Imagens da página
PDF
ePub

entirely unknown to you, and whom you considered as an enemy! My resolution is firmly fixed, for I will not be the cause of one moment's uneasiness, in either your bosom or that of the brave young man who wished to serve me. I go this instant.""Oh, stay for heaven's sake," cried Caroline, "I have undertaken to serve you, and I will finish what I have begun ; you shall not go out during the day, but at night, by the favour of the moon, you may escape the observation of your enemies. Promise me to be careful of your life, and do not let me be unhappy without having the consolation of thinking that I have been of some service." "Twas useless for the Baron to expostulate. Caroline was immoveable, and he was obliged apparently to consent to every thing she wished, though he made a secret resolution to put his design into execution the first opportunity, and run the hazard of what might happen.

About the hour of dinner Gantheaume returned, and with him brought a guest-this guest was Blinval! 66 My dear child," said he to Caroline, "here is our old companion, who is returned to this country, but Heaven only knows how long he will remain. met him this morning as I was turning the corner of a street; after having embraced me, the first words that he said were, that he loved you with all the sincerity and ardour that man is capable of; he then asked you in marriage, and as I do not think that I shall ever meet with one more worthy of you, I have freely given him my consent,-nothing is wanting but your's.'

[ocr errors]

Caroline was much affected, and troubled by contending emotions. She continued silent, and was meditating upon a reply, when in rushed Lassalliere from an adjoining room, covered with one of old Gantheaume's morning gowns. "I will answer for it," cried he, "that she consents, for I am acquainted with her thoughts. Permit me to have a share in your happiness." This sudden appearance much astonished Gantheaume. "Who are you," said he, " and what business have you here in my gown?" Blinval burst into a fit of laughter at the strange figure of Lassalliere, and the surprise of the old man.

Z

[ocr errors]

"I thought you were gone," said he to the Baron, and so did not think it necessary to inform my friend of your adventure this morning.""I see," replied the Baron, "that you understand virtue, as well as Caroline can practise it;-you are worthy of each other."

(It may perhaps be necessary to inform my readers, that Blinval being known by the servants of Gantheaume, was drawn aside as he was leaving the house with his soldiers, by Beatrice, the house-maid, who fully confirmed his suppositions, by informing him of what her mistress desired her to conceal.)

The father, who knew not what to make of these mysteries, demanded an explanation; they then informed him of what had passed. He highly extolled his daughter's goodness of heart and presence of mind.

It was then agreed upon by all the parties, that the Baron should depart in the night, disguised in one of Gantheaume's suits. The remainder of the day passed very happily, and in the greatest harmony.

When the time of parting arrived, Lassalliere said to his benevolent hosts," return to make war against you, but from this house I carry respect, friendship, and gratitude to those who inhabit it. May 1 often have an opportunity of rendering such services to your party. as you have rendered to me. I shall think myself still more happy, if any of my endeavours should tend to restoring to us our former peaceable state."

He kept his word. and was one of those who contributed in the greatest degree, to the peace of La Vendee. Since then he has been with Blinval, and they have both marched under the same standard. They have also passed some time together at Fontenay, where they now reside. Blinval, extremely fond of his wife, and still more of his country, feels his most sanguine wishes gratified by the general restoration of peace.

"Enough of war the wounded earth has known! Weary at length and wasted with destruction, Sadly she rears her ruined head to show,

Her cities humbled and her countries spoiled.”

NATURAL PHENOMENA.

No. 16.-ACCOUNT OF A SUBMARINE VOLCANIC ERUPTION.

"APPROACHING the island of St. Michael's, on Sunday, the 12th of June, 1811, in his majesty's sloop Sabrina, under my command, we occasionally observed, rising in the horizon," says Captain Tillard, "two or three columns of smoke, such as would have been occasioned by an action between two ships, to which cause we universally attributed its origin. This opinion was, however, in a very short time changed, from the smoke increasing and ascending in much larger bodies than could possibly have been produced by such an event; and having heard an account prior to our sailing from Lisbon, that in the preceding January or February, a volcano had burst out within the sea near St. Michael's, we immediately concluded that the smoke we saw proceeded from this cause, and on our anchoring the next morning in the road of Ponte del Gada, we found this conjecture correct as to the cause, but not to the time; the eruption of January having totally subsided, and the present one having only burst forth two days prior to our approach, and about three miles distant from the one before alluded to.

"Desirous of examining as minutely as possible a contention so extraordinary between two such powerful elements, I set off from the city of Ponte del Gada on the morning of the 14th, in company with Mr. Read, the consul general of the Azores, and two other gentlemen. After riding about twenty miles across the N. W. end of the island of St. Michael's, we came to the edge of a cliff, whence the volcano burst suddenly upon our view in the most terrific and awful grandeur. It was only a short mile from the base of the cliff, which was nearly perpendicular, and formed the margin of the sea; this cliff being, as nearly as I could judge, from three to four hundred feet high.. To give you an adequate idea of the scene by description is far beyond my powers; but for your satisfaction I shall attempt it.

"Imagine an immense body of smoke rising from the

sea, the surface of which was marked by the silvery rippling of the waves, occasioned by the light and steady breezes incidental to these climates in summer. In a quiescent state, it had the appearance of a circular cloud, revolving on the water like a horizontal wheel, in various and irregular involutions, expanding itself gradually on the lee side; when suddenly a column of the blackest cinders, ashes, and stones, would shoot up in the form of a spire at an angle of from ten to twenty degrees from a perpendicular line, the angle of inclination being universally to windward: this was rapidly succeeded by a second, third, and fourth, each acquiring greater velocity, and overtopping the other till they had attained an altitude as much above the level of our eye, as the sea was below it.

"As the impetus with which the columns were severally propelled, diminished, and their ascending mo tion had nearly ceased, they broke into various branches resembling a group of pines, these again forming themselves into festoons of white feathery smoke, in the most fanciful manner imaginable, intermixed with the finest particles of fallen ashes, which at one time assumed the appearance of innumerable plumes of black and white ostrich-feathers, surmounting each other; at another, that of the light wavy branches of a weeping willow.

"During these bursts, the most vivid flashes of lightning continually issued from the densest part of the volcano; and the cloud of smoke now ascending to an altitude much above the highest point to which the ashes were projected, rolled off in large masses of fleecy clouds, gradually expanding themselves before the wind in a direction nearly horizontal, and drawing up to them a quantity of water-spouts, which formed a most beautiful and striking addition to the general appearance of the scene.

"That part of the sea where the volcano was situated, was upwards of thirty fathoms deep, and at the time of our viewing it, the volcano was only four days old. Soon after our arrival on the cliff, a peasant observed that he could discern a peak above the water; we looked, but could not see it; however, in less than

half an hour it was plainly visible, and before we quitted the place, which was about three hours from the time of our arrival, a complete crater was formed above the water, not less than twenty feet high, on the side where the greatest quantity of ashes fell; the diameter of the crater being apparently about four or five hundred feet.

"The great eruptions were generally attended with a noise like the continued firing of cannon and musquetry intermixed, as also with slight shocks of earthquakes, several of which having been felt by my companions, but none by myself, I had become half sceptical, and thought their opinion arose merely from the force of imagination; but while we were sitting within five or six yards of the edge of the cliff, partaking of a slight repast which had been brought with us, and were all busily engaged, one of the most magnificent bursts took place, which we had yet witnessed, accompanied with a very severe shock of an earthquake. The instantaneous and involuntary movement of each was to spring upon his feet, and I said, This admits of no doubt.' The words had scarce passed my lips, before we observed a large portion of the face of the cliff, about fifty yards on our left, falling, which it did with a violent crash. So soon as our first consternation had a little subsided, we removed about ten or a dozen yards farther from the edge of the cliff, and finished our dinner.

On the succeeding day, June 15th, having the consul and some other friends on board, I weighed, and proceeded with the ship towards the volcano, with the intention of witnessing a night view; but in this expectation we were greatly disappointed, from the wind freshening, and the weather becoming thick and hazy, and also from the volcano itself being clearly more quiescent than it was on the preceding day. It seldom emitted any lightning, but occasionally as much flame as may be seen to issue from the top of a glass-house, or foundery chimney.

"On passing directly under the great cloud of smoke, about three or four miles distant from the volcano, the decks of the ship were covered with fine black ashes, which fell intermixed with small rain. We re

« AnteriorContinuar »