een reading Shakespeare, and various other literary productions,
and had become somewhat poetical in our style of conversation. My
messmate's information was but too true--that very afternoon we received
orders to deliver up our prizes to the agents, and to rejoin our ship.
With what sorrow of heart did I bid farewell to my neat cabin, my airy
sleeping-place, my comfortable sofa, my warm stove, and all the other
luxuries with which I had been surrounded; and with what thorough
disgust and discontent did I take possession, after my long absence, of
my berth on board the old Orpheus! Really, I had no right to complain,
and I was truly glad to see many of my shipmates again.

The heavy islands of ice, which came floating down with each ebb,
threatening to crush in the bows of the ship, compelled us to move down
close to the fish-market, where we were sheltered from them.

On the 20th, having received on board a number of rebel prisoners, whom
we were to take round to Rhode Island, we sailed in company with HMS
Solebay, Daphne, and Harriet packet, but parted with them off Sandy
Hook. Our passengers were in a very sad state of destitution and
sickness. Fever soon broke out among them, and it spread rapidly among
our crew.

We quickly were doomed also to experience another of the numerous ills
which seamen are heirs to. This was a gale of wind which sprung up
about midnight from the south-east, catching us most completely on a
lee-shore. We had made but little offing, and every minute the wind
increased, and we, I saw, were drifting closer and closer onto the coast
of Long Island. Captain Hudson, Mr Willis, and Mr Flood, the master,
were in earnest consultation.

"What will you give for our chance of saving the ship?" said Delisle to
me as we stood holding on to the weather bulwarks, while the spray in
dense masses was breaking over us--the ship heeling over till her
lee-guns were buried in water with the heavy press of canvas it was
necessary to carry to give us a hope of beating off.

"A midshipman's half-pay for a week and a day, unless the wind shifts or
moderates," I answered. "I believe the old barkie was never in greater
peril. If we save the people's lives we shall be fortunate."

"So the captain seems to think. I never saw him more anxious," replied
Delisle. "My idea is that we shall have to cut away the masts and
anchor. My only consolation is that if we escape with our lives, it is
the only part o