As Captain N. was anxious to reach Europe as soon as possible, he continued to carry a heavy press of sail as long as the ship could possibly bear it. So vividly is that scene painted upon the canvass of memory, that I can see him even now standing, as he did, upon the weather quarter-deck, holding on to the monkey-rail to steady himself, while he watched the compass, and at one moment chided the man at the wheel for not keeping the ship close to the wind, and at another for shaking the sails, and then, as some fresh flaw struck the ship, casting an anxious glance aloft to the topmasts as they bent under the force of the breeze.

Now, my good madam,' said Capt. N., addressing the ship as he was often wont to do, 'show my young friend here that of all the gallant craft which sail these waters there is not one that can play with the gale like yourself. Look,' said he, turning to me, 'see how beautifully she flies along almost in the wind's eye. One half of the frigates in our navy, with a breeze like this, would be flinging the spray over the lee foreyard arm, while the good lady scarcely sprinkles her cat-heads. I have often wished that I could fall in with one of those frigates in a gale of wind, and if the Java did not shame them I am no sailor.'

I knew very well that every sailor thinks his own craft the best, and consequently made all proper allowance for Captain N.'s enthusiasm ; yet I could not but acknowledge that beautiful as had been my ideas of a ship rushing over the waters under a full press of canvass, the Java exceeded them all. Though the wind had now increased to a gale, the captain manifested no disposition to shorten sail. His practiced eye, never still, was in every part of the vessel, ready to detect the first appearance of injury either to the spars or the rigging.

As the men had nothing to do but stand ready to act at a moment's warning, they were all collected together under the lee of the camboose, at one moment telling their long yarns of the dangers they had passed through, and the storms they had witnessed, and at another watching and remarking upon the movements of Captain N. and the action of the vessel.

'Many's the craft,' said one of them, whose deep-lined, weatherbeaten features, bore evidence that he had been tossing upon the seas for many years, and to whom all looked up with deference as the most experienced among them, 'many's the craft that has carried this old hulk of mine across these same waters, and many's the one I've been proud of in a gale like this, but blast my eyes if ever I want a better sea-boat than the Java. As for sailing, Old Breezer has to puff like a grampus to keep up with her, and she is no more afraid of salt water than a porpoise is. And there's our captain, a regular-built forecastle sailor;-he never crept into the cabin windows me, that I know by the roll of his walk and the cut of his whiskers. These fresh-water dandy captains, like the last I sailed

under, who can't tell a sheet anchor from a cat-hook, instead of cracking on and combing the snarls out of old Neptune's hair, would now be laying to under a close-reefed main-topsail, and saying their prayers in the cabin, blast the cowardly

The speaker was interrupted by the green hand, almost paralyzed with fright, Ain't none of you afeer'd we shall all sink and be drownded?'

'Sink, you horse marine, sink? did you ever hear of a sailor's being afraid of sinking, you white-liver'd Varmounter? I say, cook, just rub your black paws over this baby's face and give it some color, or curse me we shall all be sea-sick together.'

Oh don't-don't-I aint't frightened-no I ain't a bit-'

'You lie, you are; your knees shake worse than a piece of bunting in a hurricane. Clap a stopper on your jaw, I tell you, youngster,' as the boy was about to interrupt him, or I'll make youfi nd soundings in the lee scuppers.'

This threat, however severe it may have seemed, was thrown out only to create a laugh among the older sailors, in accordance with that right which all jack tars assume, of browbeating and frightening every green hand. But it was sufficient. The poor fellow withdrew himself from the circle, and leaning his head over the windlass-bit, grasping it at the same time with both hands to secure himself, began to repent the step he had taken in leaving his home. 'Darn my eyes if I ain't sick of this business. I guess if I hain't made a plaguy mistake in coming to sea, I don't know. I wish I was back on the farm again hoeing potatoes. If ever I get back there safe, I'll give any man the best wood lot in the whole state if he catches me on board a ship again. Oh dear,' (as the ship made a heavier plunge than usual) what a wicked man that capting is to frighten me so. I mean to go and ask him to take down those sails a little while. Oh dear, how bad I begin to feel about the

Before he could close his sentence, a heavy sea striking the ship on the weather bow, dashed its spray completely across the forecastle, wetting him to the skin, and so frightened was he, that letting go his hold upon the bit, the ship at the same moment heeling down from the shock, the luckless fellow was pitched over backwards into the water that lay in the waist.

It was now evident to the captain and officers that it was impossible to carry such a press of sail any longer. The conversation of the sailors therefore was soon interrupted by a cry from the chief mate. 'All hands aft! come my boys, what we do now must be done at once and in true sailor style-stand by those maintopsail halliards-man the reef tackles-Are you ready?'

'Aye, aye, sir.'

'Slack away on your halliards then-round in the clue garnetssway away on those reef-tackles-give them another pull and then jump aloft, my good fellows.'

'How many reefs shall we put in,' enquired the second mate. 'Put in two-mind that you haul the earings chock out and knot your points well, as we may want to carry on that reef for some tine.'

In a few minutes the topsail was reefed and hoisted-the foretopsail and spanker were also double reefed, and as the ship carried a stiff weather helm the mizen topsail was handed. By the time this was accomplished the sun had set. The gale still continued regularly to freshen and the seas, under its influence, to increase in size. The rain too had commenced falling and we had the prospect for the night before us of encountering one of those violent equinoctial gales which usually arise at this season of the year. At eight bells* the first watch for the night came on deck, well protected with their pea jackets and tarpaulins against the storm. The rest of the crew were permitted to go below, after having been reminded by the mate that their nap would be a short one. The captain and second mate had also retired to their state-rooms. So intense was the excitement created by the gathering storm that I had no inclination to leave the deck, and seating myself therefore upon the weather side of the companion way, regardless of the rain with which I was completely drenched, I gave full scope to my feelings.

Possessing a lively imagination to which the spur rather than the curb had always been applied, I loved, when on the land, to stray away to some commanding elevation and there watch the rise and progress of the storm, when, grasping in its hand the lightning, with blackened brow and giant step it came rushing down the mountain's sides and through the valleys, leaving every where the impress of its fury. I could sit for hours listening to its wild scream until I fancied it a living being and longed to join in its revelry. Much more then was my imagination aroused, and far more wantonly did it sport, as I watched for the first time the movements of a storm upon the sea. Led on step by step I had forgotten the ship, the ocean, and the whistling of the blast among the rigging, and had created around me, under the inspiration of the moment, an ideal world, in which I was revelling in all the wildness of fancy.

'Well Charles,' said the mate, who had seated himself by my side, how like you old Boreas' lullaby while Neptune is rocking us in our cradle ?'

I started from my reverie with feelings strongly akin to anger at the sudden destruction of the beautiful bubble upon which I had been gazing. While endeavoring to recollect myself, I replied somewhat sharply, what did you say?'

The watches are reckoned from noon and consist of four hours each, with the exception of a short watch from six to eight, P. M., called "the dog watch." The bell is struck every half hour.

'Are you asleep? faces at home? if so,

Have you been dreaming about the bright curse me if you are not the prettiest dreamer I have ever seen upon a ship's deck. I asked how you liked this northeaster that is playing such pranks with the billows.'

'Like it? I like it much,-would that we had more of it. Do you call this a severe storm?'

'Indeed I do, and I can tell you, that this is none of those baby blasts that go creeping along over the land like a duck in shallow water. It is one of old Stormer's real boys and he will let us know it too before he quits us.'

'Do you think,' said I, catching with delight his last expression, 'do you think that the wind will continue to increase until we have one of those tremendous gales of which you were speaking a few days since ?'

I will tell you what, Charles, I have been on the sea for nearly fifteen years and I never knew a storm to commence as this has without its terminating in a perfect hurricane. Depend upon it, before the morning dawns, you will wish yourself ashore more than a thousand times.'

'Never-never!' I replied; and rising from my seat I sprung to the weather rail. Waving my hat above my head with enthusiasm, I shouted to the utmost extent of my voice,

'Come on, my good breezes-muster all your forces and show us what you can do! make these topsails feel that a stranger has hold of them! arouse up you cowards,-the old foresail is laughing at you. Come on and do your best; I, at least, am not afraid of you.' Having thrown out my challenge, I commenced whistling,* that I might woo if I could not enrage.

'Hush,' said the mate,-'you will wake those below. You are a noble fellow and ought to live and die on the sea and find a sailor's grave

What more he would have said I know not, for at this moment, as if provoked by the childish insult I had just given, a furious blast swept through the rigging and by the sails, while almost simultaneously with it, an immense sea lifting its white head over the weather bow broke in upon deck sweeping the whole length of the vessel. 'We have it now in right good earnest,' said the mate. 'These sails must be off the ship in less than ten minutes or they will be blown to rags and the ship down on her beam ends. Jump and call the captain and second mate, while I go forward and get every thing ready for heaving too.'

I hastened to obey the order, and as I passed down the gangway I heard the mate's voice rising above the gale,

'Call all hands.'

* Sailors believe that the wind is increased by whistling on the weather side of the vessel.

'All hands, a-h-o-y,' was borne on the air, as one of the men aroused his sleeping comrades.

No matter how deep the slumber which holds the sailor; let but the summons 'All hands, ahoy,' be sounded above him, and he is on deck and even on the topsail yard before the echo has fully died away. It was so in this case. Every man was immediately at his post. At the captain's request I took the wheel and permitted the helmsman to assist in shortening sail. The foretopsail and foresail were handed and the maintopsail close reefed, and under this sail together with the foretopmast staysail the ship was hove to, that she might safely ride out the gale. The helm was lashed alee and the watch again retired below.

However powerfully the wind may have blown at the time of my conversation with the mate, it was then but a breath compared with the roar which now went thundering through the air. The seas had increased to an enormous size, and the whole ocean was in a boiling foam. Wave chased wave. Some more ambitious than the rest, would strive to outdo their fellows in rearing their heads on high, until growing dizzy with their elevation they tumbled one over another while a hoarse laugh seemed to ring across the waters. The "lulls" which usually attend a gale, in this instance were not heard; it was one harsh uninterrupted scream. At one moment the ship was riding "mid heaven" on the crest of a mountain wave which rolled on with the lightning's speed, and at another was sinking inte the trough of the sea, while the water, as she fell, poured like a cataract upon deck over the leerail. The masts groaned under the merciless treatment they were receiving, while the noble ship herself would first reel to and fro, and then lie shivering as if stunned by the repeated blows which fell upon her.

The night sped on with no abatement of the violence of the wind or the seas. Thus far however we had rode out the gale in safety. Although surrounded with danger and liable at any moment either to capsize or to spring aleak, in which case all must inevitably have perished, not a breath of fear stirred in my bosom; on the contrary it was to me a night of intense delight; and although I did not wish that any accident might happen, yet, urged on by that uncontrollable power whose influence every one when in a state of excitement experiences, I secretly longed for something more terrible. It soon came. The main-topsail had nobly bared its unflinching bosom to the wild blast and toiled with all its strength to keep the ship headed to the wind, until feeling itself aggrieved, that while all the other sails were quietly sleeping in their gaskets, it was compelled single handed to fight the storm, it determined to endure it no longer. I had just commenced remarking to the officer of the deck that the main storm-staysail ought to supply the place of the topsail, when a sudden sharp report overhead brought us upon our feet, and upon looking aloft we saw the remains of the topsail, which had been