The Eve of All-Hallows, v. 1 of 3

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Voyage.-

ealm of Scotland, on a visit to his kind relatives and friends in that hospitable land, had formed a resolution to depart for the shores of Ireland, to meet his noble patron. When, in pursuance of this intention, he embarked on board "The William Wallace of Ayr," the sails of

oud peals of thunder, while continuous sheets of lightning illumined and flashed throughout the darkly tinted horizon, which were succeeded by fre

the next succeeding day. About nine o'clock, however, of the evening of the thirty-first, The Eve of All-Hallows, the storm to every appearance had wholly abated, and preparations accordingly were commenced for the ship to sail, without any further delay, as bound on its destination. At that point of time the

luence, paralyzed and arrested his motions. The rapid progress of the strangers exciting the curiosity of the sailors, called forth in a no less degree the astonishment of the quiet and peaceable burghers of the good and loyal town of Ayr, who were then about to retire to repose. Two horsemen now advanced, their wearied steeds pressed onward with the utmost velocity; who halting for the instant at the brig of Ayr, inqui

ttainment of their object. The vessel was not yet under way when they arrived on the be

bespoke the undaunted warrior; his firm step, and manly air, and sinewy arm, boldly told that he knew well how to wield the falchion in the doubtful fight;

selle and r

erce horseman

from some

carbine on t

perchance, it was of sorrow! which affected him even still more than bodily fatigue. But still these might have been only mere suspicions, suggestions probably unjustly awakened at the interesting moment, from the lateness of the hour, the hasty, embarrassed approach of the stranger; and added to all this, his impatience and manifest anxiety to embark. It

ng after it himself, was followed by his attendant. When placed in the boat, he took his station at the stern, where, enveloped in his plaid, he sat immoveably silent, wrapped in gloomy meditation. Upon the stranger's having reached the ship, he still seemed deeply absorbed in thought; the same continued gloom and silence were preserved, while with hurried strides ever

momentary interval of silence prevailed-"I say," said a sailor, addre

I ken that the arch-fient, wi' a' the weirds and warlocks, will be abread, and alake! I sp

t I'm nae fasht my cantie carl! whare we a' maun gang

other, "to make a' sicker, that the De

speak of?" said Colonel Davidson, the first ti

," rejoined the sailor,

--whom do you c

keenzie. Pray wha do ye

sel bound f

the gate o' the wind,

ind became adverse; and the storm, or rather hurricane, of the

re were for gra

no form, was visible, not even in shadowy indistinctness: but solemn musical sounds, wherever they might have pr

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stened with deep consternation, and were awfully imp

peared of more than mortal size to the terrified eyes of the beholders; his action was wild and frantic. At one time he walked with such rapidity as if pursued by an enemy; anon he would suddenly halt, and, folding his arms, gaze upon the troubled deep, which seemed in unison with his troubled mind. Next, loudly he uttered a deep and contrite groan; when having rapidly pushed aside his plaid, he drew forth dirk, sabre, or

, Non

brawny hand, and made a sudden spring, as if in the very act of throwing himself over board. When at the moment his faithful attendant manfully grasped him by the shoulder. The Colonel was seized with a trance, and instantly fell, apparently lifeless, upon the deck. This fa

in the cabin below; and he has been often heard to express his feelings deeply excited upon this awful occasion; and to de

William Wallace" bore strongly in their remembrance, that this portentously awful night was

and all the de

, the breeze blew fair from the north-east, while the staunch vessel proceeded on her watery way. They were now sailing along the deep-indented and romantic coast of Ayrshire, when wearied by the eternal tacking to and fro, the heat and pent-up-air, and all the dull monotony and purgatorial misery of the cabin of a ship, Doctor M'Kenzie ascended the deck, and thence inhaled the invigorating and refreshing breeze, while intently, with admiring gaze, he surveyed the bold and broken masses of those picturesque shores, wh

shores of Ayrshire from the sword of the invader, extending their line of defence from Loch-Ryan to the port of Irvine; but which in our

ordly Cassilis. All these delightful scenes were passed by unheeded, for the stranger did not even look to shore, but studiously turned his eyes seaward; and wrapt in deep, moody, mournful meditation, he seemed to rejoice in the bounding billow, and in the roar of the tempest. Not the mighty towering pyramid, of stupendous height, the colossal craig

, that it caused "The William Wallace" to be hurried, with vast impetuosity, through the straits be

eat about the entire night under bare poles; while the pitchy darkness of the sky, add

so thought too even the solitary stranger, who, although hitherto he seemed to woo the breeze, and enjo

ys were closed down, and the sea, in mountain cataracts, burst over the deck with impetuous roar; while overpowered with fatig

the opposite point of the compass, while squall fiercely succeeded s

-swept Orc

their post, and the crew exerted them-selves to the utmost in closing the chasm, and incessantly, without respite or intermission, plying every pump; and at length their efforts providentially fully succeeded: for what

tially giving way, the moon, which was nearly full, arose, and afforded a sufficient friendly light for the Captain to ascertain the extent of the danger which he had to encounter. He immediately caused the gunwale to be lightened, by throwing the guns overboard, which effectually raised her, and the waves of the returning tide assisted in extricating the vessel from imminent peril. They at len

than at its first onset, and soon broadly

elm unfaithful

one desperate remedy, namely, to cut away the shrouds, and stay, and with all possible expedition to hew down the mizen-mast. During this awful operation the crew did not conduct them-selves like men without hope, although around them all was danger and despair! They felt, however, fully aware that little less than a miracle could extric

, worthy of being recorded, occurred

-Flanders, with such rapidity, had wind, and tide, and currents impelled them onward. They now proceeded at

fatigue, depressed by despair, and more like the dead than the living, they remained awfully wedged in between these dreadful rocks. Eventually, after an interval of suspense and horror, which appeared to all as though it would never end, the fo

s athwart the deck. Again a second shock was encountered. It was then all despair, de

prayers, to pray

hock, promiscuously scattered upon the surface of the waves were seen floating the disjoined wreck, shattered spars, divided stores, bales of cargo, &c., along with the mangled corses of the dead, and the struggling bodies of the living, all commingled, and tumultuously undulating upon the agitated billows. But providential it was for the survivors, who, in number, we grieve to state, were but few, that this

g the perilous situation of the poor unhappy sufferers; so that when the dread event took place, t

e, and in the

as we have already observed, from a watery grave; great manual and unwearied exertions were

that had ensued in consequence of the long protracted siege of three years and three months, which it had sustained against the Spaniards, under the command of Spinola,[5] when fifty thousand of

every purpose of three or four breakfasts, dinners, and suppers, they heartily congratulated each other in a bottle of genuine and veritable Rhenish wine, upon their most miraculous escape from a watery grave! They subsequently retired a

before them. Doctor M'Kenzie observed, while he and the Colonel were sipping some admirable coffee, assisted by the agrèments of excellent Flemish bread and eggs, and swallowing con amorè some Malines ham, which, accompanied with a flowing flagon of Louvaine beer, no doubt put the grave and Reverend Gentleman into the following tra

pse miser

pars mag

so great is the decided repugnance which I feel to again encounter an aquatic expediti

ent, et ponti,

ve ocean now

ournful aspec

fer the peaceful scenes of nature and rural life

minister. But as for me, I like the din of battle, the neighing of the noble war-horse, and the battle-stirring trumpet's brazen

nt was rudely opened, and entered by a party of Gen d'Armes, who immediately proceeded to arrest them as prisoners of war, on suspicion of being spies; and after a short in

sidered it of importance, and besides imping too our flight with some portion of epic boldness, we have nobly dared and adventured to dash at once "in medias res;" in the pursuance of which truly magnanimous deter

n of the summer solstice, becomes retrograde. When thus we plead such high authority thou wilt not perhaps deny an extension of th

with our Tale, which we trust thou mayst find to be withal not unpalatable to thy taste; for which favour, and all retrogressions, and progressions, and egressions, (we hope no transgressions!) thanks and health to thee, mild and patient reader! We l