in a sea-way. At either end is a
circular revolving turret containing two thirty-five ton guns,
constructed to throw shot of seven hundred pounds. These guns are
worked by means of machinery.

Contrasting with the ironclads, we saw lying alongside the quays several
enormous, white-painted, richly-gilt troop-ships, also iron-built, which
run through the Suez Canal to India. The night was calm and still; and
as we pulled up the harbour a short distance among the huge ships, I
could not help fancying that I heard them talking to each other, and
telling of the deeds they had done. Papa laughed at my poetical fancy,
which was put to flight when he told me that scarcely any of them,
except those which were engaged in the Baltic and Black Sea, had seen
any service.

Pulling down the harbour on the Gosport side, to be out of the way of
passing vessels, we soon reached the yacht, feeling very tired, for we
had been wide awake for the last sixteen hours. As we sat in our little
cabin, it was difficult to realise that outside of us were so many
objects and scenes of interest connected with the naval history of
England. Papa told us a number of curious anecdotes. Not many hundred
yards from us, about a century ago, was to be seen a gibbet on Block
House Point, at the west entrance of the harbour, on which hung the body
of a man called Jack the Painter. Having taken it into his very silly
head that he should forward the cause of freedom by burning the
dockyard, he set fire to the rope-house, which was filled with hemp,
pitch, and tar. Jack, having performed this noble deed, escaped from
the yard, and was making his way along the Fareham Road, when, having
asked a carter to give him a lift, he pointed out the cloud of smoke
rising in the distance, observing that he "guessed where it came from."
The carter went his way; but shortly afterwards, when a hue and cry was
raised, he recollected his passenger, who was traced, captured, tried,
and executed.

Another story we heard was about the mad pranks played by naval officers
in days of yore. At that time, a sentry-box, having a seat within,
stood on the Hard, at Portsmouth, so that the sentry could sit down and
rest himself. It happened that a party of young captains and
commanders, coming down from dinner to embark, found the sentry at his
post, but drunk and sound asleep in his box! Punishment was his due.
They bethought themselves of a mode of astonishing him. Summonin