His Excellency took leave, and, upon the barge shoving off, received the usual salute. On passing the square Moorish tower, at the entrance of the Tetuan river, another salute, but of only four guns, was fired, or rather squibbed off, much to the amusement of the bluejackets, a salute which may well be described by phiz! phiz! phiz! phiz!

Arrived at the Custom House, the ambassador expressed himself, in Spanish, delighted at British hospitality, took down the names of all the officers, in order to submit them to the Emperor, and giving certain orders in Moorish, which he interpreted to the English friends, thus:-"I have ordered a horse and cavalry soldier for each, they will be here in about an hour-and-a-half. I will proceed to Tetuan, and give the necessary orders to my domestics to prepare for your reception, à l'Espanol; and upon your arrival there, I must, as the Spaniards say, beg you will use my castle, horses, and servants as your own. For the present, farewell!" Then mounting a splendidly-caparisoned horse, and attended by four horse-soldiers, grotesquely habited in gregos of coarse hair-cloth, with cowls, like those worn by the Franciscan brotherhood, his Excellency started at full gallop, saluted by the hearty cheers of those "for whom the Emperor would certainly do a great deal!" "How considerate His Excellency was! what a trump! how ridiculous the Captain made himself in disliking such a fine fellow !" were the general and unanimous expressions of the moment.

But whether British impatience made the time passed in waiting for the promised horses appear longer than usual, or that a delay was purposely made, certain it was, that nearly two hours had been expended ere the Moorish guards and barbs were ready for them. However, there was one consolation for all! His Excellency's "turnout" would be the better for the delay, and their appetites keener for the good things which his promised hospitality insured.

The caparisons of the horses were as fine as scarlet cloth and ornaments could make them; but the saddles were more like packs, than what Jack and his messmates had been accustomed to from Plymouth and Portsmouth livery stables. Nevertheless, as there was reason in

everything, the peaks of the saddles were surely for some good purpose; but there was no accounting for the stirrup-irons bringing one's knees level with the seat. When, however, the stirrup-lastings, (for leathers they had none) were lengthened ad libitum, the capacious irons, nearly the length of the foot, insured great comfort to the rider. At the word "Godah," from the guards, the cavalcade started at full gallop; but about half way to Tetuan, suddenly halted, or, as the master described it, brought up all standing. This sudden manœuvre proved the great benefit of the high peaks to the saddles, for without them every Gaiour would have been pitched over the bows.

The country on both sides of the Tetuan river was barren and uncultivated; the wild shrubs were leafless, and covered with an infinitude of snails from top to bottom: and, at low water, the muddy banks of the river appeared as if in motion, from the myriads of toads which infested them.

The Custom House was unworthy of notice, except for its filthy external and internal appearance: the sacred stork had built in its roof, and the whole neighbourhood was redolent of everything the nose abominates.

Upon the arrival of the party at the entrance guard-house at Tetuan, the Jews who accompanied them were compelled to take off their slippers, and walk into the town barefoot. Not even the British Vice-Consul, who was also a Jew, was exempted from that degradation. The Jews are not allowed to wear, (or paint their houses) of the same colors as their tyrants, the Moors; and endure the basest usage with the most quiescent submission. What say ye to this, ye Rothschilds, Samuels, Cohens, Raphaels, and Montefiores of the Regent's Park and Whitechapel, (quelle melange!) to the degraded state of the people of Israel in Barbary?

And what say the people of England to the Vice-consular dignity of Great Britain and Ireland being entrusted, and, in time of war, at a place of such great importance to the interests of the navy, to an ignorant uneducated Barbary Jew?—a nation held in contempt, and the most abject slavery throughout Barbary, although not denominated

slaves. The ambasador had not arrived, was not expected, nor was any such personage known! "Not known! his Excellency Abdul Hamed, the Emperor's favourite, who had been despatched with imperial presents to Admiral Lord Collingwood, received with honors on passing the fort at the entrance of the Tetuan river, and whose horses they rode, not known! Carajo!-Bear up for the Vice-Consul's; the rascally Jew interpreter is humbugging us!" And away galloped the party to the Vice-Consul's, followed by all

the Jews and rabble of Tetuan.

Although nothing could be meaner in external appearance than the Vice-Consulate of Great Britain at Tetuan, or more homely than the Vice-Consul's residence, Senor as he was there called, received his English visitors with great cordiality, and treated them with the utmost hospitality; the more grateful to them, after a disappointment which all the sea-language at command could not adequately express. But when the Vice-Consul had heard their statement, and the name

of Abdul Hamed, the promised reception à l'Espagnol, &c., &c., he laughed outright; at the same time making some very far-fetched apologies for being so much amused at their expense. But when he informed them that Abdul Hamed was merely a courier from Prince Muley Soliman, the heir-apparent to the Emperor; that the salute at the castle was nothing but the scaling out damp powder from the guns, accidentally, at the moment of their passing; that Abdul Hamed had passed Tetuan without halting, but not nearer than two miles; that he had neither castle, nor horses, nor servants; that his Excellency had literally treated them à l'Espagnol, for that all such offers were merely a common Spanish compliment, without a meaning; and that the horses and soldiers were hired, and must be paid for by themselves upon returning to the Custom House, to the tune of eight dollars each, including the soldier,-a general laugh succeeded. Instead of his disappointed auditors giving way to indignation, or feeling further disappointment, they agreed amongst themselves to learn Spanish, after such a first lesson; and to enjoy the stronglyproffered hospitality of the Vice-Consul, to which their being so completely "Haggi Baboed," would give additional zest.

The party however determined to keep Abdul Hamed's treatment to themselves. They might praise the Tetuan hospitality, and their messmates would set it down to his Excellency the Moorish ambasador, who, after all, proved himself, as he had shown by the pork and wine he devoured and drank, what he actually was, a Spanish renegado; for they well knew the quizzes a detail of their trip would draw upon themselves; and felt that a similar remark to that made by Queen Elizabeth to the Coventry Address, in concluding her answer, would in justice be applied to them all,-"Good lack what fools ye be !"

Having unanimously agreed upon this point, and a very decent repast, considering the naturally filthy habits of the Tetuan Jews, amongst which was a tea-kettle full of boiled eggs, being served up, the Vice-Consul's pretty black-eyed daughters were introduced, and did the honors à merveille. The father was hospitable, but extremely ignorant; for he asked "if England was not bigger than

France and Spain and Russia together; and if the Russians were not man-eaters, and worshippers of idols ?" He was, however, an excellent gardener, and gardening his hobby. An opportunity for Jack to learn something, and add to his shore-log, for future use elsewhere, was not to be lost; and whilst his messmates paraded the narrow streets of Tetuan, with all the boys of the place at their heels, as if they were so many wild beasts, he accompanied the Vice-Consul to his garden; for the figs and pomegranates upon his table were so much larger than any that Jack had ever previously seen, that he made it a matter of special inquiry.

The Vice-Consul readily pointed out the means employed to increase the size of those fruits, for the maturity of which nature required assistance in certain climates. The fig, for instance, having its flower within the fruit, required atmospheric air to enable the flower to expand, which consequently increased the size, and improved the flavour of the fruit; but where, as in this case, the insect through whose agency the Neapolitan, Sicilian and Turkey figs ripened was not known, he adopted artificial means, by dipping a spine from an orange or lemon-tree into olive oil, and puncturing the fig with it.

The pomegranate also, having a very hard rind, was in equal need of assistance; and a slight incision being carefully made, as it approached maturity, the size of the fruit and its juices would become materially increased, and when perfectly ripe, the incision would be found to have extended to nearly an inch in width, in the middle of the fruit, gradually lessening, like the longitude, if it may be so expressed, from the equator towards the poles.

Amongst other things of less importance, the Vice-Consul informed his visitors that the Consul-General at Tangier had been a private in the guards, but being fancied by some Irish Noble's daughter, she had married him, and the appointment followed as a matter of "De quo nil amplius dicendum !"

course.

Having taken leave of the Vice-Consul's family, the party, accompanied by the Vice-Consul, having first ordered their horses to be in readiness outside the town, went to make a few purchases at a shop