A fragment* 'MIDST the thick darkness Death, The dread inexorable monarch, stalked ; And, lo! his icy breath Encircled the devoted barque where talked, Or laughed, or watched, or slept, The doomed three hundred of her living freight, Unconscious that there crept Through the still air the stealthy steps of Fate.

Bound for a foreign strand ; Bright Hope fair pictures of the future drew ; Nor yet their native land Had claimed the last fond look, the sad adieu,— Alas! poor human clay, The world for you no future has in store; For you the breaking day, Or land, or sea, or sky, shall light no more.

O God, that fearful crash! The stout ship reels, her planks disrupted wide; Fast through the yawning gash The green eea pours its dark resistless tide.

What followed then, 0 heart, Thou scarce may'st realise. 'Tis well for thee ; Ne'er would that sight depart From gentle mind that had been there to see.

For maddening terror reigned; Honour, and manhood, and calm reason fled, And brutal instincts gained The mastery; and even shame was dead.

Each one to save his life Would give to Death the lives of all beside; Nor cared in that fell strife, What awful end his fellows might betide.

Yet 'mid that wild despair, Nobility of soul found room to stand, And lustre bright and rare Enfolds the memory of Knowles and Brand; f Who, face to face with Death, Save of dishonour, showed no coward dread, Brave hearts to the last breath, They joined the galaxy of Britain's dead.

What cruel fate was there ? What mocking spirit of malignant power ? For help was everywhere Around, yet no help came in that dread hour.

Slumber closed many ears; And some were dull; some heard but gave no heed, Nor knew what bitter tears They doomed to flow, how many hearts to bleed.

G. M. B. W.

* [Found in the Note Book of a Graduate of Pembroke Coll., Cambridge, whose promising career was cut short at an early age.] t It will be remembered that Capt KNOWLES, who com- manded the Narthjket, and Mr. BRAND, the Chief Mace, stood nobly at their posts, and went down with the ship, after resisting to the utmost the cowardly conduct of some of the crew, who had thought only of saving themselves..