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racked with the anguish of fatigue and suffering, while busied in contriving some little support for the trembling head of an aged parent; or binding up the wounds of a brother, or relieving some fainting mother of her helpless babe. All this was terrible to witness; but when the victims looked up to those who hung over the walls, and smiled, and blessed them for their heroic fidelity, it was too much tears and sobs broke forth from many who had endured without a groan the inflictions of that dreadful siege : and the leading men hastened to despatch a message to the general who commanded under the hateful De Rosen, declaring that unless the fugitives were properly refreshed, and re-conducted to their homes, the prisoners should be immediately hanged within their view, including a nobleman and several officers. Yet, with this atrocious example of religious persecution before their eyes, they added a free permission for popish priests to enter, and prepare them for their fate.

The captives, acknowledging the strict ustice of this proceeding, and expressing deep abhorrence at the deed of De Rosen, wrote an imploring letter to their general, to save them from a disgraceful death by his compliance, but in vain. The Frenchman was inexorable, and left them to their fate, merely signifying that their death would be revenged on the defenceless multitude. The sentence was not carried into execution, but every possible method was

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taken to relieve the sufferers, who on the following day were joined by another thousand in similar cir

cumstances.

There was not a person in Derry, able to move, who did not seem to lose the sense of every privation in the all-absorbing sentiment of indignant pity. Many climbed the walls, whom age or sickness had apparently disabled from walking the street, and some were seen to drop their own scanty morsel of food, or change of clothing, in the laps of such as seemed perishing for help. Recognitions the most heart-rending took place, while those on the walls discerned in some bleeding famishing creature beneath, a sister, a parent, a child-sometimes a wife or husband. Distressed as was the garrison, it became necessary to prohibit, under severe penalties, the reception, and even the relief, of those over whom all hearts yearned; but the pleadings of natural affection overcame both fear and prudence, and many were admitted, fed, and clothed during the night. Among these, one amply recompensed the mercy shewn, by delivering a message from the fleet, directing that in case of great extremity, two fires should be lighted on the church. The beacons were immediately ignited, and plentifully fed, that their blaze might reach the ships with a silent tale of unparalleled distresses.

When the day was a little advanced, many citizens thronged the walls, in hope of discovering among

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the multitude below some beloved relative, who had participated in the voluntary exile of the preceding night; but carefully avoided any sign of recognition, lest the watchful foe might detect the arrangement. They did, indeed, accuse the garrison of forming such intention; but failed to discover its success, although with insulting mockery, they passed among the shrinking victims, smelling to their garments, and declaring that they should identify the Derry people by the ill savour resulting from their wretched mode of existence. For, not only had their dwellings been impregnated by the suphureous effluvia of the shells continually bursting, which also had rendered the water unfit for cleansing their linen, but they were now reduced to subsist on the flesh of dogs, cats, and rats, on tallow, greaves, and every description of offal that famine could compel itself to swallow. The extreme length of the town being but three hundred paces, and its greatest breadth one hundred and eighty, some conception may be formed, even by those who have not seen it, of the dreadful effects produced on the health of its inmates, by a contest already of seven months continuance; during the last ten weeks of which their rest had been broken, their houses shattered, their friends slain, the water polluted, and the air poisoned by the almost incessant explosion of shells in the streets, three hundred and forty having been thrown in, to that date. To this we must add the horrible

circumstance of dead bodies being frequently torn up from the grave, by the same destructive engines; and the devastating nature of the pestilence which was carrying off the inhabitants in augmented numbers every day. It becomes a matter of increasing astonishment that human nature could endure such varied and protracted sufferings: if we refer it to dread of the infuriated enemy, what shall we say of those who voluntarily placed themselves in their power, for the sole purpose of relieving and strengthening the garrison within ?

The fourth of July found De Rosen in a situation far from enviable: the half suppressed murmurs of his Irish confederates were rising into threats of open insurrection, on behalf of their tortured countrymen. The professing Protestants, who had disgraced their calling by co-operation with the Popish army, and who were chiefly men of influence, put no restraint on their angry feelings, but inveighed most bitterly against the unprecedented insult offered to their nominal faith, and the scandalous violation of all that man could deem binding on his fellow-man; for the greater number of De Rosen's victims had James Stuart's protection in their pockets. The popish officers, as we have seen, shrunk from identifying themselves with the perpetrators of the outrage; and their feelings were responded to by the native soldiers. When the Mareschal looked out upon his motley camp, he could not but perceive that elements

were there at work, which threatened a serious explosion; and on turning his eye towards Derry, he beheld the appalling apparatus still displayed—the gallows on which Lord Netterville and his companions were to terminate their earthly course, in full view of their former associates and followers. Yet all this, it is probable, would have failed to turn the foreign general from his purpose, and under the walls of Derry those four thousand Protestants might have perished by famine, while above its ramparts the bones of his captured comrades had whitened on a gibbet, if he could have farther calculated on the countenance of the unhappy king whose cause he had been sent to uphold.

But James was not sufficiently divested of humanity to concur in the dreadful project of the Mareschal. On being made acquainted with his cruel order, the monarch dispatched a letter condemnatory of the proceeding, and strongly protesting against it. The receipt of this communication left De Rosen under a responsibility too weighty to be incurred; and, after some delay, he reluctantly issued the order for driving the poor captives back to their homes.

This command was hailed with joy by many who had often been the ready instruments of persecution, but whose bosoms were melted by the piteous spectacle before their eyes; and by them it was communicated to the men of Derry, who mounted the walls to take a last farewell of their fellow-sufferers,