1 It was, however, not till the 22d the walls were a considerable height of December that they put to sea. out of the water, and the garrison Their first place of rendezvous was consisted of upwards of 500 men. It St. Vincent, one of the Cape Verde was by climbing over each other's islands; the ship Hollandia, on board shoulders, and by the assistance of of which was Colonel Van Dorth, boat-hooks, that the Dutch scaled was here found to be missing. They the walls, not having any ladders. It remained at St. Vincent till the month was not, however, thought prudent of April, taking in the necessary re- by Hein, as his ammunition was nearly freshments, and exercising both the expended, to keep possession of this soldiers and sailors; and here, too, fortress, and therefore, after spiking the sealed orders of the directors were the guns, he withdrew with his pri opened. They weighed anchor on soners on board his ships. In this the 21st of April, and came in sight desperate attack the Dutch lost only of the coast of Brazil on the 4th of four killed, amongst whom was the the following month, in the latitude of fourteen degrees south. When they got abreast of the Bay, they anchored about nine leagues from the shore, keeping as far in the offing as possible, in order to avoid being seen from the coast. daring trumpeter, and eight or ten wounded. In the mean time Admiral Willekens made preparations for disembarking the troops; these amounted to 1200 men, to whom were added 200 sailors, principally to manage the artillery, and to convey the ammuAfter concerting a plan of attack, nition and provisions. Colonel Van the fleet run into the Bay on the fol- Dorth not having made his appearlowing day. They were smartly can- ance, the command devolved on nonaded from the castle of San Phi- Major Albert Schouten. The men lippo, and the fort of Tapagipe, but were landed in Sandy-Bay, without particularly from a battery under the opposition, and advanced rapidly, city of St. Salvador, erected upon a along a narrow road to the city of St. platform lately made of white stone Salvador. Had the Portuguese not upon a rock lying under water, which been struck with a panic, they could was mounted with eleven heavy guns. have stopped the progress of the Vice-admiral Hein approached, with assailants in this defile with little difthree ships, to within a musquet-shot ficulty. They encountered some opof this battery, and of fifteen Portu- position in the suburbs, which, howguese vessels of different sizes, lying ever, ceased in the evening; at which near the shore. Hein, perceiving that time the city was entirely evacuated little advantage was derived from his by the military. This, however, they fire, whilst one of his ships had suf- did not know till at day-break the folfered very much, manned three boats lowing morning, upon approaching with twenty sailors in each, and sent the gates, a Portuguese with a flag of them to board the shipping. On their truce, informed them from the walls near approach, the Portuguese aban- that the town had been evacuated; doned their vessels, and set some of and the Dutch advanced in order of them on fire; eight of them were, battle, and with proper caution to however, made prize of. Andrew the market-place without meeting Nieuwkerk, surnamed the Patient, an any one but the civil governor and experienced seaman, and a brave his attendants, whom they made prisoldier, commander of the ship Gronengen, lost his life on this occasion. As this platform battery annoyed the assailants extremely, the admiral directed Hein to attempt it with 14 wellarmed boats. In the midst of the incessant fire from the battery, and from the shore, he succeeded in the attempt; a trumpeter was the first, and the Vice-admiral himself the second, who mounted upon the walls. This was a most daring enterprise: soners. They then began plundering the town, and, with uncurbed licentiousness, broke open and despoiled the houses and warehouses, destroying more than they took away. Viceadmiral Hein had landed the same morning on the other side of the town, and, advancing, found the Dutch troops in possession of the place. Notwithstanding the destruction of property and the private plumder, a considerable public booty was made. About 4000 chests of sugar, chapels, monasteries, and convents. and a large quantity of hides, were The streets are narrow, ill paved, and the principal articles. Twenty-three disgustingly filthy. brass and twenty-six iron pieces of ordnance were taken in the city and the fort. Bahia exhibits of course a different appearance at the present time, than it did at the period just mentioned; but the following short description of its actual state will illustrate the historical part of this account. The Bay or Gulph of All Saints is open to the south, and is formed by a large peninsula, and the island Itaporica, extending to the north-westward amongst various islands, and a branching inland sea, about 70 miles in extent, and into which fall six large rivers, all mostly navigable. From the bar off fort St. Antonio, at the point of the large peninsula, to the point of Montserrat, and the beach of Tapagipe, is the part used for anchorage; and vessels are sheltered from every wind that blows, in a space in which it has been stated that the united shipping of the globe might assemble without inconvenience. The city is protected by a number of forts and batteries; but, with the exception of a battery of 18 guns, and the forts of St. Philip and Do Mar, they are very ill provided with ordnance. The fort Do Mar, the scene of the heroic achievement of Vice-admiral Hein, just related, was erected about the year 1600, on a small rocky bank of the inner bay, three quarters of a mile from the shore. It was first built in a circular form, and was completed in the shape it bears at present by the Dutch, during the time they were in possession of Bahia. They rais ed the original tower, and surrounded it with an extensive lower battery. The lower battery now mounts 29 guns, of which a few are 42-pounders, and the rest 24's. The upper one mounts 16 guns, 24 and 18-pounders. The tower rises from the level of the bat tery about 25 feet. It is divided into several apartments, which diverge like radii from the centre to the circumference, and are used as magaThe city of Bahia, or St. Salvador, zines and barracks. The top of the is on the right side of the bay, and is tower is covered with flag-stones, principally built upon the summit of carefully cemented, and sloped to a steep hill, rising at a small distance preserve the rain, which, collecting from the beach. From the inequality in the centre, descends through a of the ground, and the gardens interspersed between the houses, it occupies a considerable space. The cathedral is large, and the college and archiepiscopal palace are also spacious buildings. The grand church of the Jesuits is entirely constructed of European marble, and the internal ornaments are sumptuous beyond measure. The whole of the wood-work is in- On the extreme point of the pelaid with tortoisesheil; and paintings, ninsula, and opposite the bar, is the images, and other decorations, load small and ancient fort and light-house the interior in cumbrous profusion. of San Antonio do Barro; and proThe college and monastery adjoining have, since the expulsion of the Jesuits, been converted by government into a commodious hospital. The books and manuscripts which formed the library of the Jesuits, are huddled together in a neglected room: the most interesting of the manuscripts are said to be the unpublished discoveries of the Jesuits in the interior of America; but strangers are denied access to them. There are many other churches, grate into an extensive reservoir below, which contains a supply of water adequate to the consumption of a garrison of 500 men for six months. Shipping usually anchor between this fort and the city, where they are immediately under the protection of its guns, and of those of fort St.Philip, on the opposite shore. ceeding to the bar, a deep but narrow bay runs in, and is bounded by a sandy beach, flanked on one side by the trifling fort of Santa Maria, and on the other by San Diego, which is a semi-circular battery. An eighteen-gun battery, chiefly 24-pounders, at the extremity of the city, ranges à fleur d'eau, and is in tolerable condition. Beyond this is the dock-yard, which admits but of one ship of the line on the stocks at once*. It is defended by the elevated in consequence; but the most opu battery of fort St. Philip, which mounts lent and most respectable kept themabout thirty guns of various calibres. selves concealed. The new governor, There are three other insignificant however, who was a man of talent batteries along the beach, and a small and promising abilities, did not long one on the point of Montserrat. enjoy his situation: accompanied by fifty men, he one day rode out in order to reconnoitre the environs and approaches to the city, and unfortunately fell into an ambush of Brasilians, who, discharging a shower of arrows and spears upon the party, killed the governor, whose head they afterwards cut off. Major Albert Schouten succeeded as governor. On the land-side, the city is defended, at the south and north passes, which are parallel with the beach, by three forts: on the south, by the extensive fortification and outworks of San Pedro, now, however, almost dismantled the northern pass is a valley, entirely commanded by fort Barbalho on one side, and by fort San Antonio do Carmo on the other, nearer the bay. Barbalho lies high, and is an irregular square; two of its angles are furnished with quadrangular bastions, the others with half-moons. The surrounding fosse is deep, and the whole structure is strong and in an unimpaired condition: it mounts, however, but few guns, and those are placed at San Admiral Willekens set sail for Holland, with the merchant vessels, in the latter end of July; and the Viceadmiral Hein did not stay long after him. He sailed on the 6th of August, with four ships from Bahia, for Angola and the coast of Africa. [To be continued.] SHANTER.' straggling distances, and are almost The FIRST IDEA of BURNS' "TAM O' ruined by neglect and time. Antonio do Carmo is a small quadrangular fort with a few guns. The inhabitants of the city and its suburbs are estimated at upwards of 100,000; of whom 30,000 are whites, 30,000 mulattoes, and the rest negroes. Sir, HERE can be none of your Treaders who have not been de lighted with the "Tam o' Shanter" of Robert Burns; and to none, therefore, can the following letter be unacceptable. It was written to the To return, however, to the seven- antiquary Grose; and besides the teenth century, and the capture of tradition upon which Tam o' Shanter Bahia by the Dutch. Colonel Van is founded, contains two others which Dorth, and the ship Hollandia, who may amuse the curious in hobgobhad, as before observed, been given linism. It is but justice to add, that up for lost, arrived soon after the it appeared in print some years ago, capture. To him, therefore, who had and that Mr. Cromek has also transbeen appointed governor in the event planted it into his Reliques, recently of success, did Admiral Willekens published. Still, however, it may render report of what had occurred; not be familiar to the general reader, and he immediately entered upon his as it is not in Dr. Currie's edition of office. He issued a proclamation, his works; and therefore I transmit calling back to the city those inhabit it to you. ants who had fled, and promising them protection, and unmolested I remain, &c. liberty. A few Portuguese came in January 14th, 1809. At Tapagipe there are several private yards, in which merchant ships of all dimensions are built. The timber of the country is well adapted for ship-building, from its hard and durable quality, and, like teek-wood, is impervious to worms; but it is said to have a great fault, that of imperceptibly decaying the iron-work. S. S. "AMONG the many witch stories I have heard relating to Aloway kirk, I distinctly remember only two or three. Upon a stormy night, amid whistling squalls of wind, and bitter blasts of hail; in short, on such a night as the devil would chuse to take the air in; a farmer or farmer's servant was plodding and plashing homeward with his plough irons on prudently advanced on his road.his shoulder, having been getting When he had reached the gate of the some repairs on them at a neighbour- kirk-yard, he was surprized and ening smithy. His way lay by the kirk tertained, through the ribs and arches of Aloway, and being rather on the of an old Gothic window, which still anxious look out in approaching a faces the highway, to see a dance of place so well known to be a favourite witches merrily footing it round their haunt of the devil and the devil's friends old sooty blackguard master, who and emissaries, he was struck aghast was keeping them all alive with the by discovering through the horrors of power of his bagpipe. The farmer, the storm and stormy night, a light, stopping his horse to observe them a which on his near approach, plainly little, could plainly descry the faces of shewed itself to proceed from the many old women of his acquaintance haunted edifice. Whether he had and neighbourhood. How the gentlebeen fortified from above on his de- man was dressed, tradition does not vout application, as is customary with say; but the ladies were all in their people when they suspect the imme- smocks: and one of them happening diate presence of Satan; or whether, unluckily to have a smock which was according to another custom, he had considerably too short to answer all got courageously drunk at the smithy, the purpose of that piece of dress, our I will not pretend to determine; but farmer was so tickled that he invoso it was that he ventured to go up to, luntarily burst out, with a loud laugh, nay into the very kirk. As good "Weel luppen, Maggy wi' the short luck would have it his temerity came sark!" and recollecting himself, inoff unpunished. stantly spurred his horse to the top of his speed. I need not mention the universally known fact, that no diabolical power can pursue you beyond the middle of a running stream.Lucky it was for the poor farmer that the river Doon was so near, for notwithstanding the speed of his horse, which was a good one, against he reached the middle of the arch of the bridge, and consequently the middle of the stream, the pursuing, vengeful hags were so close at his heels, that one of them actually sprung to seize him; but it was too late, nothing was on her side of the stream but the horse's tail, which immediately gave way at her infernal grip, as if blasted by a stroke of lightning: but the farmer was beyond her reach. However, the unsightly, tail-less condition of the vigorous steed was to the last hour of the noble creature's life an awful warning to the Carrick farmers, not to stay too late in Ayr markets. "The members of the infernal junto were all out on some midnight business or other, and he saw nothing but a kind of kettle or cauldron, depending from the roof, over the fire, simmering some heads of unchristened children, limbs of executed malefactors, &c. for the business of the night. It was in for a penny, in for a pound, with the honest ploughman: so without ceremony he unhooked the cauldron from off the fire, and pouring out the damnable ingredients, inverted it on his head, and carried it fairly home, where it remained, long in the family, a living evidence of the truth of the story. "Another story which I can prove to be equally true, was as follows: "On a market day in the town of Ayr, a farmer from Carrick, and consequently whose way lay by the very gate of Aloway kirk-yard, in order to cross the river Doon at the old bridge, which is about two or three hundred yards further on than the said gate, had been detained by his business, 'till by the time he reached Aloway it was the wizard hour, between night and morning. Though he was terrified, with a blaze streaming from the kirk, yet as it is a well-known fact that to turn back on these occasions is running by far the greatest risk of mischief, he "The last relation I shall give, though equally true, is not so well identified as the two former, with, regard to the scene; but as the best authorities give it for Aloway, I shall relate it. "On a summer's evening, about, the time that nature puts on her sables to mourn the expiry of the chearful day, a shepherd boy, belonging to a farmer in the immediate neighbourhood of Aloway Kirk, had anxious thoughts upon what I had just folded his charge, and was re- witnessed, and I entered my library, turning home. As he passed the but with no disposition to enjoy its kirk, in the adjoining field, he fell in treasures. I threw myself on a sota with a crew of men and women, who in deep meditation. Heavens! thought were busy pulling stems of the plant I to myself, of what a strange, minRagwort. He observed, that as each gled mass is this world composed! person pulled a Ragwort, he or she got Pleasure beams her golden smile, astride of it, and called out, "up hor- even on the confines of poverty, age, sie!" on which the Ragwort flew off, sickness, and death! But a thin parlike Pegasus, through the air with its tition, a few miserable bricks, separider. The foolish boy likewise pulled rate me-sparkling with healthful his Ragwort, and cried with the rest, vigour, and sharing the choicest boun"up horsie!" and, strange to tell, ties of indulgent heaven-from one away he flew with the company.--whose grey hairs are fluttering over The first stage at which the caval- the grave, blown by the rude gale of cade stopt, was a merchant's wine poverty!-upon whose wan and faded cellar in Bourdeaux, where, without cheek disease has triumphed many a saying by your leave, they quaffed away at the best the cellar could afford, until the morning, foe to the imps and works of darkness, threatened to throw light on the matter, and frightened them from their carousals. day!-Such is man! the presence only of affliction affects him! I have slept well and easy: contentment has spread my pillow, and shaded me with her halcyon wings: I have waked to a happy morning, and my heart, which yet hath known no sor"The poor shepherd lad, being row, has beat with gladness at the equally a stranger to the scene and expectation of the coming day! Yet the liquor, heedlessly got himself let my fancy remove this mass of drunk; and when the rest took horse, brick and mortar, and I behold a nohe fell asleep, and was found so next ble heart borne down by hard oppresday by some of the people belonging sion: an eye, languidly gleaning in to the merchant. Somebody that the morning sun, which once beamed understood Scotch, asking him what cheerily in the active field, and lent he was, he said he was such-a-one's its fires even to the meanest soldier herd in Aloway; and, by some means in the camp! I see, perhaps, that or other getting home again, he lived long to tell the world the wondrous "I am, &c. &c." tale. 66 A MONOLOGUE: a RHAPSODY: or, FUGENIO had just told me, that breast heaving fast the sighs of struggling nature, which has often stood within the cannon's shot, and never owned the bodings of dismay! A form and countenance in fact, where honour, manly virtue, shone resplendant, and seemed to inform each petty action that hung upon its mo tion-now sunk, enfeebled, pale, in the next cottage lay a veteran emaciated, its nerves unstrung, and soldier, on the bed of death, stricken all its boiling blood for ever laid at with poverty and languishing with rest! disease. I was returned from my God of Heaven! what are those morning ramble, invigorated by ex- qualities on which we build our ercise, and health beating in every pride, and swell our arrogance? Like pulse. The story of Eugenio arrested prating infancy, we weave aloft our ny feelings; and I suffered him to frail fantastic joys, which the first conduct me to the abode of sickness. wind of accident may o'erthrow !--There I passed some hours in conso- Unstable as the sand, unsteady as the ling the horrors of dying man, and gale, are the shadowy forms with pouring balm into the wounds inflict- which we invest our unreal hopes! ed by the gloomy terrors of religion. like that they crumble into nothing: My efforts were not unavailing he or like this they change at every in siniled in peace and hope ere I left stant. And yet, who, who is there hun. I returned to my house full of so unblest, that would strip them of |