taken the precaution to prevent us from following them, by fastening the door on the outside. This sudden and unexpected turn of affairs, brought some relief to my feelings, and originated a feeble hope that my life might yet be protracted, and that I might be returned to my family, although even as it respected their personal safety my fears were powerfully excited. Were they safe amidst the turmoil and terror which prevailed without? was the oft repeated mental inquiry; and who knows but we are already forever separated? was another, the keen edge of which fell with no small weight upon my troubled heart. They were in the midst of barbarians, whose religious creed prohibited the destruction of animal life, but who were by no means reluctant to obey the dictates of revenge, when an opportunity might occur to gratify it, whose law recognized the principle, that an offence of one, might be visited with penalties upon his near and most affectionate relatives. But it was not many minutes before the little battery was compelled to be silent, and then the firing from the fleet ceased. The pause was prolonged, and we waited in anxious expectation of what might be the event, in regard to ourselves, though no one had a doubt, who had compared the unequal strength of the two parties, that the town would fall into the hands of the invaders. In the midst of our various conjectures, we heard voices approaching, which became louder and louder; presently the prison-door was violently opened, and in rushed about twenty savage and fierce looking Burmese, with cords, swords, daggers, &c. seven of us were instantly seized, and our arms were closely bound behind our backs; we were hurried outside into the court of the Custom House, and from thence into the street. But what complete desolation! Every bamboo hut which the evening before teemed with life, seemed to be the abode of silence! Not a man, woman, child, or animal of any description was to be seen, except those who had our lives at their disposal; thirty thousand inhabitants, at least, had fled with what they could convey away of their little all, and had sought shelter in the interior of the country. The executioners who had seized upon us, (for such they were,) dragged us forward a short distance, into the main-street, where they stripped us of such articles of clothing as were dispensable, took off our cravats, opened our shirtcollars, and ordered us to sit or rather kneel down in the position required for our execution. A criminal, who is to suffer beheading, kneels, and then sits upon the calves of his legs, and the executioner strikes with a heavy sword upon the back of the neck; the head is generally severed at a blow, and rolls several feet from the body. All resistance would be to no purpose; our legs were fettered, and our arms tied behind us, while one man held the cord which bound them, and another stood over us with a sword. A few hurried and confused reflections passed through my mind, as I was about to yield unwilling obedience to the savage order. At this extremity it was suggested by one of the prisoners, that our execution should be suspended, and that we should be taken before the Governor, with a view to obtain leave for me to go on board the Liffey, and request that there might be no more firing upon the town, and that the property might be spared. This was a On timely hint, and attended to. We were accordingly conducted into the presence of the chief, who had, with a few attendants, taken momentary refuge in a small house, in a retired part of the town. seeing us, he hastily inquired why we were not yet dead! Our proposition was then made, and while the subject was under discussion, another fire opened from the Liffey upon the town, which was probably to cover the detachment which was preparing to land from the fleet. Α few shot passing near the place where we were, the Governor and attendants became alarmed, and fled, ordering us to follow; we soon saw him at some distance from the town, making his escape upon a poney. The progress which we were able to make in our chains was slow. It so happened, however, as if to increase the horror of my situation, that we were conducted very near the house where my wife had taken refuge. I was discovered, while passing, by my little son, who ran towards me, and inquired where I was going? I could only tell him to return to his mother, for I knew not whither I was going, or what was to be the end of this trying scene. That circumstance, as distressing as it was to my family, who thus saw me led, as they supposed, to the place of execution, was not destitute of some comfort to me; I was assured that they were safe. In this manner we were hurried on with as much haste as possible, about a mile from town, where we found the Governor waiting for our arrival, who, after some further discussion, consented that I should go on board the frigate, with a message to the Commander-in-Chief. I was accordingly released, and with a Burmese linguist, proceeded, (in shirt and pantaloons,) to fulfil my mission. On my way I met a detachment of one of His Majesty's regiments, and having given its commander information where the Governor and other prisoners were, was conveyed as soon as possible to the vessel. I informed the commander, that it was useless to spend more powder and shot upon the town, as not even a dog remained in it, and the troops had nothing to do but to march in quietly and take possession of the vacant houses. That I was deputed by the Governor to request him to cease firing. For the prisoners I expressed a hope that he would endeavour to rescue them, and asked him what message I should bear in return?" Tell the Governor, if he sheds one drop of English blood-if the lives of those prisoners are sacrificed, I will carry fire and slaughter into every town in the empire!!!" With this message I returned, but Governor and prisoners had all disappeared; the detachment of troops which was near the ground, had not even seen them. I proceeded on with the linguist a mile further, but gaining no intelligence, and night coming on, I returned to town, unsuccessful, about 8 o'clock in the evening, and was admitted at once into the Commander-in-Chief's quarters.-Here I had the felicity of being informed that my family was safely lodged in the house of the Armenian, whom I have before mentioned. Our meeting was full of tender congratulations. The next morning scouts were sent out in different directions, and the other prisoners were found, confined in different places, and released. There is no doubt that orders were given by the Governor to put them to death; but the person into whose charge they were committed, happpened to be one who had received many favours from foreigners, and, on that account, probably, allowed a sense of mercy and gratitude to prevail, and thus spared their lives. Not long after the occurrence of these events, some arbitrary proceedings of the Society, whose Missionary I was, which bore heavily upon me, and in which, of course, I could not acquiesce, determined me to leave the field," and engage in such other employment as it might be my good fortune to obtain. 66 A SONG OF THE AFFECTIONS. I. The feelings I have felt have died away, THEOPHILUS. The love that was my lamp, death's dews have quenched; Hath in the chill showers of the grave been drenched ; The hopes, that buoyed my spirit 'mid the spray A solitary leaf on a rent bough. II. The link that knit me to mankind is snapped, I have not now of broken troth to wail, I have not now to speak of friendship broken; To rouse such sorrow as may ne'er be spoken; IV. "Peace!" Peace? alas! there is no peace for Where silently the subterranean wave me, Of buried hope glides on, a thought of thee, Of realm's beyond the tomb, where we shall meet. A melancholy anecdote is attached to these lines; the motto "La Paix" was engraven on the bequeathed gift of a beloved friend, who fell a victim to a sudden and awful death. V. grew Our love-how did it spring? in sooth it As though upon its beauty, the cold rime VI. To be snatched up in transport !—and we fed VII. Oh! long we loved in silence! neither spake Of that which worked the thoughtful breast within ;- My thoughts were full of thee, till thought grew (For it is sin of earthly things to make Our idols,)—and I never hoped to win Thy coveted affection :--but for me VIII. sin I was the first to speak, and words there were, ; When the heart strongly feels?-like winds that force For passion hath a mastery that breaks Each puny bulwark callous Reason makes. But ours was friendship's purest worship,-pure, Should sacrifice their all of bliss!-there twines To blast their beauty, ev'n when most it shines ;- R. C. C. A CHRONICLE OF THE TOWN OF GALWAY. "The fate of Love is such That still it sees too little or too much." DRYDEN. In the year 1493, James Fitzstephen Lynch was the mayor of Galway. At this period Ireland, or more particularly this town, held considerable intercourse in trade with Spain; the year prior to the above date, and antecedent to the appointment of James Fitzstephen Lynch to the mayorship of the town, he had visited Cadiz. Wines were then the staple commodities offered by the Spaniards for the “ peltries" or skins of animals vended by the Irish, and it was during one of those trading excursions that James Fitzstephen Lynch received considerable attention from a burgher of the town, Signior Gomez. To requite, in some measure, the civilities he had received, he invited the Spanish merchant's son to accompany him back to Galway. Anxious to see the world, young Gomez accordingly became the guest of the future and embarked with him on the home-bound voyage. At this era Galway exhibited all the peculiar features of a fortified town. A massive wall, defended by flanking towers, encircled the town; the four principal gates were defended by sally ports, whilst watch and ward was kept on all the points of egress by day and night. Then might be seen the quaint style of architecture prevalent at that period; the houses with their long slanting roofs, projecting balconies, and narrow casements, exhibiting their fretted intricacies of glass, whilst through the streets were flaunted the ruffs and doublets of the court of the VII. Harry of England, displayed in the gaily slashed doublet, trunk hose, short cloak and rapier of the town gentry; whilst the women coquetted in their long waists, hoops, and tiaras of head gear. mayor, Before the arrival of the young Spaniard, Walter Lynch, the mayor's son, had become enamoured of the fair Agnes Gammaline; many were the suitors disappointed by his successful rivalship, and not a few harboured feelings of desperate jealousy. On the arrival of the young Spaniard, it was the natural wish of the mayor to create, if possible, a friendship between him and his son, and an attachment was formed according to his wishes. It was a beautiful evening, toward the middle of April, that the mayor elect and his young friend entered the gate under Penrice's tower, and soon gained the broader pathway of the high street. The hum of the mercantile part of the town might be heard, though growing fainter and fainter as the gathering shades of twilight spread over the horizon. Every now and then they encountered some craftsman returning from the occupation of the day. Lights began to glimmer from many a narrow casement, and bolt and bar might be heard drawing within the huge oak doors of the dwelling houses, and from the better description of edifices, the enlivening strains of the family filidhe's" or harpers. Still little taste seemed prevalent in the dis 66 |