clothes, climbed up into the head of the Ocean Monarch. By means of the line he lowered the remainder of the passengers into the boat.

The mate was highly complimented by the gentlemen on board the Affonso; the passengers pressing upon him gratefully, with "God bless you, you have saved our lives!" The Prince de Joinville noticed Frederick Jerome; when he came on board, he shook hands warmly with him; and, in a manner most princely, presented him with a handful of gold coins.

It is said that the Prince de Joinville, when leaving a large sum of money with Admiral Greenfell, said, "Take this, Admiral, for those poor people; it is that which we intended to expend in a tour of pleasure, which, after this, it is impossible to enjoy." On Monday, the 28th, £100 were received from the Brazilian minister, for the crew of the Affonso. This being communicated to them, like true-hearted sailors, to their honour be it spoken, they one and all refused to receive the money, expressing a desire that it should be handed over for the benefit of the sufferers. Prince de Joinville made a sketch of the scene of the ship on fire, and sent it to the Admiral, that it might be raffled for. This was done, and £400 was raised by this means. The Queen and Prince Albert subscribed £100 for the sufferers, and these sums have been made up to about £5,000.

"BILL WILSON, THE SAILOR-BOY." MR. EDITOR,-I was interested in reading the article in your last magazine, entitled "Danger to Sailor-Boys;" and as I had just read the follow

ing affecting instance, I forward it to you. that all such were taught the knowledge of Christ! It is recorded in the first volume of Angas's Savage Life and Scenes in Australia and New Zealand," but it relates to an English youth.

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"The most picturesque interior on board a vessel is the forecastle belonging to the seamen. The descent through the hatchway is by a steep ladder, and in the centre of the apartment hangs an old rusty lamp, fed with whale oil, dropping a copious distillation on the shoulders of those who pass beneath it. The dim flame has scarcely strength to penetrate its farthest recesses, whose dubious twilight gives scope to the fancy to supply other rows of hammocks as a continuation to those slung, like white canvas boats, from the deck above. A sailor prides himself upon his hammock; moreover, it is a snug thing; it is his constant bed, and may be, ofttimes, his shroud, when his resting-place is the deep wide sea. The lower-deck, kept bright by constant scrubbing, is surrounded with a semi-circle of chests of all descriptions, though varying but little in size. It is evening, and the watch below are assembled, pipe in mouth, without a thought of care, listening to the music of a violin. I should like Bill Wilson's mother to have seen her boy then, every inch a sailor; a brave, free-hearted, careless one; half-sitting, half-lying, on his sea-chest, and drumming his fingers to the merry tune, as happy as a king. Alas, poor boy, he dreamed not of the dark and troubled future!

" November 14 [1843]. We crossed the tropic of Capricorn. It was an angry, tempestuouslooking night, with a wild stormy sky, and the sun set in grandeur. Alas! it set for ever to one

who was intently watching it from the vessel's deck. Wilson, the sailor-boy, a noble, generous fellow, stood looking over my shoulder, as I made a hasty sketch of the evening sky. It was the last sunset of the tropic, and the black clouds seemed to portend the outburst of a tempest. Poor boy! he knew not that that sunset was to be his last; that he should no more watch it sink over the blue horizon; that before the morrow dawned, his fair forehead should be laid low in the dark stormy sea; and that the sun should shine upon his grave-a silent, unknown place of waters, as the ship held on her way, amid the glories of its next setting. About midnight he was ordered aloft to stow the royal.

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Presently the cry of a boy overboard!' broke the solemn stillness of the night. It was a wild and fearful cry; one to be remembered through a life-time. They pointed to the spot where he fell. The Pleiades were shining above it like a cluster of diamonds, and the waning moon silvered the edges of the dark clouds as they hurried past.

"He oft by moon-light watch had tired mine ear,
With everlasting stories of his home

And of his mother."

"I can feel for that mother. What will be her anguish when they tell her that her boy-her only boy-is not? And his little sisters-will they not look up mournfully, and ask why he comes no more back again to play with them?" OBSERVER.

VOYAGE OF THE QUEEN TO SCOTLAND.

ON Tuesday, the 5th of September, the Queen closed the late session of Parliament, by a speech from the throne, between one and two o'clock. Immediately after she set out for Woolwich, to embark on board the royal yacht for the purpose of visiting Scotland. At a quarter past four, the Queen, Prince Albert, the Prince of Wales, and the Princess Royal, arrived at the Dock-yard. The Countess of Gainsborough and Lady Canning, ladies in waiting; and Lord Alfred Paget and Captain the Hon. A. Gordon, equerries in waiting, entered the royal barge, and were steered to the royal yacht by Captain Lord Adolphus Fitzclarence. Hundreds of boats were on the river, and her Majesty reached and ascended the steps leading to the royal yacht amidst the enthusiastic cheers of the thousands of well-dressed spectators on the dock-wharf walls and on the river.

At forty minutes past four, the royal yacht left her moorings, and proceeded slowly down the river, under a royal salute. Her Majesty continued on deck, in conversation with Prince Albert, the Earl of Auckland, and Captain Adolphus Fitzclarence.

ROYAL YACHT. Our readers would young doubtless like to know something about the royal yacht, in which the Queen sails to Aberdeen. A description of it we cannot give in full; but a few particulars we will state. It is a steam vessel. The outside is very elegant. On each of the stern ends of the paddle-boxes, very handsome recesses or alcoves have been fitted up, and lighted seaward with plate glass, the front being

made to rise and fall, similar to the moveable roofs of carriages, to shade from the sun or protect from rain. The royal entrance to the cabins is lighted on all sides upon deck with plate glass windows, and it contains a table with cushioned seats for resting upon. The principal cabin is beautifully fitted up, and the seats are cushioned and covered with crimson morocco leather, all round the stern side of the vessel. The fire-place near the rudder handle is quite a gem, being formed of beautifully clustered groups of flowers, the chimney having the appearance of a handsome pillar supported on an appropriate base. The dining-room is spacious, and contains on the walls large maps on spring rollers. The royal bed-room, on the other side of the royal yacht, is very retired, and, with the dressing-closet, chastely fitted up. The posts of the royal bed are beautifully carved, the curtains are of a pure white ground, with a subdued carmine coloured representation of a simple yet elegant opening bud, with two or three leaves. The fringes are of a warmer crimson colour. The moulding of the ceiling throughout the principal rooms and passages is formed of concave and convex representations of a sea shell, the convex one being gilt. The entire interior of the royal yacht may justly be termed a Naval Palace.

SPITZBERGEN-IS IT INHABITED?

MR. EDITOR, I have been told that Spitzbergen is the coldest region in the world; and that it is visited by our sailors in the whale fishery.