tionate. No marvel that death, become so familiar to their daily and hourly view, seemed stripped of half his terrors: no marvel that the burying ground, crowded as it was with objects nearest and dearest to their hearts, presented to many an inviting couch of repose. They entered the cathedral, and, prostrate in supplication, sought help of Him who alone is mighty to save.

Walker preached and in a strain of sublime eloquence set before his drooping hearers the encouragements of Holy Writ, shewing the marvellous interpositions by which the Lord had of old maintained the right and the cause of His oppressed people. He exhorted them to trust, and not to be afraid he recounted the extraordinary instances of a peculiar providence which had been remarked during the siege; and with a confidence that infused new life into many a fainting heart, he predicted a speedy realization of their most sanguine hopes. He exhorted, he prayed for, he blessed them with paternal tenderness; and as they slowly retired from the sacred edifice, the Lord vouchsafed an answer to the united appeal of His poor perishing creatures. There was a sound-it could scarcely be believed-yet it was repeated, and again the shout was raised; and again, in articulate words, was the transporting intelligence borne to their ears, "The fleet! the fleet approaches! the ships are in the Lough!"

It was as in a death-struggle that the greater

number of those emaciated beings rushed to the walls. Husbands carried their dying wives, mothers their expiring children, and by efforts that seemed supernatural, they gained the height, to witness what to their eyes appeared a celestial vision, the broad sails of three gallant vessels filled by a favouring gale, whitening upon the curling waters, and steadily approaching, with the undoubted purpose of anchoring beneath the walls. In the besiegers' camp all was bustle: a desperate resistance would no doubt be made; and the boom that stretched across the Lough menaced destruction to the ships. The fort of Culmore was manned, and its batteries opened with thundering fury upon the advancing ships; while vollies of musquetry from either bank, poured upon their sides. The fire was returned, and evidently with considerable execution, upon the wretched instruments of Romish aggression; while, comparatively unharmed, the gallant vessels made good their passage past the fort.

"The boom! the boom!" was breathed in gasps, and whispers of unutterable agony, by the terribly interested spectators on the walls. "Will they venture to pass ?-Can they break it?—Oh now, now or never!-God give them resolution! Still they approach!" Such exclamations burst from the parching lips that had so recently moved in united prayer; while a party of the townsmen mounted the cathedral, firing as a knell their minute guns of distress, and combining the efforts of their trembling arms to wave the crimson flag, in mute, yet

eloquent appeal to the hearts of their compassionate deliverers.

The Mountjoy had taken the lead her captain was a native of Derry, and within its walls were his wife, his children, and his friends. The boom was right before her, and she swerved not; but rising upon the flowing tide, impelled by a lively breeze, she bore with all her force upon the sturdy barrier. It broke :-but alas! the shock was too severe for the vessel; she recoiled, rolled deeply in the waters, and striking into the shallow stream, was instantly aground.

A shout, or rather a yell of rapturous exultation, resounded from the hostile banks; and boats were rapidly pushed off for the purpose of boarding the Mountjoy, while a groan, a deep, low, scarcely uttered groan, seemed to issue from the walls of Derry, with now and then a shriek of female agony, re-echoed by terrified children. There was a horror on the minds of those devoted beings, compared with which, all their preceding sufferings seemed light and trifling: but there was also many a prayerful spirit wrought into that intenseness of supplication, which cannot fail of entering into the ears of the Lord God of Sabaoth.

The Mountjoy lay upon her side, seemingly a helpless victim, within reach of the foe: but the stake for which her captain fought was too precious to be trifled with. He fixed an earnest gaze upon

the crowded walls of Derry, then raised his eyes to heaven as in passionate appeal; and drawing his sword, sprang forward to the most commanding station upon the deck, cheering his men to a determined resistance. His shout was answered by a general huzza from the crew, each gunner applying his ignited match, and a tremendous broadside instantly enveloped the combatants in a cloud of smoke.

This was indeed the climax of agonized expectation to the gasping spectators, who clung to their rampart walls for that support which their own trembling knees refused to yield. Mothers strained their infants as in the very grasp of death, and joined their little hands together, lifting them between their own in mute appeal to heaven. Some were actually fainting under the conflict of hope and terror; not a few of whom had mounted the walls by almost supernatural effort, only to sink exhausted into the arms of bystanders somewhat less enfeebled. And the voice of trembling affection was heard in anxious whispers, imploring some loved one to revive, and hope, and pray for the issue of that fearful hour. It was a scene to mock description: a reality before which all the powers of imagination fade into contemptible nothingness.

The few seconds that elapsed before that cloud of smoke rolled away, leaving the Mountjoy once more fully visible, those few seconds appeared long indeed to the breathless gazers. They passed, and the

gallant ship re-appeared, not lying in stranded helplessness upon the bank, but, majestically floating in deep water, she ploughed the dancing tide right onwards towards the town.

"That broadside saved her!" shouted Walker. "She has bounded from the shore, she has passed the boom! Derry and Victory!"

Loud and long, varied and strange, were the sounds that pealed from those invincible walls. The shout of triumph again and again burst forth, mingled with passionate tones of devout thanksgiving. "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name be the praise!" was the language of many a lip; while streaming eyes, and outspread hands were raised towards the dwelling-place of HIM to whom out of the depths they had called, and from whom they had received so gracious a reply.

they come like

There is food. meat, meat for

Hush, baby, hush!" said the mother, while the laughter of joy mingled with her agitated sobs; "look yonder at the pretty ships: birds-they come like angels to us. for my baby bread for my child, us all: Oh God of mercy, ever mindful of thy covenant, thou wilt open thy hand and fill us all with plenteousness!"

Leaping from the walls, the men of Derry now hastened to throw wide the Ship-quay Gate, and in the bustle of rapturous preparation, they made