approach the stem or stern above water, with very little danger. He could sink very quickly, keep at any necessary depth, and row a great distance in any direction he desired without coming to the surface. When he rose to the top he could soon obtain a fresh supply of air, and, if necessary, descend again and pursue his

course.

"Mr. Bushnell found that it required many trials and considerable instruction to make a man of common ingenuity a skilful operator. The first person whom he employed was his brother, who was exceedingly ingenious, and made himself master of it, but was taken sick before he had an opportunity to make a trial of his skill. Having procured for a substitute a sergeant of one of the Connec ticut regiments, and given him such instructions as time would allow, he was directed to try an experiment on the Eagle, a sixtyfour gun ship, lying in the harbor of New York, and commanded by Lord Howe. Gen. Putnam placed himself on the wharf to witness the result.

"The sergeant went under the ship and attempted to fix the wooden screw into her bottom, but struck, as he supposed, a bar of iron, which passed from the rudder hinge, and was spiked under the ship's quarter. Had he moved a few inches, which might have been done without rowing, there is no doubt he might have found wood where he could have fixed the screw;-or if the ship had been sheathed with copper, it might easily have been pierced. But for want of skill and experience in managing the vessel, in an attempt to move to another place, he passed out from under the ship. After seeking her in vain for some time, he rowed some distance and rose to the surface of the water, but found daylight so far advanced that he dared not to renew the attempt, for fear of being discovered by the sentinels on duty. He said he could easily have fastened the magazine under the stern of the ship, above water, as he rowed up and touched it before he descended. Had it been done, the explosion of the one hundred and fifty pounds of powder, contained in the magazine, must have been fatal to the ship.

"In returning from the ship to New York, the operator passed near Governor's Island, and thought he was discovered by the British stationed there. In haste to avoid the danger, he cast off his magazine, imagining it retarded him in the swell, which was very considerable. The internal apparatus was set to run just one hour; at the expiration of the allotted time it blew up with tremendous violence, throwing a vast column of water to an amazing height in the air, much to the astonishment of the enemy.

"Some other attempts were made on the Hudson, in one of

which the operator in going towards the ship lost sight of her, and went a great distance beyond. The tide ran so strong as to baffle all further effort.

"In the year 1777, Mr. Bushnell made an attempt from a whaleboat against the Cerberus frigate, lying at anchor off New London, in drawing a machine against her side by means of a line. The machine was loaded with powder to be exploded by a gun-lock, which was to be unpinioned by an apparatus to be turned by being brought along side of the frigate. This machine fell in with a schooner at anchor astern of the frigate, and becoming fixed, it exploded and demolished the vessel.

"Commodore Simmons being on board of the Cerberus, addressed an official letter to Sir Peter Parker, describing this singular disaster. Being at anchor to the westward of the town with a schooner which he had taken, about eleven o'clock in the evening he discovered a line towing astern from the bows. He believed that some person had veered away by it, and immediately began to haul in. A sailor belonging to the schooner taking it for a fishing line, laid hold of it and drew in about fifteen fathoms. It was buoyed up by small pieces tied to it at regular distances. At the end of the rope a machine was fastened too heavy for one man to pull up, for it exceeded one hundred pounds in weight. The other people of the schooner coming to his assistance, they drew it upon deck. While the men, to gratify their curiosity, were examining the machine, it exploded, blew the vessel into pieces, and set her on fire. Three men were killed, and a fourth blown into the water, much injured. On subsequent examination the other part of the line was discovered buoyed up in the same manner; this the commodore ordered to be instantly cut away, for fear (as he termed it) of 'hauling up another of the infernals!"

"These machines were constructed with wheels furnished with irons sharpened at the end, and projecting about an inch, in order to strike the sides of the vessel when hauling them up, thereby setting the wheels in motion, which in the space of five minutes causes the explosion. Had the whole apparatus been brought to act upon a ship at the same time, it must have occasioned prodigious destruction.

"Mr. Bushnell contrived another ingenious expedient to effect his favorite object. He fixed a large number of kegs, charged with powder, to explode on coming in contact with any thing while floating along with the tide.

"In December, 1777, he set his squadron of kegs afloat in the Delaware above the British shipping. The kegs were set adrift

in the night, to fall with the ebb on the shipping; but the proper distance could not be well ascertained, and they were set adrift too remotely from the vessels, so that they were obstructed and dispersed by the ice. They approached, however, in the day. time, and one of them blew up a boat, others exploded, and occasioned the greatest consternation and alarm among the British seamen. The British soldiers actually manned the wharves and shipping at Philadelphia, and discharged their small arms and cannon at every thing they could see floating in the river during the ebb tide. This incident has received the name of the Battle of the Kegs,' and has furnished the subject of an excellent and humorous song by the Hon. Francis Hopkinson, which, as it is an amusing relic of the times, we here insert."

THE BATTLE OF THE KEGS:-A SONG.

TUNE-" Moggy Lawder."

GALLANTS attend, and hear a friend
Trill forth harmonious ditty;
Strange things I'll tell, which late befell
In Philadelphia city.

'Twas early day, as poets say,
Just when the sun was rising,
A soldier stood on log of wood,
And saw a sight surprising.

As in amaze he stood to gaze,-
The truth can't be denied,-
He spied a score of kegs, or more,
Come floating down the tide.

A sailor too, in jerkin blue,

The strange appearance viewing,
First "d-d his eyes," in great surprise,
Then said, "some mischief's brewing:

"These kegs now hold the rebels bold,
Pack'd up like pickled herring;
And they're come down t'attack the town
In this new way of ferrying."

The soldier flew,-the sailor too,-
And almost scared to death,
Wore out their shoes to spread the news,
And ran till out of breath.

Now up and down, throughout the town,
Most frantic scenes were acted;
And some ran here and some ran there
Like men almost distracted.

Some fire! cried, which some denied,
But said, the earth had quaked:
And girls and boys, with hideous noise,
Ran through the streets, half naked.

Howe, in a fright, starts upright,
Awoke by such a clatter
Rubbing both eyes, he loudly cries,
"For God's sake, what's the matter?"

At his bedside he then espied
Sir ERSKINE at command;
Upon one foot he had one boot,
And t'other in his hand.

"Arise! arise !"-Sir ERSKINE cries; "The rebels-more's the pityWithout a boat are all afloat,

And rang'd before the city;

"The motley crew, in vessels new,
With SATAN for their guide,
Pack'd up in bags, or wooden kegs,
Come driving down the tide;

"Therefore prepare for bloody war;
These kegs must all be routed,
Or surely we despised shall be,
And British courage
doubted."

The royal band now ready stand,

All rang'd in dread array,
With stomachs stout, to see it out,
And make a bloody day.