be will be indebted for any portion of it in this his native country. I will er conclude, my dear Kitt, with some advice of a contemporary of these men, bike which will be of use to you this cold weather, and may prevent your catch12 ing cold, which would be of great detriment to one of your rheumatic tenIdency :

Mensibus R atis ne super lapidem sedeatis.
Never sit on a stone in a month that has an r in it.

Yours, &c.



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I SAILED from Scotland for Quebec, cession on each side of us, and graduin the beginning of summer, and had, ally fading into undefined masses as a great number of emigrants as fellow. we receded from them. The emi. passengers. Being all of the lower grants remained almost constantly class, they occupied the steerage, which upon deck. Men, women, and chilwas divided into various small com- dren, loitered about promiscuously, partments, that different families might in a state of indolent good humour, be separated from each other. At first and made remarks upon every thing this arrangement seemed unnecessary, they saw. Some pointed to particu

for every one evinced the utmost good- lar hills, telling their names, and dehis will towards his neighbours,—novelty scribing the country near them ; others

of situation having created a commu- dwelt upon the advantages they had nity of feeling among people who had foregoue in leaving home, and spoke no connexion or acquaintance with of the wealth, influence, and respectaeach other. Most of the emigrants bility of their relations; and a few, were natives of Scotland; but the new who appeared to have weighty reasons circumstances in which they found for not talking about their own affairs, themselves placed seemed to divest wandered among the various groups, them of m of their natural caution and listened carelessly to what was and reserve. When they first came passing. One man derived a great deal on board, they conversed freely about of temporary importance, from his their private affairs, confided to each possessing a small work which treated other the causes that had respectively of North America. He placed himinduced them to leave home, and mu- self in an elevated situation, and octually offered to use their endeavours casionally read such portions of the to alleviate the inconveniences and un- book as were best calculated to excite comforts which they expected to en- the admiration and astonishment of counter during the voyage. Those who those around him. Many began to felt most afflicted at leaving their na- consider him a perfect oracle, and when tive country, employed themselves in any dispute took place about the new anticipating the happiness which they country to which we were hastening, supposed would await them on the it was invariably referred to his deciother side of the Atlantic, wbile some, sion. An old woman and her daughwho apparently cared little about home, ter assumed the lead in the female talked without intermission of the an- circles. They enumerated the disguish they had suffered when quitting agreeables of a sea voyage ; lamented it. All idea of danger seemed to be that they had not become cabin passtudiously avoided by every one, and sengers; declared there was no one on calm seas, cloudless skies, and favour- board with whom they could associable winds, were talked of, and look- ate; and made many allusions to the ed forward to, as the inseparable at- terrors and anxieties which they betendants of a sea voyage.

lieved their friends would suffer on For two days after we had put to their account. Their auditors persea, the

weather was bright and beau- mitted them to talk without interruptiful. The waves scarcely rocked our tion; for every one seemed willing to ship, as we glided slowly down the let his neighbours exhibit their reMull of Cantyre, and watched the spective pretensions and characterisHighland hills rising in majestic suc- tics, that he might be the better able

In the course of the day, the wind

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meet with such again ; but, that God one good-humouredly bore the ridicule Was merciful, and, for his part, he nes of his neighbours, because he could ver despaired as long as the planks of retort upon them whenever he chose. heard it; and several immediately went tained hopes of soon having fine wellwas listened to with dismay by all who became more moderate, and we enter

to form a correct estimate of what they below, and informed their companions

, really were, and likewise attain some that we were in imminent danger. In knowledge of the different

persons with a moment the steerage became a scétie whom circumstances had placed him of tumult and confusion; parents were in such close contact.

heard calling their children around On the evening of the second day, them; the old women asked for their most of the emigrants appeared to Bibles; the young ones sought consothink that they had already had large lation from their husbands ; prayers experience of a sea life, and that 10- and ejaculations were mingled with thing worse than the past was to be inquiries which the questioners seemfeared or anticipated. Some affected ed almost afraid to have answered ; to talk knowingly of nautical affairs; messengers were sent upon đeck at inwhile others ridiculed all idea of dané tervals, to ascertain the state of the ger, and expressed a wish that a storm weather; and some proposed that they might speedily arise, and afford them should petition the Captain to make evidence of the exaggerated accounts sail for the nearest harbour. which they believed sailors usually The mate distributed the provisions gave of the perils and terrors of tem- among the emigrants every morning pestuous weather. The wind had been after breakfast, and when the time for gentle and baffling all the afternoon; doing this arrived, he made the seabut, towards sun-set it freshened and men bring the tasks of beef and flour blew a steady breeze. A small sea upon deck, and likewise a large pair of soon got up, and our vessel, being un- scales to weigh out the rations. The der easy sail, began to pitch and roll noise produced by these arrangements

, about a little

. At first

, the emigrants made the people below conceive that walked backwards and forwards un- the crew were in the act of putting out steadily, and often caught hold of the the boats, and that the ship was in a ropes that hung within reach ; but, sinking state. Next moment confirmed after a little time, most of them stop- their fears, for the mate called down ped, and leaned upon the bulwarks. the gangway, “ All hands upon deck." The conversation gradually became Males and females, and old men and broken and disjointed--those who had children, began to ascend the stairs taken the most conspicuous part in it with furious haste, and the steerage said least, and total silence soon en was soon completely deserted. They sued. Every one looked scrutinizingly all rushed towards the bulwarks, strug into the face of his neighbour, but gling to get as near them as possible

, seemed averse to undergo a similar in- that they might have an early oppor spection himself. The groups that tunity

of embarking in the boats. But had covered the deck slowly dispersed, when their agitation had a little suband those who composed them could sided, and when they saw the mate be seen stealing away one by one, and standing between two casks, and coolly cautiously descending into the steerage. weighing out theirrations, they seemed Before the night was far advanced, all at a loss what to think, and viewed one were in their births except the sea- another with a mingled expression of

shame and apprehension. The laughter The wind continued to increase in of the seamen soon made them suspect violence, and next morning it blew that they had been imposed upon by hard, and there was a heavy sea and a imagination ; and the mate bid them good deal of rain. A few of the emi- advance to receive their respective als grants, who had ventured out of the lowances, saying, it was not likely the steerage, were crawling along the deck vessel would go to the bottom till after on all fours, with looks of alarm and dinner, and declaring, that the panie anxiety. One man ventured

to ask the he had occasioned was for the purpose mate, if he had ever seen such weather of bringing them upon deck for the before ; and the latter gave a signifi benefit of their health. This explain cant look, and said, he hoped not to tion restored tranquillity

, and evening the vessel kept together. This reply

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. Many of the emigrants resumed On reaching the steerage, I found my1 we were in daziare their stations upon deek, and began to self in the midst of a scene that was oinent the stealan amuse themselves in the various ways. equally ludicrous and distressing ; all mult and emision that their respective circumstances the emigrants occupied their respective I calling their life permitted, though they evidently were compartments, many of which were so ; the old womance not so cheerful and confident as when crowded that their inmates actually

we first set sail. But, towards the af- lay upon one another; and each, at frarn their laterte ternoon, the increasing violence of the the same time, in his anxiety to retain

wind interrupted their recreations, and his place, totally disregarded the com

it was not long before we had a strong fort and convenience of his neighbours, Et afraid to her a

gale from the west, which reduced us and extended his legs and arms whereas => were eat one to our courses. The sea ran so high, ever he thought fit. As often as the

that the Captain took the helm; and, motion of the vessel indicated that she

the passengers, on seeing this, thought was on the point of rolling violently, a and some pret that things had come to the worst, and general commotion took place among tion the last

manifested strong symptoms of terror the emigrants some clung to any obu and despair. Our ship pitched and jects that were within reach-others rolled very much, and they could stretched themselves along the floor, hardly stand without support; but, and a third set tried to resist the antinevertheless, seemed unwilling to go cipated shook by wedging themselves below. The crew, being employed closely together. However, notwithalmost everywhere, hurried backwards standing all these precautions, a sudand forwards, pushing them unceremo. den heave of the ship often dislodged niously from side to side, and answers whole families from their births, and ing their questions and exclamations hurled them headlong among their with oaths and looks of derision. At companions, who lay on the opposite last a wave broke over the vessel, and side. Then screams, complaints, and they all, as if under one impulse, de, exclamations of dismay, were exchanscended into the steerage ; the gang- ged by both parties, while the intruders way hatch of which was immediately crawled cautiously back to their former closed above them.

quarters, and began to fortify themA severe attack of sea-sickness obli- selves against the recurrence of a simiged me to retire to my birth, which lar accident. The pale countenances, was separated by a thin partition only dejected looks, and tremulous motions from the place where all the emigrants of the different groups in the steerage, lay. I sought repose in vain. The were strikingly opposed to the ruddy sea beat against the vessel with dread- complexions, confident deportments, ful noise, and made her timbers creak and robust gestures, which they had and quiver from one end to the other; exhibited when they first came on und during the short intervals of ex- board. The ardour of enterprize was ernal quietness that sometimes occur- completely damped, and many of them ed, my ears were filled with the moans, inveighed bitterly against emigration, hs, and complaints of those who and vowed that if they could but once cupied the steerage. Much tumult, reach home, they would rather starve xiety, and confusion, seemed to pre- there than again endanger their lives among them; and every time the by making a voyage to a foreign land.

rolled more violently than usual, I observed one man staggering backest of ejaculations, shrieks, and wards and forwards, with

clasped hands ms, burst from the mouths of and eyes full of tears. He said he had women, and children; while the left a wife and five children on shore,

of casks, the crashing of earthen and was certain they would think we and the noise of articles of fur- were all in the bottom of the sea ; for tossing from side to side, com a wind much less violent than that the discordant and terrifying which now raged around us, ation of sounds.

blown down three stacks of chimneys e listening to the clamours in his native place. An old woman, revailed on all sides, the mate whom some one was attempting to

the cabin, and informed me console with the hopes of favourable en had fallen down the gang- weather, replied, that it mattered little

was much hurt. I imme. to her how things went, for all her best rgot my sea sickness, and rose clothes had been spoiled by the breakbirth and went to his relief. ing of a jar of honey, which she had

had once


foolishly put in the bottom of hersed it by loud shrieks, but still kept trunk. A young girl went about in- firm hold of the articles I had put into quiring what we would do when it got their hands; the mother gliding across dark, for if the wind blew out the the floor with the brandy bottle, and lights upon deck, the Captain could the daughter following close behind not possibly know which way the ship with the glass. At last, the trunk went; and her mother, who was a came into colesion with the back of fisherman's widow, said that her expe- the former, and hit her such a severe rience of sea matters taught her to blow that she began so gasp for breath, know that unless things were differ- and soon fell prostrate, on which situ-' ently managed on board, our vesselation she was firmly pinioned by the would soon go to pieces. The man weight of a couple of chairs that hapwho had fallen down the gangway, pened to roll above her. The Captain met with no sympathy or attention, now entered the cabin, and the scene and I was obliged to order some seamen before him seemed so ludicrous, that to carry him to his birth, otherwise he he could not refrain from laughter

. would have been totally neglected. He immediately released the old woHowever, on examination, we found man from her jeopardy, and then adthat he was but slightly hurt, and ministered a liberal portion of brandy therefore consigned him to the care of to both females, telling them that the one of his relations, and then left the worst of the gale was over, and that we steerage.

would soon have fine weather. ConThe gale continued without the soled by these assurances, they returnleast, abatement, and as the violent ed to the steerage, and made the happy pitching of the vessel rendered it im- intelligence known there, and all we possible for one to sit up, or employ had hoped for was soon realized. The himself any way, I returned to my wind suddenly changed its direction, birth. It soon after grew dark, and and abated to a gentle breeze, and long the situation of all parties became ere midnight, tranquillity prevailed doubly disagreeable and alarming. In both above and below decks. the course of the evening I was start Next morning we found ourselves ed by loud cries, and next moment an sweeping along under the influence of old woman and her daughter rushed favourable and moderate wind. Most into the cabin, with looks of terror, of the emigrants having alike recovered and dropping on their knees, said that from their fears and their sea sickness, their time would not now be long, for kept the deck, and began to display the vessel had twice been half under their respective characters more fully water. I at the same moment, heard than they had hitherto done. The perthe brine trickling down the gangway, son who seemed most inclined to take and consequently supposed we had the lead, was a man named M'Arthur, shipped a sea, but endeavoured to re- and by profession a distiller. He was move their fears, by saying that such tall and raw boned, and had something things occurred frequently, and did very whimsical in the expression of his not prove the existence of danger. countenance, and in his whole deportHowever, as they remained nearly ment. He walked the deck constantly speechless with dread, I got up, and with his hands in his pockets, obserhaving taken a bottle of brandy and a ving all that passed, and making reglass from the locker, gave the one to marks upon it to those around him, the mother, and the other to her daugh- and whoever disputed his opinions was ter, telling them to revive their spirits sure to feel the weight of his ridicule by drinking a little cordial. They and sarcasm. The personi next in imreadily agreed to this, and the old woc portance, bore the appellation of Spiers, man was in the act of filling up a glass and was a thread-maker, according to ful, when an unexpected rolling of the his own account. He professed to be vessel made her and her daughter slide a man of education and knowledge of suddenly ove to the opposite

of the world, and often hinted that misthe cabin. Next moment we swung fortunes alone had induced him to tremendously in a contrary direction, abandon his native country and become and the two females were again hurled a steerage passenger. He held, as it to leeward, along with a table, several were, the situation of master of eere. chairs, and a large trunk. The noise monies on board, and adjusted all was now distracting, and they increa- points connected with conduct and be


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f her sed it by land die ik haviour. A. cooper bore the third rank all us passengers put together."-"Say it in- firm hold of betekint among the emigrants; however, he did nothing about the Captain !" cried a { got their hands; thence not enjoy this elevation because he woman; “ his behaviour made my the the flor with de best possessed any personal or intellectual blood curdle cold, --instead of saying uld the daughter kubik's superiority

, but merely in consequence his prayers, or thinking about the preup with the glas a kid of his broad humour, want of percep- servation of the Christian people on á came into codein vän tion

, and undisguised vulgarity of cha- board his ship, he passed his time in the former , and the best racter

. Several other males of the party turning round that bit wheel there," o blow that she began opt distinguished themselves in various (pointing to the apparatus for moving

and soon fel protein ways, among whom was an individual the tiller.).-" You speak without ation she wa dini ne who had a smattering of navigation and knowledge,” returned Mrs Burrel, “ if weight

of a coupe tiene astronomy, and who usually made his it was’nt for that wheel it would be vened to millabre e 1 appearance upon deck about mid-day, impossible to managethe ship.”-“Ay, How entered the chi alt with a quadrant in his hand. When- ay," answered the first,“ Í fancy the efore him seemed so I

ever he saw the Captain preparing to captain told you so; but I'm rather could not refrain 17

take an observation, he set about doing unfond of believing everything I hear." e immediater niets so likewise, and afterwards committed

"Keep your tongue in order," cried the results to paper, and remained ab- Mrs Burrel; “ have you the impu- from her jepantheon

solved in the contemplation of them dence to tell me that I speak an unEstered a liberal prezi in females et during some hours. He then strutted truth? Well, well

, I thank my stars consequentially along the deck, and the ship's no under your command.” Goran bare te ver scarcely deigned to reply to his fellow “ If it was,” replied her enraged opor the sease passengers, when they ventured to in- ponent, “ I would give you a hot

quire in what latitude we were, or how birth."-"I daresay that," interrupted en fer many miles we had sailed within a Mrs Burrel; “and I half deserve

such space

of time. The old woman already, for demeaning myself by taand her daughter, who were named king a place in the steerage--I'll be a Burrel, took the lead among the females cabin passenger the next voyage I on board. Having resided in a small make--my rich friends will never forvillage, and been of some importance give me for disconveniencing myself in there

, they seemed resolved to maintain this fashion." zing wild the dignity they had once enjoyed, and

“ We have at least one comfortable to exact a proportionable degree of reflection,” said Spiers, stepping formoderne deference from their fellow-passen - ward, and raising his voice,

none of gers . They usually sat near the com

us shewed the least want of courage panion, and entered into conversation during the hour of danger.”_" There d here with the captain and mate as often as

was a fine shew of pale faces, though," 20 opportunity offered.

When they did observed M'Arthur. “Yes, because address any other person, it was with we were all sea-sick," replied a young an air of condescension and reserve,

man.- Sea-sick !” exclaimed Mrs and they affected to despise, and un- Burrel; “I don't know what you dervalue all those things that astonish- mean. I wasn't sea-sick. I never was ed, amused, or interested, the other sea-sick in my life, and

I've made voy

ages before this.”_" I wish I could The gale of wind we had experien- say as you do, mistress," observed the ed formed a subject of conversation old man who had spoken first; “howboard for several days, and

almost ever ill I was at the heart, I noticed ery one expressed his opinion con some things that made me doubt our

The hand of Providence Captain's skill. I never was on the sea e preserved us from the deep,” said before, indeed, but then I've read ld

I warrant ye the best Lloyd's List. The wind was direct ain this ship never saw such wea- head, but still he kept up the sails. efore. I've been in the way of Now, what could be the purpose of Lloyd's list, and getting a notion that? just

to drive us back to the place Ecal affairs, but yesterday's tem we came from. In mynotion, he should ats all I've yet read about.”

have taken down all his canvass, and no accustomed to such adven- cast anchor."-"I have my doubts if eturned another of the emi- he could have found bottom to do

we think more of that,” said a sedate-looking man, who Che Captain took little head of had not hitherto

spoken. “It is astoher—there

was a greater stock nishing what mistakes prevail about ge in his little finger than in the depth of the sea.

It has bottom X.

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