nastic exercises. In this manner, sleeping and playing by turns, I managed to pass my time in the black-hole for one whole day and night, by no means unpleasantly; when, about nine o'clock the next morning, I heard the well-known voice of the drum-major asking for me, and desiring that I might be liberated. On hearing this order given, I presumed that, of course, my period of captivity had expired; and, although the time certainly appeared to have passed off at a wonderfully rapid rate, yet I accounted for it by considering that I had slept away the greater part of it; and, in addition to this, that it was but natural it should seem to have passed quickly, since I had been, during the whole period, exempt from parades, drills, head soaping, &c. When I first got into the daylight, I could scarcely open my eyes, and no sooner had I brought my optics into a state to endure the light, than I was asked by the drum-major how I liked my new abode, and if I was ready to return to it. I perceived, from the smile which accompanied these questions, that I had little further to fear, and I soon understood that I had only spent one day and one night in the black-hole, and that the remainder of my sentence had been remitted. I was hailed by all my comrades as if I had been cast on, and escaped from, some desolate island; and, having macadamized my inward man with six-penny pies, (out of the shilling I had received froin the old pudding-woman, of which I was still possessed,) I was soon fit for fun again as the best of them.

But, the regiment being now about to embark for Guernsey, I will commence our voyage in a new chapter.

CHAPTER III.

WE had received orders to hold ourselves in readiness to embark-as I then imagined, for foreign parts,-and the idea made my heart bound for joy. In a few days we embarked on board a small sloop, at about four o'clock in the afternoon, and in an hour after got under weigh. When the sun had retired to his western chamber, the sky looked gloomy and indicated wind; and, in another hour, there arose so terrific a gale, that we were obliged to put the tarpaulins over the hatches, to protect us against the large seas which broke over us. The scene was enough to frighten a person of greater courage than I possessed. There were soldiers crying-women screaming-children squalling-sailors swearing-the storm all the while continuing to increase, until at length it blew a perfect hurricane; the rain came down in torrents, and the vivid lightning's flash exhibited the fear depicted on every counte. nance. At this juncture a poor frightened soldier mústered up courage enough to ask the captain or master of the sloop, if there was any danger. At this question every ear was open, and the son of Neptune gruffly replied,Danger, shipmate? If the storm continues another hour, I would not give a rope-yarn for all your lives. When we reach that point on the larboard-bow, you must throw out your grappling-irons, and hold in, for she will then be close-hauled, and go under water like a duck, and you will all be in David's locker before you can say luff, boy!" Then, addressing himself to one of his men, "Steady, Tom, steady; don't let her go off; don't you see the light a-head; run it down. Steady, boy, steady! luff a little, luff!" At this moment an awful sea broke over 15. My mouth was full, and I was wet to the skin; but, strange to say, I felt no alarm. Our little vessel dived like the gull after its prey. As soon as she righted, I said, "Captain, that was a wetter." He replied, Ay, boy; you will get plenty of them before we make

the port."-"Very consoling, truly," thought I to myself. I had just squeezed myself up into a small compass, head and knees together, close to the helm, when we shipped another tremendous sea, which carried away our fore-staysail, and made so terrific and dreadful a flapping, that an officer bellowed out from below, "Is there anything the matter?"—"Yes," replied the captain, “ the devil to pay, and no pitch hot."* These words were scarcely spoken, when we shipped another awful sea, which washed three soldiers overboard. At this crisis, a sailor bellowed out, "Light a-head, sir.”—“The devil there is; what does it look like?" roared the captain.— "Like a light," replied the sailor." A Frenchman, I suppose," vociferated the captain. These words caught the ear of the military captain on board, who hollowed out from below, "What did you say about a Frenchman?"

!"

.66 Why, that, if it gets clear, we may have a bit of a fight; for I see there is a Frenchman a-head,” replied the sea captain." Then," said the soldier, "I had better get my men ready. Sergeant, get the bugler! Sound to arms! Call the drummer; and tell him to beat to arms But the devil a drummer, drum, bugler, or bugle was forthcoming. All the men were busily engaged below, and by no means in a condition to come to the scratch, French or no French. Notwithstanding this, the noble soldier strutted about on deck by himself, with a cockedhat, and sword in hand, when a merciless sea washed off his gay hat, and the gallant captain lost his balance, and fell into the hold, bawling out most lustily for his threecornered scraper, which was buffeting the raging billows. "I say, captain, have the goodness to send down my hat. Is my hat upon deck? Have you seen my hat ?"--"Your hat, sir," replied the son of Neptune, with infinite sangfroid, "has got under sail, and I should not be surprised

* A common expression among sailors, when any confusion or perplexity prevails on board ship. In Lemon's Dictionary, 1783, it is attempted to be explained in the following manner: Pay the ship's sides, [pix, pitch'; strangely debased by the French into poix, and then pronounced as if it was written pay]; that is, to pitch the vessel's sides. Hence is derived that common expression among sailors, Here's the devil to pay, and no pitch hot;' meaning, Here's the black gentleman come to pitch the vessel's sides (i. e. come to help us), and you have not so much as made the pitch-kettle hot enough to employ him.""

if it made port before you." Here he changed the subject, by hailing the man on the fore-castle: "Tom, where is the strange sail ?"-" Sheered off to leeward; but she' is a Frenchman, by the cut of her jib," replied a sailor. "Steady," said our naval commander, and on we went ; but by no means steadily, for I never saw a little bark more unsteady, though she really seemed to dive through the water like a duck. Morning now began to dawn, which only threw light (as even the captain confessed), upon the heaviest sea he had ever seen. The black clouds seemed to fly, and the thunder and lightning to rend the very atmosphere asunder. Our distant haven was in sight; but the wind was foul, and it was therefore impossible to avoid making several tacks before we could get in. Our poor fellows, what from fear, cold, hunger, want of sleep, and being wet through, were completely worn out. I kept my station the whole night, more from fear than from any attachment to it; although I certainly did not feel the great alarm that was so visibly depicted on the countenances of most of my comrades. From extreme cold, and being quite wet through, I cut but a sorry figure by the time we began to near the land. The prospect, from about three or four miles off, was extremely beautiful. Some little cottages studded the high and lofty rocks, and, here and there, small bays and little villages enlivened the scene, and consoled us with the idea that we were not going to be landed on a barren rock. We soon after saw the extensive town of Guernsey. Part of it seemed hanging on an eminence, and the view of the old castle, which is built of stone, and calculated to buffet with many a wintry storm, was extremely picturesque. In the distance we could see Fort George; and, in tení minutes after, we ran into the bay, which, being sheltered and protected by surrounding high-lands, was tranquil indeed, when compared with the main ocean. Boats were in attendance, and we soon set our wet limbs on terra firma. Having landed, I could not help viewing my person, of which I at all times had a good opinion. I looked for all the world like a squeezed lemon, or the bag of a Scotch pipe; and I should have been glad to have taken the edge off my appetite, and the dirt off my clothes, VOL. I.-4

instead of dancing through the town; but I was, of course, obliged to obey orders, and when I struck up my tune (for I still led the fifers), I tipped Monsieur The Downfal of Paris. I found the march did me a great deal of good; and, by the time I reached the barracks, I was in prime order for my breakfast.

3

We were stationed in Fort George, in exceedingly good quarters, though I could not bring myself to be reconciled to the ponderous draw-bridges in use there, which foreboded no great stretch of liberty. I was particularly fond of rural and pensive wanderings, to muse on nature's beauties, and the sight of an orchard, in particular, was at all times hailed by me with great delight; for I could feast upon its beauties for hours together, to the gratification of more faculties than my vision. The draw-bridges seemed to cut off these delightful prospects. It was true, I could see them from the fort, but then the prospect was too far, and I lost all relish in the distance; and, being in consequence compelled to steal out, I was apprehensive that some of my solitary rambles would get me into disgrace. My doubts and forebodings on this head were soon verified; for, in less than a week, I saw my name posted up at the gate,-" John Shipp confined to his barracks for one week.' A week was to me an

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age. Confinement was intolerable: deprived of the pure > air, of the delightful ramble along an orchard's hedge, and of the salubrious smell of the orange groves. Oft have I, from the rampart-top, sighed at the distant prospect, and, while my longing eye lingered on the golden produce of the orchard within sight, my heart panted to be at liberty, to take a nearer view and taste again of nature's beauties. The word confinement haunted me from one bastion to another, and I saw no refuge for the future but a more circumspect line of conduct, on which I firmly resolved. When three long days of my week had been numbered with the dead, the drum-major was taken seriously ill, and on the morning parade the colonel inspected the drummers. I was always remarkably was my pride the colonel eye'd me from head to foot, and at last told the adjutant that I was to act as drum-major. I was nearly shouting liberty in the colonel's face, but I checked myself just in time. He at the same time gave