296 
     
     COMMUNICATIONS. 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     For the British American. 
     
     Continucdfrom .No. 33. 
     
    

    
     Here Imust have lost all recollection, 
     
     I remembered no more of the fairy queen, 
     
     or her vessel, or what became of her at- 
     
     tendants, tillI found myself, I thought, in a 
     
     small open boat butl'eting the rude billows 
     
     of the ocean with the Genni at the helm, 
     
     and although the mighty surge rose in 
     
     mountains, and alternately sank the little 
     
     bark deep in the unfathomable abyss, I 
     
     was under no apprehension. My guide 
     
     sat wrapped in his customary abstraction, 
     
     observing a profound silence, which the 
     
     madening waves anl tempestuous north- 
     
     west was unable to disturb. The only sail 
     
     we had,methought, was hauled close and 
     
     the stem of the boat dead on the wind. 
     
     Over a point of land apparently engulphed 
     
     by an inland water, reared the proud 
     
     watch-towers of a dreary fortress, whOse 
     
     gloomy aspect in the grey of the morning 
     
     hada most chilling and appalling effect. The 
     
     whole of the attention of the helmsman 
     
     seemed directed to this object, and al- 
     
     though the wind was completely adverse, 
     
     we every moment neared the shore. Ha- 
     
     ving, methought, succeeded in entering the 
     
     inlet or bay, we were in a short space of 
     
     time in smooth water, land locked by a 
     
     number of small islands. It was adark 
     
     heavy stueam which I attributed to the 
     
     absence ofthe sun, which deigned not to 
     
     shine forth on the gloomy terrific battle- 
     
     ments of the Fortress. Whether it arose 
     
     frOm the circunvtance of having been so 
     
     recently an observer of such cheerful and 
     
     pleasing objects, but it appeared hardly 
     
     possible to witness scenery more truly 
     
     melancholy. A heavy (tense vapour un- 
     
     drank by the orb of day, rested on the 
     
     inhospitable mansion. It appeared about 
     
     an hundred yards from the shore, and as 
     
     if it was not sufficiently insulated, was 
     
     surrounded by a deep mote. The front 
     
     entrance of the building was by the me- 
     
     dium ofa draw-bridge, about the centre 
     
     encircling the whole, was a parapet, and 
     
     on a platform presented a tier of cannon, 
     
     behind which paced the solitary sentinal 
     
     from post to post. Had there been no 
     
     particular object to impress the beholder 
     
     with gloomy ideas its general appearance 
     
     was quite sufficient. But as if we had 
     
     come to explore the precincts of despair, 
     
     cast your eye which way you would there 
     
     was, methought, some spectacle observable 
     
     to shock the feelings. Along the edge of, 
     
     the shore, hung the sad relics of mortality 
     
     two gibbits with the bare bones or skeletons 
     
     oftwo persOns suspended in chains, that 
     
     ever and anon,clattered and rattled in dread- 
     
     ful accordance with the bowling blast. A 
     
     few miserable fishermens huts, with a num- 
     
     ber ofdelapedated mansions, deserted long 
     
     since, were the only buildings save the 
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     THE BRITISH AMERICAN. 
     
    
   
   
    
     prison. On our approach my guide drew 
     
     from his vesture a bugle horn, and at the 
     
     first blast, as if it bad magic in the sound 
     
     down fell the bridge across the mote. A 
     
     file of grim looking soldiers formed an ave- 
     
     nue from the bri tge to an iron gate, from 
     
     thence into a square yard, beyond this 
     
     again were other massy iron portals sepa- 
     
     rating distinct prisons or wards for the use 
     
     of persons of different classes. Having 
     
     methought, penetrated into quite the in- 
     
     terior, two tremendous gates were closed 
     
     upon us, grating dolefully on their rusty 
     
     hinges, created the horrid notion of eter- 
     
     nal encarceration, and although asleep,l 
     
     felt acold chill indicative ofdespair steal- 
     
     ing over my senses. A recollection of 
     
     the potency ofthe Geuni and the marked 
     
     deference that was paid him. helped to re- 
     
     assure me, and soon gave me a confidence 
     
     not mv own, words would be inadequate 
     
     to portray the horror andignominy within 
     
     these dreary walls. 
     
    

    
     We now, methought, ascended an high 
     
     circular tower, preceded by the Governor 
     
     or Commander accompanied by his myr- 
     
     midors, having arrived at the last landing 
     
     of a dark spiral staircase, the Genni point- 
     
     ed to a door, demanding entrance, which 
     
     created the greatest apparent confusion 
     
     in the Governor and his attendants, me- 
     
     thought, had he not been overawed by the 
     
     presence of the Genni he would not have 
     
     suffered the apartment to be explored. 
     
     The command was too imperative to be 
     
     denied, and with a trembling hand this 
     
     tool of power began to examine every key 
     
     in his possession to find one, which from 
     
     asuperstitious idea he had never before 
     
     dared to make use of, having at length 
     
     succeeded in finding it he humbly presented 
     
     it to the Genni. But neither threats or 
     
     entreaties methought, could induce him 
     
     to enter. The Genni eyeing him with con— 
     
     tempt for his pusillanimity, waved -ltls 
     
     hand to depart, he precipitater obeyed 
     
     and left the Genni and myself to explore 
     
     the hidden mysteries of the haunted tower,l 
     
     What had given rise to the absurd and su- 
     
     perstitious notion except the policy of my 
     
     guide. I was at a less to find out, for on 
     
     our entrance I was agreeably surprised to 
     
    
   
   
    
     110 33 
     
    
   
   
    
     the old gentleman should ré'tover t} 
     
     of his toague. . 
     
     After some considerable time the Gen. 
     
     . m 
     
     by asign beckoned me to be seated and 
     
     without any preface, commenced the, {oi 
     
     lowing discourse or prediction. Last nim- 
     
     my son, thou hadst an Opportunity ofbé’m,’ 
     
     an eye witness of Prince-'I‘own in he; 
     
     zenith, in the full tide of her prosperity 
     
     to day you can make your moral comment; 
     
     on her unfortunate sister, founded on an 
     
     unstable basis, finesse and intrigue, ter- 
     
     minating in superstition and despotism. 
     
     Atthat early epoch, when Prince-Town 
     
     had scarcely Centred lialfa dozen domiciles 
     
     and before men had began to congregate iii 
     
     the now splendid city, this place where vim 
     
     now stand, became her rival; her interest 
     
     far prepondered in the political scale, 
     
     and althoughjustice was manifestly on the 
     
     side ofyour place, her merits and locali- 
     
     ties, were superceded; possessing,howe. 
     
     vcr, an ancient charter ofa RoyalBiu-gslie 
     
     had a privilege that could not \vcllbe 
     
     taken from her, but her adversary so far 
     
     succeeded in leaving her little else. 
     
    

    
     Saint Eleanor’s from her central position 
     
     wasthe high road to preferment at the 
     
     capital, and as a consequence hadmany 
     
     friends, who in proportion as they used 
     
     all their efforts to exalt her interest, 
     
     also used all their strength to depress her 
     
     rival, and although they would carry fair 
     
     faces towards her, they waited but for an 
     
     opportunity to throw away the mask, but 
     
     time soon arrived when her supposed friends 
     
     and secret enemies declared their object, 
     
     by audaciously usurpin‘g those rights, that 
     
     had for aseries of years exclusively lie- 
     
     longed to your Town. By obtaining the 
     
     first public buildings, the Court-House and 
     
     County Jail, to obtain these no trick or 
     
     subterfuge was wanting. These buildings 
     
     at that early data, considered as substantial 
     
     and permanent advantages, has, as you 
     
     see, entailed on them all these horrors so 
     
     dreadfully conspicuous. It was their great- 
     
     fist pride to obtain them, and chains and 
     
    

    
     ungeons have ultimately become their 
     
     remuneration, At that period to which 
     
     I allude, the Country was in a manner 
     
     !ruled by six individuals, two represented 
     
    
   
   
    
     18 use 
     
    
   
   
    
        
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
       
     
    
   
   
    
     discrverawell-furnished apartment,gloomy{the Borough, and four the County, and 
     
    
   
   
    
     indeed, but in it nothing to impress the 
     
     mind with unpleasant feelings save the view 
     
    
   
   
    
     unfortunately for your city tive of them 
     
     Afavoured this place; having thus so power- 
     
    
   
   
    
     from the Gothic windows overlooking thelful a. majority against it had little chance 
     
     dreary confines. The Genni appearantly l of success, and St. Eleanor fairly stole the 
     
    
   
   
    
     wearied by his nocturnal voyage, threw 
     
     himself on a couch, like one returned 
     
     hOme after ajonrney, and was immediately 
     
     absorbed by his own reflections, leaving 
     
     me, methought, sans ceremony to amuse 
     
     myself the best wayI could. I endea- 
     
     voured, methought, to pass the time,by pa- 
     
     cing the floor occasionally, viewing the 
     
     surrounding country from the lofty win- 
     
     dows of the tower, and as I anticipated 
     
     much information, waited with patience till 
     
    
   
   
    
     lmarch. By the acquisition of a Court- 
     
     ? I-Iouse they were not disappointed in their 
     
     ianticipations, as was expected it became 
     
     lthe focus that attracted to them many 
     
     and singular advantages. The assizes 
     
     from time to time, brought an inllux of 
     
     people, this, as a matter of course was the 
     
     means ofestablishing houses of accommo- 
     
     dation, and Gentlemen of the long robe 
     
     began to take up their residence, trades- 
     
     men and artiticers tiuding it a place of re'