o gain a nearer port."

"I agree with the captain of the vessel," said a grave-looking
personage, who had not yet spoken, and whom I afterwards discovered to
be a Catholic priest, "the stanchest adherent to the cause could not
have given better advice, and I should recommend that it be followed."

The others were of the same opinion; and, in consequence, I edged the
schooner down to the Arrow, and hailed Captain Levee, stating that we
were to run to Bordeaux. After that I prepared for them sleeping
accommodations as well as I could, and on my making apologies, they
laughed, and told me such stories of their hardships during their
escape, that I was not surprised at their not being difficult. I found
out their names by their addressing one another, to be Campbell,
M'Intyre, Ferguson, and M'Donald; all of them very refined gentlemen,
and of excellent discourse. They were very merry, and laughed at all
that they had suffered; sang Jacobite songs, as they were termed, and
certainly did not spare my locker of wine. The wind continued fair,
and we met with no interruption, and on the fourth evening, at dusk,
we made the mouth of the Garonne, and then hove to, with our heads off
shore, for the night. Captain Levee then came on board, and I
introduced him to my passengers. To my surprise, after some
conversation, he said--

"I have now escorted Captain Elrington, according to the orders I
received, and shall return to Liverpool as soon as possible; if,
therefore, gentlemen, you have any letters to send to your friends
announcing your safety, I shall be most happy to present them in any
way you may suggest as most advisable."

That Captain Levee had some object in saying this, I was quite
certain; and therefore I made no remark. The passengers thanked him
for his proposal; and, being provided with writing materials, they all
wrote to their friends, and put their letters into Captain Levee's
hands, who then bade them farewell, and went on deck with me.

"Of course, you were not serious in what you said, Captain Levee?" I
inquired, as we walked forward.

"No," he replied; "but I considered it prudent to make them believe
so. Although Englishmen, they are enemies to our country, so far as
they are enemies to our government, and, of course, wish no harm to
the French, who have so warmly supported them. Now, if they knew that
I remained here waiting for your coming out of the river, they would
say so, and I might lose the chan