_:^ •^

"THE STOKY OF OUR LIVES FROM YEAE TO YEAE.—SIIAKKSPEARE. ALL THE YEAR ROUND. A WEEKLY JOURNAL, CONDUCTED BY CHARLES DICKENS. WITH WHICH IS INOOKPOEATED HOUSEHOLD WORDS. r°- 466,] SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 186S, [PKICE 2C?,

opinion. Sergeant," I concluded, in au airy way. THE MOONSTONE. "Back your opinion." Bt TH» ADTHOE OF "TBB Woiuit IS WHrrB," &c. &c. Instead of taking offence, Sergeaut Cuff seized my baud, and shook it till my fingers ached again. CHAPTEE XXn.—(CONTINTIEU.) " [ declare to Heaven," says this strange I TALKED to the wmdow to compose myself, officer solemnly, " I would take to domestic he rain had given over; and, who should 1 service to-morrow, Mr. Betteredge, if I had a 36 in the courtyard, but Mr. Begbie, tbe gar- chauce of being employed along willi You! To ener, waiting outside to continue .the dog-rose say you are as Iranspareut as a child, sir, is to ontroversy with Sergeant Cuff. pay the children a compliment which nine out " My compliments to the Sairgeut," said Mr. of ten of them don't deserve. There ! there ! tegbie, the moment he set eyes on me. I' If we won't begin to dispute again. You shall e's minded to walk to the station, I'm agree- have it out of me on easier terms than that. ble logo with him." I won't say a word raore about her ladysiiip, or " What!" cries the Sergeant, behind me, about Miss Verinder—I'll ouly turn prophet, are you not convinced yet ?" for once in a way, and for your saie. I have " The deil a bit I'm convinced 1" answered warned you already that you haven't doue with IT. Begbie. the Moonstone yet. Very well. Now I'll tell you, at parting, of three things wliich will " Theu I'll walk to the station!" says the happen in the future, aud which, I believe, will ergeant. force theraselves on your attention, whether " Theu I'll meet you at the gate !" says Mr. you like it or not." t^bie. I was angry enough, as yon kuow—but how " Go on!" I said, quite unabashed, and just 'as auy mau's anger to hold out against such as airy as ever. n mterruption as this? Sergeant Cuff noticed " l''irst," said the Sergeaut, " you will hear tie change in me, and encouraged it by a word something from the Yollands—wheu the post­ I season. "Comel corae!" he said, " why uot man delivers Rosauua's letter at Cobb's Hole, reat my view of the case as her ladyship treats on Monday next." ; ? Why not say, the circumstances have fatally If he had thrown a bucket of cold water over ilsled me?" me, I doubt if I could have felt It much more To take anything as her ladyship took it, unpleasantly than I felt those words. Miss 'as a privilege worth enjoying—even with the Rachel's assertion of her innocence had left isadvantage of it's havmg been offered to me Rosanna's conduct—the makiug the new night­ y Sergeant Cuff. I cooled slowly down to ray gown, the hiding tbe smeared nightgown, aud aatomary level. I regarded any other opinion all the rest of it—entirely without explanation. f Miss Rachel, than my lady's opinion or raine, And this had uever occurred to me, till Sergeaut ith a lofty contempt. The only thiug I could Cuff forced it on my miud all in a moineut! ot do, was to keep off the subject of the "In the second place,"proceeded the Sergeant, [oonstone! My own good sense ought to " you will hear of the three Indians agam. You »Te warned me, I know, to let the matter rest will hear of tliera in the ueighbourhood, if Miss -but, there! the virtues which distinguish tlie Rachel reraains in the neighbourhood. You resent generation were not invented m my tirae. will hear of thera in Londou, if Miss Rachel ergeant Cuff had hit me ou the raw, and, goes to London." lough I did look down upon him witii con- Having lost all interest in the three jugglers, impt, the tender place still tingled for all that. and having thoroughly convinced myself of ray he eud of it was that I perversely led hira youug lady's inuocence, I took this second pro­ ick to the subject of her ladyship's letter, phecy easily enough. " So much for two of lam quite satisfied rayself," I said. "But the tliree things that are going to happen," I sver mind that! Go on, *as if I was still open said. " Now for the third !'* ' conviction. You think Miss llachel is not " Third, and last," said Sergeaut Cuff, " you ' be believed on her word; and you say we will, sooner or later, hear soraething of that *U hear of the Moonstone agaiu. Back your money-lender in London, whom I have twice

VOL. UX. 4:GG plarch 23, 1868.] ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [Condoeted by taken the liberty of mentioning already. Give " So you have really made up your mmd, me your pocket-book, aud I'll make a uote for sir?" I said, as we met in the hall. "Why you of his name and address—so tbat there not wait a day or two louger, aud give Miss may be no mistake about it if the thing really Rachel another chance?" happens." The foreign varnish appeared to have all He wrote accordingly on a blank leaf:— worn off Mr. Franklin, now that the time had "Mr. Septimus Luker, Middlesex-place, Lam­ come for saying good-bye. Instead of replying to beth, London." rae in words, he put the letter which her lady­ " There," he said, pointing to the address, ship had addressed to bim into my hand. The " arc the last words, on the subject of the Moon­ greater part of it said over agaiu what had been stone, whieh I shall trouble you with for the said already in the other communication re­ present. Time will show whether I ara right ceived by rae. But there was a bit about Miss or wroug. In the mean wliile, sir, I carry away Raehel added at the end which will account for with mc a sincere personal liking for you, which the steadiness of Mr. Franklin's determination I think does honour to both of us. If we don't if it accounts for nothing else. meet again before my professional retirement takes place, I hope you will come aud see rae " You will wonder, I dare say" (her ladyship in a little house near London, which I have got wrote) " at ray allowing my own daughter to my eye on. There will be grass walks, Mr. keep me perfectly in the tfark. A Diamond Betteredge, I promise you, in my garden. Aud worth twenty thousand pouuds has been lost— as for ihe wliite moss rose " and I am left to infer that the mystery of its " The deil a bit ye'll get the white moss rose disappearance is no mystery to Rachel, and to gi'ow, unless ye bud him ou the dogue-rose Ihat some incomprehensible obligation of sUence first," cried a voice at the window. has been laid on her, by some person or persons We both turned round. There was the ever­ utterly unknown to me, with some object m lasting Mr. Begbie, too eager for the controversy view at which I cannot even guess. Is it con­ to wait any longer at the gate. The Sergeant ceivable that I should allow myself to be triSed wrung my hand, and darted out into the court­ with in this way ? It is quite conceivable, m yard, hotter still on his side. " Ask him about Rachel's present state. She is in a condition the moss rose, when lie comes back, and see if of nervous agitation pitiable to see. I dare I have left him a leg to stand ou !" cried the not approach the subject of the Moonsbme great Cuff, hailiug rae through the window again until tirae has done something to quiet ' in his turn. " Gentlemen, both !" I answered, her. To help this end, I bave not hesitated to moderating them again as I bad moderated dismiss the poUee-officer. The mystery which them once already, " In the matter of the baffles us, baffles him too This Is not a matter moss rose there is a great deal to be said on in which any stranger can help us. He adds to both sides !" I might as well (as the Irish say) what I have to suffer; and he maddens ,Rachel have whistled jigs lo a milestone. Away they if she ouly hears his name. went together, fighting the battle of the roses " My plans for the future are as well settled without asking or giving quarter on either side. as they can be. My present idea is to take The last I saw of them, Mr. Begbie was shaking Rachel to London—partly to relieve her mmd his obstinate head, and Sergeant Cuff had got by a complete change, partly to try what may him by the arm like a prisoner in charge. Ah, be done by consulting the best medical ad­ well I well! I owu I couldu't help liking the vice. Can I ask you to meet us in town P My Sergeant—though I hated him all the tirae. dear Franklin, you, in your way, must imitate Explain that state of ralud, if you can. You my patience, and wait, as I do, for a fitter time. will soon be rid, now, of rae and my contra­ The valuable assistance wbich you rendered to dictious. When I have reported Mr. Erank- the inquiry after the lost jewel is still an un­ lin's departure, the history of the Saturday's pardoned offence, in the present dreadful state events will be fhiished at last. And when I of Rachel's raind. Moving blindfold in this have next described certain strange things that raatter, you have added to the burden of happened in the course of the new week, I anxiety wbich she has had to bear, by innocently shall have doue my part of the Story, and shall threatening her secret with discovery, througn hand over the pen to the person who is ap­ your exertions. It is irapossible for me to pointed to follow my lead. If you are as tired excuse the perversity which holds you respon­ of readuig this narrative as I ara of writing it— sible for consequences which neither you nor I Lord, how we shall enjoy ourselves on both could im^ine or foresee. She is not to be sides a few pjiges further ou! reasoned with—she can only be pitied. I am grieved to have to say it, but, for the preseuti CUAPTEB XiHL you and Rachel are better apart. The only I HAD kept the pony-chaise ready, in case advice I can offer you is, to give her time." Mr. Frankliu persisted iu leaving us by the train that night. The appearance of the lug­ I handed the letter back, sincerely sorry for gage, followed dowu-stairs by Mr. Frankhn Mr. Franklin, for I knew how fond he was of my himself, informed rae plainly enough that he young lady; and I saw that her mother's account had held £rm to a resolution, for once in his of her had cut him to the heart. " Youknowthe life. proverb, sn," waa all I said to him, " When J^^ y

{StftrlwIMcikeiiB.] ALL THE YEAK ROUND. [March 28, 1868.] 363 things are at the worst, they're sure to mend. of the nightgown, entirely unaccounted for. Thmgs can't be much worse, Mr, Franklin, than There was no use in pointiug this out to Peue­ they are now.'* lope; the objection made about as rauch impres­ ilr. Franklin folded up his aunt's letter, with­ sion on her as a shower of rain on a waterproof out appearing to be much comforted by the coat. The truth is, my daughter inherits my ranark which I had ventured on addressing superiority to reasou—aud, iu respect to that to hun. accoraplisnmeut, has got a long way ahead of " When I came here from London with that her own father. horrible Diamond," he said, "I don't believe there was a happier household iu Eugland On the next day (Sunday), the close carriage, than this. Look at the household uow ! Scat­ which had been kept at Mr. Abiewhite's, came tered, disunited—the very air of the place back to us empty. The coachmau brought a poisoned with mystery and -suspicion! Do message for me, and written iustruelious for you remember that morning at the Shiver­ my lady's own maid and for Penelope. ing Sand, when we talked about my uncle The message informed rae that my mistress Herncastle, and his birthday gift ? The Moon­ had determined to take Miss Rachel to her stone has servedthe Colonel's vengeauce, Better- house in Londou, on the Monday. The written edge, by means which the Colouel himself never instructions informed the two raaids of the dreamt of!" clothing that was wanted, and directed thera to •With that, he shook me by the hand, and meet their mistresses in lown at a given hour, w«nt out to the pony chaise. ilost of the other servants were to follow. I followed hira down the steps. It was very My lady had found Miss Rachel so unwilling to miserable to see him leaving the old place, where return to the house, after what bad happened he had spent the happiest years of his life, hi this in it, that she had decided ou goiug to Loudon way. Penelope (sadly upset by all that had hap­ direct from Friziughall. I was to remain in pened in the house) came rouud crying^ to bid the country, until further orders, to look after Idm good-bye. Mr. Frauklin kissed her. I waved thiugs indoors and out. The servanls left with my hand as much as to say, " You're heartily nie were to be put on board wages. welcome, sir." Some of the other female ser­ Beiug reminded, by all this, of what Mr, vants appeared, peeping after him round the Frankliu had said about our being a scattered comer. He was one of those men whom the and disunited household, my mind was led women all like. At the last moment, I stopped naturally to Mr. Franklin himself. The more I the pony chaise, aud begged as a favour that thought of him, the more uneasy I felt about he would let us hear from him by letter. He his future proceedings. It ended iu my writmg, didn't seem to heed what I said — he was by the Sunday's post, to his father's valet, Mr. lookmg round from one thing to another, taking Jeffco (whom I had known in former years) to a sort of farewell of the old house aud grounds. beg he would let rae know what Mr. Franklin "Tell us where you are going to, sir !" I said, had settled to do, on arriving iu London. holding ou by the chaise, and trying to get at The Sunday evening was, if possible, duller his future plans in that way. Mr. Frankliu eveu than the Satui'day evening. We ended pulled his hat down suddenly over his eyes. the day of rest, as hundreds ot thousands of "Going?" says he, echoing the word after me. people eud it regularly, once a week, iu these "I am going to the devil!" The pony started islands—that is to say, we all anticipated bed- at the word, as if he felt a Christian horror of tune, and fell asleep iu our chairs. it. "God bless you, sir, go where you may!" was all I had time to say, before he was out of How the Monday affected the rest of the sight and hearing. A sweet aud pleasant gen­ household I don't kuow. The Monday gave tleman ! With ^1 his faults and follies, a sweet nm a good shake up. The first of Sergeaut and pleasant gentleman I He left a sad gap Cuff's prophecies ot what was to happen— behind him, when he left my lady's bouse. naraely, that I should hear from the Yollands— It was dull and dreary enough, when the came true on that day. l(mg summer evening ck>sed in, on that Saturday I had seen Penelope aud my lady's maid off night. iu the railway with the luggage for London, 1 kept my spirits from sinking by stick­ and was pottering about the grounds, when I ing fast to my pipe and my Robinson Crusoe. heard my name called. Turning round, I found The women (excepting Peuelope) beguiled the myself face to face with the fisherman's daugh­ tune by talking of Rosanna's suicide. They ter. Limping Lucy. Bating iier lame foot and were all obsthiately of opinion that the poor her leanness (this last a horrid drawback to a girl had stolen the Moonstone, and that she had woman, in my opinion), the girl had some pleas­ ing quaUties in the eye of a man. A dark, keen, destroyed herself in terror of being found out. clever face, and a nice clear voice, and a beau­ My daughter, of coujse, privately beld fast lo tiful brown head of hair counted among her what she had said all along. Her notion of the merits. A crutch appeared in the list of her motive which was really at the bottom of the misfortunes. And a temper reckoned high m. suicide failed, oddly enough, just where my the sura total of her defects. young lady's assertion of her innocence failed also. It left Rosanna's secret journey to Friz­ " Well, ray dear," I said, " what do you want inghall, and Rosanna's proceedings in the matter with me ?" y

364 [March 28,1868.] ALL THE YEAR ROUNT). [OoadDCted h;

" Where's the man you call Frankliu Blake ?" things with father and mother, I meant to says Ihe girl, fixing rae with a fierce look, as take her away from the mortification she was she rested lierself ou her crutch. suffering here. We should have had a Uttle " That's not a respectful way to speak of any lodging in London, and lived together like gentleman," I answered. " If you wish to in­ sisters. She bad a good education, sir, as you quire for my lady's nephew, you will please know, and she wrote a good hand. She was mention hira'as Mr. Frankliu Blake." quick at her needle. I have a good education She limped a step nearer to me. and looked and I write a good hand. I am not as quick at as if she could have eaten mc alive. "Mr. my needle as she was—but I corUd have done. Frauklin Blake!" she repeated after me. We might have got our living nicely. And, " Murderer Franklin Blake would be a fitter oh! what happens this monung? what hap­ name for him." pens this morning? Her letter comes, and tela My practice with the late Mrs. Betteredge me she has done with the burden of her Ufe, came iu handy here. Wiienever a woman tries Her letter comes, and bids me good-bye for to put you out of temper, turn the tables, and ever. Where is he?" cries the girl, lifting put her out of temper instead. They are her head from the crutch, and flaming out generally prepared for every effort you cau again through her tears. "Where's this gen­ make iu your own defence, but that. One word tleman that I mustn't speak of, except with does it as well as a hundred; and one word did respect ? Ha, Mr. Betteredge, the day is not it with Limping Lucy. I looked her pleasantly far off when the poor will rise aitainst the rich. in the face; and I said—" Pooh!" I pray Heaven they may begin with him. I pray The girl's temper flamed out directly. She Heaven tbey may begin with him" poised herself on her sound foot, and she took Here was another of your average good lier crutch, and beat it furiously three times on Christians, and here was the usual break-down, the grouud. " He's a murderer! he's a raur- consequent on that same average Christiani^ derer! he's a murderer! He has been the death being pushed too far I The parson himself of Rosanua Spearman!" She screamed that (though I own this is saying a great deal) answer out at the top of her voice. Oue or could hardly have lectured the girl in the state two of the people at work in the grounds near she was in uow. All I ventured to do was to us looked up—saw it was Limping Luey—knew keep her to the point—^in the hope of something what to expect from that quarter—and looked turning up wbich might be worth hearing. away again, " What do you want with Mr. Franklm " He has been the death of Rosanna Spear- Blake ?" I asked. raau?" I repeated. "Whatmakes you say that, " I want to see hira." Luey ?" " For anything particular ?" " What do you care ? Wliat does any man " I have got a letler to give him," care ? Oh ! if she had only thought of the raen " From Rosauna Spearman ?" as 1 think, she mi^ht have been living uow !" " Yes." " She always thought kindly of me, poor " Sent to you m your own letter?" soul," I said; " and, to the best of my ability, "Yes," I always tried to act kindly by her" Was the darkness going to lift ? Were aU tlie I spoke those words in as corafortiug a discoveries that I was dying to make, coming manner as I could. The truth is, I hadu't the aud offering themselves to me of their own heart to irritate the girl by another of my smart accord ? I was obliged to wait a moment. Ser­ replies. I had only noticed her temper at first. geaut Cuff' had left bis infection behmd hira. I noticed her wretchedness now—and wretched­ Certain signs and tokens, personal lo myself, ness is not uucoramouly insolent, you will find, warned me that the detective fever was begin­ in hurable life. My an5\Ver melted Limping ning lo set in again. Lucy. She bent her head dowu, and laid it on " You can't see Mr. Franklin," I said. the top of her crutch. " I must, and will, see him." " 1 loved her," the girl said softly. " She had " He went to London last night." lived a miserable life, Mr. Betteredge — vile Limping Lucy looked me hard in the fiice, people had ill treated her and led her wrong— and saw that I was speakmg the truth. With­ and It hadu't spoilt her sweet temper. She was out a word more, she turned about agaiu in­ an angel. She might have been happy with stantly towards Cobb's Hole. me. I had a plan for our going to London "Stop!" I said. "I expect news of Mr. together like sisters, aud living by our needles. Frankliu Blake to-raorrow. Give mc your let­ That man carae here, and spoilt it all. He be­ ter, and I'll send it on to him by the post." witched her. Don't tell rae he didn't raean it, Limping Lucy steadied herself on liercratch, and didn't know It. He ought to have known and looked back at rae over her shoulder. it. He ou^ht to have taken pity on her. ' I " I am to give it from ray hands into his cau't hve without him—aud, oh, Lucy, he uever liands," she said. " And I am to give it to him even looks at me.' That's what she said. Cruel, in no other way." cruel, cruel. I said, * No man is worth fretting " Shall I write, and lell him what yoa have for iu that way.' And she said, * There are raen said?" worth dying for, Lucy, aud be is one of thera.' " Toll him I hate him. And you will tellliim I had saved up a little money. I had settled the truth." Gbftrles Diokens.] ALL THE YEAE ROUND, [March 23,1868.] 365

"Yes, yes. But about the letter ?" self through unrequited love for Mr. Franklin " If he wants the letter, he raust come back Blake, was confirmed—aud that was all. •Whether here, and get it frora Me." the letter which Rosanna had left to be given With those words she limped off on the way to hira after her death did, or did not, contain to Cobb's Hole. The detective fever burnt up the confession which Mr. Frankliu had sus­ aU my dignity ou the spot. I followed her, pected ber of trying to make to hiin in her life­ and tried to make her talk. AU iu vaiu. It time. It was impossible to say. It might be was my misfortune to be a man—and Limping only a fareweU word, telling nolhing but the Lucy enjoyed disappointing me. Later in the secret of her unhappy fancy for a jierson bf-yond day, I tried my luck with her mother. Good her reach. Or it might own the whole truth Mrs. Yolland could only cry, and recoramend a about the strange proceedings in which Ser­ drop of corafort out of the Dutch bottle. I geant Cuff had detected ber, from the lime fouud tbe fisherman on the beach. He said it wheu the Moonstone was lost, to the time when was " a bad job," and went on mendmg his she rushed to her owu destruction at the Shiver­ net. Neither father nor mother knew more ing Sand, A sealed letter it had beeu placed than I knew. The one chance left to try was in Limping Lucy's liands, and a sealed letter it the chance, which ralght come with the morn­ remained to me and to every one about the gli'l, ing, of writing to Mr. Franklin Blake. her own parents included. We all suspected her of having been in the dead woman's eon- 1 leave yon lo imagine how 1 watched for the fidenee; we all tried lo make her speak; we poitman on Tuesday morniug. He brought me all failed. Now one, and now another, of the two letters. One, from Penelope (which I had servants—sliU holding to the belief that Rosanua hardly patience enough to read), announced had stolen the Diamond and hail hidden it— that my lady and Miss Rachel were safely esta­ peered aud poked about the rocks to wliich blished iu London. The other, from Mr. Jeffco, she had beeu traced, aud peered nnd poked iu informed me that his master's son had left Eng­ vain. The tide ebbed, and the tide flowed; land aheady. the suraraer went on, and the autumn came. On reaching the metropoUs, Mr. Frankliu Aud the Quicksand, which hid her body, hid had, it appeared, gone straight to his father's her secret too. iBsidence. He arrived at an awkward lime. Mr. Blake, the elder, was up to his eyes in the business of the House of Commons, and was Tbe news of Mr. Fraukliu's de|iartnre from amusing himself at home that night with the England on the Sunday moruing, aud the news favourite parliainentary plaything which they of ray lady's arrival In London with Miss call " a private biU." Mr. Jeffco himself showed Rachel ou the Monday afteruoon, had reached Mr. FrankUn into his father's study. "My me, as you are aware, by the Tuesday's post. dear Frankliu! why do you surprise me iu The Wednesday came, and brought nothing. this way? Anything wrong?" "Yes; some­ The Thursday produced a second budget of thing wrong with Rachel; I am dreadfully news from Penelope. distressed about it." "Grieved to hear it. My girl's letter inforraed me that some great But I can't listen to you now." " When can London doctor had been consulted about her you Usten ?" " My dear boy ! I won't deceive younglady, and had earned a guinea by remarking you. I can listen at the end of the session, that she had better bc araused. Flower-shows, not a moment before. Good-night." " Thauk operas, baUs—there was a whole rouud of yon, sir. Good-night." gaieties in prospect; and Miss Raehel, lo her Such was the conversation, Inside the study, mother's astonishraeut, eagerly took lo it all. as reported to me by Mr. Jeffco. The conver­ Mr. Godfrey had called; evidently as sweet as sation, outside the study, was shorter still. ever ou his cousin, iu spite of the reception he "Jeffco, see what time the tidal train starts had met witb, when he tried his luck on the to-morrow morning ?" " At six-forty, Mr. occasion of the birthday. To Penelope's great Frankliu." " Have rae caUed at five." " Go­ regret, he had been most graciously received, ing abroad, sir ?" " Going, Jeff'co, wherever and had added Miss Rachel's name to one of the railway chooses to take me." " Shall I lell his Ladies' Charities ou the spot. My mistress your father, sir?" "Yes; teU hira at the end was reported to be out of spirits, and to have ofthe session." held two lon^ interviews with her lawyer. Certain speciuations followed, referring to a The next morning Mr, Franklin had started poor relation of the faraily—one Miss Clack, for foreign parts. To what particular place he whom 1 have raeuLloncdi n ray account of the was bound, nobody (himseU included) could biithday dinner, as sitting next to Mr. Godfrey, presume to guess. We might hear of him and having a pretty taste iu champagne. Pe­ next m Europe, Asia, Africa, or America. The nelope was astonished to find that Miss Clack chances were as equally divided as possible, had not called yet. She would surely not be in Mr. Jeffco's opinion, among the four quarters long before she fastened herself ou my lady as of the globe. usual—and so forth, and so forth, in the way This news—by closing up all prospect of women have of girding at ench other, on and my bringing Limping Lucy and Mr. Frankliu off paper. This would not have been worth together—at once stopped any further progress mentioning, I admit, but for one reason. I hear of miue on the way lo discovery. Penelope's you are likely to be turned over to Miss Clack, belief that her fellow-servant bad destroyed her­ y 366 [March 28,1868.J ALL THE YEAR ROUND; [Condncted by

after parting with me. In that case, just do cate with the police, and to adopt such additional mc the favour of not believing a word she says, precautions aa their experience might suggest. The if she speaks of your humble servant. applicant thanked his worship, and withdrew." On Friday, nothing happened—except that One of the wise ancients is reported (I forget one of the dogs showed signs of a breaking- on what occasion) as having recommended LIB. out beliind the ears. I gave him a dose of syrup fellow-creatures to " look to the end." Looking of buckthorn, and put liim on a diet of pot- to the end of these pages of mine, and wondering liquor and vegetables till further orders. Excuse for some days past how I should manage to ray mentioning tliis. It has slipped in some­ write it, I find my plain staleraent of facts how. Pass it over, please. I ara fast coraing coraing to a conclusion, most appropriately, of to the end of my offences against your cultivated Its own self. We have gone on, in this matter^ raodern taste. Besides, the dog was a good of the Moonstone, frora one marvel to another'; creature, and deserved a good physicking; he and here we end with the greatest marvel of did indeed. all—namely, the accompUshment of Sergeant Cuff's three predictions in less thau a week Saturday, the last day of the week, is also from the tirae wheu he had made them. the last day iu my narrative. After hearing from the Yollands ou the The morning's post brought me a surprise in Monday, I had now heard of the Indians, and the shape of a Londou newspaper. The hand­ heard of the raoney-leuder, in the news from writing on the direction puzzled me. I com­ London—Miss Rachel herself, remember, being- pared it with the money-lender's narae and ad­ also in Londou at the time. You see, I put dress as recorded iu my pocket-book, and things at their worst, even when they tell identified it at once as the writing of Sergeant dead agamst my own view. If you desert me, Cuff^. aud side with the Sergeaut, on the evidence Lookinf^ through the paper eagerly enough, before you—if the only rational explanation after this discovery, I found an ink-mark drawn you can see is, that Miss Rachel aud Mr. round one of the police reports. Here it is, at Luker must have got together, and that the your service. Read it as I read it, and you Moonstone raust be now in pledge in the money­ will set the right value on the Sergeant's poUte lender's house—I own 1 can't blarae you for attention iu sending rae the news of the day: arriving at that conclusion. In the dark, I have brought you thus far. In the dark I am " LAMIJETII.—Shortly hefore the closing of the corapelled to leave you, with my best respects. court, Mr. Septimus Luker, the well-known dealer Why compeUed? it may he asked. Why in ancient Reras, car\ing8, intagli, &c. &c., applied not take the persons who have gone along with to the sitting magi^^t^ate for advice. The applicant me, so far, up iuto those regions of superior en- stated that lie had been annoyed, at intervals lightmcut in which I sit myself? tbrouglioiit the day, by the proceedinga of some of those stroUuig Indians who infest the streets. The Li answer to this, I cau only state that I am persons complained of were three in number. After acting under orders, and that those orders hare having been sent away by the police, tiiey had re­ been given to rae (as I understand) iu the in-^ turned again and again, aud had attempted to enter teresls of truth. I ara forbidden to teU more the house on pretence of asking for charity. iu this narrative than I knew myself at the Warned off in tbe front, they had been discovered time. Or, to put it plainer, I am to keep again at the back of the premises. Besides the strictly withiu the limits of my own experience,, annoyance com]ilained of, Mr. Luker expressed him­ and am not to mform you of what other persons self as being uuder some apprehension that robbery told me—for the very sufficient reason that you might be contemplated. Hia collection contained many unique gems, both classical and oriental, of are to have the information frora those other pM- the highest value. lie had only tho day before sons themselves, at first hand. Iu this matter been compelled to dismiss a skilled woikman in of the Moonstone tbe plan is, not to present ivory carving from hia employment (a native of reports, but to produce witnesses. I picture to India, as we understood) on suspiciou of attempted myself a member of the family reading these theft; and he felt by no means sure that this man pages fifty years hence. Lord ! what a compli- and the street-jugglers of "whom he complained, raent he will feel it, to be asked to take nothmg might not be acting in concert. It might be their ou hearsay, and to be treated in all respects object to collect a crowd, and create a disturbance in the street, and, in the confusion thus caused, to like a Judge ou the Bench. obtain acccHs to the house. In reply to tbe magis­ At this place, then, we part—for tbe pre­ trate, Mr. Luker admilled that he had no evidence sent, at least—after long journeying together, to produce of any attempt at robbery being in con­ with a companionable feeling, I hope, ou both templation. He could speak positively to the sides. Tbe devil's dance of the Indian Diamond annoyance and interruption caused by the Indians, has threaded its way to London ; and to London but not to anything else. 'Jho magistrate remarked you must go after it, leaving me at the country- that, if the annoyance were rcjicated, the applicant could summon llie Indians to tliat court, whore they house. Please to excuse the faults of tlm com­ might easily be dealt with under the Act. As to position—my talking so much of myself, fflid the vahiabk'H in Mr, Luker's [lossesaion, Mr. Luker being too familiar, 1 am afraid, with you; 1 himself nuiat take [he best lueaaures for their safe mean no harm; and I drink most respectfully custody. lie would do •well perhaps to communi­ (linviug just done dinner) to your health ana prosperity, in a tankard of her ladyship's ale. ^"^ ^

Oh&rles DlclceDs.] ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [March 28,18(iS.] 367

May you fiud m these leaves of my writing, thousand to five thousand feet high. This what Robinson Crusoe found in his Experience valley cuts at right angles the far narrower oue on the desert island—uaraely, "something to iu which Valeucia is bnilt. At its northeru comfort yourselves from, and to set in the extremity is the Lake of Tacaragua, and thence Descriplion of Good and Evil, on the Credit to the field of Carabobo, a distance of twenty- Side ot the Account,"—Farewell. eight miles, there is a successltra of plautatlous, many of thera uueultivatcd since the late war it THE END OP THB PIRST PEEIOD, is true, and now unprofitable to the owners, but not the less luxuriant aud pleasing to the eve. Were it not for snakes, insects, a vertical sun, CARABOBO. fever, and a too rank crop of liberty, this valley would be Paradise. So we thought, and, fall­ BEFOKE leaving Valencia, that pearl of ing into a benignant huraour, we exchanged Venezuelan cities, I resolved lo visit the field civil words witli all we met. These were, for of Carabobo, The narae is little familiar to the most part, ragged fellows driving mules or English ears, yet here Bolivar fought the battle asses, or mouuted on miserable jades of horses, whicii decided the liberties ofthe South Ameri­ yet the usual salutation by which they were can repubUes, aud here British valour achieved addressed was, " Good morning, general;" a victory which deserves to be recorded iu " Good morniug, doctor." bronze aud marble. It was past ten o'clock A.M. before we got to The battle-field is situated abont eighteen a posada, whicli is the sole habitation near the miles south of Valencia. As I foresaw it would Bass of Carabobo. The landlord was only a take some tirae to e:^raine the ground, besides colonel, but in respectability of appearance he four or five hours at least for going and retnrii- C|uite thrust several of the generals we had met mg, aud as a tropical sun in August is uot agree­ iuto the shade. Wc asked what we could have able, I determined to drive rather than ride. for breakfast. Like innkeepers everywhere, he "What easier!" exclaims ray European sight­ informed us we could have what ever'we liked ; seer, " Order a carriage, and the thing is done." but ou our proceeding to name various de­ Carriages, however, beiug non-existent iu Va­ sirable dishes, it turned out that none of them lencia, I was obUged to make search for a were forthcoming, and, iu the end, we subsided roofed vehicle of auy description. At last my into a meek acquiescence in eggs, whieh were, choice was a nondescript, strongly suggestive of in truth, the ouly thing procurable. For this the disasters which shortly took place. Into this ovation, and two bottles of wretched wine of I mounted with two or three friends about six the country, the worthy colonel charged us only o'clock outhe morning of the 29tb of August, twenty-one shillings; so that we did uot pay 186—, We aU lit our cigars, gave the word much more than a shilling au egg. to old Domingo the driver, and started with a shock that broke one of tbe traces, and enabled Having feasted after this fashion, we saUied as to get well to the end of our first cigars be­ forth to reconnoitre the locality in which the fore even leaving the door. battle was fought. It was now past eleven, aud the fierce sun made us apjireciate what the com­ To say that the streets of Valencia are not batants must have suffered frora tbe heal on the idapted for wheels, is to speak in the mild memorable 24th of June, 1S31, The English, Form which the Greeks thought advisable in at least, must have been sorely tried; but as iiscoursing of anything preternaturally bad. for the natives, we had just then a proof of their Dn this principle, one might say that these powers of endurance, for a party of travellers streets are paved, just as the Furies were caUed went by, among whom were several girls, who Eumenides. I had made up my raind to be liad but a light raantUla drawn over their •'jolted to a jelly," but another form of martyr- heads. iom was reserved for us. At the first turning And here, after the fashion of the immorlal here was a chasra. Into wliicb we were all Cervantes, It niisht be allowable to request the 3ut precipitated. At last we cleared it with leader to suspend his interest iu the battle of I portentous jerk, but the triumph cost us Carabobo, and turn aside to a lengthy episode 10 many fractures as to entail a delay which in which could be related an adventure or love asted through another cigar. We then got passage that befel one or other of our party )n pretty well through a street and a square, then, or on sorae other occasion, or which it nit only to find ourselves iu a narrow lane, raight be adroitly pretended that oue of the said helymg laterally at an angle of thirty degrees, travellers, a. propos or otherwise, recounted to Jid full of holes and heaps of broken flagstones, us. But, to say truth, the sun was inakiug lere we smashed the pole, and the driver went havoc of my patience, and, so far from seeking 'ff for a fresh one, and did not return till we matter for au e|)isodc, I besought the ciecroue ad consumed a third cigar. of the party to tell us aU he kuew, ;iud to be The sun was already hot before we were off brief about it, as I wanted to get uuder shelter lie stones. The road lay m the centre of a again as fast as possible. The old general, alley, which extended north and south as far however, had his own way of telling the story, 9 eye could reach, and was bounded to east and was not to be thwarted. nd west by richly wooded ranges of mouu- lins, some twenty miles apart, and from one " You will never understaud the battle," said he, " nor appreciate it, unless you kuow sonic- 368 [March 28,1868.] ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [Oondacted by thing of the previous position of affairs. You regimeut officered by Englishmen, with Colonel see we had all been a good deal dissatisfied with Sarides at their head, and the three regunents Bolivar, who, on the 25lh of November, 1820 Granaderos, Vencedor, aud Anzuategui, with —the year before the battle—had concluded a one regiment of cavalry, under ColonelRondon. truce for six raouths with the Spanish Captain- The numerical strength of this division was, General Morillo. This took place at Santa iu round numbers, two thousand five hundred Anna, a village in the province of Trujillo, to men, the west of Carabobo. It is true we got rid of "The soldiers of this force were the best in Morillo by the arraisllce, for he went off to the country. As for our battalion, a great Spain as soon as it was signed; but he left general, it is said, pronounced that Englishmea La Torre, as good a general as himself, at the fight best when well fed, but Carabobo proved head of affairs, to say nothing of the faraous that British courage does not depend on food Morales, who coramanded the plundering hordes alone. In fact, we EngUsh were desperate men, first raised by Yaiiez and Bores. And if Mo­ and rauch in the same raind as that of our fore­ rales had not been a traitor, and La Torre had fathers at Agincourt. We were without pay, kept his forces together and prevented BoUvar wretchedly clothed, and with no rations but from joining Paez, who was posted with three half-starved bull-beef, wbich we ate without thousand men at Achaguas, In Apure, to the salt, that being a luxury unknown m Apure. south of tills, the Issue of the struggle might Life itself had become hateful to us, aud the have been different. But BoUvar was right men had been driven by distress, not long He no doubt knew that Morales was disaffected before, iuto open mutiny. The zeal of the because he had not been appointed to succeed officers alone extinguished the revolt, but many MoriUo; and the armistice gave the patriots of us were wounded iu quelling it. Order was tirae to mature their plans and to seize some at last re-established, but after scenes whieh I important places, such as Maracaibo, under do not care to recall. Add to this, our com­ cover of the truce," manding officer, Brigadier Blosset, was killed " AU which," I observed, "redounds, of ill a duel with Power of the Irish Legion, and course, very rauch to the houour of the said this latter corps, all but the hundred meu who patriots, and is a proof of their love of truth were attached to us, had mutinied, and, after and respect for treaties." sacking Rio-Hacha, had been shipped off to "I cannot but think," continued tbe general, Jamaica. disregarding my interruption, " that, with " Well, to go back a Uttle before coming to eleven ihousand choice troops such as the the battle. I must leU you that it was the 10th Spanish general had—veterans trained in com­ of May when our brigade, under Paez, removed bats with the French, aud in many a stubborn from Achaguas, a strong position on the frontier, fight iu this country—the victory'might have between the provinces of Apure and Carabobo. been wrested from Bolivar, in spite of the We had been stationed there to watch Morales, thousand British bayonets that supported him. who lay at Calabozo, about a hundred miles to But La Torre, who lay at Sau Carios, about the north of us. As soon as he retreated oa one hundred miles to the south of this, was in­ San Carlos we advanced, and passed through duced by Morales lo seud some of his best re­ the city of Guanares to San Carlos, from which giments lo defend Caracas against Bermudez, the enemy retired. There we were joined by one of our ablest officers, who inarched on the Bolivar, with Cedeuo's division, and halted four capital from tbe east. IJermudez, after mauy days to prepare for the battle whieh was ;iow successes, was utterly routed at last under the Imminent. At this time au order was issued very walls of Caracas, But, iu the mean lime, that we EngUsh should act independently of the BoUvar had joined Paez, and was advancing regiment Apure with which we had hitherto against La Torre with equal, if not superior, been brigaded. Tliis turned out to be a most forces. Ills army, wheu united, was formed in fortunate occurrence. three divisions. The first, coramanded by Ge­ " We bad now beeu marching for more than neral Paez, was composed of the Cazadores Bri- a month, and had suffered terrible privations. tanicos, or ' British light infanti-y,' whicli was We had had to cross the river Apurito, and the remnant of the British Legion, or Elsam's numerous streams swarming with alligators and Brigade, and now uunibered uot more thau with that stiU more dangerous pest the Caribe eight hundred raen; one hundred of the Irish fish, which, though no bigger than a perch, has Legion attached to the English corps; the teeth which will penetrate a coat of steel, and native regiment called the Bravos of Apure, which, at the scent of blood, comes in such eight bundled strons^; aud one thousand four myriads, that the largest animals, and even'the hundred native cavalry; iu all, three thousand alligator itself, are eaten up by them in a one hundred men. moment. Sorae of our men liad thus perished " The second division, commanded by General in the vvater, and others had died on the road Cedeiio, consisted of the regiments called Tira- frora the bites of snakes and venomous reptiles. dores, Boyaca, and Vargas, aud of the squadron A far greater nuraber fell victims to want, Sagrado, commanded by Arismeudi, in all about fatigue, aud disease. In short, our sufferings one thousand eight hundred men. had been such, that there was not a man of us " The third division was commandedby Colonel that was not resolved to die, fighting, rather Ambrosio Plaza, and couslsted of the Rifles, a thau retrace his steps. Ob&rlM Dlckeni,] ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [.March 28 18«s.l 369

"The opportunity was at hand. On the 21st posted in a ravine, where they were allogeiher of Juno we marchea from San Carlos, due east out of sight. But itis time to point out to you his about a dozen miles, to the village of Tinaco. position. This road, by which we came from Our caTalry iu advance, under Colouel SUva, Valeucia, is the high road to Sau Carios. The had a sharp brush with the enemy, and brought ravine which you see there behind us, coming in some prisoners. The sarae evening the third down to it from the south-east, is called the division, under Plaza, jouied us, and brought Manzana, or * Apple' ravine. Behind that were ap our strength to something over seven thou­ the head-quarters of the Spanish army. Their sand. Next day, the 22nd, we pushed on due forces were in position in front of tlie ravine, north, through the vfllage of Tinnaquillo, and and on the right of the San Carlos road, their halted on the road to Carabobo, the enemy's guns being on their left flank—on that hill outposts falling back before us, but not without which you see completely comraands the road. sharp skhrmishes. Had we advanced along the road, our column " We bad now the River Chirgua to cross, and would have been swept by their guns, aud ex­ then the defile of Buenavista, This is a formid­ posed to au attack iu flank, which raust have able position, and if it bad been occupied by the proved fatal. On the other baud, the ground enemy we could hardly have forced it. Luckily, on the extreme right of the Spaniards you see they had resolved ou the Pass of Carabobo as there," said the old general, pointing to a series the spot where they would give battle, so our of sleep hills and deep ravines, "was quite im­ 'advance ou the 23r^ was unopposed, Ttiat day, practicable for regular troops and cavalry, about noon, our vedettes carae in sight of the Bolivar, therefore, after reconnoitring the Spanish army, and Bolivar halted us aud formed eneray for about a quarter of an hour, sent us us as if for the attack, Paez commanded the ord-ers to attack hy the ravine, whieh, as you right, Cedeno the left, and Plaza had the see, lies between the hiU on whieh were the centre. BoUvar then rode from left to right, and Spanish guns and their infantry. This ravine addressed each corps as he passed. His words we found so deep, that, on descending into it, were received by the others with silence, but wc lost sight of tne regiraent of Apure. Mean­ when he had done speaking lo the Euglish, we tirae, the enemy's guns had opened fire, and gave him three hurrahs that were heard a raile meu began to fall iu both the battaUons of our off. brigade. " It was only one P.M., but Bolivar determined "The crest of the ravine was lined by the to postpone the attack till next day, either lo enemy. The ground on which they stood give us a rest, or because he thought it would slopes gently towards the mouth of the raviue, be lucky to fight on Sau Juan's Day. We which is so steep, that I, for one, was glad to halted, therefore, and passed the night where catch hold of the tail of a horse ridden by an we were. And such a niglit it was ! The raiu officer iu front of me. Directly the Apure fell in torrents, and those of us who had been regiment had got out of the ravine and were at Waterloo reminded one another that it was beginning lo deploy, the enemy's cavalry threat­ just the same there, and took it for a good ened to charge it, but, eitlier through treachery omen. or cowardice, retreated before our cavalry, who " The weather in South America is always uow passed us on our right aud charged, but in extremes, and the sky was cloudless on the were in tiieu" turn driven back by the fire of the 24th, when we stood to arms. Our officers Spanish line. Meantime, the Apure Bravos had were grouped together, talkiug over the chances formed Une and advanced to within pistol-shot of of the day, when au order came from BoUvar the Spaniards, when tlicy received a raurderous for the right division, in which we English were, volley from more than three thousand muskets, to'advauce. It was now that the Creole regi­ besides the fire of the Spanish artUlery. Over­ ment that was with us, called the Bravos of whelmed with this storm of shot, the regiment Apure, claimed to lead the attack. As a raatter wavered, then broke and fled back iu headlong of right it belonged lo us, we being the older disorder upou us. It was a critical moment, corps, but considering the pretension on the but we managed to keep our ground till the part of natives of the country very natural, wc fugitives had got through our ranks back into conceded the point, and on they went. Our tbe ravine, antl then our grenadier company, regiment followed, and then carae the cavalry, gallantly led by Captain Mincliln, formed up under Paez, led by a squadron called Los and poured in their fire upou the Spaniards, Colorados, coraposed of two hundred supernu­ who were only a few paces from them. Checked merary officers. The raorning dawned bright by this volley. Hie enemy fell back a little, and clear as we moved along the heights oppo­ wliile our meu, pressing eagerly on, formed and site the Spaniards. All was calm and still, as if delivered tlieir hre company after company, Nature would contrast her peacefuluess with " Receding before our fire and the long line the horrid uproar wiih wbich man was about of British bayonets, the Spaniards fell back to to break in. the posilion from which they had rushed in "We were moving to the west, to get round pursuit of the Apure Bravos, But from thence the enemy's right flank, if possible. We could they kept up a tremendous fire upon us, whieh see his guns and some of his infantry; but much wc returned as rapidly as wc conld. As they of ilis force was hid by the trees and the broken outnumbered us in the ratio of four to oue, and ground, and a strong body of his men were were strongly posted and supported by guns, 370 [Martjh 28,186S,] ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [Oondooted by we waited for reinforcements before storming of our army, which now for tbe first time their position. Not a man, however, came to left their secure position and pursued the help us, and after an hour passed in this manner Spaniards. our ammunition faUed. It then really seemed " It was at this period of the battle that to be all over with us. We tried, as best we General Cedefio, stung by a rebuke from could, to make signals of our distress ; the men Bolivar, quitted the third division, which he kept springing their ramrods, and Colonel was commanding, and at the head of a small Thomas Ferrier, our commanding officer, ap­ body of followers charged tbe regiment prised General Paez of our situation, and called 'Valence,' and found, with aU his comrades, on hira to get up a supply of cartridges. It the honourable death tbey sought. So feU carae at last; but by this time raany of our * the bravest of the brave of Columbia.* Plaza officers and mcu had fallen, and among thera also, who commanded the second division, was Colonel Ferrier. You ma? imagine we were not killed, and also Mellao, another famous hero long iu breaking open the ammnnition-boxes; of the patriots. As for our regiment, it had the men numbered off anew, and after deliver­ been too severely bandied to join m the pursuit ing a couple of volleys we prepared to charge. with much vigour. Two men out of eveiy At this moment our'cavalry, passing as before three were killed or wounded. Besides Colouel by our right flank, charged, willi General Paez at Ferrier, Lieutenant-Colonel Davy, Captain their head. Tlicy went on very gallantly,^ but Scott, Lieutenants Church, Houston, Newel, soon came galloping back and passed again to Stanley, and several others, whose names I our rear, without having done any execution ou forget, were killed; and Ca|)taiiis Minchhi and the enemy, while they had themselves suffered Smith, Lieutenants Hubble, Matthew, Hand, considerably. Tiilhot, aud others, were wounded. There- " Why Bolivar at this time, and indeed during mains ofthe corps passed before the Liberator the period since our first advance, sent us no sup­ with trailed arms at double-quick, and received port, I have never been able to guess. What­ with a cheer, but without hairing, his words, ever the motive, it is certain that the second ' Salvadores de mi patria!'—Saviours of my and third divisions of the army quietly looked country, ou while wc were being slaughlcred, aud made " Ou gettmg across the bridge you see there, no attempt to help us. The curses of our raeu the enemy raade an effort to retrieve the day, were loud and deep, but seeing that they raust and opened fire with the guns still left to uot expect any help, they made up their minds them. Our meu then charged, look one to carry the enemy's position, or perish. Out of the guns, and got across the bridge, when of nine hundred meu we had not above six they had to fonu square to repel some squar hundred left; Capiain Seott, who succeeded droiis of cavalry that attacked them. Our well- Colonel Ferrier, had fallen, and had bequeathed directed fire soou broke thera, and the rout now the command to Captain Minchin; and the became general. The battalion 'Valence' colours of the regiment had seven times changed alone maintained the order of its ranks all the hands, and had been literally cut to ribands, way to Valencia, baffling for eighteen mfles the aud dyed with the blood of the gallaut feUows unceasing attacks of our cavalry. Under the who carried them. But, in spite of all this, the walls of Valencia itself it was, for the last time, word was passed to charge with the bayonet, charged by the rifles and the grenadiers of Boh* and on we weut, keeping our line as steadily as var's Guard, mounted on horseback by order of on a parade day, aud with a loud hurrah we the Liberator. In this final conflict toe gaUant were upon them, I must do the Spaniards Spaniards continued uubroken, aud were no the justice to say they met us gallantly, further molested, but reaching at ten P.M. the and the struggle was for a brief lime fierce, foot of tho mountains, they made good their aud the event doubtful. But the bayonet in retreat to Puerto Cabello to the number of nme tho bauds of British soldiers, more especially lumdred meu. such a forlorn hope as wc were, is irre­ "All the rest of the Spanish army was com- sistible. The Spaniards, five to one as they plctely dissolved, aud Caracas, the capital. La were, began to give grouud, and at last broke Guaira, and the other towns still in the hands and fled. of the royalists, at once surrendered. In short, " Then it was, and not till then, that two the indepeudcnce of Columbia was achieved conipauies of the Tiradores came up to our by the battle of Carabobo; and tbat the vic­ help, and our cavalry, hitherto of little use, tory was entirely owing to the EngUsh is fiercely pursued the ictrcatiug enemy. What proved by the fact that they lost six hun­ followed I tell you on hc:irsay from others, for dred men out of niue hundred, while all I was now stretched on the field with two balls the rest of Bolivar's army, amounting to through my body, 1 know, however, that the more than six thousand men, lost but two famous battalion of royalists called * Valence,' hundred!" uuder their n;allant colonel Don Tomas The old general here concluded his harangue. Garcia, covered the enemy's rc'reat, aud was Wc then ascended the hill on which the Spanish never broken. Again and again this noble guns were planted, examined the deep ravine regiment turned sullenly ou its pursuers, through which the Euglish had passed to the and successfully repulsed the attacks of the attack, and the slope on whieh the Spaniards cavalry and infantry of the third division , had been drawn up, and returned to Valencia ChftrlOBDiokenB.] ALL THE YEAR ROUND [March 28.1868.] 371 impressed with the belief that thfi English When morning daivned, above the din Soulier liad never better maintained his repu­ Of gale and breaker boomed a gun ! tation thau at Carabobo. Another! We, who -sat within. Answered with cries each one.

Into each other's eyes with fear THE WRECK OF THE POCAHONTAS. We looked, through helpless tears, as still, One after one, near and more near, J LIT the lamps in the lighthouse tower, The signals pealed, imtil For the sun dropped down and the day was dead ; ,Tl»y ahone like a glorious clustered flower, Ten golden and live red. The thick storm seemed to break apart, To show us, staggering to her grave, _ The fated brig. We had no lieart Looking across, where the line of coast To look, for naught could save. Stretched darkly, shrinking away from the sea, The lights sprang out at its edge, almost They seemed to answer me ! One glimrse of black hull heaving slow, Then closed the mists o'er canvas torn O warning lights, burn bright and clear, Aud tangled ropes, swept to and fro Hither the storm comes! Leagues away From masts that raked forlorn. •It moans and thunders low and drear,— Bom till tho break of day I Weeks after, yet ringed round with spray, Our island lay, and none might land ; Good night! I called to the gulls that sailed Though, blue, the waters of tbe bay Slow past me through the evening sky ; Stretched calm on either hand. And my comrades, answering shrilly, hailed Me back with bodii^ cry. And when at last from the distant shore A little boat stole out, to reach A mournful breeze began to blow, Our loneliness, and bring once more Weird music it drew through the iron bars, Fresh human thought and speech, The sullen billows boiled below. And dimly peered the stars j We told onr tale, and the boatmen cried : " 'Twas tho l*ocahontas—all were lost! The sails that flecked the ocean fioor For miles along the coast, the tide Prom east to west leaned low and fled; Her shattered timbers tost." They knew what came in the di.stant roar iThat filled the air with dread! Then I looked the whole horizon round,— So beautiful the ocean spread Rung by a fitful gust, there beat About us, o'er those sailors drowned ! Against the window a dash of rain,— '* Father in heaven," I said, Steady as tramp of marching feet Strode on the hurricane. A child's grief struggling in my breast, It smote the waves for a moment still, "Do purposeless thy creatures meet Level and deadly white for fear ; Such bitter death? How was it best The bare rock stiuddered,—an awful thrill These hearts should cease to beat ? Shook even my tower of cheer. " Oh, wherefore! Are we nought to Thee ? :^e aU the demons loosed at last, Like senseless weeds that rise and fall Whistling and shrieking, wild and wide, Upon thine awful sea, are we The mad wind raged, and strong and fast No more then, after all ?" RoUed in the rising tide. And I shut tbe beauty from my sight, And soon in ponderous showers the spray, For I thought of the dead that Uy below. Struck from the granite, reared and sprung, From the bright air faded tbe warmth and light, And clutched at tower and cottage grey, There came a chill like snow. Where overwhelmed tbey clung Theu I heard the far-off note resound, Half drowning, to the naked rock ; Where the breakers slow and slumberous roUed, Bnt BtiU burned on the faithful light, And a subtle sense of Thought profound Nor faltered at the tempest's shock. Touched me with power untold. Through aU the fearful night. And like a voice eternal spake, Waa it in vain ? That knew not we. That wondrous rhythm, and " Peace, be still," We seemed, in that confusion vast, It murmured ; " bow thy head, and take Of rushing wind and roaring sea, Life's rapture and life's ill, One point whereon was cast " And wait. At last all shall be clear." The whole Atlantic's weight of brine. The long, low, mellow music rose Heaven help the ship should drift our way! And fell, and soothed my dreaming ear No matter how the light might shine With infinite repose. Far on into the day. 372 tMarch 28, ISfiP.] ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [CoDduct«di}r Sighing, I climbed the lighthouse stair. torch, wiui little regard to the fears and preju­ Half forgetting my grief and pain ; dices which check the steps of those who are And whOe the day died, sweet and fair, uot her followers and priests. But in Europe, I lit the lamps again. where investigators are abundant, poisonous serpents are small and rare; whilst m lands POISON OF THE RATTLESNAKE. where the snake exists in hideous plenty, the experimental toxicologist is rarely found, or THE animal kingdom adds but two active lacks the means to carry ou his pursuits. Ia poisons to the numberless fatal agents which Europe, also, the added interest which once be­ forra in bark and seed, or get new birth by longed to the subject on account of the number annual dozens frora the chemist's laboratory. of serpents has lessened with their gradual ex­ These two animal poisons arc furnished bv tinction ; and, as man has not himself ecHployed the race of venomou.i serpents and by tbe toad, this poison, it has also wanted the fascination whose ancient and evil reputation modem toxi­ belonging to agents which, having once figured cology has finallv justified by discovering in the in some famous poisoning case, never agam fail mucus of his skin a deadly and rapid poison. of interesting the chemist aud toxicologist, who The other animal substances which injure, we sets about at once to discover antidotes and raay pass over here, because the venom of the detective tests for each rare poison, as in turn it centipede or the scorpion is rarely fatal, and at makes good this horrible claim to be so eon- all events is not to be compared to the potent sidered. In this way the great Palraer case material whieh the rattlesnake, cobra, or viper brought about the most careful study of both deals out to it's victim. strychnia and tartar emetic; whUe the equally The venom of the serpent is certainly one of infamous Boccarme poisoning in Belgium led to the most powerful of all the poisons; and it a thorough investigation of nicotine, which for therefore strikes us as strange, that, for devilish the first tirae raade its appearance upon the devices lo kill, men have plundered vegetable aimals of crime. aud miue, but have left to the serpent untouched Lacking this kind of interest, but surrounded his death-giving juices. So far is this frora the by a haze of the strangest popular beliefs, the popular belief, that venom has been for ages serpent venom got no fair examination until supposed to form part of certain famous poisons, the researches of Eraneisco Pedi, whose essay, and within a few years it was thought lo be the originally in Italian, 1669, Is now before me m chief ingredient in the well-known arrow poison Latin form, Amsterdam, 1675 ; a small volume of South America. The symptoms of vcnom- of Experiraenta circa res diversas naturales," toxication are, however, distinct. It only in­ speciatlm iUas, quse ex ludiis ad feruutur. On jures when placed under the skin or deep in the the title-page, a buxora figure of Science receives tissues, and it is absolutely as harmless as bread gifts frora a pluraed Indian with a crocodile when swallowed. To have been used by the comfortably bestowed under his arm. Charas^ poisoner it must, therefore, have been lodged in a belter observer, wrote soon after Redl His the tissues—a difficult task; and we should work, entitled New Experiments upon Vipers, have then found related a certain set of symp­ with exquisite B,emedies, etc., uow rendered into toms whicli would be unmistakable as evidence English, London, 1673, set at rest many popular of the character of the poison. No such his­ fallacies, aud prepared the way for the more tories exist ; and the doubtful case of the elaborate research raade by the well-known Queeu of Egypt is the ouly one where tbe Felix Fontana, and first published in Lucca m venom of the serpent figures upou the pages of 1767. Of this reraarfcable toxicological studyit historic poisonings. is diflicult to speak too highly. Kesling upon The savage has been equally unwilling or un­ at least three thousand experlraents on all able to employ venom ; aud the various poisons classes of auiraals. It displays an amount of with which he arms his spear or dart—such as industry and scientific sagacity which have the upas of the East, and the various wooraraa been rarely equalled. A short chemical paper of South America and the Isthmus—are all by Lucien Bonaparte, and scattered records of found lo be of vegetable origin, and to act diffe­ cases of poisoning, coraprise uearly all that h&s rently from the poisons yielded by the snakes of beeu added to the subject, so far as concerns the various countries iu question. the viper. In the East Indies, BusseU and It is to be presumed that the nou-eraploy- Davy have suice experimented with the venom raent of a poison so fatal and so widely difl'used of the cobra, and Dr. Rufz has given us an has been due to the difficulty of securing it In excellent account of the dreaded vip^re fer quantity, and to the world-wide dread of ser­ de hmcc of Martinique, while iu America pents, rather than to any other cause. Such the toxicology of the rattlesnake aud copperhead sontiraents may have had something to do with have been studied of late with every advantage the scientific neglect which so long left these wbich the most modern raethods could give. poisons to bc the subject ofa hundred fabulous From these researches collectively we are able tales, while other and far less interesting poisons to offer a sketch of the toxicology of snake have been studied over and over with never- poisons which will at least approach in complete­ ending earc and patience. Not, however, that ness that which can be given of any of the this has been the only reason. Science is fear­ best-known and more accessible poisons. less, and carries unlrenibllng her aU-reveaUng The United States possess but three kinds of -^:^^

Ohurles Diokttiu.] ALL THE. YEAR ROUND. [March 28,1868.] 373

)oisouous serpents, known in popular language mark. Let us look amoment at the rest of the kS rattlesnake, copperhead, and moccasin. The apparatus, and then we shall the easier under­ irst of these having been the chief subject of stand how all the parts unite iu fuuctloual itudy, we premise by stating that nearly all of activity so as to give to this horrible instrument rar statements refer to this serpent. As a the same efficiency which Nature has secured Kiisoner it ranks side by side with the cobra for ber other aud more seemingly useful pur­ ind vipere fer de lance, and probably above the poses. ;opperhead and the moccasin. In fact, all that _ The laboratory in which the serpent makes ve know at present leadsus to beUeve tbat the his potent medicine is an almond-shaped gland renom of aU serpents is alike in toxic character, behind the eye, on eiiher side of the upper jaw. ind only differs in degree of virulence aud in It looks Uke an ordinary salivary gland, and imount; so that what we gather as to the is merely a mass of minute tubes surrounded by diemical and other quaUties of the venom of little sacs or cells, only to be seeu by a micro­ my one serpent may, as a rule, be said to apply scope. Here the venom forms, and thence dike to aU of this terrible faraily. reaches a larger tube at the lower side of the The rattlesnake, as every one knows, gets his gland. This is the ouly poison-sac. It com­ aune firomth e curious jointed appendix to the municates with a tube or duct about the size of ;ail by whicli the hunter becomes aware of his a steel knitting-needle, which runs forward leighbourhood. We have seen one of these under the eye, and then around the front of lets of rattles numbering eighteen joints, the upper jaw, where it has a slight enlarge­ mother thirty-six ; which, if the vulgar notion ment made up of muscular fibres, so arranged tie correct, would allot to the owner just so as to keep the duct shut and to cork up the many years of Ufe. We have known, however, poison until a greater power overcomes the re­ ;hree of these joints to form in forty summer sistance. The anterior bone of the serpent's lays; so that it is probable the larger snakes upper jaw is double—oue for each side. It is alight carry them by dozens, if they were not so an irregular truncated pyramid; apex down, briitle as constantly to be broken off aud lost. aud hollowed, so that in it rests the stout base of the fang. This exquisite instrument is The attitude of a large rattlesnake when you merely a hollow tooth, curved backwards like jome suddenly upon him is certainly one of the the bend of a sabre, with a little forward turn Snest thmgs to be seen in American forests. The at tbe tip, which is itself solid, for strength's ribrating tail projects from coUs formed by about sake, and as sharp as the finest needle. About lalf the length of the snake, while the neck, a luie below this point, on the front aspect, lifted a few inches, is held in curves, the head there is a minute opening. If we run into this perfectly steady, the eyes dull and leaden, the a bristle. It will appear at the base of the tooth, whole posture bold and defiant, and expressive just where the tube leading from the gland Ues af alertness and inborn courage. agaiust the fang, aud is held to it by the folds Let us tease this gaUant-looking reptile with of tissue which lie iuthe gums. W^hcn unused, I switch. He has power to throw his head for- the two fangs, with their supporting bone, in arard only about one-third lo one-half the length which they are rigidly fixed, are drawn back­ )f his whole body, so that our game is safe wards, and Ue, covered by a cloak of mucous mough. Sometimes he wiU strike at the slick ; tissue, one ou each side upon the roof of the isuaUy he reserves his forces, judging wisely as snake's raouth. A second muscle is so attached :o his own powers. At last, wheu he finds that to the raaxillary bone as to be able to erect it, tie is gettmg nothmg by pluck and endurance, together with the fang, which, when thus ready le turns bis head, and, unroUing coil from coil, for use, projects downwards into the open jUdes away, not very swiftly, ready at a moraent raouth, Its convexity forwards. to coU anew, as a regiment forms square to receive a charge. If, as he glides along, you Thus placed, it is at the utraost disadvan­ Jao seize his tail, and quickly enough lift him tage ; and this is ouly in part overcome by the Tom the eartb, holding nim at arm's length, he backward bending of the head and the extreme ffili be utterly unable to return on your hand opening of the raouth at the moment of the )r to reach your body, having uone of the great bite. Lastly, let us understaud that two fthysical force of bis cousins, the constrictors, powerful muscles fastened lo the upper bones if, while on tbe ground, in any posture, coUed of the head run over the venom gland, and ir not, you seize his tail, that deadly head wiU then are attached, one on each side, to the return upon yon with a swiftness which seems lower jaw. Let these muscles shorten and two « though you had touched some releasing thiugs result—the jaws close ou the body ipring iu a piece of quick machinery; so that bitten, and, the gland beiug abruptly squeezed, •nere is no truth in the notion that the snake can the venom ilies alou^ the tube of exit, through strike only when coiled. The awful celerity of the basal opening ot the fang, aud out at the his movement is in odd contrast to the slugqish orifice near its lip. lace of most of his actions, which are sadly ieceptive, and have cost more than one man his It will be easy now to understaud how this ife. Hundreds of times have we seen this wouderful raachinery moves in sequence to its iwift motion, and as often marvelled at the deadly result. You have come a liltle too near limplicity aud certainty of the means which this coiled death. Instantly the curves of the Irove the relentless, death-laden head to its projecting neck are straightened, half a ring of the coil flashes out with it, aud the head is J^ 374 [March 28,1868.] ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [UondMiedliy

thrust at the opposing flesh, the bulk of the snake, from which he had taken the active body serving as an anchor. As it moves, the fangs three months before, supposing the r^p. neck bends back, the mouth opens wide, the tile thus disarmed for life. He was accustomed fangs are unsheathed and held stiffly, and you to handle it freely, and had never been bitten. have a sharp pang as the points enter the skm. On opening the raouth, I pointed out to him -Quick as thought the lower jaw shuts ou the the new and efficient teeth which had takeu the part, deeper go the fangs, and, the same muscle place of those he had removed. How much which closes the jaw compressing the glands, danger he thus ran it were hard to say,.since the venom is injected araong the tissues which the snake may be handled with impunity, if the fangs have pierced. Of late the doctors care be taken not to hurt it or to use abrupt have taken to adminlsteriug medicines by a motions. very similar process, which has been found to A very startling incident iUusfratlve of this combine economy iu the amouat of medicine occurred some yejurs ago in Pliiladelphia. A needed with the utraost efficiencv as to results. tavern-keeper had in a box two large rattle­ This instruracut is merely a hollow needle, snakes, perfectly wild, and not long captives. through which the medicine is forced by a Coming into lus bar-room early one morning, syringe. I wish I could say that the hint was he fouud his little daughter, about six years takeu frora the snake, so much of a plea might old, seated beside the open snake-box, with botii have beeu put forward for his abused race. serpents lying in her lap. He was wise enough, It soraetiraes chances thai, despite all this seeing her unhurt, to ask how they got oul^and exquisite machinery, some little failure occurs, hearing, in reply, that she herself had lifted which may be taken as a desirable piece of tbem from the box, he ordered her to re­ good luck for the person aimed at. For In- place them, which she did without harm, btanee, the teeth may strike at a disadvantage, finally closing upon them the Ud of their c^e. and be suddenly doubled backwards, whereupon Snakes long confined very often become so tame the venom occasionally goes dowu the snake's that, as we have found, they wiU allow mice, throat, aud, as we shall see, does him no such reed-birds, or pigeons in their cage without at­ harm as drugs usuaUy do the apothecary; or tempting lo injure thera. If any still doubt it chances that, the sequence of actions failing that the rattlesnake may be handled with im­ as to their due order, the venom is ejected punity, the experience of the naturaUst Water- before the faug enters, or escapes at the base of ton raay end his doubt. His biographer de­ the tooth on account of the duet not being scribes him as seizing and holding poisonous drawn neatly upou the aperture of the tooth. serpents with an indifference which is only Let these incidents occur, and at the same credible to those who have studied their habits lime let the sharp and hooked teeth of the with care. We are persuaded, however, that lower jaw wound the skin, and we sliaU have all certain snakes are raore Ukely to strike than the material for a case of rattlesnake bite, in others, some requiring the utmost provocation. which we raay administer au antidote with great This is very apt to be the ease after the serpent surety of success. A snake strikes you, the has bitten a few times vainly upon a stici or skin is wounded, and the conclusion is naturally other hard body; so that it seems probable, uot drawn that you are also poisoned; whereas only that the snake has memory, but that m- both in man and auiraals, as we have seen raany dividuaUty may exist in forms of life even as limes, the victira raay drag the snake some dis­ low as this one. Where in the descending tance, bung to the tissues by the harmless little scale does this cease ? Are there clever earth­ hooked teeth of tbe lower jaw. worms and stupid earthworms—uo two thmgp It is also a raatter of raoraent whether, being anywhere precisely the same ? bitten, you have received two fang-wounds or Let us uow pursue our inquiry, see how we oidy one, because the two glands arc as inde­ may get the venom for study, and what physi- | pendent of one another as two rival drug-shops; cally and chemically this marvellous liquid may and, if you get both fangs in you, the dose of bc, the veiiora is twice what it would be if only oue Mauy ways of handUng the serpent were of tltera entered. Luckily, it often chances tried before one was found simple and safe that, in sraall members like the fingers, one enough. While the complicated methods were • tooth goes aside of the mark, aud so fails of used sorae narrow escapes were made, until at its purpose, thus lessening the risk exactly one last we hit on a plan wliich answered every pur- I halt. pose. A stick five feet long, cut square at the 1 These keenly tempered fangs are Uable to be end, was fitted with a thin leather strap two lost by accidents, and also to fall by natural inches wide, tacked on to one side of the end, decay. When the former occurs, the snake is and then carried over it and through a staple j unarmed for the tirae; but iu a few days a re­ on the other side, where it was attached to a , serve fang—which always lies behind or to one stout cord. PuUing this leather out into a : side of the active tooth—becomes firmly set iu loop, and leaning over the snake-cage, which 13 1 its socket, and conies into apposition with the five feet deep and now open above, we tiT to ' opening of the duct. It is therefore not enougli uoose one of the snakes. Tbis has been done to pull out the active fang, since numerous so often as to be difficult. At first, when it others lie ready for use iu the gum behind it. was slipped over their heads, they crawled for­ A young fricutl once showed rae a smaU rattle­ ward through it; now always they have learned J y Chules Dlokaoi.] ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [Mareh 28,1868.3 375 to draw baok on its approach. At last one is nor with that of another. Neither can you taken, the leathern strap is drawn light around poison a plant with venom. Aud, iu fact. If you his neck by pulling the cord, aud is kept so manage the experiment cleveriy, canary-seed near to the head that he cannot turn to bite the may be made to sprout from a mixture of venom stick, if the pressure should provoke his wrath. and water. Thus secured, we lift him frora his dozen of We have seen, too, that the serpent ofteu friends, and, holding the noose firra, so as to swallows his own poison. As for him, if it wiU keep hira well squeezed against the end of the uot hurt being put under his skin, the wonder stick, we put bim on a table. Next, resigning of its uot injuring him when swallowed is Uttle the staff aud string to an assistant, we open enough. It ouly excites amazement when we the snake's mouth, and, with the edge of a little learn that it poisons no creature if ingested. saucer, catch and elevate the two fangs. This We have fed pigeons with it, day after day, in is an old snake, milked often before, aud now doses each enough to have kiUed forty had it declining to bite unless compeUed. Holding beeu put withiu the tissues. Placed iu the the saucer iu one hand we seize the snake's stomach, it lies withiu some thousandths of an head over the venom gland, and, with a thumb inch of tho blood-vessels, ouly a thinnest mucous and forefinger, press tlie veuora forward through inerabrane between; aud here it is harmless, the duct. Suddenly a clear yeUow fluid flows and there it means death. Let us follow this out of the fangs. This is the venom. The problem, as has lately beeu done. Why does It anake is four feet long, untouched for two weeks, not poison ? We give a pigeou fifty drops of and has given us about twenty drops of poison. veuora, which, otherwise used, would kill a liun­ The assistant replaces hira iu his cage, and we dred, and that surely. For three days we eoUect tarn to look at the famous poison which a all the excreta, aud then, kiUing the bird, re­ move with care the contents of the intestinal living animal carries unharmed iu his tissues for canal. Knowing weU what fluids dissolve the the deadly hurting of whora it may concern. venom, we separate by this means whatever There is sorae of this fluid in a phial on the poison raay be present from all 1 he rest of the table before me, and here sorae of it dried for substances passed by or taken from the bird. three years—a scaly, yellow, shining matter, Then, with the fluid thus obtained, we inject hke dried wldte of egg, and as ^ood lo kUi as the tissues of pigeons. No injury follows; our ever it was. No smeU, If fresh; no taste; poison has gone. But where, and how ? Let faintly acid, and chemically a substance whicli us mix a Uttle of it with gjistrie juice, and keep is so nearly like this very white of egg that no it at body-heat for an hour. It still poisons ; chemical difference may be raade between them. but we learn at length, after raany essays, that Two things so alike and so unlike I Indeed, it very long digesting of It iu constantly added seems hardly fair of Nature to set us such pro­ quantities of gastric juice does change it some­ blems. We fall back upon au imagined diffe- what ; and so, as we do not find it iu the ex- roice hi the molecular composition of the two— cretse, we come to think that, being what we very consoling, no doubt; but, after all, tbe call an albumiuoid, it is very likely to be altered thingis bewildering, esplaiu it as we may. We during digestion, and so rendered Innocent would like not to believe it. We think of enough, it may be. Here, at last, wc must rest, poisons as unlike what they hurt. Let us lake haviug learned, first, that venom will not pass from a dog's veins a Uttle blood, keep it a few through the raucous surfaces ; and, second, that hours in the open air, and tlirow it back Into it undergoes such change iu digestion as to make his circulation, and very surely you have given it harmless. In these peculiarities it stands bim his death. Ugly facts of disease, where the alone, if we except certain putrefying substances body gets up its own poisons for home use, which may usually be swallowed without injury, m^e the wonder less to the doctor; but even but slowly kiU if placed under the skin. now to hhn it must stiU seera wonderful, this little bit of white of e%^^ to nourish, and this, As regards also the raode in which venom is to no hnrouL test differing in composition, good hurtful toanimallll'e, this potent agent Isaltogether for destroying alone. peculiar. Let us examine a single case. We It was once thought that the poison ceased inject through a hoUow needle two drops of to he such when not injected by the maker. venom under the skui of a pigeon. On a sud­ Fontana disproved this, and so we may safely den, within a minute, it is dead, without pang use it in our researches as we get it frora the or struggle; and the tissues, when examined, snake, with the great advantage of knowiug reveal no cause of death. The fatal result is what dose we administer. Let us now study rarely so speedy ; but here, as with all poisons, the symptoms which this poison produces, and personal peculiarities count for a good deal, and one animal wiU die hi a minute from a dose then learu, if possible, bow it acts, and on what which another may resist for hours, W^e repeat >^ns; because, as modern science has shown, the experiment, using ouly half a drop. In a dl poisons have their especial organs, or sets of few minutes the bird staggers, aud at last n^ns, upon which chiefly their destructive in- crouches, too feeble to walk. The feebleness Suence falls. This sort of analytic separation increases, vomiting occurs, the breathing be­ >f the effects of poisons is always difficult, and comes laboured, the head falls, a slight convul­ lever more so than as regards venom. sion follows, and the pigeou is dead. This is Rattlesnake poison is not fatal to all Ufe. all we see—merely a strange intense weakness. foa cannot kill a crotalus with its own venom. -^ y_ 376 [March28,16«8.J ALL THE YEAR ROUND, [Condoeted by

Before trying to explain it, we shall do well to between whose double folds the vessels nm to watch that which takes place when a larger and from the intestine. We are now as near to animal, surviving the first effects, perishes alter the centre of the raaze as we are likely to come: a few hours or days. Here is a record of such nearer than we have corae with most poisons. a case. A large dog, poisoned with five drops We have learned that this bland, tasteless of venom, lives over the first few hours of venom has the subtle power to forbid the blood feebleness, and then begins to show a new set to clot, and in some strange way to pass through of symptoras. Some horrible malady of the the tissues, and to soften and destroy the little blood and tissues has come upon him, so tbat blood-vessels, so that they break under the con­ the vital fluid leaks from the kidneys or tinuing force ofthe heart-pump. the bowels, and oozes from the gums. The Tlie sarae phenomena raay be seen on the fang-wounds bleed, and a prick of a needle will surface of an open wound treated with venom; drip blood for hours. Thus exhausted, he dies, and that which happens in the wound, and, ia or slowly recovers. Meanwhile, the wound the experiment just described, goes ou at last raade by the injecting needle or the fang has everywhere in the body, so that in dozens of undergone a series of changes, which, rightly places vessels break down, whUe the blood is studied, gave the first clue to tlie true explana­ powerless to check its own wasteful outflow, as tion of how this hideous agent acts. it would have done in health. A large and growing tumour marks where the We have dwelt so long upon the symptoms needle entered. We cut into it. There is no of tbe protracted cases of snake-bite as to have inflammation at first; the whole raass is fluid lost sight for a time of the smaUer class of suf­ blood, which by and by soaks every tissue iu ferers, who perish so suddenly as to forbid us the neighbourhood, and even stains the bones to explain their deaths by the racts which seem themselves. If, for the sake of contrast, we so well to cover the chronic cases. These wound any healthy part with a coraraon needle, speedily fatal results are uncommon in man, but without venom, we open thus a few small blood­ in small animals are very frequent. vessels, which presently cease to bleed, because It is cominou to see pigeons die withiu ten the escaped blood quickly clots, and so corks minutes, and in tbese instances no trace of their open raouths by a rarely falling providence alteration can be found in the blood or soUd of all-thou gilt ful Nature. The conclusion seems tissues. Upon considering, therefore, the two easy, that the venom destroys the power of the sets of cases, it seems pretty clear that the blood to clot, and so deprives the animal of this venom has, besides its abUity to alter the blood exquisite protection against haimorrhage. If aud enfeeble the vessels, some direct power to the creature live long and the dose be heavy, injure the great nerve-centres which preside the collected blood putrefies, abscesses form, over locomotion, respiration, and the heart's and more or less of the tissue becomes gan­ action. grenous. Nor is this evU only local. The To describe the experiraental method by venom absorbed frora the wound enters the cir­ whieh these conclusions were reached would culation, aud soou the whole mass ofthe blood demand the space of another article, and m- has lost power to clot when drawn. We are volve a full explanation of tbe modem means not willing lo assert that this is a putrefactive of studying the effects of poisons; so that for change; but it is certainly iu that direction, this reasou we raust beg the reader to accept because this blood, if drawn, will now decay the proposition without being troubled with the faster than other blood. By and by it begins to proof. leak through the various tissues, aud we find It were weU if the record of horrors ended blood escaped out of tbe vessels aud into the with the death or the recovery; but m countries brain, lungs, or intestinal walls, giving in each where poisonous snakes are abundant aud cases case specific symptoras, according to the part of bile numerous, it is not uncommon to find injured and the function disturbed. that persons who survive become the victims A further step has of late been gained towards of blindness, skin disorders, and various forms comprehending this intricate problem. A young of palsy. rabbit was made senseless aud motionless with Fortunately the average snake-bite, even in chloroform. Then its abdomen was opened, India or Martinique, is far less fatal than was and a piece of the delicate membrane which once believed; so that eveu dogs, when bitten, holds the intestines was laid under the micro­ are by no means sure to die. Thus, of nme so scope, and kept moist by an assistant. The treated ou one occasion, only three perished; observer's eye looked down upou a wild racing while among the eighty cases of venom poison­ of rayriad blood-discs through the tiny vessels of ing in raan recorded iu Araerican raedicaljournal s the transparent racmbrane. Presently the assis­ up to 18G1 we have but four deaths. This un­ tant puts a drop of venom upon the tissue wc looked-for result is due chiefly to the fact, that are studying. For thirty seconds there is no the danger is directly as the amount of venom, change. Then suddeuly a smaU vessel, giving and that the serpent, unless very large and long way, is hidden by a rush of blood-discs. A at rest, or in captivity, can rarely command little way off another vessel breaks, then a enough to kill a man. Once aware of these third, and a fourth, until within five minutes the facts. It is easy to see why so mauy remedies got field of view is obscured by blood, which at last credit as antidotes in a disease supposed to be causes a rupture iu the deUcate membrane fatal, and in reaUty not at all so. y

Charles DlekeoB.] ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [March 29, ISei.] 377

Among the most absurd of the tales which the circulation of the bitten part wiih the est ou tiie common belief that a mere prick of general system. The poison, before in quaran­ venoraed faug may kill, is that of the fanner tine, is let loose; the pulse becomes fast and ?ho was stung by a snake, which not only slew feeble. We lighten the baud, and give mor.j im, but left its fang in the fatal boots, which, liquor. The principle is this: You have teu lUing to his descendants, proved fatal to two raeu to fight, and you open the door wide f them also. This story is to be traced to its enough just to let In oue at a time. So much riginal in the " Letters of an American of the veuora as your local treatment leaves in banner," by St, John (de Crevecceur), where the tissues ^la3 to be admitted to the general t loses none of the piquancy of the later ver- system soon or late; wc so arrange as to let it ions. In a little at a time, and are thus able lo fight It The reader wUl by this time understaud that in detail. tis impossible the mere wound of the dry fang Stripped utterly of its popular surroundings, ould destroy three persons in succession, so and told in the plainest language, the mere hat we may confidently dismiss this tale to the scientific story of the venom of the rattlesnake imbo of other snake stories, is full of a horrible fascination, such as to some A few words raust suffice to tell all we kuow degree envelops the history of all poisons. One 3 to the proper treatment. There are in would like to know who first among the early Lraerica at least a hundred supposed antidotes, settlers encountered the reptile, aud what that ud in Martmique about as many. It is an old emigrant thought of the original inhablfant. aying of a wise doctor, that diseases, for which What they wrote of him soon after is told iu here are numerous remedies, are either very the foUowing quotations, with wlileh wc shall aiid or very fatal. Taking the mass of cases close. They have a peculiar iuterest, as the )f snake-bite in Araerica, few die; and this first printed statements about the rattlesnake, 3 why, as we said before, aU means seera good and as giving the earliest expression to certain like. Tested fairly, where the dose of venom fallacies which stiU retain their hold upon the las been large, they are aU alike worthless— popular raind. , beautiful subject for the medical statistician. From New Englinh Canaan, or New Canaan. Looked at with an eye to symptoras, we see Written by Ttiomar Morton, of Clifford'8-imi, Gent. a the first effects of veuora a dangerous de- Printed at Amsterdam, 1637, iression of aU functions, exactly like what fol- "Tliere is one cree|jiiig beast or longe creeple (as ows an over-dose of tartar emetic. The ob- the name is in Devonshire) that hath a rattle at his ious treatment is to stimulate the raau, and tayle, that does discover his age; for so many hia is the meaning of whisky for snake-bite— yeares as hee hath lived, so many joynta are in that i remedy, by the way, which enormously iu- rattle, which soundeth (when it is in motion) like leased the number of snake-bites in the army pease in a bladder, & this beast is called a rattle­ in the American frontier. The intensity of the snake ; but the Salvages give liim tlie name of Sesick ; whicli some take to be the Adder ; & it may lepression is shown best by the amount of well be so (for the .Salvages are significant iu tlieir rhisky which may then be taken with impunity, deuomination of anything) & is no lesi*e hurtful none case, a well-known physician of Tamaqua, than tbe Adder of England & no more. I have had Pennsylvania, gave to a cbUd aged two years my dogge veuomed with trouIiUng one of these, & ,pint of whisky in two hours. A little girl ao swelled that I bad thought it would have bin his if nine years old in South Carolina received death; but with one saucer full of aalet oyle poured bus a pint and a half of whisky in four hours, downe his throate he recovered, & the swelUng Neither patient was raade drunk by these doses, assuaged by the next day- The like experiment Iiath bin made upon a hoy, that hath by chaunce Dod both recovered. troad upon one of these, & the boy never the worse. It is likely that too much whisky is often Therefore it i.i aim|)licity in any one that sliall tell ;iven in such cases, since all that is desirable is a bugbeare tale of horror, or terrible serpents that 0 keep the person generally stimulated, and are in that land." (p.82.) lot to make him drunk. Nor does stimulus From New England's Prospect. By William lestroy the venom—it only antagonises its Wood. London, 1636. ctivity.as is best shown by ralxing venom with " That which is most injurious to the person & Icohol, and then injecting the mixture under life of man is a Rattlesnake, which is generally a he skin, when the subject of the experiment yard & a halfe long, as thick in the middle as the riU die, just as if no alcohol had been used. small of a man's legge ; she bath a yellow belly, her As to local treatment, whatever gets the backe being spotted with blacke, russet yellow, & enom out of the tissues is good. Cross-cut greene colours placed like scates; at her taiie is a rattle with which shee makes a noyse wlien shee is be wound through the fang-marks, and suck at molested, or wlien shee seeth any approach neere t with cups or with the raouth, if you like the her ; her neck seemes to be no thicker than a man's itten person weU enough. Cut the piece out, thumbe, yet can she swallow a Squerrill, having a Uhe situation allows of that, or burn it with a great wide mouth, with teeth as eharpe as needles, ed-hot iron—mUder caustics being mostly wherewith shee bitetli such as tread upon her; her alueless. One other measure has real utility, pDyson lyeth in her teeth, for she hath no sting. 'ie a broad band around tbe limb above the When any man is bitten by any one of these crea­ ite, 80 as to stop the pulse. Now give tures, the poyson spreads so suddenly through the 'hisky enough to strengthen the heart. Let veins, & so runs to the heart, that in one hour it 3 then relax the band, and so connect again causeth death, unlesse he hath the Antidote to ex- y 378 [March 28,186a] ALL THE YEAR HOUND. LCondnetfld hy

pell the poyson, which is a root called Snakeweede, mission. " Whilst contemplating the Tower of which must be champed, the spittle swallowed & the London," my guide-book tells me, " the miud roote applied to the sore ; this is present cure against spontaneously reverts to the Norman Conquest" that which would be present death without it; this What has been the matter with my miud, that,, weede is ranke poyson, if it be taken by any man tbat is not bitten, unlesse it be physically com­ instead of " spontaneously revertmg," as it, pounded ; whosoever is bitten by these snakes his ought to have done, I have lived all tbese year& tiesh becomes spotted like a leaper until! he be per­ in Londou without visiting its famous fortress? fectly cured. It is reported that if the party live I once penetrated secret chambers in Nantes ar­ that is bitten, the snake will dye, & if the party dye mouries, and discovered an inscription, "Arthur the snake will live. This is the most poysonous and a7id Thomas Jackson of BristoU, prisoners of Watr dangerous creature, yet nothing so bad as the report 1703,"as myreward; IhavejourneyedtoChamp- goes of him in England. For whereas hee is said to toce for the express purpose of gazing on the kill a man with his breath, & tbat hee can flie, there is no such matter, for he ia naturally the moat ruined castle of that Sieur de Retz, who is said slcepie & unnimble creature that lives, never offering to have been the original Blue Beard; and have to leape or bite any man if he be not trodden ou visited modern dungeons and ancient doujohns, first; & it is their desire in hot weather to lie castles, gaUeries, aud fortresses in most of the pathes, where the sun may shine on them, where countries in Europe. But the show-places of they will sleepe so soundly that I have known foure my own city are unkuown to me. I have never men stride over one of them & never awake her: five been up the Monument, nor through West­ or six men have been bitten by them, which by minster Abbey. My knowledge of St. Paul's using snakeweede were all cured, never yet any is limited to distant views of its dome, and losing his life by tbem. Cowes have been bitten, but being cut in divers places & this weede thrust nearer views of its railings. The Thames into tbeir flesh were cured. I never heard of auy Tunnel is a picture, a magic-lantern sUde, the beast that was yet lost by any of them, saving one top of ray old nurse's workbox, a stopping mare." (p. 38.) pier for GreenwicU steamboats, a gaudy paper­ weight ; but it is not a reaUty for me. I could From New England's Rarities. Discovered by uot teU you lUe way lo the Mint; and I saw John Josselyn, Gent. London, 1672, the state apartments at Windsor Castle for the *'The Rattle Snake who poysons with a vapour first time on Tuesday week. In short, affer that comes through two crooked fanges in their mouths; the hollows of these fanges are black as living iu Loudon more years thau I care to say, ink. The Indians when weary with travelling, will its sights are as strange to me as those of Paris take tbem up with their bare bands, laying hold with and Vienna, of Munich and Florence, of Rome one hand behind their head, and witli the other and MUan, are famiUar. Taking myself seriously taking hold of their tail, & with their teeth tear off lo task, I determine to devote time to the Ihe skin of tlieir backs & feed upon them alive, sights of London, and at once find myself at which they say refresheth them." Ugh 1 ! (p. 38.) sea. On asklug lo be takeu up to the ball We are aware of no eariier accounts; so that, of St. Paul's I fiud divine service goingon, and in the scope of this article, the reader has the the beadle scaiidaUsed at my request. Walkmg first and the very last words concerning the ser­ on to Monument-yard, the janitor pointssilently pent in question. lo a painted board, which says " uo one admitted while the Monumeut is under repair," and looks as if he ihought me a barbarian for troubfing him, SENT TO THE TOWER. uuder the circumstances. It is now dusk, audi defer my visit lo the Tower untU next day. Ex­ NKITHF.R for ray stubborn patriotism, like cited and eager, I rise early, perform a journey Owen Glendower; nor for ray faithfulness to by railway aud by stearacr, and present mjself my sovereign, Uke Sir Simon Burley; uor at Ihe gates at uine, to find that the warders through ray weakness of character, like Richard do not begin duty till half-past ten, aud that the Second ; nor because of the jealousy the first "show-round" will not be for one of ambitious relatives, like the Henrys and lioiu- aud fifteen miuutes later. So much for a Edwards; nor on a charge of witchcraft, like Londoner's ignorance of London. A country Lord llastings; nor for aspiring to marry cousiu, or au iutelUgent Zulu visitor, would above mc, lUie ArundeU of Norfolk ; nor for have managed better; and having made pil­ my religious zeal, like Sir Thomas More, Craii- grimages to the city iu vain on two separate raer, Kidlcy, Latimer, Anne Askew, and the days, 1 take a penny steamboat ticket at West­ seven bishons; nor for my royal blood, Uke minster ou a third, with my confidence consider­ the venerable Countess of Salisbury; nor for ably shaken In ray owu knowledge of town. niy ambition, like the Dudleys; nor as a My fitst thoughts ou board are, why have I victim to court intrigues, like Raleigh, Crom- neglected this mode of conveyance so long, and weU, and Essex; uor for my treason, like why are not the steamers fuUer of the class who Balraorino and Lovat; nor for defying the ride in hansoms, aud to whom personal economy Speaker's warrant, like Sir Erancis Burdett is not an object in Ufe ? Within given nomts, —have I been sent to the Tower, A sense your steamboat is a swifter as weU as a cneaper of shame, combined with ignorance, pure and means of gaining your destination, bnt I see tew uuaduitcratrd, has brought luc here, and I people ou board to whom the saving of lime is place myself in the custody of a warder likely to be of consequence. Yet any oue going, with a complete sense of humUity and sub­ we will say frora the Houses of ParUament to "^^ y

OIiArl«B Diokena.] ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [March 28,1868.] 370 london Bridge, would save many rainutes if he can, who declines to rival his dry-goods neigh­ rent by water instead of driving, and there bour by selling tea, winds up a distich to that eems to be a link wanting between the express effect, with— teamers and the carriage-driving and cab- iding public. The literature and the refresh- Nor deal in goods sold by m_v grocer-brother, lent sold on board confirm my views. The But live in harmony with one another. lustraled and facetious broad-sheet belongs to Going rouud by Tower Dock, the dryness of bygone time, and speaks to even a lower which is relieved by a couple of taverns iu near rder of intelligence than our penny comic contiguity, we see precisely the same string eriodicals appeal to now. Tbe pictorial Police of Uslless ragged figures we left here yesterday. Jews, with fancv woodcuts of the latest mur- Forlorn, weary, wretched, they seem lo have erer disembowelling his victim, and of the neither washed nor slept nor moved since that itest murderer but one swinging on the gallows tirae. "Labourers-on-the-look-out-for-a-job, the evil man's moustache and features being would -you - give - a - poor-nian-oul-o* -work-the- ruite visible through the while cap), is not an price-of-a-crust-of-bread-master ?" (all in one Qteltectual forra of literary solace ; and though word) is the answer of the nearest of thera lo our he boy shouts astutely "vrith portraits of the question as to why they arc there aud for what [allows for the last tirae, through *angings tliey are waiting. We incautiously give the ;oin' to be done in private," he meets with poor raan out of luck the price of a crust of i8 little encouragement as the vendor of oranges oread, and at once find ourselves a centre of lud almond paste. The young raen and boys attraction to an unsavoury crowd. Faces so in board, who remind one somehow of a seamy, unkempt, unshorn, and fierce, that it is bird-rate theatre, have an air of truant play- difilcult to think of them as ever having been babies, or ought else unrepulsive aud human, Bg, and such of them as have parcels put cluster round aud plead roughly for help, hem under tbe seats to place hands in pockets "There has been no work to get latterly, times lud patrol the deck unconcernedly. Look- are so bad and hard, and won't we give 'em what ng about among the passeusers, we also we've giveu the other man, who hasn't a faraily, lotice clerks, old and youug, aged nondescripts, so help them, he hasn't, aud bad a job, too, fhose garments bear the traces of raany years' the day before yesterday." Not a pleasant ia- :onflict with a greasy and cloth-stainiug world, troductiou to sight-seeing, this hoard of hungiy ind a few idlers who gaze critically on the desperate men; aud distributing some small Chames Embankraent, and caU it "atidy bit of money, we pass through a sentry-guarded gale rork," as if it were a composition in Berlin to the right, and stand face to face with a Uttle rool, and remind each other how long they knot of town beef-eaters with a considerable 'stud it would be about, when it was fust sense of reUef. legun." But no one ou board seems of suifi- ient importance to hiraself and to the world "' Beefeaters,' If you Uke to call us so, of 0 make his lime valuable, and we land at AU course," said the fine old veteran we struck up Mows' pier, with a troubled conviction that a friendship with upou the instant; " aud beef­ re have not raade out why the classes who are eaters I believe we're mostly knbwn as among it once busy and prosperous do not avail the coraraoner sort o' people. But ' Warders of hemselves of the stearaers of the Thames, the Tower,'" drawing himself up au inch or Through cavernous passages which, though two, "is our proper title, aud our uniform is ipen at the top, are dungeon-like iu their blank the same as the leomeu of the Guard at St. ugh walls; past the quaint old tavern, where James's, who walk next before the Queen when * warm" sea-faring men and hard traders take slic opens parliament in stale aud has her eight heir half-pints of heady port from the wood, cream-coloured horses out. Not this thing; nth " morsels"—say a six-inch cube—of cheese this is only our working everyday dress, bnt a it eleven in the day ; past, too, its antithesis, tbe coat of all scarlet covered with gold, very haud- sorae and expensive. We're aU old soldiers arge-wmdowed cafe of thellaUau confectioner who've never bin tried by conrt-raartial. I was rho seUs hot maccaroni, sweetmeats, cheap wine, sergeant in the 9th Laueers myself, and weU Lnd light dishes of eggs, and grease, and salad, remember Sir Hope Grant joining us iu Glasgow, Lud who seeras to have transported his esta- when he was a mere boy, iu 1S26, Got on ilishraent bodily frora one of the quays of Genoa wonderfully since then, hasn't lie, sir? So irLeghom to Thames-street, E,C.; we arrive young, you see, to be iu his position; but he ;t our destination and find the Tower straight were always a kind, good man lo the soldiers, head of us, but hidden by bulging ware- and every one of 'em was glad when he was wuses, and bales, and cranes. 'Ihe shops promotecf up and up as he has been. The ironnd have the distinctive marks of the great Duke of WeUinglou appointed mc here listrict, and the trade taste and decora- i'our-and-t wenty years ago, when he was Con­ ion savour strongly of realism. Thus, every stable of the Tower, aud it is a comfortable lah-dealer seems to sell cod-Uver oil, and little thing enough, added to one's pension, 0W8 upon rows of bottles of bright golden thongh it wouldn't do without that. No, sir, iquid fringe and border the bodies of the huge wc don't all have apartments found us. There's UM themselves. Unpleasant looking toads, a certain amount of accommodation for the izards, and puny crocodiles swing in hollies warders, aud as one set of rooms gets vacant rom one warehouse door; and a poetical publi­ 380 I^Iarch 28,18C8.] ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [Oondncted 117 the next man in seniority takes them. For­ more palpable sympathy than the autograph of merly it used to be that when a man died who Dudley, The armoury, containing the mounted had rooms, the one appointed to fill his vacancy knights, *' with their armour and horses exactly stepped into them in his place; but that's as they were in life," gave much quiet delight, altered now, and very properly, and the warders which, in my case, was not lessened by the dis- who've been longest "here get thera iu their turn. covery that Edward the Fourth carried a striped When shaU we be going round? In exactly six barber's pole as a lance, tbat the Duke of Wel­ minutes frora now. You see, we arrange it this lington's celebrated horse, Copenhagen, was of way : there's forty-four warders, and we take it a dull crimson hue, and that several of the other iu turn to show visitors about. Every quarter steeds pranced and curveted under iheir ridCTs of an hour, frora half-past ten to four a party in a highly groomed condition from black lead. starts from this refreshmcnt-roora, and goes If it be uot irreverent to hint at "ginger" in right through the arraourles and to the regalia- connexion with these fiery animals, it really ex­ room. But if, mind you, twelve people are presses their condition. All are of wood, and ready before tbe quarter's up, we just start of au abnormal friskiness, wbich has been with thera without waiting. You'll get two caught and fixed. Thus, one spu-ited animal tickets at sixpence each, and that's all the ex­ champs his bit, so as to show quite an array of pense you'll be at. Never bin here before, sir? front teeth, and grins in ghastly fashion under Well, that's wonderful that is. A stranger to the weight of his rider's armour. Another London, sir ? Ko! and uever seen the Tower! paws the ground impatiently and stands with Well, don't you bother yourself with that guide­ one foot in the air, like some highly trained book while I'm with you, I'll show you circus-steed suddenly impressed with the reaU- everything worth seeing, lake my word, so you ties of life; while a third is skittishly ambling, keep* the book to arouse yourself when you get as if meditating a bolt through the stained gms home." Out of the gorgeous scarlet and gold window and intervening waU iuto the Thames. upon the surpassing Dcauty of which ray old Each horse has a different and distinct attitude friewl evideutly loved to linger, and iu their of its own, and this row of ri^Id painted animals, work-a-day attire, the warders look like some­ all imraovable and all imitating motion, has an thing between a modern fireman and Gog and edect which is partly humorous and partly Magog. A black velvet biscuit-box, or a stiff ghostly. Six centuries have gone by since the inverted reticule adorned with the ribbons of owner of the first suit drew liis sword, as his the recruitmg-sergeant disfigures their heads eflagy is represented to be doing now; but the (" tuue of Henry the Seventh—this hat is a part armour does not seem to have missed him of our regular uniform"), while the green cloth rauch, aud remains unmoved whUe our friend luuie, ]iatched with red and ornamented ou the the warder points out its deficiencies and advan­ chest by a crimson lion of acrobatic demeanour tages as corapared with the next suit. Past and pursuits, and the dingy purple macintosh liliiug lances, vam-plales, war-saddles, spiked cape wliich surmounted it are far more suggestive chaufrous, ear-guards, cuirasses, helmets, of modern raasquerading than ancient costume. breast-plates, and leg-arraonr, all ou effigies, and If our parly of sight-seers had been bouud all reminding one rather unpleasantly of death to deliver a verdict upou what our good old iu life—and we are facing the old mask formerly warder showed us iu his round, I venture lo worn by the headsman, and the false face and thiuk we should have evolved something grotesque ears of Henry the Eighth's fool. startling aud unusual. There was a deaf mau, We are here between two fires, for the door with a shrewish wife, who repeated every de­ by which we entered has just adraitted another scription as if it were a taunt, and darted party of twelve, headed by a warder, and from arrowy Utile sayings into her husband's ear the stairs above me a third party is having the with a precision which showed the fine old Tower treasures explained. Tbe result is that English custom of torture bad not goue out the descriptions raingle, and " George VilUers, with the thumb-screw. There were three Duke of Buckingham, in a full soot 0' plate, a sailors who either did uot speak English or dis­ wheel-lock petrouel in his hands, and a spanner dained to avaU themselves ofa language which or instrument to wiud up the spring," blends was shared by the four private soldiers who strangely with " Two kettles taken at Blenheim accompanied us; and there were sorae ladies iu the year 1704," and " Suit belonging to of raature age who convoyed two chUdren—era- Charies Brandon, Duke of Sufi'olk—a tidj- jihaslsing our warder's sonorous words by in­ sized sort 0' raau to sit upon a horse," AU is genious twistings of their vicliins' necks and by given iu the conventional showman voice, full of uudges iu their backs. Lastly, there was your sonorous monotony, and as at one lime we are servant, the avidity of whose thirst for know­ three separate parties in one room, the confu­ ledge compelled him to silence, that he might sion of description is rather startling, " Knights hear the more. I have no doubt wc all enjoyed used to faiut uuder their armour, aud could not it immensely, but a less demonstrative dozen it rise," and, " Sword of the celebrated Tippoo would have been diflficult lo fiud. The poUcemeu Sahib, captured at Seringapatam," sounded like praellsing cutlass-drill in the dried-up moat portions of the same sentence, and we don't get awakened as much expression of interest as the rid of this anomaly until we are in Queen Eliza­ Traitor's Gate; aud the pencilled narae of a beth's armoury iu the \Vhile Tower, and gazmg vulgarity of yesterday was grinned over with on her efiigy mounted on a carved white horse y. CSiSTlMlMokena.] ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [March 2S, 18C8.J 381 f surpassing rigidity. We all take great in- which are gaudy and comraonplace enough, erest iu the weapons here. The " morning save for their intrinsic value and associations. tar" and "the holy water sprinkle," or .the Then a feraale custodian comes forward to laUs of wood armed with spikes and hangmg explain. She puts ns iu positiou round the josely from apole, which were in use from the glass and iron cage, and repeats her little Conquest to Henry the Eighth's time, give us lesson with the liveliness of a funeral dirge. afinite deUght. The deaf man is made to prod From the " crown worn by her present Majesty, limself descriptively, and his interpretess ex- with heart-shaped ruby in the centre" to tlic ilains that she thinks he'll understand t^at: the " staff of Edward the Confessor, four feet long, hildren are asked patronisingly whether Ihej'd and of pure gold," and the " swords of Justice ike to feel such a morning star on iheir heads, as and Mercy, that of Mercy having a blunt edge," f the superiority of tbe people talking raadethe m her raauuer never altered, and we rejoined the ndifferent to physical pain. We spend quite joUj^ warder outside, convinced that contem­ ive minutes iu this armoury, and leave it with a plating other people's jewels, even when lonfused sense that we have been fierce soldiers regal, all day aud every day has hi it something crushing to the soul. Frora the it some previous stage of our existence, and regalia we pass to Bcaucharap Tower, across iliat we have carried halberts and pounded our a damp yard, where the site of the old be­ memies with the miUtary flail; afterwards losing heading block, and some three square yards of )ur heads on the block upon which Kilmarnock grimy turf are railed off as the " Tower Green," md Lovat suffered. The narrow prison of Sir ou which Anne Boleyn and ollir.rs were be­ tValter Raleigh, with its thick aud gloomy headed. The warder carefully remains at the iraUs, and the eeU in which he slept; the ancient foot of the stairs while we rush up to gaze igno­ jhapel of St. Peter, containing the dust of rantly at inscriptions, and, if we choose, to pur­ Lady Jane Grey; and the vast armouries filled chase a special handbook with the inseiibers* nth recently converted breechloaders, and names. This is the last thing shown, and it iwords and bayonets tastefully arranged, all elicited the most animated corament I heard: some in rotation. We follow one another up and "Whythe doose don't theylidit up Ihesloopid lowu turret-stairs, across courtyards, and into old place with gas, instead o' makiu' one ihambers, like so many sheep, asking few ques- stumble up stouc stairs with no more light iu jons, and with a ccrtaiu distrust, as if each 'em than my coal cellar at home ?" ffere afraid of exposing his ignorance to his leifihbour. The warder treats us like children We are at Traitors' Gate again, as our guide niik au unconlroUable propensity to do the reminds us, iu exactly one hour and five minutes ivroug thing at the wron^ lime. " Now, then, from the time wheu we left it. If we ever (tep a little forward, and take a good look up- return to the Tower, we should prefer to re-visit irard now, and round about you, if you be so it without companions, save of our own choosing, ninded; but on no account don't touch auy- and to plod slowly through its dungeons and hbg, because that's strictly forbidden. There's chambers with no other assistance than the 1 pretty desk^i for you now—a passion-flower history of our country affords. ;hat is, and made up entirely of pistols and iword-blades. That one overhead is taken from he top of the Prmce of Wales's wedding-cake, THE DRAMATIC CARDINAL. md is made up of three thousand pieces—pistols, layonets, ana sword-blades. Then there's sun- THAT the great Cardinal de Richelieu took lowers, and youder's the rising sun and some so lively an interest in the drama that he may Krpents, aU made out of arms, and as pretty almost be looked upon as the father of French lesigus as you might wish to see." These tragedy, is a fact prettv generally known ; also mbstantial efforts of fancy are interspersed that he tried his hand as a dramatic author, :hroughout a room holding sixty-five thousand and produced plays, the weakness of which contrasted remarkably with the strength of his stand of arms, aud are really not unlike what political operations. With his habitually nice they purported to be. They vie with the re- discrimination of the minute details of elmracter »aha in arousing interest, and utterly outshine that are proper to every one of the illustrious ihe historical portions of the Tower. ludeed, personages of history whora, by the magic of it was diflScult to ascertain from the demean- his pen, he recalls to life. Lord Lytton, in his 3ur of my fellow sight-seers whether they knew admirable play, has set dowu among the causes mjthing concerning these, except what tbey that induced the cardinal lo eye with favour leMTit then and there frora the warder. " Does the somewhat suspicious De Mauprat, the cir­ the Queen ever Uve here now?" and "Wasn't cumstance that the latter ^vas oue of the ;here some prisoners to bc seen as weU ?" did chosen few who applauded the tragedy writteu aot convey a high idea of the knowledge of the by the former, and the aUusion lo his erai- risitors, aud, frora the manuer of our guide's nence's weak point is always thoroughly ap­ replv, we judged sucb questions to be comraon preciated by the audience. But that many » his experience. persons are aware of the important figure raade But the regalia rouses everybody into sighs liy the cardinal in the early history of the md grunts of admiration. Passing through French stage we very much doubt. Never­ m ante-room, we are face to face with the theless there is a certain period iu the chroni- British crown, aud with a variety of baubles =^ 3S2 [Slarcli 28, IMS.) ALL THE TEAE HOUND. [OondaQt«d^

cles of the PEiiisiau drama, during which Rieiie- good; for, bad they remained in theu* old lieu is as ubitiuilous as Figaro, aud has equal quarter, they would not have got into a serape right with the Barber lo cry, "Largo al fac­ with the magistrate. totum." lie builds theatres; he writes plays; In 1600 the company of the Hotel de Bour­ he causes jdays to he criticised. gogne havmg divided itself into two parts, one The theatrical biography of the cardinal of thera left tlie old Iiouse to sojourn at the seeras to begin with his palrouagc of Gros Marais, while at the Hotel du Petit Bourbon an Guillaume, Gaulthicr Garguille, aud Turlupin, Iialian company had beeu performing smw three journeymen bakers, who, displaying a cer­ 1577. Such was the predilection of the car­ tain amount of crude and coarse huinour in cer­ dinal for theatrical amuseraent that one privaie tain broad farces, became so exceedingly popular theaire in the Palais Cardinal was uot suffieieut that they seriously frightened the actors of the to meet his demands. A smaU theatre was Hotel dc Bourgogne, then esteemed the home of constructed, capable of holding six hundred, the classical and the legitimate. Let it not bc aud a larger one, that held more than thra iraagincd that, like the new actors of a raore thousand. In the former of these the ordmaiy receut date, tlicy conlribuled towards the fall pieces of the Hotel de Bourgogne and tbe of the draraa. Iu the days of the " Turlupi- Alarais were represented; the latter was re­ nades," as the farces were called, after the pro­ served for grand occasions. fessional name of one of the actors therein, the But if Richeheu wished to be renowned as a French stage bad not even begun to rise. Poets Msecenas of the drama, he was sliU more amW- there were, indeed, of lofty arabition, but the tious of the fame of a dramatic poet, Hegene- results of their iuspiration now ouly hold a rally worked with assistants, who might be place among the cuiiosities of Uteraturc. Pierre called professional, and who were the osten­ Corueille is the earliest dramatist who is sible authors of the piece ; but it was usually allowed to hold a niche in the French Pautli6on, understood (hat, in some way or other, it pro­ and the first comedy of the iraraortal Pierre ceeded from the cardinal, and, consequently, (Melite) was not brought out before 1630, The fault could not be found with it, save at the Cid, frora which his fame may bc dated, did risk of giving offence iu high quarters. not see light tiU about six years afterwards, The poetical assistants were usually five in Li 1034 the three drolls were all gathered to number, aud the first piece tbat resulted from their fathers, dying, it Is said, in the same the grand corabluation of inteUeetual labour week, in consequeuce of the terror with whicli seems to have been a coraedy, entitled Les they were seized on finding themselves involved Thuileries. This, it appears, was constructed iu a serious scrape (owing to an exaggerated by the cardinal, and written by the five, one of imitation, ou the part of Gros GuUlaume) by whom—no less a person than CorneUle, whose one of the Paribian magistrates. Cid, however, had not yet seen the Ught—sug­ W^hcu the haughty artists of the Hotel de gested that tbe plan of the third act might be Bourgogne complained lo the cardinal of the advantageously altered. Far frora taking the misconduct of Turlupin and Co., bis eminence wholesorae advice kindly, RicheUeu told Cor- resolved to look into the rights of the case, and neiUe that he ought to have an "esprit de inviting the three trespassers to the Palais Car­ suite"—an expression proper to the imomatic dinal—the present Palais Royal—which he had tongue of the cardmal rather than to that of recently built, induced them to give a taste of Parisians iu general. It was, m fact, an their quality ra his presence, an alcove being enpheraism for " bUnd obedienqe." the stage on which they were lo display their Colletet, another of the five, and Ukewise a abilities. So successful was theii" performance meraber of the French Academy, afforded more that the discomfited company of the Hotel de unmixed satisfaction. Three lines which he Bourgogne were enjoined lo lake them iuto their wrote in reference to the piece of water in the own body ; the cardinal remarking that whereas ThuUeries were considered so exceedingly feli­ the more dignUied artists always left him sad, citous by the cardinal, that he rushed at once to the introduction of the comic element would, his escritoire, and ttikhig out fifty pistoles, doubtless, prove beneficial. thrust them iuto the hand of the fortunate genius, The joke which so much tickled the car­ at the sarae time declaring that this sum was dinal was not of the raost refined order. Gros ouly intended to reward the speciaUy beautiful GuUlaume, dressed as a grotesque woraan, was lines, and that the king himsi^f would not be supposed to be the wife of Turlupin, who, wealthy enough adequately to reward the rest. violently enraged, threatened to cut off the The gem so highly prized may be construed in head of his ridicuhms better half with a wooden English thus: sabre, but was suddenly appeased when the lady sued for mercy in the name of the cabbage The duck bedews herself with liquid mud, soup which she had matle for him the evenmg Then with brave voice and widely fiapphig wings Rouses the drake, that lingers at her side. before. The sabre fell from his hands, and he exclaimed, "Ah, the hussy! she touches me The happy man expressed his gratitude in a on the weak point; the fat of the soup stiU couplet, which declared how gladly he would sticks to my heart." sell his whole Ubrary at the price which the The victory of the three bakers over their cardinal had given for a few lines. Wlialever adversaries did them, after aU, more harm than may be deemed the murit of these Unes, on ^/ Oharles Dlckens-J ALL THE YEAR ROUND. [March 23,1868.] 383 them only depends the fame of CoUetet. He put alleging that his hours were fully occupied by the into verse a tragedy called Cymiade, which had composition of an heroic poem ou the subject of been written in prose by the Abb6 d'Aubignac, the ancient King Clovis, of which he had already and which, although produced, has since sunk written two books, and which would throw the into oblivion; but tiie three lines and the poetic lustre over France in general, and the grateful couplet are to be found in every col­ cardinal iu particular, and make the reign of lection of French theatrical anecdotes. Louis the Thirleentb famous in the annals of Far more celebrated than Colletet was Jean poesy. The man who wants a comedy is not Ohapelain, who wrole the prologue to Les to be put off with an epic, and Richelieu, who Thuileries, and who was likewise one of the had given Desmarets two snug places under earUer members of the Academy; for he has government, besides making him a member of left behind him the reputation of being the the Acadpmy, replied that the serious duties of Tcry worst French poet that ever put pen to his prote'ge demanded more recreation, and that paper. However, the unwieldy poem on the the composition of draraatic pieces was a light subject of the Maid of Orleans, which was en­ and pleasant amusement. He added, raore than titled La Pucelle, and wbich raised him lo the a Ufetinie would be required for the completion summit of hia bad eminence, did not raake Its of Clovis; and in this respect he was wrong, appearance tUl raore than twenty years after the for iu 1657, more than twenty years after the first performance ofthe cardinal's comedy at the production_ of Aspasie, the ponderous epic Palais Royal, which took place in 1635. This appeared in twenty-sLx cantos, which were prologue, at any rate, answered its purpose; afterwards reduced to twenty. for RicheUeu was so highly pleased with it, that Desmarets having been thus fairly bagged by he requested Chapelain to lend liim bis name, the cardmal, the conqueror and the captive set adding that in return he would lend him his their shoulders to the wheel, and turned out a purse ou sorae future occasion. comedy caUed Les Visionnaires, which really Middling as the plays raight be that were acquired something Uke a graud reputation. issued by the dramatic firra of Richelieu aud The noise that it made originated no doubt iu Co., there was at the tirae glory in being con­ the wiU of the all-potent cardinal, but it was a nected with them. The iUustrious five had a good loud noise at any rate, and owed rauch of bench to theraselves in the best part of the its wide-spreading effect to the circurastancc theatre; their names were honourably men­ that it was virtually a "hit" at actual cele­ tioned in the prologue, and their pieces were brities of the day. The Visionnaires named in always played In the presence of the king and the title were persons respectively distinguished court. by some particular crotchet, and all the initiated Pierre ComeiUe was tbe only poet of the five araong the audience were perfectly aware for who attained a reaUy great reputation. Ofthe whora the dramatic portrait was intended. One rest the most noted was Desmarets de Saint Sor^ lady could bestow her afi'ections on none but lin, who, it seems, had not the least natural incli­ Alexander the Great, and she was understood to nation to became a dramatic poet, but whose represent Madame de Sabl6, one of the most famous of the so-caUed " precieuses," who had genius, latent even to himself, was somehow de­ dared to repel the advances of the cardinal tected by the cardinal. The light which he pos- himself, and who was castigated in the play seined unknown be would willingly have kept accordingly. The arch intriguer, Madame de under a bashel, even after it had been discovered Chavigny, who Is so conspicuous in the history by the great man; but RicheUeu pressed hira so of Anne of Austria, figured as the coquette of hardly to try his hand at a plot, that refusal at the story. And there was a third female " vision­ Ust became dangerous. The plot once achieved, ary " who was never happy save at the theatre, some other gifted mortal might write the verse. and who was meant for the great Madame de At aU events, the cardinal wished to break iu RambouiUet, queen and hostess of "precieuses" the recalcitrant raan of talent by degrees. in geueral. All this was vastly amusmg. Working with the fear of RicheUeu before his syes, Desmarets produced the skeleton of a Many persons have learned by worldly ex­ lomedy called Aspasie, the success of which, perience that it is easier to form a connexion than iiith his patron, Uterally exceeded bis hopes; for to get rid of one, and this lesson was received by rhereas he had done all that he bad desired to Desmarets, who, from the time when Les Vision­ io, and a great deal more, he was now enjoined naires was first brought out, could not write a o write the verse, and encouraged by the remark piece without exciting a suspiciou that the hat no other was worthy to perform a task so cardinal had a finger in the pie. There was no loble. Aspasie was accordingly finished, in direct inforraation to the effect tbat a tragedy pite of the poet's repugnance, played in the called Roxane, which was brought out iu 1640, ireseuce of the Duke of Parraa, and, by com- had any other author than Desmarets; but the land of his eminence, applauded to tbe skies. world insisted that the cardinal had lent his valu­ Left to himself, Desmarets would have pre- able assistance. On the strength of this belief the poet Voiture, renowned in his day, extoUed Brred epic to dramatic poetry; and when Riche- the play iu the most disgusting spirit of adula­ ieu, rendered more urgent than ever by the tion ; and results provecf that the hypothesis of access of Aspasie, proposed that be should the cardinal's partnership was the safest, if not upply a simUar work every year, he endeavoured the most correct that could be adopted; for the ) shield iumself ag^nst tue new infliction by 384 ALL THE YEAR KUGND. :March28,186&] Abbe d'Aubignac, a man of decided talent and the cardinal, who had changed his mmd iu the erudition, was not allowed a seat in the Freuch course of the night, was enabled to coUect the Academy; nor could his rejection be ascribed to precious fragments in the raorning, and to have any cause, save his atrocious opinion, openly ex­ a fair new copy made with aU possible speed. pressed, that Roxane was but an indifferent A few slight alterations alone distinguished the work after all. second from the first edition of the play, aud But the draraatic work in which Richelieu the intellect of tbe Academicians had undergone took the greatest pride was the tragedy Mirame, an araeUoration Ukewise. They now clearly saw of which Desraarcts was the only norainal tbat their approval was expected, and, Uke wise author, but which certainly owed its existence and learned gentlemen as they were, they sent partly to the cardinal, who buUt the large in praise without measure, having carefully private theatre in the Palais Royal, with the avoided a reperusal of the work, partly to,save sole view of producing it iu effective style. theraselves trouble,partly to avoid every risk that On the first representation the play faUed an unfavourable impression raight be revived. raiserably, and RicheUeu, iu despair, sent for But the misfortunes of Europe were not Desmarets, who shook in his shoes ou receiving to be averted. Elated with the applause of the the summons, aud had the precaution to take Academy, tbe cardinal could uo longer be con­ with him a friend, in whose practical wisdom tent with a private triumph, but raust ueeds he felfc great confidence. " Sad want of taste in have his play Drought out at the Hotel de Bour­ the French," cried the cardinal, as they both en­ gogne, the great public theatre, durrag the first tered ; " they don't even like Mirame." "Nay, " run" (as we should uow say) of the Cid, your Eminence," said the judicious frieud, " the Besides bis earlier comedies, ComeiUe had al­ public is not to blame—still less the author of ready produced a tragedy on the subject of that piece; but those actors—ah those actors ! Medea, with slight success; but the Cid, Your Eminence must have noticed, not only that brought out iu 1036, was a work to which they bad uot learned their parts, but that they nothing comparable had ever been seen in were disgracefully intoxicated." Richelieu Paris, aud about which everybody was m found the explanation satisfactory, and the ecstacy. Into the midst of the general enthu­ second performance of Mirame—the actors siasm was thrust the poor Insipid Europe, having been duly admonished, and the audience doomed to confront a throng composed of people carefully selected—weut off with the most in geueral, aud consequently iucludmg some brilliant success, the cardinal himself being the irreverend souls who feared not Richelieu. So ringleader of approbation, violently using bands wheu, after tlie termination of the play, one of ana feet in the work of applause, and sorae- the actors announced it for repetition ou the tlmes thrusting his body far out of his box to foUowing day, unequivocal sounds of disap­ secure sUence and a proper appreciation of the probation arose on all sides, and a general cry choice passages. was raised for the aU-popular Cid, A severe Much less fortunate was Europe, another critique writteu ou CorueiUe's play by the joint production, which, like Mirame, was nomi­ Academy, at the instigation of the cardinal, ia nally the sole work of Desmarets, and the dul­ consequeuce of this mishap. Is among the me­ ness of which must have been surprising. The morabilia of Freuch literary history. interest of the piece was intended to be purely A thought has occurred to us while collecting political; allegorical representations of Spaiu, the materials for this paper. The generafity of France, aud other European countries, stalk Englishmen, including those who are passion­ upon the boards, and discourse of their power, ately fond of Freuch prose, have a natural anti­ tlieir resources, and their relations with each pathy to Freuch heroic verse, and avoid Cor­ other. Richelieu, wheu the work was com­ neUle and Racine with au instinctive dread of plete, found it so very admirable that, iu boredom, which only the genius of a Rachel order to have a special opinion, he scut it to was able to subdue. To the educated Parisian, the French Academy, with the request that the a contest betweeu Richelieu and his creatures forty members of that grave body would favour on oue side, aud the great ComeiUe on the him with an impartial opinion. Tbe Acaclcml- other, places the former in a purely ridiculous ciaus, forgetting for the nonce that Ihey were position; but we doubt whether mauy English­ the cardinal's creatures, looked rather at the men, masters of theFreuchlanguage, would, mth- letter than at the spirit of this request, aud re­ out having undergone au accUmatlsing process, turned the play with such a severe criticism arrive at the conclusion that a play by Desmarets that his eminence, stung to the quick, tore up was so very, very bad, granted that the best the manuscript, aud flung it iuto the fireplace. tragedy by ComeiUe was so very, very good. Had the season been winter, the cardinal would have been spared further auuoyaiicc, and a fight famed iu the annals of French literatuBe would HOLIDAY ROMANCE, have beeu avoided; but, as it happened, the BT CHARLES DICKENS, season was spring, aud there was no fire; so Will be concluiled hi Uie next Number.

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