The National Register.
London, England, 1817-09-08 00:00:00

TIM NATIONAL REGISTER

REVIEW' OF LITERATURE.

MARINERS ACCOUNT•OF THE TONGA ISLANDS.

Few of our Readers perhaps ever expected to find
the fictions of poetry so nearly realized, as in the fol-
lowin? interesting story :—it irresistibly calls to mind
these .'beautiful lines, in the Comus of Milton :
" The ‘catel--apaphs, that in the bottom piny'd,
I lebt no their prat led wrists and took her in,
It. acing her straight, to aged Nerettie
Nt ho, piteous of her woes, rear'd her lank head,
Anti gave her to his daughters to embattle
In nect,ird lavers„strew'd with aspiwthl."
Other tales of submarine caves and grots will natu-
rally recur to the memory, on reading this description
so extraordinary a natural curiosity.

" now, has Mg at this time no busluiess of iriportance oil
which to employ his attention, resolved to Co to the island of
Huonga, lyiug at a small distance to the southward of Va-
vaoa, in order to inspect the plantations there, and to ecre-
ate himself a little with the sport of shootiog birds and rats.
Mr. Mariner, as usual, formed one of the party. On this is.
land there is a pecnliar cavern, situated on the western coast,
the entrance to which, is at least a fathom beneath the sur-
face of the sea at low water; and was test discovered by a
voting chief whilst diving after a turtle. The nature of this
cavern will be better understood if we imagine a hollow rock
rising sixty feet or mi.:. ahove the surface of the. water; into
the cavity of which there is no known entrance bid one, and •
that is on the side of the rock, as low down as six feet under
the water, into which it flows; and consequently the base of
the cavern may be said to be the sea itself. Finow and his
friends, being on this part of the island, proposed one after-
noon, oil a sudden thought, to go into this cavern, and drink
cava. Mr. Mariner was not with them at the time this pro-
posal was made; but happening to come down a little while
after to the shore, and seeing some of the young chiefs diving
into the water, one after another, and not rise again, he was
a little surprised, and enquired of the last, who was just pre-
paring to take the same step, what they were about? " Fol-
low me," said he, " and I will take yon where you have never
been before; and where Finow, and his chiefs and mata-
books, are now assembled." Mr. Mariner, supposing it to
be the fatuous cavern of which lie had heard some account,
without any further hesitation, prepared himself to follow
his companion, who dived into the water, and he after him,
and, guided by the light reflected from his heels, entered the
opening in the rock, and rose into the cavern. He was no
sooner above the surface of the water. than, sure enough, he
heard the voices of the king and his friends: being directed
by his guide, lie climbed upon a joging portion of rock, and
sat down. All the light that came into this place was re-
flected irons the bottom, and was sufficient, after remaining
about five minutes, to how objects with some little distinct-
ness; at least he could discover, being directed by the voice,
Finow and the rest of the company, seated, like himself,
round the cavern. Nevertheless, as it was desirable to have a
stronger illumination, Mr. Mariner dived out again, and pro-
curing his pistol, primed it swill, tied plenty of gnatoo tight
round it, and wrapped the whole up in a plantain leaf; he
directed as attendant to bring a torch in the same way.
' Thus prepared, he re-entered the cavern as speedily as possi-
ble, unwrapped the gnaw°, a great portion of which was
perfectly dry, fired it by the flash of the powder, and lighted
the torch. The place was now illuminated tolerably well,
for the first time, perhaps, since its existence. It appeared
(by guess) to be about forty feet wide in the main part, but
which branched off, on one side, iu two narrower portions.
The medium height seemed also about forty feet. The roof
was hung with stalactites in a very curious way, resembhug,,
upon a cursory view the gothic arches and ornaments of au .
old church. After having examined the place, they drank
cava, and passed away the time in conversation upon differ-
ent subjects. Among other things, an old mataboole, after
having mentioned how the cavern was discovered, viz. by a
young chief in the act of diving after a turtle, related an in-
terestiug accouut of the use which this chief made of his
accidental discovery. The circumstances are as follow :
" lu former times there lived a tooi (governor) of Varaoo,•
who exercised a very tyrannical deportment towards his peo-
ple ; at length, when it was no longer to be borne, a certain ;
chief meditated a plan of insurrection, and was resolved to
free his countrymen from such odious slavery, or to he sacri-
ficed himself in the attempt ; being, however, treacherously
deceived by one of his own party, the tyrant became ac-
quainted with his plan, and immediately had him arrested.
He was condemned to be taken out to sea and drowned, and
all his family and relations were ordered to be massacred,
that none of his race might remain. One of his daughters, a
beautiful girl, young and interesting, had been reserved to be
the wife of a chief of considerable rank, and she too would
have sunk the victim of the merciless destroyer, had it not
been fur the generous exertions of another young chief, who
a short time before had discovered the cavern of Hootiga.
This discovery lie kept within his breast a profound secret,
reserving it as a place of retreat for himself, incase be should
be unsuccessful in a plan of revolt which he also bad in view.
He had long been enamoured of this beautiful young maiden,
but had never dared to make her acquainted with the soft
. emotions of his heart, knowing that she was betrothed to a
. chief of higher rank and greater power. But now the
dreadful nutmeat arrived when she was about to be cruelly
sacrificed to the rancour of a Mall, to whom he was a most
deadly enemy. No time was to be lost; he flew to her abode,
communicated in a few winds, the decree of the tyrant, de •
clared himself her deliverer if she would trust to his honour,
anti, with eyes speaking the most fender affections, be waited
with breathless expectatiou for an answer. Soon her con-
senting hand was clasped in his : whilst the wood, the covert,
. or the grove, afforded her concealment, till her lover had
brought a small canoe to a lonely part of the beach. In this
s they speedily embarked, and as he paddled her across the
smooth wave, he related his discovery of the cavern destined
to be her asylum till an opportunity offered of conveying her
to the Fiji islands. She, who had entrusted her personal
safety entirely to his care, hesitated not to consent to what-
' ever plan he might think promotive of their ultimate escape:
7 her heart being full of gratitude, love and confidence found
c an easy access. They soon arrived at the rock, he leaped
into the water, and she, instructed by him, followed close
after : they rose into the cavern, and rested from their fears
and their fatigue, partaking of some refreshment which he
had brought there for himself, little thinking, at the time, of
the happiness that was in store for him. Early in the morn-
ing he returned to Vavaoo to avoid suspicion : but did not
0 fail, in the eoursesf the day, to repair again to the place
'l' which held all tint aig dear to kw • M brought her may to

SEPT. S.

lie on. the tint st guatoo for a change of dress, the best of
food fur her support, sandwl wood oil, cocoa nets, and every
thing he could think of to render her life as combinable as
possible. He gave her as much of his company as prudence
would allow, and at the most appropriate !lines, lest the
prying eye of curiosity should find out his retreat. He
Waded his tale of love with the most impassioned eloquence,
half of which worthd have been stacked to have won her
warmest atfeetions, for she owed her life to his prompt mai
generous exertions at the risk of his own, and how was he
delighted when he heard the confession trom her own lips,
that she had long tegarded him with a favourable eye, but a
sense of duty had caused her to smother the growing fond-
ness, till the late sail misfortune of her family, and the ch.
einostances attending her escape, had revived all her latent
affections, to bestow them wholly upon a man to whom they
were so justly tine. How happy were they in this solitary
retreat! tyrannic power now no longer reached them, shod
out from the world mid all its cares anti perplexities ;—se-
cure from all the eventful changes attending Nom greatness,
cruelty, and ambition : thong.. iv es were the only powers
they served, and they were infinitely delighted with this silo.
plc form of government. Butt althonoi this asylum was
their great security in their happiest moments, they could not
always enjoy each other's company, it was equally necessary
to their softly that he should be often absent from her, and
frequently for a length of time together, lest his conduct
• should be watched. The yonng chief therefore panted for
an opportunity to convey her to happier scenes. where his
at dent imagination pietured to Min the means of procuring
for her every enjoyment and comfort, which her amiable
qualifications so well entitled her to ; uor was it a great while
before an opportunity elrering, he devised the means of re-
storing her with safety to the cheerful light of day. He
signified to his inferior chiefs and matabooles, that it was
his intention to go to the Fiji islands, and lie wished them to
accompany him with their wives and finale attendants, but
he desired them on no account to mention in the latter the
place of their destination, lest they should inadvertently be-
tray theirintention, and the governing chief prevent their de-
'torture. A large canoe was soon got ready, and every
necessary preparation matte ftir their voyage. As they were
on the point of their departnre, they asked him if he would
not take a Tonga wife with hint. lie replied, no! but he
should probably find one by the way; this they thought a
joke, but in obedience to his orders they said no more, and
every body being on board, they put to sea. As they ap-
proached the shores of Hoonga, he directed them to steer to
such a point, and having approached close to a rock, accord-
ing to his orders, he got up, and desired them to wait there
while he went into the sea to fetch his wife ; and without
staying to be asked any questions, he sprang into the water
from that side of the canoe farthest from the rock, swans
under the canoe, anti proceeded forward into the sanctuary
which had so well concealed his greatest and dearest treasure.
Every body on board was greatly surprised at his strange
canduct, and began to think him insane: and after a little
lapse of time, not seeing him come up, they were greatly
alarmed for his safety, imagining a shark must have seized
him. Whilst they were all in the greatest concern, debating
what was best to be done, whether they ought to dive down
after him, or wait according to his orders, for that perhaps
he had only swam round and was come up in some niche of
the rock, intending to surprise them ;—their wonder was in.
creased beyond all powers of expression, when they saw
him rise to the surface of the water, and come into the canoe
with a beautiful female. At first they mistook her fora god-
dess, and their astonishment was not lessened when they re-
cognized her countenance, and found her to be a perso»,.
wit an they had no doubt was killed in the grime' massacre
other family; and this they thought must be her apparition.
But how agreeably was their wonder softened down into the
most interesting feelings, when the young chief related to them
the discovery of the cavern and the whole circumstance of
• her escape. All the young men on board could not refrain
envying him his happiness in the possession of so lovely and
interesting a creature. They arrived safe at one of the Fiji
islands, and resided with a certain chief for two veass : at
the end of which time, bearing of the death of the'tyrant of
Vavaoo, the young chief returned with his wife to Ithe last
mentioned island, and lived long in peace and happiness.'

CURIOUS Isteorron.—An imposition, somewhat cnriona
has been lately practised upon many of the inhabitants of
Doncaster:—Some time ago an old lady, calling herself Lady
Crompton, attended by a young woman and a young man,
Came to au inn in the town to reside, giving out that the
young man had become insane from the great property that
had fallen to him; and he was so well instructed as to walk
about the town talking to himself of " 3 per cent. Consols—
Annuities—lndia Bonds," &c. &c. till the unfortunate hearers
of these soliloquies began to believe in their reality. Some
persons, however, who lived near the inn, could not help
I thinking it odd that a woman of Lady Crompton's quality
should so often steal over to a gia shop that was opposite.
! This leading to some suspicion, a few tradesmen, into whose
debt they had run, sent in their hills, which alarming Lady
Crompton, and sinking all the spill& she had acquired, the
whole party decamped at a very early hour in the morning
—the lunatic, with all his property, having become sensible
enough to find it necessary to make his escape. The kind-
ness of the inhabitants had been such, that the party left
themselves indebted to it some hundred pounds.
ROWING MATCH FUR 1,000 MIL!S IN TWENTY DAYS,--
Tuesday, George Gyngell, a waterman at Radcliffe-cross,
started, for a wager of 100; s. to row a wherry 11)00 miles in
twenty successive days ; not to begin before live o'clock in
the morning, nor row after seven in the evening. This no-
vel and extraordinary undertaking takes place from off the
King's arms, Poplar. Gyngell is to row halfs
mile down the river, go round a mooring fixed there, sod re-
' tura up again, and proceed another half mile beyond his
starting place, and back, making two miles in and out. This
match, from the number of miles he has to row, sod the
short time allowed him each day, excites much interest'
amongst the lovers of aquatic sports.
Saturday se'nnight a poor traveller was found lying on his bacit on
Box-hill, about five miles from Bath. in the same situation in which
he had been seen the evening before, having his naked breast exposed
to the pitiless storm ! Life appeared to be almost extinct. As some
Inunane persons were preparing to take him to a house, one of the
London coaches came up, and a passenger alighted, who applied some
vivifying remedy to the chest, by which the latent spark of life was
rekindled. Having thus far succeeded in his benevolent object, he
slipped some money for the man's use into the hands of a by-stander,
and, with the coach, was soon out of sight. The sufferer was shortly
enabled to say, that be had been fasting forty eight hours! The
Samaritan, if this paragraph should meet his eye, will be happy to
Ihear that the Almighty 'a blessing attended his cherimble exertions*
behalf of the objectof igiNittcutwa, who WM am fly enabled to to.
Jut= hiejotumey.

r

SEPT. S.

LAIF' INTELLIGEVCE.

COURT OF CHANCERY, AL'ousT ra.

IN THE MATTER OF CROSBY'S BANKRUPTCY.
In our last number, we gave a very brief statement
of the very extraordinary conduct of John Miles and
Eliezer Chater, respecting a bond of 20,0001 obtained
from Messrs. Baldwin, Cradock, and Joy, on behalf of
Benjamin and Richard Crosby. We shall now enter
more at large into the subject, as we conceive the pro-
ceeding cannot receive too much publicity.
In the Court of Chancery, August 22nd, a petition
was presented from Richard Crosby praying for a
eupersedius, and that the cost of superseding his bank-
ruptcy might be payed by Kitcat, the creditor, who had
illegally stied out the commission against him. This
being disposed of, Sir Samuel Romilly presented a
petition from George Wilkie, William Sherwood, and
John Cundee, Assignees of the estate and effects of
Richard Crosby, the bankrupt, the prayer of which
Sir Samuel Romilly explained at great length. He
was followed on the same side by Mr. Montague,
whose speech embraced every important feature in
the transaction, and which, as it is considerably shorter
than that of Sir Samuel, we will give nearly in his
own words.
Mr. Montague—" I am on the same side with Sir Samuel
Hominy. In this ease it appears, that Benjamin and Richard
Crosby were partners, and that in the year 1511, Richard
; weat abroad, leaving Benjamin Crosby in a state of men-
tal imbecility ; John Miles was then creditor of that part-
nership, partly for goods and partly upon bills, to the
amount of 5,0001.; and that he obtained a power of attorney
to act for the said Benjamin Crosby during the absence of
Richard. Eliezer Chater, is the father-hi-law of Miles, and,
as we all know, lathera-in law are not those who particularly
wish to part with their money, when their sons-in-law are in
trade. Thus Mr. Miles parts with the whole concern of this
partnership to Messrs. Baldwin, Cradock, and Joy, for
60,0001., fur which lie is paid by notes and bills due at differ-
ent elates, and by a bond for 20,0001., and I cannot help
wishing that I had many such securities from that company,
as they are persons of high repute. Miles sold another part
of the stock to Messrs. Sinipkiu and Marshall, two clerks of
said partnership, for 12,0001. Mr. Miles looks into the
concern, and assures the petitioners and the other creditor,,
that all will be well if they will take bills instead of cash ;
and so they do, bat it appears that no sooner do they do so,
than Mr. Miles shows, that he himself likes cash better than
hills ; he accordingly contrives to get cash for his long bills,
and he is then quite safe as lie conceives; he, however, likes
the bond of Messrs. Baldwin, Cradock, and Joy, and thinks
It is a pity that this bond should go out of the family ; he
cannot buy it himself, but at the same time lie wont permit
a trustee to buy it; but nothing is so easy as to evade these
rules in the Court of Chancery. Mr. Chalet., therefore, is
We man selected to buy it; he is not a trustee, but the father-
w of the titistee, and lie is allowed to buy this bond of
20,0001. and to give for it only the sum of 9,54)01. the ohli-
gaturs being theta and now in good credit, and would have
themselves given a much larger 1111111 for it. Mr. Miles sells
tins build, however, to Eliezer Chater, as it is said, for that
sum, Lt the month of June, 1815, after Mr. Miles had sold
all the stock, good-us ill, and property of said partnership,
and collected the good debts, and paid himself the whole
dice to hint, lie declined to act further in said concerti,
and without c • aping his deterniiitation, or submitting
any account whatever to the creditors, lie procured fiom
reenjamin and Richard Crosby a deed of confirmation
of all his dealings in said concern, and a general release
from all claims and demands whatsoever, it being better
to have a sort of eatable by a release hefore the cow-
missionera. Mr. Miles obtains a General release, and then
is quite clear of all lie has now done with it, a
trust is executed, and all is at au end in his estimation ;
there have been more difficulties' however, standing in the
way than lie calculated upon, and as are not to be dis-
posed of in a summary way. Halting obtained this relca .e,
every thing is now right for passing through the Gazette,
and 'upon the petition of George Kitcat, a commission of
Bankrupt was issued against Richard Crosby, in January,
1816, Benjamin Crosby having died in the n 1111 l th of August,
1513. Upon this occasion there are exceedingly acute and
obstinate assignees chosen, imel the whole affair is discovered,
and amongst other things, that Mr. Miles himself was the
person who ads owed this money for the bond, and that it is
the purchase of Miles, and that the name of Chimer being
used was inertly a blind, for it was bought in his name,
but it was for Mile's interest. Can there be any doubt as
to that The assignees upon this commence an leiloll of
trover against Eliezer Cl.ater for the recovery of said bond,
and a considerable expense ails incurred. Upon the exami-
nation of Clutter before the commissioners, it appears, he
sometimes knew the particulars concerning this bond, and
sometimes nut ; at last, being pressed, and asked this ques-
tion—•' Diet you not understand from Mr. Miles, that having
a power of :Berney front the Crusbys he could nut himself
purchase the bond •"- A." I diet."
Q. " Did he not therefore for that reason beg you to pm--
chase it, sod he would furnish you with the money
" He did."
Q. " Was not your name nsed in the purchase on account
of the situation iu which lir. Miles stood with the Crosbys ?"
I suppose SO."
" Now, those expi uses were naturally and necessarily in-
curred under the commission so issued. lu a contest of
this sort, every goad genesisl secures a retreat, and therefore
when we are about to proceed in this action, it is discovered
that there is no petitioning ereditor'tt debt, and in addition
to that, that it is a concerted commission,and such is the
great discovery made ashen these assignees, thus chosen,
try to get the proceeds of their labour, the Bankrupt Stk.
perselles the commission. lam extremly happy to see that
a gentle man in opulenee stands by his friends ; and am
happy to rigid that the soiieitor for the Bankrupt is the soli-
citor of Mr. Clime's. e might object certainly to ibis,
under such circumstances, but we nicest have a valid com-
mission, and Miles must not thus slip tin-()ugh our hands.
That is exactly the situation of these matters ; however ne-
Cessarily, your Lordship must see to these transactions.
After that, we applied to Kitcat, who executed this coni-
suiasiou, and he state. that it is a concerted commission, and
that he expected to be indemnified. Now, I beg your
Lordship will remember that words, 4 COCIS,' fur it appears