to have induced the local craft to run some
time before along shore for shelter; and the movements of the strange
vessel were consequently a matter of speculation to those on land. There
is something to our minds exceedingly interesting in a solitary vessel
at sea--it is a point on which you may hinge your attention--a living
thing on the desert-bosom of the main. For sometime her movements were
apparently very undecided, but though the weather seemed to be looking
up, she suddenly put about helm, and ran without further wavering right
for the shelter held out at Lanport. In less than twenty minutes she was
safe alongside the pier. She was one of the larger class of fishing
vessels and was well manned. The attention of the bystanders was now
directed to an individual who seemed to be a passenger, and who
immediately landed after conversing for a short while with the master.
The gentleman brought ashore an immoderately large carpet-bag, and
forthwith marched for the chief street of Lanport. When we say chief,
we, perhaps, ought to add that it was the only assemblage of buildings
in the village, which by the comparative uniformity of their
arrangement, could lay claim to such a title. On reaching the foot of
the declivity, the traveller, who was evidently much jaded with his
marine excursion, espied with symptoms of satisfaction, the antiquated
sign-post of an "hostelrie" swinging before him in the breeze. Without
further investigation, but with "wandering steps and slow," he
decided on taking up his quarters at the "Mermaid Inn and Tavern, by
Judith, (or Judy as she was called by some) Teague." This determination
of the traveller would, however, have turned out to be "Hobson's choice"
had his eyes wandered in quest of a rival establishment, for here Mrs.
Judy Teague reigned supreme amongst "licensed victuallers," no rival
having hitherto been found bold enough to enter the field against her.
The leisurely advance of the traveller up the street, had given all the
old gossips and that numerous class who esteem other people's business
of infinitely greater consequence than their own, full opportunity to
remark on his dress and appearance; in which as faithful chroniclers we
have not gathered that there was anything remarkable--save and except
the enormous carpet-bag aforesaid, about which its owner seemed as
solicitous as the traveller in Rob Roy. A stranger was, at the period
we are describing, a _rara avis in terris_ indeed