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"wan't you saying we would need a
spare monkey's tail for the after car-
ronade?"

"I was so, Jack," replied the gun-
ner, turning away; "but don't you
think a cat's one might serve the turn
as well?"

"Nothing better, master," rejoined the half-choked mate, "provided you serve it out with a whacking doze of broomstick."

66

The arrival of the pilot put an end to this merry conversation, as the boatswain immediately piped All hands ahoy, who had hardly time to scamper on deck, when the first Lieutenant bawled through his speaking-trumpet the command to loose sails, which made the top-men spring to the rigging with redoubled alacrity. Our hero, in this out-set of business, found himself in no small dilemma, between a willingness to be useful, and an ignorance of all duty; he was, therefore, with a motley herd of landsmen and marines, alternately the follower of the boatswain's mate and the serjeant, who, bustling about the deck before them, put the necessary ropes in their hands. "Fore-top there-main-top there!" bawled the first Lieutenant. you ready aloft ?" which being anAre swered in the affirmative, he immediately sung out, "Let fall! Sheet home!" and away scampered the deck-bands, helter-skelter with the sheets, until the blocks smacked together. "Belay, belay, men!" cried the officer. "Man the capstan! Jump cheerily, my lads. Look out there, forward! Down there, tierers! Are you ready below?"-"All ready, sir." "Yo, ho! where the devil has all our hands got to? Foretop there! main-top there! Come down here, all of you! Master Ettercap and Master Pinafore, kick every soul of them out of the tops-a parcel of skulking lubbers!"-"Ay, ay, sir," cried the young gentlemen; and the capstan was speedily crowded. "Look out there, forward!" again bawled the first Lieutenant; "Come, my lads, pluck up a spirit, and off she goesplay up fifer;" and round went the capstan to a good smart step, the men beating excellent time on the hollow sounding deck with their feet, amid the accumulated vociferations of officers of all ranks, who, with their potent commander in presence, vied with each other in the notes of alternate encouragement and ridicule. The anchor was no sooner run up to the catVOL. IX.

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head and fished, than the first Lieute-
nant gave," Man the jib and top-sail
cended, and the jib ran up its stay
halliards-Hoist away. The yards as
gaily; top-gallant-sails, royals, and
sky-scrapers followed; and the Tot-
white bosom to the breeze, was speedi-
tumfog thus gradually unfolding her
ly under way, walking, like one of
our far-famed Prince's Street toasts,
glory of new canvass, fresh paint, mo-
steadily through the fleet, in all the
derate wind, and fair weather.

fleet, when the Captain called out,
She was now pretty well through the
"Mr Fireball-where is Mr Fireball?
Hark ye, youngster, jump and tell the
gunner I want him directly!" The
midshipman ran, and the gunner in an
instant stood before his commander.
"Mr Fireball," cried the Captain, from
the top of the round-house, "I hope
you are all ready, for you see we are
very near the proper distance."-" All
ready, sir," answered the gunner, "I
have only to unship the ports and run
the guns out, which I can do in a trice,"
"Take a number of hands, then, and do
so directly," said the Captain;
know the sooner it is done the better

again by and bye.-Zounds! pilot, is
since we may all expect to be busy
not the wind chopping about?"-"Yes,
sir," answered the pilot, surveying the
compass; "It has come round fully
two points just now, and begins to
blow fresh. In my opinion, sir, I think
you had better douse your courses and
small-sails-take a pull of the fore and
main braces, and get a hand in the
chains."

Fyke?" cried the Captain.
"You hear what the pilot says, Mr

Lieutenant, raising his speaking trum-
"Ay, ay, sir," answered the first
pet, and springing forward. "Man the
fore and main clew-garnets-let go
tacks and sheets-clew up!" And up
went the courses to the yards, where
they hung like drapery.

the first Lieutenant. "Sir!" bellowed
"Fore and main-tops there," cried
the tops.

which, while executing, was next fol-
"In royals and top-gallant-sails!"
lowed with a command for the captains
of the tops "to send a hand each aft to
the chains."-" Ay, ay, sir," answered
both captains, leaning over the top-
sails.

gunner, advancing to the Captain.
"I'm all ready now, sir," cried the
"Ah! very good, Mr Fireball," rea

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plied the Captain, looking astern with his glass. Stand by then, and be on the alert, for I will give you the word directly; and hark ye, old boy, mind you commence with your lee guns, and measure your time well-I think that always the best plan, for it makes your weather ones tell a thousand times better."

The gunner assenting, went forward. "By the mark seven!" sung the men in the chains.-" Steady," cried the pilot to the quarter-master. "And steady it is," replied the man at the wheel.

"By the deep six!" sung the leads men again.

"Luff, boy, luff," cried the pilot; and "Luffit is, sir," was the response. "By the half-mark five!" again sung the leadsmen.

"Steady she goes, my lad-nothing off," said the pilot, with the usual reply.

"By the deep four!" continued the leadsmen; and the pilot immediately cried to the Captain, "'Bout ship, if you please, sir,-luff a little, my dear boy, luff a very little !”

While this conversation was going on, the most perfect silence had been maintained-all hands being on the alert, and ready or duty. The first Lieutenant, therefore, once more raising his speaking-trumpet, now sung out

"Helm alee!" and the boatswain's pipe gave its usual trill, which was instantly followed by, " Square the main-topsail-yard-forecastle there-shift over the jib, and haul aft the jib-sheet-man the fore and main-braces-haul of all!" These orders were all executed in far less time than they can possibly be enumerated, and round went the Tottumfog on another tack.

She was running athwart the narrow channel of the Swin, with her broadside to the fleet, when the Captain gave the word " Fire!" which was instantly obeyed, and all hands were immediately enveloped in the smoke of the salute, which the wind as speedily carried off to the Admiral. This piece of ceremony being immediately returned by the Admiral's ship, after one or two more tacks, the pilot declared his duty at an end; and after partaking of a slight refreshment, and receiving the necessary documents of the faithful discharge of his official duty, he wished Captain Switchem and all his officers a fortunate cruize, jumped into his own boat, and took his leave; while the Tottum fog stood steadily to sea; and while also many a one on board, as the shore sunk in the horizon, said, with a certain poet yet alive"My native land, good night!"

S.

THE LAMENT OF ELLA.

OH! would my love would list my voice, Spread down, fair maids, a couch for me,

Thus lone and desolate;

I hear the little birds rejoice,

And weep beside the gate.

I love the lofty chesnut's shade,
In evening's ruddy glow,—
Beside this spot I've often stray'd
With Henry, long ago!

These days are past-no more to be,-
These happy eves are o'er ;
My love is off, and o'er the sea,-
I ne'er shall see him more!

Oh! father, that thy cruel scorn
Mine ardour could withstand,
And cause my hero, all forlorn,
To leave his native land;
Grace never sate on nobler brow,
Nor fame on loftier crest,
Nor courage warm a heart more true,
Than throbs within his breast:

But these, alas! were nought to thee,-
And he, whom I deplore,
My love is off, and o'er the sea,-
I ne'er shall see him more!

I ne'er shall rise again;

Since Henry I no more shall see,

My heart must burst in twain :—
Oh! paths, where we so oft have stray'd,
Beside the waters soft;

Oh! woods, whose gentle twilight shade
Hath shelter'd us so oft;
Adieu! your sweets no more I'll see,

The strife shall soon be o'er;
My love is off, and o'er the sea,—
I ne'er shall see him more!

Build up a little monument

Of marble cold and white, And let the rose's balmy scent The passer-by invite

To read the fatal name of one

Who pined and died for love; And thank'd the hand of death alone, That sent her soul above: For oh! to think, is misery,

On him whom I adore ;

My love is off, and o'er the sea,————

I ne'er shall see him more!

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THE VOYAGES AND TRAVELS OF COLUMBUS SECUNDUS.

CHAPTER XIX.

Hogmanay and New-Year's Day.

"Life glides away, Lorenzo, like a brook,
For ever changing, unperceiv'd the change."

There are few people to whom the commencement of a new year does not bring matter either of gratulation or regret. To those hastening onwards to the meridian of life, the gilded pros pect of enjoyment to come, or fame, and riches, and honour to be acquired, renders every land-mark between desire and enjoyment a partial enjoyment of itself; while those in the decline of life look towards the New Year, as the unwelcome precursor of bodily debility, or mental inactivity as a stage on the road which leads them to their permanent home. To the young and the prosperous, the annual revolution of a period, which brings with it only variety of pleasure, is hailed with rapture; while, to the aged and unfortunate, whose hours and minutes are registered by pain, or marked by calamity, the lagging mo ments move sluggishly along to the great gulf of eternity.

What a dreadfully hasty approach time makes!-how rapidly roll his chariot wheels! and, at their every revolution, mows, with unsparing scythe, whole crowds from the pleasures and pains of existence! When I look back on time past, I am almost stunned at the idea, and am apt to doubt the reality of the change, which has taken me from toys and boyish plays-from school, and school-companions, and

YOUNG.

transformed all my early play-mates to fathers and mothers. And when I contemplate time to come, the interests and the value of existence rise higher; and the awful responsibility of manhood, and the account to be given of its stewardship, is enough, were not man the most careless of animals, to alarm even to madness, till assured, as far as human frailty can be assured, of entering on eternity with the conviction of time well employed, and all the duties of life discharged, as be comes a being whose existence is never to terminate; and who is placed here, in the sight of God and his fellow mortals, to make his election between happiness and misery.

New-Year's-Day in Edinburgh, and over the greater part of Scotland, is, however, rather a day of festive merriment, than of serious thought. The enjoyment of the present postpones, if not obliterates, all views of the future; and the congratulations of friends, and the meetings of families, at this period, are the leading features of the season. The festivities which commenced at Christmas are continued, with little intermission, till HandselMonday, or Auld Handsel-Monday, closes the annual round, and the months and days of ordinary life again roll on another year.

HOGMANAY.

Hogmanay,
Trol-lol-lay,

Gi'e me o' your white bread,
I'll hae nane o' your gray.

Hogmanay, or Hogmanae, for such the last day of the year is termed in Edinburgh, and over the greater part of Scotland, is employed in visiting,

and arranging parties for the due celebration of the commencement of the New Year. Every visitor was, on that evening, treated with wine and cake,

Hogmanay, according to Dr Jamieson, is a term of uncertain derivation; but according to a writer in the Transactions of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, it is derived from the Scandinavians, who celebrated a festival with sacrifices and other religious rites in the month of December, hence called Hogmonat and Blothmonat, signifying the month of immolation or sacrifices. "As this festival was always celebratea in the winter Solstice, when the sun returns upon the Zodiac, it was called Iol, whence

or with whisky, buns, and shortbread, or cheese and bread; and the children, in the course of the day, visited their relations and friends, for the sake of partaking in these attractive eatables. Among the common people and pea santry, the following stanza was used, as the supplication for the accustomed

treat

Rise up, gudewife, and shake your feathers,
Dinna think that we are beggars:
For we are bairns come out to play;
Get up and gie's our Hogmanay.

Among the more wealthy ranks, dinners and evening parties were also the order of the day; while the work ing part of the population, relieved from daily toil, looked forward to the social pleasures of the evening, and the uncontrolled festivities of the New-Year's morning, with the anxi ous wish and the keen appetite of those to whom superfluity in eating and drinking is not an ordinary occur rence. I dare say one half of the in habitants of Edinburgh, I mean of the middling and lower ranks, did not, on that evening, go to bed; but prepared the het-pint, in readiness to sally out as the clock struck twelve, to be the first foot to cross the threshold of a friend. The streets were crowded with parties on this errand even long before that hour; the young men particularly, to shew their affection to the girls whose favours they were anxious to secure, often spending a dreary half-hour at the bolted door, lest a more favoured, or more anxious lover, should an

ticipate them in the first welcome of beauty.

A het-pint, or caudle, was made of ale, spirits, sugar, and nutmeg, or cinnamon, mixed together in appro priate quantities, and boiled; and was carried about, on the first morning of the year, in the tea-kettle in which it was prepared, the visitors, besides, shortbread, bread, and cheese. It was being plentifully supplied with buns, held unlucky to enter any person's house, on the first day of the year, empty-handed, and every person on the streets at that time was greeted with a shake of the hand, the wish of "a gude New-year," and a proffer of the hiet-pint, to drink to the mutual joy. Every female, at the same time, was saluted, and neither rank nor age was exempted from the congratu latory kiss. The noise in the streets, particularly the great thoroughfares, was tremendous; and the glare of lan terns, when the night was dark, and the moving crowd in every direction, presented a scene of bacchanalism, which, had not one been conscious that it all proceeded from good-humoured kindness and innocent frolic, might have caused some alarm. I have occasionally gone out, as many other young men have done, to see the fun; and certainly, when liquor had thrown off all respect for authority and distinctions of rank, it was no unpleasing thing for a Scotsman to see the inno cent peculiarities of his countrymen without the formality of disguise.

I have said I was engaged to dine

was formed Youl or Yule ;" ergo, Yule and Hogmanay are the same, though the illiterate place a week between them.

"Trol-lol-lay is derived from the Icelandic, Trolldr, by which the Scandinavians denoted those evil genii who devoured unlucky mortals who went near their haunts. Thus Trol-lol-lay will signify, Away, ye evil genii!-be ye far from our solemn meetings!'" -Trans. Soc. Ant. vol. II. part I. p. 4.

All this is very instructive; and it would be curious to know in another dissertation, that tol-lol-de-rol, fa-la-la, derry-down, fiddle-diddle, &c. were Scandinavian and Icelandic terms, meant to drive away the Blue Devils from our social meetings, or Sanscrit and Arabic forms of exorcism. It would ill become a writer in small printed octavo to compete in point of knowledge or erudition with an author of large type quarto; but I am convinced that any child of three or four years of age, taken at random from the streets, could have traced a connexion with Trol-lol-lay, and Tol-lol-lay, toro-loro-lay, tol-lol-de-rol, and their infinite modifications, and have suggested that these odd terms were merely added to the end of rhymes by our ballad-makers and ballad-singers, to make out the measure. Grant the explanation here given by the writer in the Transactions to be correct, and I engage to prove that Tol-lol-de-rol may be translated into a loyal Icelandic address to his Majesty; and that Derry-down and Fiddle-diddle may, in Sanscrit, or Arabic, be explained into a Pastoral Admonition from the General Assem→ bly of the Church of Scotland. The writer of this learned article also denominates a four line stanza of French rhyme a couplet; and if he means that the compressed sense of four lines of French poetry may be easily confined into two of English, I heartily agree with him.

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