350. The Smugglers of Algesiras. [Ocr. 
mingled with the gentler impulses that moved her feminine spirit. Her 
mother died at Algesiras, before the rigid education was perfected which 
would have fettered the girl’s wild character, and straightened it down to 
the tame mechanism devised by systems and false prejudice. As it was, 
Julia felt the strong incitements which gave a channel to her actions and 
sentiments: she was directed by thoughts not as yet curbed ; and, year 
by year, the strong natural independence of her soul warmed with fresh 
ardour, and burst forth more and more uncontrolled. It was no wonder 
then that the chivalrous young Fernandez, whose duties brought him 
frequently to the house, should seem to her fancy an object more glorious 
and fit for her affections than the homely interests provided for her by 
her course of education, or the usual gallants who followed in her father’s 
train. It was no wonder either that the passion, once formed, should 
strengthen and be obeyed. She was not skilled, or not willing, to exercise 
the arts of coquetry and dissimulation ; the tale graven on her heart 
might be read legibly on her cheek ;—and who would read the charac- 
ters so clearly, who would interpret them so justly, as he who had 
inspired the language and dictated the very words? They became 
affianced in heart; but the forms of love were prohibited by her austere 
father, whose influence, had it availed, would have interposed an eternal 
chasm between them. 
It was this young officer who, upon returning to his ship on the night 
in question, chanced to encounter a large party of men, evidently 
employed in the smuggling trade, just outside the town of Algesiras. 
His own party was very small; but he did not hesitate to challenge the 
marauders. ‘These, on the other hand, speedily disengaged themselves 
from their burthens, and, at the orders of their chief, charged the 
assailants with such alacrity and superior force, as to drive them off with 
great peril of life. Chagrined at his failure, but satisfied that he was too 
weak to attempt any thing farther, Fernandez hurried on towards the 
shore, in the hope of strengthening his detachment in time to surprise 
the others on their return. On the road, as we have seen, he was’ 
accosted by Captain Saavedra, who unwittingly so far disclosed his 
occupation as to assure Fernandez of the connexion between the two par- 
ties. He just managed to note the countenance of the captain for future 
recognition, and, afraid of losing his object, passed on to his boat without 
farther operations. But the commander of the Buena Ventura was too 
wily a man to give him a farther chance. Without loss of time, he too 
retreated with his companions, and was soon on board the nimble felucea. 
In a few minutes the vessel shot off from her moorings, and was lost in 
the forest of masts and hulks that lie at anchor at the New Mole, on the 
Gibraltar side of the bay. 
On the following morning, Fernandez appeared on duty at the house 
of Don Francisco Serafin. A meeting was reluctantly allowed. He 
stated the occurrence of the previous evening, and requested either 
advice how to act in the present emergency, or fuller powers and resources 
to trace this mysterious transaction to its source. His superior would 
indulge him with neither. He persisted “ that his visitor had not come 
officially, but to steal an interview with his daughter. He was astonished 
at his making this frivolous occasion the ground of so much affected 
anxiety. A mere ordinary case of the landing of contraband goods, and 
a glimpse at the owners !—What of that? Why did he not secure the 
