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structed of planks, and covered with the inverted hull of a large boat, under which he entered with apathetical submission.

Fd He was no sooner within the door-way, than he was released from his bonds, and the bandage they had tied over his eyes having been removed, he was enabled to observe the persons and things within the curious apartment he had been so strangely introduced into. He now perceived that the sailor-looking men who had seized him had taken post at the door behind him, as if to prevent all chance of his escape, and the pistols and other arms they exhibited, sufficiently warned him that it was necessary to act with prudence.

The hovel was small, and stuffed in every corner with strange looking pieces of furniture, all of them old, most of them very antique in their form, and many of them of foreign manufacture, and wearing the appearance of having made many a voyage, At one side was a large fire-place, built up with fragments of flint from the chalky cliffs. in which was piled a huge heap of burning billets, and a deal table of rude workmanship, plentifully covered with eatables, liquors, bottles, tall beakers, rummers, and Dutch tobacco-pipes, extended it

self down the middle of the place. On one side sat a rather bulky man, like a foreign pilot, with a great, rough, seaman's watch-coat on, and shis head ensconced in a huge brown wig, covered by a broad brimmed hat, which, with his black whiskers, mustachios, and a three weeks' beard, almost hid his face.

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As to the other figure, if that might be called a figure which appeared at the upper end of the table, it was difficult to tell by the light of the single candle dimly illuminating the place, whether it was that of a man or of a sea-monster." It was elevated, or rather nestled in an arm-chair, amongst coarse, greasy checked cushions, and it presented the shocking spectacle of a body and head, without legs or arms, for what remains of limbs there were, appeared to be little more than stumps of half a foot long. The deficiency of the body in these respects, was amply compensated by the enormous bulk of the head, that nourished a profusion of black horse-like hair, hanging around the shoulders like "the tails of a whole troop of heavy cavalry. The trunk, all upwards to the neck, seemed to be clothed in a sort of close made garment of checked stuff, the hue, material, and shape of it, being so

much like the surrounding cushions, that the enormous head appeared to be poised upon the top of a perpendicularly-placed bolster of enor mous magnitude, and when put in motion, it seemed as if about to roll down upon the table. The broad face was of a red so furiously intense, that the whole tide of blood, once nourishing the extremities, seemed to have settled there. With one stump this monster supported a long Dutch clay pipe, with the bole resting on the table, whilst, with the other end of it in his mouth, he half enveloped himself in a cloud of smoke of his own raising.

:. This extraordinary object so much engaged the attention of Amherst on his entrance, that he had little leisure to look at the other personage we have mentioned.

On an old piece of canvas placed on the floor, at a little distance from the foot of the chair on which this animated head was propt, lay two savage looking bull-dogs, with squint eyes. They growled, and appeared disposed to fly at Amherst, until chid into quietness by the deeper growl of their master's voice, that sounded as if it came from the interior of an empty tun.

In another corner, not far from the dogs, lay a ragged little tarry-looking boy, fast asleep on some straw, covered by an old piece of sail-cloth.

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Such were the inmates of this frail and whimsical cabin, against the sides of which the storm beat, as if it would have blown it away. The entrance of the stranger excited almost as much astonishment in them, as filled him at finding himself so suddenly brought there. The atmosphere of tobacco smoke was gradually allowed to clear away, from what might well have been called the head of the table. One enormous goggle eye, for there was but one, glared at Amherst, from the full moon of the face, with a look that seemed to demand some explanation of this intrusion upon their joviality.

"Sam," said he, rather sternly to one of the men, and the sound was like that of the deepest notes of a double bass, " Sam! what gemman is this here you have brought to spend the evening with us?" and then, in an under voice, as the man moved nearer to him for the purpose of explanation" He is none of the kites of the coast here I'm sure-never see'd un before in my

life!"

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Mayhap not, Master Bellybags," replied Sam; "mayhap he be not none of un, and it may be an he had, I should hardly have ventured un here, and might ha' bundled un into the sea, to save further trouble. But though no kite, as I knows on, he had a woundy suspicious look, and we catched un watching behind a rock, just an' 'twere a very cat. And considering the job we have on hand, 'twas no time to stand shilly-shally, and allow him to take leg bail, and blow the speaking-trumpet on us. So we e'en brought un up here, that you might judge on un yourself."

The head again turned towards Amherst, and the enormous eye fixed itself upon him for a few moments, and then with an inconceivable degree of adroitness, the monstrous trunk began to wriggle itself forward, and the right stump catching up a long can of grog, by pressing it against the breast, he poised it with wonderful precision within his arm-pit, and turning his head and it towards each other, he brought his mouth and the beaker into awkward, but very satisfactory contact; the other stump being employed beneath, as a lever to raise it gradually, as the li

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