alley, being shut up, at the farther end, by a high wall, and one of the very filthiest of those proverbially filthy places. It seemed, indeed, to be the general receptacle of all the abominations of Cape Town. Over the door of a wretched-looking house, about halfway up this delectable spot, dangled a wooden sign-board, which appeared to indicate a place of public entertainment. It exhibited a rude representation of a tankard of ale, beneath which was painted the name of the host. The latter, on a nearer approach, we were able, with some difficulty, to decipher, and found it to be that of which we were in search"Karl Kranse."

Without any unnecessary observance of ceremony we entered the house, and proceeded towards the interior; guided more by the sound of voices from within, than by the uncertain light, which, being admitted only by the doorway, was nearly obscured by our persons. Presently we found ourselves in a middling-sized room; which, in the absence of windows, was lighted by a solitary, iron cruise, that dangled from the ceiling. The earthen floor had recently been sprinkled with clean sand, and several small tables and a few chairs were placed up and down, for the accommodation, apparently, of customers. The only occupants of the room, when we entered, were two men, who were seated at one of the tables smoking cigars and drinking beer. One of them was a man apparently about thirty years of age, with a finelymoulded face; the expression of which, however, was a good deal marred by a dark scowling look, restless fiery eyes, and long overhanging black hair. He was dressed in a sailor's, or perhaps more strictly, a fisherman's costume. A pair of huge wide boots, into which were stuffed the legs of his loose blue trowsers, extended up as far as the bend of the knee. A coarse brown monkey-jacket, with large horn buttons, occupied the place of a coat, and being thrown open, for the comfort of the wearer, displayed a broad leathern belt round the waist, in which were stuck a brace of pistols and a clasp-knife. His companion appeared to be a man about forty-five, and one of the most ferocious-looking fellows I had almost ever He was square-built, strong,

seen.

and broad-chested, with a countenance seamed in all directions with deep gashes and scars. His dress was much the same as that of the younger man, saving that he wore no belt, and the butts of his pistols were seen protruding from the pockets of his capacious double-breasted blue waistcoat. As we entered, both the strangers were eagerly engaged in conversation; but our appearance suddenly silenced them; and as we took our places at an adjacent table, I observed that they eyed us attentively, and did not seem to be altogether satisfied with our intrusion. In a few minutes our host appeared, and there was certainly nothing in his appearance that justified the account given of him by Moses. He was a portly, jolly-looking Boniface, with his person completely enveloped in a large circular apron, which was fastened up close under his chin, and extended almost to his feet. He accosted us with much apparent cordiality, smirking and smiling like a true son of the trade.

"Und was befehlen Sie, meine Herren ?" he said, in a most respectful tone.

As we had previously determined that we should avail ourselves of such knowledge of the German as the sergeant happened to possess, for the laudable purpose of eaves-dropping only, we informed our bowing host that we were Englishmen, and would thank him to accommodate us with a pot of English beer, pipes and tobacco.

"Certainly, gentlemen, certainly !" replied mine host, with perfect fluency and propriety of pronunciation, as he bustled away to execute our commands. A brace of foaming tankards were soon produced, and in a few minutes we were enveloped in a dense cloud of tobacco-smoke. The redoubted Karl, meantime, bustled about the room, arranging the tables and chairs, or removing empty glasses and dishes. The elder of the two strangers, both of whom had maintained an inviolable silence since our entrance eyeing him all the while with an impatient expression of face; much the same as that with which a cat watches the motions of a mouse, preparatory to making a decisive pounce on her prey. At length, as the unsuspicious host passed near the chair of his guest, the latter clutched him by the shoulder, and muttered

between his half-closed teeth-" Du alter dummer Teufel Du," at the same time giving him a shake so hearty as almost to knock him off his equilibrium.*

"Why what ails thee, now, André, my lad," replied Karl with great equanimity, "dost take me for a sack of bran that thou shak'st me so ?"

"I take thee for a sack of arrant

stupidity," replied André. "What the devil do you mean by allowing strangers to come into the room when WE are here ?"

66

Why, for the matter of that, André, dear," replied the host, "my house is a public, and open to all customers; and trust me, I'm not the man to keep it empty a whole evening for the matter of a couple of cigars and a pot of small ale."

"Thou dolt," cried André, in a tone of great indignation, "what's thy house to me? Could I not by a wink of my finger, blow it up about your ears, and send you to dangle your overgrown carcase on the cross-beam at Green Point?"+

"Two of us can play at winking of fingers, André, my lad," replied Karl; " and, if the you commence game, I warrant me I could have you hanging yourself high and dry at that same Green Point, before to-morrow's sun go down."

"I defy thee, thou craven," cried André. Look here, Karl," he continued, pointing to the butt of his pistol,"before thou could'st raise thy finger, this would bite it off."

"Damn your gewgaws," replied Karl. "You know, André, I had always the advantage of you when such playthings were in question."

"The devil you had;” cried André, "let's see then if your luck will attend you now," and he drew a pistol, cocked it, and was about to present it at our host, when his companion laid hold of his arm.

"Have done with your brawling, you fools," he said, in the haughty confident tone of a man who must not be disobeyed. "Do you come here to quarrel like a couple of idle school

boys? Karl, I thought I knew you better. André, you were wont to have more discretion. Come, shake hands and be friends," and the hopeful couple growled an assent, and shook hands with apparent cordiality.

"And now, Karl," continued the younger of the two strangers, "tell me when you expect this new recruit."

"It is now very near the time he appointed, Sir," replied Karl, "I expect him here at six o'clock.”

"So-and is he likely to be an useful hand, think you, Karl? We want no half-and-half milksops, you know."

"Why, Sir, to say the truth, I think he's a fellow that will improve. He spent last night here, and I think I could make a man of him shortly. He drinks his liquor heartily, swears a good round oath, and is damnably in want of the rhino!"

"What service was he in ?" "The English service, Sir." "Better and better; why did he leave it ?”

It

"Because he tired of it, Sir. was too dull a life for one of his active disposition; and besides, he wished to see the world a bit, and finger a little honest gotten gear. He tells me he has been long looking out for an opportunity to join our jolly boys, and so he e'en gave his messmates the slip yesterday, when they were lying alongside the quay with the captain's gig."

"All very good indeed, Karl; and thou didst well to secure so promising a recruit. But you must clear the room of those interlopers, my lad, before he come, as I wish to have some conversation with him, and I suppose I must speak to him in English."

66

Ay, ay, Sir, leave that to me," said Karl, as, with many grimaces, and bows, he approached our table, and intimated to us that, if we had finished our liquor, we would favour him very

†The place of common execution.

much by making way for some guests whom he expected shortly, and who had engaged the whole room. Not having understood a word of the previous dialogue, I wished, before going, to have some conversation with Karl on the subject of our deserter; but, on a hint from the sergeant, I remained silent, and, having discharged our reckoning, we took our leave.

On reaching the street, my companion gave me a full account of all that had passed; and both of us were of opinion that the expected recruit was no other than Stubbs. We determined, therefore, to wait his arrival at the end of the lane, and should we be right in our conjecture, to seize upon him as soon as he made his appearance. An open common passage in one of the houses afforded us a favourable place for our ambuscade, and there, accordingly, we took up our station. Nor had we long to wait. In a few minutes a jolly Dutch skipper hove in sight, in whom we had no difficulty in recognizing Stubbs. He, however, was as alert at recognition as we were; for we had no sooner emerged from our place of concealment than he instantly descried us, and turning sharply round on his heel, ran off at the very top of his speed. After him darted the sergeant and myself, overturning one or two passengers in our haste, and astonishing many more, who stood gazing at us in amazement as we dashed along, and marvelling doubtless what the Dutch skipper could have done to offend the English merchant. In such cases, however, the main stream of popular suspicion generally sets in against the pursued; and several daring attempts were made to intercept the progress of the flying Dutch.man. Stubbs, however, was an adept at the practice of "right and left," and no sooner was any one hardy enough to lay hands on him, than he was received at the point of the fist, and speedily prostrated in the street, with a cut eye or a bloody nose. At length, as such imminent danger was found to attend the enterprise, he was permitted to pursue his course uninterrupted; and a pretty chase he led us. He plunged into every lane, darted into every cross street, and, at length, after a variety of doublings and windings, led us into the public walk in the

neighbourhood of the governor's house. Here the trees and fences afforded him ample scope for deploying; and out and in he jumped and jinketted ;-we sometimes close at his heels, sometimes considerably distanced. By dint of good lungs and active limbs, however, we succeeded at length in beating him out of this fastness, when he darted down the heergraft, cleared the palisade of the Grand Parade-ran across

We

cleared the other, and made for the shore. Here, not far from the beach, stands, or did stand, a range of public storehouses, unconnected with any other building, and divided from the public shambles by a narrow lane. Stubbs took his direction past the open side of this building, apparently shaping his course for the beach. were close upon him at the moment; but it occurred to me that he intended to elude us by making a complete circuit of the building, and escaping unnoticed on the other side. I accordingly left the sergeant to follow him in the direction he had taken, while I ran round the other side, thus making sure of him, if he attempted to practise the ruse I imagined. Nor was my conjecture erroneous; scarcely had I turned into the narrow lane which divides the store-house from the shambles when I descried him coming down upon me, at full speed, followed at no great distance by the sergeant. The lane was SO narrow that he could not possibly pass me, so he had no alternative but to surrender or to knock me down. Forward he came, his nostrils expanded, his shirt and waistcoat torn open at the breast, and the flaps of his huge Dutch coat flying loosely behind him. There was no time to hesitate. With an expression of desperation in his countenance, he doubled his fist and bent his arm in such a manner as to bring his hand close to his ear. this attitude he approached within a yard of me. I stopped and steadied myself to receive the expected blow, but just at that moment something like irresolution seemed to come over him. He faltered for an instant-I took advantage of the opportunity, and, with a single spring, I was hanging at his collar. It was then that the blow fell, and hitting me with great violence on the head almost stunned me. I, however, still kept my hold, notwith

In

standing the repeated and hard blows he dealt me, and succeeded in retarding his course sufficiently to allow the sergeant time to come up. His fury was now turned towards my companion. Mustering all his strength, with a single effort he hurled me from my hold, and put himself in an attitude of defence. A combat ensued that might have done credit to the English ring. Both men were expert bruizers, and each bent upon victory. The sergeant, however, had right on his side, and he received his adversary with the most collected coolness, while the nerves of poor Stubbs were unsteadied by conscious guilt and desperation. He exhausted himself in fruitless attempts to strike his opponent, who parried his blows with the most exemplary calmness, never wasting a hit that did not tell. After a few fierce rounds Stubbs became unsteady, and began to falter, and the sergeant, watching his opportunity, dealt him a decisive blow on the right temple, which laid him sprawling and bloody on the ground. When he was sufficiently recovered we fastened a rope's-end round his wrists, carried him to the boat, which was waiting for us at the quay, and rowed off with all despatch for the ship.

“What! Mr. Lascelles," said Captain Morley, as soon as we arrived on deck, "you are covered with blood! Did the fellow offer violent resistance?"

"He certainly did not strike, Sir," I replied, "immediately on the first

and let the doctor look to your wounds!"

But I had not a thought to bestow on my wounds. The whole evening I brooded over the idea that if this poor fellow should suffer, his death would lie at my door. His desertion might have been pardoned, nay, almost certainly, would have been pardoned, but it was for striking an officer-for striking ME-that the last punishment was to be awarded. I felt perfectly miserable.

It chanced that the middle watch was mine. I paced the deck in a most unenviable state of mind, thinking by what means I might succeed in mitigating the captain's intended sentence. But I knew that Morley, though indulgent, was a rigid disciplinarian, and that, though always inclined to overlook trivial offences, he was, nevertheless, severe in the punishment of crimes. He had passed the sentence ; and he had done so with that peculiar manner which he generally assumed when he meant that what he said should be irrevocable. Eight bells of my watch had sounded, and I descended to my berth feverish and disinclined to sleep. On my way down I had to pass the place where poor Stubbs was lying. As I drew near I heard his irons rattle. I shuddered; my blood froze in my veins. I advanced a few steps, and almost came in contact with the pallet on which he lay. All was still as death. Again the irons rattled, the bed-clothes moved, and a voice whispered in my ear

"O, Mr. Lascelles, save me !"
"How?"
"A file!"

It was the work of an instant. I passed on and tossed him a file from the armourer's bench.

In the morning, when I came on deck, the first thing I learned was that Stubbs was gone, and that his irons were filed.

How the file had been procured was matter of wonder and conjecture to all. I, of course, was wise enough to keep my own counsel; quite satisfied that as the fellow was an excellent swimmer, he was, by that time, safe ashore, and beyond the reach of pursuit.

THE thrushes are singing, the dews glistening, the cuckoo is calling from the grove, the rail replying from the meadows, and a crop, which, by the blessing of God, will, ere long, fill the granaries of Ireland with food for many millions, is gushing from the moist earth, like an exhalation. We write in early May, for May is the month of lovers-love is the subject of our labours, and to all who love we dedicate the vernal conception. May is the month of lovers, whether their path be in city or solitude, bright in sunshine, or lustrous in moonlight, or dim in the still radiance of the stars. May breathes the inspiration of desire from all the fresh bosom of the impregnated earth; May sheds the animation of hope from all the clear depths of the buxom and enamoured air. God bless the happy hearts, that even now thrill with Heaven's holiest influences, in the breasts of many fond and innocent young creatures, walking or wander ing by one another's sides, over the fair face of this delightful island; for on such a bright May morning when were the valleys of our country not sanctified by the presence of true lovers? Under many an odorous hawthorn, and among the dews of many a daisied meadow, are youths and maidens even now exchanging vows, to be ratified, ere long, before the altar, in unions which shall yet brighten a hundred hearths with the glad faces of free and happy generations. Alas! a thousand springs have smiled on the same scenes of love and promise; but, of their thousand winters, few, few have scowled in vain through the closed lattice on secure or free firesides.

sowed, reaped, or consumed the fruits of earth, and, we again, thank God, smiling with the promise of as rich a harvest as ever filled the barns and bawns of Ireland-our eyes resting delighted on such a scene would, we say, ere they had contemplated it under the receding change of half a century, shrink back, appalled, at the spectacle of smoking ruins, trampled corn fields, discoloured waters, and fugitive and famishing families, houseless-lawlesshopeless. Shift back the scene another two or three half centuries. Fewer corn fields there are here to trample ; fewer cottages to burn; but the stream of blood flows freely as ever. Musket and cannon still mingle their dreadful noises with the clash of steel, and the victorious troops still shout the same huzzas which followed the rebellious rout from Ross and Antrim ; but, mingling with the British cheer are war-cries long unheard upon our hills, and fighting, foot to foot, with the trained soldiery of England, are men, the recollection of whose very costume is lost among their descendants. See the wild Irishmen-how the chain mail still glances on their breasts-how the long glibbs are still tossed on their mantled shoulders !— mark that stirrupless lancer, how he dashes at the ponderous man-at-arms. He bears one stave like a javelin, whirled high overhead; another fills his left hand, with the tasselled reins ; his sword is in its sheath till these are cast; his rear-rank man sways a broad battle-axe—the last-he of the galloglasses.-See the kern with the matchlock; how he blows his fuse in the face of a field-piece.-Hark to the war-cries of Claneboy, Iveagh, and Clanbrasil.-Farrah! Farrah! Lamh dearg aboo! Aengus more aboo!

Lamh laidir air uachdir!-Faunat aboo! shouts Mac Sweeny of the ships; Bataillach aboo! cries Mac Sweeny of the battle-axes-Huzza! Huzza! replies the British line; and down go kern and carbineer, galloglass and trooper, tanist and captain, in the