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It is pleasing to know, however, that these unauthorised alliances do not often occur, and appear to have considerably diminished during the last half-century.

OUTWITTING THE BRIGANDS. Ir was on such a morning as we fog-nurtured islanders seldom witness at home, that I stood upon the deck of the good steamer Coumoundouros, watching the nearing shores of the Piræus, which as all the world knows or should know, is the port of the classic city of Athens. The beautiful unclouded sky; the bright outline of the sun-bathed coast; the air laden with the scent of the distant Hymettus; the far eminence with the grand old Acropolis standing out white and bold in the clear atmosphere; and close at hand the mouldering tomb of Themistocles-all combined to arouse such poetic fancies in my mind, that I forgot for the moment the prosaic business upon which I The screaming engine of the busy little railway which carries the traveller from the Piraeus to Athens, soon reminded me, however, that I was accredited with a mission from a London Greek firm to their friends in the Attic city; and I was soon whirling over the sacred ground

had come.

Where History gives to every rood a page!

We passed the monuments of those doughty champions of the War of Independence, Karaiskakis and Miaulis, and many other objects of interest; and after a ride of three or four miles, I found myself at my destination.

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On we went, enjoying the scenery and holding a hybrid conversation-he in broken English, and I in sadly mutilated Greek-until in the constantly unfolding itself to our view, I entirely excitement of the ride, and the glorious panorama forgot that there were such beings as brigands in existence.

'Now,' said I to Themistocles, after a ride of some hours, during which my appetite had become unpleasantly sharpened, let us look about for a spot where we can bivouae in comfort.'

We soon found a delightful place, sheltered all obtained a view of a charming landscape. Disround, save where through a small opening, we mounting, and allowing our animals to refresh themselves on the grass, we soon made havoc of the good things we had brought. I was lying upon my back smoking a cigarette after the meal, gazing dreamily at the blue firmament; and being too lazy to rise, had called upon Themistocles to pass the bottle.

Has the fellow gone to sleep?' thought I, still indisposed to turn my head. "Themistocles!'

But Themistocles heard me not; and when I raised myself upon my elbow, I saw him standing, as if struck dumb and motionless with fear, staring upon the opening. Instinctively I leaped up and clutched my revolver; but before I took After the first few days, I certainly had a very a step, the cause of Themistocles' fear became pleasant time of it, the few hours' work each day apparent; and three shaggy forms behind three acting only as a stimulus to my varied pleasures; blunderbusses aimed direct at me, made me fully and having examined the Acropolis, and lunched of Greece, the brigands! But oh! what a metaaware that I was in presence of those scourges by the fallen pillar of Jupiter, seated myself in morphosis! Where were the natty green jackets the ruins of the Pnyx-whence Demosthenes with silver buttons, the plumed hats, and the declaimed, and Pericles evolved his plans-I tout ensemble of the brigands of my youth, of looked around like Alexander, for more worlds the operas and the picture-books? Three ragged, to conquer. I thereupon consulted my genial disreputable-looking figures, clad in greasy sheepbut unwashed host, Kyrie Antonio Pericles Pap- skins and dirty clothes, unkempt, unshaven, took pademetracopoulos-who, although Plato was to the place of those tinselled heroes, and with stern him a text-book, and the sayings of Socrates gestures and muttered threats, ordered us to as familiar as the story of Tommy and Harry but when I showed the slightest signs, the three follow them. My first thought was resistance; to an English schoolboy, was always as dirty as a bell-mouthed muskets were bent towards me; sweep upon the propriety of betaking myself and I felt that the odds were too many, and to where determining to await events, grimly submitted to be led down the mountain by our unsavoury guides. 1

The mountains look on Marathon,
And Marathon looks on the sea.

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1

At last, after winding through ravines and For one might as well go to Egypt without hollows, across glens and over mountain-paths visiting the Pyramids, or to Rome without enter- innumerable, this most unpleasant journey ended ing St Peter's, as to 'do' Greece and leave by our guides calling a halt as we gained the Marathon unexplored. And when my host tried summit of an eminence surrounded by trees and to dissuade me by assuring me that a Greek tress. Beneath our feet, in a deep ravine, with tall rocks, forming an extraordinary natural forgentleman's ear had been sent a fortnight before seemingly but one outlet, and excellently sheltered by the brigands to his obstinate relatives, to hurry by overhanging foliage, was the camp of the the negotiations for his ransom, it so roused brigands; and here we found the rest of the my blood, that I vowed I would go if I returned shaggy ruffians-with the exception of one who

stood sentinel-enjoying their siesta with indolent

content.

A shrill whistle soon brought the rascals to their feet; and rushing up to meet us, they displayed a dozen of as unfavourable specimens of the human race as could well be found. Seizing our asses by their bridles, they relieved our captors, and led us down the ravine; and having roughly assisted us to dismount, brought us into the presence of the chief of the band.

'Bravo, lads! excellent, excellent!' he shouted, as his sparkling eyes bent upon us in delight; and after a cursory examination, we were conducted, amid the excited gesticulations of the brigands and without undue ceremony, into a dark cavern within the ravine.

'Shiver my maintops!' exclaimed a voice as I groped my way in; they might give us searoom, the vagabonds, and not land us in this lubberly creek; and now they are shoving more craft in to anchor!'

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'Haul in, Jack, old chum !' answered another; we must make the best of a bad job, mate.'

To say that my heart leaped to my mouth at hearing such unexpected words, and finding myself in the company of my own countrymen, would no more than describe the cheering sensation that thrilled through me.

'What cheer, mates?' I cried in the darkness. Answering exclamations of astonishment greeted my words; and in a few minutes our stories were told; and I learned that my new-found friends were the Captain and supercargo of a ship then lying in the port of the Piræus, who, seeking a like object, had met with a similar fate to my

own.

'And now,' said Captain Jack Jenkins, 'how are we to get out of this scrape? If I had Tim and Joe and Black Tom, each with a cutlass and a barking-iron here, we'd soon make a passage, I'd warrant !'

'That's all very well,' said Will Johnson the supercargo; but we haven't. If I'd but the opportunity given me, I'd guarantee'

Whatever the supercargo was about to say was cut short by the advent of two shock-heads at the little opening of our prison, and two harsh voices calling us as my guide Themistocles informed us-to partake of a feast; for we learned afterwards that the chief, in commemoration of having made such a good haul, had decided to allow us, his prisoners, to partake of the general festivity. But as a preliminary, we had to undergo an examination as to our capability of paying the anticipated ransoms. First, we were relieved of our watches and rings, the Captain using language rather strong for translation to these pages, to the great amusement of his tormentors, who with similar gesticulations to his, endeavoured to imitate the sound of the Captain's words, which of course only added to his wrath and their hilarity.

"You uncombed, dirty-faced vagabonds!' he shouted, if I had a few of you aboard the Annie Martin, I'd twist your ugly heads over the yardarm in the twinkling of a jiffy!'

Of course they only laughed the louder at his impotent rage; and I thought it quite as well that they did not understand the language in which he gave it vent.

The operation of stripping us of our valuables

gave me an opportunity to observe the appearance of my companions. Captain Jenkins was the beau-idéal of an English seaman. In age about thirty-five, of a large and robust build, a face broad, manly, and bearded, and limbs such as would delight a sculptor to copy. His height was nearly six feet; and he had an air of command about him which was doubtless bred of his occupation. The supercargo, Will Johnson, was perhaps ten years younger; nearly as tall as his friend, strong and active; and take us altogether for I am of no mean stature myself-we were three men who, under any circumstances, would be no disgrace to our country; and if any opportunity should arise for an attempt at an escape, I felt certain that we should give as good an account of ourselves as any scratch three, here or there.

Having satisfied themselves of the value of my late father's watch, which I parted from with some emotion, and of the intrinsic worth of the Captain's gold chronometer, as well as the supercargo's watch and diamond ring, we were interrogated, through Themistocles, as to our means. For myself, the name of the firm I was travelling for acted with a talismanic effect upon them, and I was immediately assessed-notwithstanding my protestations-at three hundred pounds. At this price, too, the Captain's freedom was valued ; while the unfortunate supercargo-whose business they persisted in confounding with that of owner of the cargo and ship-was unanimously voted to be worth twice our ransom. Having arranged this matter to their own satisfaction, if not to ours, we were told to sit down and enjoy our selves with what appetite we could muster.

The smell of the roast lamb and the freshly baked meal-cakes, however, soon aroused pleasanter sensations, and dimmed for a time the memory of our griefs; more especially as, under the apparent certainty of obtaining his booty, the chief condescended to be quite patronising towards us, carving the joints himself for us, and delicately handing on the point of a dagger, our several portions. After we had satisfied our hunger with the more solid viands, we were regaled with dried fruits as dessert; and a large jar of a peculiar sherry-coloured but bad-tasting wine of a resinous flavour-which Themistocles described as the common wine of the country-was brought in and set down in the midst of us. This we told them we could not drink; and the chief very generously ordered us a couple of bottles from his own particular store, doubtless the proceeds of a raid upon some well-to-do householder.

Will Johnson after a time managed to ingratiate himself in the favour of our shaggy host and his friends by his genial happy manner and frank bearing, favouring the company with many remarks, which, translated by Themistocles, evidently pleased them. When, too, by sleightof-hand-in which he was an adept-he performed some simple tricks, and gave them a music-hall song with a rollicking chorus, and wound up with a hornpipe accompanied by the Captain with a pocket-comb and a piece of paper, the general enthusiasm knew no bounds, and the beetle-browed vagabonds laughed till the tears rolled down their cheeks.

Will now became on such excellent terms with them all, that he proceeded to take some

freedoms with them; and when he snatched the horn from the cup-bearer, and installed himself in that official's place, ladling the wine out of the wide-mouthed jar and handing it round to the company, his triumph was complete.

'For heaven's sake!' said he as he passed us, 'don't take any of this stuff, and don't drink much of your own.'

'Never fear,' said Jenkins, making a wry face; 'one taste is sufficient.'

And so Will went round with the cup, making a comical remark to this one, and a grimace at that, until the chief-evidently fearing from their hilarity that they were taking too much-ordered them to desist from drinking, and return to their several duties.

Meanwhile, we were sent back into our dungeon, with a sentinel stationed at the opening.

'Not a word,' whispered Will, as we settled down in our prison. Here's something, Captain,' he continued, that belongs to you.'

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"Why,' said the Captain in reply, as Will handed him the article mentioned, this is a stopper out of my medicine chest.'

To be sure it is, Jack,' returned Will; and I must apologise for the liberty of taking your laudanum phial; but my confounded back-tooth was so painful on board the ship last night, that I got up and took it, and luckily forgot to return it this morning. You must debit me with the bottle and its contents, for I dropped them both into the vagabonds' wine-jar!'

'What! we all exclaimed in a breath. 'Now, stop your clappers!' continued the supercargo.-Jack, you know I'm not bad at sleight-of-hand tricks. Well, in the first place, having contrived to secrete the bottle while the blackguards were relieving me of my valuables, and then having attained the position of waiter, what was easier than to wriggle the bottle down my sleeve, whip out the stopper, and drop the lot into their swipes; giving the bottle a crack and stirring the laudanum up, every time I dipped the horn into it!'

'Bravo, Will!' cried the Captain, seizing his hand and giving it a hearty shake. If that's the case, we're safe; for the black-faced rascals won't wake up for a dozen hours I'll be bound. There! our guard has dropped off already!'

And

sure enough, the drowsy ruffian had planted himself right across the opening and was snoring loudly.

'Now for it!' cried the impetuous Jack Jenkins, rising.

off.'

'Hold hard!' said Will. 'Let them get well

So, settling ourselves down for half an hour, we talked the matter over. At the end of this time, we sent the trembling Themistocles to see how things were outside; and after peeping over the prostrate sentinel, he gave us to understand that all were sleeping except three, and they were retiring to the farther end of the ravine, and would in a minute be out of sight.

'Capital!' said Will, with suppressed excitement. Now, each take a pistol and a cutlass from the fellows, and follow me.'

his quietus at the slightest sign of his waking. Then the four of us, gliding like ghosts, assisted ourselves to whatever weapons we could most easily lay hands upon; and as Themistocles was not of much use for fighting, we gave him the bag containing our valuables-which we found by the side of the sleeping chief as well as several spare pistols, to carry. Picking our way without speaking a word, we advanced towards the open end of the ravine, and just as we turned round a jutting piece of rock, we saw the three sentinels, seemingly in earnest conversation.

'Halt!' whispered Will. 'Now for a rush!' and each singling out his man and clutching his rifle by the barrel-for we avoided the noise of shooting-we sprang forward. Almost simultaneously, and before the enemy had time to observe us, we were upon them, and three riflestocks descended upon three shock heads with such force, that two of the fellows dropped like stones. The stock of my rifle glanced off the hard head of my antagonist and crashed against the rock. With a stifled cry, he turned; but in an instant my hand was upon his throat, and the sound died in his gullet; while with the strength of desperation, I dashed his head against the wall-like rock; and after a struggle-in which he wounded me with his dagger-he fell from my grasp, apparently lifeless.

"Now,' said the Captain, where are the donkeys?-Come, Greeky!' he cried to Themistocles; 'bear a hand;' and looking around, we espied our four animals just as we left them, but with a brigand sitting by them. Here was an unlooked-for rencontre ! He was fully a hundred yards off, and to get at him, we should have to cross a small plateau.

'Leave him to me!' cried Jenkins, preparing to rush forward. But under the advice of the supercargo, he stopped. We could have picked him off easily, but dared not for the noise of the rifles.

'Hang it!' impatiently muttered Jenkins, 'we shall be trapped again, after all;' and without further parley, the impetuous fellow started off, running on the tips of his toes, with a drawn cutlass in one hand and a pistol in the other. Just as he was within a few yards of the brigand, the latter turned round, and seeing how matters stood, made for his rifle, which was leaning against a tree a few feet off; but a revolver hurled deftly by Will Johnson-for we had all followed-catching him directly in the face, so effectually stopped his progress, that he fell stunned to the ground.

'You persist in doing all the work,' said Jenkins as we came up to him. 'But quick, lads; off we go!' and in a moment we were on our asses, and under the guidance of our Greek companion, were making with break-neck speed for Athens. Up hill, down dale, on we went for a couple of hours without stopping or meeting a human being; then, just as we were about to cross the summit of a mountain at which we had arrived, a harmless-looking peasant wished us 'good-day,' and was about to pass on.

'Seize him!' cried Themistocles; 'he's a scout.'

One after the other we stepped across the sleeping brigand at the entrance, Will relieving So seize him we did, for caution's sake; and him of his pistol, dirk, and blunderbuss; while as there were no trees near, we tied his hands the Captain and I stood by ready to give him and legs together, and left him begging for

mercy. But there was no mercy in us, more especially as Themistocles explained that there was such a curious and mysterious connection between the brigands and villagers, that it was by no means unlikely had we allowed him to go free-he would have hied to the nearest village and roused a swarm of semi-brigands about

us.

Having travelled for four hours, and as our asses could scarcely get along for fatigue, we called a halt; and after resting ourselves and watering our animals, we continued our journey until, late at night, we reached Athens, where, round the hospitable board of our host, we soon forgot our troubles.

CURIOUS INSTANCE OF MENTAL
PRESCIENCE.

preciably small time in that semi-unconscious state, I may mention that I found that the same speaker was on his legs and that I had not lost a single sentence of what he said. Of course, up to that time our minister had not been in. But the marvellous part of the story is, that in a very short time afterwards, and whilst the same speaker was still addressing the meeting, the minister came in just as I had seen him in my 'vision,' and delivered precisely the same speech as I had heard him deliver when I was in the state described, and went out exactly as I had seen him do before!

I don't attempt to offer any explanation of the fact, but give it as a curious instance of mental prescience.

TEL-EL-KEBIR.
SEPTEMBER 13, 1882.

AN article in Chambers's Journal (No. 947) on
Curiosities of Mental Prescience' has brought
to my recollection an incident which happened OUR forces were massed in the dead of the night,
to me upwards of twenty years ago. It produced
a great impression on my mind at the time, and
shows that there is some mental law in operation
that is as yet inexplicable. But I will let the
facts speak for themselves.

At the time I have alluded to, I attended a church among the members of which a certain question was then causing a great amount of excitement. Feeling ran very high, and meetings were called time after time to discuss the matter, which touched upon the acts of certain officiais. An anti-official party was formed; and I took an active part in its movements. I thought a great injustice was being done, and I did all I could to right matters. Well, a meeting was called one evening in a room not connected with the church, and we malcontents were to be present to discuss the matters in dispute. Our clergyman was exceedingly anxious that party feeling should not run so high as to cause any rupture in the church. That anxiety on his part was put very strongly to me a few hours before the meeting, at which he was not expected to be present, hence I was exceedingly anxious that we should not do anything to give him, personally, any offence. I attended the meeting, having had to hurry from my business to be there in time, and had thus been six or seven hours without food. I mention this, as it may possibly have some bearing on my mental and nervous condition at the time.

The meeting was an exciting one. I spoke in it. I know I had an excruciating headache; and when I sat down, another speaker followed. I listened to him for a minute or two, when, such was the pain in my head, that I rested it on my hand, and my elbow on my knee, and pressed my aching brow. I at once fell into a semiunconscious state, or a kind of half-dream, call it what you like. I was perfectly unconscious of what was going on around me, though I felt I was in the meeting. In that state I saw, as in a vision, our clergyman walk in, and of course his presence under such circumstances created some little excitement. He told us why he had come, and indeed spoke, as I thought, for about a quarter of an hour, and then bowed himself out. On that, I again as it were came to myself. Now, to show that I had only been an inap

Each man carried nought but was needful in fight,
Accoutred and ready, they sought for repose;
Two hours were thus spent, when they silently rose.
No bugle-notes rang on the calm cloudless air;

A whisper was passed for the march to prepare:
In silence they moved o'er the dark trackless sand,
Took their course by the stars, and with compass in hand
Each regiment felt for the neighbouring line,
And kept its position without sound or sign.
Thus weird-like the army still held on its way,
But halted awhile for the break of the day.

The order was passed: 'Let no man fire a shot,
Until at the trenches the first line has got;
Then rush with a cheer, and the bayonet wield,
The Islamite horde must then speedily yield.'
His soldiers he knew he could trust to a man;
Sir Garnet's design was a consummate plan;
And thus when the muttered command passed around,
His heroes dashed forward with joy at the sound.
Though met with a shower of bullets like hail,
No obstacle could o'er their ardour prevail;
They leapt o'er the ditches and swarmed up the slope,
Dropped inside the works, with the rebels to cope.

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No race of the East but must stagger and reel
When charged hand to hand with the British cold steel.
Few minutes sufficed from the first of the rush
The strength of proud Arabi's legions to crush.

The Highland Brigade bore the brunt of the fray;
Their ranks were more thinned than the rest on that day ;
While the cavalry swept o'er the mass in retreat,
And cut down their hundreds the rout to complete.
The Indian contingent went straight on ahead,
Till Tantah's old thoroughfares rang to their tread.
The campaign was won; and ere next sun had set,
In Cairo the victors triumphantly met.

All arms of the service have valiantly fought,
Fresh laurels to history's pages are brought;
Enshrined on our flag a new name shall appear,
Recalling the vict'ry at Tel-el-Kebir.

LEITH, November 1882.

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Printed and Published by W. & R. CHAMBERS, 47 Pater noster Row, LONDON, and 339 High Street, EDINBURGAL"

All Rights Reserved.

POPULAR

LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND ART.
Fourth Series

CONDUCTED BY WILLIAM AND, ROBERT CHAMBERS.

No. 989.-VOL XIX.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1882.

VOLCANOES.

PRICE 1d.

Within the last thirty years, volcanoes have been made the subject of close and scientific observation, and the questions that still remain unsolved are now confined within a comparatively narrow area. The chief contribution which has ever perhaps been made to the scientific elucidation of the subject, is to be found in a volume by Professor Judd, entitled, Volcanoes: What they are, and What they Teach (London: Kegan Paul & Co.). This volume will serve as the basis of some observations, in which we shall endeavour to sum up the extent of present knowledge on this interesting subject.

THE phenomena of volcanoes are among the most imposing and awe-inspiring within the circuit of natural influences. This is due in great part to the sense of utter helplessness that fills the mind of the observer in view of stupendous natural forces which he is powerless to check, and of tremendous agencies of destruction which it is impossible for him either to resist or control. Moreover, the apparent irregularity of the eruptions which take place from time to time in the chief centres of volcanic action, is such as to stimulate his curiosity as powerfully as they excite A volcano is generally described as 'a burning his fears; and thus the phenomena, and their mountain, from the summit of which issue smoke attendant manifestations of irresistible and destruc- and flames.' This definition Mr Judd takes tive energy, have rendered the 'burning moun- exception to, both as a whole and in its individual tain' in all ages and among all peoples an object of propositions. In the first place, the action which unceasing wonder and apprehension. In the more takes place at volcanoes is not external 'burning,' poetic ages of the world, when men were disposed or combustion, and bears, indeed, no relation to personify those powers in nature that were whatever to that well-known process. Nor are beyond their comprehension or control, such volcanoes necessarily 'mountains' at all; essenvolcanic outbreaks were attributed to causes in tially, they are just the reverse-namely, holes keeping with the modes of thought which then in the earth's crust, by means of which a comprevailed. The volcanoes in the Mediterranean munication is kept up between the surface and area were accounted for, in the picturesque the interior of our globe. The mountains that mythology of the time, by supposing that the generally exist at centres of volcanic activity, are gods were there engaged in conflict or toil; the simply the gathered materials thrown out of mountain of Vulcano, or Volcano, in the Lipari these holes, and have not therefore to do with Islands, being appropriated as the forge of the the causes, but with the consequences of volcanic Greek Hephaestus and his Roman representative action. Neither is this action confined to the Vulcan-and the name thus came to be applied 'summits' of mountains, for it as frequently to all similar phenomena. Etna, again, was occurs on their sides or at their base; while regarded as formed by the mountains which the vengeful Zeus had heaped over the rebellious Typhon, its periodically recurrent eruptions being ascribed to the tremendous struggles by which the buried giant sought to free himself from the superincumbent mass. But such poetical explanations have long ceased to have weight among mankind, and we now seek for a solution of those wonderful problems of nature in a manner more in keeping with the scientific spirit that is every day removing us farther and farther from the area of mythological influences.

what is called 'smoke' is in reality steam or watery vapour; and what is described as 'flames' is nothing more than the glowing light of the molten matter in the crater reflected from these vapour clouds.

Such, then, being some of the popular misconceptions of the causes and character of volcanic action, a more accurate conception may be obtained of what volcanoes are, if we have an opportunity of hearing from eye-witnesses how they are made. An interesting example of this operation has been afforded within the modern

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