oing below, into execution. Then commenced all the miseries of the voyage.
The moon had begun to assert her ascendancy, when, racked with torture and
pain in our respective berths, a tremendous surge washed completely over
the deck, sky-light, and binnacle: and down came, in consequence, drenched
with the briny wave, the hardiest of our crew, who, till then, had ventured
to linger upon deck. That crew was various; and not without a few of the
natives of those shores which we were about to visit.

To cut short my ship-narrative, suffice it only farther to say, that,
towards midnight, we heard our Captain exclaim that he saw "the lights of
Dieppe"--a joyful sound to us miserable wretches below. I well remember, at
this moment, looking up towards the deck with a cheerless eye, and
perceiving the light of the moon still lingering upon the main-sail,--but I
shall never forget how much more powerfully my sensations were excited,
when, as the dawn of day made objects visible, I looked up, and saw an old
wrinkle-visaged sailor, with a red night cap on begirt with large blue,
puckered, short petticoats--in possession of the helm--about to steer the
vessel into harbour![19]

About seven we were all upon deck. The sea was yet swoln and agitated, and
of a dingy colour: while

.... heavily with clouds came on the day,

as we slowly approached the outward harbour of DIEPPE. A grey morning with
drizzling rain, is not the best accompaniment of a first visit to a foreign
shore. Nevertheless every thing was new, and strange, and striking; and the
huge crucifix, to the right, did not fail to make a very forcible
impression. As we approached the, inner harbour, the shipping and the
buildings more distinctly presented themselves. The harbour is large, and
the vessels are entirely mercantile, with a plentiful sprinkling of fishing
smacks: but the manner in which the latter harmonized with the tint and
structure of the houses--the bustle upon shore--the casks, deal planks,
ropes, and goods of every description upon the quays,--all formed a most
animated and interesting scene. The population seemed countless, and
chiefly females; whose high caps and enormous ear-rings, with the rest of
their paraphernalia, half persuaded me that instead of being some few
twenty-five leagues only from our own white cliffs, I had in fact dropt
upon the Antipodes! What a scene (said I to my companion) for our CALCOTT
to depict![20] It was a full hour before