ke at the lowest level of the deck,
are anxiously waiting their turn, and distract the purser's steward by
their loud calls, in every direction at the same time for the tin-pot of
water, with which he is relieving their agonising thirst.

A large shark is under the counter; he is so gorged with human flesh,
that he can scarcely move his tail in the tinged water; and he now hears
the sullen plunges of the bodies, as they are launched through the
lower-deck port, with perfect indifference. "Oh! what a glorious
thing's a battle!"

But to return to our particular narrative. As we mentioned before, the
citadel threw shells with remarkable precision, and every man who had
been killed on the quarter-deck of the commodore's ship, towards which
the attention of the enemy was particularly directed, had been laid low
by these horrible engines of modern warfare. The action still
continued, although the fire on both sides had evidently slackened, and
the commodore's glass had at several intervals been fruitlessly directed
towards the troops on shore, when accident brought about a change in
favour of our countrymen. Through some unknown cause, the magazine of
the enemy's largest battery exploded, and buried the fabric with its
tenants in one mass of ruin. The enemy were panic-struck with their
misfortune--our troops and sailors inspired with fresh courage--and the
fire was recommenced with three cheers and redoubled vigour. The troops
pushed on, and succeeded in taking possession of the masked battery,
which had so long and so effectually raked the commodore.

A few minutes after this had occurred, the citadel recommenced its fire,
and a shell, descending with that terrific hissing peculiar to itself
alone, struck the main-bitts on the quarter deck, and, rolling aft,
exploded. Its fragments scattered death around, and one piece took the
hat off the head of little Willy, who was standing before Adams, and
then buried itself in the old man's side. He staggered forward, and
fell on the coils of rope, near the companion-hatch; and when the men
came to assist him below, the pain of moving was so intense, that he
requested to be left where he was, that he might quietly breathe his
last.

Willy sat down beside his old friend, holding his hand.--"A little
water, boy--quick, quick!" It was soon procured by the active and
affectionate child; who, indifferent to the scene around him, thought
only of administering to the wants, and