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aimed with better effect, struck me full on the forehead. A thousand sparks of light flashed from my eyes-I felt myself reeling, and on the point of falling, when a cut across the shoulder stretched me at once on the ground. When I recovered from my stupor, and opened my eyes, the morning was far advanced the sun was shining bright overhead; and I found myself at sea, lying on the deck of the cutter, and Duff busily engaged in examining my wounds. From him I learned that the pirates had been mastered after a severe conflict-in which four had been slain, and left on the island; two had escaped unobserved during the fight, and made off with their boat; and two had been wounded, and were prisoners on board, one of whom was Mahone. On our arrival at Porto Rico, we delivered them over to the civil power; and, soon afterwards, Mahone was tried for the murder of the priest, when he was convicted on our evidence, condemned, and executed.

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Under good nursing and care, I gradually recovered; and, by the fall of the season, without any farther adventures, I once more landed safe in Scotland.

Isabella is not now that destitute and unprotected orphan whom I first saw on the middle of the western oceanbut the happy mistress of a happy home, diffusing life and gladness on all around her. My friend Duff has lately been placed on the list of post captains, and is anxiously waiting for more bustling times, when there will be more knocking about, and more hard blows got, than what our peace establishment admits of. John Wyllie, too, has had advancement in his line, being now master of one of the finest ships from Clyde; and I have the additional satisfaction of knowing that none of the crew have had reason to regret their having jeoparded their lives in fighting for the "Pirate's Treasure."

MARE DATA AND GIULIO; OR, THE OCEAN SPIRIT.

An Etalian Legend.

THE Sun, ere he sank on the bosom of the ocean, brightened the coast of -Calabria with his farewell rays. A sweet twilight shed its softening influence over the earth; the ocean flamed in gold and purple, and seemed adorned like the bed of a royal bridegroom, to receive its glorious guest. The gentle breeze of the west floated warm and mild through the air; and the heat of a bright day had given way to a refreshing balm. With her mysterious veil the approaching night covered the surrounding objects. A new world appeared to have risen on the well-known shore, and new charms were added to its original grandeur. Yet still this beautiful scene was lifeless, no human

form broke its solitude. One might fancy the ocean and sky, enamoured of their own beauty, wished to disclose their charms only to each other, free from the profaning gaze of man.

At length a youth arrives to enjoy the silent wonders of nature; a youth worthy of seeing the goddess without her girdle;-Giulio, the only son of the rich and powerful of Count Montefuoco. He delighted in swimming through the gentle waves flowing along the flowery shore. The heat of the season heightened the pleasure he took in those exercises, and soon the stormy element owned his power; for the water seemed gratefully to yield to his efforts, and proud of bearing his god-like form:

never, he thought, the floods had played so warmly, so lovingly, round his limbs, It was as if out of every little wave, there arose a flattering voice; the waters, sparkling in changing colours in the last rays of the sun, appeared to him like a thousand mirrors, presenting smiling eyes and divine forms to his enchanted soul. But, lo! how he started, when suddenly he beheld close to him a woman of such heavenly beauty, that if he at first in his dreams had taken the phantoms of his imagination for beings of substance, he now mistook reality for a vision. But the idea of the dangerous situation wherein the fair one was placed recalled his senses; he clasped his arms round her slender limbs, a grateful fascinating glance gave him strength, he swam towards the shore, where he soon beheld his delightful burthen in safety; here he left her in order that he might procure his garments. Having thrown his mantle over his shoulder, he rejoined the fair being, who had, in the mean time, repaired the disorder of her dress, which, in the splendour and brightness of its appearance, seemed to consist of the silver foam of the sea. On his approach, she fell on her knees and embraced his feet, with looks full of gratitude and love. He raised her hastily, and full of respect, asked to know whom he had the happiness to save, and whence she came ? A tear clouded her eye; she shook her head, laid her finger on her mouth, as if to say she was deprived of the power of speech, and pointed in answer to his question with her white hand to the sea. He addressed her in different languages, but although she seemed to understand him perfectly well, she remained silent.

Giulio led the unknown lady to the Castle. The family received her with politeness; but the Countess and her daughters, envious of the more than human beauty of the stranger, treated her with a degree of reserve bordering on coolness. They contrived, nevertheless, to give her the assistance her misfortune seemed to require. Giulio's

heart was now the seat of the most ardent passion; the image of the silent lady never left his fancy for a moment. He endeavoured, in a thousand different ways, to induce her to utter a single sound, but all in vain ; neither was she able to answer to his questions, written in different idioms. "Do you write no language?" asked he.-"No!" was the sense of her replying gesture. The mother of Giulio made some contemptuous reflections respecting the education of the mysterious lady; but she, by her gentle and humble behaviour, attempted to soften the haughty spirit of the Countess, and succeeded. She even gave proof of a more refined education, in once taking a lute, and drawing from it the most celestial tones. All the deep feelings, which her eyes expressed, seemed now to have found a corresponding language. The sounds fell on the listeners' ears like an unknown mysterious harmony of a better world, and filled their hearts with delight and rapture. Inclining over her lute, she often fixed her eyes, full of the tenderest love, on Giulio, and a tear stole slowly over her cheek. As still she remained silent, it became necessary to give her a name, and Giulio called her MAREDATA, which, in Italian, signifies "given by the sea."

From the first moment, the old Count, partial to beauty, had been the declared champion of the silent lady. Nevertheless, he was strangely surprized when once the youth declared, with a fire and vehemence that would admit of no contradiction, that he could no longer exist without the possession of Maredata. The wise Count knew that passion would become more violent by opposition, and, therefore, did not withhold his consent to their union. The church sanctified their love, and Giulio, in the possession of Maredata, thought himself the happiest mortal. A sweet boy soon increased their mutual felicity. Giulio accustomed himself in time to her silence, and understood so perfectly well her eloquent gestures, that he al

most imagined her inaudible language to be the true idiom of love.

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Once, as he returned from the chace, his sister Manuela met him, and with an appearance of great anxiety, drew him into her lonely closet My dear brother," said she, "I tremble to impart to you a discovery I have made, for it may prove destructive to your happiness, but the fear of seeing you in the snares of some supernatural and malicious being overcomes all other considerations. Know, then, that about an hour ago I passed Maredata's apartment, when I heard a tuneful voice singing to the accents of the lute. I entered suddenly, and found Maredata, who seemed extremely embarassed, and relapsed immediately into her accustomed silence. "Now," added Manuela, "what a false heart must her's be, if she, able to speak, can be silent to you to you, the founder of all her happiness! What can be her aim, but to destroy your body and your soul?"

Giulio, deeply affected, hastened to Maredata, requesting an explanation of this extraordinary event, and conjured her to break her long silence.

But

Maredata, with tears in her eyes, presented him their child, and seemed by the sweetest caresses to make her amends for disobedience. Her loving husband was soon appeased. He entreated her to accompany him on a walk, and, perhaps without intention, he led her to the sea-coast. The ocean lay before them, brightened by all the lustre of an Italian moon-light. The effect which the sight of the element made upon Maredata was as unexpected as it was wonderful. Her eyes sparkled with delight, she spread out her arms, uttered a cry of joy, and threw herself into the waves. Giulio stood amazed, but soon he beheld her rise smiling and nodding at him, and swimming with an astonishing agility and grace. Her slender form appearing through the floods and the silver light of the moon, seemed not to be that of a mortal. Love and anxiety filled her husband's bosom,

and he followed her into the sea to protect her in the dangerous element. If ever the waters had appeared sweet to him, it was now. He thought a soft music sounded from the depths; alluring voices invited the couple to sink in the mysterious bosom of the floods, and indeed, in the arms of Maredata, he sunk deeper, till he almost lost his senses, when Maredata suddenly threw out a cry of despair, and seizing him with both her arms, moved towards the shore, where she deposited him on the very spot where he had once placed her. Soon her endeavours and her caresses called him again to life. "Who art thou?" cried he, "wonderful being, who art thou?" But Maredata, taking his hand, fled with quick steps, and encircled her veil fast round her ears, as if to avoid the seducing sound of the roaring waves, which rose higher and higher, pursuing the beautiful fugitive. Arrived at the castle, he repeated his entreaties to her to solve this mystery. But Maredata clasped her lily arms round him, and her soft expressive eye asked him, "Am I not thine? Art thou not happy? Why askest thou more ?" And indeed Giulio seemed to be satisfied; he even promised, he never would ask her again, and consented to lead her shortly to another castle in the heart of the country, where she would not be troubled by the sight of the sea. The joy which sparkled at this assurance in her eyes was his sweet reward, and once more a happy husband, he pressed his happy wife to his heart.

But the next day his parents requested his company, and his father addressed him thus: "My son, we were walking yesterday on the border of the sea, when we beheld the extraordinary scene which happened with Maredata. You easily see that you never saved her out of the waves, since she possesses such a wonderful power over the element. Manuela has told us, that she has heard her sing, and notwithstanding your entreaties, she maintains an obstinate silence. This must be broke

for the sake of your immortal soul; conjure her-command her to speak, and if she still remains silent, you' must separate." Giulio, on the contrary, after having discoursed a long time with his parents, asserted, that he was himself perfectly happy,-that such a soft affectionate being as Maredata could never endanger his soul, and finished by asking his parents' leave to go with his family to their castle in the interior of the country. After some reflection, the Count granted his request: “but," added he, "before you depart for the country, you will accompany me to Naples, where I want to present you to the King. Giulio promised to obey, and in the space few days the Count and his family, Giulio, Maredata, and their child proceeded to Naples.

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Soon after their arrival, Giulio was presented to the King. The old Count, seeing that he could not prevail on his son to force Maredata to disclose her secret, discovered the whole to the King.

He therefore received Giulio with hard words, reproaching him with a sinful alliance with a fairy, and commanded him, under pain of disgrace, to learn immediately the truth from Maredata, and threatened even to burn his wife, as a being devoted to the demon At these words of the King, Giulio lost his patience; a spirit of rage seemed to have taken possession of his soul. He hastened home, rushed into the apartment of his wife, whom he found playing with her child in her arms.

He

brandished his sword over her head, and exclaimed, "Thou cursed witch, who art thou? Speak, or instant death." -but he could not finish his sentence, for she fell into his arms, and cried out, "Now indeed it is time to speak! Now indeed we must part, and part for ever!" A flood of tears checked her words, but she overcame her emotion, and with a sweet voice she entreated her amazed husband, who, at the first

sound of her voice, had lost his rage, to sit down near her, and she then proceeded: " Know then, my only love, that I was born in the depth of the ocean. Once, as thou wert swimming near the shore,-I beheld-I loved thee. But our laws will not permit us to speak to any mortal, or, if we do, his life is forfeited to the powerful spirits of the deep. Oh! how difficult is it to be mute when love fills the heart! The word would part from my lips, yet I was silent, and now, that I have once spoken to thee, I must depart, and my child too. For the revenge of the spirits is dreadful, and all of us would soon be sacrificed to their wrath should I delay any longer. Farewell, Giulio from this moment, I take leave of joy, of love, and happiness! Farewell!" She embraced him, and would depart, but Giulio, trembling like a murderer at the sight of the gory wound of his victim, rose suddenly, and seizing the child, cried out, "Never! never, shalt thou carry off my child!" But she gazed on him with a long, deep look, that chilled his blood to his very heart; then she began to sing in such mournful pensive sounds, that he lost his

senses.

When he recovered, she was gone. The inmates of the castle had seen her proceed towards, and leap into the sea. From that moment a still melancholy preyed upon Giulio. He said not a single word to his amazed parents. Long time elapsed before he was able to leave the room, till he one evening walked down to the coast to his accustomed bathing-place. His anxious parents beheld him swimming, when suddenly the sea glowed in a thousand colours, and Giulio disappeared. The beautiful phenomenon lasted for hours, but Giulio was seen no more. A tradition prevailed among the people, that the lustre of the sea had been a signal of the re-union of the faithful lovers.

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SIR GRALME AND SIR GRAY STEIL.

mit of a steep hill, and holding out his hand towards a valley and lake at our feet, said, "There-there is the home of the ancient name of Heron, and there the deed was done, which made so many cheeks pale." We seated ourselves on the ground, and it seemed his wish to allow me to look my fill on vale and lake, before he proceeded to violate the repose of a scene so full of loveliness, by touching on a tale of treachery and blood.

With treachery and with blood, no one who looked with me upon the place would have believed it associated. It was, indeed, a sweet and romantic

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