carved work all gilt and
painted. Such a craft is never seen now-a-days.

She was crowded with people. Some were soldiers, worn-out men, with
their wives and families returning home from the colonies; others were
cabin passengers. There were rich Hidalgos, attended on by their
slaves--old men, who had spent their lives abroad in the pursuit of
wealth; and there were fair girls, too, probably their daughters, some
young and lovely; and there were young men, with life before them, and
thinking that life was to be very sweet; and there were children, and
infants in arms, and their fond mothers or nurses anxious to shelter
them from harm. Then there were the officers of the ship and the crew;
fierce, dark-bearded men--a mongrel set of various ranks and many
nations. She was evidently a rich galleon, returning to old Spain from
one of her ill-governed dependencies in South America. But it was the
way in which all these people were employed that made so deep an
impression on me. Then the scene looked only like a strange picture.
It was not till long afterwards, when I reasoned on what I had observed,
that I understood what I now describe.

The greater number of the men were at the pumps, labouring in a way
which showed that they fancied their lives depended on their exertions;
but the clear streams of water which came out of the scuppers, and the
heavy way in which the ship plunged into the trough of the sea, showed
that their labour would too probably be in vain. Others seemed
paralysed or pitied, and sat down with their heads on their breasts
waiting their fate. Many, as they passed us, came to the side of their
ship, and held out their hands imploringly towards us, as if we could
help them. But what seemed most dreadful--some of the sailors and
soldiers had got hold of a quantity of wine and spirits, and were
reeling about the decks, offering liquor to every one they encountered,
and holding out bottles and cans of wine mockingly at us, or as if
inviting us to join them. Several, although they must have given up all
hope of assistance from man, might have looked for it from Heaven, for
they were on their knees imploring help--was it from Him who alone can
give it, or was it from their various saints? I don't know.

Two groups of figures on the poop especially struck me. In the centre
of one stood a tall man in rich vestments of gold, and white, and
purple. He had a shorn crown. He was a priest. He was ho