1828.] A Night at Covigliaju. 463 



Then were to be seen the pale countenances of the timid, and the anxious 

 bearing of all. The supercargo, like a lost man, paced up and down the 

 deck, in the midst of terrified women and despairing men. We were in 

 the hands of a pirate ! Shortly after, the captain came on board. Our 

 papers were demanded ; and these, when brought, proving to be in a 

 foreign language, the barbarian affected to consider them spurious. 

 However, he had the moderation to wait until the arrival of his clerk, 

 who, upon examination, made the same statement, and threw them, 

 without hesitation, into the sea. In the absence of any proof that we 

 were a neutral vessel, and laden only with neutral property, there was 

 no pretext wanting for the assumption that our cargo was seizable ; and, 

 accordingly, measures were taken for transferring all the moveable goods 

 to the piratical vessel. This was not all. My loved Teresa, clinging to 

 my arm, with more than usual beauty of expression, struck the fierce 

 fancy of the marauding captain. He inquired if she were a slave the 

 monster ! the inhuman villain ! He offered to ransom her ; but he 

 should have known that a world would have been poor compensation 

 for her loss. My hand was on a cutlass ; and, as some wretched menial, 

 at his command, was on the point of forcing her from my hold, I struck 

 the dastard down, and defied them to do that wicked act. My menacing 

 attitude amused the murderous troop a laugh of insult passed amongst 

 them, and in a moment I was surrounded. I struck right and left, 

 calling on my comrades, imploring their succour with the energy of 

 despair, yielding not one inch. But a blow from behind cleft open my 

 head. I fell, writhing, on the deck, and lay in my own gore, vanquished 

 and insensible. 



" It seemed like a long and fantastic dream that followed ; how long, 

 I know not ; but, when I awoke from it, there were indistinct memo- 

 rials of the reality, mixed up with a thousand shadows and flitting phan- 

 toms, that tortured me like demons of vengeance. One sate by my bed with 

 cordials ; and, as I spoke, he gently hushed me, and adjusted my pillow. 

 Again I asked, and intreated, if he valued my poor soul, that he would 

 tell me whether a good or evil chance had befallen Teresa. He answered 

 not a word ; nor was it for some days that the extent of my suffering was 

 revealed to me. Then I learnt how truly I was miserable ! then was 

 the seal set to all those surmises which had coursed along my brain like 

 fire, and for so many days afflicted me with the pangs of hell ! They had 

 carried off my love, and left me,, a maniac, to pursue my desolate way in 

 ignorance. 



" It was some time before I could be moved ; and, when I was car- 

 ried on deck, even the fair scene around me failed to dispel the misery 

 that hung on my spirit. We were running swiftly along the shore of 

 Sicily ; the low coast was clearly distinguishable, with its plantations, 

 and little towns Terra Nuova, Marsala, Mazzara, &c. ; and the hills of 

 the interior, overtopped by ^Etna, formed their grand background. 

 Before us were the small islands, of which Favignana, the chief, frowns 

 upon the smiling sea with its eternal load of infamy; and the huge 

 dungeon-house cannot shut from its miserable tenants the view of that 

 sunny land which they have forfeited. We passed Maritime, and three 

 days sufficed to carry us into the channel of Piombino. On the fourth 

 morning we reached Monte Christi, and were going at the rate of ten 

 knots an hour, with a sirocco, under royals, and studding-sails on both 



