The terms rather than be forced to remain latter had laid themselves down apaloft, and therefore promised the sailors parently half asleep, and every thing all they wanted. They were then per- was silent except the waves, which mitted to descend to the deck, which made noise enough to render our voices they soon reached, amidst the derisive undistinguishable at the other end of scoffings of their fellow-passengers. the vessel. We therefore talked with

The place in which the seamen slept out fear of being overheard by the and took their meals, was close to the mysterious visitor whom we expected bows of the vessel, and on a level with to see, and as our conversation turned the steerage, from which it was sepa- chiefly upon sailors' superstitions, my rated by a wooden partition. The hold companion related a story in illustralay under all, but neither the crew nor tion of the subject.

“ After making the emigrants had any access to it ex- three voyages to the West Indies, cept through the main hatch. About said he, " in the capacity of a common a week after we left port, the former seaman, I was discharged, the vessel began to complain that they were often having changed its owners.

I could disturbed during the night by noises find no employment for some time, but which they could not account for, as at last got myself appointed to take they took place in that part of the ship charge of a large ship that had been where the cargo was stowed, and where laid up and dismantled during several no person could possibly be. A sailor years. My duty consisted in washing

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her decks, keeping her clean, and re- upon the spokes, and remained mo, pairing any thing that went wrong tionless, notwithstanding the violent about her works. She lay in a retired and sudden labourings of the vessel, part of the harbour, and far from the He had a pale and dejected counterest of the shipping, and no one lived nance, and kept his eyes fixed upon on board of her but myself. For the the topmasts, like a careful and expefirst few days, things went quietly rienced steersman; and though I callenough, though I must confess I felt ed out several times, he neither chanrather lonesome at night, particularly ged his position nor appeared to notice when the weather was bad, and often me. I took my station within a few wished that some of the boats which I yards of him, not daring to approach heard passing and repassing at a dis- any nearer, and became, as it were, tance, would come alongside and leave entranced by fear and curiosity. Í me a companion. One morning, when gradually thought we were in the midin the hold, I observed an old rudder dle of a wide ocean, and scudding along wheel lying among some rubbish. I before a gale of wind so tremendous, took it up, and was shocked and asto- that the dismantled masts rung under nished to find the skeleton of a man's its violence. The most terrible seas arm, as far as the shoulder, bound to seemed to swell and burst around us, it with a rope. The flesh had com- but the mysterious helmsman brought pletely decayed, but the sinews and the ship safely through them all; and bones remained entire, and the hand when I looked astern, I saw every still grasped one of the spokes of the thing bright, sunny, and tranquil, wheel, as if in the act of steering. A though black clouds, lightnings, and a cold shivering came over me, and I hurricane frowned, flashed, and rathrew the whole into a dark corner, ged before us. On regaining my reand went about my usual occupations collection, I found myself standing in however, my mind felt unsettled and the very place where I had first lost it, uneasy, and I was continually thinking but the spectre had vanished, and no of the human remains I had seen, and trace of him remained. wondering how they could have come “ I spent the next day in dreary exthere. The night that succeeded all pectation of again encountering my this was a very tempestuous one, and supernatural visitor ; however, I was the ship being crank and indifferently agreeably disappointed, and a week moored, laboured dreadfully. I lay passed away without my having once down in my birth soon after dark, but seen him, though I regularly watched the more I tried to sleep, the less did for his appearance. At length a gale of I feel inclined to do so; the wind made wind again occurred, and when mida wild and dreary sound among the night arrived, I observed him take his old shrouds and dismantled masts, station at the helm in the same way as that was far more terrifying than its before, though I could not discover fiercer roarings round a ship in full from whence he came, or how he got trim would have been. At length I on board. I soon had a vision similar got tired of lying awake, and went to the one already described, and on upon deck to see how the weather awaking from it, found myself alone. looked. The moon was in the top of All this took place every night while the heavens, but gave almost no light, the storm lasted. You may be sure I in consequence of the immense layers rejoiced in the return of fine weather, of broken black clouds that sweptalong and subsequently dreaded a wild hobefore her ; however, they sometimes rizon as much as if I had been at sea. opened for a few moments, and then “ After this, the fear of the apparishe suddenly blazed forth like a flash tion made me so miserable, that I reof lightning, and shewed every object solved to look out for another birth. around. The second time this hap- One morning, while full of such pened I thought I saw a man standing thoughts, I saw a boat coming towards at the helm; I shouted with terror, the ship, and soon recognized my old but no one replied, and I began to sus- friend, Bill Waters, tugging an oar, pect that fancy had deceived me; how- in company with several other seamen. ever, on looking again, I was convin- They soon got alongside, and asked ced of the reality of the appearance. how I did, and were just pushing off He was dressed like a sailor, and stood again, when I requested Bill to come close to the wheel, having his hands on board; and spend the day with me,

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and take share of my cot at night, for tore off his arm, and he got entangled I knew he had sailed in the vessel I among the ropes, and received various then had charge of, and therefore injuries, of which he soon died. Next supposed he would be able to tell me day they got into port, and shortly set something of her history. He readily about preparing for sea again ; but accepted my invitation, and, in the when every thing was almost ready, course of the day, I related all I had the captain declined taking charge of seen,

and told him how anxious I was the vessel, and her owners gave the to change my quarters. He seemed command of her to another person, who very much astonished, and remained made one voyage, and then resigned silent a few minutes, and then asked also. She was afterwards laid up, and for a sight of the rudder-wheel and they had always found great difficulty bones. I immediately conducted him in getting any one to keep her, as those to the bold, and he examined the wi- who undertook the charge usually begthered arm with great attention, and, ged to be clear of it before the lapse of on discovering a small ring on one of many weeks, though they invariably its shrunken fingers, exclaimed, “ As refused to give a reason for such inexI live, this limb once belonged to an plicable conduct.” old comrade of mine, called Henley! Here the story was interrupted by Now, I can tell you all about this but one of the seamen who came hurriedly siness. -Oh that our captain were here! towards us, and said he had been awam

-What an infernal devil!-An angel kened by groans and loud noises, which couldn't have steered a whole watch in seemed to proceed from some one besuch weather as we had that night ! neath the place where he slept. The But I will explain every thing. He mate immediately procured a lighted now. proceeded to inform me, that, lantern, and we all went down into about five years before, he had gone a the hold, and examined almost every voyage in the ship we were then on part of it, without discovering any board of, Henley being one of the person, and were on the point of recrew. Immediately after making land, turning to the deck, when the candle they encountered tremendous weather, flashed

on a narrow recess between two and had every thing washed off the rows of water-casks, and shewed a man deck by the waves. The gale conti- sitting in it. We started back with nued almost a week without intermis- horror at the sight of him. He was

sion, and the seamen at length became pale, cadaverous, and emaciated, and so much exhausted that they were his countenance had a frighful expreshardly able to do duty. One night, sion of villainy and terror. His clothes when the vessel was scudding under hung around him in rags, and were bare poles, Henley, after steering her marked with blood in several places, the usual time, gave the helm to the while his matted hair and disordered man whose turn it was to relieve him. looks combined to render his whole The captain thought the former an aspect truly horrible.-" In the name admirable pilot, but had a pique at of Heaven !" cried the mate, “who are him for some cause or other; therefore, you? What do you do here?” The when he saw him abandoning his post, figure to whom these questions were he ordered that he should immediate addressed made no reply, but sat scowlly return to it. Henley protested ing at us in sullen silence, and we were against this; however, the captain be- in the act of advancing towards him, caine furious, and swore he would be when the seaman who carried the lanobeyed, and the poor fellow, though tern stumbled, and dropt it from his worn out with fatigue, was obliged to hand, and the candle was immediately take the rudder in his hands again. extinguished. As none of us felt very Meanwhile, the merciless tyrant got willing to remain in the hold amidst drunk, and stood watching lest any 'total darkness, we all went up the one should relieve Henley, who soon hatch, and waited till our attendant grew so weak that we were obliged to procured another light, and then retie him to the tiller wheel, that he turned and resumed our investigations. might not fall down, or be pitched We found the mysterious intruder overboard. However, an immense wave in the very spot where we had left struek us a-stern, and the shock was him, and would have forced him to 50 violent that he lost command of the give an account of himself, had not pelm ; a sudden jerk of the wheel our attention been attracted by the

the cargo.

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sudden appearance of another being thanked Heaven that they had not of a similar kind, who was skulking been killed and robbed by such despeamong some bales of goods. His dress peradoes, and congratulated themselves and looks betrayed every thing that that this was the first time they had was abject, depraved, and miserable, ever been in the same place with mur. and he had a large bloody scar upon derers. one of his cheeks. This second appa

However, when the Captain appear rition startled us all; however, the ed upon deck every one became silent, mate seized a handspike, and bran- and listened attentively to what he dishing it over the head of the first, said. The men being placed before ordered him to tell where he came him, he scrutinized them from head from.-" I wanted to get out to Ame- foot, and then asked their names, and rica,” returned he, in a hoarse and inquired what countrymen they were. faultering voice ; “ I had no money to “I am called Isaac Hurder," answerpay my passage, so I hid myself among ed the one we had first discovered,

-And who is that behind “and was born in Ireland."-"My you?” demanded the mate.-"A friend name is Michael Willans," said the of nine,” was the reply—“He got on other ; " but I don't know any thing board in the same way as I did.”— about my native place.”—“And how “ Villains ! devils !" 'exclaimed the have you lived since you came on board ! mate; they must have committed this vessel ?" demanded the Captain. some dreadful crime and fled from jus- “Just as well as we could, please your k tice. Look what countenances ! This honour," returned Hurder. “We took! is a serious business for us. But I all we found, and helped ourselves to shall inform the Captain, and likewise any thing that was in the way.".- * order down several of the crew to guard“ Did you intend to remain concealed them.”

till we reached Quebec?” inquired the He now hastened to the cabin, and Captain." No, no," replied the forme roused the Captain, who, as soon as he mer, we would have come up from her was made acquainted with the affair, our hiding place, and begged your par." gave directions that the twomen should don long ago, but we were afraid to do be brought upon deck, where he would so till the ship had got out of sight of shortly attend, and oblige them to give land; for you might have sent us 8. ke an account of themselves. Meanwhile, shore again in the boat.”-“And what the noise of our voices in the hold had have you to say ?” cried the Captain to's awakened some of the emigrants. They Willans, who skulked behind his com, easily learned the cause of the disturb- panion ; " how came you by that ance, and of course communicated it to wound upon your cheek?”-“ May their fellow-passengers, and the whole my soul be eternally damned,” re steerage was soon in a state of commo- turned he, “ if Hurder didn't give it tion. Both men and women got out me this very night !-I was nearly a of their births, and dressed themselves murdered by him. When we first and hurried upon deck; and before the came on board, we agreed to divide in Captain made his appearance there, an equally all the provisions that fell into the anxious and gazing crowd had lined the our hands ; but my friend there, curse one bulwarks, and surrounded the two pri- him ! stole two biscuits to-day, and soners, who surveyed the whole assem- refused to give me one of them. I was this blage with an expression of harden- half dead with hunger, and so resolved ed indifference. A large fantern was to have my share right or wrong.–We placed in such a manner as made its fought about it, and he struck me on light fall chiefly upon them; and dif- the face, curse him! and brought the ferent groups of passengers could be blood, as you see, and would have killseen successively coming within the ed me, hadn't them men with the laninfluence of its blaze, as they crowded tern stopped him.--But may I be in forward to catch a distinct view of the hell to-morrow if we don't

try another disturbers of the public peace. Whis- bout before long.”“Silence, brutal perings, surmises, and exclamations, wretch !” cried the Captain. What passed from mouth to mouth, and were

your reasons for leaving Scotland? every one seemed to exceed another in -answer this instant.”_"Why, bethe uncharitableness of his opinions cause we couldn't live there,” replied respecting the characters of the myste- Willans.

My friend, curse him! rious persons before them ; while some persuaded me to go with him to Amen

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