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connected to the hood by long pipes of the cloth, closed in the same manner as the seams of my dress. I likewise procured a lantern, which I rendered waterproof by similar means; and then I joined it to the head-piece by another pipe, having observed that there was, generally, a superfluity of air from the bubbles I had seen rising over the diver's head, which marked his situation in the water.

And now only one point remained to care about; but that was the most difficult -it was to seek a confederate. Not but I believe that I could have got many to join me in my foolhardy enterprise; but they would have expected an equal share of the proceeds, and this it was not my intention to allow. Still, I could not do without a companion to mind the boat above, and, more especially, to supply me with air. I had, at one time, formed a wild scheme of borrowing a goat from an old man, at the edge of the common, who had trained it to run round in a wheel, and assist in making string; but the insanity of trusting my life to the operations of an animal, soon made me give up the scheme I had formed of constructing some rough machinery, to be turned by a similar wheel, which, acting upon a parallel motion, or rack and pinion, might work the pump. At last, chance threw the required assistance in my way. There was a poor creature living in the town at the time, named, or rather called, Harry Weston, whom I selected for my companion. He was not exactly in his right senses, nor was he completely an idiot; but at that nice balance between the two which kept him from being the sport of the street boys, whilst it gained the pity, or sympathy, of the charitable people in the neighbourhood. He got his living by carrying out parcels from the coach-offices to their final destination, or by running on errands, and performing divers odd jobs for the inhabitants; and he generally bore a good character for sobriety and honesty. It was this harmless individual that I fixed upon as my associate. I brought him to my lodgings, and bound him down by the most horrible oaths I could invent, to frighten him, and promises of large reward, to serve me as I should direct, without ever uttering a syllable to mortal of my schemes; and then, making an appointment with him for an evening in the next week, I gave him a trifling sum as an earnest of my future bounty. Poor wretch! he never lived to receive it.

The intervening days lagged slowly by, and the eventful night at last arrived. As soon as it was dusk, with the assistance of Weston, I carried my apparatus, piecemeal, down to the beach on Southsea com

mon, and then concealed them in one of the bathing-machines which are always stationed there; leaving him to watch them whilst I repaired to the Point for the purpose of procuring the boat I had bespoken a few days before. She was an old man-of-war's gig, with gunwales rather higher than ordinary, and low thwarts, which gave her a security better calculated for our operations. I pulled round to the beach, near the common, and took Weston and my contrivances on board, and then we started again for the scene of my venture. There was very little wind, and the sea was as calm as glass; which circumstances were, of course, in our favour. When we got to the buoy which marks the situation of the Royal George, we fastened the boat to it, and I commenced arraying myself in my diving costume. This finished, with the exception of the headpiece, I threw overboard a rope-ladder, having two small kedges attached to its inferior extremities; and when I had ascertained that these had laid hold of some portion of the wreck, I made fast the upper ends to one of the seats of the boat. I next sounded the depth with a lead-line, and arranged my water-proof pipes accordingly, by means of some taps I had purchased at a gas-fitters; allowing an extra length or two for my movements. In about half an hour from our first fixing the gig to the buoy, I had made all close and ready, and prepared to descend. I felt no timidity—the bare recollection of the wealth reported to be engulfed with the vessel, which I might, perhaps, accumulate, drove every other feeling from my mind.

With a last injunction for unremitting work and attention, on the part of Weston, I stepped on to the ladder, and commenced my task. What was my delight upon finding that my schemes answered, as I saw through the glass, in my hood, the green water ascend higher than the level of my face, and, finally, close over my head, whilst my respiration continued free and unembarrassed. There was one unpleasant sensation, but this was not of sufficient consequence to annoy me. At every stroke of the pump above, that forced a fresh quantity of air down the pipe, I experienced a feeling of tense pain on the drums of my ears, of which I had heard the men in the diving-bells sometimes complain; but this I, in great measure, alleviated, by making frequent attempts at deglutition. My lanthorn, also, preserved the flame within it admirably; and its trifling consumption of air tended, in a measure, to relieve the pressure in the head-piece. I descended gradually and carefully, step by step; and at last, to my great joy, stood on a portion of the wreck. I found the

kedges had caught on a large spar that lay completely across the ship, kept firmly in its place by a gun, which had, probably, rolled over it when the accident occurred. With some little caution I crawled along it; and, at length, stood upon the deck. And here, for the first time, I became aware of the singular assistance of my light. Everything around me was plainly discernible, when the rays, cast through a large bull's-eye, were directed towards the object, only appearing as if a dull, greenish mist encircled it. I well remember the stems of the masts, with their coating of barnacles-the masses of shell-work and weeds that incrusted the guns, still outwardly preserving their shape the very bulwarks, with their rings of green and cankered metal attached; and the blackened pieces of timber that were grouped around me, from which myriads of strange polypi threw out their long streaming arms in quest of prey. The deck was nearly a foot deep in sand, and, as I had supposed, not level; but still, the declivity to larboard was not too steep to preclude my keeping a firm footing. An immense quantity of corroded blocks, tackle, &c., was lying about in confusion, enveloped by perfect groves of tall sea-weed; and these floated about like monstrous snakes, twisting and undulating in all directions.

I cleared away a few trifling impediments with a light boat-hook, which I carried in my hand; and moved cautiously forward in the direction where I expected to find the entrance to the chief cabin. I was not long in reaching it, but experienced some little difficulty in descending the stairs that led to it, as the passage was partly choked up with sand and debris from the wreck. At the third step I dislodged some large mass from its position. By my light I perceived a number of fish, such as sand-eels and small crabs, which had been disturbed from it; and, directly afterwards, upon kicking it with my foot, I was horrified at perceiving a human skull, to which some scraps of colourless flesh and ligaments were still adhering, roll down the inclined plane of sand that covered the ladder, towards the door. My first impulse was to return immediately; but, reflecting that all I had striven for was probably within my grasp, my thirst for gain once more conquered every other feeling.

With some trouble I made my way into the cabin. The doors were openthey had probably been so at the time of the catastrophe, and the subsequent accumulation of sand and mud had kept them So. I drew the air-pipe down towards me, and found that I had still length enough

to spare for my operations; at the same time, I was convinced that my assistant was diligently supplying me with the means of respiration. I was now in the centre of the cabin, and an awful scene presented itself. Every portion of the wood-work, at least, as nearly as I could determine by approaching my lanthorn closely to it, was black, from the action of the sea; and, like the masts above, incrusted with groups of barnacles. The floor was a foot deep in sand; and on its surface lay more oblong heaps, which I discovered, upon examination, to be also human bodies, round whose half-devoured remains shreds of clothing still floated. I could not move a step without treading upon one; and each that I thus disturbed fell to pieces immediately, surrounding me with a cloud of its sickening particles, and numbers of huge shellfish, who were enjoying their unholy meal therefrom, and who crawled off, with their long spidery legs, in all directions.

Still, I came to no treasure:--I had fallen in with none of the bags of gold, which I heard were on board at the time of the accident. There were many corroded naval implements lying about; but these were not what I wanted. I examined every heap that rose above the general level of the floor, with the most diligent investigation, but without reward. Sometimes I exposed the tattered remnant of an article of clothing, a seaman's hat, a telescope, or something equally valueless to myself; but, more generally, similar objects to the above-mentioned fragments of mortality shocked me with their presence. At the side of the cabin was a small closet, having a glass door; and towards this I bent my way, thinking it might be the repository of some precious articles. But how was I horrified on approaching it! On directing my light through its still unbroken panes, I saw a dreadful corpse, that gibbered and grinned directly in my face: it was the body of some poor creature, who had, perhaps, been forced in there at the first rush of the water; and the door closing upon him, had kept out the sand and marine insects, that everywhere else abounded.-The seawater had acted as a preservative, and the body still retained the perfect semblance of a human form; but the face was blanched and coddled-one of the eyes had dissolved, and the other was opaque, and apparently congealed; while the relaxed ligaments allowed the lower jaw to fall and rise with every vibration of the sea, in the mockery of a dreadful grin. The hair, too, floated in the water, giving a semblance of motion to the whole fea

tures, which wore an expression of hideous merriment.

Faint with terror and disgust, I turned from the loathsome spectacle, and moved slowly and laboriously away. I approached the table of the cabin: a halfopened drawer was at its extremity; and, when I had cleared away the envelope of sand, I discovered it was nearly filled with bags of coin. All, then, was acomplished: the long-coveted treasure lay, in greater part, beneath my grasp! I raised my lanthorn eagerly to inspect the contents, when, to my extreme terror, I perceived that there was water in it half way up the bull's-eye, and the light not half an inch above the surface. The dreadful anticipation of inevitable darkness now burst on me, and a moment of intense fear, amounting almost to stupefaction, succeeded. I began hastily to collect the small canvas bags, and stow them in my girdle; but three remained, and I stretched my hand out to seize them. In the hurry and anxiety of the moment, I threw my lanthorn slightly out of the perpendicular, --the water within it immediately washed over the light, and it was extinguished!

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I know not how the subsequent five minutes passed. The sensations of years of terror, agony, and the expectations of approaching death, were condensed in that period. My first recollection was, that I observed a gleam of light where the windows of the cabin were situated; but it was of the faintest kind. I afterwards ascertained that it was a moonlight night, and the beams had penetrated thus far through the sea;-but this was no guide for me. I was totally unconscious by what direction I had entered the cabin; and I did not dare to move unless towards these windows. Then I thought that Weston would tire at his work-that his strength would not allow him to keep pumping so long, whatever his will might be, and I should miserably perish. Anon, the thought came that I was alone-alone, amidst a crowd of dead bodies and hideous marine monsters-alone with that gibbering and awful corpse, whose face peered at me, through the darkness, in my imagination, and pressed his clammy, soddened cheek against me-alone, at the bottom of the sea!

I gained one of the windows; it was open, or, rather, the frames had been carried away, by the constant action of the waves. I thought I would climb through it, and so ascend, for I was an excellent swimmer. But then the air-pipe kept me back; and it was even now becoming tight, as I reached the extent of its length. A new idea arose, bringing fresh hope

with it, and I wondered I had not thought of it before:-I could use the pipe as a clue, and so return by following its course. I left the window, and prepared to make the attempt, when I felt a violent tug, that nearly pulled the head-piece from the rest of my dress. Another, and another, succeeded, and then, in an instant, I felt the tense air-pipe give way-it had broken!

But one resource was left: I clambered through the cabin window, and attempted to rise, but the pipe had caught some projection, and restrained me, and I already perceived that the supply of air was stopped. I seized a knife from my girdle, and cut the tube off close to my head. The water rushed into the hood as I performed this action, but I was enabled to rise directly. The water roared and bubbled in my ears, with the noise of thunder, as I struck upwards, still keeping my knife in my hand; and in half a minute I had reached the surface. To rip up my hood, and cast it from me, was the work of an instant. As I regained my vision, I perceived, by the moonlight, that my boat was gone, but the buoy was still floating at its usual spot. Swimming towards it, I was enabled to recover myself, and take breath as I rested, hanging on to its ring. From the appearance of the distant vessels, near the beach, which were riding at anchor, I saw it was high-water, and another fearful truth burst upon me. The rope-ladder, which the kedges held fast to the wreck, had drawn the boat under, as the tide rose, and, with it, my hapless assistant!

I felt at my girdle for the bags of gold; they were all gone, through the hasty manner in which I had secured them, and my struggles in coming to the surface. I tore my dress from me, in raving passion, and cast it to the waves. In my underclothes, which consisted of nothing but a common check shirt and a pair of coarse Holland trowsers, I swam to land; and, on reaching the stony beach, I sank on it in a swoon, overcome by my intense emotion.

I was found there, the next morning, and carried to my lodgings. A long illness succeeded; — I kept my bed for three months, and arose a maniac. I was told I talked about the wreck, and its fearful contents, during my fever; but I found my attendants merely looked upon it as the raving of delirium. As time passed, I recovered my reason; but the remembrance of the circumstances connected with my rash venture, must embitter my life until its close. I procured a moderate appointment, through the interest of some friends,

and to-morrow I sail for Australia.

ALBERT.

Varieties.

Windsor Castle.-The First Part of Sir Jeffry Wyatville's Windsor Castle Illustrated will be published in a few days. The work will consist of forty elevations and perspective views of the Castle, with the requisite plans, and a concise archæological history of the structure of this superb pile. The terms of publication will be moderate for a magnificent Illustration of this truly Royal Palace; to the new construction and improvement of which so many years of Sir Jeffry's active life were devoted. The work will be edited by Mr. Ashton, the architect, "who, on Sir Jeffry's resignation, was appointed to succeed him in superintending the works in progress at the Castle."

Hobbes.-When at Chatsworth, Hobbes's " professed rule of health was, to dedicate the morning to his exercise, and the afternoon to his studies. At his first rising, therefore, he walked out, and climbed any hill within his reach; or, if the weather was not dry, he fatigued himself within doors, by some exercise or other, to be in a sweat. After this, he took a comfortable breakfast; and then went round the lodgings, to wait upon the earl, the countess, and the children, and any considerable strangers, paying some short addresses to all of them. He kept these rounds till about twelve o'clock, when he had a little dinner provided for him, which he ate always by himself, without ceremony. Soon after dinner, he retired to his study, and had his candle, with ten or twelve pipes of tobacco, laid by him; then, shutting his door, he fell to smoking, thinking, and writing, for several hours." Hobbes wrote his own life, in Latin verse, when he was eighty-five years old. A new edition of his English and Latin Works, "now first collected, and edited by Sir William Molesworth, Bart., M.P.," is in course of publication.

Cassowaries.-Two very fine specimens of the Cassowary, (Casuarius Galiatus,) have just been added to the menagerie at "the Surrey Zoological Gardens." They are about five feet high, and have no wings; their necks and heads are of a brilliant purple; the heads being surmounted with a horny helmet. The plumage is coal black, and resembles coarse, glossy hair. They are extremely voracious, and will swallow coals, beads, buttons, &c.

Temperance.-When Eschines commended Philip of Macedon for a jovial man, that would drink freely, Demosthenes answered, that "this was a good quality in a sponge, but not in a king."

After-dinner Speech-making.-"This I may say, gentlemen-that is, perhaps, I may be allowed to observe to remark, rather, as remarkably expressive of to observe, I would say, as remarkably expressive of my feelings on this occa-on the present occasion-that this, gentlemen-that I consider this-I'm sure I need not say-and I say it without hesitation-that this is the proudest moment of my life (pause). For, as the fabled bird of poetry, the Phoenix of our immortal bard, derives new vitality from the ashes of, if I may be allowed the expression, an expired and extinct existence, so does the calm serenity of age emanate from the transitory turbulence of youth (pause). And, gentlemengentlemen, I'm quite sure I need not add-need not add, on the present occasion-what I'm sure you will readily believe, that my feelings are naturally, on the present occasion-that those feelings, I say, may be conceived, or even imagined, but they can neither be described, nor-nor-depicted (pause). For like the poisonous Upas, whose deadly and devastating," &c.-Fluent for two minutes and a half.-New Monthly Magazine.

Site of Captain Cook's Death.-The rock is somewhat isolated, and the sea, at high tide, breaks over its summit. It is said to be not one-fourth of its original size: as almost every visitor, for a number of years, has been in the habit of carrying away a fragment of it as a relic. A French man-of

war, which was lately here, is said to have taken off about a ton of it; and some Spaniards, who visited the island several years since, not only took specimens off the rock, but the whole ship's company knelt upon it, and offered up a prayer for the repose of the hero's soul.-Townshend's Sporting Excursions in the Rocky Mountains.

Charles II. once said, that "he who took a stone from the church, took two from his crown."

Education.-It ought to be known and recorded to their honour, that no less than five of the learned judges (Messrs. Patteson, Coleridge, Alderson, Gurney, and Erskine,) have been, for some time, whenever their other duties would permit, actively engaged as inspectors of diocesan schools, in and about the metropolis.

The Jews. Some curious details have been given respecting Sir Moses Montefiore's visit to the Holy Land, some time back. On his pilgrimage he gave a talaris to every one of the Israelites. He made careful inquiries respecting the several biblical antiquities of the place, and ascertained the amount of duty which the sacred places and villages paid to the Egyptian Government, which was 64,000 purses. On coming to Alexandria, he offered the Viceroy to pay this sum out of his own pocket, provided the Viceroy would allow him to colonize the places particularized with Israelites; to which proposal the Viceroy assented, provided the colony should be considered as national, and not under European protection.

Holborn Bridge.-At the north end of Farringdonstreet, at about six feet below the surface of the roadway, the arch and part of the parapet of Holborn Bridge have been uncovered by workmen, employed in preparing for the new line of road in the direction of Islington. The bridge is seen as it stood previous to the Snow-hill improvement in 1802, when the acclivities of Holborn-hill and Snow-hill were reduced.

Antarctic Expedition.-The public-spirited Mr. Enderby has just fitted out another Expedition for the exploration of the Antarctic regions, under the command of Captain Mapleton, a fellow voyager with Captain Ross. This Expedition will not entail any expense on the English Government, but will be altogether an individual enterprise; whilst it seeks to carry forth all the views which Government entertained when Captain Ross was sent out. France and the United States have recently sent ships of discovery to the southern latitudes; and Captain D'Urville, (the hitherto luckless commander of the French Expedition,) is stated to have discovered an island to the southward of Van Diemen's Land; but the statement wants confirmation. Meanwhile, the race for discovery is strong; and should our single-handed Expedition outstrip the Government efforts of the rival nations, the success will add lustre to the high reputation of the British merchant.

Tea-totalism.-A writer from the ship Volage, Pang Koo, concludes his letter, (in the Times,) with"Don't join the tea-totallers by any manner of means, as that herb will be dear."

Shipwreck.-The annual loss of British property at sea, is estimated at nearly £3,000,000; and the annual loss of life at 1,000 persons.

Steamers.-The number of steamers that pass the Government dockyard at Deptford, weekly, is 700. Obituary.-Lemercier, the celebrated French dramatist, died at Paris, on Sunday last, in the seventieth year of his age. Of his dramas, the tragedy of Agamemnon is the masterpiece. He has also written several poems; and a prose work of high merit, entitled An Analytical Course of General Literature, 3 vols. 8vo. Lemercier was a member of the Institute.

LONDON: Published by GEORGE BERGER, Holywell Street, Strand. Printed by WHITEHEAD & Co. 76, Fleet Street, where all Communications or the Editor may be addressed.

A JOURNAL OF POPULAR INFORMATION AND ENTERTAINMENT.

No. 65.]

CONDUCTED BY JOHN TIMBS, ELEVEN YEARS EDITOR OF "THE MIRROR."

SATURDAY, JUNE 20, 1840.

[Price 2d.

SIR WALTER SCOTT'S "ROKEBY."

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