r and fresh, in a few hours we were out of sight of
land. For the first time in my life, as I gazed round from the deck, I
saw only the circle of the horizon where sea and sky met. It produced
in me a sensation of pleasure not unmixed with awe, though I confess
that the feeling very soon wore off.

The next day at noon the midshipmen were ordered to bring up their
quadrants; and I received my first practical lesson in navigation. I
was anxious to gain a knowledge of my profession, and Peter Mudge did
his best to instruct me.

Day after day we sailed on, the fair wind lasting us till we got to the
latitude of the Cape de Verde Islands, and I began to fancy that the
stories I had heard of gales and hurricanes were fabulous, and that we
were to enjoy the same sort of weather during our cruise.

"Wait a bit, my lad, till we're rounding Cape Horn; you'll then chance
to pick up a notion of what a heavy sea is like, if you don't happen to
learn sooner," said Peter Mudge.

In spite of calms and light winds, however, we at length came off Cape
Coast Castle; consisting of an extensive range of buildings surrounded
by fortifications, appearing of snowy whiteness against the dark foliage
of the wooded height in the background. The captain went on shore to
deliver his despatches to the governor. We were expecting the pleasure
of a run on shore, when he returned on board, and ordering the anchor to
be hove up, we stood to the south-eastward under all sail.

It soon became known that the governor had received intelligence of the
appearance of a large craft off the coast, supposed to be a pirate, of
which he had directed the captain to go in search. A sharp look-out was
accordingly kept for her during the night. She was said to be heavily
armed; under Spanish colours; and that her plan of proceeding was to
capture any traders she could fall in with, take possession of their
cargoes, and exchange them on the coast for slaves, with which she
returned to Cuba. "A profitable style of business, whatever might be
said of its honesty. I only hope that we may catch her with English
property on board," said Mudge; "we shall soon put a stop to her
tricks."

The next evening a sail was sighted on the starboard bow, steering the
same course as we were; and we immediately stood for her, hoping that
she was the pirate. It was doubtful whether she had seen us; if she
had, she had possibly taken us for a merchantman. Darkness was comi