ty hours, hauling gradually round
to the south'ard. No business done to-day; 'change deserted; not a
time-bargain to be had for love or money; most of the bulls in bed.

_Tuesday, 13th._--One of the most lovely days possible: all the morning
we have been observing a large ship right a-head, on which we draw
rapidly, though a stern chase is proverbially a long chase. The alley
all alive, books and pencils in great demand: odds offered freely that
this ship is the Tallahassie, Captain Glover, which sailed from
Liverpool on the morning of the day we left; but owing to our taking the
north channel, whilst she pursued the south, had thus gotten a decided
pull upon us, besides being a very fine ship. Consultations frequent, as
we neared, between the mate and the backers of the Tallahassie,
adjournments to the top-gallant forecastle constant; every spy-glass in
requisition.

We drew near; the odds rose in favour of this being the ship in
question--she was a large ship, square-built and long, so was
Tallahassie--she was flush deck, so was Tallahassie--had stump-royal
masts, and a storm-house abaft, so had Tallahassie, hurrah! Nearer we
came, less ardour amongst the backers of Tal.--nearer still, they are
all silent; the alley is deserted for the forecastle--a straggler now
comes aft, with a sneaking offer of a hedge: no takers.

One of the opposite side's scouts next comes aft. "This can't be the
Tallahassie--this ship has no copper, Tallahassie had; she has a white
line over her bright side, Tallahassie had not--her top-rail is white,
and the yards tipped with the same colour, the Tallahassie's were
black.--In short, it could not be the Tallahassie, as any one with half
an eye might have seen from the first, and might see now."

The latter part of the proposition was already demonstrated, for we were
by this time right a-beam; the former might have been disputed,
although it certainly was not the Tallahassie.

Trifles like this were all-sufficient occupation for the day, and served
as subjects of conversation after. On this occasion we had for nearly
the first time a complete muster of our crew, the exceeding fineness of
the day brought out even our sick, and there they lounged about in the
sun, like weary birds plumeing their ruffled feathers.

_Sunday, 18th._--Wind north-west; weather fine. We are now within one
hundred and sixty miles of our port. Betting-market a little anxious,
but a good deal of business doing in a