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are represented as being wafted thither in a shell through the ocean. The ancients delighted in making such representations upon gems and medals. In the present instance one genius is standing up to guide the sail, another is reclining with an urn of ashes in his hands, and the third, like the Tritons, has a spiral-wreathed trumpet widening from the mouth-piece. There are neither rowers nor a helmsman; a fit emblem of the pleasure and safety of the voyage. Pliny mentions the shell-formed among other pinnaces; and perhaps there is much truth in his jest about the shell in which Venus, the mother of loves, is said to have sailed to Cyprus: whence Tibullus—'et faveas Concha, Cypria, vectâ tuâ.""" See also Tacitus, Hist. lib. 2.3.

The writer will not insult the reader's taste by pointing out the beauties of this superstition; he only regrets that the gems may not be seen by all.

MY SISTER.

YES, there is one I love;—with her my heart
Delights to sympathize:—can joy impart
Its radiant influence, lighting with a smile
A sister's countenance, and not beguile
Of many a weary hour a brother's life,
Though tossed its bark may be in angry strife
On Time's tempestuous billows?—or can grief
Stamp her now pallid brow, and no relief
By him be sought to dissipate each care
And re-enkindle hope and pleasure there?

I love her not for beauty,-though so fair
Her form, methinks 'tis such as angels wear.
And oft I joy to gaze upon that form
So chaste, so beautiful as e'en might warm
The coldest heart to love;-yet 'tis not this
That makes my sister's presence perfect bliss.
In early infancy she was my joy,

When pleasure's cup we quaffed without alloy.
No selfish interest we knew ;-as one
We basked together in life's rising sun.
In happy innocence we whiled away

The few, the fleeting hours of childhood's day,
And if a boyish grief disturbed my breast,
A sister's smile would lull my care to rest.

My heart was ever hers, and though I rove
The wide world o'er, there reigns a sister's love.
My sister's love! it is my vital breath,
Unquenchable, save by the chill of death.

Anon I mingled in the busy world;

The world of strife, where discord hath unfurl'd
His crimson flag; the world of selfishness,
Where men in turn but suffer and oppress.

The world where friendship is not, but in name;
Where each seeks honor, riches, power or fame.
The world where helpless wand'rers find no rest;
Nor can the wretch by poverty distress'd
To fellow man his bitter woes confide,
For pity dwelleth not with lust and pride.
Alas! there is no flesh in heart of man;
His only care in this short fleeting span,
His darling self to elevate, and raise
Some monument for future nations' praise.

Vainly I sought 'mid all the giddy crowd,
For one whose lips had pure affection vowed.
My youthful heart was sickened, and I turned
To vent, aside, the grief that in me burned:
"Where then is happiness," I cried, "and love?
Dwell they alone in the bright realms above?
O grave, receive me! Thou of terrors king,
Aim here thy dart!-for me it hath no sting."
But sweetest accents checked the heaving sigh:
"Thy sister's love, can never, never die."

SEA SKETCHES.

INTRODUCTORY.

"Quæque ipse vidi, et quorum pars magna fui.”—Virgil.

Ir may be, reader, that as thine eye rests upon the title with which I have seen fit to honor my intellectual offspring, thou wilt remember the words of a modern author-" He who would write upon the sea must have been upon it." Know then that these sketches are presented to thee by one to whom the sea has been no stranger;-by one who made it for many years his home, and who even now, deeply enamored as he is of "college life," longs again to be dancing over the green billows of the ocean. They are founded upon incidents which transpired during his sea voyages between the years 182 and 183—, and are rewritten from a journal kept by him during that time. He presents to thee no fictitious tale with its labored plot and unnatural tragico-comico denouement, but simply "sketches" illustrative of a sailor's life. And here let me tell thee, reader, that, as thou wilt soon discover, he has written as a sailor

ought to write-in his own language; blame him not then if thou meetest with many sea phrases to thee at first unintelligible, but con thy dictionary well and learn that which, if thou meanest to be a man, thou wilt ne'er repent having learned.

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"Some love to roam

O'er the white sea-foam,

Where the wild wind whistles free."-Mackay.

It was at an early hour on the morning of August 17th, 182-, that I was summoned to repair on board the ship Java, then lying at the end of Central wharf in the city of B. The wind which for more than a week had been from the eastward had shifted during the night to the northwest, and at this time was blowing one of those stiff exhilarating breezes which never fails to impart buoyancy to the spirits, while it casts a fresh beauty over the works of nature. The ship was to sail in an hour, and bidding farewell to my friends with mingled feelings of sorrow and delight, I hastened to the vessel. Upon my arrival I found all on board in that high state of excitement which always attends the departure from port. The ship's top-sails and main-top-gallant-sail were already sheeted home and hoisted; the fore and mizen top-gallant-sails were loosed ready for setting; while the beckets having been cast off from the jib and spanker, the former was slatting in the breeze like the pawing of a young race-horse eager for the start. Having stowed away my trunks in the state-room, I took my stand near the companion-way as a silent spectator of the bustling scene. My father, to whom the ship belonged and whom I shall call Mr. X., was alternately hurrying from his store to the ship and from the ship to his store, now giving his last orders to the captain and now enquiring if all the men were on board, and again urging the pilot to set all the top-gallantsails, which from the freshness of the breeze he had declined doing. Here were landlords helping on board the intoxicated sailors who had been fleeced of their last dollar;-there was a mother urging her good advice upon a son, who, weary of the farm, had shipped as a green hand about to try his fortune as a sailor. All things at length were ready for sailing.

What are you waiting for now-why don't you-cast off?' said Mr. X. to the pilot, who stood near the wheel watching the fore and mizen top-sails, which being braced aback, counteracted the action of the main top-sail as it filled with the gale.

'The cook has not yet come,' said the mate.

"Those black-skinned fellows are always the last on board. Where is his landlord?'

A gentleman of sable hue here stepped forward and stated that he had hunted for the cook in every corner of Ann Street, but could not find him. He thought, however, that his man would be down ere long, as he promised early in the morning to be ready as soon as he had purchased some clothing.

'Hold on, pilot, just five minutes longer, and then if the black scamp does not appear, go without him.' The five minutes soon elapsed and no cook appeared.

Shall we start,' said the pilot.

'Yes, yes, we'll wait no longer for the fellow.'

'Let go the bow-hauser-run up the jib-stand by the mizenbraces and keep the top-sail shaking.'

Aye, aye sir' was promptly responded by a dozen men, as, in bands they hurried to different parts of the ship to discharge these duties.

The bow of the ship, left free by letting go the hauser, and under the pressure of the jib, fell rapidly off. At this moment the pilot turning around beheld the green hand previously mentioned, in his eagerness to render some assistance, casting off the stern-hauser which alone held the ship.

'Hold on to that stern-rope-hold on-hold on-what in thunder and lightning are you letting go that hauser for?-hold on, I tell you, and catch a turn quick, or we shall be afoul of the brig ahead.'

It was too late. So fresh was the breeze, that the moment the stern rope was slackened, the ship started swiftly forward, and before a turn of the hauser could be taken, a loud crash ahead told us that we had run into the brig.

'Jump forward, my men,' shouted Captain N, and cut away that brig's topping-lift-haul down the jib-back the main top-sail-be lively, my boys, be lively'-while he himself let go the main-top-gallant halliards and permitted the sail to run down upon the cap.

These orders were not more quickly given than obeyed, and another rope having been sent ashore, we were in a few minutes again moored to the wharf.

The Java suffered but little damage, having merely snapt off her flying jib-boom. The brig did not escape so easily. Our ship's cut-water and bobstays had carried away her davits and stove the stern-boat which was hanging to them, while her trysail boom, the moment that the topping-lift was cut, came down heavily upon the round-house, cutting it through until the boom rested upon the tafferel.

"You good-for-nothing dog,' said Mr. X. to the green hand, ‘see what damage you have done to these vessels by letting go that bauser-you deserve a good keel-hauling-what did you mean?'

The poor affrighted fellow, whiter with fear than the top-sails themselves, could only stammer out, I thought he wanted all the strings loosened.'

'Go along forward you scamp-and do you Captain N. when you get to sea, learn this land-lubber the difference between a string and a hauser.'

In a few moments we were ready to try another start. The bow hauser was again cast off-the jib hoisted, and the stern-rope being kept fast, the ship's bow fell gracefully off. Suddenly a distant shout turned all eyes up the wharf. The cook was at last in sight, running as if upon a wager with time. He reached the vessel before the hauser was let go and sprung aboard, while the landlord attempted to pass his chest to him. Scarcely had the cook touched the handle when the stern rope parted, and the ship suddenly starting ahead it was wrested from the landlord's hand. Its owner strove to obtain a firmer grasp, but the chest was too heavy for him; and before he could secure his hold it fell and was plunged into the water. 'Never mind the chest,' said Mr. X. 'it serves the scoundrel right-let the ship go-a pleasant voyage and safe return.'

With three cheers from those on shore, which were heartily answered by our men aboard, we left the wharf in gallant style and were soon sailing down the harbor at the rate of seven knots an hour. The light house was soon passed, and in about an hour after we had the left the city our pilot was discharged.

THE SEA.

"Roll on, thou deep and dark blue ocean roll!

*

Unchangeable save to thy wild waves play

Time writes no wrinkle on thine azure brow

Such as creation's dawn beheld, thou rollest now."-Childe Harold.

All sail was now crowded upon the ship, as the Captain was anxious to double the cape and obtain a good offing before the sun went down. The royals and main skysail were set, and as the wind was well on the quarter the larboard studding sail booms were all run out and the sails soon swelling to the breeze. Being in ballast trim, the Java, who had ever obtained the reputation of a fast sailer, seemed to fly like a stormbird over the billows. The ropes having been coiled upon the belaying pins, and every thing stowed in its place, Captain N, and myself remained the sole occupants of the weather quarter-deck. The excitement of the morning was gradually dying away among the officers and crew, and even in my own feelings it was fast becoming lost in the tide of thoughts and emotions which came rushing into my bosom. Here was I, a mere youth, embarked upon the ocean in the capacity of captain's clerk,

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