oused by Gerard, who asked me why I was so
sentimental. He saw nothing in a pilot-boat leaving the ship. The last
I saw of our native land were the lofty cliffs of Wales. I came on deck
early in the morning; and, as I looked out aft, they appeared receding
fast on the larboard-quarter, across the bright blue sea. Turning
round, my somewhat bewildered glance next wandered upwards, and there I
beheld, with unrestrained admiration, the wide spread of white canvas
which hung extended on the yards, high, high up in the blue sky, like a
vast mass of snowy cloud. It looked to me as if there was enough sail
to fly away with the whole ship and her cargo; for, the breeze being
light and fair, we had all our courses, and topsails, and
topgallant-sails, and royals set with studding-sails also on either
side, almost sweeping the sparkling waters which danced off from the
_Triton's_ sharp bows as she clove her stately yet rapid way through the
ocean. Captain Frankland was anxious to take every advantage of the
favourable wind, that we might get a good distance from the land, and
thus not run the chance of being driven back again, and be compelled, as
is often the case with outward-bound ships, to take shelter in that
magnificent harbour--Milford Haven, or in the still more lovely one of
Queenstown, on the Irish coast. Away we flew, every day going faster
and faster as the breeze freshened.

"Not a brace, nor a tack, nor a sheet did we slack" on board of the
gallant _Triton_ for a whole week; and then it fell calm, and we lay
washing our sides up to the scuppers in the pure waters of the Atlantic.
During this time everything was got to rights, and I began to find my
way about every part of the ship, and to learn the names of the spars,
and ropes, and sails. Gerard very soon dared me to go aloft; of course
I was nothing loath.

"Follow me, then, youngster!" said he; and with a wicked look, up he
went the main rigging. I ascended readily enough, intending to go
through the lubbers' hole, as the opening in the top is called through
which the lower shrouds lead. This way is quite allowable for a
landsman; but Jerry, having no fear of my breaking my neck before his
eyes, led the way by the futtock-shroud; and, as he quickly stood up in
the top, I saw his face grinning over me while I hung with my back over
the ocean, very doubtful whether I could climb round so as to get hold
of the topmast-shrouds.

"Don't let your feet go ti