Year: 1871

IN A POWDER MAGAZINE.

 We had not been ten days at sea before my mind misgave me, and began to dread an unfortunate termination to our voyage, for matters had gone wrong from the very beginning. There had been trouble with the crew, who seemed to have an idea that perennial drunkenness was the proper state of mems existence; and who, as long as a sixpence lasted, obstinately refused to go on board, in many cases having to be hauled from the wharf over the side like so much suspended animation. Then when we had been warped out into the river, and were 1yirg awaiting the Captain, we found that he had been taken suddenly and violently i'll, so that weeks delay followed, ending in fresh appointment, and the coming ofa new Captain-a man of quiet, genial as pect, whose presence seemed to augur ter imitation of our troubles, and he was vel comed accordingly.

 For merchantman outward bound is by no means the paradise existing in the minds of ardent school-boys, bitten with longing for life at sea. Twenty-fours hours of the life on board and its discomforts effectually sickened me; but then I had chosen my vessel for reasons of economy, knowing that every five-pound note would be, perhaps, of priceless value in my new home so made up my mind not to be discontented, but to bear all that fell to my lot. l had taken my passage to Buenos Ayres, with the full intention of roughing it for some years to come, and therefore argued that it would be cowardlv to turn tail at the first trouble that fell to my share. But really it was trying work, in spite of the strongest determination. The sailors were soon in that pleasant state of Respondent misery which succeeds long debauch, and, as if giving the unfortunate passengers the credit of being the cause of their sufferings, lost no opportunity of visiting the said sutfcrings upon their heads. I sad upon their heads, but the feet as frequently suffered. buckets of water being dashed upon them-of course accidentally-if we ventured on deck during holy-stoning times We came to grief too, over ropes, over the slowing of cargo, and in a variety of ways during those first days-our sea going friends looking upon us as an inferior race of beings, whom, as lubbers, it was theil duty to af1ict. But by dint of gooc temper, this was all pretty we'll got over in time for the rough weather we en countered down Channel, and right ava, across the Bay of Biscay sufficiently bat to confine us all, sick and we'll, below matches for many dreary day of pitching and tossing, with the ships timbers groan ing and creaking to degree that seemed to threaten falling to pieces.

 Picture to yourselves, you who have no been on ship board, gloomy, low-ceilec prison, with stout beams crossing every here and there, the light stealing teebly through the little windows, the air vol breathe hot, foul, and stifling, the hatcl above you battened down, so that, save a special times there is no communication with the deck; and nearly every fellow passenger either bemoaning his hard fate or else grooming as he lies in the helples misery of sea-sickness. I think that if al the miseries of rough voyage could b foreseen, those who take trips to faro lands would be greatly reduced in mum bers.

 A couple of days respite came at last i the shape of fine weather: and in the reat tion produced by the bright sunshine, an free brisk air we breathed sn deck, tn troubles of the past were forgotten. Tn Captain still seemed all that was pleasant but there was a flushed and heavy look i his countenance that cid not like, an before long had another opinion upon tn subject for, in conversation, I found tha the second mate had been at the same schot as myself; and together we went over tn old days and compared notes, as wake the deck with him far into his watch.

 The weather turned foul once more. bu this time, through the mate, I contrived t stay on deck, when, to my surprise, I foun that the greater part of the duty ws shifted on to the chief mate, the Captai seldom showing on deck.

 "No, don't think it's from cowardice said my friend to me, as we walked tl deck that night, when the gale had som what moderated. "Of course this is confidence"

 I nodded.

 "Well," he continued, "I don't kno what to make of him; sometimes I thin he's mad, and sometimes that he is give to drinking. How he got appointed to tn ship, I can't tell. Mir. Ray don't say an, thing, but he is one of those men WI think all the more and or course he'll particularly careful, lest the Captain shou think that, as first mate, he is jealous b cause the command was not placed in h hands,"

 No more was then said; but befo many days had passed, we found that tl man who had been intrusted with a fiji vessel, valuable cargo, and, more ths all, the lives of passengers and crew, VI one of those unfortunate beings who, n, content with the enjoyment of the goo things of this life, are in the habit of ha ing incorporate outbreaks, when the ir pulse to drink, commencing, perhaps, vii the stimulants taken in some time of per grows perfectly uncomfortable, and culn mates at length in one of those horrible fl of mania known as delirium tremens.

 It was enough to make any landsm: nervous as to our fate, should the hea' weather continue; but there was still satisfaction of knowing that the two mat were thorough seamen, who would, doubt, take upon themselves the manae ment of the ship. should there be any rf danger. These feelings did not trouble I