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came over me.

THE CHEAP MAGAZINE.

the surf broke with force against her, and only a part By this means, saving myself from many a heavy sea, my spirits kept up; but, alas! when I could discover no sail in sight, the sea increasing, and it drawing towards evening, they began to flag. Struggling through such difficulties, without the smallest pros. pect of being relieved, was but little encouragement for me to persevere; and, being full three hours in the water, I was much weakened.

About 3 o'clock I saw two sail near me, about a mile to leeward: no exertion of mine, I knew, could make them hear me, so made none; beating about for such a length of time, without the good fortune to see any sail approaching, gave me little hopes of saving my life; continually washed off my boat, and repeatedly obliged, to avoid the sea breaking, to quit my boat, and swim to leeward, consequently diminishing my strength. About à quarter after four, a brig came within half a mile; I hailed her; stood as far out of the water as I could, moving my hands, and using every possible means for her crew to see me. I succeeded; I saw her men go up the main-shrouds, and the crew stand close together, but passed me, without offering to lend me the smallest assistance. This, indeed, was enough for me to surrender up a life which was no longer supportable: such inhumanity excited in me the strongest emotions of anger; but, alas"! I had no means of redress. I gave up all hopes of being saved; still further from the land; a gale of wind coming on; the tide carrying on to Portland Race!

I took a valuable diamond watch of my wife's out of my fob, tied it securely round the waistband of my trowsers; pulled them off, and tied them round the short of the boat:

when

when I had done this, I made a running knot with the painter, intending to put it round me in my last moments, that my boat, as the wind was, would be driven near my house, or Bridport, and that my watch and seal would lead to a discovery of who I was. Having done this, I became quite indifferent; death was no longer terrible; and, as I saw no chance of being saved, I sat quietly in the boat, patiently waiting for the next wave to put an end to my sufferings; and, immersed two feet under water, still tossed about, sometimes in the boat, sometimes holding on her bottom, washed off, and losing her for several minutes. I found that neither my recollection nor strength had failed me, for I always raised myself, by treading the water, to discover my boat, which, when I did I swam up to.

my

About half after four, experiencing a very hard struggle to recover the boat, I saw eight sail to windward ; it was a long time before I discovered whether they were standing from me, or towards me: I perceived they were standing towards me. This gave me additional strength and spirits; for the first time, I saw a chance of saving my life, and that Providence had watched over me through all struggles. At five, three or four ships passed me with. out seeing me, or being able to make them hear, the sea running high, and breaking violently. Three more pas. sed me close to windward, my voice being too feeble to be heard. I reserved my strength for the only two of of the eight that had not passed me. A brig came by; I bailed her, lifted up my hands, and, fortunately, I observed that they saw me, for her men went up aloft to see what I was; they then tacked, and stood towards me, but did not hoist a boat out: this alarmed me; and

having some hours before, passed one unfeeling wretch, I almost gave myself up to despair,

.་

There was only one more vessel to pass: it was nearly dark, a dismal sea, and within two miles of Portland Race if this passed me, all was over. I roused myself on this occasion, and hailed her; stood on the boat's bottom, was washed off; got on her again, and was again washed off; however, life was still desirable, as long as I saw a chance of being saved. After struggling again and again, I was discovered by some of the soldiers: I saw there was a bustle on board her; I saw men running up the rigging, and, shortly after, a boat let down.

At that instant I was agitated; my firmness seemed to forsake me, for I burst into a flood of tears, and was seized with a violent retching, from the quantity of salt water I had swallowed: As the boat approached, I recovered. When she came near, the sea being very high, I desired them not to come broadside to, but stern on. I untied my trowsers, and threw them into the boat, and endeavoured to spring in myself, but was unable: the crew pulled me in by the legs. I was not so much exhausted, nor my recollection so lost, but I was able to steer the boat through a heavy sea, and lay her alongside, which I did. I was humanely and kindly received by Colonel Jackson, of the 85th; and the whole crew expressed a sincere and honest, gladness at my providential escape: ten minutes more, and she must have passed, and not the smallest chance of my existing half an hour longer; my limbs benumbed, a violent pain in my side, with a dizziness in my eyes, and an inclination to sleep. From the time I upset, to that of being picked up, I had been above five hours and a half naked in the water.

The

The ship Middleton came into Portland Roads at about eight o'clock; and at nine, Colonel Jackson attended me to my friends, Mr and Mrs Smith, from whom I received the kindest attention; they thought I was ir. recoverably gone: so did their Majesties, particularly as Captain Ingram declared, that he saw my boat go down. However, it was extremely reasonable to suppose that I was lost, the sea running high, and breaking in a most tremendous marmer: he well knew, that on those shoals a boat could not long exist, and, on the whole, a most dreadful evening :—it was reasonable to suppose I was no

more.

Their Majesties, with the Dukes of Kent and Cumberland, Lord and Lady Cathcart, Lord Paulet, Colonels Desborough and Wynyard, Generals Goldsworthy, Garth, &c. every soul, in short, in Weymouth, heartily congratulated me on my providential escape. The King and Queen, with their Family, on the Esplanade, expressed, in the kindest manner, their very sincere happiness at my being saved. I was most dreadfully bruised, extremely weak, and much agitated from the kind solicitude my friends shewed me.

Tuesday, the 23d of September, I went on board the Middleton, Captain Rankin, with Colonel Jackson, and distributed Fifty Guineas among the Captain and crew:Captain Rankin, Ten Guineas, and a Silver Cup. The following are the men who ventured in the boat :- -John Jones, Five Guineas; John Dayly, Five Guineas; James Napier, Five Guiness; John Woodman, Five Guineas; and to the remainder of the crew, Twenty Guineas,

Natural appearances in April.

"Now stormy skies with milder influence shine, "And winter, banish'd, seeks the northern clime: "The earth revived a cheerful aspect wears—

"The gentle bird returns-the fragrant flower appears." APRIL generally begins with raw unpleasant weather, the influence of the equinoctial storms still in some degree prevailing but its vicissitudes of warm gleams of sun-shine and gentle showers have the most powerful ef. fects in hastening that universal springing of the vegetable tribes, whence the season of spring derives its appella.

ation.

V

Early in the month, that welcome guest and harbinger of summer, the swallow, returns. The chimney or house swallow, known by its long forked tail and red breast, is first seen; and as this bird lives on insects, its appearance is a certain proof that some of that minute tribe of animals are come abroad from their winter. retreats.

He

Birds are now busied in pairing, and building their nests, and the groves resound with all their various melody, The nightingale, that most enchanting of song. sters, is heard soon after the arrival of the swallow. sings by day as well as by night, but in the day time his voice is drowned among the multitude of performers ; in the evening it is heard alone: whence arises the commɔn opinion, that the nightingale sings only by night.

Another of the most striking events of this month is the renewal of the note of the cuckoo, which is generally heard about the middle of April. This circumstance has commanded attention in all countries; and several rustic

sayings,