rench coast
as Captain Blyth cared to take her, and she was accordingly hove about,
the wind so far favouring her that it was confidently hoped she would
weather Beachy Head and so pass out clear of everything. With the
rising of the sun the wind gave promise of freshening, which promise was
so far fulfilled that by noon the ship was skimming along at a pace of
over nine knots an hour, she being at the time just abreast of Calais.
The breeze still increasing, and the tide being again in their favour,
Cape Grisnez was passed little more than an hour later; and then,
running out from under the lee of the land, the swell of the channel
almost immediately began to make itself felt. The full strength of the
wind at the same time also became apparent, and the ship, now heeling
over sufficiently to send the water spouting up through the scupper-
holes with every lee-roll, increased her pace to a fair, honest ten
knots, steering "full and by." Captain Blyth was simply enchanted with
the performance of his new command, feeling fully convinced (though he
did not yet venture to give utterance to his conviction) that in her,
that hitherto invincible clipper, the _Southern Cross_, would at length
assuredly find she had met her match. By three o'clock Dungeness was
broad on the lee-bow; by four o'clock it was fairly abaft the beam; and
when the passengers went on deck after dinner they found the ship in the
act of weathering Beachy, though without very much room to spare, the
wind evincing an inclination to veer round from the westward. At eight
o'clock next morning, when Ned came on deck to keep the forenoon watch,
he saw that he was on familiar ground, the ship being about midway
between Saint Catherine's Point and Saint Alban's Head, the high land at
the east end of the Isle of Wight looming like a white cloud on the
horizon astern, or rather on the starboard quarter, whilst Saint Alban's
gleamed brilliantly in the bright sunlight on the starboard bow. The
ship was still close-hauled on the larboard tack and going about six
knots, the wind having headed her somewhat during the night and fallen
lighter. The weather was magnificent, and everybody was in capital
spirits. Captain Blyth was pleased because, though the ship was not
just then travelling at any great speed, he had at all events got half-
way down the channel; the passengers were pleased because they were
having such a splendid view of the coast--with the prospect of