Hull-down with all sail making, close-hauled with the white-tops breaking,
Bound for the Rio Grande.
Fare ye well!

With the flying-fish around us and a porpoise school before us,
Full crowded under royals to the south'ard we would sweep;
We would hear the bull whales blowing and the mermaids sing in chorus,
And perhaps the white seal mummies hum their chubby calves to sleep.

We would see the hot towns paddling in the surf of Spanish waters,
And prowl beneath dim balconies and twang discreet guitars,
And sigh our adoration to Don Juan's lovely daughters
Till they lifted their mantillas and their dark eyes shone like stars.

We would cruise by fairy islands where the gaudy parrot screeches
And the turtle in his soup-tureen floats basking in the calms;
We would see the fire-flies winking in the bush above the beaches
And a moon of honey yellow drifting up behind the palms.

We would crown ourselves with garlands and tread a frolic measure
With the nut-brown island beauties in the firelight by the huts;
We would give them rum and kisses; we would hunt for pirate treasure,
And bombard the apes with pebbles in exchange for coco-nuts.

When we wearied of our wand'rings 'neath the blazing Southern heaven
And dreamed of Kentish orchards fragrant-scented after rain,
Of the cream there is in Cornwall and the cider brewed in Devon,
We would crowd our yards with canvas and sweep foaming home again,

_Singing_--

Cheerily, O lady mine,
Cheerily, my sweetheart true,
For the blest Blue Peter's flying and I'm rolling home to you;
For I'm tired of Spanish ladies and of tropic afterglows,
Heart-sick for an English Spring-time, all afire for an English ring-time,
In love with an English rose.
Rolling home!

* * * * *

MISGIVINGS.

Walking recently by Hyde Park Corner I met a man in a comic hat.
He was an elderly man, very well set up, marching along like an old
officer--quite an impressive figure with his grey moustache and
grey hair, had not this ridiculous affair surmounted him. It was not
exactly a hat, and not exactly a cap, but something between the two,
and it was so minute as to be almost invisible and wholly absurd. Yet
there was every indication that its wearer believed that it suited
him, for he moved both with confidenc