of purity and light range side by side with the red stripes of blood.

6

Shame not with such fruit the noble principles of your pilgrim fathers, who, for conscience sake, sailed Westward Ho!' they knew not whither, taking joyfully the spoiling of their goods, and singing with holy decision,

'We never will bow down.'

And thou, proud Spain! eldest, Most Faithful daughter of the Catholic Church, can the vicegerent of God teach thee no better than to barter human woes for gold, blurring beauteous Cuba with foulness?

Extreme Protestant America, in whose hand is the "little book open," is it not written therein that "God hath made of one blood all the nations of the earth;" and though the written book is priest-clasped to thee, extreme Catholic Spain, God's First Volume of unbound Nature is open to all, and therein thou mayest learn that the fair orange blossom spreading forth its pure beauty towards heaven, yet crusheth not out the dark blood of the lowly violet.

On that day which cometh to man once in the space of mortal life, when the heart is tuned to heaven's music, my soul's ear caught the tones of that happy harmony ever rising from the rolling spheres, hymning praise to the Eternal. In one sublime movement of that rich flowing song, the accents melted away to a delicious rest. Just then a piercing wail, "Oh, Lord, how long!" from five millions of bond slaves, disturbed that holy pause, and the choir of myriad attendant angels, over whose being a quickly passing celestial gloom cast its shadowy mantle, turned with earnest look and drooping wings towards the throne of God, whence, amidst the saddest silence of the Almighty's thunders issued a voice,

"Vengeance is mine, I will repay it!"

And the hosts of God bowed low in reverent worship.

OUR second officer was the model of an English gentleman and

seaman, handsome, intelligent, quiet, cool, and bold; and under such a tutor it was very natural that the fair voyagers should embrace the opportunity afforded by our passage through a clear tropical atmosphere to prosecute their astronomical studies, although by some mysterious process it invariably occurred that their evening inquiries concerning Rigel, Betelgeux, Cassiopeia, the Great and Little Bear, the Milky Way, or the Magellan clouds, became intermingled with equally agreeable discussions upon subjects nearer than the stars.

With assumed gravity he stated that his adoption of a seafaring life had arisen from an extreme sensitiveness either on his own part or that of his father, he could not exactly say which: his father, a clergyman of the Established Church of England, had been desirous that Tom should follow the same profession; but Tom, whenever he could escape from his prescribed studies, was sure to be found rambling about the harbour of the seaport included within the extensive boundaries of his parent's large parish.

In vain the good man reiterated his objections to the sea; but what was to be done, said the merry-hearted officer, as he reclined over the ship's side, discoursing with some fair damsel upon the radiant stars swiftly sailing in the sea of heaven above us and reflected in the glittering phosphorescent waters below; I never could get beyond "Dearly beloved" in the prayers, without resting; which beseeming pause, in my opinion, the governor construed into a wicked halt, saying that I made the young women titter. At last the good old gentleman, God bless him, told me I was an incorrigible fellow and must go my own course, and so he dismissed the thought of my becoming a clergyman, much to my satisfaction.

Now you do not expect me to believe all that, replied the young listener.

Half a point to windward of your course, called the officer to the steersman; mind your weather helm.

แ

Aye, aye, sir," echoed the man at the wheel.

Then you will permit us to inspect your portfolio, pleaded the fair speaker. I am sure you will not refuse.

It contains nothing but rude sketches of ships, copied from various sources, as I may have happened to meet with them, replied the officer.

And what more interesting to us than ships and their crews, added the sparkling-eyed girl, with sly emphasis.

As you so command, rejoined the officer, my scraps shall be at your service to-morrow evening, with such explanatory notices as in my reading and observation I may have thought worthy of being jotted down; and the gallant sailor, as the attractive astronomer descended the companion-stairs, raised his silver-banded cap, and lovingly wished her pleasant rest, a rather impossible matter, while she heard his footsteps overhead as he paced the deck in the first watch.

The following evening, while we were seated around the large table in the saloon, the promised portfolio was produced; and during the examination of the drawings the skilful draughtsman read from his note-book the following memoranda, in illustration of the subject and the sketches.

EGYPTIAN BOATS.

"All the learning of the Egyptians," such is the testimony of Sacred Story to the civilization of Ancient Egypt, abundantly confirmed by Profane History; and if we except the claims of the Chinese, who, in all cases, have a convenient handful of centuries to throw into the scale whenever the period of any invention or discovery is in question, we may assign the birth of science,

commerce, and navigation to this central junction land or keystone of three continents. By means of the paintings on the tombs of the Egyptian sovereigns, modern travellers have been enabled to ascertain some of the particulars of their maritime affairs.

It appears that many of the boats used by the ancient Egyptians were made of osiers, bound together with bands of papyrus stalks. Pliny informs us that the materials used in Egypt in the

MAKING AN OSIER BOAT.

manufacture of boats were the papyrus, rush, and reed; and vessels of bulrushes are mentioned by Isaiah; nor will it be forgotten that Moses is stated to have been exposed in an ark or boat of bulrushes.

It appears also that the war-galleys were manned by a part of the military class amongst the Egyptians; a certain number of whom was specially trained to this service; and it should be remembered that in ancient times the distinction which now obtains between naval and military leaders did not exist.

These galleys had on each side throughout the whole length of the vessel a wooden bulwark sheltering the rowers, the handles of the oars passing through holes in the lower part; archers were placed in the raised poop and forecastle, and the cachesium, or