departure, is a case in point, which it may be well for all visitors to Catholic countries to remember; for although, for the present, the Sun Hermandad' no longer predominates, assassination is still

common.

6

On their way from Francisco's to the mole head, to embark, the marine officer and surgeon were joined by the Spanish officer, to whom they had given, amongst themselves, the soubriquet of 'Cosmopolite,' which he had avowed himself to be in religious points, who was extremely inquisitive about the 'young midshipman who had breakfasted with them,' and whether they had discovered who had dyed the holy water upon the Eve of the Festival of Holy Cross.' The questions were put in an off-hand careless way, at first, as a matter of laughter and amusement, but were too reiterated, not to cause suspicion of the Spaniard's sincerity. However, as they knew nothing more than they had heard from himself, they could give him no further information, than that the midshipman was on board, and moreover, the captain's nephew.' He adroitly turned it off, to a desire to give him a basket of fruit; which they informed him would be very acceptable, if sent on board; but that no officers were allowed to land, except on duty, whilst the ship was at single anchor.'

The Spanish officer accompanied them to the boat, and then took his leave; but they found it necessary to wait for the captain's steward, 'Old Palin,' who was making his way through a host of fellows (who were endeavouring to force fruit and fish upon him for some pesetas), and followed by Andreas, the 'arriero.' The latter showed his gratitude by informing them that the Spanish officer, as he appeared, was no officer, but an Irishman, employed in the processions, who acted as a spy upon 'heretics' for the Holy Inquisition; and that he had been promised a large reward (as he learnt from the conversation of two priests) to discover the delinquent,' 'Andreas' received a dollar for the news.Adios Espanoles!

SHIPS bound to the West Indies, rather than lose the holiday for their crews, perform the same ceremonies in crossing the tropic of Cancer as those bound to parts beyond the Equator, on reaching that imaginary line twixt north and south latitude. The "Foweys" got through the day admirably well, but with very little more attention to classic propriety than sloops of war in general. It was a perfect calm from 1 a.m., and about eight bells the "look out" at the mast-head reported "a bulk of timber right a-head with a quantity of fish jumping about it."..... Just the thing for Neptune's gang, to whom a boat was immediately given, and all the paraphernalia stowed in it, not forgetting the ship's grains, fish-hooks, &c.; and away they started in great good humour and spirits, in hopes of a

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fresh mess for all hands, and a good dish of fish for the captain's and gunroom's and midshipmen's messes.

In less than an hour they had killed eighteen dolphins, and a fish called by a Portuguese sailor on board "dorado" very like a salmon in shape, but with bright yellow fins and small scales-body dark leadcolour, gradually softening into white under the belly.

As Neptune's register had been for some days under preparation, all who had crossed the tropic on former voyages were entered in due order; the others were prepared to pay their fine, or submit their chins to the rough or smooth side of the razor, at Neptune's discretion.

About four bells, or 10 a.m.,-for matters had been so well managed that there was no occasion for a lower studding-sail to be turned into a screen across the forecastle, as usual on similar occasions, the man at the mast-head hailed the quarter-deck, "Strange sail right a-head, Sir, standing for the ship!" "What's she like?" "More like a boat with one lug, Sir, than any thing else?" "How far off is she?" "About five miles, Sir." Away strutted the master, whose watch it was, glass in hand, to the forecastle; from thence to report to the captain, "Small boat, Sir, standing towards us right ahead, will be along-side in half an hour; very like Neptune, Sir." Then returning to the quarter-deck, "Forecastle there! get the carriage ready, Neptune's coming on board, and fill the bath there for'ard." "Aye, aye, Sir!"

In less than half an hour the ship was hailed; the usual questions asked, "Whence from?" "Whither bound ?" &c., &c., and the seagod's pleasure announced of his "coming on board."

The Captain and officers were immediately summoned to attend, and all hands, except those who had never crossed the northern boundary of the god's central dominion. The "Johnny Raws" were kept in custody of the constables, until called into the deity's presence. In a few minutes a train of eight nondescripts, bedaubed with black, red, green, yellow, and white paint, with swabs for manes, harnessed in couples, approached the quarter-deck from the forecastle on the larboard side, drawing a gun-carriage, which had been converted into

a car and covered with a Union Jack, (for what would Neptune be without one?) in front of which a most grotesque figure, for all the world like a French postillion, dressed in livery, and wearing an enormous white wig of sheep-skin flowered, surmounted with a cocked hat of days "lang syne," and a queue as big as an Irishman's shillelah hanging down his back, his face bedaubed with red and white paint, and for the most prominent part of his face an immense proboscis of a nose. Behind him sat Neptune with his naval crown, and flowing hair, (a large and new quarter-deck swab,) and bearing in his hand the ship's grains by way of trident, upon which was stuck a splendid dolphin. On his left sat the ever-green Amphitrite in all the beauty that paint and ochre could confer; her bare arms, brawny enough for a blacksmith, deeply punctured with figures of beasts and fishes, the sun, moon, and stars; and, to prove her a Christian, a large blue cross surmounted with I.N.R.I. was fully displayed her seagreen hair, also formed of a couple of swabs: and, by the side of the car, the ferocious-looking sea-barber. Upon reaching the after-part of the quarter-deck, where the captain and officers were in waiting to receive the deities of the ocean, Neptune presented the dolphin to the captain, lowering his trident most gracefully for the purpose, and speechifying a very complimentary yarn," welcoming the "Fowey" to his central dominions; after which Amphitrite most unclassically presented a pie-bald sea urchin as Neptune's son and heir, thereby striking at the root of her husband's immortality.

In return for the compliment, Neptune received full permission to exercise his sovereignty on board; and spirits having been handed to the visiters on a silver salver, by the captain's steward, the marine deities" wore ship," after receiving the Captain's earnest recommendation to enjoy themselves and the day's sport, but to avoid drunkenness, which might otherwise endanger the safety of the ship.

The "Johnny Newcomes" who were pent up under charge of Neptune's tritons until called for, in turn, to pay their fine, or undergo the briny ordeal, were the next object of the god's attention. The first called was a poor stupid Cumberland man, of the name of Carlisle, whose language was almost as unintelligible as a

Laplander's, who being placed upon the gunwale of the barge blindfolded, supported by two herculean quartermasters, and being well lathered with the filthy composition of Cook's slush, tar, and paint, a speaking trumpet was handed to an assistant operator, who, holding it to the fellow's mouth, bade him answer such questions as Neptune "who stood,

should put to him.

With all his hosts of waters at command,"

But as there were many to be baptized, time would not admit of more than one question, "Where do you come from?" The moment he opened his mouth to answer, the shaving brush (a tar brush) dipped in the "mistura horrenda" for the occasion, was rubbed against it, the iron hoop razor applied to his cheek, and in an instant he was over head and ears in the boat which formed the bath, to get out how best he could, amidst buckets of water with which all the "old ones" assailed him in the attempt.

CHAPTER XXVI.

PORTO PRAYA AND THE DUCHESS.-JACK PUTS HIS FOOT IN IT.SLAP AT A SHARK.

AFTER crossing the Tropic, the "Fowey" stood along the West African coast, between the Cape de Verde islands and the Senegambia and Senegal coast and river, without seeing anything in the shape of an enemy's vessel, although there were many suspicious slavers under Portuguese colours, that might have been detained as French property, the whole crammed almost to suffocation with those poor devoted beings, of whose lives nothing is more emble