The sale of Indig mast ever bear a grom cent pace in the recoris of ins Women and the dudes à ba Area *.. point to is a modeniable evidence ofre determined travery of their ancestors, wi.* the name of Nelson T L 81 m... %% herols deeds for ages yet to come. It& not, however, of the gallant exploits of the fine did - Victory," as she broke the line, that I would now write, but when, having in con, notion with the English fleet destroyed the naval power of France and Spain, she quecently hoisted the flag of the admiral at Portsmouth in the days of peace, and thousands of professionals and non-professionals visited her to look upon the spot where fell the bravest of England's pride. The constant succession of visitors was for some length of time a prolific source of amusement to the officers, but sameness of any kind is apt to pall the appetite for enjoyment, and the dreariness of winter thinned the numbers who boarded the "Victory." The fleets had been paid off; there was scarcely a line-of-battle-ship or a frigate to be seen; a few small cruisers were drifting about the channel, and the grass was growing in the muddy streets of Portsea and Gosport; even the voices of the poor ferrymen at Common Hard, with their "Over-over?" were seldom to be heard; there was no longer any bustle in the highways and byways. Meredith or his successor mourned over lost customers and bad debts; Solomons groaned for the absence of "prizshe monies" and "fools;" the Blue Posts were tottering and grieving for the days that were gone when every table displayed its midshipman's spread of "tea for two, and toast for six." Alas! the Blue Posts was placed on the peace-establishment, and the "Star and Garter" had but few "left-tenants" remaining. It is true the halfpays would occasionally call in at both places * revive recusticas of the glorious scenes Agonya d, and to call to remembrance Hazemata, dipmate, and antical Barty; ba the mournful stillness which prova al, where, formerly, all was boisterous man una quider in miniature, caly left a cera impresion of sadness that gave an mapia fames to the brandy-and-water, as the Lager, in sober reflection, traced the mma of the departed in the slops upon the How delightful it is at moments like those to catch sight of an esteemed companion of carlier years-a watchmate for instance one who had pulled off his boots in the same jack, cut out of the extreme end of the mess-table-what a flush of reminiscences rush upon the mind, and how suddenly the fairy bark of thought floats smoothly down the stream of time. Hurrah, then, for joyous remembrances and weekly accounts-drafts upon dad, and sly remittances from mamma; quarterly bills and good shares spent in sprees ashore; payments to the caterer, and some few pounds scored up to charity;"-oh! there is a rich delight in talking of past times. Even the features of an old schoolfellow are pleasant to look upon after long-long separa tion. I remember once, when a youngster adrift in Calcutta, and clear away from the drilling eye of the first lieutenant, I was disburthening myself of some hundreds of rupees that had been shared out upon the capstan-head-they had a famous method in those days of avoiding Admiralty litigation and the scrambling of lawyers-when cash was found, condemnation very promptly followed capture. The addition to our good fortune underwent no subtraction through adjudication in the courts, and the multiplication of our means was speedily succeeded by division, the captain standing divisor, and every man pocketing his proper quotient. Well, I rattled my rupees which were undergoing reduction, but still I felt very lonely; there were no messmates ashore, and I knew not one single acquaintance. Nobody uttered or looked a welcome, except the shopkeepers in the china bazaar, and not a soul said "God speed you." I tiffined and dined like a prince; but I was alone, and a sense of it threw a cold chill upon the feast my palanquin and bearers awaited my commands, but I had no settled object in view, and listlessness marred the pleasures of riding about to do nothing. Sometimes, it is true, that a jolly tar-one of our own crew on liberty-would hail me from his palanquin, as he passed mine, (and Jack generally contrived to get a "handsomer craft" than his officer,) but to see the fellow, so joyous and merry, so full of frolic and humour, whilst I was dull and uncomfortable, added to my discontent. Besides, I loved, boy as I was, (though I did not think myself a boy then,) to see bright eyes, charged with cupids and primed with mischief; laughter-loving, dear little creatures, whose hearts (not much bigger than a turtle-dove's) began to feel a slight emotion, and delicate soft hands, to press between my own reefer's rough ones. But now there were neither eyes, nor hearts, nor hands for |