furled　sails；　squared　yards；　and　fired　a　salute　of　twenty…one　guns
  for　the　Portuguese　flag。
  They　went　ashore；　and　found　a　good　hotel；　and　were　no　longer　dosed；
  as　in　former　days；　with　oil；　onions；　garlic；　eggs。　　But　the　wine
  queer；　and　no　madeira　to　be　got。
  Staines　wrote　home　to　his　wife：　he　told　her　how　deeply　he　had　felt
  the　bereavement；　but　did　not　dwell　on　that；　his　object　being　to
  cheer　her。　　He　told　her　it　promised　to　be　a　rapid　and　wonderful
  cure；　and　one　that　might　very　well　give　him　a　fresh　start　in
  London。　　They　need　not　be　parted　a　whole　year；　he　thought。　　He　sent
  her　a　very　long　letter；　and　also　such　extracts　from　his　sea　journal
  as　he　thought　might　please　her。　　After　dinner　they　inspected　the
  town；　and　what　struck　them　most　was　to　find　the　streets　paved　with
  flag…stones；　and　most　of　the　carts　drawn　by　bullocks　on　sledges。　　A
  man　every　now　and　then　would　run　forward　and　drop　a　greasy　cloth　in
  front　of　the　sledge；　to　lubricate　the　way。
  Next　day；　after　breakfast；　they　ordered　horses；　these　on
  inspection；　proved　to　be　of　excellent　breed；　either　from　Australia
  or　Americavery　rough　shod；　for　the　stony　roads。　　Started　for　the
  Grand　Canalpeeped　down　that　mighty　chasm；　which　has　the
  appearance　of　an　immense　mass　having　been　blown　out　of　the　centre
  of　the　mountain。
  They　lunched　under　the　great　dragon　tree　near　its　brink；　then　rode
  back　admiring　the　bold　mountain　scenery。　　Next　morning　at　dawn；
  rode　on　horses　up　the　hill　to　the　convent。　　Admired　the　beautiful
  gardens　on　the　way。　　Remained　a　short　time；　then　came　down　in　hand…
  sleighslittle　baskets　slung　on　sledges；　guided　by　two　natives；
  these　sledges　run　down　the　hill　with　surprising　rapidity；　and　the
  men　guide　them　round　corners　by　sticking　out　a　foot　to　port　or
  starboard。
  Embarked　at　11。30　A。M。
  At　1。30；　the　men　having　dined；　the　ship　was　got　under　way　for　the
  Cape　of　Good　Hope；　and　all　sail　made　for　a　southerly　course；　to　get
  into　the　north…east　trades。
  The　weather　was　now　balmy　and　delightful；　and　so　genial　that
  everybody　lived　on　deck；　and　could　hardly　be　got　to　turn　in　to
  their　cabins；　even　for　sleep。
  Dr。　Staines　became　a　favorite　with　the　officers。　　There　is　a　great
  deal　of　science　on　board　a　modern　ship　of　war；　and；　of　course；　on
  some　points　Staines；　a　Cambridge　wrangler；　and　a　man　of　many
  sciences　and　books；　was　an　oracle。　　On　others　he　was　quite　behind；
  but　a　ready　and　quick　pupil。　　He　made　up　to　the　navigating　officer；
  and　learned；　with　his　help；　to　take　observations。　　In　return　he　was
  always　at　any　youngster's　service　in　a　trigonometrical　problem；　and
  he　amused　the　midshipmen　and　young　lieutenants　with　analytical
  tests；　some　of　these　were　applicable　to　certain　liquids　dispensed
  by　the　paymaster。　　Under　one　of　them　the　port　wine　assumed　some
  very　droll　colors　and　appearances　not　proper　to　grape…juice。
  One　lovely　night　that　the　ship　clove　the　dark　sea　into　a　blaze　of
  phosphorescence；　and　her　wake　streamed　like　a　comet's　tail；　a
  waggish　middy　got　a　bucketful　hoisted　on　deck；　and　asked　the　doctor
  to　analyze　that。　　He　did　not　much　like　it；　but　yielded　to　the
  general　request；　and　by　dividing　it　into　smaller　vessels；　and
  dropping　in　various　chemicals；　made　rainbows　and　silvery　flames　and
  what　not。　　But　he　declined　to　repeat　the　experiment：　〃No；　no；　once
  is　philosophy；　twice　is　cruelty。　　I've　slain　more　than　Samson
  already。〃
  As　for　Tadcaster；　science　had　no　charms　for　him；　but　fiction　had；
  and　he　got　it　galore；　for　he　cruised　about　the　forecastle；　and
  there　the　quartermasters　and　old　seamen　spun　him　yarns　that　held
  him　breathless。
  But　one　day　my　lord　had　a　fit　on　the　quarter…deck；　and　a　bad　one；
  and　Staines　found　him　smelling　strong　of　rum。　　He　represented　this
  to　Captain　Hamilton。　　The　captain　caused　strict　inquiries　to　be
  made；　and　it　came　out　that　my　lord　had　gone　among　the　men；　with
  money　in　both　pockets；　and　bought　a　little　of　one　man's　grog；　and　a
  little　of　another；　and　had　been　sipping　the　furtive　but　transient
  joys　of　solitary　intoxication。
  Captain　Hamilton　talked　to　him　seriously；　told　him　it　was　suicide。
  〃Never　mind；　old　boy；〃　said　the　young　monkey；　〃a　short　life　and　a
  merry　one。〃
  Then　Hamilton　represented　that　it　was　very　ungentleman…like　to　go
  and　tempt　poor　Jack　with　his　money；　to　offend　discipline；　and　get
  flogged。　　〃How　will　you　feel；　Tadcaster；　when　you　see　their　backs
  bleeding　under　the　cat？〃
  〃Oh；　dn　it　all；　George；　don't　do　that；〃　says　the　young　gentleman；
  all　in　a　hurry。
  Then　the　commander　saw　he　had　touched　the　right　chord。　　So　he
  played　on　it；　till　he　got　Lord　Tadcaster　to　pledge　his　honor　not　to
  do　it　again。
  The　little　fellow　gave　the　pledge；　but　relieved　his　mind　as
  follows：　〃But　it　is　a　cursed　tyrannical　hole；　this　tiresome　old
  ship。　　You　can't　do　what　you　like　in　it。〃
  〃Well；　but　no　more　you　can　in　the　grave：　and　that　is　the　agreeable
  residence　you　were　hurrying　to　but　for　this　tiresome　old　ship。〃
  〃Lord！　no　more　you　can；〃　said　Tadcaster；　with　sudden　candor。　　〃I
  FORGOT　THAT。〃
  The　airs　were　very　light；　the　ship　hardly　moved。　　It　was　beginning
  to　get　dull；　when　one　day　a　sail　was　sighted　on　the　weather…bow；
  standing　to　the　eastward：　on　nearing　her；　she　was　seen；　by　the　cut
  of　her　sails；　to　be　a　man…of…war；　evidently　homeward　bound：　so
  Captain　Hamilton　ordered　the　main…royal　to　be　lowered　（to　render
  signal　more　visible）　and　the　〃demand〃　hoisted。　　No　notice　being
  taken　of　this；　a　gun　was　fired　to　draw　her　attention　to　the　signal。
  This　had　the　desired　effect；　down　went　her　main…royal；　up　went　her
  〃number。〃　　On　referring　to　the　signal　book；　she　proved　to　be　the
  Vindictive　from　the　Pacific　Station。
  This　being　ascertained；　Captain　Hamilton；　being　that　captain's
  senior；　signalled　〃Close　and　prepare　to　receive　letters。〃　　In
  obedience　to　this　she　bore　up；　ran　down；　and　rounded　to；　the　sail
  in　the　Amphitrite　was　also　shortened；　the　maintopsail　laid　to　the
  mast；　and　a　boat　lowered。　　The　captain　having　finished　his
  despatches；　they；　with　the　letter…bags；　were　handed　into　the　boat；
  which　shoved　off；　pulled　to　the　lee　side　of　the　Vindictive；　and
  left　the　despatches；　with　Captain　Hamilton's　compliments。　　On　its
  return；　both　ships　made　sail　on　their　respective　course；　exchanging
  〃bon　voyage〃　by　signal；　and　soon　the　upper　sails　of　the　homeward…
  bounder　were　seen　dipping　below　the　horizon：　longing　eyes　followed
  her　on　board　the　Amphitrite。
  How　many　hurried　missives　had　been　written　and　despatched　in　that
  half…hour。　　But　as　for　Staines；　he　was　a　man　of　forethought；　and
  had　a　volume　ready　for　his　dear　wife。
  Lord　Tadcaster　wrote　to　Lady　Cicely　Treherne。　　His　epistle；　though
  brief；　contained　a　plum　or　two。
  He　wrote：　〃What　with　sailing；　and　fishing；　and　eating　nothing　but
  roast　meat；　I'm　quite　another　man。〃
  This　amused　her　ladyship　a　little；　but　not　so　much　as　the
  postscript；　which　was　indeed　the　neatest　thing　in　its　way　she　had
  met　with；　and　she　had　some　experience；　too。
  〃P。S。I　say；　Cicely；　I　think　I　should　like　to　marry　you。　　Would
  you　mind？〃
  Let　us　defy　time　and　space　to　give　you　Lady　Cicely's　reply：　〃I
  should　enjoy　it　of　all　things；　Taddy。　　But；　alas！　I　am　too　young。〃
  N。B。She　was　twenty…seven；　and　Tad　sixteen。　　To　be　sure；　Tad　was
  four　feet　eleven；　and　she　was　only　five　feet　six　and　a　half。
  To　return　to　my　narrative　（with　apologies）；　this　meeting　of　the
  vessels　caused　a　very　agreeable　excitement　that　day；　but　a　greater
  was　in　store。　　In　the　afternoon；　Tadcaster；　Staines；　and　the
  principal　officers　of　the　ship；　being　at　dinner　in　the　captain's
  cabin；　in　came　the　officer　of　the　watch；　and　reported　a　large　spar
  on　the　weather…bow。
  〃Well；　close　it；　if　you　can；　and　let　me　know　if　it　looks　worth
  picking　up。〃
  He　then　explained　to　Lord　Tadcaster　that；　on　a　cruise；　he　never
  liked　to　pass　a　spar；　or　anything　that　might　possibly　reveal　the
  fate　of　some　vessel　or　other。
  In　the　middle　of　his　discourse　the　officer　came　in　again；　but　not
  in　the　same　cool　business　way：　he　ran　in　excitedly；　and　said；
  〃Captain；　the　signalman　reports　it　ALIVE！〃
  〃Alive？a　spar！　　What　do　you　mean？　　Something　alive　ON　it；　eh？〃
  〃No；　sir；　alive　itself。〃
  〃How　can　that　be？　　Hail　him　again。　　Ask　him　what　it　is。〃
  The　officer　went　out；　and　hailed　the　signalman　at　the　mast…head。
  〃What　is　it？〃
  〃Sea…sarpint；　I　think。〃
  This　hail　reached　the　captain's　ears　faintly。　　However；　he　waited
  quietly　till　the　officer　came　in　and　reported　it；　then　he　burst
  out；　〃Absurd！　there　is　no　such　creature　in　the　universe。　　What　do
  you　say；　Dr。　Staines？It　is　in　your　department。〃
  〃The　universe　in　my　department；　captain？〃
  〃Haw！　haw！　haw！〃　went　Fitzroy　and　two　more。
  〃No；　you　rogue；　the　serpent。〃
  Dr。　Staines；　thus　appealed　to；　asked　the　captain　if　he　had　ever
  seen　small　snakes　out　at　sea。
  〃Why；　of　course。　　Sailed　through　a　mile　of　them　once；　in　the
  archipelago。〃
  〃Sure　they　were　snakes？〃
  〃Quite　sure；　and　the　biggest　was　not　eight　feet　long。〃
  〃Very　well；　captain；　then　sea…serpents　exist；　and　it　becomes　a　mere
  question　of　size。　　Now　which　produces　the　larger　animals　in　every
  kind；land　or　sea？　　The　grown　elephant　weighs；　I　believe；　about
  five　tons。　　The　very　smallest　of　the　whale　tribe　weighs　ten；　and
  they　go