loud trampling, like that of some monstrous animal, was heard on the spar deck. Every one abandoned his employment, and rushed from his apartment with mouth and eyes wide open, to gaze at the spectacle, or apparition, if so it might prove. But by the time they had reached the deck, the noise had ceased. It was soon heard again, when the animal approached and galloped several times around the quarter deck, making a scattering among us, as if each found it necessary to escape for his life.

This created much laughter, though it was not so easy to divine what the ghost was. But the mystery was soon solved. Two men had lashed themselves together, back to back, by a rope around their waists. Each bent the body downwards in opposite directions; on each side of the head of one, a shoe was fastened, to represent the ears of the animal; over the head of the other, hung a swab or broom, to serve the purpose of a tail, and both were overspread with a white blanket. Each carried a couple of clogs in his hands, which, when beat upon the deck, occasioned a sound similar to the trampling of a horse, or the trotting of a donkey, while a boy sat upon their backs, occasionally crying, "buy a broom."

The reality of a sea life on board ship, wears quite a different aspect from what it does in the crude fancies of unfledged boyhood. His joys then are but dreams, and his hopes, but "goodly shadows in the summer's cloud." It rarely happens that a man who goes to sea, especially on a long voyage, can refrain from falling occasionally into a melancholy mood. Tired of treading the same cir

cle, of beholding the same objects, of repeating the same round of duties, with nothing to stimulate to action, he becomes a burden to himself, and not unfrequently falls into a depression of spirits, almost insupportable. Any thing, therefore, calculated to break in upon this dull sameness, and awaken his sensibilities, is hailed with pleasure; and sailors who possess no stock of real happiness, but snatch the froth from the wave as it passes by them, are ever busy in taxing their powers of invention at something to amuse and afford a momentary gratification.

We had many opportunities of seeing the great monsters of the deep, and frequently passed among large shoals of sperm whales, spouting and sporting around us in beauty and grandeur. On the second of December, a vessel in distress was reported on our weather bow. We rushed to the spar deck with a fluttering heart, and feelings of compassion for the unfortunate. Many of the officers were hanging in the shrouds to gaze at the object, which could just be discerned by the aid of a glass. It was then said to be a wreck- "it certainly is a wreck." "No, it is a whale boat, filled with men." "No, it is a spar—it is a spar." Our speculations were soon ended, by approaching the thing which had excited so much attention. It was a wreck indeed, but not of a ship. It proved to be the mangled carcass of a whale, filled with busy albatrosses! The first lieutenant levelled a thirtytwo pounder at it, but in consequence of the motion of the ship, and the rolling of the wreck, the ball passed over it. It was, however, considered a good shot!

On the fifth," High land ahead" was reported by the man on the fore-yard. It proved to be Table Mountain, at the distance of about fifty miles, and by evening we had run very near to it; but in consequence of not being familiar with the entrance to Table Bay, the Commodore deemed it best to stand off and on, during the night. The next morning found us near False Cape, whither the current had drifted us, at the distance of about thirty miles. Having but a light breeze, and the current still setting strongly against us, we made slow progress, and by noon, were completely becalmed, within a few miles of the harbor. This was not a little tantalizing, as we were all anxious to have a view of Cape Town. But the scene around us was not devoid of interest. Within a short distance were seen lofty mountains perfectly bare, but presenting a bold and fanciful outline, rising from the sea, pile on pile, resembling in some respects an antiquated watch-tower. Not long after, a fine breeze sprung up and we were soon in the harbor.

As we entered Table Bay, a snug little cottage on our right, sheltered in a retired nook at the foot of a mountain, was an object of interest that attracted our attention. Embowered in beautiful shade trees, with its trellis and clambering grape vine, it presented a scene of quiet and rural repose. Several, not much unlike this, gradually came in sight, with their beautiful flower gardens and neat shrubbery in front, till we at length obtained an extended view of the town. The town is built on a peninsula in latitude thirty-four degrees south, and is

situated in the midst of a valley between Table and Lion mountains. The former rises on one side, almost perpendicularly three thousand and five hundred feet high, resembling the ruins of some giant fortress; the latter, on the other side, has a strong resemblance to that terrific monster whose name it bears, as extended in a reclining posture. Between them, as seen from the ship, were interspersed churches and other buildings, all painted white, making an agreeable and picturesque appearance.

We lay to, for a few moments, to receive on board the port captain, James Bance, Esq. and the officer of health, John Laing, Esq. Our arrival produced great excitement. Before we fairly dropped our anchor, the bay was alive with various water-craft, crowded with eager spectators, directing their course towards us, to reconnoiter our ship, the first American frigate that ever greeted the eyes of the people of South Africa. There might have been a momentary disappointment, when the character of our ship was ascertained, as it had been a long time since any intelligence had arrived from England, and a British admiral had been daily expected.

When intelligence was communicated from the signal station on Lion's Rump, to the post-office, that a large ship was approaching, bearing an admiral's ensign, they very naturally concluded that ours was his majesty's ship, nor were we able to undeceive them, for we did not discern their signals. We found but few vessels in the har. bor, as ships most generally anchor in Simon's Bay, sixty miles south of us; Table Bay being unsafe anchorage at

VOYAGE THE FIRST.

43

And thus have I, under the peculiar Yachting head adopted for this chapter, freely using the authentic materials before me, given the "RESTLESS" to a deathless fame, vindicated the historical priority of New-York and the character of our Knickerbocker race, and placed the PuritanPilgrims in their true position. If we began our career of mercantile greatness by building the craft of pleasure, she was also the pioneer of our lofty enterprise; and the date of her register forms an incontestable era in the progress of our early civilization. It is a well-defined stage and restingplace for the historian, whereon to plant himself firmly and indisputably. And since that time, our mercantile marine of mighty ships, spreading their sails upon our waters and penetrating every sea, has had a history continuous and unbroken from the beginning hitherto. Ho! to the land shadowing with wings!