Johncrow, what _is_
wrong with you?"--"Why, de Purser killed, captain, dat all."--"Purser
killed?--Doctor, is Saveall hurt?" Treenail could stand it no longer.
"No, sir, no; it is one of the gunroom pigs that we shipped at
Halifax, three cruises ago; I am sure I don't know how he survived
one, but the seamen took a fancy to him, and nicknamed him the Purser.
You know, sir, they make pets of any thing, and every thing, at a
pinch!"

Here Johncrow drew the carcass from the hog-pen, and sure enough a
shot had cut the poor Purser's head nearly off. Blackee looked at him
with a most whimsical expression; they say no one can fathom a negro's
affection for a pig. "Poor Purser! de people call him Purser, sir,
because him knowing chap; him cabbage all de grub, slush, and stuff in
him own corner, and give only de small bit, and de bad piece, to de
oder pig; so, captain"--Splinter saw the poor fellow was like to get
into a scrape. "That will do, Johncrow--forward with you now, and lend
a hand to cat the anchor.--All hands up anchor!" The boatswain's
hoarse voice repeated the command, and he in turn was re-echoed by his
mates; the capstan was manned, and the crew stamped round to a point
of war most villanously performed by a bad drummer and a worse fifer,
in as high glee as if those who were killed had been snug and well in
their hammocks on the berth-deck, in place of at the bottom of the
sea, with each a shot at his feet. We weighed, and began to work up,
tack and tack, towards the island of Ireland, where the arsenal is,
amongst a perfect labyrinth of shoals, through which the 'Mudian pilot
_cunned_ the ship with great skill, taking his stand, to our no small
wonderment, not at the gangway or poop, as usual, but on the bowsprit
end, so that he might see the rocks under foot, and shun them
accordingly, for they are so steep and numerous, (they look like large
fish in the clear water), and the channel is so intricate, that you
have to go quite close to them. At noon we arrived at the anchorage,
and hauled our moorings on board. _Blackwood's Magazine_.

* * * * *

THE GATHERER.

A snapper up of unconsidered trifles.
SHAKSPEARE.

* * * * *

SCRAPS.

(_For the Mirror_.)

DODSLEY.

About five or six miles from Mansfield is the mill where the incident
took place on which Dodsley founded his pleasing drama of _The Miller
of Mansfield_.

*