be sure. But, their women, Jem-their women! Oh! they're dear, delicious, lovely creatures!"

"Mayhap they may be to your thinking," responded the captain of the forecastle rather contemptuously: "but give me a good, hearty, right-earnest, full-plump, flesh-and-blood Englishwoman; and none o' your skinny, half-starved, sliding-gunter-legged, spindle-shank sinoreas for me!"

"You manifest a shocking want of taste, shipmate," returned the sergeant, proudly, and bringing himself to a perpendicular. "The Italian women are considered the most lovely women in the world." "Tell that to the marines ould chap!" chimed in a boatswain's mate, who now made a fourth in the party. The most lovely women in the world, eh? Why, Lord love your foolish heart! I wouldn't give my Mrs. Sheavehole for all that Italy could stow, take it from stem to starn."

46

"She's your wife, Jack, and the mother of your children," argued the sergeant; "but that cannot make her a bit the more of a beauty." "Can't it, though!" exclaimed the boatswain's mate, sharply, and at the same time giving the mountain of tobacco in his cheek a thorough twist. "If it don't, then I'm d-! and, setting a case, it's just this here: when we first came within hale of each other, she was as handsome a craft as ever had God Almighty for a builder; every timber in her hull was fashioned in Natur's own mould-loft, and she was so pinned and bolted together that each plank did its own proper duty."

"But she's declining in years, you know, Jack," urged the serjeant, provokingly; "and though she might have been once handsome, yet age is a sad defacer of beauty."

And suppose it is a facer of beauty, it can't change the fashion of the heart!" uttered the boatswain's mate. "But, that 's just like you jollies--all for paint and pipe-clay. Now, Suke's as handsome to me as ever she was; and when I sees her like an ould hen clucking over the young uns, I'm blessed if I don't love her more than when she saved me from having my back scratched by the tails o' the cat! I know, when a craft is obliged to be unrigged and laid up in ordinary, she don't look not by no manner o' means so well as when she was all ataunto, and painted as fine as a fiddle: but still, shipmates, she's the same craft; and as for beauty, why, setting a case, it's just this here: there's ould beauty, as well as young beauty; and it a'nt so much in the figure-head, or the plank-shear, as having done your duty once, and ready to do it again."

"All that may be very true, Jack," persevered the sergeant; "but then, you must allow there is as great a difference in the appearance of some women when compared to others, as there is in the build or rig of a vessel."

"Hearken to that, now!" responded the boatswain's mate. "Do you think Jack Sheavehole wants to be told that a billy-boy arn't a ninety-eight, or a Dutch schuyt a dashing frigate? But, look at this here craft that now rolls us so sweetly over the ocean: arn't she as lovely now as when she first buttered her bottom on the slips, and made a bed for herself in the water? and won't she be the same beauty when she's put out of commission, and mayhap be moored in Rotten. row? Well, she's stood under us in many a heavy gale, and never yet 8

VOL. I.

showed her starn to an enemy,-that's why I loved her; and not for what she may do, but for what she has done."

66

But, I say Jack! it's just the time for a yarn," said the captain of the forecastle. "Tell us how Suke saved you from the gang way."

"I wull, mesmate--I wull," returned the other; "and then this lubberly jolly shall see if I arn't got a good right to call her a beauty. I belonged to the Tapsickoree, two-and-thirty; and, though I say it myself, there warn't many more such tight-looking, clean-going lads as ould Jack Sheavehole-though I warn't ould Jack then, but a reg'lar smart, active, young blowhard of a maintopman. Well, we'd just come home from foreign, and got three years' pay and a power o' prize-money; and so most o' the boys goes ashore on liberty, and car. ries on till all's blue. This was at Plymouth, shipmates; but, as we wur expecting to go round to Spithead, I saves my cash-'cause why? I'd an ould father and mother, from whom I'd parted company when a boy, and I thought, if I could get long leave-thinks I, mayhap I can heave alongside of 'em, with a cargo of shiners, and it'll cheer the cockles of their ould hearts to see their son Jack togg'd off like a jolly tar, and captain of a frigates maintop; and, setting a case, why it's just this here: I didn't want anything on 'em, but meant to give 'em better ground-tackle to hould on to life by."

"That was very kind of you, shipmate," said the serjeant.

Well," continued the boatswain's mate, without heeding the serjeant's observation, "I has a bit of a spree ashore at Dock, in course; but soon arter we goes round to Portsmouth. I axes for long leave; and as I'd al'ays done my duty to Muster Gilmour's-he was first leeftenant-to Muster Gilmour's satisfaction, I gets my fortnight and my liberty-ticket, and the large cutter lands me at Sallyport; so I hauls my wind for the Blue Postes on the Pint, and enters myself on the books of a snug-looking craft, as was bound through my native village. Well, shipmates, in regard o' my being on liberty, why, I was a gemman at large; so I buys a few duds for ould dad, and a suit of new sails, and some head-gear for the ould woman: for, thinks I to myself, mayhap we shall cruise about a bit among the neighbours, and I'll let 'em see we arn't been sarving the king or hammering the French for nothin'. And, mayhap, thinks I, they arn't never got too much to grub; so I gets a bag, and shoves in a couple of legs o' mutton and a whole shole of turnips, a full bladder of rum, and, as I knew the old uns loved cat-lap, there was a stowage of sugar and tea, with a bottle o' milk; and, having plenty of the ready, I buys a little of everything useful in the small way, that the ould chap at the shop showed me: and, my eyes! but there was thousands of packages twisted and twined in true-blue paper ;-there was 'bacca, mustard, snuff, salt, soft tommy, pepper, lickerice, matches, gingerbread, herrings, soap, peas, butter, candles, cheese,-in short, something of everything, not forgetting a Welsh wig and a mousetrap; and I'm blowed if I warn't regularly fitted out for a three months' cruise! Well, by the time I'd got all my consarns ship-shape, I twigs the signal for sailing, and so I gets aboard; and in course, in regard o' my station in the maintop, I goes aloft, as high as possible upon the upper-deck, and claps myself upon the luggage; but when the governor as had charge comes to take the twiddling-lines, he axes me to berth myself on the fokstle, and so, not to be outdone in civility, or to make 'em think I'd let slip my edication, I comes down, and goes forud, and stows myself away just abaft the

pilot; when we made sail, there was a party o' liberty boys from the ould Hibernia gives me three cheers, and I waves my bit o' tarpaulin, sports a fresh morsel o' 'bacca, and wondered what made the houses and everything run past us so quick; but I soon found out it was the craft-for 1 remembered the comb of the sea did just the same when the frigate was walking along at a spanking rate. So, for the first hour, I sits quiet and alone, keeping a sharp look-out on the pilot, to see how he handled the braces, rounding 'em in to starboard, or to port-for, thinks I to myself, it's best to larn everything-'cause why? who can tell but Jack Sheavehole mayn't some day or another command just sich a consarn of his own! and how foolish he 'll look not to know which way to shape his course, or how to steer his craft! But, I'm blowed! shipmates, if the horses didn't seem to savvy the thing just as well as the man at the helm; for the moment he tauten'd the gear, the hanemals slued round o' themselves all ship-shape, and Bristor-fashion."

"Why, it was the reins that guided them," said the serjeant, laughing.

"Then I'm blessed if it was !" returned old Jack; "for there warn't a drop o' rain fell that arternoon-it was a bright, sun-shiny day." "What you call twiddling-lines, they call reins," explained the serjeant; "and the horses are steered by them."

"Mayhap so, brother,-mayhap so," responded the boatswain's mate; "for I arn't much skilled in them matters-'cause why? I never sail'd in one on 'em afore, and only once since ;-the first was a happy trip, the last was molancholy:" and Jack sighed like an eddy wind in the galley funnel. "But to heave a-head-"

"A good look-out before, there!" shouted the mate of the watch, from the quarter-deck, where he was showing his authority by thrashing the youngsters.

46

Ay, ay, sir!" responded the man at the cat-head; and then added, in a lower tone, "They're having a jolly sheave-o in the cabin !" "It's a sad heart as never rejoices!" said the captain of the forecastle. 66 But, I say, Jack! I don't like the look o' that sky to wind

ard."

"It's one of two things-a parting blush o' the sun, or a gathering squall o' the night," returned the boatswain's mate; "but we 've no reason to care about it-'cause, why? we're all as snug as possible. Well, shipmates, to get on with my yarn ;-when we'd run a league or two, out of Portsmouth, we hove to at a victualling port, and I spied a signal for good cheer, hanging out aloft; and so, without any bother, I boards 'em for a reg'lar stiff Nor'-wester, more nor half-and-half, and says I to the pilot, Yo-hoy, shipmate!' says I, 'come, and set up the standing backstays o' your heart a bit; and here, ould chap, is someut to render the laneard;' and so I gives him a share out o' the grog-tub, that set his eyes a-twinkling like the Lizard lights on a frosty night. Well, just as we were going to trip the anchor again, a pretty, smartlooking young woman rounds to under our starn and ranges up alongside; and she says to the pilot, says she, Coachman, what'll you charge to take me to

very port I was bound to!"

-?" and I'm blessed if she didn't name the

"Why, 'tis quite romantic, Jack!" said the serjeant; "we shall, no doubt, have a love-story presently: but I'll wager you my grog tomorrow, I can tell you who the female was."

"Then, I'm blowed if you can!" retorted the boatswain's mate. "Now, who was she, pray?"

"Is it a fair bet?" inquired the sergeant with a look of conceited knowledge.

"No, she warn't a fair Bet, nor a fair Moll either," returned old Jack surlily. "I thought you'd know nothing whatsomever about it! for that's always the case when a jolly tries to shove his oar into a seaman's rullock-'cause why? he don't savvy the loom from the blade."

The serjeant laughed. "I meant a fair wager-that is, my allowance against yours to-morrow that I name the female."

"Done!" exclaimed the boatswain's mate; "and, shipmates, I call you all to witness that everything 's square and above-board."

"Why, it was your Sukey, to be sure-Mrs. Sheavehole-anybody could tell that," replied the serjeant.

"There--you're out in your chrissening, ould chap, as you'll find presently," asserted the veteran; "and so you've lost your grog. But, dit! I'd scorn to take a marine's allowance from him, though you richly desarves it."

"Come, heave ahead, Jack!" said the captain of the forecastle; "make a clear run of it, and don't be backing and filling this fashion." "Ay, ay, Jem, I wull, I wull," answered old Jack. "But, I say, shipmate! just clap a stopper on the marine's chattering-gear whilst I overhaul my log.-Oh, now I have it! Up comes the young woman, and Coachman, what'll you charge to take me to- ?'-'Seven shillings, ma'am,' says he.-'Carn't you take me for less?' axes she; I've only got five, and I am very tired with walking.'- 'Not a ha'penny less, ma'am,' says he, just as cool as an iceberg in Hudson's Bay; 'carn't do it, ma'am.'-'Oh, do try!' said she, and I could see sorrow was pumping the tears into her eyes; I would give you more if I had it,' says she.-' Carn't help it, ma'am,' says old surly.chops, carn't help it; grub for the hanemals is very dear.'-'Oh, what shall I do!' says she so piteously; 'night is coming on, and it's a long way to travel on foot; I shall sink under it: do take the money!'Werry sorry, my dear,' says he, shaking his blubber head like a booby, perched on a ratlin, 'werry sorry, but never takes under price. You must use your trotters if you arn't never got seven bob.'-'Then I'm d- if she does!' says I, for you shall carry her.'-' Gammon !' says he, as spiteful as a pet monkey; who's to tip the fare ?-So I ups and tells him a piece o' my mind, and axes him if he ever know'd anything unfair by Jack Sheavehole, or if he thought I wanted to bilk him out o' the passage-money. Will you stand the two odd bob?' axes he.-'And d'ye think I won't stand as much as Bob or Dick, or any one else?' says I in a bit of a passion. Avast, ould chap! says I; 'humanity arn't cast off the mooring lashings from my heart yet a while, and I hopes never will;' and so I gives him a sevenshilling bit without any more palaver, and 'Come, my precious,' says I, holding out my fin, 'mount areevo;' but I'm blest if she did'nt hang back till the pilot sung out for us to come aboard! And 'Lord love you!' says I, you arn't afeard of a man-o'-war's-man, are you?' -'Oh no,' says she, brightening up for all the world like the sun coming out of a fog bank,-'Oh no; you have been my friend this night, and God reward you for it!' So we soon clapped one another along side upon the break of the fokstle, and got to overhauling a little smattering o'larning, by way o' being civil, seeing as we'd ounly just

joined company. I'm thinking that's a pretty village you're bound to,' says I, in a dubersome way; 'I was there once,' says I'when I was a boy about the height of a tin pannakin;' for, shipmates, I didn't like to overhaul how I'd run away from home. 'Pray,' is ould Martin Joice alive?' says I. He was when I left yesterday morning,' says she; but he is confined to his bed through illness.' 'And the ould woman,' says I, 'does she still hould on?'-'Yes,' says my companion; but she's lame, and almost blind.' Well, I'm blow'd shipmates, if I did'nt feel my daylights a-smarting with pain with the briny water that overflowed the scuppers-'cause why? them there wur my own father and mother, in the regard of my having been entered on the muster.books in a purser's name, my reg'lar right-arnest one being Jack Joice. And what makes you cruising so far away from port? says I, all kindly and messmate-like.-'It's rather a long story,' says she; but as you have been so good to me, why I must tell you, that you may'nt think ill of me. You shall have it as short as possible. The shorter the sweeter, my precious,' says I, seeing as I oughtn't to be silent. Well, she begins-Sister Susan and I are orphans; and when our parents died, ould Martin and his dame, having no children, took us under their roof.'—' No children!' says I, "Why, I thought they had a young scamp of a son.' I said this, shipmates, just to hear what she would log again me.-'Oh yes,' says she; but he ran away to sea when a boy, and they never heard from him for many years, till the other day they received a letter from Plymouth to say he was in the Tapsickoree frigate, and expected to be round at Spithead before long. So, the day before yesterday, a sailor passing through the village told us she had arrived; and so his parents getting poorer and poorer, with his father sick and his mother lame, I thought it would be best to go to him and tell him of their situation, that if he pleased, he might come and see them once more before they died.'-I was going to say, 'God A'mighty bless you for it!' but I could'nt, shipmates; she spoke it so plaintively, that I felt sumeut rise in my throat as if I was choking, and I gulped and gulped to keep it down till I was almost strangled, and she went on :-'So yesterday I walked all the way to Portsmouth, and went aboard the frigate; but the officer tould me there was no man of the name of Joyce borne upon the books.'-'It was a d― lubberly thing!' says I, 'and now I remembers it.' What,' says she, 'What do you mean?'Oh, nothing, my precious,' says I, nothing in the world;' for I thought the time warn't come for me to own who I was, and it fell slap across my mind that the doctor's boy who writ the letter for me, had signalized my rightarnest name at the bottom, without saying one word about the purser's consarn at Sheavehole. 'And so you've had your voyage for nothing,' says I, and now you're homeward-bound; and that's the long and the short on it. Well, my precious, I'm on liberty; and as ould Martin did me a kindness when I was a boy, why I'll bring up for a few hours at his cottage, and have a bit of a confab consarning ould times.' And the young woman seemed mightily pleased about it; so that by the time we got to I'm blessed if, in all due civility, we warn't as thick as two Jews on a pay-day. Well, we landed from the craft, and away we made sail in consort for ould dad's cottage; and I'm blessed if every thing didn't look as familiar to me as when I was a young scamp of a boy! but I never said not nothing; and so she knocks at the door, and my heart went thump, thump,-by the hookey! shipmates, but it