him to Fort Niagara as to a place of safety. He concealed his suspicions, and determined to act warily.

ness.

It was dark when they reached Lewistown, a little village which had been entirely reduced to ashes by the enemy. The moon, which now shone brightly, disclosed the solitary chimneys standing amid the ruins, the fruittrees surrounded by briars, the remains of enclosures, and all the marks of desolation. A more beautiful situation could scarcely be imagined, but it was now a wilderHere they took a path which led them from the river. A thick forest now overshadowed them, and they proceeded in silence and wrapped in impenetrable darkness, except at intervals, when they reached the summit of a hill, and the moon shot her beams through the branches. It was only by seizing such opportunities to watch the progress, and mark the exact position of this friendly luminary, that our officer, by forming some estimate of the course he was pursuing, could judge of the fidelity of his guide. They passed an encampment of the Tuscarora Indians, where all was dark and silent; and about midnight arrived at the place of destination, which, though characterized as a village, was composed of only two or three log cabins. To one of these, which was dignified with the name of a public house, our traveller was conducted by his companion who apologized for not inviting him to his own house, owing to to the lateness of the hour, and the want of accomodations.

Mine host, though called from his bed, cheerfully assisted his guest in putting away his tired horse, and then led him through a room, where three or four rough twofisted fellows lay snoring with their feet to the fire, to a chamber on the upper floor. Supper he declined, as well from policy as from want of appetite; and having secured

the door, and laid his pistols under his pillow, he gathered his cloak around him, and threw himself on the bed. From a light slumber he was waked by a low murmur of voices in the apartment below, to which the precariousness of his situation induced him to listen with an intense and thrilling interest. Then a footstep was heard upon the stairs ascending slowly towards his apartment, and in a moment afterwards the latch was cautiously raised. He rose, seized his arms, and walked across the floor; the footsteps retired, the voices ceased below, and all was silent. Our officer loved his life as dearly as other men, but it will only be attributing to him on this occasion the feelings of his profession, to suppose that he felt more anxiety for his honour, and the success of his enterprise. His broken slumbers yielded but little refreshment during the remainder of the night; and before the first gray streak illumined the eastern horizon, he arose, and stole forth with noiseless steps, passed the snoring boarders, and in a moment breathed the free fresh air. His horse was soon equipped, and mounting, he rode to the door, and summoned his host, who was the first to hear his loud hallo. Surprised to find his guest in the saddle, he made no reply to his repeated demand to know his fare; but stepping forward, laid his hand upon the bridle. "Hands off, my friend," said the soldier, "my horse is ticklish about the head." "Light, sir, light!" said the host, "and take a dram before you go, it's a raw morning,”—and still held the rein. At this moment other faces appeared at the door; the officer liked neither their company nor their looks, and dropping a piece of money at the landlord's feet, he struck the spurs into the side of his steed, and dashed off in a gallop, leaving all danger behind.

FANCY.

BY THOMAS GODFREY.

HIGH in the midst, rais'd on her rolling throne,
Sublimely eminent bright Fancy shone:
A glitt'ring tiara her temples bound,
Rich set with sparkling rubies all around;
Her azure eyes rolled with majestic grace,
And youth eternal bloom'd upon her face.
A radiant bough, ensign of her command,
Of polish'd gold, waved in her lily hand;
The same the sybil to Eneas gave,

When the bold Trojan cross'd the Stygian wave.
In silver traces fix'd unto her car,

Four snowy swans, proud of th' imperial fair,
Wing'd lightly on, each in gay beauty drest,
Smooth'd the soft plumage that adorn'd her breast.

Sacred to her the lucent chariot drew,

Or whether wildly through the air she flew,

Or whether to the dreary shades of night,

Oppress'd with gloom, she downwards bent her flight, Or, proud aspiring, sought the blest abodes,

And boldly shot among th' assembled gods.

RETREAT OF THE AMERICANS FROM LONG

ISLAND.

BY ALEXANDER GRAYDON.

EARLY in the forenoon, we were transported to Long Island; marched down to the entrenchments at Brooklyn, and posted on their left extremity, extending to the Wallabout. The arrival of our two battalions (Shee's and Magaw's which always acted together) with that of Glover, had the effect, I have always found to be produced, by a body of men under arms, having the appearance of discipline. Although, owing to the dysentery which had prevailed in our camp, our number was so reduced, that the two regiments could not have amounted to more than eight hundred men, making in the whole, when joined with Glover's about twelve or thirteen hundred; yet it was evident that this small reinforcement, inspired no inconsiderable degree of confidence. The faces that had been saddened by the disasters of yesterday, assumed a gleam of animation, on our approach; accompanied with a murmur of approbation in the spectators, occasionally greeting each other with the remark, that these were the lads that might do something. Why it should be so, I know not, but the mind instinctively attaches an idea of prowess, to the silence, steadiness, and regularity of a military assemblage; and an hundred well dressed, well armed, and well disciplined grenadiers, are more formidable in appearance, than a disjointed, disorderly multitude of a thousand. Our regiments, to be sure, could not ar

rogate such perfection; but that they were distinguished in our young army, may be inferred, from an official letter from General Washington, wherein he states that "they had been trained with more than common attention." To sustain the duty now imposed upon us, required strength both of body and of mind. The spot at which we were posted, was low and unfavourable for defence. There was a fraised ditch in its front, but it gave little promise of security, as it was evidently commanded by the ground occupied by the enemy, who entirely enclosed the whole of our position, at the distance of but a few hundred paces. It was evident, also, that they were constructing batteries, which would have rendered our particular situation extremely ineligible, to say the least of it. In addition to this discomfort, we were annoyed by a continual rain, which, though never very heavy, was never less than a searching drizzle, and often what might, with propriety, be called a smart shower. We had no tents to screen us from its pitiless pelting; nor, if we had had them, would it have comported with the incessant vigilance required, to have availed ourselves of them, as, in fact, it might be said, that we lay upon our arms during the whole of our stay upon the island. In the article of food, we were little better off. We had, indeed, drawn provisions, whose quality was not to be complained of. Our pickled pork, at least, was good; but how were we to cook it? As this could not be done, it was either to be eaten as it was, or not eaten at all; and we found upon trial, that boiling it, although desirable, was not absolutely necessary; and that the article was esculent without culinary preparation. I remember, however, on one of the days we were in this joyless place, getting a slice of a barbacued pig, which some of our soldiers had dressed at a deserted house which bounded our lines.