But when alone I began to puzzle my brains, as to how Josiah had this wound. I questioned the people of the Inn, and the mistress acknowledged that sometimes, though, as she said but rarely, there were seen foreign ships riding in the waters of the gulf. That the ships coming from a country at war with the Prince of these nations, they shot forth their weapons occasionally to the injury of some of the natives, and sometimes their death. I asked more questions, desiring more information on this matter, but the woman either would not, or could not afford it, and I gave up the point, determining however to get away from the place as quickly as I could.

As soon, therefore, as our carriage could be brought away from the blacksmith's, we gladly prepared to set off, I paid the bill, and as I was quitting the house, I saw a young girl at the bottom of the stairs, with some very fine cherries for sale. I asked the price of them, and having paid her what I considered a very large sum for fruit so common: I poured all the cherries into a little basket I happened to have in my hand. As I had my warm cloak on my arm, besides a bag, for the waiter was helping Mr. Markwell, and my servants were attending to the children, the girl offered to hold the basket, which I immediately agreed to. She walked off with it to the carriage, and there stood. I followed her with my eye, and saw her distinctly put her hand among the cherries, all of which she had sold to me, and pull out two handfuls, which she put in her pocket; I hastened to the door to save the rest of my fruit; when she, hearing my steps, turned her head to look at me, at which moment the front horse gave a start, and the wretched girl was knocked down by the wheel, and it passed over her body. I screamed out, for the accident took place in a moment. The landlady ran out, and the waiter left my husband to see what was the matter.

"O, dear, dear," cried my maid. "Was there ever such a place for accidents? I have heard of four besides this one since we have been here, ma'am."

"O dear," cried my husband. "What now? I wish, Magdalena, you would make haste, and let's be off. This village is quite awful. What was the girl doing to be thrown down ?”

"Why, she was stealing, your honour," exclaimed the landlady. "I saw her myself pocketing the cherries. It's not the place, your honour, it's the people that are so bad here abouts.

This very girl had stolen the cherries, as I suspect, before she sold them. Farmer Drowsy has a tree full just like them."

"Well, well, help her up," replied my husband. "And here's a five pound note, so send for a doctor."

The girl was accordingly helped up, and immediately vomited a great deal of blood. Yet, at the sight of so large a sum of money, she smiled, and they then declared nothing was the matter with her.

So one called out, "O, you're a lucky girl." "You're a fortunate one," cried another. "I would be run over for five

pounds," said a third.

As for us, seeing the girl alive, we told her, "She had had a very fortunate escape of her life;" and then we drove on, determined never to set foot in that village again.

When we had proceeded a mile down the valley, for there was no other way of getting from the village but this ; skirted, as I hinted before, with high black rocks on either side, we came to an open place, whence two roads branched off. The postboy desired to know which he was to take. I hereupon asked the same question of my husband, who had not spoken a word since we left that wretched village of accidents.

"I don't care which way we go," said he, rather peevishly.

So, as my custom was in every emergency, I pulled out my Gazetteer, and laughing, said, “Well, dear, I will see what The World will say." For, as I believe I have remarked before, the book was an epitome of all worldly information and wisdom, full of maps, and containing rules for travellers, descriptions of places, proverbs, advice to persons in health and sickness, in affluence and poverty, to virtuous men, and men of no virtue, &c., &c. So I first ascertained the point of land at which we were, and the two nearest different routes described: one was RETROSPECTION, and the other STIFLE TOWN. I then looked for the word Terror Stricken in the second part of my book, and I read the meaning thereof, and the author's comments thereon, aloud, as follows;

"Terror Stricken."—" A term applied occasionally to a man or woman, who having beheld an appalling object or accident, suffers it to dwell on his mind, and depress his spirits, so as either to let his feelings master him, and then fall by his own hand, or else quaking and trembling, and yet ever growing worse; he runs about from doctor to doctor, and so squanders away the

fortune he might otherwise leave his children. We recommend air, exercise, change of scene, diversion and amusement, as the only sure remedies."

"That being the opinion of The World," said Mr. Markwell, as soon as I had done reading; "I certainly prefer Stifle Town to the other you mentioned; so order the horses heads in that direction."

Having given the requisite command, I turned again to the map, and pointing my finger to the place, I said, "Now, my love, this is Stifle Town, and you perceive it is built on the edge of the river, and The World says, it is a very agreeable place, with walks extending a long way on each side the river, shaded by sycophant trees.”

"You mean sycamore trees," said my husband, interrupting me. "No, my dear Josiah," I replied, "It is marked here as I have read it, and I see the meaning of the term in a note by the Editor at the bottom of the page. A species of earthly production of the narcotic kind."

“Well, well, what were you going to say," continued Josiah. "Well, dear, I was going to remark that the place is described as large and bustling, with a handsome stone bridge across the river, and barges to convey passengers, who may prefer going by water, up to the very metropolis of the World."

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What, to JEZEBELLA?" asked my husband, brightening up at the very mention of that vast city.

I replied in the affirmative.

"Dear Magdalena," rejoined he, "What say you to taking such a trip, and staying in that place of fashion and amusement for a month ?"

"I have no objection, my love," I replied, "but to the journey by water; I never could bear sailing or rowing."

"Well, then let's go there by land," said he.

"It's a great way off, my dear," answered I;" and travelling in the way we do is very expensive. But if you will be satisfied to go with a pair of horses instead of four, we can manage it." My husband seemed half inclined to this plan, when that disgusting little dwarf of a servant, more indeed his master than his servant, whom he never could move without, named SELFWILL, started up from the bottom of the carriage, where he generally crouched like an ape, and whispered something in his ear, but

at which my husband directly said, "Very well; as land travelling is so expensive, and I am resolved to go to Jezebella, we will hire a cabin in a sailing barge at Stifle Town; and so make an excursion by water."

When I heard this, my little female page, sister to the male dwarf, started up from my feet, and whispered in my ear, to dispute the point; and so a long argument ensued, the tiresome particulars of which may well be passed over in silence; suffice it to say, my poor dear husband never spoke to me for two days afterwards; and that my first thought on entering the town was, to throw myself into the river: the second, that for quietness and comfort's sake to let things take their own course.

On entering the town there was a vast quantity of cards and notices of hotels, theatres, shops, &c., thrown in at the carriage window; and we were pestered, as travellers must submit to be, by the officious invitations to one and another place; while the postboys, each, notwithstanding his low sphere in life, possessing the like attendant with ourselves, namely a self-will, whom however he managed to wrap up in his great coat, or put in his huge pocket, or, at any rate, to hide from his superiors, were urged to put spurs to the horses' sides, and go at full gallop down a steep hill, which leads to the Grand Hotel, where they stopped; and we had no alternative but to alight, or to affront the host, hostess, waiters, and domestics, who flocked to the door, and took possession, with many bows and curtsies, of us and our baggage.

ror

CHAPTER II.

Amusements, &c., of Stifle Town-Ball at Lady Quenchlight's-Awful and Sudden Death of Her Ladyship's Daughter-Mr. Markwell's Ter- Voyage up the River to Jezebella-Mr. Markwell and Captain Dreadnought Fall Overboard-Death of the latter-Slave Bay-Choke Islands-Magdalena's Dream-Their Perilous Voyage near the Dead Sea-Magdalena's Plan for leaving the Vessel and getting to the Shore. My husband intended to stay a few days only in Stifle Town; but he found so much to amuse him at the quays, the theatres, and billiard rooms, the libraries and the race ground, that three weeks passed away before he said one word about the voyage up

the river. I, too, was absorbed with my recreations. Several women of fashion called on me, and courted my acquaintance. I visited them at their houses, and received them at my hotel. I played well on several instruments, had a fine voice, and amused them they gamboled with my children, and brought their own grown-up girls to me, to give my advice, according to my knowledge of the world, on the subject of manners, dress, style, airs, graces, &c., &c. Thus, I became a great favourite among the elder and the younger. However, those days of merriment passed by, and we left this town rather abruptly from the following cause.

Mr. Markwell had gone to a ball given by Lady Quenchlight, he was waltzing with her only daughter, when she stopped, and asked for a glass of iced river water. She drank of it, and fell senseless, leaning her whole weight on my husband's scarcely healed arm. She only uttered these words" Conscience! Light quenched! (a) Too late! Too late!" Mr. Markwell was terrified to death on hearing these words, and breaking away from the dying grasp of the poor girl, whom Dr. Varnish called delirious, he ran home to me, and desired me to prepare immediately to leave this fatal place; which, indeed, I did, but first intreated him to let me look at the old sore arm, which I found chafed and inflamed. I asked him to let me send for Dr. Varnish, but this he refused, and desired me to apply the same sort of dressings I had done before; when he retired to his chamber in very weak and depressed spirits.

The sudden death of this beautiful and fashionable girl threw a damp over the town for at least a whole day; but after that time, the recreations and amusements began as thick, or thicker, than ever: and I did not see, for my part, why for the loss of one person in a family, with whom we had not long been acquainted, I should confine myself to the house; for I considered that no mourning could bring the poor girl back again. But my husband was out of spirits, and wished me to stay at home with him till all our arrangements were made, and we were ready for our departure. In fact, we waited for money; for though Mr. Markwell had a letter of credit on all the chief bankers of the countries we passed through; yet the forms required time, and we

(a) Job xxiv. 13.