at many of our
brave soldiers and sailors are also serving under the great Captain of
our salvation, and fighting the good fight of faith, helped in so doing
by good servants of God.

The town of Portsmouth was until lately surrounded by what were called
very strong fortifications; but the new works have rendered them
perfectly useless, and they are therefore being dismantled--a great
advantage to the town, as it will be thrown open to the sea-breezes.

A light breeze from the eastward enabled us to get under weigh just at
sunrise, and to stem the tide still making into the harbour. Sometimes,
however, we scarcely seemed to go ahead, as we crept by Block House Fort
and Point Battery on the Portsmouth side.

Once upon a time, to prevent the ingress of an enemy's fleet, a chain
was stretched across the harbour's mouth. We had got just outside the
harbour when we saw a man-of-war brig under all sail standing in. A
beautiful sight she was, her canvas so white, her sides so polished!--on
she stood, not a brace nor tack slackened. Papa looked at her with the
affection of an old sailor. It was an object which reminded him of his
younger days. "You don't see many like her now," he observed.
Presently, as she was starting by us, a shrill whistle was heard. Like
magic the sails were clewed up, the hands, fine active lads--for she was
a training vessel--flew aloft, and lay out on the yards. While we were
looking, the sails were furled; and it seemed scarcely a moment
afterwards when we saw her round to and come to an anchor not far from
the Saint Vincent. "That's how I like to see things done," said papa.
"I wish we had a hundred such craft afloat; our lads would learn to be
real seamen!"

He and Paul were so interested in watching the brig, that for the moment
their attention was wholly absorbed. As we got off the Southsea pier we
began to feel the wind coming over the common; and being able to make
better way, quickly glided by the yachts and small vessels anchored off
it, when we stood close to one of those round towers I have described,
and then on towards Spithead.

Spithead is so called because it is at the end of a spit or point of
sand which runs off from the mainland. We passed close over the spot
where the Royal George, with nine hundred gallant men on board,
foundered in August, 1782. She was the flag-ship of Admiral
Kempenfeldt. He was at the time writing in his cabin, where he was last
seen by the c