"Time passed away. My young captain still seemed equally warm in our favour. Theresa, however, became every day more dejected. When I asked the reason, she spoke of her father, and turned the conversation to some other subject. Little did I imagine that Frederic was the cause of her grief.

"This young man, with those ardent feelings which are common at his age, had seen Theresa with the same eyes with which I saw her, and his virtue was weaker than his passion. He was acquainted with our misfortunes; he knew how necessary his aid was to us; and he had the boldness to intimate to Theresa the price which he expected for his protection. My wife was indignant at his conduct, and she let him know that she was so; but, being aware of my impetuous and jealous temper, she concealed from me the fatal secret. She repulsed Frederic, without saying any thing to me; while I, too credulous, was every day extolling to her the generous friendship of the captain.

"One day, when I had come off guard, I was returning home to my wife, and, judge of my surprise, when I met with Aymar on my road. "At last I have found you, ravisher!" exclaimed he. "Give me back my daughter! Give me back the comfort of which you robbed me, as a reward for the friendship which I showed to you!" I threw myself on my knees before Aymar; I bore the first burst of his indignation; I softened him by my tears; and he consented to hear me. "I will not," said I, attempt to justify myself; the mischief is done; Theresa is mine; she is my wife. My life is in your hands, punish me; but spare your child, your only daughter. Do not dishonour her husband; do not make her die of grief; forget me, to think of her alone." Then, instead of conducting him to Theresa, 1 led him to the house where you, my child, were at nurse. "Come," added I, "and behold another, to whom your pity must be extended."

"You were in your cradle, Gertrude; you slept; your countenance, where the white and the vermillion were blended, was the very picture of health and innocence. Aymar looked at you, and his eyes filled with tears. took you in my arms, and gave you to him. “This, too, is your child," said I. You awoke as I moved

you; and, as if Heaven had inspired you, instead of crying you smiled; and, stretching out your little arms to the old Aymar, you took hold of his white locks, and twining your fingers in them, drew his face towards your's. The old man covered you with kisses, pressed me to his bosom, and still keeping you in his arms, stretched out his hand to me, exclaiming, 66 Come, my son, let us hasten to my daughter." You may imagine with what joy, my children, I conducted him to our home.

"While we were on our road, it occurred to me that the sudden shock of unexpectedly seeing her father might overcome Theresa. Wishing to prevent this, I hastened forward before Aymar, ran up stairs, opened the door, and saw Frederic struggling with Theresa, who was obliged to exert all her strength to save herself from his violence. The moment that I witnessed this scene my sword was plunged into his bosom. Bathed in his blood, he screamed and fell; those who were within hearing rushed in; the guard came; my sword was still reeking; I was seized; and the unfortunate Aymar arrived with the crowd to see his sonin-law loaded with chains.

"I embraced him, and recommended to him my child and my wife, who was now insensible! I embraced you too, my dear Gertrude, and then followed my comrades, who conducted me to a dungeon.

"I remained there, in a state which you may conceive, for two days and three nights. I knew nothing of what was going forward; I knew nothing of the fate of Theresa; I saw nobody but my ill-looking gaoler, who gave me no other answer to my questions, than that I might be sure that I should speedily be condemned.

"On the third day the gates were opened, and I was told to come out. A detachment was waiting for me; it formed a circle round me, and conducted me to the parade. I saw, at a distance, the regiment drawn up, and saw also the terrible instrument which was to put an end to my existence. The idea that my misfortunes had now reached their height, restored to me the strength which I had lost. A convulsive motion quick

ened my pace; my tongue, of itself, pronounced the name of Theresa; my eyes wandered around in search of her; and, at length, I reached the destined spot.

"My sentence was read to me, and I was given over to the executioner. I was expecting the mortal blow, when piercing shrieks suspended my execution. looked, and saw a half-naked spectre, pale, bleeding, and making efforts to break through the armed bands by which I was surrounded. It was Frederic. 'My friends,' he exclaimed, it is I alone who am guilty! It is I who deserve death! My friends, pardon innocence! I wished to seduce his wife; he punished me for it; and he did what was right. You are barba rians, if you dare to touch his life! The colonel of the regiment flew to Frederic; he endeavoured to restore him to calmness; he pointed out to him the law which condemned me for having raised my hand against my officer. I was no longer his officer,' answered Frederic, I had given him his liberty. Here is his discharge, which I had signed on the evening before. He is no longer amenable to your laws.' The astonished officers now assembled together. My cause was pleaded by Frederic and humanity, and I was led back to prison. Frederic wrote to the minister, accused himself, asked for my pardon, and obtained it.

66 Aymar, Theresa, and myself, went and threw ourselves at the feet of our liberator. He confirmed the present of liberty which he had made to me, and wished to add other benefits, which, however, we refused to receive. We returned to this village, where the death of Aymar put me in possession of his property, and where Theresa and I shall end our days in peace, and in the midst of you, my children.”

During his story all the children of Peter had crowded closely round him. Though he had ceased speaking, they continued in a listening posture, and the tears trickled down their cheeks. "Be comforted," said the good old man, “Heaven has repaid all my troubles by the love which you feel for me.' So saying, he embraced them all, kissed Louisa twice, and then the whole family retired to rest.

*.A.*

NATURAL PHENOMENA.

No. 11.-A WHITE NEGRO AND PIE-BALD NEGRESS.

THE white negro, as he is denominated, says Dr. Pinckard, is a boy about twelve years of age, who was born on board of ship, on the passage from Guinea, of perfectly white skin, although both his father and mother were jet black. He is even whiter, but I know not if I should say fairer, than Europeans, for it is a dead chalk-white, without the agreeable relief of the fine blue veins, and ruddy tints of an extra-tropical, or more particularly of a British skin. In form and feature he strictly resembles other negroes, having the head and face long, with the hair short and curling like wool, the mouth large, with thick lips, and the nose broad and flat. His eyes are blue, the eye-brows and eye-lashes white, as is likewise the hair, which, from being slightly tinged with yellow, assumes, in a small degree, that particular hue, which is more commonly than correctly termed red. On looking at a strong light, his eyes are affected with a twinkling motion, such as is observed in the Albinos or Nyctalops; and from the axes of the two eyes not accurately converging, a slight degree of strabismus is perceptible. It would seem, therefore, that it is a variation which stands much in the same relation with respect to the negroes, as the Nyctalops with respect to ourselves. His skin being more than commonly irritable, is highly susceptible of injury, and quickly rises into blisters, on his being exposed to the open rays of the sun.

The case of the woman is even more novel and singular than that of the boy: her peculiarity being the effect of an extraordinary change, and not of original formation. She is about thirty years of age, and, until the last six or seven years, was of completely sable skin, differing in no respect from other negroes; nor do either her form or features now offer any thing remarkable, but from the profoundest black, her surface is growing perfectly white. She is of good figure, has been always regarded as having a strong and healthy constitution; and, for many years, has been employed as a washerwoman in Mr. Cuming's family.

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No probable cause is known, nor even suggested, for the change; but, about five or six years ago, some white spots appeared upon her extremities, and from that time she has been gradually losing the natural blackness of her surface.

This uncommon change commenced in the parts most remote from the centre of circulation, and is slowly, though regularly, proceeding towards the parts nearer to the heart. The feet, hands, legs, and arms, have already lost their sable hue, and are now even whiter than those of an European. Her nose and ears are also white, and some patches of white are spreading upon the face, neck, and bosom, but her body yet remains profoundly black; and although this extraordinary conversion seems to be progressively advancing, if it pro ceed as slowly as it has hitherto done, it may be still several years before the whole of the dark colouring will be removed. Her hair and eyes retain their original blackness, and have not yet any appearance of participating in the change.

It is remarkable, that the cuticle of the parts which have grown white, like the pale skin of the boy, is very subject to rise into blisters upon being exposed to the sun, while no such effect is produced upon the parts which remain black.

The woman is still in good health, and appears to remain entirely free from disease, as she was at the time this peculiar change began; but she is extremely low and dejected concerning this event, which she regards as the greatest evil that could have befallen her. She has a great dislike to be seen, or have questions asked her, and more particularly by strangers. When sent for, that I might look at her, she came to me with extreme reluctance, exhibiting strong marks of agitation while she remained, and went away in tears. She is the wife of one of Mr. Cuming's slaves, and has had seve ral children, who differ in no respect from the offspring of other negroes.

THE MAMMOTH.

IN the year 1799, says Mr. Adams, a member of the academy of St. Petersburgh, a Tungusian fisherman observed a strange, shapeless mass projecting from an