attering among cups and dishes, and
making an awful havoc amongst them. After indulging in peals of
laughter for a while longer, we collected the fragments of our
breakfast, and ate it with undiminished appetites.

About this time a light breeze sprang up, and we crept slowly forward
to the place of our destination.

VII.

"Land ahead!" cried the lookout, from the mast head.

"What does it look like?" asked I.

"Low hills, sir, and now I see houses on the highest peaks."

"Hurrah, New Providence, Fort Nassau, ho!"

Soon we saw the shores of the British island, New Providence, but the
wind lulled, and we were soon nearly becalmed again.

"I say, captain," said Bangs, "we must be your guests for this night
at least, and trouble you for lodgings on board your nut-shell. No
hopes, as I see, of getting into port to-night, and if we did it would
be too late to land."

He was right, and we sat down to our rude and homely meal in the
little broiling hot cabin. We were all in a very good humor. I
flattered myself that my conduct in our late combat with the slaver,
would advance me several steps up the ladder of promotion, whilst my
friends were overjoyed at the thoughts of soon being on terra firma
once more.

"Captain, my boy," said Bangs, "I honor your profession; but,
nevertheless, have no great desire to belong to it. I am satisfied
that no persuasion or bribery can ever induce me to make my home on
the deep; and, indeed, viewing the thing closely----"

"By the mark two fathoms less three quarters," called out the
leadsman.

We ran into the harbor of Nassau, where we saw the glimmering of
lights, but as it was too late to land that night, we dropped anchor,
and after taking a parting glass of grog, went to bed. As I was
convinced of the perfect security of the harbor, I ran the schooner,
as she needed repairing badly, quite near to the shore, in order to be
close to the dock-yard. During the night the little vessel softly
touched the bottom. The shock woke me and several of the men, for
though a seaman is accustomed to the swell and motion of the heaving
ocean, yet the slightest touch of any hard, opposing substance, rouses
him quick as lightning. I could hear, through the thin partition, the
officers in earnest conversation.

"We are aground," said one.

"Well, what of it," said another; "there is no sea here; all is still
and calm, and shut in by the land."

However, we were all soon snoring again, f