Star.
London, England, 1827-08-18 00:00:00

AN EXTRAORDINARY SWIMMER.

• TO THE *DITOL OP TUE 180311.1121 L
N `Upon my soul "tis'true--what will you lay 'ds a lie."•
Mqjor Lottgliom
Sic—The story of the man of his Majesty's 71st regiment
falling overboard from the Cbambly steam-boat, between Lois
Point and Montreal, and so miraculously appearing on the bead/
before his comrades had disembarked, reminded me of a circum.
stance that occurred during my servitude on board the Dolphin
man of war, bound to the West Indies. We were going at the
rate of about three knots and a half, when Tom Garboard, be-
longing to the foretop, who, by the by, was a bit of a wag, sleeping
ha the lee fore chains, by a sudden lurch of the ship, was thrown
overboard.

A man overboard!! was the general cry, fore and aft, and ever?
one ran to offer, or give assistance to the drowning man.
Tom, who was a tolerable good swimmer, as every Istidy thought,
but nothing extraordinary, woke up, on finding himself in deep
water, and began to use his paddles, the ship passing a-bead as I
was saying before, at the rate of three knots and a half. Tom
was won lost sight of under the counter (for although our ship
was _not on Sir Robert Sepping's plan, yet she was pretty full
abaft), when Tom was lucky enough to get hold of the rudder
chains. The hands all run aft expecting to see Tom astern, and
to lower the jolly boat down to pick him up ; but no Tom was to
be seen. " He is gone," said they, "to Davy's locker," and
efforts ceased.

Our ship was yeti deep, bound oat-to the West Indies, emit-
quently our gun-room ports were low in the onto. This Tom
saw ; and as it was getting dark, he thought he would wait till they
had beat to quarters, and piped the hammocks down, before he got
on board, which be did, and then popped down into the lady's hold
(where the gunner keeps his wads and spate monkey tails), and
there remained till the middle of the first watch, wino he sallied
forth, and made free with our bread bags, taking enough to serve
hint for three days. At the end of this time we were jogging along
at an easy rate, with scarcely any wind, about a knot, when master
Tom, unobserved, slips out of the port he came In at, and drop-
ping astern began to hail the ship—" The Dolphin, a•hoy!!'
" Hallo!" says the Quartermaster, who was abaft, getting a pull of
the main-brace. Says Tom, " It' you don't back the main-topsail,
and heave too, I shall sink; for nu man can swim to the West In-
dies without provisions."
Every body run aft in amazement, for it had been blowing fresh
during the time we bad supposed be had beet; overboard, bat there
was no time to be lost—so the boat was lowered, and poor Tont
picked up, to the great gratification and astonishment of every body
on board.

On our arrival, as the Captain was on shore dining with tee Go-
vernor, the talk turned upon swimming. The Governor was ex-
tolling the powers of a black man he had, and our Captain swore
.no man could swim with Toni Gar board, of the Dolphin's foretop;
however, to make a long story short; the Captain and the Governor
made a heavy bet—the time was appointed,--Tom asked one week
to get ready.
The Carpenters were ordered to make what chests and tom-
nienees Tom required. The Purser was instructed at his request
to supply a fortnight's provisions. The day came, and Tons went
on shore at the ',wharf appointed, when he began to stow his
grub. The black fellow looked at bins with astonishment
" what you do derv, mama ?" says be; M what am I doing bete,"
says Tom, " why, I am taking in nay provisions, to be sure, and
I advise you to do the same, for damn the bit of this do you get on
the " Why, massa," says the Negro, " me no swim .more
than nine or ten miles." Nino or ten miles be d—d," says Tom,
" Why, man, I'm going to Tobago, which I believe is over 200
miles, and shan't be back for a fortuight."
The spectators were astonishesb—•the black refused to swim.—the
Governor lost his wager, and It was not until we were homeward
bound, that Tom told the secret. BOX TILAIINON.

UNION ON THE ATLANTIC AND THE BLACK. SEA,—
Tbe project of raking the Rhine and the Danube, whieh was con-
ceived and even commenced by Charlemagne, and submitted by
General Demlles to the attention of Bonapaite when tint Centel,
is now reviving on the Continent. By the assistance of easels,
'a water sontmunleation would be opened, by tie aceomplbh‘
ment of this p►oject, between the countries of Prance, Ger-
many, Hollandaike. and Persia, by means of canals between the
Black Sea and the Caspian. The canal is proposed to be begun at
Kelheim, on the Danube, near Ratisiton, where the Altimild falls
into that river at right angles, and will form the bed of the canal.—
New Literary goectee,

In the thirty-six years between 1790 and 1827, the
population of Edinburgh, exclusive of Leith, tr: paid to hare exactly
tloubkd.