which it had till then been grievously distressed; this he effected at much labour and expence, bringing it down to the town through a circuitous distance of twenty miles. It was also in consequence of certain journals, charts, and papers, captured by him in the East India prize, that it was judged practicable for us to enter into that trade, for the promoting which the Queen afterwards erected our first India company. In 1588 Sir Francis Drake was appointed vice-admiral, under Charles Lord Howard, of Effingham, highadmiral of England. Here his fortune favored him as remarkably as ever; for he made prize of a large galleon, commanded by Don Pedro de Valdez, who yielded on the bare mention of his name. In this vessel fifty thousand ducats were distributed among the seamen and soldiers, which preserved that love they had always borne to this their valiant commander. It was in this year, also, that his reputation reached the highest point of greatness, by his gallant conduct in the ever-memorable destruction of the Spanish Armada. His next greatest service was that which proved fatal to him and his coadjutor, Sir John Hawkins, the latter dying the day before Drake's desperate attack on the shipping in the harbour of Porto Rico. This was performed with all the courage imaginable, on the 13th of November, 1595, and attended with great loss to the Spaniards, yet with very little advantage to the English, who, meeting with more resistance than they expected, sheered off. The admiral then steered for the main, where he took the town of Rio de la Hacha, which he burnt to the ground, a church and the house of a lady only excepted. He then proceeded to Santa Martha, which he likewise burnt. The like fate had the famous town of Nombre de Dios. On the 29th of December, Sir Thomas Baskerville marched with seven hundred and fifty men towards Panama,--but returned on the 2d of January, find. ing the design wholly impracticable. This disappointment made such an impression on the mind of Sir Francis that it threw him into a slow fever, attended with a flux, of which he died on the 28th of January, 1596, though Sir William Monson hints that there were great doubts whether it was barely his sickness that killed him.-Such was the unfortunate end of this great man, when he had scarcely reached more than his fiftieth year; but his memory will survive as long as that world lasts which he first surrounded. He was low of stature, but well set,--had a broad open chest, a very round head, his hair of a fine brown color, his beard full and comely, his eyes large and clear, of a fair complexion, with a fresh, cheerful, and very engaging countenance. Admiral Sir HENRY TROLLOPE, K. C. B., was born at Norwich; was made post in 1781, and appointed to the Rainbow of 44 guns. On September the 4th this ship fell in with and captured, off the Isle of Bas, La Hebe, of 40 guns and 360 men, command by Monsieur De Vigny, who was slightly wounded; the Hebe's second captain, and 4 men, were killed, and several wounded; but the Rainbow lost only one man. In 1795 Captain Trollope was appointed to the Glatton, of 54 guns; and on July 16, 1796, being off Helvoet he fell in with a French squadron, consisting of six frigates, a brig, and a cutter. The astonish ing bravery and skill with which Captain Trollope engaged this immense superiority of force, has never been surpassed in twenty minutes he made them sheer off, and had only two men wounded. For this distinguished action, Captain Trollope had conferred upon him the honor of knighthood, and the merchants of London presented him with a piece of plate. Sir Henry afterwards commanded the Russel, 74, in the glorious battle off Camperdown; and on October 30th, when his Majesty embarked at Greenwich, to visit his fleet at the Nore, under Admiral Duncan, the Royal Charlotte yacht was steered by Sir Henry. In 1801 he was promoted to the ANECDOTES, WITTICISMS, &c. During the war of 1796, a sailor went into a watchmaker's in the city, and handing out a small French watch to the ingenious artist demanded how much the repairs of it would come to. The watchmaker, looking at it, said it would cost him more in repairs than the original purchase. Oh, if that's all, I don't mind that," answered the tar, "I will even give double the original cost, for I have a veneration for the watch." "What might you have given for it?" inquired the watchmaker. "Why," replied Jack, twitching up his trousers, "I gave a French fellow a knock on the head for it, and if you will repair it I will give you two." A gallant admiral, who was engaged on a late expedition in which the public were much interested, determined to set all straight before he left London. He started on his home cruise with a sufficient sum of money in his pocket to defray a variety of debts of various amounts. He was not known to his different tradespeople, and from the honest bluntness of his manner, and his undandy-like appearance, he quickly discovered he was mistaken for his new butler, who had not yet entered upon his duties. To the astonishment of the admiral, 15s. were returned to him with many thanks, and hopes for future patronage, by the first shopkeeper with whom he settled. The reason was obvious; he was taken for the man, instead of the master. In the course of the day, he had to pay about £150. at different houses, from each of which he received a bonus. The profit of masters. The Spirit moved.-In the late American war, a New York Trader was chased by a small French privateer, and having four guns, with plenty of small arms, it was agreed to stand a brush with the enemy rather than be taken prisoners. Among the passengers was an athletic quaker, who, though he withstood every solicitation to lend a hand, as being contrary to his religious tenets, kept walking to and fro on the deck, the enemy all the time pouring in their shot. At length the vessels being alongside of each other, a disposition to board was manifested by the French, which was soon put into execution. The quaker looked as pacific as ever, but as soon as the first man had jumped on board, Aminadab sprang unexpectedly upon him, and grappling him by the collar, coolly said, "Friend, thou hast no business here!" and hoisting him up, plumped him into the sea. My eyes, Jack, Every Man to his Element.-During a tremendous storm in Edinburgh, a party of English sailors were passing through James's square, when a chimney top fell among them, but did no injury. One of them, however, exclaimed in a truly charac teristic manner, "" here's a pretty rig! It will damned hard before I'm foun ashore again in a gale of wind!" go Poetical Scraps. THE BROTHER. BY H. SIGOURNEY. The good ship struck the isle of ice, where northern seas were high, And midnight, with her ebon veil, enwrapp'd the starless sky; It struck!-what moment was there then for sorrow's powerless strife? When but one bold and sudden rush remain'd 'tween death and life. The boat!-the boat! it dared the wave-it sprang the awaken'd train, But they, who sleep below, alas! the thought for them is vain; A lone and tossing speck it toil'd amid the wrathful tide, And woe was in their gallant hearts who left that vessel's side. The moon look'd forth from sever'd clouds,oh God, what sight was there! Who stood upon that fated deck, in mute and calm despair? Was it some creature of the deep, or spirit from the sky, That bare such beauty in her form, such meekness in her eye? Her band she waved in fond adieu, as if some friend she blest, Then closer drew her snowy robe around her youthful breast, And upward to the darken'd heavens imploring glances cast, While her rich curls profusely fell, and floated on the blast. But quickly from the labouring oar a manly form did start, While wild and agonizing groans burst from his heaving heart, His bloodless lips with ardour burn'd, strange lustre fir'd his eye, "How can I bear a brother's name, and leave thee thus to die?" He plunged the crested wave he ruledhe climb' the cleaving deck, And clasp'd her, as the thundering surge swep'd o'er the whelming wreck; "Sweet sister, 'tis my voice," he cried, " my cheek is press'd to thine, From oue dear breast life's tide we drew, thy last cold bed be mine." The moon, like nature's priestess pure, look'd lone and silent down, Baptising them with holy light, as with a martyr's crown, Then shrank behind her fleecy veil-loud shriek'd th' impetuous main, The deep sea closed-and where were they? Go, ask the angel train! Long with the billows strove the boat, and from its bosom dark, Rose sounds of wild and bitter grief, to'wail that noble bark, And when that wasted band were cast upon a foreign shore, Enshrined within their faithful souls, those buried friends they bore. Proud dauntless hearts that night did rest beneath the billows high, And temples, white with honour'd years, and woman's love-lit eye; While twining round its mother's breast, in silence calm and deep, Sweet slumbering innocence went down, amid the pearls to sleep. Yes, some to ocean's grasp did yield, without a struggling breath, So tranquilly their mortal dream had melted into death, That still the sou! bewildered sought the vanish'd scenes of time, Even when eternity's dread shore spread out in pomp sublime. THE PIER. The distant signal kiss'd the gale, Th' expecting soul was cheer'd, And soon with bleach'd expanded sail, The wish'd-for bark appear'd ; When blue-eyed Kate, of rosy hue. To meet her fearless seaman flew. The breeze her well-turn'd ancle shew'd, One hand her cloak fast held, Her colour'd ribbons gaily flow'd, Her heart tumultuous swell'd ; The sun burnt crew she ey'd, "Ah where's my love?" she cried : In Kate's blue eyes were found, While Ben survey'd the crowded pier, And pass'd his gasket round; Their eyes soon met-they smiling gaz'd, And each th' expressive hand uprais'd. The canvas furl'd, with ardour strong, Swift to his love he press'd, And there, amidst the tittering throng, He strain'd her to his breast, "And do I fold thee, Kate?" he cried, And "Oh my Ben," she faintly sighed. And now behold, with heart as light As is the salt sea foam, And eyes with rapture beaming bright, The tar safe moor'd at home; And here, though whirling storms arise, In Kate's fond arm secure he lies. H. W. MICHAEL O'BUCKLEY. "I be one of those sailors who think 'tis no lie, Why as for the matter o' that, what tar is there who doubts it? Every man must have his station, whether he is rigged in the gingerbread gear of lord high admiral, and has his thousands per hang-em, or only obliged to make a shift with a single purser's shirt. What does it signify, as long as he does his duty to his country, and stretches out a fin to relieve a friend in distress? We carn't all be kings and commodores, and so what's the use of grumbling? 'cause as Jack says, "If you're a signior, and I'm a signior Then who's to pull the boat ashore?" Who, indeed? Now, d'ye see, I have been in a little boat all my life, going to lee-ward like smoke; for fortune, like a pig with its starn greased, always slipped through my fingers, and adversity took me slap aback, stand upon what tack I would. But don't think I mean to [No. 18. snivel or whine about it-Lord love you, no; where's the good on't? I might bawl a long while before any body would jam my mouth with a twopenny loaf, and pipe my eye for a month without getting a bit of 'bacca for my pipe. No, no; old Ben arn't the boy to up-helm at every squall, when, by keeping his luff, he can weather it, as our parson used to tell us--(I dearly loved to hear him overhaul a power of lingo about the Hit-tights, and the Cannon-its, and the story of Johnny swallowing the whale);--he used to say, says he, "My men, let Truth take the helm, Prudence trim your sails, and, with the compass of Honesty, enlightened by the lamp of Religion, hard indeed must be that gale, and horribly dark that night, in which Providence ceases to protect you. Your hulls may be wrecked, and you timbers shattered; but the immort passenger within must and shall be safely landed in the haven of eternal rest." To be sure, some people float along the stream of time without encountering a single peril. They find it all plain sailing, and never have occasion to take in a reef, while others are constantly struggling against the squalls of distress, scarcely able to keep to windward off a lee shore. This often puzzles me, seeing, dy'e mind me, that the same gracious Providence watches for all. But, mayhap, its right enough, for I arn't much skilled in the matter; and as for preaching about it, why that's out of my latitude altogether. Some are born great, others achieve greatness; and I remember one poor fellow of an Irishman who wanted to be great in a hurry. I belonged to the guard-ship at that time lying at Plymouth, and the impressed men and volunteers used to be sent aboard for the regulating captains to dispose of. Well, one day the new hands were all mustered aft, and the boatswain's mate stood ready with his clasp-knife to dock off the tails of the long-togged coats, and convart 'em into jackets. Among the rest was Mr. Michael O'Buckley, a tall well-made raw emeralder, who had never seen a ship before in his life, but had been tempted to enter the service through the promises of a man belonging to the gang. 66 Well, my lad," says one of the captains to a respectably dressed young man in deep mourning, and whose face exhibited strong marks of sorrow, occasionally reddened by hectic glows of indignation-"well, my lad, and where did you come from?"" From the grave of a parent," replied the man in a sunken hollow tone. "What profession are you?" inquired the officer. "A seaman," rejoined the man again. "Ha, ha!" cried another captain, as well known for his inhumanity as his aversion to the smell of powder and the whistling of shot-" ha, ha! I see how it is: so you've been cruising ashore, and got pressed, eh, and now want, with that methodistical countenance, to make us believe you're a saint? But it won't do, young man, it won't do. There, you may walk forward : I'll see that you are taken care of, depend upon it." "Stop, stop a minute, my lord," said the third regulating officer, a venerable old gentleman, whose very look displayed the benevolence of his heart. "Come here, my man-how came you in this awkward situation?" The taunts and harshness of the second captain had shed a deadly paleness upon the poor follows features; but when the voice of the third sounded on his ears, he felt it thrill to his heart, and the tears started to his eyes. "Ha! how came you in limbo, eh! my friend? Captain must hear all about it, and a plausible tale we shall have, ro doubt. For my part, I don't see any necessity for being bored with long stories, only to excite compassion; and I hope you will not be long, Captain, before you have done with him. Only see the number of wretches we have to examine." "As for exciting compassion, my lord," rejoined the hoary veteran, with a look of contempt, I am afraid every attempt upon you would be ineffectual." 66 66 What!" cried his lordship, starting up in a passion, and strutting like a turkey-cock-what, sir, do you apply that to me? Zounds, sir, "Come, come, lord -," said the third captain, with the utmost composure, "sit down, sit down: I'm not to be frightened at my time of life by the explosion of a pinch of gunpowder. Fuzzle and smoke have no effect upon me. Attend to your duty now; we can talk of this afterward. "There, don't be alarmed, my man," turning to the seaman-"no one shall injure you here while I have power to prevent it. You say you came from the grave of a pa |