My soaring dreams of the yesterday, where were they? The terrors of the helpless Phaeton were mine the fate of Icarus before me.

Towards evening there was a lull. The sky became one dim, misty gray; the sea looked black.

The swell was as awful to my eye as the storm-lashed waves: now the ship rose on a hill (as it were) of water; now, sunk into a deep dark valley of the element, as if about to be ingulfed in it for ever.

I began now to feel the gnawings of hunger, and an eager thirst. Strange fate! I was in the midst of plenty, yet had neither strength or skill to get at the water or provisions. A little biscuit, which had fallen on the cabin floor, and been trodden under dirty feet, and the moisture sucked from a half-dried watch-coat, relieved me greatly but I could not, dared not, remain below. The cabin seemed a tomb. I returned upon the deck, and, heaping clothes above me, slept.

I was awakened by a gentle hand; the sun shone warm upon my dazzled eyes; I was weak

and faint; I could see nothing, but I heard my name uttered with a sad surprize, and by a wellknown voice. The nephew of Somers stood beside me, and raised me in his young arms, and bade me cheer up.

Tears filled my dull eyes, and falling fast away, I was soon enabled to look on my deliverer. But how! Where? Whence had he come? Was it a dream? He pointed out to where, on the glittering ocean, lay a tall and stately ship in quiet, proud security.

"What do you make of her, Sir?" called a stern, hoarse voice, through a speaking-trumpet. Young Howard bade one of his seamen support me, and catching up the trumpet from under our companion, replied briefly all I knew, and all he intelligibly guessed.

"She was run aboard, Sir, in the gale the other night, and her small crew deserted her, and got into the vessel that run foul of her." *

* The reader has probably, and pardonably, decided that the supposed situation of an individual, left alone on board a vessel in a gale in the open sea, as described, is a a fanciful and a silly invention of the Author. The realities of life do far outrun, in many things, the imaginations of The circumstance I have made use of occurred in 1818, and fell under my own observation.

men.

He added that she was now in a sinking state, and the water almost bursting through her decks. Obeying the order of his commander, he made a short search for, and recovered, the papers of the master, also bade his coxswain get up a few things of mine from my cabin; then helping me to descend into his small boat with as much tenderness as if I had been a woman, we pulled away from the wreck. So severely had my nerves been tried, that as the vigorous sailors pulled strongly and with smiling eyes over the swelling bosoms of the lofty seas, I could scarcely persuade myself that I was saved; difficulties, dangers, and wonders seemed yet to threaten me. Soon, however, we came safely to the armed side of the frigate; soon I stood upon her oaken deck, and was led down to a cabin near her chief's, by his immediate order. I was followed by the surgeon, put to bed, something given to restore me, and left to rest and silence. In all my chill terrors, during the storm, I could not pray; but here, my thanksgivings burst from me in a full flood of grateful tears, and in low, broken, fervent ejaculations.

The following morning I awoke, after a long sound sleep, quite recovered, and was sent for by the captain. He received me with a kind, but calm cordiality. He had learned all concerning me from Howard, whom I begged to see. He was sent for; and when I saw him stand at the cabin door, with his hat held low in his hand, pausing for permission to enter, I abruptly rose, and flew eagerly to embrace him. "Be calm, Mr. Beavoir, be calm," said the captain; "Mr. Howard, you may go." It was in vain I would have detained him; in vain I spoke.

"Sir, I don't like scenes.

Sir, destroy men's usefulness.

manliest boy in my ship."

Your fine feelings,

Howard is the

"Recollect, Sir, I owe him my life."

"No, Sir, you owe it to the care and mercy of God, and I trust that you will not soon forget it; we are all apt, too apt, indeed, to give him the second place in our affections and our thanks. Young Howard did but his duty, Sir, and would have done as much by a coop of my fowls."

Rebuked, as I felt, I could not look on the

speaker without respect and interest. He was about fifty years of age; his hair perfectly white, and gathered in a queue; his face deeply wrinkled; a scar on his cheek; a yet deeper one on his forehead; his complexion that dark ruddiness. peculiar to those who pass their lives at sea; the left sleeve of his coat hung loosely looped upon his breast, in itself a decoration; and he had the fine eye, the full limb, and the firm tread of a brave commander.

We had no sooner finished breakfast, than he asked me to follow him on deck. It was a Sunday morning. Here, under an awning, a part of which was formed by spare colours, all the officers and crew were collected aft for divine service.

He read the prayers appointed in a plain manly way, with such clear, but quiet emphasis, as denoted a sincere veneration for his God, a heart interest in religion. I felt that all eyes were on me; and, when I raised mine, the scene impressed me as one of peculiar grandeur and solemnity. The brown, weather-beaten features of the hardy sailors; their bare heads and brave