immediateness with which the prehensile action followed contact of the part with any object, reminded me of what I have observed in the tails of the American monkeys, in which the slightest and most accidental touch of the tail-tip instantly excites the grasping action. Perhaps it is in a measure involuntary.

Neither the beauties of Johnstonella, nor the wonders of Thaumantias, with a host of other marvels, must detain us, and we unwillingly leave the multitudinous engaging objects with which these coasts abound. A faint idea of their number and nature may be realized if you, dear reader, will take a small boat, on a calm, clear day, and after it has become quite still in one of the rocky coves close to the shore, put your head over the gunwale, as near to the water as you can, a little before high water, shading, at the same time, your face with your hands, so as to exclude the light on each side as much as possible; then look down into the azure depths.

Groves of corallines and sea-weeds, shooting up their graceful branches, and waving their many-coloured fronds, like trees and other plants in the thinner fluid of the air, extend below and around you. Here are a party of mussels and other bivalves moored by their byssus to the rock, carpeted with alga and fuci, and studded with barnacles, their feathery cirrhi protruded and in action. There the limpets and other univalves are feeding or creeping. Among them a lobster or two, in their dappled-blue armour, are leisurely taking a stroll, ever and anon interrupted by some bulky intruder of a fish into a series of retrograde springs, by means of the alternately curved and straightened tail. There, crabs are scrambling sideways, and eyeing each other with no friendly glance; while higher up, on the submerged sloping rocky ledge, some of their luckless babies, hardly bigger than spiders, are fatally arrested by the tentacles of the fully-expanded sea-anemones, as the minute crablings heedlessly

run

over their variegated disks. Above all this, but beneath the sur

face, passes a fleet of Medusa, the sun shinging through their caps, bordered with a festoon of rich purple, and a foot in diameter, contracting and dilating as they go with the tide, carefully adjusting their distance as they sink deeper to avoid the boat-hook which your companion puts down in the hope of a capture, and looking like animated locomotive fungi. The open sandy space among the richly-covered rocks swarms with solens, donaces, and other bivalves, with here and there a sole, skate, or other flat fish undulating along the bottom or lying there at rest, with backs so nearly of the hue of the surrounding sand, that it requires a practised eye to detect them; while, at intervals, a large Basse sweeps by at midwater; and, still lower, the sandy-coated young dog-fish are sporting about.

It must not be supposed that the charming descriptions in the book before us are confined to the sea. Mr. Gosse is equally entertaining when he roams inland, where we wish that our space would permit us to follow him. There he will amuse his readers with many a legend, such as that of Hangman Hill, where the crime brought its own punishment-the stolen sheep doing the office of Mr. Calcraft; or of the haunted Carn Top, where the belated peasant still expects to see the eye of the murdered Jew glaring at him through the bushes in the gloaming.

If our hotel-keepers did but know their own interests, how many travellers who now spend their money upon the Rhine, the Seine, or the Garonne, would make themselves acquainted with the picturesque scenery of their own islands. But even with all the drawbacks, we would say to those who are about to indulge in change of scene and air, pause before you determine to depart for the well-trodden Continent. Take Mr. Gosse's book in your hand, and turn your face towards Devon, with its green uplands, sparkling streams, rich flowerenamelled valleys, and the lovely living gardens of its translucent, dark-blue sea.

1853.1

EMILY

CHAPTER XXIV.

IN consequence of the scene which

had taken place upon the racecourse, Roberts lost his employ in the attorney's office. And Emily's pupils were all withdrawn from her. Their parents were unwilling that they should come into contact with a person who had such a husband. In order, therefore, to earn her daily bread, Emily was compelled to do needle-work, and knit socks and comforters.

The Lady Jane Grey paid another visit to Sydney, and old Captain Dent lost no time in finding Emily, who was still living in the cottage he had taken for her. Emily was delighted to see the old man, the more especially as he had come at the very moment when she most needed a protector, for Brade had thrown out a dark hint that he intended to have Roberts taken away from her, turned in to government, and assigned to himself.

Captain Dent used to visit Emily very often, and his presence bored Brade beyond measure. To Brade's horror the old man used to invite Emily to return to England with him, offering her a stern cabin and a free passage.

One day Brade sent for Roberts, and said to him, 'Do you know that vulgar old ship captain is far too intimate with your wife?'

Roberts, quite unmoved, notwithstanding the grave character of the suspicion, replied that it might be so, and a legal idea suddenly flashed across his mind. The idea was simply this, whether a convict assigned to his wife could bring an action for criminal conversation ?whether being attainted by felony destroyed certain rights or not? Of his wife's innocence he had no sort of doubt, but that was not his 'point.' His point was to get money out of Captain Dent's pocket, and Captain Dent out of Mr. Brade's way. This was what Roberts called a very comprehensive move.'

Emily had shown to hin all the letters the Captain had recently written to her. They were conceived and expressed in a tone of the most affectionate regard. Cap

VOL. XLVIII. NO. CCLXXXVI.

tain Dent had frequently been shut up in the same room alone with Emily for hours, and half a dozen little circumstances might be brought forward, which, if put together, would be ample to satisfy the law bearing on the question. 'But

then, again' (it was thus Roberts argued), this would be cutting up the goose for the golden egg, for Emmy would leave me and go home, and I might fall into the hands of some master who would make me work, and bring me perhaps before Brade for idleness, and Brade would order me fifty lashes as soon as look at me, if Emmy was once out of the colony.'-So Roberts abandoned the project which at first had appeared to him so glittering. But insomuch as he would not feel safe if he were indifferent to Mr. Brade's wishes, he spoke to his wife on the subject, and requested her in future not to be at home when Captain Dent called.

It was a great sacrifice to Emily to forego the pleasure of receiving the old man who had treated her with such uniform kindness, but slave as she was to the wishes of her husband, she consented without a murmur, albeit she laughed at the very idea that' Reginald' could think of being jealous of an old gentleman whose age was more than double that of herself, while he did not appear at all jealous of Mr. Brade, whose visits were quite as frequent as those of Captain Dent, and whose attentions were much more marked, even in Reginald's' presence.

CHAPTER XXV.

FLOWER was far from weary of the wild marauding life he was leading, but he had a curious dream on the night which introduced Major Grimes's shepherd to the den, and he made up his mind to bring matters to a speedy conclusion, so far as related to the capture of the gang.

Flower asked Millighan to walk with him to the top of a mountain, which overlooked the den. There he discoursed with Millighan for some time on the grandeur of the

DD

scene, and the sweets of liberty. It was a beautiful warm day, and not a cloud to be seen in the sky. The foot of man had never before trod the ground on which Flower and Millighan were then standing. The stillness amidst the huge rocks of limestone conveyed an idea of something awful. The place was uninhabited, even by the birds of the air or the beasts of the field.

'Millighan,' said Flower, resting his arms across the muzzle of his carbine, and peering into Millighan's eyes, could you commit murder?' Not in cold blood,' said Millighan. Why do you ask me that question?'

6

'Because I wish to know your sentiments on that head,' said Flower. I could shoot a man, or be shot at, Millighan, without a flinch, but I could not shoot a brave fellow from behind a tree, or take a dirty advantage of a living creature worthy of the name of man.'

Well, that's what I feel,' said Millighan.

Now, look here,' said Flower, suppose a mounted policeman, or a thief-taker-a fellow of real pluckwas to come upon you when you were alone, and was to challenge you to surrender-what would you do? Would you draw your trigger at once, and not give him a

chance ?'

have often longed to meet that fellow in the field, for what I most want in this life is its excitement, and to be killed by the hand of a man like Flower, or to escape by killing him in fair fight-either way it would be something to suit me.'

'Millighan,' said Flower, slowly, 'I believe every word that you have uttered. Now, listen to what I am going to tell you. I am George Flower!

Millighan started. He gazed on Flower, whose eye was now riveted on that of his adversary. Millighan's carbine dropped from his hand, but he did not change colour, or betray any alarm.

Pick up your piece,' said Flower, pointing to the carbine, and assuming a proud but careless attitude. 'I am all that you have said of me, Millighan. I might have shot you like a dog before I spoke to you just now; but I could not do that, for you are a man as well as myself, and you are as brave and as generous. Pick up your piece, and walk backwards five and twenty paces; but let us shake hands first." Millighan took Flower's hand, and sighed heavily while he shook it.

Don't surrender,' suggested Flower, half fearing that Millighan would do so, and break the very charm that bound him to the

man.

'Surrender!' cried Millighan, with a smile and a sneer, no! I'll never do that. And knowing you to be a brave foe, I have still a chance, for I shoot as straight as you do. But tell me, are you in earnest? Are you George Flower? Yes, you must be. And hear this' (his blood began to warm), if you are not, we must fight this day, for we cannot after this live together.'

And Millighan took up his carbine, and satisfied himself that there was powder in the pan, and with his left thumb he pushed the corner of the flint round, so as to ensure ignition when he drew the trigger.

Flower placed his carbine against a huge stone, then put his hands into his pockets, and looked at Millighan:

I am George Flower,' said he, and who but George Flower would deal with you as I do? Don't let us talk much, or I may forget my

mission, and become a bushranger myself.

And Flower took up his carbine, and examined the powder in the pan, and touched the flint as Millighan had done.

Flower! for Flower you must be,' said Millighan, grant me, if you shoot me, one desire that I have had in my breast from boyhood-a desire that has haunted me. I do not dread death, but I have a horror of burial. If I fall, suffer me to lie on the very spot. Let the eagle come and feast upon my carcase, pluck these eyes from their sockets, and the skin from this brow. Let me lie here in this lonely region, and let my bones bleach in the sun, and the rain fall, and the moon and the stars shine upon them.'

My God!' exclaimed Flower, seizing Millighan by the arm, the same dread of being buried has ever haunted me. If I fall by your hand let me rest here, with my head pillowed upon this gun. Let no man living be shown the spot where I fell.'

Take your ground,' said Millighan. I am ready.'

There is my hand,' said Flower, and should we meet in another world we shall not be ashamed of one another, my boy.'

Tears were starting in the eyes of both Flower and Millighan when they parted. Each stepped backward pace for pace, Millighan followed by the little terrier, Nettles. When they were about fifty yards apart they halted and looked at each other for several minutes. Both simultaneously levelled their carbines, but each was indisposed to be the first to fire. At last

Millighan discharged his piece. He had aimed at Flower's heart. His bullet whizzed past Flower's head, and carried away a part of the left whisker. Flower firedand Millighan fell flat on his face. The ball had entered his left breast. Flower ran to the spot, to catch any last word Millighan might desire to breathe. But Millighan was dead.

The dog Nettles became frantic, flew at Flower, bit him in the legs, and stood over his late master, barking defiantly. Flower had not

403

the courage to drive the dog away, and without violence, which he would not resort to, he could not even touch the bushranger's corpse, now weltering in its own blood.

Millighan's gun was still grasped in his lifeless hand, and there Flower suffered it to remain.

'That head,' muttered Flower to himself, while the tears streamed down his cheeks, 'is worth a hundred pounds; but I could not cut it off for a hundred thousand, and fifty free pardons.'

'Nettles, come!' said Flower to the dog. I'll take care of you, Nettles.' But the terrier only growled in reply, and took up a position near his late master's head, and there remained.

The capture of the other two bushrangers was as easy as possible to a man of Flower's strength of mind and body. On returning to the den, he found only the shepherd who was still in irons, and the two Women. Drohne and Slobey had gone out kangarooing.

Flower released the shepherd, and gave him a double-barrelled gun, and told him to use it, if he were ordered to do so.

Bet and Sal were handcuffed together, and placed in an aperture of the den; and Flower and the shepherd then awaited the return of Drohne and Slobey.

Flower had been remarkably abstemious of late. His sagacity had pointed out to him that if he drank too much he might talk too much, and be led into boasting, which would be dangerous. But now that Millighan was no more, and the arrangements for his comrades' capture quite complete, he went into the spirit-room,' and drank four drams. Here's to the memory of that brave man!' said Flower; and he drank the first dram at a gulp. 'And here's to my noble self!'And here's to that dear woman, Mr.Orford's daughter!' 'And here's to the girls that love George Flower! Flower's tongue, too, had been tied up of late. He had not been able to hold forth' in the strain he was accustomed to indulge in: and such a volume of words and phrases pent up for

any

so many weeks was almost the death of him. He was dying to abuse somebody, and lacked the proVocation until Drohne and Slobey appeared; for Flower could not address unkind discourse to the women; on the contrary, when he was handcuffing them and putting them away, he said, in the most gentle and earnest manner imaginable, My sweet dears, it's only a matter of form, which must be gone through for safety's sake; make yourselves comfortable for about a couple of hours, and it will be all right with you.'

Of handcuffs there was an abundance in the den, and Flower began to manipulate the assortment, and select such as would best fit the coming victims, Drohne and Slobey.

'Now, then, shepherd,' said Flower, when these two gentlemen arrive, you will be so good as to put these things round their wrists. So; do you see? I'll cover them with this double-barrelled gun; do you see?

This is the way to handcuff two men together-so; do you see? hands across, down the middle.'

These instructions had scarcely been delivered, when Flower heard voices outside the den. Here they come,' said he. Now for it!'

·

Drohne and Slobey were unarmed.

Millighan? Have you been drinking, and gone mad?' inquired Drohne.

What an impatient fellow you are!' exclaimed Flower. Wait a bit, and you will see through it all.'

Here Flower handcuffed together a stirrup-iron of either saddle, so that the horses were tied together, and the reins of the bridles were then drawn over the heads of the animals and given to the shepherd to hold.

The women were now released by George Flower, and ordered to bring up four of the other horses (government cattle), then grazing in the valley. While they were absent, Flower unseen possessed himself of all the gold and jewellery in the den, and packed it carefully in two new saddle-bags.

This is for Gov'ment,' he remarked to himself, with a wink which denied the truth of his statement in this particular. Why, this business, one way or other, will be worth about eight hundred pound to me,' he added while he filled his pipe, and looked searchingly round the den. 'I shall get bounty money on all these horses, and saddles, and guns, and such like; and then these two are worth a hundred a-piece, and Bet ought to be worth something, as she has been a bolter at large for upwards of four years. Gov'ment's very liberal, I must say, in some things, though stingy in others. Poor Millighan! He very nearly did it for me. How that ball whistled!' And Flower smiled, and scratched that part of his jaw which Millighan's bullet had shorn of its whisker. He then went outside and used some very arrogant language to his prisoners, who could not yet understand him thoroughly.

The women now returned with the horses.