The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-06-12
WHOLE NO. 235.

accusing /" Naseeb' (de.tiny,) Of unparalleled
cruelty, Of trying 10 court the influence Of that
.sweet restorer,' to which paid my addresses
in vain. The gale died way; l was wet, and
cold, and could not sleep, so watched the
moon rising from her bed Of clouds, 1.-The gra-
dual tranquilization of the waves, as they low
erei their white crests in the moonlight, -snd
listened the while to the casual gusts Of the
aba,ipg wind, as il passed through the jungle
above the bank.
The night was now brilliantly clear; but tho
moon, that " mistress of the diseased mind !"
shed CHASTITY light upon the waters. Ii re-
minded me Of the flash Of torch on the
shining ornaments Of a coffee lid! There
were strange noises, too, from the sky came,
ever and anon, the sudden wall of some night
bird from the earth, in the background, the
howl Of the wolf and jackall; and from the
waters Of the Irawaddi, more impressively
solemn in that lone hour, than ali the rest,
was heard the frequent and ftful leapings Of
the porpoises-for porpoises are not rare in
this gigantic stream, even at this great dis
lance from the sea. cannot account for the
singular horror with which the sound created
by this fshy creature in its struggles for fresh
air, filed me. The leap from the waves
the long audible gasp ii made while sucking
IN the breeze, and its plunge back into the
stream That gasp---I hear it now---was
like the deep and painful breathings of a suf-
locating man My Burman crew were
whispering in a corner aloof from the other
servants, and asked them, in their own dia-
lect the name of the creature which had so
annoyed me. The word Leb,nso was given
IN reply, and 1t was the last heard that
night
A cleanliness stole over me, and was
Easily sinking into forgetfulness, when ring
ing noise in my ears, stunning blow on my
head, accompanied by the flashing as of a
hundred daggers, deprived me Of all sensa-
ton. / have an instructive remembrance of
hearing frightful shrek lit must have been
my own, of starting uI,--of seeing dark
shapes around me---of cleaning instrument
---but no more | remained inscnsible for,
as ! was afterwards told, half an hour and
when came to myself, ! was stretched on
the brink Of the river, surrounded by my
servants, who were wailing over me as lost
for ever. | tried to raise, but sank down
again on the sands my eyes were blinded
with what at first | conceived TO be water
poured over me--.it was blood raised my
hand, and felt that there was deep and large
wound in my head Recollection returned
with growing sickness, and perceived tina,
none of the Burmese boatmen were with us.
| was soon made aware Of how the case stood
The Burmans seeing my poor stock of bag
gage at their mercy, melted by their indomi-
table love of plumber, and beguiled by the
gaudy glitter Of Queens metal coffee pot,
which doubtless they conjecturedto be silver,
watched the opportunity when they imagined
we were all asleep, 10 fulfil the double pur-
pose of serving themselves, and gratifying
their bitter hatred Of the kulas foreigners
who had conquered their Emperor and his
hosts. My Lascar, whilst in a state between
sleeping and waking, was aroused by the
whsperings Of the boa,men, and his suspi-
cions being awakened, he resolved on watch
ing their movements. Suddenly he observed
the Llethogee, or. steersman, gaunt and
hideously ugly man, arise and approach
stealthlly to where lay asleep two Of his
comrades crept TO a remote corner of our
biuouac, where my baggage was placed; and
near which, the sick sepoy and my maiy,
(body servant) slept. After STOPPING over me
for an instant, as if to assure himself of my
repose. the Llsthogee raised his arm, and the
terrified Lascar then saw, that in his hand
was dab, or large woodknife. A blow
was given---a shrek was heard and just as
the stroke which had been mpeded by the
folds of my boat cloak. was about to be re-
peated, the Lascar sprang upon the assassin
and succeeded in Wrestling the weapon from
him, though not before his two thumbs were
nearly severed from his hands in the struggle
The alarm was now, however, general and
the steersman and his associates, alike baf-
fled, took to flight. The other boatmen had
succeeded in carrying off the paltry spoil for
which they had so readily dyed their hands
in blood, though not without opposition, for
the sepoy was slightly wounded in the head
before he could seize his bayonet. My Ma
dras aaaty escaped with few severe blows,
for he had rolled himself up in thick cumly
blanket and when awake, had wrestled
manfully with his particular assault for |
have omitted to state, that the exact number
of the Burmans, was four.
What night did we pass there, on that I'M
known beach! l had los, great quantity Of
blood, and was so faint and sick, that | lay
almost inaninate, until light was struck ;
when my servant contrived to staunch the
blood that continued to well from the wound,
with repeated applications Of burnt rag. Day
at length dawned /; welcome day! Never
more welcome than nov il was to us The
most distressing vertigo prevented me from
walking without assistance; we had nothing
to eat-our canoe lay rent and useless in the
water; and presently the sun burst forth
with maddening heat.
What long, long day that was and with
what dread did we look forward 10 the ap-
proach of night, another night in that inhos-
pitable and perlous coast! To have attempt
ed TO penetrate into the country, knowing IL
to be Inhabited only by those Who would have
prided and pleasured in numbering us would
have been madness our sole resource then
was, TO watch on that strand for some boats