TALES OF THE COLONIES.*

THIS is the work of a man who has seen much more than he has written. His words are facts : he does not deal in rhetoric, but produces all the effect of eloquence by the force of events. It is curious to see how powerful an effect may be given by a man's simply putting down only what he has seen, without consulting his imagination—without attempting to improve nature, at least by language. No story can be told in a simpler or plainer style than these Tales of the Colonies ; while their subjects are so far from plain or common, that we remember few works that can vie with them in a dark and powerful interest. • The first story is called the "Island." It is not a buccaneer tale, but the supplement to one, and, consequently, deals in bril- liant horrors : but not only these—it describes scenery of an ex- tremely beautiful kind, such only as a South American traveller could meet with. The tints of this, as of all the other tales,: are extremely local ; no one can doubt that they are sketches taken on the spot, and almost in the freshness of the open air. We for- 'give the improbabilities, in which they are not deficient, for the sake of the latitude and longitude : we expect strange things on the shores of the Mexican Gulf, or among the Caribbees. The second story is called " Sablegrove," and the scene is also in the seine parts of the globe. It lies in a deep and retired corner of the island ; and the description of it undoubtedly produces on the mind ideas of remoteness, seclusion, and utter separation from the world, beyond any thing we ever read. " Sablegrove " is a sort of Paradise, as far as Nature is concerned : the inhabitants, however, are much more akin to Cain than to Abel. The master of Sablegrove is a devil incarnate—a sort of Cayenne pepper scoundrel, whose manner even of eating his dinner smells of brim- stone; and he is allied in sinful bonds to a she dragon, named Dittersdorf—a woman who poisoned her husband, andwhose ev ey glance looks a rattlesnake. Amiable pair! bowl and dagger— tiger and serpent—no associations can properly paint them. Crime, when it does grow in these climes, grows like its vegetation, rich, rank, luxurious, and bursting with sap-blood. " Colambolo " is a piece of South American character, just enough, and not without interest. The hero is an African slave run wild—a sort of amiable Caliban.

" One False Step" is the story of a young man of respectable family and connexions, who, after a course of dissipation and ex- travagance, commits forgery, to save his mother, formerly a per- son of wealth and condition, from absolute starvation. He is con- victed, and sentenced to be transported: The scene is laid in New South Wales, and gives a lively, though not correct account of the state of convict society in that colony: but the main incident of the story is improbable, and it is very evident that the author has not visited the colony ; neither is he well acquainted with the geography of it. For instance, he talks of the " harbour of Par- ramatta." There is no such place ; Parramatta is at the head of the river, fifteen miles from Port Jackson. And " the Factory" is exclusively devoted to female convicts. There is no " factory" for either men or women at Sydney. The interest with which the author clothes the hero of his tale, is precisely of that nature which Mr. PEEL, in the late debates on the Forgery Bill, urged as an argument against the repeal of the capital -punishment urged that crime. Neither would the bush-ranging incidents receive much approbation in the -colony ; for they unjustly tend to show that bush-ranging is caused by the severity of the masters. In truth and force, " One False Step" is very inferior to Mrs. SHERIDAN'S tale of Crime and Sorrow. The anecdotes mentioned in that story as having occurred at Parramatta, are founded in fact; although we are not quite sure that the fair authoress was aware of that circumstance.

The following extract contains a striking account of a bucca- neer practice, upon which the story of the " Island" wholly turns. Herkarl is a retired buccaneer.

"It has already been mentioned, that Mr. Herkarl had taken lodgings in the village. These were in the house of a fisherman of the better class, and were on the upper floor, which consisted of three small rooms, two of which Mr. Herkarl occupied, the third remaining empty and untenanted. Austin found his friend seated by a cheerful fire, and apparently awaiting his arrival, but at the same time overlooking some rolls of paper like charts, which lay upon the table. ' Close the door and be seated,' said Herkarl. Here we can converse without the risk of being overheard or interrupted. Of course you have heard of the buccaneers of America' Austin replied in the affirmative. Then,' continued the former, you see before you one of their legitimate descendants; though I am not to be regarded with the-abhorrence which is generally excited by the name oP the despoilersof Panama and other places on the coast of America. These 4,- Tales of the.Colonies. By John Howison, of theHonourable East India Com- pany's Service; Author of "Sketches of Upper Canada:* 2 vols. London, MO. heroes flourished long before I commenced my career ; and if I have not equalled them in boldness and address, neither have I done so in cruelty

and indiscriminate spoliation. My conscience acquits me of ever having committed any particular and distinct crime, although I have too often been leagued with the instigators and perpetrators of all kinds of atro-

cities. Know then, that I, and I alone, can point out the place where we deposited an immense treasure nearly twenty-three years ago, and it is to afford you the means of discovering and acquiring this, that I have called you here this night.'

" You astonish me,' cried Austin. How can you be certain that the treasure still remains hidden ? Is there no chance of any one having found and removed it.'

" No chance,' returned Herkarl ; nay, not even a possibility ; all who assisted in concealing it are dead, except myself. A buccaneer is

bound by a terrible ceremony never to divulge secrets of this kind while

any of his associates remain alive. None of our fraternity ever yet dared to break his faith on such points. The penalty is too awful,' continued

he, shuddering. The riches I speak of, were an accumulation of the

spoils of many years, and they were deposited in security till a convenient time for dividing them should arrive. My companions in this transac- tion were sixteen in number. Thirteen perished by shipwreck soon after- wards ; two were captured and executed, and the remaining individual died of fever on the coast of Cuba. The treasure lies in a small island very near the American shore. I have its position so accurately laid down, that it could be found without the slightest difficulty by a person in possession of the instructions which it is in my power to give. Now, do you feel disposed to venture upon an expedition of the kind ? You have abundant nautical knowledge, which will go far to insure your suc- cess; and what is of equal importance, you understand the Spanish lan- guage ; you need feel no scruples about the justness of your seizing and appropriating the treasure. It was, indeed, plunder ; but no restitution can now be made ; those who were robbed having long since paid the debt of Nature. Besides, a great part of it consists of gold and silver utensils taken from Catholic churches'

" ' Your proposal is startling, but highly attractive,' answered Austin. It is equally suited to my circumstances and consonant to that spirit of adventure which has always animated me. But have you no desire to obtain the treasure for yourself ? Is the island on which it is to be found uninhabited ?'

" Of what value would riches be to me?' replied Herkarl ; besides, these would prove unhallowed in my possession. I have sufficient to support me in a moderate way, and I desire no more. The island had no people upon it when I was last there, nor is it a spot likely to be selected as a place of residence by any one. But as you are probably not ac- quainted with the customs of the buccaneers, I will describe the ceremo- nies which attended the secreting of this treasure.

" It was evening, when our schooner, rich with the spoils of many suc- cessful plundering expeditions, anchored off the island, which had, on many former occasions, been employed as a dep6t for the more cumbrous parts of our booties. About midnight we got into our boat, and rowed ashore. A blood-red mood, dilated into terrific magnitude by a foggy atmosphere, was within a short time of setting, overhung by one im- mense black cloud, the lower edge of which was gradually descending like a curtain to the surface of the sea. The island, though within half a mile of Os, was distinguishable only as a dark 'mass on the water. A death- Iike calmness prevailed around us, both in the air and on the ocean, upon whose waveless breast the reflection of a star sometimes glimmered feebly for a few moments, and seemed to be absorbed by the dense waters. The highest part of the island was crowned with some lofty palms, and these were sometimes suddenly and violently agitated, while a moaning wind could be heard careering among the other trees and the tangled brushwood growing beneath them. We plied our oars without speaking, and disembarked in a small rocky bay ; and having loaded ourselves with the different articles of treasure, we followed an intricate path with cau- tion and difficulty, the darkness being great, and lights not being deemed admissible at this period of our proceedings. This was the first adventure of the kind in which I had ever been engaged, but my attention was less attracted by the obstructions in our route, than by the condition of an unhappy negro slave, who was dragged along, bound hand and foot,by two of our party. This wretch knew that he was about to be immolated, and that resistance or hope of rescue was equally vain. A bandage over his mouth prevented his speaking, but the shuddering of his convulsed frame could be distinctly heard by every one of us. My agitation was nearly as great as his own, and, full of horror and disgust at the atrocity of which I was unwillingly about to be a witness, I cursed the hour that I had ever joined my comrades, and determined thenceforth to renounce all con- nexion with them.

" On reaching the place of deposit, which was embowered by trees, we all lighted our dark lanterns. We then opened the cavity intended for the concealment of our wealth, and found that it already contained a large amount in piastres and silver plate. Without removing any of either, we added what we had brought, and carefully closed every thing up. A circle was now drawn round the spot, and we all took our places within its cir cumference, except two individuals, who, seizing the negro slave already mentioned, pierced with a dagger one of the arteries near his shoulder, and then led him slowly round the circle, in order that its boundary might be defined by the blood which fell freely from his wound. This being effected, the victim was placed upon the summit of the little mound which contained our wealth, and killed, by the stroke of an axe upon his skull. We then turned the faces of our dark lanterns towards the spot where he lay, and saw him expire. Having covered his body with large stones and rubbish, we extinguished our lights, and hurriedly descended to the beach, and pushed off towards the schooner without delay.

" ' The purpose of this shocking, and I believe often practised ceremony, is to secure the concealed treasure from individual spoliation. Were any

buccaneer, who had been present on an occasion of the kind, either to attempt to subtract any of the property, or to inform another where it was deposited, the spirit of the murdered party would punish him, either by destroying him upon the spot, or by haunting and harassing him in the most fearful way"' " You have told a hideous story,' said Austin ; ' but is it not an in- consistency to suppose that the spirit of a murdered person would exert itself for the benefit of those who caused its death ? Do you believe that any treacherous buccaneer ever became the victim of the penalties which you describe?' " Buccaneers are seldom guilty of a breach of faith,' replied Herkarl, gravely. The bounds and grounds of one's belief in matters of this kind cannot always easily be defined. But neither you nor I have any thing to

fear, all my associates in the transaction being, as I have already mentioned, dead. The island lies in about 17° north latitude, andwithin Alhambra Bay, which is very well known to most of the inhabitants of that coast, though of too insignificant dimensions to be laid down in the generality of maps or charts. I have here a plan of the whole. The bearings of the spot

where the treasure lies, from different remarkable and unchanging objects, are given with such accuracy, that no mistake can be made ; but still the execution of the enterprise will require considerable courage and ad dress. Your plan will be to sail from London to Vera Cruz, or any other convenient port in America. On arriving there, I would recommend that you should engage a small vessel and crew, and proceed to the island without delay. But the utmost caution will be requisite in the choice of those who are to assist you in removing the geld and silver, for assistance you must have ; at all events let them not be Europeans, for the avarice that is peculiar to our species would make them unite in plundering you. Employ negroes, or Indians, either of whom will prove faithful and obe- dient; but as priority of knowledge entitles to priority of possession, do not fear to use the sword and pistol, should any one discover your pur- pose and attempt to oppose it. I now put into your hands all the neces- sary charts and papers, and may Heaven enable you to make a prosperous and a profitable use of them"'