ly drilled into the manners and customs
of a man-of-war, to know the value of the proverb, "The least said, the
soonest mended."

A spigot had been already inserted into one of the casks of claret which
were lashed on deck; and, as the small vessel was very uneasy in the
heavy swell of the Bay of Biscay, our hero had sufficient employment in
watching the pot of claret, and preventing it from being upset by the
motion of the vessel, as it was constantly heating on the stove in the
cabin. This potation was regularly presented by Willy every half-hour,
as directed, to his commanding officer, who, if it was too sweet, or not
sweet enough, or if he could not drink the whole, invariably, and much
to the annoyance of our hero, threw the remainder into his face, telling
him that was his share of it.

This arrangement continued in full force for three days and three
nights--for Willy was roused up five or six times every night to
administer the doses of mulled claret which Mr Bullock had prescribed
for himself, who seemed, thin and meagre as he was, to be somewhat like
a bamboo in his structure (i.e. hollow from top to bottom), as if to
enable him to carry the quantity of fluid that he poured down his throat
during the twenty-four hours. As for intoxicating him, that appeared to
be impossible: from long habit, he seemed to be like a stiff ship that
careened to her bearings, and would sooner part company with her masts
than heel any further.

On the fourth day, a strong gale sprang up from the north-west, and the
sea ran very high. The _chasse-maree_, never intended to encounter the
huge waves of the Bay of Biscay, but to crawl along the coast and seek
protection from them on the first indication of their fury,--labouring
with a heavy cargo, not only stowed below, but on the decks,--was not
sufficiently buoyant to rise on the summits of the waves, which made a
clean breach over her, and the men became exhausted with the wet and the
inclemency of the season. On the third day of the gale, and seventh
since they had parted company with the fleet, a squall brought the
mainmast by the board; the foresail was lowered to close-reef, when a
heavy sea struck the vessel, and pouring a torrent over her decks, swept
overboard the three men who were forward reefing the sail. Mr Bullock,
the master's mate, was at the helm--Willy, as usual, down below,
attending the mulled claret, which had been more than ever in request
since the bad w