I say no differ, sure, mesilf, Misther Gray-ham,
atwane us, that same, as I tould ye."

I did not answer Tim, but his words affected me more than any sermon I
ever heard from the pulpit; and, as I went back to my cabin I determined
to try and keep to something I had promised father before parting from
him, and which I had neglected up to then--my promise being never to
forget my daily prayer to "Him who rules the waves," even should I have
no time to look at my Bible.

The weather cleared up before sunset, and the wind subsequently began to
blow steadily from the southward and eastward, showing that we had at
length got into the wished-for "trade;" so the ship soon had all plain
sail set on her again, now heading, though, sou'-sou'-west on the port
tack, and making a bee-line almost for the island of Trinidad off the
South American coast.

Having lost our outer jib, however, from its blowing away in the first
squall, a new one had to be fitted and bent on; and as we were hoisting
studding sails, too, the jewel block on the main-topsail yard carried
away. So, another block had to be got up and secured to the end of the
yard-arm before the halliards could be rove afresh for getting up the
stu'n'sail; and, I had opportunities in both instances for acquiring
better knowledge of seamanship--gaining more by watching Adams the
sailmaker and Tim Rooney at work on their respective jobs, than I could
have obtained in a twelvemonth by the perusal of books or from oral
information.

We had long lost sight of our old friend the North Star and his
pointers, who guide the mariner, should he be without a compass, in
northern latitudes, making acquaintance now with a new constellation,
the Southern Cross, which grew more brilliant each night as we ran
further and further below the Equator. Other stars, too, of surpassing
brightness made the heavens all radiant as soon as the sun set each
evening, there being no twilight to speak of--the night and its glories
coming upon us as quickly as the last scrap of daylight fled. In the
morning it was the same, the firmament being still bright with starlight
when the glorious orb of day rose in all his majesty and paled into
insignificance his lesser rivals, who, however, twinkled up to the very
last.

This was by far the jolliest part of our voyage; for, although the
weather was nice and warm, it had not that disagreeable, clammy heat we
experienced at the Line, on account of the fresh s