cent survey of the vast domain over which he ruled.

It was an interesting kingdom in detail. Leaving out of view all that
which was behind him, and which, of course, he could not see, we may
remark that, just before him stood the binnacle and compass, and the
cabin skylight. On his right and left the territory of the quarter-deck
was seriously circumscribed, and the promenade much interfered with, by
the ship's boats, which, like their parent, were painted red, and which
did not hang at the davits, but, like young lobsters of the kangaroo
type, found shelter within their mother, when not at sea on their own
account. Near to them were two signal-carronades. Beyond the skylight
rose the bright brass funnel of the cabin chimney, and the winch, by
means of which the lantern was hoisted. Then came another skylight, and
the companion-hatch about the centre of the deck. Just beyond this
stood the most important part of the vessel--the lantern-house. This
was a circular wooden structure, above six feet in diameter, with a door
and small windows. Inside was the lantern--the beautiful piece of
costly mechanism for which the light-ship, its crew, and its
appurtenances were maintained. Right through the centre of this house
rose the thick unyielding mast of the vessel. The lantern, which was
just a little less than its house, surrounded this mast and travelled
upon it. Beyond this the capital of the kingdom, the eye of the monarch
was arrested by another bright brass funnel, which was the chimney of
the galley-fire, and indicated the exact position of the abode of the
crew, or--to continue our metaphor--the populace, who, however, required
no such indicator to tell of their existence or locality, for the chorus
of a "nigger" melody burst from them, ever and anon, through every
opening in the decks, with jovial violence, as they sat, busily engaged
on various pieces of work below. The more remote parts of this
landscape--or light-scape, if we may be allowed the expression--were
filled up with the galley-skylight, the bitts, and the windlass, above
which towered the gong, and around which twined the two enormous chain
cables. Only one of these, however, was in use--that, with a single
mushroom-anchor, being sufficient to hold the ship securely against tide
and tempest.

In reference to this we may remark in passing that the cable of a
floating light is frequently renewed, and that the chafing of the links
at the hawse-