s and agility with which the 'little frigate'
walked the waves, or amuse himself by noticing the beauty of the
sea-views around him, where the distant Skiddaw raised his brow, as if
in defiance of the clouded eminence of Criffel, which lorded it over the
Scottish side of the estuary, he had spirits and composure enough to pay
particular attention to the master of the vessel, on whose character his
own safety in all probability was dependent.

Nanty Ewart had now given the helm to one of his people, a bald-pated,
grizzled old fellow, whose whole life had been spent in evading
the revenue laws, with now and then the relaxation of a few months'
imprisonment, for deforcing officers, resisting seizures, and the like
offences.

Nanty himself sat down by Fairford, helped him to his tea, with such
other refreshments as he could think of, and seemed in his way sincerely
desirous to make his situation as comfortable as things admitted.
Fairford had thus an opportunity to study his countenance and manners
more closely.

It was plain, Ewart, though a good seaman, had not been bred upon that
element. He was a reasonably good scholar, and seemed fond of showing it
by recurring to the subject of Sallust and Juvenal; while, on the other
hand, sea-phrases seldom chequered his conversation. He had been in
person what is called a smart little man; but the tropical sun had burnt
his originally fair complexion to a dusty red; and the bile which was
diffused through his system, had stained it with a yellowish black--what
ought to have been the white part of his eyes, in particular, had a hue
as deep as the topaz. He was very thin, or rather emaciated, and his
countenance, though still indicating alertness and activity, showed a
constitution exhausted with excessive use of his favourite stimulus.

'I see you look at me hard,' said he to Fairford. 'Had you been an
officer of the d--d customs, my terriers' backs would have been up. He
opened his breast, and showed Alan a pair of pistols disposed between
his waistcoat and jacket, placing his finger at the same time upon the
cock of one of them. 'But come, you are an honest fellow, though you're
a close one. I dare say you think me a queer customer; but I can tell
you, they that see the ship leave harbour know little of the seas she
is to sail through. My father, honest old gentleman, never would have
thought to see me master of the JUMPING JENNY.'

Fairford said, it seemed very clear indeed