fish, and fish stews, and fish
chowders, and fish sea-pies; in short, there would be no end to the
cooking of fish, till the fish were all eat up. They were not long kept
in suspense on that subject. Mr. Walker, the second officer, approached
their smoky temple--

"Doctor, is the beef for the people in the coppers?"

"Yes, sar, I put 'em in at three bell."

"Well, take and out with it, and get your coppers ready to make a
chowder for all hands; and you, Peter, come down in the steerage with
me, and I'll give you some pepper and onions, and the rest of the
combustibles."

"Yes, Massa Walker, I come ereckly. Dam fish! I wish all fish in 'a
world dead; den 'spose 'a want fish, let 'em eat cod-fish and tatoe."

With this pious ejaculation, which he took care not to give utterance to
till Mr. Walker was out of hearing, he followed that officer down the
after hatchway, while his helpmate, grasping his tormentors, proceeded
to transfer the half-boiled "salt junk" from the coppers to a tub, and
make preparations for a dinner of a more savory and agreeable
description.

[Footnote 4: June 1st, 1794, Lord Howe's victory over the French fleet,
off Ushant.]

[Footnote 5: _Quasi_ raisins.--_Printer's Devil_.]

[Footnote 6: The sailor probably meant the Ionian _Archipelago_; they
generally mistake the word as it stands in the text.--_P. D._]

CHAPTER XII.

All hands! bring ship to anchor, ahoy!

BOATSWAIN'S MATE.

In the meantime Isabella had suffered her full share of persecution.
Shortly after the family had retired from the coast to the vicinity of
the city of Tepic, where Don Gaspar had an estate, he had urged her to
accept Don Gregorio before their return to St. Blas. The tears and
entreaties of the unhappy girl had, however, so far mollified him that
he consented to put it off some time longer. A severe fit of the gout,
during which Isabella attended him with the most assiduous and
unremitting affection, had also operated as a powerful auxiliary to her
wishes. Pressing her affectionately to his bosom one day, the old
governor declared his unwillingness to part with her; and, "upon this
hint she spake," and easily obtained from him a promise not to trouble
her with any matrimonial schemes till she had completed her
twenty-second year, and even then, if she felt disinclined to the holy
state, she should be at liberty to retire to a convent. As she was not
yet twe