Then was broached the oldest hogshead,
Then was served the choicest fare;
Then arose the jest and laughter,
Then was stifled every care.

They were guests of different stations, Knight and yeoman, rich and poor, But the grades of rank and riches Vanished at the hostel door.

There they sat, and still the shadows
Lengthened of the elm trees old,
There they sat, until the moonrise
Made the tankards shine like gold.

Timidly the door was opened,

And a vagrant minstrel pressed With a faltering step the threshold, Seeking shelter, seeking rest.

Then a stalwart knight arising,
Said, 'Sir minstrel, never fear,

Enter in and sit beside us,

Thou art gladly welcome here!'

He was young and slightly fashioned,
With a face as woman's fair,
And adown his neck and shoulders
Fell his long and golden hair.

Then they placed him at their table,
Gave to him the highest seat,
Filled for him the foaming tankard,
Set before him wine and meat.

There he sat amid the yeomen,
'Mid the knights so stout and tall,
And his soft and wondrous beauty
Fell like sunshine on them all.

Lovingly the moonlight lingered
'Mid his long and waving hair,
Stealing o'er his gentle features,
Making fairness still more fair.

But at length their meal was ended,
And they made him this request,
Sing to us, oh, gentle minstrel,
Sing, before we go to rest!'

In his hand his harp is lying,

O'er its strings his fingers sweep, And the music that had slumbered In its chords awakes from sleep.

LEAVES FROM AN AFRICAN JOURNAL.

BY JOHN CARROLL BRENT.

UNDER WAY: A TRIAL OF SPEED.

MONDAY, JANUARY 24, 1848.-This morning, at two bells, (five o'clock,) the usual bustle and orders attendant upon getting under way informed me that our southern cruise was commenced. We were getting through a placid, sparkling sea, with a fine land breeze giving us five or six knots, leading the Boxer, some distance astern, and the Amphitrite ahead, she having got under way an hour or so before us, when I emerged upon the water-deluged deck, which with the gun-deck was suffering from the infliction of buckets, brooms, swabs and squilgees. About nine o'clock, the Englishman being a little forward of our starboard beam, the experiment of trimming ship was resorted to, and the men with the clothes-bags sent abaft the mizzen-mast. It did not appear, however, that the evolution produced much effect, for we gained but little or nothing upon the frigate. Still, it would seem we sail somewhat better than she does, and if we keep together we may enjoy quite a nice race, and have the honor of leaving our competitor astern. The company we have adds very much to the interest of the scene; for it is a pleasing sight to see three gallant vessels, with snow-white sails expanded to the breeze, and gracefully bending on their sea-tossed path, a subject each of interest and comment to the other. As our commodore expressed a wish to Captain Eden of having a trial of speed with the Amphitrite, which is considered a very good sailer, (far superior to the Rapid, which beat us in the chase off Cape Mount and the Gallinas,) we experience some anxiety about the result. So far (one o'clock) we are decidedly the victors. She got a start of an hour and a half, and was some four miles ahead of us, when we got under way; but we have nevertheless overtaken her, and she is now on our starboard quarter, trimming, and trying all she can to improve her sailing; and yet she falls astern, and we gain upon her, even visibly to the eye. Both ships have all the canvass that can be useful in this light breeze, and I think with others, better judges than myself, that this will be a good test of our qualities, and that we must come out decidedly victorious. We have dropped the Boxer far astern; so that if we keep on at this rate, we must be in sight of her before night sets in.

At noon we were by observation five degrees fifty-two minutes thirty seconds North longitude, bearing ten degrees thirty-one minutes West, thirty-three miles from Monrovia, fifteen miles from nearest land, off Junk River, between that place and Picaninny, or Little Bassa, and somewhat more than one-seventh of the distance from Monrovia to Cape Palmas.

At half-past five P. M., when we took in royals and studding-sails

in order to let the Boxer make up her loss during the day, the Englishman had fallen about three miles astern, and we were dropping him perceptibly with the freshening of the breeze as evening set in. Of course now under this reduced canvass we must expect to be overhauled; but sufficient has been done to entitle us, I should think, to the honors of the race, and to redeem to some extent our injured reputation. The Amphitrite, however, was laden heavy with provisions, and could not have been in her best sailing trim.

AT SEA: CRUISE TO LEEWARD.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 25.-A fine, bright day, and a nice breeze. The result of our taking in sail last night, and backing mizzen-topsail, was that the brig came up, and is now a few miles in shore, off on our larboard quarter; while our fellow racer, the Amphitrite, is nearly hull-down, on our lee-bow. I cannot but feel vexed that the necessity of holding on for the Boxer should so far retard us in our cruise; for it is rather provoking to be obliged to trifle with a favorable breeze and auspicious circumstances in latitudes where little reliance can be placed in sea or weather, and calms, baffling winds and strong currents embarass the navigation. But I for one bow in all due submission to the judgment of those who are in authority, and who are charged with the management of the ship, and hope that we shall fully realize the consummation that 'all's well that ends well.'

Among other annoyances met with on some parts of the coast, is the important matter of foraging; for hard indeed the caterer's lot, and inventive must be his genius to succeed, when, as at Monrovia, les munitions de bouche' are to be picked up at random here and there, in small quantities, and where you can manage to stumble upon them. This our steward experienced when a day or two previous to our sailing he went ashore on an expedition of the kind. He reported to me that he was obliged to run about incessantly after the few articles he managed to scrape together. Messing, therefore, is much more expensive here than at Porto Praya, our daily expenditure nearly doubling what we incurred at the former place. Yet, though small the fowls, green the bananas, tough-skinned and light the oranges, and a dollar the hundred at that, insignificant the pineapples and vegetables, save cassada, plantains, sweet potatoes, etc., still, it being the dry season at Monrovia, considerable allowance must be made for this drawback, and a caterer may find better and cheaper fare, and easier to be got at, during a more favorable season. While on this subject, by referring to that very useful book, The African Cruiser,' I find that he has devoted a portion of his sixth chapter to an account of the cultivation of sugar, the coffee culture, and agriculture in Liberia. As to the first, he thinks it cannot be carried to any extent unless some method be found out to apply native labor to that purpose. He is of opinion that, although up to the period of writing the coffee plantations had not succeeded well, the

efforts and enterprise of one or two of the principal settlers might change the complexion of affairs, and cause the result to be flattering and satisfactory. As a proof of the then absence of success, we are informed that most of the coffee used and exported from the colony in 1843 was procured at the islands of St. Thomas and Princes, in the Bight of Benin. As Judge Benedict, one of those who pay most attention to the cultivation of the plant, and who is the most successful, has promised to furnish me with information in respect to this and other branches of agriculture in the republic, I shall be prepared to compare the Cruiser's account with that of the former, and see whether any alteration has taken place during the last four years, and if so, whether for the better or not. I drank some of the Monrovia coffee during both our visits, and found it, to my taste, of superior flavor and quality. I trust the experiment may fully realize the warmest expectations of those who are trying it.

Rice is in universal cultivation throughout the African continent, and the 'Cruizer' tells us that for the upland crop, the rice lands are turned over and planted in March and April; the grain reaped, beaten out and cleared for market or storing in September or October. The lowland crop is planted in September and October, in marshy lands, and harvested in March and April. Cassada, a kind of yam, with a tall stalk and light green leaves, looks like a rough barked piece of wood, is white and mealy inside, with little or no taste, but nourishing and much esteemed as an article of food. I found our author's description as above faithful and graphic. It is dug up in six months, may be kept fifteen or eighteen months in the ground, but is not eatable three or four days after being taken from the earth. Tapioca is made out of this root. Indian Corn is planted in May, and the harvest takes place in September; if planted in July, it ripens in November and December. The most reliable and largest crop here is Sweet Potatoes. They are raised from seeds, roots or vines, but most successfully from the latter; planted in May and ripen four months latter. Plantains and Bananas, also very valuable, are propagated from suckers, and yield in about a year. Ground Nuts, known as Pea with us, used in England for making oil. The Cocoa, a bulbous root of the size of a teacup, and somewhat like the artichoke. Pine Apples, small but of good flavor and growing wild, conclude the list of artificial and natural productions described by the Cruizer,' whose account I have thus borrowed, for the information of those who may not have seen his work.

In addition I would mention the Granidilla and Soursop, which I have tasted. They are both of a large size, of rough exterior and uninviting to the eye. But the former when opened, presents a soft, mucilaginous matter, enclosing a multitude of small seed, like those of the Pomegranate, and which when eaten, has a peculiarly sweet and pleasant taste and flavor. The other is internally white and rather firm in its substance, and as its name imports, is quite acid, yet refreshing, and is much admired and sought for by many people. But put all these tropical and strange fruits together, not one can excell or even compare with, in my opinion, some of our fine northern