mack, and, ascertaining her destination, to deliver
the letters. This last action on our part took the poor craft by
surprise; for it was curious to observe the pertinacity with which this
little vessel avoided our boat, although we used every stratagem devised
by seafaring men to allay the consternation of the weak: such as the
waving of our caps, the hoisting of pacific signals, the lowering of our
gaff-topsail, &c., &c.; nor could she be persuaded of our amicable
intentions before poor King had shouted, at the top of his lungs, that
we were Englishmen in search of pleasure, and destined for no marauding
purpose.

She turned out to be, what our glasses had anticipated at daylight, a
Norwegian, laden with dried fish, and bound to the coast of Holland;
and, therefore, our letters were brought back.

Scarcely had the incident I have just mentioned come to a conclusion,
than another sail, just emerging from the horizon, was discovered on our
weather bow. We rubbed our hands, plucked our caps over the forehead,
and walked up and down the deck more briskly than ever; for there is no
man who has not been to sea can imagine the feelings of sailors when,
far from land, a sail is seen.

Every minute now brought us closer, and at two P.M. we had come
within hail. There was little wind, but a nasty short sea was running;
and it was comical in the extreme to observe each man endeavouring to
steady himself, and place his hands to his mouth for the purpose of
hailing, when a sudden swell would send him rolling over Sailor's hutch,
or seat him gently on the sky-light behind. After a little trouble, the
speaking-trumpet was found and brought on deck, and by its assistance a
communication was opened with the vessel. She was a large Norwegian
bark from Christiansand, and bound to London. To our request that they
would take charge of some letters, the captain, leaning over the
weather-quarter, assented in a loud Norwegian dialect. The question
which now arose was, how were we to get the said letters on board; but
necessity, being here established as the mother of invention, gave a
prompt answer. P----, holding the letters in his hand, desired that a
potato might be brought. The largest from the store was presented. It
was then lashed with a piece of twine to the letters, now transposed
into a tidy brown-paper parcel, which P----, balancing in the palm of
his left hand, suggested was not of sufficient weight to reach the ship.
We were