ngers, carried Mrs. B., and an infant five weeks old. One
beautiful afternoon, the captain perceived a distant sail; and, after
he had gratified his curiosity, he politely offered the glass to the
lady, that she might obtain a clear view of the object. She had the
baby in her arms, but now she wrapped her shawl about it, and placed it
on a sofa, upon which she had been sitting.

Scarcely had she applied her eye to the glass, when the helmsman
exclaimed, "See what the mischievous monkey has done!" The reader may
judge of the mother's feelings, when, on turning round, she beheld the
animal in the act of transporting her child apparently up to the top of
the mast. The monkey was a very large one, and so strong and active,
that, while it grasped the infant firmly with one arm, it climbed the
shrouds nimbly by the other, totally unembarrassed by the weight of its
burden.

One look was enough for the terrified mother; and had it not been for
the assistance of those around her, she would have fallen prostrate on
the deck, where she was soon afterwards stretched, apparently a
lifeless corpse. The sailors could climb as well as the monkey, but the
latter watched their motions narrowly; and, as it ascended higher up
the mast the moment they attempted to put a foot on the shroud, the
captain became afraid that it would drop the child, and endeavor to
escape by leaping from one mast to another.

In the mean time, the little innocent was heard to cry; and though many
thought it was suffering pain, their fears on this point were speedily
dissipated, when they observed the monkey imitating exactly the motions
of a nurse, by dandling, soothing, and caressing, its charge, and even
endeavoring to hush it to sleep.

From the deck, the lady was conveyed to the cabin, and gradually
restored to her senses. In the mean time, the captain ordered the men
to conceal themselves carefully below, and quietly took his own station
on the cabin stairs, where he could see all that passed, without being
seen. The plan happily succeeded. The monkey, on perceiving that the
coast was clear, cautiously descended from his lofty perch, and
replaced the infant on the sofa, cold, fretful, and perhaps frightened,
but, in every other respect, as free from harm as when he took it up.
The captain had now a most grateful office to perform; the babe was
restored to its mother's arms, amidst tears, and thanks, and blessings.

_A Tragedy in the Woods._--An English