when my cogitations were interrupted by the appearance of Agrippa at the door, with my portmanteau on his shoulder, grinning most portentously, and chattering out, "Ebbery ting ready, massa." I sprang up, and followed him to the beach, where a boat with two hardy rowers lay waiting me. When we reached the canoe, Agrippa turned sharp round on me, and grinned out, 66 Massa, alway keep a Crissmas a true Buckra style; no a nigger able a work a two day after, for em drink." He added, "Aggie berry good nigger—a nebber was drunk; a hate sangaree, and a like you berry much for a massa, if you buy me; and if you do, me nebber sham sick, nor go to hospital." At the conclusion of this speech, he pitched my portmanteau into the canoe, jumped in himself, roared lustily for me to follow, and, to show his zeal for me, swore as lustily in negro French and sailor's English to his fellow-niggers to pull off. The rowers shook their heads in token of assent, and, stretching forth their brawny 1 arms, their oars parted the calm blue waves of one of the loveliest and largest bays our West Indies can boast; and, after a few minutes' rowing, we shot round a sharp promontory, and our frail bark floated on the Atlantic.

ing a tumbler of sangaree, and reeling to a hammock hung for me in an open gallery over the principal entrance to the house, but, in order to attain which desirable eleva tion, I had to be assisted by my companions in misfortune, Agrippa and Nero. Here a sound sleep speedily overtook me, and closed my Christmas Eve.

I wakened from the midst of a horrible dream,—a more complete mixture of drowning, and death, and the devil, and raw head and bloody bones, than ever poor Fuseli met with after a supper of uncooked pork; but, alas! I was only out of one Pandemonium into another;-my ears were assailed by the noise of Tamboos and shock-shocks, mingled with the singing of the negroes below among the negro houses. I tossed about in a sort of yawny torpor for a considerable time, till the nuisance of noise should stop-infatuated as I was, to think that any thing on earth would stop a negro on Christmas day! Suddenly a scraping of fiddles and clattering of tamborines vexed the ears of morning and myself, accompanied by the rattling of huge bludgeons and clubs against the wooden walls of the house, which only ceased at intervals, to admit the more horrid screaming of the whole gang of negroes, who had come up to wish my friends and myself a bon fite, as they called it. Three times did they perambulate the mansion, when slap went every door, and in they rushed like ants, when their dwelling is attacked. Hell seemed to have opened, and all the devils to be making holiday; but there was method in their madness. They first rushed to the bedroom-door of my friend their master, where they struck up a modulated yell, which I afterwards understood was their Christmas jubilee. After performing this, seemingly much to their own satisfaction, they proceeded to the middle of the hall, and there they capered A huge, but beautifully rich and mag-away in a style that would have put to the blush our exnificent, mass of verdure rose from the clear and mirrored deep, ending in immense mountains, clothed to the top with foliage of a bright beauty, that shamed the dingy dye of European forests, broken here and there with patches of brushwood, and studded with negro gardens; while at every turn lovely valleys opened to the view, richly cultivated, and waving with canes, while down to the water's brink all was verdure, and the sweet soft turf seemed to kiss the wild wave into quietness. To me it appeared like Fairyland-some bright vision of another world. All that poets have written-all that painters have created-morning air. Lovely was the face of that morning! seemed tame, and paled their ineffectual fires in the comparison. There were bays, such as Dian would have loved to lave in, on whose sides

It was a lovely evening; never shall I forget its gorgeous brightness. It was the farewell of what Alfieri has well called a "giornata stupendo." The sun was setting in a fiery glow, and slanting his last rays across the unruffled bosom of the vast Atlantic. All was calm and still; not a breath of wind was stirring; no movement on the face of nature, save the undulating swell of the glittering sea, whose waves seemed to heave up to the sun, as if sad at the parting, and as if anxious to catch and reflect some of his still lingering glory. And surely never did a scene more fit the gorgeous light thrown over it. We coasted a lovely island.

"Hill upon hill uplifts his spicy breast,

And rich woods wave above the watery waste;"streamlets, to which those of Castaly are a mockery, descending like silver threads from the mountains ;-rocks, woods, and headlands, heaped one on another in a profusion that enchanted, while it amazed; and sea-ward on the horizon, clusters of lovely islands, like "captain jewels in a carcanet," studded the ocean's edge, "flooded in light that flamed like molten gold."

cellent manager's whole collection of dancing Indians in the farce of "Robinson Crusoe." I imprudently protruded too much of my person over the edge of my hammock, when my white nightcap, catching their eyes, they made me the centre of attraction, and in a moment, men, women, children, fiddlers, fifers, drummers, and dancers, were pirouetting round me. I instinctively drew in my head, and nestled in the bed-clothes till they disappeared. Fearing another assault, I jumped up, and, dressing with all possible dispatch, walked forth to breathe the

66

The sun shot forth his rays with a glow and splendour unknown even in our warmest summer. Joy and happiness beamed on every countenance, and all nature seemed enlivened. At one part of the lawn in front of the house were assembled a large circle of the negroes dancing, and at another were to be found a party of singers. I was no sooner out of doors than I was surrounded, almost to the danger of suffocation. "Bon jour, massa," "Bon fite, massa,' were vociferated from a dozen dusky throats at once. Iss, massa, you be my massa's friend, massa,-I lub you, massa; iss, I lub you too much. I very like you, massa; I very like my massa, a ma misses, a ma young misses, massa. I be a good neger, massa; I big like Massa Horse foot (my friend Horseford), he one good massa for me, I tell you for true." Then came the begging. "Gib me one dag for buy tabaka, mássa; I no hab tabaka long time. Come, strike up and gib us a tune." Like lightning they formed a ring round me, and they capered away till, afraid of having my toes annihi

Long ere we reached our destination the sun had set; but the moon's sweet and almost painfully clear light helped us on our way; and, as we neared the shore, the shadows of the immense dark tall trees, the growth of ages, were flung across our path. In a few moments we were running the canoe up a small creek, through a plaguy jabble, caused by the meeting of a roaring, boisterous tor-lated, I made a desperate leap over two joined arms, and rent with the tide of the Atlantic. The water being cleared the ring, nor did I stop till I regained the hall, rough, and the boat rotten, an unlucky jolt, as I was pre- But if they were bad with me, they were a thousand times paring to spring on shore, took our frail bark in the side, worse with my friend their master. I never expected to and sent myself, Agrippa, Cæsar, and Nero Wilberforce, see him alive again; but about breakfast time he returned, splash into the water. However, as the place was shal- and I went down with him to the works, to give out the low, and plenty of hands waiting our arrival, we recover- allowances to the negroes, every one of whom, man, woed our feet in what the niggers called soon time; but my man, or child, got three pounds of pork, ditto of sugar, and head was swimming, and I was perfectly confused. All a bottle of rum. After this, we returned to breakfast; I remember was my entering, or rather being entered and such a breakfast--none of your consumptive-looking into, a room steaming with heat and hundreds-swallow-tea-and-toast affairs. Ham, eggs, fowls, fish, flesh, and

fruits; cordials and grog for those who preferred them; | spair, and cut my way, hallooing to my companions le and tea and coffee for the ladies, and the more moderate of the gentlemen.

Breakfast over, the ladies donned their aprons, and retired to the pantry, where dreadful devastation immediately commenced. Eggs were destroyed by hundreds; sweetmeats, sugar, fruit, fowl, flesh, fish, turtle, were put in requisition; while the lords of the creation strolled forth to kill time, till the dinner hour should bring them back the fair sex from their dreadful and murderous occupation. A party of us, accompanied by two boys, carrying fishing rods, rifles, shot, powder, &c. made the best of our way to the stream or river where, the night before, I made my watery debut. Arrived at the water's edge, we commenced a most vigorous attack on the mullets with our rifles, but our fire was far from deadly. However, we sent two negroes to cut some branches from the manchineal tree, the milk of which is a thousand times worse than the strongest blister: indeed, some of the garrison had fallen asleep under some of the trees in the heat of the day, and, before night, they were found dead. These branches, on being thrown into the river, poison the water, and of course kill all the fish, which we now got in myriads. Surfeited with this, we sent back the boys with our rods; on their return with cutlasses, we buckled them to our waists, and, slinging our rifles at our backs, we strode on to the woods, to avoid the heat of the sun, and to shoot ramiers (wood pigeons.)

Our road first led up a steep acclivity, through an immense quantity of very high brushwood, and then along the narrow ridge of an immense perpendicular cliff, at the constant and imminent danger of our necks. After ascending about half a mile, we entered the great forest which occupies the whole centre, and more than one-half of the island. On gaining the summit of the path, one of the most magnificent and romantically wild views I ever saw, lay before me. As far as eye could reach in front, to the right or left, lay, in calm but majestic, nay, awful quiet, a seemingly boundless and impenetrable forest, whose trees are of enormous magnitude, and untouched by the axe. Above, was a lovely sky, and over all was cast the burning splendour of a tropic sun; while the incessant screeching of the hawk, the distant moaning of the perdrix, or Indian partridge, in the far-stretched forest beneath, and the continued cooing of the ramier all around us, enlivened with the notes of the thrush, mocking-bird, and an infinite variety of the feathered tribe, with the incessant fluttering of those minions of the fairies, the humming-birds, as they danced, in all the minute and gorgeous splendour of their gem-like plumage, from shrub to shrub, and from flower to flower, seemed to invite, or rather welcome us to the lovely scene. I could have shrieked for joy; but, after gazing for some time in silence, we began to descend into the forest below. We soon lost all vestige of a track; and as our way now lay through an almost impenetrable barrier of brushwood, vines, thorns, and leans, we had to make good use of our cutlasses to clear the road before us. I hacked away at a noble rate till I heard a rustling among the leaves before me, and directing my eyes to the spot, they became riveted on a large snake. His eyes glared at me, but, from the moment they met mine, his body remained stationary. I am not naturally a coward; but this dreadful appearance in an Indian forest brought out a cold sweat over my whole body. I felt, as somebody says, "concealed into an icicle." At last he appeared to be preparing for the spring that was to seal my doom. I made one desperate stroke with my cutlass, and severed his body in twain. The blade crashed through sticks and bushes, and so great was the force of the blow, that my body followed it. Victor and vanquished alike bit the dust, or rather the dry sticks which covered it. I rose, sputtering, in terror and de

A sort of tough, ropy weed, or stalk, that runs along the ground, from the body of one tree to another, and frequently covered with

Jarge strong thorns.

not overtake them till we had got through the skirts the forest, by which time I was nearly exhausted fra the violent exertion I had been making. Breathless an full of horror, I related my awful adventure and bari breadth escape, and judge of my mortification when I w told, after a peal of laughter had made the very w merry with my misfortune, that none of the snakes in island were venomous, but perfectly harmless, and we cherished by the planters for killing and dispersia; the rats which infest the cane plantations.

Every step we now took, the ground became dare and clearer, till at last we stood free of all impedimera ' The size of the trees and the luxuriance of the foliage wa absolutely tremendous. I could only see the ramiers ár i a moment as they flew from tree to tree; and as feri glimpse of the blue vault of heaven, it was impossite Every shot told like rattling thunder, and it was longe the echo died away. We now came to a halt, and had recourse to a noggin of superb brandy, which the fars knowledge of my companions had provided. We soon st forth again, not exactly like giants, but refreshed, and ear guides loaded with game of all kinds, agouties, ramies, partridges, neanakoes, &c. We got back by a shorter an clearer route, just as the large dinner-bell was ringing it the first time.

In about half an hour, behold us seated round a king board, loaded, and groaning under the accumulated weight of turtle-soup, callipash and callipee, mutton and beef in a hundred varieties, hashes, stews, and harrics, potatoes, yams, cabbages, plantains, turnips, and couchcouch; while the rear was brought up by as goodly a display of plum-pudding, tarts, and custards, as I ever beheld in merry England or broad Scotland. What struck me most were four large pine-apples, placed at some dis tance from each other along the table, each of which wa upwards of a foot in length, and proportionably broad, while their size was increased by the large luxuriant tufts and leaves which almost covered them;-nor di their size diminish their flavour; they were every way the most delicious things I ever tasted. A dinner is a dinner all over the globe, and this was like the rest. I made my escape as fast as possible from the enormous libations of claret and madeira which the guests were pouring on the altars (i. e. throats) of their deities-themselves. When I got out, I found all the negroes assembled on the green, splendidly dressed and tripping it on their dark fantastic toes in the moonlight. They had formed a large ring, in the inside af which, at one end, three boys were seated on a log of wood, with their tamboos before them. This is a smal cask or barrel, with its head tightly covered over with prepared goat or sheepskin, across which a string is stretched, having a few beads, pieces of quill, and pins, &c. attached to it, which, when they strike, makes the instrument give forth a quivering sound, by no means unpleasant when artfully managed. After a short prelude, a man enters the ring, and after a variety of ges tures and dancing, darts his eyes towards his favourite fair, or rather dark one; and after running three times round, approaches her, driving against her as if he intended fairly to upset her. This, I was told, was the very height of negro civility. They then enter the ring together, and caper away in a most amusing manner. In a short time the centre of the ring is occupied by a legion of these innocent devils, capering as if quicksilver was in their veins. They call this dance, I think, Yaba.

I was summoned from this happy group to a tedious set of quadrilles in the interior of the mansion. The Lancers were put through their exercise to the dulcet sounds of one of the most execrable fiddles that ever mur. dered music, accompanied by a tambourine. After several of these half-strangled attempts, supper was announced. The glass and the song went round. lands were in our flowing cups freshly remembered; Our native

and

It was

Dr Knox commenced by expressing a doubt whether took place in the direction of the wind, its first ins there were a complete skeleton of an adult Dugong in tions were uniformly observed on that side from whe Europe. He had indeed heard, that M. Cuvier had de- it was about to blow. Sir G. further noticed, as inrgclared he was now in possession of five complete skeletons. sistent with the theory of rarefaction, the fact that If so, M. Cuvier must have acquired them subsequent to rents of air seldom extended far in the same directic. the publication of his work, entitled “ Ossemens Fossiles." He mentioned, as a circumstance tending to establish t By complete skeleton, the Doctor meant one prepared by a fact, that he himself, sailing on one occasion ina scientific anatomist; extensive experience having clearly Stromness with an easterly wind, was shortly after i satisfied him, that skeletons, prepared in the colonies, or calmed ; the wind, when it returned, veered about te Eby those who are not anatomists, cannot be depended on. ferent quarters, and was occasionally violent; yet b It was not sufficient, then, to say that a skeleton is com- learned, on returning to Stromness, that the same w plete; the person must be known who dissected and pre- which carried him out of the harbour, had continued a pared it, before the zoologist or anatomist can place im- blow steadily in the same direction for a week. Of plicit reliance on its various details. He showed, that same import, he conceived, was an observation he hat the engraving of the skeleton of the Dugong in M. Cu- made on an easterly wind of long continuance, what vier's great work had been made from an imperfect skele- had it (as its direction indicated) swept up the Bazz ton; inasmuch as the bones of the sternum were awant- and over the German ocean, must necessarily have al ing. The remarks which he had now to submit to the sorbed a great quantity of moisture, but which remaine Society, rested upon the examination of a skeleton of the excessively dry during the whole time of its continuanet. animal which had come accidentally into the possession It seemed that the motion of the currents of air revolvi of the University Museum, and a head of the Dugong, round a vertical axis, was most consistent with such pr presented a year and a half ago to the Society, by Mr Swin- nomena as had occurred to him at Stromness. ton, which was now upon the table. A short allusion also in accordance with what we might often witness— was made to the structure of the heart of the Dugong, different current in the upper regions of the atmospher preserved in spirits, which stood before him. There from what we experienced in the lower. It accordat was a very deep incision between the ventricles, not so likewise with the phenomena of whirlwinds. Sir C much, however, as to separate them entirely, indicating was of opinion, that we were not sufficiently acquainte an attempt, as it were, on the part of nature, to divide this with the various indications of the barometer to infer mas organ into two an extraordinary phenomenon, in an ani- from them; and that much light might be thrown on this mal ranking so high in organization as the Dugong. There difficult matter, by a carefully conducted series of observe was a considerable diversity between many of the bones in tions with the electrometer. He also anticipated interesting the cranium belonging to the College Museum and that on results from the employment of a machine for indicating the table; they were, however, scarcely of such a decided the force of the wind, to the construction of which le character as to indicate a specific difference. But, with had devoted much time and attention. Lastly, conside reference to the tusks, (and on this matter hinged, as it ing the limited range of currents of air, simultaneous a were, the object of the paper,) there were indeed differ-servations, at different places, would be interesting and inences seemingly specific betwixt the two crania. It would seem that this diversity in the form of the tusks had been originally noted by Sir Everard Home, but was considered by him not as indicating specific differences, but merely as having a reference to age. Dr Knox farther supported his views by a reference to the dentition of the elephant, the narwhale, and by the well-known physiological laws which regulate the growth of the human teeth. The author hoped that the length of the paper would be readily excused, when the great ignorance, even of good zoologists and anatomists, was taken into account, as to the natural history of the cetacea and other animals, which, like the Dugong, approach them in habits and in struc

ture.

ence.

Sir George S. Mackenzie read " A notice regarding some observed anomalies in the phenomena of the atmosphere." The great aim of the essay was to establish, that in attempting to explain atmospheric phenomena, too much had been attributed to rarefaction of the atmosphere, and that the generation of heat and cold in the air had been too exclusively attributed to the solar influWith regard to that theory which accounted for the production of currents of wind on the hypothesis of a rarefaction of the atmosphere in one part, and a rushing from the denser parts to supply this demi-vacuum, if it were correct, that portion of the denser atmosphere which was nearest the rarified air, must first be set in motion, then a portion more remote, and thus, any person so situated as to discern the approach of a current of air, would find it advancing towards him by a retrograde motion. But the contrary was the fact; for whenever any change

ery, and are said by the natives to weep when taken. The Malays frequently allude to this animal as an instance of maternal affection; and the common people preserve what they believe to be the tears of the young, under the impression that they conciliate for the wearer the affections of those to whom he is attached. The Dugong is taken by spearing: it is considered by the Malays a royal fish; and its flesh, which tastes like young juicy beef. is prefer ed to that of the cow or buffalo.-Cuvier, "Recherches sur les ossemens fossiles des Quadrupedes." Vol, IV.-Philosophical Transactions, Vol. CX. Pp. 111, 174, 315.

structive.

The secretary next called the attention of the meeting to a collection of objects of Natural History, presented to the Society by Mr Swinton, of Calcutta, and beantifully prepared by Dr Knox. The Society then adjourstill the first Monday in January.

The meeting of the Wernerian Society, which, according to the usual rotation, should have been held on S turday the 19th, was postponed.

THE DRAMA.

THERE has been little novelty at our theatre this week "The House of Aspen" has been performed every night, and the afterpieces have not been of the newest descrip tion. Sir Walter's play has not drawn very crowded houses; and we must say that it is, upon the whole, a little heavy. It was probably judicious to arrange it in three acts; but each act is, in consequence, too leng There is a want of relief throughout; and we must again repeat, that we regret the Manager did not take the part of Rudiger. We are convinced he would have performed it in a manner that would have added another laurel to his reputation. Sir Walter Scott, having availed himsel of the present holidays to go to his favourite Abbotsford has not been present at the representation of the piece; which we regret, for more reasons than one. With regard to Mr Thomson's music, our opinion is the same that it was last Saturday. There is a great deal of ge nius in it; but it is too much after Weber. There is no young man in Great Britain at the present day mere likely to distinguish himself in the musical world tha Mr Thomson, but he must, above all things, avoid imitation. We can allow him mannerism, if he chooses, but not imitation. We are certainly not at all sorry to per ceive that he is an intense admirer of Weber, who has already been spoken of in the Literary Journal as the Lord Byron of modern music; but do not let him confine his admiration too exclusively to Weber,-let his soul