to insist upon as your prerogative when on board."

"Despotic control! Aye, what the devil would you expect from me?-Would you have a crew without a head, or with no harder a head than a boiled turnip?-or, what is worse, would you have as many heads as a boatswain's cat has tails?—No, no, that would never do; lubber or landsman, order and obey is the word with me when I walk my quarter-deck, be it ever so small. But when I put my foot on shore, I become as quiet and gentle as a lamb, unless, indeed, when I happen to be combed against the hair."

"My dear fellow," said Amherst, shaking him heartily by the hand, "nobody knows your good-nature better than I do. The kind act you have just done me, by aiding my escape from the vexation I was exposed to at home, is sufficient proof of your readiness to serve a friend."

"Don't mention it, my dear boy," cried the captain, "pray don't mention it; I would cross the Atlantic to serve the son of my old shipmate, not to speak of the sneaking kindness I

have felt for you ever since you jumped into my arms, and kissed me, when your father insisted that you wouldn't remember old Cleaver in his tarred jacket-I mean that time when the Admiral brought you aboard of us at the Nore. Splice my mainsail! what a little urchin you were then! Why, zounds, I can hardly believe you to be the same creature! But, belay !—why do we stand jawing here? Night is about to close, and we have yet to look for some place of refreshment and repose, thof I can't say these here parts afford much prospect of our being well accommodated. I wish we had run in for one of those somewhat Christian-like towns we saw glittering along shore; for, you know, that when I am not afloat, I like to have my comfort in mine inn as well as e'er an alderman in the city."

"I am glad we did not," said Amherst, “ for I am so delighted with the romantic scenery of this lovely bay, that I should have been loath to have left it unexamined. May not yonder path lead to some human habitation ?-Come, let us explore it."

"With all my heart," said Cleaver; "I say,

my lads, keep watch in the boat till we return; and, O'Gollochar, do you follow your master and me."

The footway-track Amherst had alluded to led them up a steep and very rugged ravine, the bed of which was encumbered by large fragments torn by time and weather from its rocky sides. A clear little rill, gushing from a copious spring towards its upper extremity, ran tinkling over the stony masses, and poured itself into a narrow chasm under one of the largest of them, where it was entirely lost. The fountain-head was enclosed within a circle of ancient ruined masonry, exhibiting marks of having been once polished, laid, and jointed with great nicety; but many of the stones having been shaken from their beds, were now tufted with moss, and partially covered by the broad-leaved wild plants growing in profusion around them, and the pure water, once confined to a single jet, now rushed out through various fissures. At the distance of a yard or two above the well stood the remains of the shaft of an ancient cross, and near it on the ground lay the upper part of it, half buried by

the herbage, to which the humidity of the place gave peculiar luxuriance.

"What a lovely, wild, and interesting spot!" exclaimed Amherst.

"What a noble watering place," cried Cleaver; "here is water enough to supply a whole navy; but what the deuce are these copper coins laid here for ?"

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Judging from these fragments of a cross," said his companion, "this must be some holy well. I have heard that sush offerings are still made by the superstitious vulgar to springs once blessed by saints of former days, and ever since supposed to be peculiarly gifted, even although popery has ceased to protect them.”

Having reached the brow of the crags, a very cheerless prospect presented itself to their eyes. The downs, extending for several miles along the summit of the rocks, and rising in elevation as they retreated inland, displayed a barren surface of irregularly-blown sand heaps, covered with patches of wiry bent grass. Beyond all this a bold promontory arose to the westward, its green head exhibiting traces of ancient fortifications; and, farther still, the eye was carried

over an extensive low and sterile plain, yet more unprofitable than the ground around them. Not a house, nor even hovel, was to be descried. What appearance the country, lying beyond the ridge about a mile to the south, might wear, they had no opportunity of knowing; but, as Cleaver expressed it, what they did see looked sufficiently "glum," and damped all hopes of a snug supper. They hesitated for some time what to do. At length, as the sun had already sunk behind the huge bulk of the distant western mountains, and the sea and its coasts were beginning to melt into obscurity,-after wandering from knoll to knoll, without gaining any additional information, they finally resolved to postpone all further attempts to explore till to-morrow, and to return to spend the night on board.

As they were slowly preparing to descend into the ravine, O'Gollochar, who was immediately behind them, suddenly exclaimed, in accents of astonishment," Sweet Vargin Mary, Master dear! what sort of a cratur is that down yonder below ?"

They threw their eyes hastily in the direction