Year: 1870

myself Some few days aler this event, w
were standing under easy sail. hstlessly gaz
ing over the immense expanse OF waters
with all eyes sharp for sail Of some klnC
or other, to break the mouotony Of our list
less life. The look out from the mast heat
sang out


'Sal, ahoyt'


"Where away ?" cried the officer on duty


"Nor-west, on our lee-beam."


"Can you make her out ?" r-


''Nay sir she is yet hull down but she
appears English rig, as her top-royals rist
out of the water"


''Sttetch every inch Of canvas; banl
taut, cried the officer. fia


And her bows were crowded by the anx-
ious seamen. There was now an object 70
engage their sttsntiou, while the captsin
and officers kept their glasses steady in the
direction pointed out In q short time, the
points Of her masts and sails began to ap-
pear above the horizon, like black patches,
where the bounding line between the ocean
and sky terminates. We continued our
progress for several hours, manifestly rot
making fast on ber yet we could see that
her sails rose almost imperceptibly out Of
the water. She kept her distance 80 we'll,
that the captain became excited and Pi9ued.
The wind blew pretty fresh, and we were
both on wind She was now made out
to be either a privateer or merchant yes
sel but her superior sailing led strongly
to the opinion that she was the former.
Our deck guns were now run aft to raise
our bows, and every effort that skill could
put to account was tried Still we gained
but slowly upon her; and the afternoon
was far advanced without our being salts
fed of more than that she was an enemy !;
for she must have seen us for some hours,
and our ensign was flying at our royal mast
head. Nov great masses of gorgeously-
colored clouds began to gather around the
brilliant luminary in the far west. 1t was
close upon sundOwn, when the darkness al
most Immediately follows in the twiIightless
attitudes. The tall masts Of the chase were
between us and the brilliant scene, like a
dark spirit crossing the path Of heaven.
The captain, striking the bulwarks Of the
quarter deck with his hand, said aloud


''rd give hundred guineas to have her
within range Of my long eighteens at this
moment, or when shall sec your beams
again in the morning." He looked to the
broad disk Of the sun, which was just sink,
ing in the dense mass Of fesplendent clouds.
while his last rays shot like long broad rib
ands over the edge Of the highest, and un-
dulated upon the long swell that was raised
by the breeze, which covered its top with
masses Of white foam, resembling fOcks at
play in an immense meadow


Anxious &c cbtaiu the last glanoe vf Lhis
magnificent panorama, I had got upon the
nettings in which the bammocks are slowed,
and stood so long bOlding on by the mizzen
rattlins, absorbed in pleasing dreamy
thoughts, not unmixed with regret, that it
was quite dark before / was conscious Of the
change. My mind had again turned in
upon itself, and the lovely harvest nights Of
my regretted home came before mt, more
chastened in their grandeur, but not less
lovely on that account Wilson and Grant
were conversing in whispers near the spot
where | stood, talking Of their blighted
hopes, as if they felt that nature, in the
grand aspect she now exhibited, looked love-
ly in mockery Of their woes. We still held
on as VIC had done through the afternoon
the surgcs rising and sprinkIiDg our fore
deck as we passed swiftly through the
waters, urged on by an increasing gale.
Weary Of my position, l was in the act of
descending to the deck, when. by some ac-
cident, lost my hold, and fell overheard,
striking against the dead-eyes, and wound
ing my tongue so severely in my fall that
it was bit through.