down in writing, the tradition that I have heard concerning our family, being as I suppose the oldest, or one of the oldest, living of our family, probably I can remember as much of the tradition respecting our ancestors as any one. "As to their country it is, you know, allowed and believed on all hands in our family, to be Ireland. The time when they came here is not so certain; but I have heard my ancestors say, the first that came into this County, was with lord Mohun of Boconnock. As to our original name, it was then O'Bryan. But by means of the ignorance of schoolmasters, and for want of education, some of our family would write Bryant. "I recollect when I was a boy the Rev. Joseph Jane a clergyman from Ivenseton, near Bristol visited my father, then living in Lanreath, in Cornwall: I remarked that he said our family was from Ireland, and that our original name was O'Bryan. "The most part of our family write Bryant, and some Briant." December 12th, 1835." "THOMAS BRYANT.” My paternal relations have been remarked for being strongly attached to each other. If any met that had not seen each other before, the discovery of relationship was followed by mutual joy. Their natural warm affection and strong attachment, was probably strengthened by being in a foreign land, and has continued to run down through the family line to the present day. The writer having given some small account of his family, he will pass over his occupation in life, as not being expedient to speak of here, and proceed by saying, that in the year 1801 he began to hold religious meettings in the neighbourhood of his nativity; being then in connexion with the people called Methodists. In the year 1810, he was separated from them because he could not submit to arbitrary power and keep a good conscience. In 1815, he travelled, preaching in various places in Cornwall and Devonshire, and formed societies on the voluntary principle, i. e. for the members to give at their own discretion towards the support of the ministry and the cause at large. As to the time of his going to America, some of his travels there, and when he returned, may be seen in the following Narrative. Whatever profit the reader may derive through reading it, may God have all the praise, Is the desire of W. O'BRYAN. Trevarran, St. Columb, Cornwall, NARRATIVE, &c. CHAPTER I. Containing an account of our Voyage from Liskeard to Liverpool. · Having understood that at Liverpool was to be found the best vessels sailing to the United States, on the 10th of August 1831, we set out from Liskeard for Plymouth, to go by the Steam vessel by way of Dublin. We took our luggage to St. Germans; and from thence down the river to Catwater; where the Steam vessel touched, from London to Dublin, to take in coals. The tide having receded from the Basin before we came, we were prevented sailing up to the Company's warehouse, where we had intended to house the luggage before the vessel came in. But a kind providence so ordered it in our behalf, that the captain of the Lazaret offered us the privilege of placing it in the Lazaret. The Shannon Steam vessel, by which we intended to go, was expected to arrive in the morning of the 16th, but through some hinderance, she did not arrive till late in the evening. We went on board about eight o'clock, and found it all bustle, something like a fair, so that it was with difficulty we could cross the deck to the Lazaret. Here were carriages, horses, dens with foreign animals, three hundred and sixty passengers and crew, besides others from shore coming and going. Then I could discern a kind providence, that prevented our getting to the Basin before the tide was gone out. For as the vessel came in so late, it would have been very difficult in the night, amidst such confusion, to have got in our heavy packing cases, if we had at all. Now it was only for the men to carry them over a plank from one vessel to the other. 17th. About two o'clock in the morning we weighed anchor; and about eight a. M. touched at Falmouth, where they had to stop one hour to land, and take in, passengers and goods. There my wife and two of our daughters who had been in the West on a visit to some friends met us. It being a fine day we had an opportunity, by running near land, to see the bold Western coast, with its harbours, and coves; which to our young travellers, was entertaining. The Lizard point, Cornish Mount, Towns of Penzance, Newland, and Mousehole. We also passed the famous Logging-rock, so much noted in the Cornish history, and rendered additionally famous by the huge exploit of the Commander of a Custom-house Cutter, Lieutenant Goldsmith, and his men, in the year 1824, throwing it off its pivot from the tier of rocks where it had stood from time inimemorial. Rather than be prosecuted by the landowner, and broke of his commission, he with vast labour and skill, together with 50 men and Gear from the Government Dock Yard at Plymouth, at last succeeded in replacing it. However this Commander might be censured for his wanton frolic, it settled the question, whether the stone had been created there, or whether it was possible such a vast rock could be placed so high on another rock, by art. Most likely it was first put there in the times of the Druids. But by what means at that period who can even guess This rock had a bulge or pivot underneath, which rested on another rock, with a nearly flat surface. Taking it in one particular place, a single person could shake it, I have myself; but to take it at any other place it was apparently immoveable. Probably it was a Duridical ordeal. ? About five in the evening we doubled Cape Cornwall. The Land's-end presents an awfully grand appearance. The craggy, high, and bold cliff on one hand, and the long sea-beaten rocks, with the light-house thereon on the other hand; with the roaring waves rolling in from the Atlantic, which for ages have been spending their fury against those firm barriers of the great deep. templative mind this interesting place is a striking comment on that sublime passage in the xxxviii. chapter of Job. The Most High speaking to him says, Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth, who shut up the sea with doors; and brake up for it To a con -or |