gates and strong pickets-all the while touching the point of my cocked-hat, right and left, to the sentinels on postuntil, at last, I gained a little streetroom in the main avenue of the town. Here the crowd thinned a little; but yet there was no lack. Plenty of Moors still, with tawny legs and full, snowy turbans; hosts of Levites, with hawkbill noses, and usurious eyes; lots of guides to the excavations and batteries; droves of small buros, with their drivers and water-butts; groups of bustling, florid-faced Englishmen, dark-skinned Spaniards, and merchant-skippers ; then an interval of healthy-looking English women, or mantilla-robed brunnettas, from San Roque or Algeziras— all these moving throngs dotted about with the soldiers of the garrison. There they are, at the corners, on the pavé, in the streets, craning out of every window of that great range of barracks, fatigue-parties moving backwards and forwards, guard-houses filled with them, everywhere, save in the wine shops; then officers, too, brilliant in red and blue, lace, bullion, and swords, greeting one at all times and in every quarter. To one fond of military display, there is no better place for this enjoyment than in Gibraltar. English troops, though more rigid and stiff in movement than the French, still fill the eye very pleasantly; for with scarcely an exception, they are picked men, of fine stature, and, so far as cleanliness of dress and elegance of equipment go, they are unexceptionable.

At the time of our visit, the garrison was composed of four regiments of foot, five companies of artillery, and one of sappers. It was one of these regiments, the 44th, that had the opportunity of distinguishing themselves at the memorable Bladensburg races, and to this day carry that name on their colors.

After a visit to the consul, I strolled to the Alemada-a flat esplanade, beveled from the face of the rock, and where, even now, the monkeys sometimes descend from their subterranean retreats, to watch how the world wags, and to note, perhaps, how well the pretty groves of orange trees and shrubbery thrive in their former haunts. Even in this promenade, there are everywhere seen great pyramidal stocks, of cannon-balls and ranges of grim cannon staring out upon the bay.

As all the world knows, Gibraltar is an isolated rock, about fourteen hundred feet high, with a ridge as sharp as a wedge; narrow for its length of three miles; which may once have been standing by itself, nearly midway of the strait between Africa and Europe. It has not, however, changed its relative position in that respect; but the low sand-link, which connects it by the "neutral ground" to Spain, has probably been formed by the meeting currents of the Atlantic and Mediterranean. On the side of the Mediterranean, it is precipitous, but it shelves less abruptly on the western face, towards the bay, where the town is built.

The renowned excavations are on the northern point, where the sheer, red rock rises almost perpendicularly, overlooking, as from the eyrie of an eagle, the green slopes of the hills of Andalusia, in the distance.

The galleries and batteries constructed there, were the result of a happy accident in war, during the assault of the Spanish and French forces, in 1782. Previously, a small battery had been planted on the northernmost peak of the rock; but, to reach this spot, many lives of the garrison were lost in carrying supplies by an exposed path, under the fire of the allies, the muzzles of whose guns were elevated by bags filled with sand.

To remove this necessity of exposure, the English engineers began to cut a means of ascent by a channel within the shell of the mountain. In executing this work, and when about half-way up, while blasting in the gallery, a fragment of rock was blown clean out towards the isthmus, which, upon being discovered by the allies, was welcomed by shouts of derision.

The besiegers were not left many hours to exult over this accident; for, in the natural embrasure caused by the explosion, a heavy piece of ordnance was pointed, and the nearest batteries below were obliged to abandon their positions.

In all the sieges for which Gibraltar has become historical, the most desperate, determined, and prolonged, were those repulsed by General Eliot, afterwards Lord Heathfield. He married a descendant of Sir Francis Drake, who was, himself, one of the boldest old viking freebooters that ever "scuttled ship;" and should their descend

ants be imbued with the blood of that union, Britannia will never lack, in that family, sailors to rule the main, or soldiers to lead her armies.

There is a club-house for strangers, in the town, whither I betook myself, and swallowed an imperial pint of ale; for, of all things,

-my soul sentimentally craves British beer!"

and a free English port is the place to drink it in perfection. Then, buckling my sword about, I bent my steps to the mole again. As the sunset-gun, from the summit of the rock at St. Michael's, poured forth its report, I passed through the sombre archways; the gates rolled together, the portcullis came down, the draw-bridge went up, and all the Gibraltar world were made sensible that the fortress was locked up, and, at the same time, I knew myself to be locked out for the night. Thus being left to my own devices, I got into one of the frigate's boats, and pulled to my floating home on board.

On the following day, in virtue of mine office as one of the staff, I went on a visit of ceremony to the governor of the fortress, Lieutenant-general Sir Robert Gardner, K.C.B. The official residence is at a former convent, near the centre of the old town. We were received at the gateway by a brace of aids-de-camp, who at once ushered us up a cool, spacious stairway, to the second story. Then traversing a broad corridor, which overlooked a gem of a garden and lemon grove, and where, no doubt, in times past, many an old friar or imprisoned nun regaled themselves, while telling over their aromatic beads, we reached the end of the hall, and were, in a moment, in presence of General Gardner. He was a tall, elderly gentleman, on the advanced posts of life, with silvery hair, fine eyes, and a cordial, pleasant expression of visage. He wore an artillery uniform, and on his breast a Waterloo medal. He received us very graciously, but apologized for being deprived of the pleasure of granting more than a momoment's interview, since he had been commanded to attend the Archduke Maximilian of Austria to the "ragged staff," prior to the embarkation of that illustrious personage for Cadiz.

This young brother of the emperor of Austria, by the way, was serving as a lieutenant on board a steamer of war,

lying, at the time of our arrival, in the bay. Contrary, however, to the usual naval etiquette, the commander of the steamer did not send a boat on board the American frigate, to inquire after our well-being. The omission was possibly attributable to the bad name M. Kossuth had given us in the dominions of the House of Hapsburgh. Our grief, however, at this slight, was not of a permanent nature; and we hoped, at some future day, to teach the subjects of that house better manners.

We took leave of the governor, returned to the mole, and rowing through a fleet of felucca-smugglers, watching a chance to evade the Spanish gun-boats, we reached the frigate.

On getting on board, the wind was blowing too fresh from the westward to get under way, from the position the ship lay; and it was only when the sun fell behind the mountains of Spain that the wind lulled sufficiently to make sail.

Ships I have always believed to have been the invention of the foul fiend himself; for it matters not how great care or forethought be exercised in their peculiar management, there is, at the most inopportune moment, a screw loose, or something to go wrong, that our arch enemy, the inventor, delights in.

The trouble this evening with us was, the refusal of the rope messenger, used to draw in the chain-cable, to clasp the capstan tight enough to heave up the anchor. It would keep slipping around the oaken barrel, and no skill or contrivance would make it hold.

At last, however, the anchor was dragged just clear of the bottom, but when canvas was spread upon the ship, she fell off into shoaler water; so that the infernal grapnel would take to the ground again, and then we went waltzing about the bay. Vessels, too, were all around us; but by the mere force of good luck, we avoided them very cleverly, and, notwithstanding our perplexities, we passed clear out in a style which would have called forth the utmost admiration from the British fleet, had they beheld our lucky manoeuvrings. As we got into deep water, the obstinate anchors were brought to the bows, and we steered for the open strait.

The giant fortress reposed like a lion couchant in silent security, just as it did, no doubt, when the Moors in 712 built their castles on it; when Barbarossa's Algerine corsairs pillaged it in

1540; when John Bull planted his paws upon it at the storming in 1704; or afterwards, when the brave Eliot, in 1782, withstood the terrible siege of the allies for three years. In short, from the remotest ages, this Rock of Gibraltarthis pillar of Hercules-is still the same.

In all the strifes and changes in which Gibraltar has borne so prominent a part, there may have been seen more monkeys clambering about the rocky heights, more ships in the bay, more soldiers on the land, more murderous, fiery missiles flying through the air,

"The bursting shell, the gateway rent asunder, The rattling musketry, the clashing blade, And, ever and anon, in tones of thunder, The diapason of the cannonade," with, perhaps, less to eat and drink than in these peaceful times; but yet, without the aid of any grand convulsion of nature, it does not seem improbable, that this hoary, sturdy monarch of rocks may, again and again, be an indifferent witness to bloodier and more terrible scenes than these.

As the frigate slowly sailed along the base of the rock, thousands of lights sparkled in the town; the nine o'clock gun pealed out its nightly warning, while the drums, flutes, and bugles echoed from point to point. Soon, however, we rounded Europa, and then, as we stood fairly into the Mediterranean, the clusters of lights were shut from our sight, the music was lost in the distance, and at midnight the dim, red gleam of the light-house only marked where Gibraltar lay, in its pride and power.

The following morning we were running, with a free wind, along the Spanish coast. We were too far off to catch more than an unclouded view of the back-ground; but that was in itself magnificent. The topmost peaks of the Sierra Nevada were clearly cut against the far-distant sky, shining cold and white with the winter snows.

Passing out of sight of Malaga, Almeria, and lesser ports, by evening we were abreast Cape de Gott.

VOL. VII.-25

The breeze held fair during the night; and the next day, after passing Cape Palos, from which Columbus sailed on his first voyage to America, we descried the English fleet. It was composed of five ships of the line, and two frigates. Four of the majestic two-deckers stood in shore, by the wind, while the rearmost vessel held towards the Cumberland. As she approached, we beat to quarters, cast loose the guns, and cleared for action, merely by way of friendly precaution, and the practice with menof-war upon meeting one another on the high seas.

After a mutual exhibition of pennants and ensigns, the Englishman put his helm down, and slowly went around towards the land, while at the same time he triced up his lower gun-deck ports to show his teeth, and to let us know, that he, too, was ready with the blackmouthed cannon, to belch forth red flame and destruction, should the neces.sity arise.

Fortunately the necessity did not arise, and we thought, with the Spaniards, it were better to have

"Con todo el mundo guerra
Y paz con Inglaterra,"

and so we both departed on our several missions; he to inform his admiral that he had shown his ensign to an American frigate, and we to keep on our course to the southward of the Balearic Isles.

Passing Tormentera, Majorca, and Minorca, our progress, somewhat hastened by a clear, cool snap of a mistral out of the gulf of Lyons, the lofty, bold mountains of Corsica and Sardinia loomed up before us. Then, heaving about, we worked up towards the Italian coast, and a month from the day we sailed from Boston saw us overshadowed by the grand Apennines, whose high, shining summits of glacier and snow broke out clear and sharp above our heads.

With the early morn we entered the gulf of Spezzia, and dropped anchor near the Lazaretto.

THE

HE life of one who explores the mysteries of the sea, is not more perilous than fascinating. The charm of terror hangs around it, and the interminable succession of exciting events renders it dear to its professor. Not to the common diver of the East, who can remain but for a fraction of time beneath the wave, and grope fearfully among rugged ocean-mounds, but to the adept in the civilized mode of diving, who, in his protective armor, may remain submerged for hours, and wander, with impunity, for miles along those unknown regions far below the sea. To him are laid open the horrors of the watery creation, and he may gaze upon such scenes as Arabian story tells us were presented to the fearful eyes of Abdallah. To him the most thrilling occurrences of the upper world seem frivolous; for, in his memory, he retains thoughts that may well chill the soul with dread.

I am a diver-a diver from choiceand I am proud of my profession. Where is such courage required as is needed here? It is nothing to be a soldier a diver, however-but I forbear. I will tell my story, and leave others to judge concerning it.

:

An appalling shipwreck occurred, not long ago, upon the wildest part of the coast of Newfoundland. The tidings of this calamity reached the ears of thousands; but, amid the crowd of accidents which followed in quick succession, it was soon forgotten. Not by us, however. We found that the vessel had sunk upon a spot where the water's depth was by no means great, and that a daring man might easily reach her.

She was a steamer called the Marmion, and had been seen going suddenly down, without an instant's warning, by some fishermen near by. She had, undoubtedly, struck a hidden rock, and had thus been, in one moment, destroyed.

I spoke to my associates of the plan, and they approved it. No time was lost in making the necessary preparations, and a short time beheld us embarked in our small schooner for the sunken ship. There were six of us, and we anticipated extraordinary suc

cess.

It was a calm and pleasant day, but the southern and eastern horizon looked deceitful. Small, suspicious clouds were gathered there, ill of aspect, and "sneaking fellows, regular hang-dog fellows," as my comrade, Rimmer, remarked to me. Nevertheless, we were not to be put off by a little cloudiness in the sky, but boldly prepared to venture.

So deep was the water, that no vestige of a ship's mast remained above the surface, to point out the resting place of the Marmion. We were compelled, therefore, to select the scene of operations according to the best of our ability. Down went the sails of our schooner, and Rimmer and I put on our diving armor. We fixed on our helmets tightly, and screwed on the hose. One by one each clumsy article was adjusted. The weights were hung, and we were ready.

"It looks terrible blackish, Berton," said Rimmer to me.

"Oh," I replied, gaily, "it's only a little mist-all right!"

"Ah!" He uttered a low exclamation, which sounded hollow from his cavernous helmet.

"All ready," I cried, in a loud voice, which they, however, could not easily distinguish. Then, making a proper sign, I was swung over the side.

Down we went, I first, and Rimmer close behind me. It did not take a long time for us to reach the bottom. We found ourselves upon what seemed a broad plain, sloping downward, toward the south, and rising slightly, toward the north. Looking forward then, a dim, black object arose, which our experienced eyes knew to be a lofty rock.

I motioned to Rimmer that we should proceed there.

I cannot tell the strangeness of the sensation felt by one who first walks the bottom of the sea.

There are a thousand objects, fitted to excite astonishment, even in the mind of him who has dared the deed a hundred times. All around us lay the plain, covered by water; but here the eye could not pierce far away, as in the upper air, for the water, in the distance, grew opaque, and seemed to fade away into misty darkness. There was no sound, except the incessant gurgle which was produced by the escape of air from the breast valve, and the plash caused by our passage through the waters. We walked on at a good pace; for this armor, which seems so clumsy up above, is excellent below, and offers little inconvenience to the practiced wearer.

Fishes in crowds were around us. Fishes of every shape and size met our eyes, no matter where they turned. They swam swiftly by us; they sported in the water above us; they raced and chased one another, in every direction. Here a shoal of porpoises tumbled along in clumsy gambols, there a grampus. might be seen rising slowly to the surface; here an immense number of smaller fish flashed past us, there some huge ones, with ponderous forms, floated in the water lazily. Sometimes three or four placed themselves directly before us, staring at us, and solemnly working their gills. There they would remain, till we came close up to them, and then, with a start, they would dart away.

All this time we were walking onward, along the bottom of the sea, while above us, like a black cloud in the sky, we could see our boat slowly moving onward upon the surface of the water. And now, not more than a hundred yards before us, we could see the towering form of that ebony rock which had at first greeted our eyes from afar. As yet, we could not be certain that this was the place where the Marmion had struck. But soon a round, black object became discernible, as we glanced at the rocky base.

Rimmer struck my arm, and pointed. I signed assent, and we moved onward more quickly.

A few moments elapsed: we had come nearer to the rock. The black object now looked like the stern of a vessel whose hull lay there.

Suddenly, Rimmer struck me again, and pointed upward. Following the direction of his hand, I looked up, and saw the upper surface of the water all foamy and in motion. There was a momentary thrill through my heart, but it passed over. We were in a dangerous condition. A storm was coming on!

But should we turn back now, when we were so near the object of our search? Already it lay before us. We were close beside it. No, I would not. I signalized to Rimmer to go forward, and we still kept our course.

Now the rock rose up before us, black, rugged, dismal. Its rough sides were worn by the action of the water, and, in some places, were covered by marine plants, and nameless ocean vegetation. We passed onward, we clambered over a spur, which jutted from the cliff, and there lay the steam

er.

The Marmion-there she lay upright, with everything still standing. She had gone right down, and had settled in such a position, among the rocks, that she stood upright here, just as though she lay at her wharf. We rushed eagerly along and clambered up her side. There was a low moan in the water, which sounded warningly in our ears, and told us of a swiftapproaching danger. What was to be done, must be done speedily. We hurried forward. Rimmer rushed to the cabin. I went forward, to descend into the hold. I descended the ladder. I walked into the engineer's room. All was empty here, all was water. The waves of the ocean had entered, and were sporting with works of man. went into the freight-room. Suddenly, I was startled by an appalling noise upon the deck. The heavy footsteps of some one, running, as though in mortal fear, or most dreadful haste, sounded in my ears. Then my heart throbbed wildly; for it was a fearful thing to hear, far down in the silent depths of the ocean.

Pshaw! it's only Rimmer.

I

I hurriedly ascended the deck by the first outlet that appeared. When I speak of hurry, I speak of the quickest movement possible, when cumbered with so much armor. But this movement of mine was quick; I rushed upwards; I sprang out on the deck.

It was Rimmer!