before them,
and a wild mountainous region beyond, with country houses or quintas
scattered over the lower ground, and high above it the white church of
Nossa Senhora do Monte, glistening in the sun.

An important object had attracted Captain Hemming to Madeira. It was to
ship a couple of casks of its famed wine for the admiral on the Jamaica
station, as well as one for himself, and he took the opportunity of
fitting a new topgallant-mast. A few hours afterwards the _Tudor_ came
in and dropped her anchor close to the frigate. She had evidently
suffered severely in the gale. Her fore-topsail-yard was so badly
sprung that sail could not be carried on it. Her mizen-topmast was
gone, her starboard bulwarks forward stove in, one of her boats carried
away; besides which she had received other damages. The sea which had
injured her bulwarks had swept along her deck, but everything had been
secured, without doing further harm, and fortunately no one had been
lost.

Commander Babbicome at once came on board the _Plantagenet_ to pay his
respects to Captain Hemming. He was a short, stout man, with a red face
and thick neck, betokening a plethoric habit. After having been on
shore for some years he had been appointed to the _Tudor_ through the
influence of a relative, who had actively supported the ministry in
electioneering matters. Probably never much of a sailor, though he
might have been as brave as a lion, such experience as he possessed
being that of days gone by, he had an especial horror of all new-fangled
notions. He laid all the blame of the disasters his ship had met with
to the Dockyard riggers. "They don't do things as they used to do,
that's very clear, or I shouldn't have lost my mizen-topmast!" he
exclaimed, while pacing the frigate's deck with angry steps; "I doubt
whether in this hole of a place we can get our damages repaired."

"I'll send my carpenters on board, so that you may be independent of the
natives. How long will it take to set you to rights?"

"Three or four days I should suppose," was the answer.

"Well, I will remain for that time, and we will sail together," said
Captain Hemming.

It was quickly known on board both ships that they were not to leave for
some days, and parties were made up to go on shore the next morning, and
take a ride to the Corral and other places of interest.

A merry set of gun-room officers and midshipmen left the ships soon
after breakfast, Jack and Adair,