(>4i) The Demon Ship. [DEC. 



It was yet scarcely broad day, but many a face I had not before seen 

 met my eye, many a countenance, whose untameable expression of fero- 

 city had doubtless been deemed, even by the ruffian commander himself, 

 good reason for hitherto keeping them from observation. All on the 

 quarter-deck was quiet. The skylight of the cabin was closed, and it 

 seemed that the countess and her female attendants were still enjoying 

 a calm and secure repose. I longed to descend and arouse them from 

 a sleep which was so soon to be followed by a deeper slumber ; but the 

 step would have been hazardous, and I therefore walked up and down 

 the quarter-deck, sometimes anxiously watching for the removal of the 

 sky-light, sometimes straining my vision on the horizon, and sometimes 

 casting a furtive glance towards the evidently increasing crew on deck, 

 whilst ever and anon my soul rose on prayer to its God, and spread its 

 fearful cause before him. 



I had now an opportunity of discovering the real nature of my senti- 

 ments towards Margaret. They stood the test which overthrows many 

 a summer-day attachment. I felt that, standing as my soul now was on 

 the verge of its everlasting fate, it lost not one of its feelings of tender- 

 ness. They had assumed, indeed, a more sacred character, but they 

 were not diminished. The sun arose, and the countess appeared on 

 deck. I drew her to the stern of the vessel, so that her back was to the 

 crew, and there divulged the fearful secret which so awfully concerned 

 her. At first the woman only appeared in Margaret ; her cheek was 

 pale, her lips bloodless, and respiration seemed almost lost in terror and 

 overpowering astonishment. She soon, however, gained comparative 

 self-possession. " I must be alone for a few moments," she said. " Per- 

 haps you will join me below in a brief hour." She enveloped her face 

 in her shawl to hide its agitation from the crew, and hastily descended 

 to her cabin. When I joined her at the time she had appointed, a hea- 

 venly calm had stolen over her countenance. She held out one hand to 

 me, and pointing upwards with the other, said, " I have not implored in 

 vain. Come and sit by me, my friend ; our moments seem numbered 

 on earth, but, oh ! what an interminable existence stretches beyond it. 

 In such a moment as this, how do we feel the necessity of some better 

 stay than aught our own unprofitable lives can yield." Margaret's 

 bible lay before her. It was open at the history of His sufferings on 

 whom her soul relied. She summoned her maidens, and we all read 

 and prayed together. Her attendants were two sisters, of less exalted 

 mind than their mistress, but whose piety, trembling and lowly, was 

 equally genuine. They sate locked in one another's arms, pale and 

 weeping. 



It was a difficult day to pass, urged by prudence, and the slender 

 remain of hope, to appear with our wonted bearing before the crew. 

 We felt, too, that there was a something suspicious in our remaining so 

 long together, but we found it almost impossible to loose our grasp on 

 each other's hands and separate. Too plain indications that our sen- 

 tence was at length gone forth soon began to shew themselves. Our 

 scanty breakfast had been served early in the morning, with a savage 

 carelessness of manner that ominously contrasted with the over-done 

 attentions we had before received ; and the non-appearance of any sub- 

 sequent meal, though day waned apace, fearfully proved to us that the 

 Demon captain now held further ceremony with his doomed passengers 

 useless. Margaret held me to her with a gentle and trembling tenacity 



