baffling--weather hazy--Lady Passengers on deck for the first time.

Arrived in the Downs--ordered by signal from the guardship to proceed
to Portsmouth. Arrived at Spithead--ordered to fit to receive a
general officer, and six pieces of field artillery, and a Spanish
Ecclesiastic, the Canon of ------. Plenty of great guns, at any
rate--a regular park of artillery.

Received General ------ and his wife, and aide-de-camp, and two
poodle-dogs, one white man-servant, one black ditto, and the Canon of
------, and the six nine-pound field-pieces, and sailed for the Cove of
Cork.

It was blowing hard as we stood in for the Old Head of Kinsale--pilot
boat breasting the foaming surge like a sea gull--_Carrol Cove_ in her
tiny mainsail--pilot jumped into the main channel--bottle of rum swung
by the lead line into the boat--all very clever.

Ran in, and anchored under Spike Island. A line-of-battle ship, three
frigates, and a number of merchantmen at anchor--men-of-war lovely
craft--bands playing--a good deal of the pomp and circumstances of war.
Next forenoon, Mr. Treenail, the second lieutenant, sent for me.

"Mr. Cringle," said he, "you have an uncle in Cork, I believe?"

I said I had.

"I am going there on duty to-night; I daresay, if you asked the captain
to let you accompany me, he would do so." This was too good an offer
not to be taken advantage of. I plucked up courage, made my bow, asked