galleries, and
that they must be very curious.

"That is to say, that you are very curious to see them. Well, then,
since you have been very attentive to your duty, and have not asked to
go on shore, I will give you leave to go to-morrow morning and stay till
gun-fire."

I was very much pleased at this, as the officers had a general
invitation to dine with the mess, and all who could obtain leave being
requested to come, I was enabled to join the party. The first
lieutenant had excused himself on the plea of there being so much to
attend to on board; but most of the gun-room officers and some of the
midshipmen obtained leave. We walked about the town and fortifications
until dinner-time, and then we proceeded to the barracks. The dinner
was very good, and we were all very merry; but after the dessert had
been brought in, I slipped away with a young ensign, who took me all
over the galleries and explained everything to me, which was a much
better way of employing my time than doing as the others did, which the
reader will acknowledge. I was at the sally-port before gun-fire--the
boat was there, but no officers made their appearance. The gun fired,
the drawbridge was hauled up, and I was afraid that I should be blamed;
but the boat was not ordered to shove off, as it was waiting for
commissioned officers. About an hour afterwards, when it was quite
dark, the sentry pointed his arms and challenged a person advancing
with, "Who comes there?"--"Naval officer, drunk on a wheelbarrow," was
the reply, in a loud singing voice. Upon which, the sentry recovered
his arms, singing in return, "Pass, naval officer, drunk on a
wheelbarrow--and all's well!" and then appeared a soldier in his fatigue
dress, wheeling down the third lieutenant in a wheelbarrow so tipsy that
he could not stand or speak. Then the sentry challenged again, and the
answer was, "Another naval officer, drunk on a wheelbarrow:" upon which
the sentry replied as before, "Pass, another naval officer, drunk on a
wheelbarrow--and all's well." This was my friend O'Brien, almost as bad
as the third lieutenant; and so they continued for ten minutes,
challenging and passing, until they wheeled down the remainder of the
party, with the exception of the second lieutenant, who walked
arm-in-arm with the officer who brought down the order for lowering the
drawbridge. They were all safely put into the boat, and I am glad to
say the first lieutenant was in bed and