Honourable, took every opportunity of sending Virginia in to him, that he might study the delicate tints on her cheeks; but it would not do, even if Virginia had been a party to it. He looked at his palette instead of her pretty mouth; and his camel-hair pencils attracted his attention more than her pencilled eye-brows: he was wrapt up in his art, and overlooked the prettiest piece of nature in the world; and Virginia, seeing this to be the case, had no longer any objection to go into his room. But this gentleman had a nephew, a very different sort of a personage, a young heir to a marquisate, who used to pay attention to his bachelor uncle, by paying him visits, at first because he was ordered so to do, and after once or twice because he had seen Virginia, and was struck with her appearance. He was a good-looking young man, about nineteen, but not very bright—indeed I ought to say very silly, although at the same time not at all bashful. He made an acquaintance with my mother, who was delighted with his condescension, and declared that he was one of the most pleasant young men she had ever met with; and he would have been very intimate with Virginia, had she not repulsed him. As soon as the leaves dropped off the trees, the old bachelor declared that there were no more tints worth remaining for, and he took his departure. About a month afterwards, his nephew came down, accompanied by a young man who was his tutor, and hired the apartments, much to the joy of my mother, who now had hopes; and much to the annoyance of my sister, who had fears of being persecuted.

And now having, in this chapter, brought up my history to the commencement of the year 1805, I shall again enter into a more detailed narrative.

CHAP. XXXIV.

MORE CRY THAN WOOL.- BRAMBLE WOULD DIG A PIT FOR ANOTHER AND TUMBLES IN ALONG WITH HIM.

It was in the month of March, 1805, when the easterly winds prevailed, and vessels were detained in the chops of the Channel, that I agreed with Bramble that we would return together and halve the pilotage. About eight leagues from the Lizard Point, we boarded a small ship which had hoisted the signal; the weather at that time being fine, and the wind variable. When we went on board, it was but just daylight, and the captain was not yet on deck; but the mate received us: we were surprised to find that she mounted twelve brass guns remarkably well fitted, and that every thing was apparently ready for action; rammers and sponges, shot and wadding, being all up and at hand.

"A prime morning, shipmate," said Bramble ;-then casting his eye over the deck, "A letter of marque, I presume."

"Yes," replied the mate, "we have the papers, but still she has never run without convoy since I have been in her; we lost our convoy three days back, and the captain has been rather uneasy

ever since."

"Uneasy! why, I should think that you could beat off a good stout privateer with these guns of yours."

"Well, I don't know but what we might; but our cargo is valuable, and we might be overpowered."

"Very true; and the captain must be anxious. Where are you from?"

"Smyrna."

"What's your cargo ?"

"Why, we have raw silk and dry-salter's goods chiefly. D'ye think we shall have a fair wind? I don't care how soon, for we've

at least twenty passengers on board, and our provisions and water are running rather short. Here's the skipper."

The captain, who now made his appearance, was a tall goodlooking young man, about thirty, dressed rather fantastically, as I thought; having a laced cap on his head, and a party-coloured silk sash round his waist, such as they wear in the Mediter

ranean.

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Well, pilot, what do you think of the wind?"

"Well, sir, I expect we'll have a slant which will enable us to fetch well to windward of the Lizard, at all events; and then, when the tide turns in shore, we must stand out again."

"Mr. Stubbs! turn the hands up to make sail."

"Ay, ay, sir!" replied the mate.

The men came on deck, but the captain roared out for the idlers; these were the passengers who had agreed to work during the passage at last they came up, a queer-looking set; and the captain sending down for his speaking-trumpet, sail was made on the ship.

"Why, captain," said Bramble, "you do it in man-of-war fashion."

"Well, I've not served the king for seven years for nothing," replied he; "and I hope, sir, not heard the bullets whistling about my head like hail in a hail storm, without knowing how to take care of my ship. I like every thing man-of-war fashion, and then one's always prepared. Where's the boatswain? Pipe to breakfast."

"You've plenty of hands on board, mate,” said Bramble.

"Yes, plenty of them, such as they are; we've twenty of the ship's company, and twenty-five passengers from Malta."

After breakfast, the captain ordered up the small-arm men; five seamen and fifteen of the passengers made their appearance with their muskets, which were examined, and they were dismissed. At eleven o'clock, as we neared the land, the men were ordered to quarters; the guns cast loose, and they were exercised as on board of a man-of-war; the captain giving his orders with his speakingtrumpet. "Double-shot your guns! Run out! Point your

guns! Fire! Repel

on the quarter!" &c.

boarders on the bow! Repel boarders

This continued for more than two hours,

when the guns were again secured.

"Well, pilot," said the captain to Bramble, "what do you think? do you fancy a privateer could take us in a hurry?"

"Why, captain, if the men fight, I should say not; but, you see, these guns, handsome as they are, won't fight of themselves."

"I'll answer for the men fighting; they'll have but their choice, - fight, or the contents of my pistol through the first man's head who quits his gun. I'll nail the colours to the mast, and see who will be the man who will haul them down. Why, pilot, this vessel is insured at 30,000%"

"Then she'll be a famous prize, if they should contrive to take her, that's all," said Bramble. "Halloo! what vessel's that coming down? Tom, hand your glass here."

"I hav'n't got it with me."

"Well, give me that one on the skylight. I can't make her out- but I don't much like the looks of her."

"Heh! what's that?" said the captain.

she's a square-rigged vessel, a'n't she?"

"Can't tell," said Bramble.

"Let me look :

:— oh,

The mate, who had fetched his glass from below, looked at her,

and said it was a coasting schooner.

"Are you sure of that?" said the captain.

"Let me see: —

well, I don't know what to say—she does look rakish — I'll go forward and make her out."

"Why, it's a coaster, Bramble," said I, as the captain walked forward.

"I know that," replied Bramble, with a wink.

The captain returned, probably satisfied that it was only a coaster, but he did not choose to say so. "Well, I don't know what to make of her; but at all events there's nothing like being ready. She's coming down fast upon us; Mr. Stubbs, we'll beat to quarters."

Again the people were called up and the guns cast loose; the powder was handed up, and all was preparation. I did not think,

R

however, that the passengers appeared at all zealous; but that I was not surprised at: the captain harangued them, calling them Britons, &c., and, hoping that they would show what stuff they were made of; talked about the honour of Old England, and a great deal more, and then examined the vessel again with his glass. “We'll give her the starboard broadside, and then wear round his stern and give her the other. Hoist the colours!"

As soon as we hoisted the colours, the schooner hoisted English colours also.

"English colours, sir !" said the mate, grinning.

"English colours, heh! Very well; but that may be a feintkeep to your guns, my lads."

The vessel now ran by us; she was deeply laden, and as broad as she was long.

"No privateer this time, captain," said Bramble, laughing.

"No, all's right; secure the guns, my lads. We'd have given her a nice peppering if she'd been a French privateer."

The captain then went down below to put away his sword and pistols, which the cabin-boy had brought on deck.

"It's my opinion, Tom," said Bramble, "that this skipper a'n't quite so fond of fighting as he pretends to be. I'll see if I can't frighten him a little."

As soon as the captain came on deck again, Bramble said, "We'll go about, if you please."

"What! about already? why, we're good three leagues from the shore."

Yes, sir, but the tide has made, and we must now make a long stretch-out towards the French coast. We won't tack again till about dark."

"Not tack till dark, pilot? surely we will do better keeping on the English coast."

"No no, sir; if we were not so well manned and so well armed I should do it; but, as we are a match for any privateer, why, we may as well make a long leg—we shall be up channel sooner."

"Well, I don't know what to say; I've a heavy responsibility with such a valuable cargo."