passage from Mexico,
nothing but fair winds, was exceedingly distressed by this last
unintelligible manoeuvre. Were they actually going away without
her?--the thought was agony. The ship, that was but four miles off when
first seen, was now at least eight, and her hull was fast sinking below
the line of direct vision. Her companions, who had hitherto been
occupied in silently admiring that most splendid effort of human genius,
a ship under full sail, were suddenly startled by an exclamation
betokening extreme anguish from their lovely friend--"They have gone!
they have gone!" sobbed the unhappy girl. The most affectionate
kindness, and the most earnest assurances that the apparently
unaccountable movement of the ship was no more than was absolutely
necessary from the direction of the wind, were equally lost upon
her--she "would not be comforted." In a few minutes the Albatross hove
in stays (you need not hold your fan to your face, madam), and seemed to
approach the shore as rapidly as she had before receded from it.

"Look up, my dear child," said M. de Silva; "see, your ship is flying
in, and will soon be safely at anchor."

Isabella raised her head from the shoulder of Madam de Silva, and
applying the glass to her tear-dimmed eye, was convinced of the folly of
her grief. They sat down to watch the gallant ship as she rapidly
approached the "roads." Before the sun was hid behind the hills in the
rear of the town, they had the pleasure of seeing the Albatross commence
reducing her sails; presently the topsails were clewed up, and the jib
hauled down, the ship "rounded to," her anchor let go, and in a moment
the men were seen clustering upon the lower and topsail yards. A minute
or two afterwards Isabella plainly distinguished, by the help of her
glass, the well-known whale-boat sweeping round the ship's stern, and
rowing swiftly towards the shore. A deep blush announced that the glass
had also informed her who was, in midshipman's language, the "sitter,"
the person in the stern-sheets, to wit, and she immediately proposed
returning to the house. Morton, on landing, informed her that the ship
would get under weigh the next morning at day-break, and that it would
be most advisable, as the ship could approach no nearer than five miles
to the town when beating out of the bay, to go on board as soon as
possible that evening, to which she, of course, assented, and, having
taken an affectionate leave of her Macao friends, w