ever will be, most magnias ebb-a spring, and

unning at least five

nking breeze and

going less than ten.

hrough the water in an

espace of time, having been

rom old Hurst until we were fairly

e channel, steering away for a fair berth past Portland Bill, which we passed before sundown.

From thence, under every stitch of canvass the frigate would bear, royals, topmast, topgallant and fore lower studding sails, we kept our speed at about ten knots, sometimes more, sometimes less, until we passed early next day the Lizard, then the Land's End, shaping our course at once for Quebec.

West-north-west, by compass, we kept the even tenor of our way for several days, with but one exciting occurrence. That occurrence made a deep impression upon my mind; as through it, for something more than an hour,

away the jib," "Haul aboard," "Let fall," "Sheet home," "Hoist away," "Out-spanker sheet," and his majesty's ship 'Rokeby' was going along nine or ten knots, with her head for the west channel; the wind rather abaft the beam, for it had southered.

It was quite refreshing to pass once more old Cowes, Yarmouth, Hurst Castle, Alum Bay, and then, the passage of passages, the Needles. I had always admired them, and was never more pleased than when the yachts ran or beat to the westward; but the sight then was far different from the sight from the deck of the 'Rokeby.' In the low yacht, one looked up to the rocks, in the frigate, one appeared to look down on them. From the yacht the passage looked ample for a fleet, the rocks themselves imposing; from the frigate, one doubted, as we neared them, if there were room enough, and the rocks looked, comparatively speaking, diminutive.

Still the sight was, is, and, until they crumble away altogether (and they are getting

smaller every year), ever will be, most magnificent. The tide was ebb-a spring, and through the passage running at least five knots, while we, with a spanking breeze and a beam wind, were not going less than ten. We literally shot through the water in an almost credible space of time, having been occupied from old Hurst until we were fairly in the channel, steering away for a fair berth past Portland Bill, which we passed before sundown.

From thence, under every stitch of canvass the frigate would bear, royals, topmast, topgallant and fore lower studding sails, we kept our speed at about ten knots, sometimes more, sometimes less, until we passed early next day the Lizard, then the Land's End, shaping our course at once for Quebec.

West-north-west, by compass, we kept the even tenor of our way for several days, with but one exciting occurrence. That occurrence made a deep impression upon my mind; as through it, for something more than an hour,

the ship's company thought they had lost eleven of their number, and I feared I should never again see a man with whom I had only recently become acquainted, but for whom I had formed the strongest regard.

I allude to Mr. Train, who, ever since the occurrence of the anchor, had been my companion, or I his, during every first watch he kept, and as often at other times as he could find leisure to listen to my yarns, or spin one himself, either on deck or below. The gallant lieutenant was a capital officer and seaman, accounted so by all hands, and looked up to by the mates and mids, who positively adored him. Whenever a difficult piece of duty had to be performed, he took the trouble (when time admitted) to tell them how it ought to be done, and why; then, in practice, he exemplified his teaching. He was also an excellent lunarian-not then, as it now is, a very general acquirement. From him I learnt much, and flatter myself the repetition of some of his lessons may even now, if these pages fall

into young nautical hands, chance to be of

service.

We were ten days out; still favoured by a breeze, which, for the last twelve hours, had been gradually freshning, and drawing more to the southward. During that time, our canvass had been reduced to topgallant sails, and to one the foretop-mast studding sail (all canvass below the topgallant sails being of course implied). The log had just been hove. Previously to eight o'clock p.m. I was walking with Train, when eleven knots was reported— at the same time a cry from the forecastle was heard-"Man overboard !"

Train was all alive in an instant; order after order followed in quicker time than I have taken to write these four lines: "Down with the helm !" "Never mind the studding

sail!" "Clear away the cutter!" "Steady, men !" "No letting go the falls!" "Stand by the life-buoy !" "Up courses!" (by this time all hands were on deck). Train, seizing a coil of rope, rushed aft and looked over the