have our feet on
the sward. Enough of all this; let these gentlemen be placed in
security, and none have access to them without my orders. Make signal
for the commanding officers to come on board here. We've had too much of
speculation; a little action now will be more profitable."

"So, we are prisoners, it seems!" said the young man who spoke French,
as he moved away with the others, who, far more depressed in spirit,
hung their heads in silence, as they descended between-decks.

Scarcely was the signal for a council of war seen from the mast-head,
when the different boats might be descried stretching across the bay
with speed. And now all were assembled in General Humbert's cabin, whose
rank and station in the service, entitled them to the honor of being
consulted.

To such of us as held inferior grade, the time passed tediously enough
as we paced the deck, now turning from the aspect of the silent, and,
seemingly, uninhabited cliffs along shore, to listen if no sign
betokened the breaking up of the council; nor were we without serious
fears that the expedition would be abandoned altogether. This suspicion
originated with the Irish themselves, who, however confident of success,
and boastful of their country's resources before we sailed, now made no
scruple of averring that every thing was the exact reverse of what they
had stated: for, that the people were dispirited, the national forces
disbanded, neither arms, money, nor organization any where--in fact,
that a more hopeless scheme could not be thought of than the attempt,
and that its result could not fail to be defeat and ruin to all
concerned.

Shall I own that the bleak and lonely aspect of the hills along shore,
the dreary character of the landscape, the almost death-like stillness
of the scene, aided these gloomy impressions, and made it seem as if we
were about to try our fortune on some desolate spot, without one look of
encouragement, or one word of welcome to greet us. The sight of even an
enemy's force would have been a relief to this solitude--the stir and
movement of a rival army would have given spirit to our daring, and
nerved our courage, but there was something inexpressibly sad in this
unbroken monotony.

A few tried to jest upon the idea of liberating a land that had no
inhabitants--the emancipation of a country without people; but even
French flippancy failed to be witty on a theme so linked with all our
hopes and fears, and, at last, a dr