the absurdity of his conduct, and the danger of his situation, we bid him farewell, and rowed away.

back-back with you all!" "No, no," returned one of the crew, "we don't want to be sent to the bottom for your obstinacy. Bear a hand there, or we'll leave you behind." "Captain you're drunk," said anoth-wished myself in the sloop again.

The sea ran so high, and had such a terrific appearance, that I almost

The crew plied the oars in silence, and we heard nothing but the hissing of the enormous billows as they gently rose up, and slowly subsided

vals, our boat was elevated far above the surface of the ocean, and re

bling upon the pinnacle of a surge, from which it would quietly descend into a gulph, so deep and awful, that we often thought the dense black mass of waters which formed its sides, were on the point of over-arching us, and bursting upon our heads. We glided with regular undulations from one billow to another; but every time we sunk into the trough of the sea, my heart died within me, for I felt as if we were going lower down than we had ever done before, and clung instinctively to the board on which I sat.

er; you can't take care of yourself. You must obey us now." "Silence! mutinous villain," answered the captain. "What are you all afraid of? This is a fine breeze-again, without breaking. At interUp mainsail, and steer her right in the wind's eye." The sea knocked the boat so vio-mained, for a few moments, tremlently and constantly against the side of the sloop, that we feared the former would be injured, or upset, if we did not immediately row away; but anxious as we were to preserve our lives, we could not reconcile ourselves to the idea of abandoning the captain, who grew more obstinate the more we attempted to persuade him to accompany us. At length one of the crew leaped on board the sloop, and having seized hold of him, tried to drag him along by force; but he struggled resolute-ly, and soon freed himself from the grasp of the seaman, who immediately resumed his place among us, and urged that we should not any longer risk our lives for the sake of a drunkard, and a madman. Most of the party declared they were of the same opinion, and began to push off the boat; but I entreated them to make one effort more to induce their infatuated commander to accompany us. At that moment he

came up

Notwithstanding my terrors, I frequently looked towards the sloop. The fragments of her mainsail, which remained attached to the yard, and fluttered in the wind, enabled us to discern exactly where she || lay, and showed, by their motion, that she pitched about in a terrible manner. We occasionally heard the voice of her unfortunate commander, cal.ng to us in tones of from the cabin, to which frantic derision, and by turns vocifhe had descended a little time be- erating curses and blasphemous fore, and we immediately perceived oaths, and singing sea-songs with a that he was more under the influence wild and frightful energy. I some of ardent spirits than ever. He times almost wished that the crew abused us all in the grossest terms, would make another effort to save and threatened his crew with severe him, but, the next moment, the punishment, if they did not come on principle of self-preservation represboard, and return to their duty.sed all feelings of humanity, and I His manner was so violent, that no one seemed willing to attempt to constrain him to come on board the boat; and after vainly representing

endeavoured, by closing my ears, to banish the idea of his sufferings from my mind.

After a little time, the shivering

our captain was looking out for this afternoon. If we can but gain it, we'll be safe enough yet." This intelligence cheered us all, and the men began to ply the oars with redoubled vigour, while I employed myself in bailing out the water that sometimes rushed over the gunnel of the boat when a sea happened to strike her.

An hour's hard rowing brought us so near the light house, that we

canvass disappeared, and we heard a tumultuous roaring and bursting of billows, and saw an unusual sparkling of the sea about a quarter of a mile from us. One of the sailors cried out that the sloop was now on her beam ends, and that the noise, to which we listened, was that of the waves breaking over her. We could sometimes perceive a large black mass, heaving itself up irregularly among the flashing surges, and then disappearing for a few ino-almost ceased to apprehend any furments, and knew but too well that it was the hull of the vessel. At intervals a shrill and agonized voice uttered some exclamations, but we could not distinguish what they were, and then a long drawn shriek came across the ocean, which sud-mendous billow rolling towards us. denly grew more furiously agitated near the spot where the sloop lay, and, in a few moments, she sunk down, and a black wave formed itself out of the waters that had engulphed her, and swelled gloomily || into a magnitude greater than that of the surrounding billows.

ther danger; but it was suddenly obscured from our view, and, at the same time, a confused roaring and dashing commenced at a little distance, and rapidly increased in loudness. We soon perceived a tre

Its top, part of which had already broke, overhung the base, as if unwilling to burst until we were within the reach of its violence. The man who steered the boat, brought her head to the sea, but all to no purpose, for the water rushed furiously over us, and we were completely immersed. I felt the boat swept from under me, and was left struggling and groping about in hopeless desperation, for something to catch hold of. When nearly exhausted, || I received a severe blow on the side, from a small cask of water, which the sea had forced against me. I immediately twined my arms round it, and, after recovering myself a little, began to look for the boat, and to call to my companions; but I could not discover any vestige of them, or of their vessel. However, I still had a faint hope that they were in existence, and that the in

The seamen dropped their oars, as if by one impulse, and looked expressively at each other, without speaking a word. Awful forebodings of a fate similar to that of the captain, appeared to chill every heart, and to repress the energy that had hitherto excited us to make unremitting exertions for our common safety. While we were in this state of hopeless inaction, the man at the helm called out that he saw a light a-head. We all strained our eyes to discern it, but, at the moment, the boat was sinking down between two immense waves, one of which closed the prospect, and we remained intervention of the billows concealed breathless anxiety till a rising surge them from my view. I continued elevated us above the level of the to shout as loud as possible, for the surrounding ocean. A light like a sound of my own voice in some dazzling star then suddenly flashed measure relieved me from the feelupon our view, and joyful exclama-ing of awful and heart-chilling lonetions burst from every mouth.-liness which my situation inspired; "That," cried one of the crew, but not even an echo responded to "must be the floating beacon, which my cries, and, convinced that my

comrades had all perished, I ceased After I had refreshed myself with looking for them, and pushed to- food, and been provided with a wards the beacon in the best man- change of clothing, I went upon ner I could. A long series of fa- || deck, and surveyed the singular tiguing exertions brought me close | asylum in which Providence had to the side of the vessel which con- enabled me to take refuge from the tained it, and I called out loudly, in fury of the storm. It did not exceed hopes that those on board might thirty feet long, and was very stronghear me, and come to my assistance, ly built, and completely decked over, but no one appearing, I waited pa- except at the entrance to the cabin. tiently till a wave raised me on a lev- It had a thick mast at midships, with el with the chains, to which I clung, a large lantern, containing several and succeeded in getting on board. burners and reflecters on the top of As I did not see any person on it; and this could be lowered and deck, I went forward to the sky-hoisted up again as often as requirlight, and looked down. Two men ed, by means of ropes and pullies. were seated below at a table, and a The vessel was firmly moored upon lamp, which was suspended above an extensive sand bank, the beacon them, being swung backwards and being intended to warn seamen to forwards by the rolling of the ves- avoid a part of the ocean where masel, threw its light upon their faces ny lives and vessels had been lost in alternately. One seemed agitated consequence of the latter running with passion, and the other survey- aground. The accommodations beed him with a scornful look. They low decks were narrow, and of an both talked very loudly, and used inferior description; however, I threatening gestures, but the sea gladly retired to the birth that was made so much noise that I could not allotted me by my entertainers ; distinguish what was said. After a fatigue, and the rocking of billows, little time they started up, and seem-combined to lull me into a quiet and ed to be on the point of closing and dreamless sleep. wrestling together, when a woman Next morning one of the men, rushed through a small door and whose name was Angerstoff, came prevented them. I beat upon deck to my bedside, and called me to with my et at the same time, and || breakfast, in a surly and imperious the attention of the whole party was manner. The others looked coldly soon transferred to the noise. One and distrustfully when I joined of the men immediately came up the them, and I'saw that they regarded cabin stairs, but stopped short on me as an intruder, and an unwelseeing me, as if irresolute whether come guest. The meal passed withto advance or hasten below again. out almost any conversation, and I I approached him, and told my sto- went upon deck whenever it was ry in a few words, but instead of over. making any reply, he went down to the cabin, and began to relate to the others what he had seen. I soon followed him, and easily found my way into the apartment where they all were. They appeared to feel mingled sensations of fear and astonishment at my presence, and it was some time before any of them entered into conversation with me, or afforded those comforts which I stood so much in need of.

The tempest of the preceding night had in a great measure abated, but the sea still ran very high, and a black mist hovered over it, through which the Norwegian coast, lying at eleven miles distance, could be dimly seen. I looked in vain for some remains of the sloop or boat. Not a bird enlivened the heaving expanse of waters, and I turned shuddering from the dreary scene, and asked Morvalden, the

youngest of the men, when he thought I had any chance of getting ashore. "Not very soon, I am afraid," returned he: "We are visit- || ed once a month by people from yonder land, who are appointed to bring us a supply of provisions and other necessaries. They were here only six days ago, so you may count how long it will be before they return. Fishing boats sometimes pass us during fine weather, but we won't have much of that this moon at least."

Marietta, the female on board, was the wife of Morvalden. She remained chiefly below decks, and attended to the domestic concerns of the vessel. She was rather goodlooking, but so reserved and forbidding in her manners, that she formed no desirable acquisition to our party; already so heartless and unsociable in its character.

When night approached, after the lapse of a wearisome and monotonous day, I went on deck to see the beacon lighted, and continued walking backwards and forwards till a late hour. I watched the lantern, as it swung from side to side, and flashed upon different portions of the sea alternately, and sometimes fancied I saw men struggling among the billows that tumbled around, and at other times imagined that I could discern the white sail of an ap proaching vessel. Human voices seemed to mingle with the noise of the bursting waves, and I often listened intently almost, in the expectation of hearing articulate sounds. My mind grew sombre as the scene itself, and strange and fearful ideas obtruded themselves in rapid succession. It was dreadful to be chained in the middle of the deep-to be the continual sport of the quietless billows-to be shunned as a fatal thing, by those who traversed the solitary ocean. Though within sight of the

No intelligence could have been more depressing to me than this. The idea of spending perhaps three weeks in such a place was almost insupportable, and the more so, as I could not hasten my deliverance by any exertions of my own, but would be obliged to remain, in a state of inactive suspense, till good fortune, or the regular course of events, afforded me the means of getting ashore. Neither Angerstoff nor Morvalden seemed to sympathise with my distress, or even to care that I should have it in my power to leave the vessel, except in so far as my departure would free them from the expense of supporting me. They returned indistinct and repulsive answers to all the questions I asked, and appeared anxious to avoid having the least communication with me. During the greater part of the forenoon, they em-shore, our situation was more dreary ployed themselves in trimming the than if we had been sailing a thoulamps, and cleaning the reflectors, sand miles from it. We felt not the but never conversed any. I easily pleasure of moving forward, nor the perceived that a mutual animosity hope of reaching port, nor the deexisted between them, but was un- lights arising from favourable breezes able to discover the cause of it.and genial weather. When a billow Morvalden seemed to fear Anger- drove us to one side, we were tossed stoff, and, at the same time, to feel back again by another-our imprisa deep resentment towords him, onment had no variety or definite which he did not dare to express. termination-and the calm, and the Angerstoff apparently was aware of tempest, were alike uninteresting to this, for he behaved to to his comus. I felt as if my fate had already panion with the undisguised fierce- become linked with that of those who ness of determined hate, and open-were on board the vessel. My hopes ly thwarted him in every thing. of being again permitted to mingle

with mank ind died away, and I an- || ticipated long years of gloom and despair, in the company of these repulsive persons, into whose hands fate had unexpectedly consigned

me.

love from me. What ingratitude! Mine is indeed a terrible fate, but I must bear it. And shall I never again wander through the green fields, and climb the rocks that encircle my native place? Are the

moanings of the wind, to fill my ears continually, all the while telling me that I am an exile? a hope less, despairing exile. But it won't last long," cried he, catching hold of my arm: "they will murder me! I am sure of it; I never go to sleep without dreaming that Angerstoff has pushed me overboard."

Angerstoff and Morvalden tend-weary dashings of the sea, and the ed the beacon alternately during the night. The latter had the watch while I remained upon deck. His appearance and manner indicated much perturbation of mind, and he paced hurriedly from side to side, sometimes muttering to himself, and sometimes stopping suddenly to look through the skylight, as if anxious to discover what was going on below. He would then gaze intently upon the heavens, and next moment take out his watch, and contemplate the motions of its hands. I did not offer to disturb these reveries, and thought myself altogether unobserved by him, till he suddenly advanced to the spot where I stood, and said, in a loud whisper,There's a villain below -a desperate villain-this is truehe is capable of any thing-and the woman is as bad as him." I asked what proof he had of all this. "Oh, I know it," returned he; "that wretch, Angerstoff, whom I once thought my friend, has gained my wife's affections. She has been faithless to me--yes, she has. They both wish I were out of the way. Perhaps they are now planning my destruction. What can I do? It is very terrible to be shut up in such narrow limits, with those who hate me, and to have no means of escaping, or defending myself from their infernal machinations." "Why do you not leave the beacon," inquired I," and abandon your companion, and guilty wife?" Ah, that is "Do not let your senses be imimpossible," answered Morvalden; posed upon by a distempered imagi"if I went on shore, I would forfeit nation," said I; "there is no realimy liberty. I live here, that I may ty in the things you have told me." escape the vengeance of the law,"Perhaps my mind occasionally which I once outraged, for the sake wanders a little, for it has a heavy of her who has now withdrawn her burden upon it," returned Morval

VOL. II.

9

"Your lonely situation, and inactive life, dispose you to give way to these chimeras," said Ï; 66 you must endeavour to resist them.Perhaps things are not so bad as you suppose.' "This is not a lonely situation," replied Morvalden, in a solemn tone. "Perhaps you will have proof of what I say, before you leave us. Many vessels used to be lost here, and a few are wrecked still; and the skeletons and corpses of those who have perished lie all over the sand-bank. Sometimes, at midnight, I have seen crowds of human figures, moving backwards and forwards upon the surface of the ocean, almost as far as the eye could reach. I neither knew who they were, nor what they did there. When watching the lantern alone, I often hear a number of voices talking together, as it were, under the waves; and I twice caught the very words they uttered, but I cannot repeat them; they dwell incessantly in my memory, but my tongue refuses to pronounce them, or to explain to others what they ineant."