ohn Bull in numerical ascendency, you cannot
wonder at the club-doors not being freely opened to "the Dook's
friends," or at the character of an English gentleman being imperfectly
understood.

Time hurries on, a passport must be obtained, and that done, it must be
_vised_ before the Spanish consul, as Cuba is my destination. The
Filibusteros seem to have frightened this functionary out of his
proprieties. A Spaniard is proverbially proud and courteous--the present
specimen was neither; perhaps the reason may have been that I was an
Englishman, and that the English consul had done all his work for him
_gratis_ when the Filibustero rows obliged him to fly. Kindness is a
thing which the Spaniards as a nation find it very difficult to forgive.
However, I got his signature, which was far more valuable than his
courtesy; most of his countrymen would have given me both, but the one
sufficed on the present occasion. Portmanteaus are packed--my time is
come.

Adieu, New Orleans!--adieu, kind host and amiable family, and a thousand
thanks for the happy days I spent under your roof. Adieu, all ye
hospitable friends, not forgetting my worthy countryman the British
consul. The ocean teapot is hissing, the bell rings, friends cry, kiss,
and smoke--handkerchiefs flutter in the breeze, a few parting gifts are
thrown on board by friends who arrive just too late; one big-whiskered
fellow with bushy moustache picks up the parting _cadeau_--gracious me!
he opens it, and discloses a paper bag of lollipops; another unfolds a
precious roll of chewing tobacco. Verily, extremes do meet. The
"Cherokee" is off, and I'm aboard. Down we go, sugar plantations
studding either shore; those past, flat dreary banks succeed; ships of
all nations are coming up and going down by the aid of tugboats; two
large vessels look unpleasantly "fixed"--they are John Bull and
Jonathan, brothers in misfortune and both on a bank.

"I guess the pilots will make a good thing out of that job!" says my
neighbour.--

"Pilots!" I exclaimed, "how can that be? I should think they stood a
fair chance of losing their licence."

"Ah! sir, we don't fix things that way here; the pilots are too 'cute,
sir." Upon inquiry, I found that, as the banks were continually
shifting, it was, as my friend said, very difficult "to fix the
pilots,"--a fact which these worthies take every advantage of, for the
purpose of driving a most profitable trade in the following manner.
Pilot goes