detained, as I expect we shall be, by the factors for some hostile service, it may be less." Two years, thought Philip, two years from Amine; and Philip sighed deeply, for he felt that their separation might be for ever. Nay, my son, two years is not so long," said Mynheer Kloots, who observed the passing cloud on Philip's brow. "I was once five years away, and was unfortunate, for I brought home nothing, not even my ship. I was sent to Chittagong, on the east side of the great Bay of Bengala, and lay for three months in the river. The chiefs of the country would detain me by force; they would not barter for my cargo, or permit me to seek another market. My powder had been landed, and I could make no resistance. The worms ate through the bottom of my vessel, and she sank at her anchors. They knew it would take place, and that then they would have my cargo at their own price. Another vessel brought us home. Had I not been so treacherously served, I should have had no need to sail this time; and now my gains are small-the Company forbidding all private trading-But here he comes at last; they have hoisted the ensign on the staff in the boat; there-they have shoved off. Mynheer Hillebrant, see the gunners ready with their linstocks to salvo the supercargo." "What duty do you wish me to perform ?" observed Philip. what can I be useful?" "In "At present you can be of little use, except in those heavy gales in which every pair of hands is valuable. You must look and learn for some time yet; but you can make a fair copy of the journal kept for the inspection of the Company, and may assist me in various ways, as soon as the unpleasant nausea, felt by those who first embark, has subsided. As a remedy, I should propose that you gird a handkerchief tight round your body so as to compress the stomach, and make frequent application to my bottle of schnapps, which you will find always at your service. But now to receive the factor of the most puissant Company. Mynheer Hillebrant, let them discharge the cannon.' The guns were fired, and soon after the smoke had cleared away, the boat, with its long ensign trailing on the water, was pulled alongside. Philip watched the appearance of the supercargo, but he remained in the boat until several of the boxes with the initials and arms of the Company were first handed on the deck; at last the supercargo appeared. He was a small, spare, wizen-faced man, with a three-cornered cocked hat, bound with broad gold lace, upon his head, under which appeared a full-bottomed flowing wig, the curls of which descended low upon his shoulders. His coat was of crimson velvet, with broad flaps. His waistcoat of white silk, worked in coloured flowers, and descending half-way down to his knee. His breeches were of black satin, and his legs covered with white silk stockings. Gold buckles at his knees, and in his shoes. Lace ruffles to his wrists, a silver-mounted cane in his hand, and the reader has the entire dress of Mynheer Jacob Jansz Von Stroom, the supercargo of the Hon. Company, appointed to the good ship Ter Schilling. As he looked round him, surrounded (at a respectful distance) by the captain, officers, and men of the ship, with their caps in their hand, the reader might be reminded of the picture of the "Monkey who had seen the World" surrounded by his tribe. There was not, however, the least inclination on the part of the seamen to laugh, even at his flowing, full-bottomed wig: respect was at that period paid to dress; and although Mynheer Von Stroom could not be mistaken for a sailor, he was known to be the supercargo of the Company, and a very great man. He therefore received all the respect due to so important a personage. Mynheer Von Stroom did not, however, appear very anxious to remain on deck. He requested to be shown into his cabin, and followed the captain aft, picking his way among the coils of ropes with which it was encumbered. The door was opened, and the supercargo disappeared. The ship was then got under weigh, the men had left the windlass, the sails had been trimmed, and they were securing the anchor in board, when the bell of the poop cabin (appropriated to the supercargo) was pulled with great violence. "What can that be?" said Mynheer Kloots (who was forward), taking the pipe out of his mouth. "Mynheer Vanderdecken, will you see what is the matter?" Philip went aft, as the pealing of the bell continued, and opening the cabin-door, discovered the supercargo perched upon the table, pulling the bell-rope, which hung over its centre, with every mark of fear in his countenance. His wig was off, and his bare skull gave him an appearance peculiarly ridiculous. "What is the matter, Sir?" inquired Philip. "Matter!" spluttered Mynheer Von Stroom; "call the troops in with their firelocks. Quick, Sir. Am I to be murdered, torn to pieces, and devoured? For mercy's sake, Sir, don't stare, but do something; -look, it's coming to the table! Oh dear! oh dear!" continued the supercargo, evidently terrified out of his wits. Philip, whose eyes had been fixed on Mynheer Von Stroom, turned them in the direction pointed out, and, much to his astonishment, perceived a small bear upon the deck, who was amusing himself with the supercargo's flowing wig, which he held in his paws, tossing it about, and now and then burying his muzzle in it. The unexpected sight of the animal was at first a shock to Philip, but a moment's consideration assured him that the animal must be harmless, or it never would have been permitted to remain loose in the vessel. Nevertheless, Philip had no wish to approach the animal, whose disposition he was unacquainted with, when the appearance of Mynheer Kloots put an end to his difficulty. "What is the matter, Mynheer ?" said the captain. "Oh! I see: it is Johannes," continued the captain, going up to the bear, and saluting him with a kick, as he recovered the supercargo's wig. "Out of the cabin, Johannes! Out, Sir!" cried Mynheer Kloots, kicking the breech of the bear till the animal had escaped through the door." Mynheer Von Stroom, I am very sorry,-here is your wig. Shut the door, Mynheer Vanderdecken, or the beast may come back, for he is very fond of me." As soon as the door was shut between Mynheer Von Stroom and the object of his terror, the little man slided off the table to the high-backed chair near it, shook out the damaged curls of his wig, and replaced it on his head; pulled out his ruffles, and, assuming an air of magisterial importance, struck his cane on the deck, and then spoke. "Mynheer Kloots, what is the meaning of this disrespect to the supercargo of the puissant Company?" "God in Heaven! no disrespect, Mynheer ;-the animal is a bear, as you see; he is very tame even with strangers. He belongs to me. I have had him since he was three months old. It was all a mistake. The mate, Mynheer Hillebrant, put him in the cabin, that he might be out of the way while the duty was carrying on, and he quite forgot that he was here. I am very sorry, Mynheer Von Stroom; but he will not come here again, without you wish to play with him." 66 Play with him! I! supercargo to the Company, play with a bear! Mynheer Kloots, the animal must be thrown overboard immediately.' Nay, nay; I cannot throw overboard an animal that I affection much, Mynheer Von Stroom; but he shall not trouble you." 66 "Then, Captain Kloots, you have to deal with the Company, to whom I shall represent this affair. Your charter will be cancelled, and your freight money will be forfeited." Kloots was, like most Dutchmen, not a little obstinate, and this imperative behaviour on the part of the supercargo raised his bile. "There is nothing in the charter that prevents my having an animal on board," replied Kloots. 66 "By the regulations of the Company," replied Von Stroom, with an important air, falling back in his chair, and crossing his thin legs, you are required to receive on board strange and curious animals, sent home by the governors and factors to be presented to crowned heads, such as lions, tigers, elephants, and other productions of the East;-but in no instance is it permitted for the commanders of chartered ships to receive on board, on their own account, animals of any description, which must be considered under the head and offence of private trading." "My bear is not for sale, Mynheer Von Stroom." "It must immediately be sent out of the ship, Mynheer Kloots. I order you to send it away,-on your peril to refuse." "Then we will drop the anchor again, Mynheer Von Stroom, and send on shore to head-quarters to decide the point. If the Company insist that the brute be put on shore, be it so; but recollect, Mynheer Von Stroom, we shall lose the protection of the fleet, and have to sail alone. Shall I drop the anchor, Mynheer?" This observation softened down the pertinacity of the supercargo; he had no wish to sail alone, and the fear of this contingency was more powerful than the fear of the bear. Mynheer Kloots, I will not be too severe; if the animal is chained, so that it does not approach me, I will consent to its remaining on board." I will keep it out of your way as much as I can; but as for chaining up the poor animal, it will howl all day and night, and you will have no sleep, Mynheer Von Stroom," replied Kloots. The supercargo, who perceived that the captain was positive, and that his threats were disregarded, did all that a person could do who could not help himself. He vowed vengeance in his own mind, and then, with an air of condescension, observed-" Upon those conditions, Mynheer Kloots, your animal may remain on board." Mynheer Kloots and Philip then left the cabin; the former, who was in no very good humour, muttering as he walked away-" If the Company send their monkey on board, I think I may well have my bear." And, pleased with his joke, Mynheer Kloots recovered his good humour. THE LOVER'S LAMENT. MUST then hope no more be cherish'd Have we met to meet no more? Yes, the pride of rank and station, Young affection bleeds and dies! I had prized thee, loved thee well. Fade unseen, and die unknown. Heart from heart for ever torn. Hearts, from which might still be flowing If the fatal past recalling, Fancy should her picture spread, Sure thy pity's dew-drop falling, Oh! could but my heart enshrine it, Its breaking throb should but resign it, Yet, be hush'd, that fond complainer, May no tear for me profane her, Never o'er her path may sorrow Blow his pleasure-withering blast; Yet-could she be held more dear? Yet say-could he be more sincere ? Then o'er the maze of fate unfolding, J. G. A DAY ON THE NEILGHERRY HILLS." BY AN OLD FOREST-RANGER. THE unlucky"Heels" had disappeared in the distance, and the recall of the huntsman's bugle had brought together the scattered hounds as old Lorimer scrambled up the steep hill-side, mounted on his shaggy little pony, "Marble." "Come, gentlemen," cried he, as he pulled off his green huntingcap, and wiped the perspiration from his forehead, "don't let us lose time; the hounds are all assembled, and we have still plenty of work before us. Our next beat is to be the large wood, at the back of this hill, where we have twelve deer marked down. You all know your stations there, I believe. And, after that, we shall try the rocky glen, below the 'Todah Mund,'† in hopes of finding that large bear which gave us the slip last Saturday. You must really exert yourselves this time, lads, and not let him escape again. I hear that the old blackguard has taken a fancy to human flesh of late, and has carried off a Todah woman and a child within the last three days. So, die he must; if we hunt him for a week. As to the hogs, we have given a tolerably good account of them. This old boar and three fat sows have been sent to the shades. So let's mount and be off. Ha! Charles, my boy, give me your hand; you stood up to that old boar like a man; and the way in which you handled your spear made me forget the disgrace you brought upon my trusty rifle by that first shot of yours. Oh, you young dog, it was a devil of a miss that! a most palpable miss-worthy of my friends the thistlewhippers! You shut both your eyes when you fired that shot, eh ?-did you not, you young dog, eh? Well, well-never look ashamed, boy-I have seen older hands than you make as bad a miss before now, and trust to their heels rather than a spear afterwards. Eh! Doctor-do you recollect that wounded sow that gave you such a devil of a gruelling, up the hill at Ralliah,' last week? Faith, you may thank your long legs and the ounce of lead I lodged in her shoulder for being now in a whole skin." "Indeed then, Sir," replied the Doctor, a lanky, raw-boned Scotchman, with a very pawky expression of countenance, "thae same lang legs o' mine are no ill things at a pinch; and in my opeenion are mair to be lippened till than the best spear amang them a'. But, at the same time, I was muckle indebted to you, Sir, for that bit lead ye put into the beast. It was just in the nick o' time, for I was sair taigled wi' thae lang leather spats-thae leggins, as ye ca' them; mair fit for an Indian savage than a Christian man. And the muckle beast was just at the grippin o' me when ye cowpet her. Gude preserve us frae a' langnebbit things!-it gars me grue to think o't! The wild grumph!' grumph!' grumph!' o' the rampawgin deevil just ahint me--and me expectin' every moment to feel her muckle white teeth play chack through my hurdies. Ay, ye may laugh, lads; but, faith, it was nae laughin' sport to me--and that ye'll ken, the first time ony o' you tries a race wi' *Continued from p. 478, vol. xlix. A "mund" is a small cluster of huts inhabited by the Todahs—the Aborigines of the Neilgherry Hills. |