of ecstacy, at least a score of most tremendous oaths; then wiped his heated face upon his neckkerchief, and cried, «No Popery! I'm a religious man, by G—!»

Gashford had leant back in his chair, regarding him with eyes so sunken, and so shadowed by his heavy brows, that for aught the hangman saw of them, he might have been stone blind. He remained smiling in silence for a short time longer, and then said, slowly and distinctly:

« You are indeed an earnest fellow, Dennis-a most valuable fellow the staunchest man I know of in our ranks. But you must calm yourself; you must be peaceful, lawful, mild as any lamb. I am sure you will be though..

"Ay, ay, we shall see, Muster Gashford, we shall see. You won't have to complain of me,» returned the other, shaking his head.

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"I am sure I shall not,» said the secretary in the same mild tone, and with the same emphasis. We shall have, we think, about next month, or May, when this Papist relief bill comes before the house, to convene our whole body for the first time. My lord has thoughts of our walking in procession through the streets-just as an innocent display of strengthand accompanying our petition down to the door of the House of Commons. »

The sooner, the better," said Dennis, with another oath. "We shall have to draw up in divisions, our numbers being so large; and, I believe I may venture to say,» resumed Gashford, affecting not to hear the interruption, «though I have no direct instructions to that effect that Lord George has thought of you as an excellent leader for one of these, parties. I have no doubt you would be an admirable one." Try me, said the follow, with an ugly wink.

You would be cool, I know," pursued the secretary, still smiling, and still managing his eyes so that he could watch nim closely, and really not be seen in turn, obedient to orders, and perfectly temperate. You would lead your party into no danger, I am certain. »

"I'd lead them, Muster Gashford

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I

the hangman was begin

ihng in a reckless way, when Gashford started forward, laid

his finger on his lips, and feigned to write, just as the door was opened by John Grueby.

Oh! said John, looking in; here's another Protestant. »

"

« Some other room, John, » cried Gashford in his blandest voice. "I am engaged just now. »

But John had brought this new visitor to the door, and he walked in unbidden, as the words were uttered; giving to view the form and features, rough attire, and reckless air, of Hugh.

(To be continued.)

!

1.

On the 13th of February, Mr. Stephens, still in bad health, set out from San José, on a land journey of twelve hundred miles to Guatimala. We must conquer our inclination to transfer to our pages many of his incidents of travel’— one earthquake scene is irresistible-and will condense as well as we can his most interesting details regarding the projected ship-canal to unite the Atlantic and Pacific. But first the earthquake. Our traveller was at the hacienda of Santa Rosa, the guest of Don Juan José Bonilla :

"

While sitting at the supper-table we heard a noise over our heads which seemed to me like the opening of the roof. Don Juan threw his eyes to the ceiling, and suddenly started from his chair, threw his arms around the neck of a servant-a fall from his horse during a popular commotion had rendered him lame for life-and with the fearful words, Tremblor! tremblor! -(an earthquake! an earthquake!) -all rushed for the doors. I sprang from my chair, made one bound across the room, and cleared the piazza. The earth rolled like the pitching of a ship in a heavy sea. My step was high, my feet barely touched the ground, and my arms were thrown up involuntarily to save myself from falling. I was the last to start, but once under way, I was the last to stop. Half way across the yard I stumbled over a man on his knees, and fell. I never felt myself so feeble

athing before... At this moment I heard Don Juan calling to me. He was leaning on the shoulder of his servant, with his face to the door, crying to me to come out of the house. It was pitch dark; within was the table at which we had sat, with a single candle, the light of which extended far enough to show a few of the kneeling figures, with their faces to the door. We looked anxiously in, and waited for the shock which should prostrate the strong walls and lay the roof on the ground. There was something awful in our position, with our faces to the door, shunning the place which at all other times offers shelter to man. The shocks were continued perhaps two minutes, during which time it required an effort to stand firm. The return of the earth to steadiness was almost as violent as the shock. We waited a few minutes after the last vibration, when Don Juan said it was over, and, assisted by his servant, entered the house. I had been the last to leave it, but I was the last to return; and my chair lying with its back on the floor, gave an intimation of the haste with which I had decamped. The houses in Costa Rica are the best in the country for resisting these shocks, being, like the others, long and low, and built of adobes, or undried bricks, two feet long and one broad, made of clay mixed with straw to give adhesion, and laid when soft, with upright posts between, so that they are dried by the sun into one mass, which moves with the surface of the earth.'-vol. i. pp. 382-384.

Mr. Stephens, does not state whether his investigation of the projected line of canal was undertaken under the orders of his government, or merely from the interest which he, as an individual, took in the subject. We conjecture that the latter was the case; and as a specimen of amateur surveying, the exertions he made, and the difficulties he braved, do his energy and courage great honour. After he had been over the ground, he met at Grenada the engineer who, two years before, had been employed by the government of Central America to make a survey of the canal route. This gentleman, a Mr. Bailey, on the half-pay of the British navy, had very nearly completed his survey when the political disturbances in the country again broke out the States declared their independence of the government, and disclaimed its debts, Mr. Bailey had bestowed much time and labour in the execution of his task, and had in vain sought for remuneration he had sent his son to make a last appeal to the general government; but before the young man reached the capital, the government itself

من

was entirely annihilated, and Mr. Bailey had no reward for his services, except the satisfaction of having been the first pioneer in a noble work. He gave the use of the whole of his maps and drawings to our author.

A water-communication between the two oceans had long been thought of. Many years ago a survey was made under the direction of the Spanish government; but the documents lay buried in the archives of Guatimala until the emancipation of the colonies, when they were republished by Mr. Thomson, who visited the country under a commission from the British government. In 1825 the new republic of Central America sent an envoy to the United States, with a proposition that the enterprise should be undertaken conjointly, and the advantages resulting from it secured to the two nations by a treaty. The proposition was favourably received; but no government measure resulted from it. The next year a contract was made between the government of Central America and a New York company, for the construction of a ship-canal across the isthmus; but although many distinguished men in the United States associated themselves with the project, it fell to the ground. In 1830 the government of Central America made another contract with a company in the Netherlands; the King of Holland specially patronised the undertaking, and subscribed largely towards it but this also, in consequence of the political difficulties between Holland and Belgium, was in its turn abandoned.

In 1835 the senate of the United States passed a resolution, requesting the President to open negotiations with other governments, for the purpose of protecting such individuals or companies as should open a ship communication between the two oceans, and of securing to all nations the free and equal use of such canal on the payment of reasonable tolls. Upon this a special agent was despatched, by General Jackson, with directions, first to examine the route by the river San Juan and the lake of Nicaragua, and afterwards the one across the isthmus of Panama. This agent only surveyed the latter route, and died on his way back to Washington. His report, although imperfect, is important; as it proves that a ship-canal across