a fair damsel,
in the service of a lady of rank who formerly resided in my
neighbourhood, who, preparing to attend her mistress to the Continent,
and having heard from the jolly historians of the kitchen, that the food
in France was chiefly supplied by the croaking inhabitants of the green
and standing pool, contrived, very carefully, to carry over a piece of
homebred pork, concealed in her workbag.

Early in the morning after we set sail, we passed through the Needles,
which saved us a very considerable circuitous sail round the southern
side of the Isle of Wight, a passage which the late admiral Macbride
first successfully attempted, for vessels of war, in a ship of the line.

The vessel, in which we sailed, was a fireship; a costly instrument of
destruction, which has never been applied during the recent war, and
only once, and that unsuccessfully, during the preceding one. We had
several of them in commission, although they are confessedly of little
utility in these times, and from the immense stores of combustibles with
which they are charged, threaten only peril to the commander and his
crew.

We soon after dropped anchor, and proceeded to Portsmouth, in search of
a packet for Havre-de-Grace. In the street, our trunks were seized by
the custom-house officers, whilst conveying to the inn, but after
presenting our keys, and requesting immediate search and restoration,
they were returned to us without further annoyance. Finding that the
masters of the french packets were undetermined when they should sail,
we resolved upon immediately leaving this celebrated seaport, and
proceeding by water to Southampton, distant about twenty-four miles;
where, after a very unpleasant passage, from its blowing with
considerable violence soon after we left Portsmouth, we arrived, in a
little wherry, about twelve o'clock at night, at the Vine inn, which is
very conveniently situated for passengers by the packets.

It will not be required of me, to attempt a minute description of the
Southampton river, at a time when I expected, with some reason, as I
afterwards understood, to sink to the bottom of it. An observation very
natural to persons in our situation occurred to me all the way, viz.
that the shores seemed to be too far distant from each other, and that
had there been less water, the scenery would have been more delightful;
an observation which, however, the next day confirmed, when it presented
the safe and tranquil appeara