Intrusive still, and still this is their cry-- "Who'll buy my matches, laces, tapes; who'll buy?" The weary night-watch through, on some cold stair, A brace of sparks, escaped from daily thrall- They sigh for evening, with its dusky brain, Hark! from the steeple-'tis the warning-beil! The rapid dissolution of the day. Now Toil and Folly each withdraws its train, Glasgow, September, 1849. JAMES TAYLOR. When sparkling through the morning air, bejewell'd o'er with dew; Or, with all nobler things, alas! but shares the fates of all? W. C. BENNETT. A TALE OF THE MEXICAN GULF. CHAPTER V.-THE ATTACK. Ir was scarcely dawn. The pirate island lay buried in profound and heavy slumber. Captain and men had caroused deeply after their voyage, and were, doubtless, drowsy. It was usual for a sentry to mount guard, at all hours, on a particular point of the island ; but twenty years of impunity had not rendered the habit very regular. The man whose duty it was to signalise any danger, had a small box, to take shelter from the rain and storms, and here he soundly slept off his debauch of the night before. Fortunately, however, he did not sleep so heavily as might have been expected, for he suddenly turned round, sat up, and looked around him. "Madre di Dios? what do I see" he cried, the fumes of the potent punch flying from his brain like thin clouds before the breeze. He seemed petrified with astonishment. A brig and schooner were anchoring under the cliff, and were putting out boats. It was clear an attack on the island was intended, for the brig wore the royal flag of Spain, the boats put out were numerous, and a large number of men were ready to fill them. narrow footpath on one side. As, when the Spaniards landed, they would either attempt to enter the island by this gully, or by the grotto, Simon Morris was not long in making his plan of defence. When he was joined by his motley crew, it was already settled in his mind. "These audacious Spaniards must never go hence to tell the tale," he said, addressing his lieutenant Paolo, in a tone of desperate resolution. "They must be punished for their foolhardiness, while we will share the rich booty of their vessels. My boys! we wanted but two such vessels as these to be island kings indeed! There is a good ship of thirty-two guns, and a schooner of eight. With these, our brigantine, and three hundred more men, we may here defy all the || fleets of Spain. But to business; pleasure will come | afterwards." The men answered by a suppressed cheer. "Paolo! take you fifty men, and go make ready the Alice for defence. Do not spare the rascals; but make as many prisoners as you can. A month's carousing will make all the men our own." Paolo picked out fifty men, and prepared to move away at once. day." "Those accursed boats that escaped us yesterday have given the alarm," muttered the pirate, without "If there be traitors here," said Simon Morris, "let moving; "and the Devil's Island is no longer an in-them wipe out their treachery now. All bygones shall violable retreat. Remains the question, which will be forgotten in the remembrance of duty done this be most profitable-to descend to the beach, and guide || up the Spaniards; or alarm my comrades, and make a fight? Hum! I am condemned to the galleys for life-and the Spanish Admiral may admire my devotion, and then give me up to justice; while liberty and black Tabora are here after victory. Here goes." "Luckily for you," said Simon Morris behind him, in a cold, stern voice, "your reasoning was good. But men don't always talk aloud; it might be awkward. Go, wake up every fellow, and bid them join me. Onethird remain on the cliff. Let the rest join me, armed to the teeth, in the grotto." The Spanish pirate sneaked away with a terrified and cowed air, and Simon Aforris, who could not sleep, and who had come out just in time to catch sight of the enemy, remained alone. “What snake has bit the silly girl, to waken thus her slumbering conscience? The thought maddens me more and more. Lucky that the desperate struggle which now awaits me will drive out such fancies. Come, let me plan my defence." And Sinon Morris moved down to the extreme edge of the cliff, near the shaft which led below into the grotto, and which was of artificial construction. 66 They must be caught in that," muttered the old pirate; "and then from the fort and cliff we must play on the ships. Their boats will make for the cove, where lies the Alice; but that is easily guarded. A broadside from her deck and from Old Tom will sicken them of trying that passage." The pirate's brigantine lay snugly in a deep and small cove, to which access was had by a narrow channel, through which it was always warped. This channel was between lofty, perpendicular rocks, which left a / And Simon Morris glanced at the soliloquising sentry. Paolo and Bill Smith exchanged uneasy glances. Their consciences made his words sound strangely. "You, Bill Smith! take twenty men, and man the point yonder. If any get off in boats, give them h; let not the brig or schooner stir from their anchorage. Your heavy guns can cut their rigging to pieces. Go!" Paolo hurried to the cove, Bill Smith to the fort, while the rest stood round the captain. They all had guns, swords, and pistols; and a more reckless and ferocious-looking gang never, perhaps, was before collected together. On the summit of the cliff stood two heavy pieces of ordnance, taken from a vast Spanish frigate, captured by stratagem ten years before. These Simon Morris confided to the care of Smith, the carpenter, and a dozen men. "If the villians fly, play on them and the ships till they haul down their flags." Smith, the carpenter, promised to obey orders implicitly. Simon Morris then descended to the grotto, as the Spanish boats, a dozen in number, were nearly on shore, bearing about two hundred and fifty men. The pirate himself had more than a hundred men with him, with the advantage of a swivel gun, and the shelter of the grotto. | SC The men promised to obey scrupulously, and in-1 tended to keep their promise, as Simon Morris never spared those who disobeyed him. The Spanish boats had touched the strand, and the men were landing. The pirate, by a sudden attack, supported from the cove, could now easily have driven the enemy back in confusion on the ships; but this was not his object. He wished to destroy or capture men and ships, as they would, if defeated and beaten off, only come back again in greater numbers, and take him at disadvantage. The Spanish force could easily be seen forming on the strand. They were well armed; some soldiers, some sailors, with numerous officers. Some of the latter were discussing a question of importance. They pointed to the two well-beaten paths leading, one to the grotto, the other to the cove. After some hesitation, a hundred men filed off towards the cove, while a hundred and fifty advanced straight towards the grotto. The Spaniards, with their usual carelessness, believed themselves unseen, and would have run unarmed into the grotto, had not a couple of guns from the ship given them warning of danger. They had seen men on the cliff. Before, however, they could make ready, the swivel gun from the grotto poured upon them; and then a dark mass of men came yelling forth, before the smoke had cleared away. A tremendous volley from the cove was heard simultaneously with the attack. The mélée became at once horrible. The pirates laid some twenty low with their small-arms, and then came down upon them with cutlasses and axes, while, at the same instant, the body which had attacked the treacherous cove fell back in confusion-less, at least, twenty. The pirates followed not, however; a circumstance that Simon Morris could not explain to himself, and which altered his plan. A bloody contest meanwhile ensued, at first, hand to hand; but the superior force and discipline of the Spaniards soon enabled them to form a junction, when, at a signal from Morris, his men rushed back to the grotto for shelter. "Out with the swivel, boys! Is Paolo playing us false? If he is, by the Lord, he shall swing this night! Load your guns, and have at these Spanish dogs. Come on, caramba!" he cried; "carajo! carajo! come on; ye shall learn what Simon Morris, the pirate, can do." The Spaniards were advancing, in good order, out of reach of the guns of the cove, while those of the ship began to play on the grotto. "We must close, to stop this firing," muttered Simon, as the heavy broadside of the ship rattled amid the rocks. The pirates accordingly sallied forth, and, though the Spaniards were as two to one, prepared to close. "Advance not a step!" suddenly cried Morris. "Give them your guns, and nothing more. Stand still!" with the brigantine. Pepper the scoundrels! Show the signal for the fort to begin." The forty who had left the Alice, rushed back, and leaped on the brigantine's deck, which began to be covered with canvas. The Spaniards had formed again around their boats; but, at this instant, the ordnance from the cliff, and from the extremity of the point, where lay a low battery, began to play on the ships and boats. The brigantine was fairly under sail in ten minutes, and threatened to cut off retreat, while the ships dared not fire on her, for fear of hurting their own The Spaniards were completely in a trap. The din was fearful. The battery had twelve guns, the cliff two, the brigantine nineteen. These, with musketry, filled the air with horrible sounds. The pirates rushed on the Spaniards, who, thrown into inextricable confusion, threw down their arms, as much in ignorance of the force which surrounded them as anything else. men. 'Ay, ay, sir!" "Don't drink, mind!" "All right, sir!" "I hope so; but mind, if you are drunk when I come back, woe be to you! Now, boys, for the ships!" The brig and schooner poured volley after volley at the battery on the point; but they received far more injury than they did harm, and when the Spaniards yielded on land, they ceased firing. The pirates entered the boats, and, with the brigantine, prepared for boarding. In their present mood they would have attacked a frigate. But the Spanish flag came down; and, before breakfast-time, Simon Morris owned three ships instead of one. Of pieces-of-eight there was store indeed, while of guns, ammunition, and spirits, there was no lack. The ships were conveying money for the garrison of Panama. Half the day was spent in warping the whole fleet within the cove-where they lay, side by side, with some difficulty-and in dividing the booty, which was considerable. The dead were placed on a huge pyre, and burned; and then the pirates went away to carouse with the prisoners, whom they hoped, by good living and example, to win over to join them, the officers excepted. These had, however, no other resource save death, for Simon Morris was firmly resolved that none should leave his island retreat to betray its secret. CHAPTER VI. OLIVER AND GENEVIEVE. The cousins had witnessed the bloody contest from a secret look-out on the summit of the cliffs, with emo The pirates fired, then stood firm, and reloaded. The Spaniards fired, but advancing all the time. They had fired a second volley, when a yell burst from behindtions of a varied and mingled nature. Genevieve was them, and the brigantine, which had been warped out by Paolo, gave them the contents of its eight guns of one side and its swivel, while forty men rushed headlong on their rear. Simon, who had discovered this before them, closed also; and the Spaniards turned round, and fled ia confusion towards their boats. more anxious for her father's life than anything else; while Oliver Mildmay was far from wishing the pirate's death. Genevieve would certainly have been relieved from the only influence which bound her to the dangerous and evil course to which she was tied by affection and habit; but Simon Morris dead, the only restraint "Paolo!" cried Morris, in a tone of delight, "out of his savage crew was gone. Oliver wondered too much already at the safety of Genevieve, not to dread most fearfully her being exposed to the mercy of such ruffians as Paolo and his gang. Besides, the young man was, like most of his age, sanguine and ardent; and he hoped yet to leave the island in company with his cousin and her father. bition, the mastery of the world. There was something in the looks of Oliver when he gazed at Genevieve, and something in her cheek, mantling with blushes when she met his glance; there was something in his tone of voice, so mellow and soft-something at times so low in the tones of her reply-that the blindThey sat, side by side, without speaking, when the est observer could have noted the influence of their conflict was over, gazing at each other. They were hearts upon their actions. Mariana, who was an exvery pale. They had both risen from sleep to witness|perienced woman of five-and-forty, and who had loved the fight; hunger and excitement had worn them much, warmly in her youth, saw the dawn of passion in them and they seemed, as it were, to take breath after a with some anxiety. contest in which both had mentally taken part. "And that is a battle," said Genevieve, heaving a deep sigh; "and men do call such bloody work, glory!" "Because men are villanously brought up, and more villanously ruled, dear cousin! Kings, and princes, and governors, coveting the possessions of others, or having some grudge or quarrel, teach their people that glory lies behind a long list of killed and wounded; and men fight, thinking they are doing something great and glorious." "It is awful," replied Genevieve, shaking her pretty head. "I would live where such things are never heard of where cannon never sound." "You must wait, dear cousin, until men are governed according to the will of God, and until Christianity is practically carried out." "Ah me! And my father has escaped unwounded! He is a bold and terrible man." "He fought like a hero, and led his men admirably; but this great victory will, I fear, harden him in his resolve. He will be proud; and pride will not serve our hopes. He will be eager to follow up this miraculous victory by some bold and audacious stroke. Your father, Genevieve, is elated with his prize; and, be sure, our difficulties have increased." "Let us have hope and patience, Oliver. And now, go you and breakfast; you must be starving. I know I am." | "Should your father disapprove of your friend's presence here," said she, suddenly, "in what way will it influence your actions?" "I know not," replied Genevieve, with a sigh. Oliver said nothing. "It is quite sure," continued Mariana, who knew not the relationship of the new acquaintance, “that Simon Morris will reseut with violence the secret presence of a stranger on the island; and perhaps the young gentleman's life may be in danger." "His life will be in no danger, Mariana," replied Genevieve. "My father never kills in cold blood." "I know it; but when he discovers who has opened your eyes--and he may discover it suddenly—his passion may make him forget himself." 66 He will not harm me," said Oliver, with a smile; "I bear about me a talisman which Simon Morris will respect. 66 66 That may be,'' observed Mariana, with pertinacity; but will he the more approve of your presence here?" "He may not," replied Oliver; "but who knows what may happen when we meet :" "Young man!" cried Mariana, "Simon Morris, when he finds you here, will suspect you to be the lover of his daughter. Evil unto you, and me, and her, if his suspicions are unfriendly to you! No mercy will he have on us." "But he is not my lover," said Genevieve, hurriedly, to whom this view of matters was not a little alarming. Genevieve!" cried Oliver Mildmay, with an air of tender reproach. But Genevieve held down her eyes, and made no reply. Mariana gazed on, with a smile. " Happy creatures!" she said, "you are in the young spring which God gives unto us all, and which, if we will, may live for ever in Come, then; for truly, now that the excitement is our hearts. But why not be frank, stranger. It is clear over, I feel faint with inaction." The cousins took each the other's arm, and moved away, by paths that Genevieve knew well, towards her retired and lovely bower; where Mariana had for hours been expecting them, and where she had prepared a delicious meal, which effaced all remembrance of their morning appetite. They looked a well-met pair, as they sat together by their breakfast-table, each assisting the other, and striving to please by all those nameless little attentions which show more than anything else the growth and strength of the tender passion. That the cousins should love was inevitable. Their romantic meeting;|| the loneliness of both in the world-Oliver an orphan, Genevieve an outcast; both young, handsome, and pure and generous of heart-all combined to open the way for the invasion of the passion which shares, with am you love this girl; and I am equally sure that she "But I do now," cried he, impetuously. "From the instant that I saw you-ministering and saving angel! -on the beach, when you gave me shelter, food, and clothing-poor wrecked sailor!--I dared to love you. My heart was at once smitten beyond recovery; and if I hesitated to speak out before, it was because I feared you might not know enough of me to judge." "Are you not my cousin?" said Genevieve, with downcast eyes, and playing with the sash of her waist with her fingers, as an excuse for looking down-a very his daughter's bower. The Spaniards, agreeably sur general practice with young ladies when undergoing theprised at the polite manners and good cheer of their ordeal of a declaration. ver. "I recollect it; I shall never forget it!" cried Oli "But how came you here?" asked Mariana, who feared some deceit. captor, who strove to conceal from his prisoners the bitterness of their defeat, were on the footing of friendly guests; a result to which copious libations had abundantly contributed. In the enthusiasm of a long carouse, two young midshipmen began to think the life of a freebooter rather a lively and capital affair. The elder officers frowned a little; but their position forbade remarks. "Here, gentlemen," said Simon Morris, in excellent and fluent Spanish, "is my bower. You are welcome to it. Despite the ignorance of Europe, we will here indulge in the delicious luxury of the tabac weed—a wise practice, in which the Indians show their fituess for a contemplative life." "I approve the suggestion, worthy admiral," said a tough Spanish officer, "and will gladly join you in a fragrant pipe, the more that I see fair faces!" bowOliver Mildmay again narrated his whole story, toing to Mariana and Caterina, her companion, who were which both the women listened with wrapt atten- laying out pipes, and even coffee, then even a greater tion. luxury, for the pirate's visitors. "Hush!" exclaimed Mariana, suddenly; steps. Hide thyself, young man." Oliver stepped into the back room. A negress entered. "What is it, Pava?" asked Mariana. 66 I hear "Fair country women of your own, Sir Spaniard," continued Simon Morris, "who have honoured me with their presence for some years; and who, since the death of my wife, are the friends and companions of my daughter." The Spaniards looked surprised. The pirate was a strange being. On seeing women, they expected to discover some abandoned persons of their sex, such as are usually found in pirate dens. Of these, it is true, there were enough on the other side of the island; but the pirate's manner, and the air and mieu of Mariana and Caterina, at once showed how much the influence of poor Alice played around the curate's Probably, that moment, as they entered the forest || bat." and were shaded from sight, they did not wish to be seen; for Mariana smiled, and shook her head, as she uttered-"All smiles, and kisses, and love, just now. What will it be by-and-by?" And Mariana set to work to put the bower in order. CHAPTER VII. THE PIRATE'S BIRTHDAY. Simon Morris lived with something of the state of an island king. He had his town and country palaces, and his retinue; and, like most men who possess power, he liked to render it glorious and grand in the minds of the many, by a little glitter and show. This cast dust in vulgar eyes, and did no harm. On the first of the year, on Easter Monday, and on his own birthday, Simon Morris delighted to get up some display, and played the part of a little czar with lifelike energy. After a sumptuous dinner, at which had been present the Spanish officers, Paolo, and two other pirate officers, Simon Morris moved away with his company towards She rose before dawn, and saw the whole com Aloue?" "Neither I nor Caterina accompanied her." "Was she frightened?" "She returned with a dreadful appetite." A rover's child, you see, gentlemen," said Morris, "is quite able to bear the smell of powder; though, and here the pirate sighed, "until this morning ste knew me not a pirate." The Spaniards looked surprised. "Yes! I have a good, and lovely, and virtuous child," cried Morris; while Paolo grinned at Bill Smith, who was nearly hidden behind a cloud of smoke. “You and your nation have but a bad opinion of me. But come, I have an hour to spare, I will tell you my story; and I fancy, pirate though I be, I am not quite so black as I am painted.” "We are all painted black enough," growled Paulo; "and had I my will, those who paint us so should have good reason for their words. What think you, Bill Smith ?” The devil take all opinions, say 1," was Bil |
