ormed, as it was very properly called, an extra
snout for piercing the mud.

When all was ready, the midship carronade was silently dismounted, the
slide unbolted, and the whole removed out of the way. Jean's enormous
corporation being then elevated, by means of capstan bars and
handspikes, was brought on a level with the port-sill. A slip-rope was
next passed between her hind legs, which had been tied together at the
feet; and poor Miss Piggy, being gradually pushed over the ship's
side, was lowered slowly into the water. When fairly under the
surface, and there were no fears of any splash being caused by letting
her go, one end of the rope was cast off, upon which the well-loaded
carcass shot down perpendicularly at such a rate that there could be
no question of its being immersed a fathom deep, at least, in the mud,
and, of course, far beyond the reach of the disappointed Chinese!

CHAPTER XIV.

DOUBLING THE CAPE.

As our merry little ship approached the far-famed Cape of Good Hope, I
often remained on deck after the watch was out, feasting my eyes on
the sight of constellations known to me before only by name, and as
yet scarcely anchored in my imagination. Each succeeding night, as the
various clusters rose, crossed the meridian, and sunk again into the
western waves, we came more and more into the way, not only of
speaking, but thinking of them, under their conventional titles of
hydras, doves, toucans, phoenixes, and flying-fish, not forgetting the
enormous southern whale, whose beautiful eye, called Fomalhaut, while
it flames in the zenith of the Cape, is hardly known to the
astronomers of this country, from its greatest altitude, as seen by
them, not being ten degrees.

But of all the Antarctic constellations, the celebrated Southern Cross
is by far the most remarkable, and must, in every age, continue to
arrest the attention of all voyagers and travellers who are fortunate
enough to see it. I think it would strike the imagination even of a
person who had never heard of the Christian religion; but of this it
is difficult to judge, seeing how inextricably our own ideas are
mingled up with associations linking this sacred symbol with almost
every thought, word, and deed of our lives. The three great stars
which form the Cross, one at the top, one at the left arm, and one,
which is the chief star, called Alpha, at the foot, are so placed as
to suggest the idea of a crucifix, even without the help of