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All the compliment I can pay to the Duke on the occasion is, that he kept silence while I spoke, and that he changed colour two or three times while I made this strong appeal; but it ended in his cool reply "Sir Edward Seaward, I tell you again the thing is done, and the place must forthwith be delivered up to the Crown of Spain. There will be 10,000l. forthcoming for your indemnification, as I told you before; and that is 8000l. more than we dare charge on the business. Why will you be so troublesome?- the Island of Rattan has been already given up, and every other place, agreeable to the convention, excepting these abominable rocks of yours."—"This being your determination, my Lord Duke," I replied, "with your permission I take my leave." He rose and bowed: I took my hat, bowing in return, but as a cavalier would do when he would give his antagonist to understand "Sir, we meet again."

After I left the Secretary of State, my mind was so absent from the present, that I saw nothing in passing until I arrived at my lodgings in Brutonstreet. My ever dear and affectionate wife anxiously awaited my return. In a moment she read in my countenance that things still went on counter. She did not speak to me, but led me to a chair and sat down by me, still holding my hand in hers. In less than a minute she arose; taking her cambric pockethandkerchief from her pocket, and seating herself ⚫ on my knee, began to rub my forehead; and having done this a little while, during which I found my blood circulate more freely, she kissed both my eyes, one after the other, saying "My dear Ed

ward, if it were in your Eliza's power to make you happy in all things, you should not thus suffer." "O, my love, it is too much," I replied, "to see our people treated like dogs, and turned over to the Spaniards, without security or even stipulation.""Yes, my honoured husband," she softly answered, "it is indeed grievous; and I am not surprised to see you thus oppressed, and even indignant; but, my dear Edward,” continued she, pressing my hand, "let us look at the foundation of your grief in detail. I admit that, taking it altogether, it cannot do otherwise than vex and distress you; but let us examine it more closely. As to the loss the Crown may sustain in giving up the place, that is their business, my Edward: as to the loss you yourself will suffer, I am sure you care nothing about it. Now, as to the people; your brother is in England with his family; Drake is rich, and I should think would be happy to retire from a situation now full of anxiety; Van Kempen, you know, has said in a late letter, he intended to go to Amsterdam; Doctor Gordon has saved plenty of money; Mr. Rowley has remitted a good deal; Mr. Reynolds has returned to England to enjoy his paternal estate; all the new merchants are personal strangers to us; and as to the other people, those whom you found slaves, you ultimately made free; and every one who came there under your auspices is rich in money, even if the government should persist in taking from them their lands and place of habitation. All these people, my dear Edward," continued she, "are in a condition to shift for themselves; and not one of them, I believe, will grieve half so much at the

change that is awaiting them, as you now are doing for their sakes. The time was, when I would have grieved with you,—when the settlement was our nursing child; but that is no longer the case; every one is wealthy, and if scattered abroad they are as able to take care of themselves as we are. They have not that attachment to the place that you have; they will soon find another home, and be satisfied.. Drake will return, with his dear wife and family; most likely Mr. Rowley will come to England also ; poor dear Rota is no more; Diego is with us;. Xavier and his family, wherever they go, will make it out very well." Then putting her arms round my neck, she finished by saying "Besides, it is God's will, my dear Edward, in the dispensations of his providence, that our islands should again become a desert;"-as she said this she wept ;-"and it is his will," continued she, "I hope, that we shall be resigned; and your own Eliza will endeavour to be your earthly paradise."

I was overpowered and confounded; her kindness overpowered me, her reasonings confounded me; but it was always in this way that my guardian angel delivered me from perplexity and vexation.

My perturbed mind, and agitated feelings, soon felt the smoothing influence of my Eliza's consolations, which, like oil cast upon the sea, breaks the power of the wind that would stir it into surge and billows. Thus softened down, and while enjoying something like a return of holy peace within, I had a visit from the Earl of Harrington. He smiled as he shook hands with me, and as usual said some fine things to Lady Seaward; but I perceived he

was not quite at ease. In a few minutes he said "My dear Sir Edward, I have called on you, as your friend, to advise you to make the best you can of it with the minister; conceding the point. The fact is, the government is pledged to the Crown of Spain to deliver up the islands; and it must be done. I have even spoken to the King on the subject; but, I am sorry to say, he showed some displeasure at my interference. Tell Sir Edward Seaward,' said his Majesty, the place must be given up immediately; and he may consider it a mark of favour to himself, that I prevent his deputy-governor, Captain Drake, from being brought to a court martial, for resisting the authorities that have been sent to take possession of it for the King of Spain.'

"Indeed, I am sorry," returned I, "the King has been brought to see the case in this light; but I will be guided by you, my Lord. I have pointed out the situation and value of the place to his Majesty's ministers, and yet they persist in their decision: however, I am not surprised that men, who did not know that Cape Breton was an island, should be so ignorant as to think that Seaward Islands lay off the harbour of Porto Bello. But the thing is done, I am told, and I must submit ; will you, therefore, my dear friend, see the minister, and tell him that I submit to the order of government, but that I expect he will appoint a commissioner to carry the business into execution, and that he will order him to confer with me on its details? My only wish now is, that the people should be removed with that degree of consideration which is due to the sacrifice they are called upon to make for

the honour of those who signed or ratified the treaty that expels them. I expect that a settlement will be obtained for such as may choose to go to the Mosquito shore, on the terms proposed to me by Mr. Pelham. Likewise say, that I shall accept the 10,000l. offered to me, which I will place at the disposal of Captain Drake, for the necessities of the people; and after that, if there should remain any part of it unappropriated, I will receive it as a small compensation for all the money I have laid out in making those islands what they are."—"I think this will be acceded to, Sir Edward," replied Lord Harrington; then, after a little explanatory conversation, he took his leave.

On the morrow, Mr. Pitts, who had been Governor of Rattan, waited on me from the minister, with full powers to arrange every thing for the evacuation of Seaward Islands. The forts were to be demolished, and the place then given up. Such, he said, had been the fate of Rattan, after the government had expended 15,000l. on its establishment. Mr. Pitts was a liberal and kind-hearted man, entering warmly into my feelings. He had been much among the Mosquito-shore Indians, and cordially undertook to procure a good settlement among them for the Seaward Island colony. We met three successive days, occupied entirely in completing our arrangements by which it was stipulated, that the people should have three months to remove from the islands with their stock and goods, and that government should pay the island vessels for transporting them; that government should satisfy the Indians for six square miles of land, such as