her way up the river, her guns and warlike appearance attracting much attention and curiosity, for vessels of her description were seldom seen working up the intricate passage of the Dee. Not a suspicion was entertained of her real character, but the male part of the population conjectured her to be a visitor equally unwelcome-a ship of war coming up for the purpose of impressment. Accordingly at an early hour (Lord Selkirk being fortunately in London), Lady Selkirk was informed of the circumstance, and a request was made by the men servants that they might absent themselves for the purpose of concealment. The vessel had

no

sooner anchored than an armed boat was

despatched.

The crew on landing seemed to have no particular object in view; and after remaining some time, strolling up and down the country, took to their boat and remained on board. Before, however, the people had recovered from their first alarm, the boat was again observed to push off, and in a few minutes a strong body of armed men landed on the beach, without interruption; not as before did they stroll about, but, forming in regular order, marched directly to the castle, which they immediately surrounded, and then, for the first time, a suspicion of the real character of such unexpected visitors was excited. Lady Selkirk, who, with her chil

dren, were the only members of the family then resident in the castle, had just finished breakfast, when she received a summons to appear before the officer commanding the detachment; she obeyed with considerable fear, which was not diminished upon a nearer view of the visitors, whose ferocious looks, and ragged dress, too plainly shewed their hostile intentions; and, as it was evident that plunder was their object, the worst might be expected in case of resistance. They were armed with every variety of weapon, muskets, pistols, swords; and one savage-looking fellow bore an American tomahawk over his shoulder. Two officers had the command of the party; one of them coarse and rude in language and behaviour; the other, on the contrary, was not only courteous and respectful-but even apologized to Lady Selkirk, regretting the unpleasant duty in which it was his unfortunate lot to appear as a principal. Their first inquiry was for Lord Selkirk: on being assured that he was not in the country some disappointment was manifested. After a short pause, the latter officer said he must then request her Ladyship to produce all her plate. She replied, that the quantity in the castle was very small, but what there was should be immediately given up; and accordingly the whole was laid before them, even to the silver tea-pot used at breakfast, which

had not been washed out. The officer on receiving it directed his men to pack up every article, again apologizing for his conduct on an occasion which he called a dirty business, and then taking leave, at the head of his men returned to the vessel, leaving the family not a little rejoiced at their escape. Still, however, as the ship did not get under weigh, fears were entertained of a second visit, and Lady Selkirk lost no time in sending off her children, and removing whatever property was likely to become a source of temptation, to a place of security. Her fears were fortunately groundless, and in a few hours she had the satisfaction to see the privateer under weigh without offering further molestation.

Some days after this occurrence, Lady Selkirk received a letter from Paul Jones himself, written in a romantic, almost poetical style. He entreated her Ladyship's pardon for the late affront, which he assured her was so far from being planned or sanctioned by him, that he had done every thing in his power to prevent its taking place; but his officers and crew insisted on the attempt, hoping to secure the person of Lord Selkirk, for whose ransom a considerable sum might be expected. This he declared was the object of their first visit, and having failed in it, they returned on board, when, after some murmuring, they insisted

on again landing and plundering the house. To this he was obliged to consent, though with great reluctance, adding, as a proof of his innocence, that he would endeavour to purchase the plunder they had so disgracefully brought off, from the crew, and transmit (if not the whole) whatever he could procure, to her ladyship. Several years however elapsing without anything further being heard, all hope of course was given up of the fulfilment of his promise, when, to Lady Selkirk's great surprise, in the spring of 1783, the whole was returned, carriage paid, precisely in the same state in which it had been carried away, to all appearance never having been unpacked, the very tea-leaves remaining in the tea-pot, as they were left after the breakfast on the day of capture. The report of his landing rapidly spread through the country, attended with every variety of exaggeration by the time it reached London. Lord Selkirk received it with the additional particulars that his family were all made prisoners, and his castle burnt to the ground. He immediately hurried to the north, and it was not until he had gone half way that he learned the real truth.

THE DEATH OF SIR HENRY BELASYSE, K.B.

THE prevalence of duels was at no time greater than during the period that followed the restoration of King Charles II. Singular enough, while the battle strife had lasted personal encounters were of rare occurrence. Charles Moore maintains that our civil wars were not of a nature calculated, like those of France, to increase the rage of the duel but rather to suspend the frequency of its practice. "As it was not" continues that writer, "a struggle (latterly in particular), between two powerful factions of the nobility and gentry one against the other, but of the commonalty against whatever was called royal, noble, or honourable in rank and fortune, the consequence was that the gentry and those who had been accustomed to look to their own swords for revenge in personal affronts would have disdained to have settled points of honour by private duel with antagonists of such ignoble birth. The general course