EXTRACTS FROM THE MS. OF A DECEASED NAVAL OFFICER.

WHEN the Camel was paid off, I changed the scene of my services for his Majesty's ship Druid, when she was commanded by the late Captain Joseph Ellison (Jock, as we used to call him). There were about twentysix of us, nice lads as ever were mustered on a quarter-deck, full of life and mischief. We liked Jock, but he had not a very quiet life of it; a fortnight seldom passed without some piece of mischief bringing us all ranged in his cabin before him, when, after working himself up for battle, he generally began with," Arn't you a parcel of damned rascals ?" Sometimes we would dispute his position, when banishment to watch, and watch in the tops, was the result; or, after an argument, we would soften him down, and part good friends. At other times if our offence was rank, the "Arn't you a parcel of damned rascals?" was answered by "Yes, Sir." Jock could not stand this; after a grumbling turn or two, his choler would go with,"There now, there's good boys, go to your duty, and don't do so again."

In those days the Duke of Clarence was a Lieutenant in his Majesty's ship Hebe, which came into Falmouth while the Druid was there; many droll stories were abroad about Prince William Henry-but mum, I must hoist out my boat to sound. We sailed with the Hebe for Torbay, and 1 recollect we Mids had been for some time in deep disgrace. The Druid came up with, and slowly passed, the Hebe, to the high joy of Jock. Great was his ecstasy, and in my mind's eye I now see him, crushing his hat, and poking out his one arm (an old habit with him when pleased); it made us all "good boys," and restored us to quarter-deck and duty again. However, on getting to Torbay, farther mischief fell in our way, and we dropped into it; for which, on a Sunday morning while at anchor, the Hebe near, we were all, as a punishment, sent aloft, one at each yard, mastheads, booms, spritsail-yard, even royals, in fact every part where one could be placed. All was quiet for a time (Jock below) when by previous arrangement a stave of Rule Britannia was given by one, piano, then out burst a general chorus. In the midst of the consequent consternation, the Prince came on board, and whether from his jokes and manner of

treating it to Jock, I know not, but this "rebellious conduct" of the "dam. ned rascals" passed off.

I cannot here omit mentioning another circumstance that occurred during his Royal Highness's visit on board. One of our foremast men had a female companion in the ship, vulgarly called a sailor's wife. This girl was in Admiral Rodney's ship at the same time with his Royal Highness, where she carried powder to one of the guns, in their action with Langara; and in the Druid she was known by the name of Rodney.

She introduced herself to her old shipmate, and was recognized by his Royal Highness. But here let me take another look at the soundings before I make sail;-although I hear his Royal Highness enjoys a laugh when scenes of former days are mentioned, yet I may be in too humble a station to take that freedom; I therefore just quote the Druid's Chronicle, which stated, that "his Royal Highness being desirous of bestowing some marks of his bounty on Rodney, and his purse having taken the ground at ebb-tide, he had recourse to our second Lieut. Bryce for a guinea for the occasion." This was an unfortunate meeting for Rodney, as she sustained the loss of two teeth, which her friend Jack knocked out afterwards upon some quarrel, when she taunted him with having royal blood in her veins.

The Prince next had the command of the Andromeda, while the Druid was lying near her in the Sound. Our quarter-deck lads had the mizen-top sail, top-gallant sails, and royals, to handle on furling sails; I was one of the bunters of the mizen-top sail; and one day the Prince came on board just in time for "one toss more for his Royal Highness," to his great amusement, but Jock's great annoyance. The Druid's Chronicle also reported some smashing of windows, "for the honour of his Royal Highness," in the then called "Liberty Street," a part of the coast of Plymouth Dock his Royal Highness knew the soundings of as well as the best pilot among us. The Chronicle also said, that in those days there lived a certain Jew, called either Abraham Joseph, or Joseph Abraham, on the quay at Plymouth, who the Plymoutheans said was a useful man to his Royal Highness; indeed report went so far as to say that he was the Prince's Uncle. But I only know that Moses had the King's arms over his shop, with "Slopseller to his Royal

Highness Prince William Henry," done in gold letters. There were many other anecdotes of His Royal Highness in circulation at those times, but I will not go beyond the Druid's Chronicle. I now call to mind other scenes of those days. Hostilities between the Mids of the Druid and the people of the Dock-yard, (the caulkers particularly) were perpetual; we never ceased annoying them; complaints were often made, but to no purpose. "How are ye, Matey?" was always our address to each other in their hearing, and you would see Mids with caulking tools, (always keeping a long mallet shot from them if possible,) imitating the caulkers, and resting between each stroke; others calling out, "Don't work so hard, Mr. you'll fatigue yourself;" in fact, every annoyance we could think of was resorted to. The poor devils used to say they "would sooner caulk Hell's gates, than the sides of the Druid." Among other subjects of amusement for us, was one of our own members, who, unfortunately for him, was the son of a tailor at Gosport. Had the young man been mild and unassuming, we might have let him alone, but he was proud, passionate, bandy-legged, and foolish; no dog ever led such a life; by humouring his vanity, we could coax him into a host of fun and folly. He had a strange oath to swear by, (a tailor's clearly) "D-n my Hell!" He was a fiddler, and as we usually danced on a summer's evening, by praising his dancing, we always procured his fiddling powers. The gentleman would often get on high ropes, when we resorted to other measures. Often when seated round our table, a Mid would walk in with a pair of scissors, and slips of paper over his shoulder, he would then begin to take measure of another, a dispute about snipping the measure was sure to follow, and Jack referred to for settling it. From use, he would bear it a little, but not long. Sometimes one opposite him at table (for it was necessary to keep a little distance) would say, Jack, your father must by mistake have taken up some other person's measure, when he cut you out for a tailor;" we had an opening in the fore part of the berth through which the offender generally escaped. Even Jock Ellison would sometimes have his joke

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with him. Jack was a little deaf, but could hear Jock in a whisper, if it was an invitation to dinner. Thus, if off deck in his watch, or from any other cause, Jock loudly ordered the tailor "to the mast head," it brought nothing but "Sir?"-when the captain would lower his voice-" Jack, will you dine with me to-day ?"-"I shall think it an honour, Sir," was the immediate reply. Many a time have the Mids of the watch gone down, and contrived (notwithstanding his caution) to get at his jacket and trowsers, and sow them up, then attend his turning out; when his favourite oath would be handed round, as in great wrath he taxed us with the work; during which we vainly attempted to pacify him, by saying, "the clothes were made by his father's journeyman, who had left them so."But these were slight annoyances to one he almost nightly experienced, indeed, at times, often repeated in the same night. The present Sir Charles Brisbane was his chief tormentor in this. The poor tailor slept for some time in the berth, with Brisbane as his next neighbour. Unhappily for Jack, he was a terrible snorer, and in consequence of the loud complaints, he had in an evil hour instructed his neighbour to take some method of waking him, when thus disturbing their peace. This was enough for mischief. When we have been walking or standing round the captain, in our watch, Brisbane, or some other, would exclaim"By G-d, there's the tailor snoring!" This was a signal for a start below, when Brisbane would get hold of Jack's nose, (which by practice he knew where to hit on) and giving it a twist, swear we heard him snoring upon deck, and all 'tween decks were grumbling." This, if the tailor had really been asleep, passed off with "Thank you, but you need not have pinched so hard." But when it happened Brisbane mistook his time, aud Jack's eyes were not closed in sleep, a violent altercation would ensue; Jack would insist upon it he was wide awake!— "No, by G-d, Jack, you were fast asleep, and snoring like the devil!" And sometimes we would swear the tailor into the belief that he could not have been awake, or at least to doubt it, and so silence him. But if Jack's wrath so far overcame him that he persisted in his opinion, then Brisbane, in an apparent rage, would say, "You what! this is tailoring son of a all the thanks I get for the trouble I take

Customs of Warious Countries.

MOORISH WOOING AND WEDDING.

Marriage amongst the Moors is brought about by the intervention of friends; no interview whatever can take place previously to the nuptials. The good or bad qualities of the lady are explained to the lover, and also her abilities and personal charms. Love, that rare ingredient in Moorish marriages, may sometimes be found subsequent, but cannot be known previously to matrimony.

On the evening of the wedding the lady is placed on horseback, in an enclosure which resembles a large paper lanthorn; in this way she is paraded through the streets to the house of the bridegroom, by the male friends of both parties. Rude music, the shouts of the rabble, and the firing of powder, assail the ears of the bride, whose union and introduction to her husband are coeval. The validity of the marriage contract depends on the same proofs as those required by the Levitical law, but the the lady may be returned for less material defects than their absence, or the husband is at liberty to take another wife if he please. It is to meet the difficulties arising from a total want of prior acquaintance between the parties, that the law of Mahomet allows a plurality of wives to those who can prove they are able to maintain them. Barrenness is a ground of divorce, as likewise a repugnant breath, for both of which causes women in Barbary are often repudiated. Monthly Mag.

Anecdotiana.

RECOLLECTIONS OF LORD BYRON.

When Lord Byron was a member of the Managing (query, mis-managing?) Committee of Drury-lane Theatre, Bartley was speaking with him on the decay of the drama, and took occasion to urge his Lordship to write a tragedy for the stage: "I cannot," was the reply, "I don't know how to make the people go on and off in the scenes, and know not where to find a fit character.' "Take your own," said Bartley, meaning in the honesty of his heart, one of his Laras or Childe Harolds. "Much obliged to you," was the reply-and exit in a huff. Byron thought he spoke literally of his own real character.

One night, in the opera, while he was in Italy, a gentleman appeared in one of the lower boxes, so like Lord Byron,

that he attracted a great deal of attention. I saw him myself, and was not convinced it was not him until I went close to the box to speak to him. I afterwards ascertained that the stranger belonged to the Stock Exchange.

On another occasion, during the queen's trial, it was reported that he had arrived from abroad, and was seen entering the House of Lords. A friend of mine mentioned the circumstance to him afterwards. "No!" said he, "that would have been too much, considering the state of matters between me and my own wife."

One evening Lord Byron was with a friend at a masquerade in the Argyllrooms, a few nights after Skeffington's tragedy of The Mysterious Bride had been damned. His friend was dressed as a nun, who had endured depredation from the French in Portugul." What is she?" said Skeffington, who came up to his Lordship, pointing to the nun. -The reply was "The Mysterious Bride." Galt's Life of Byron.

A ROYAL ROPE-DANCER. mily of France, before the Revolution, To such an excess did the Royal Fa(1790), carry their love of sport and mountebankism, that the abdicated Charles X. when Comte d'Artois, actually took lessons for some time in celebrated Little Devil. The dancing rope-dancing, from Placido and the then of the ex-king was upon the rope; the chances lately were two to one but what he had figured at the end of a corde volante. Such is the mutability of human affairs.

EPIGRAM,

On a case tried at Winchester, in which a Bricklayer, named VAIN, obtained a verdict of one farthing damages against a Carter, named WEAK, for slanderous words.

In Hants, a case of defamation
Was tried, 'twixt men in humble station,
A bricklayer and carter:
Plaintiff was Vain, as oft you see-
Defendant Weak, as weak could be;

Vain injured honour's martyr:
For when 'twas o'er, the Judge recorded
One farthing damages awarded

To cleanse the opprobrious stain. Justice-most mighty when most meekThus proved defendant might be Weak, But plaintiff Weak and Vain.

EPITAPH IN THE CHURCH-YARD OF STOKE BY NAYLAND, SUFFOLK.

Here lie I by my dear Son,

For by my Husband there is no room.