ngly. "Now man the capstan-
bars once more, break the anchor out at once, and run it straight up to
the bows! If you cannot get it smartly all your labour will be lost by
the ship driving ashore. Play up, piper, and walk away cheerily, men!"

The piper struck up some lively air--I forget what,--the seamen threw
their whole weight upon the long capstan-bars, the cable strained and
surged, the capstan jerked slowly round, pawl by pawl, and at length, as
a heavier swell than usual rolled into the bay, there was a sudden and
violent jerk, the capstan yielded somewhat unexpectedly to the violent
exertions of the men, rolling two or three of them over on their noses,
away went the rest at a run, laughing heartily at their comrades'
discomfiture, and the great anchor drew reluctantly out of the ground.

I was on the topgallant forecastle all the time, superintending the
operations there, and as soon as I saw the cable swinging with the heave
of the ship, "Anchor's aweigh, sir!" I sang out.

"Thank you, Mr Chester. Now put your helm hard-a-port, my man; over
with it smartly. She has stern-way upon her and is driving in toward
the shore. Now she pays off. Trim aft your lee headsheets, forward
there. Man the lee forebraces. Now swing your fore-yard, board the
fore and main-tacks, and haul aft the sheets. Any news of the anchor
yet, Mr Chester?"

"The stock has just hove in sight, sir!"

"That's well, let us have it up, and get it catted at once, if you
please."

The frigate was now under weigh on the starboard tack and looking up
handsomely to windward of the northern extremity of the bay, having been
extricated from an exceedingly awkward position mainly by the
extraordinary exertions of the crew. The new skipper therefore deemed
it an appropriate occasion upon which to raise the cry of "Grog ho!" and
the men soon had an opportunity of comparing the quality of the
Frenchmen's brandy with that of our own more unpretentious rum.

The French cook, meanwhile, had been summoned to the galley, and was
soon busy preparing breakfast for the men, and concocting a ditto for
the cabin, which was intended to show his own officers--who, by the way,
had given their parole--that the love of his art rose triumphant above
_la fortune de la guerre_, and to impress us with the conviction that it
is a Frenchman only who can cook.

Captain Annesley, on seeing us fairly under weigh, filled and stood on
upon the same tack as ourse