The Sea: its stirring story of adventure, peril & heroism

Chapter I. Men-of-war

PAGE Our Wooden Walls— The Victory— Siege of Toulon— Battle of St. Vincent— Nelson's Bridge— Trafalgar's Glorious Day— The Day for such Battles gone— Iron v. Wood— Lessons of the Crimean War— Moral Effect of the Presence of our Fleets— Bombardment of Sebastopol— Red-hot Shot and Gibraltar-The Ironclad Movement— The Warrior—Expe riences with Ironclads— The Merrimac in Hampton Roads— A Speedily-decided Action— The Cumberland sunk and Congress burned— The First Monitor— Engagement with the Merrimac— Notes on Recent Actions— The Shah and Huascar— Bombardment of Alexandria ... 4

Chapter II. Men Of Peace

Naval Life in Peace Times— A Grand Exploring Voyage— The Cruise of the Challenger— Its Work— Deep-sea Soundings — Five Miles down— Apparatus employed— Ocean Treasures— A Gigantic Sea-monster— Tristan d'Acunha— A Discovery Interesting to the Discovered— The Two Crusoes— The Inaccessible Island— Solitary Life— The Sea-cart— Swimming Pigs -Rescued at Last— The Real Crusoe Island to Let— Down South— The Land of Desolation— Kerguelen— The Sealers' Dreary Life— In the Antarctic— Among the Icebergs 28

Chapter III. The Men Of The Sea

The Great Lexicographer on Sailors— The Dangers of the Sea— How Boys become Sailors— Young Amyas Leigh— The Genuine Jack Tar— Training-Ships versus the old Guard-Ships— " Sea-goers and Waisters"— The Training Undergone— Routine on Board— Never-ending Work— Ship like a Lady's Watch— Watches and "Bells"— Old Grogram and Grog— The Sailor's Sheet Anchor— Shadows in the Seaman's Life— The Naval Cat— Testimony and Opinion of a Medical Officer— An Example— Boy Flogging in the Navy— Shakespeare and Herbert on Sailors and the Sea ' 42

Chapter IV. Perils Of The Sailor's Life

The Loss of the Captain— Six Hundred Souls swept into Eternity without a Warning— The Mansion and the Cottage alike Sufferers— Causes of the Disaster— Horrors of the Scene— Noble Captain Burgoyne — Narratives of Survivors— An almost Incredible Feat— Loss of the Royal George— A Great Disaster caused by a Trifle— Nine Hundred Lost— A Child saved by a Sheep— The Portholes Upright— An Involuntary Bath of Tar— Rafts of Corpses— The Vessel Blown up in 1859-40— The Loss of the Vanguard— Half a Million sunk in Fifty Minutes - Admirable Discipline on Board— All Saved— The Court Martial 54

Chapter V. Perils Of The Sailor's Life

(continued) The ATalue of Discipline— The Loss of the Kent— Fire on Board— The Ship Waterlogged— Death in Two Forms— A Sail in Sight— Transference of Six Hundred Passengers to a Small Brig— Splendid Discipline of the Soldiers— Imperturbable Coolness of the Captain— Loss of the Birkenhcad— Literally broken in Two— Noble Conduct of the Military— A Contrary Example— Wreck of the Medusa— Run on a Sand-bank— Panic on Board— Raft constructed— Insubordination and Selfishness— One Hundred and Fifty Souls abandoned— Drunkenness and Mutiny on the CONTENTS. IV PAGE Raft-Riots and Murders-Reduced to Thirty Persons-The Stronger Part massacre the °*OT-«"ee" J£" Rescued at Last-Ano.her Contrast-Wreck of the _4.c.S..-Admirable Conduct of the Crew-! he Ironclad Movement— The Battle of the Guns

Chapter VI. Round The World On

A MAN-OF-WAR. The Mediterranean- White, Blue, Green, and Purple Waters-Gibraltar-Its History-Its First Inhabitants the Monkeys -The Moors-The Great Siege preceded by Thirteen Others-The Voyage of Sigurd to the Holy Land-The Third Siege -Starvation -The Fourth Siege-Red-hot Balls used before ordinary Cannon-balls-The Great Plague- Gibraltar finally in Christian Hands-A Naval Action between the Dutch and Spaniards-How England won the Rock— An Unrewarded Hero— Spain's Attempts to regain it— The Great Siege- The Rock itself and its Surroundings— The Straits— Ceuta, Gibraltar's Rival— The Saltness ofthe Mediterranean— "Going aloft"— On to Malta 8?

Chapter VII. Round The World On

A MAN-OF-WAR (continued). MALTA AND THE SUEZ CANAL. Calypso's Isle -A Convict Paradise— Malta, the "Flower of the World"— The Knights of St. John— Rise of the Order— The Crescent and the Cross— The Siege of Rhodes— L'lsle Adam in London— The Great Siege of Malta- Horrible Episodes— Malta in French and English Hands— St. Paul's Cave— The Catacombs- Modern Incidents—The Shipwreck of St. Paul— Gales in the Mediterranean— Experiences of Nelson and Collingwood— Squalls in the Bay of San Francisco— A Man Overboard— Special Winds of the Mediterranean— The Suez Canal and M. de Lesseps— His Diplomatic Career— Said Pacha as a Boy— As a Viceroy— The Plan settled— Financial Troubles— Construction of the Canal— The Inauguration F6te— Suez— Passage of the Children of Israel through the Red Sea Oi

Chapter VIII. Round The World On

A MAN-OF-WAR (continued). THE INDIA AND CHINA STATIONS. The Red Sea and its Name— Its Ports— On to the India Station— Bombay : Island, City, Presidency— Calcutta— Ceylon, a Paradise— The China Station— Hong Kong— Macao— Canton— Capture of Commissioner Yeh— The Sea of Soup- Shanghai—" Jack " Ashore there— Luxuries in Market— Drawbacks : Earthquakes and Sand Showers— Chinese Explanations of Earthquakes— The Roving Life of the Sailor— Compensating Advantages— Japan and its People— The Englishmen of the Pacific— Yokohama— Peculiarities of the Japanese— Off to the North 117

Chapter IX. Round The World On

A MAN-OF-WAR (continued). NORTHWARD AND SOUTHWARD-THE AUSTRALIAN STATION. The Port of Peter and Paul— Wonderful Colouring of Kamchatka Hills— Grand Volcanoes— The Fight at Petropaulovski —A Contrast— An International Picnic— A Double Wedding— Bering's Voyages— Kamchatka worthy of Further Exploration— Plover Bay— Tchuktchi Natives— Whaling— A Terrible Gale— A Novel " Smoke-stack "—Southward again— The Liverpool of the East— Singapore, a Paradise— New Harbour— Wharves and Shipping— Cruelties of the Coolie Trade— Junks and Prahus— The Kling-gharry Drivers— The Durian and its Devotees— Australia- Its Discovery— Botany Bay and the Convicts— The First Gold— Port Jackson— Beauty of Sydney— Port Philip and Melbourne .,.

Chapter X. Round The World On

A MAN-OF-WAR (continued). THE PACIFIC STATION. Across the Pacific— Approach to the Golden Gate— The Bay of San Francisco— The City— First Dinner A h —PI, Luxury-San Francisco by Night-The Land of Gold, Grain, and Grapes-Incidents of the Early Davs-Fxn^iv! Papers-A Lucky Sailor-Chances for English Girls-The Baby at the Play-A capital Port for Zamln-l^Z-Z of Californians-Victoria, Vancouver Island-The Naval Station at Esquimalt-A Delightful Place-Ad Intending Emigrants-British Columbian Indians-Then- Fine Canoes-Experiences of the Writer- The Isllnd o'n CONTENTS. V PAGE Fire— The Chinook Jargon— Indian " Pigeon-English "—North to Alaska— The Purchase of Russian America by the United States- Results— Life at Sitka— Grand Volcanoes of the Aleutian Islands— The Great Yukon River- American Trading Posts round Bering Sea . . 156

CHAPTER XL ROUND THE WORLD ON

A MAN-OF-WAR (continued). FROM THE HORN TO HALIFAX. The Dreaded Horn— The Land of Fire-Basil Hall's Phenomenon— A Missing Volcano— The South American Station- Falkland Islands— A Free Port and Naval Station -Penguins, Peat, and Kelp-Sea Trees— The West India Station- Trinidad— Columbus's First View of it— Fatal Gold-Charles Kingsley's Enthusiasm— The Port of Spain— A Happy-go-lucky People— Negro Life— Letters from a Cottage Orn6e- Tropical Vegetation— Animal Life— Jamaica- Kingston Harbour— Sugar Cultivation— The Queen of the Antilles— Its Paseo— Beauty of the Archipelago— A Dutch Settlement in the Heart of a Volcano— Among the Islands— The Souffriere— Historical Reminiscences- Bermuda : Colony, Fortress, and Prison— Home of Ariel and Caliban— The Whitest Place in the World— Bermuda Convicts— New York Harbour— The City— First Impressions— Its Fine Position— Splendid Harbour— Forest of Masts— The Ferry-boats, Hotels, and Bars— Offenbach's Impressions— Broadway, Fulton Market, and Central Park— New York in Winter— Frozen Ships— The Great Brooklyn Bridge— Halifax and its Beauties— Importance of the Station— Bedford Basin— The Early Settlers— The Blue Noses— Adieu to America 175

Chapter XII. Round The World On

A MAN-OF-WAR (continued). THE AFRICAN STATION. Its Extent— Ascension— Turtle at a Discount— Sierra Leone— An Unhealthy Station— The Cape of Good Hope— Cape Town— Visit of the Sailor Prince— Grand Festivities— Enthusiasm of the Natives— Loyal Demonstrations— An African " Derby "—Grand Dock Inaugurated— Elephant Hunting— The Parting Ball— The Life of a Boer— Circular Farms— The Diamond Discoveries— A £12,000 Gem— A Sailor First President of the Fields— Precarious Nature of the Search— Natal— Inducements held out to Settlers— St. Helena and Napoleon— Discourteous Treatment of a Fallen Foe— The Home of the Caged Lion 202

Chapter XIII. The Service

— OFFICERS' LIFE ON BOARD. Conditions of Life on Ship-board— A Model Ward-room— An Admiral's Cabin— Captains and Captains— The Sailor and his Superior Officers— A Contrast— A Commander of the Old School— Jack Larmour — Lord Cochrane's Experiences —His Chest curtailed— The Stinking Ship— The First Command— Shaving under Difficulties— The Speedy and her Prizes— The Doctor— On Board a Gun-boat— Cabin and Dispe-isary-Cockroaches and Centipedes-Other Horrors— The Naval Chaplain— His Duties— Stories of an Amateur— The Engineer— His Increasing Importance— Popularity of the Navy— Nelson always a Model Commander— The Idol of his Colleagues, Officers, and Men— Taking the Men into his Confidence— The Action between the Bellona and Courageux - Captain Falknor's Speech to the Crew— An Obsolete Custom— Crossing the Line— Neptune's Visit to the Quarter-deck— The Navy of To-day— Its Backbone—Progressive Increase in the Size of Vessels— Naval Volunteers — A Noble Movement— Excellent Results— The Naval Reserve 214

Chapter XIV. The Reverse Of The

PICTURE— MUTINY. Bligh's Bread-fruit Expedition— Voyage of the Bounty— Otaheite— The Happy Islanders— First Appearance of a Mutinous Spirit-The Cutter stolen and recovered— The Bounty sails with 1,000 Trees- The Mutiny— Bligh overpowered and bound— Abandoned with Eighteen Others— Their Resources— Attacked by Natives— A Boat Voyage of 3,618 Miles-Violent Gales -Miserable Condition of the Boat's Crew— Bread by the Ounce— Rum by the Tea-spoonful -Noddies and Boobies— "Who shall have this?"— Off the Barrier Reef— A Haven of Rest- Oyster and Palm-top Stews— Another Thousand Miles of Ocean - Arrival at Coupang— Hospitality of the Residents— Ghastly Looks of the Party— Death of Five of the Number— The Pandora dispatched to catch the Mutineers -Fourteen in Irons— Pandora's Box— The Wreck— Great Loss of Life— Sentences of the Court Martial— The Last of the Mutineers— Pitcairn Island— A Model Settlement— Another Example : The Greatest Mutiny of History— 40,000 Disaffected Men at One Point— Causes- Legitimate Action of the Men at, First- Apathy of Government— Serious Organisation —The Spithead Fleet ordered to Sea— Refusal of the Crews— VI ( (INTENTS. r .ot: Concessions made, and the First Mutiny quelled— Second Outbreak— Lord Howe's Tact— The Great Mutiny of the Nore— Richard Parker— A Vile Character but Man of Talent— Wins the Men to his Side— Officers flogged and ducked— Gallant Duncan's Address— Accessions to the Mutineers— Parker practically Lord High Admiral —His Extravagant Behaviour— Alarm in London— The Movement dies out by Degrees —Parker's Cause lost— His Execution— Mutinies at Other Stations— Prompt Action of Lords St. Vincent and Macartney . . . .235

Chapter XV. The History Of Ships And Shipping Interests

The First Attempts to Float-Hollowed Logs and Rafts-The Ark and its Dimensions-Skin Floats and Basket-boats-Maritime Commerce of Antiquity-Phœnician Enterprise -Did they round the Cape?-The Ships of Tyre-Carthage-Hanno's Voyage to the West Coast of Africa -Egyptian Galleys-The Great Ships of the Ptolemies-Hiero's Floating Palace-The Romans-Their Repugnance to Seafaring Pursuits-Sea Battles with the Carthaginians-Cicero's Opinions on Commerce-Constantinople and its Commerce-Venice-Britain-The First Invasion under Julius Cæsar-Benefits aceruing-The Danish Pirates-The London of the Period-The Father of the British Navy-Alfred and his Victories-Canute's Fleet-The Norman Invasion-The Crusades- Richard Cœur de Lion's Fleet-The Cinque Ports and their Privileges-Foundation of a Maritime Code- Letters of Marque -Opening of the Coal Trade-Chaucer's Description of the Sailors of his Time-A Glorious Penod-The Victories at Harsleur-Henry V.'s Fleet of 1,500 Vessels-The Channel Marauders-The King- Maker Pirate-Sir Andrew Wood's Victory-Action with Scotch Pirates-The Great Michael and the Great fZ"T« != Astuteness-The Nation never so well provided-" The Most Fortunate and Invincible men, Ths A d ™%S^h~™™^ Appea. to the Country-A Noble Response- Effingham's Appoint: ment-The Armadas First Disaster-Refitted, and resails from Corunna-Chased in the Rear-A Series of Contretemps -English Volunteer Ships in Numbers-The Fire-ships at Ca.ais-The Final Action-Flfght of the E Tand shipwrecked Spanish in Ireland-Total Loss to Spain-Rejoicings and Thanksgivings hi 258

Chapter XVI. The History Of Ships And Shipping Interests

(continued). Noble Adventurers-The Earl of Cumberland as a Pirate-Rich Prizes-ArHm, with ,.,_. nr . , r.- „ Great Carrack-A Cargo worth £150,000-Burnin^ of the cZco Chata Tp.ii. I". Z °'°S-CaPtUre °' the Souls-The Scourge of _V....c_-EstabHshment of the SlL -TrZ S~i JohnHalt V f ""T HUndred Proceedings-The Spaniards forced to purchase-A Flee of Slaters Havvkin, * Venturas^ffigh-handed -Joins in a Negro War-A DisastrousVoyage-Sn- FrancS«t f T, ,% GOOlQ™ta" Dios-Drake's First Sight of the Pacific-Tons ofllZTZt^lj^O^l^^1^^ at X°mbre de man on the Pacific-Hu Disasters and Death-Drake's Vo^ RoantheWorTm^lT > Arrival at Port Julian-Trouble with the Natives-Execution of a Zl orld-Blood-lett.ng at the Equator- Vessels separated in a Gale-Loss of the mZ^Z FateSfcttX°Vt /-^"' Proceedings at Valparaiso-Prizes taken-Capture of the Great TrcLueShTnO?

I™? t0 Cape Horn- Course Home-Vessel refitted at Nicaragua-Stay in the Bay of sfn FZ ■ f' S ReS°'Ve l° ChanS6 hiS -Grand Reception at Ternate -Drake's Ship nearly wrecked-Return toT I ,? f" "^ -Character and Infiuence-SirHumphreyG^^^^ LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE PAUE Examining a "Haul" on Board the Challenger ... ... ... ... Frontispiece. The Suez Canal i Dredges at Work ... ... 113 Catching Pelicans on Lake Menzaleh ... ... 116 The Victory at Portsmouth .. . ... ... ... 5 Jiddah, from the Sea ... ... ... ... 117 Rocks near Cape St. Vincent ... ... ... 9 Cyclone at Calcutta .. . ... ... ... ... 120 The Victory at Close Quarters with the Redoubtable 12 Macao 124 The Siege of Gibraltar 17 Vessels iu the Port of Shanghai ... ... ... 125 The Original Merrimac ... ... ... ... 21 Yokohama 128 Engagement between the Merrimac and Monitor... 25 The Fusiyama Mountain ... ... ... ... 129 A Tea Mart in Japan ... ... ... ... 133 Objects of Interest brought Home by the Challenger ... ... ... ... ... ... 32 Petropaulovski and the Avatcha Mountain . . . 137 The Challenger in Antarctic Ice ... ... ... 33 Whalers at Work 140 The " Accumulator " ... ... ... ... 35 Our " Patent Smoke-stack " ... ... ... 141 The Chal lenger at Juan Fernandez... ... ... 36 View in the Straits of Malacca ... ... ... 145 The Naturalist's Room on Board the Challenger... 37 Dredging Implements used by the Challenger ... 38 Junks in a Chinese Harbour ... ... ... 148 Island in the Straits of Malacca ...

To face page 149 The Chichester Training-ship ... ... ... 45 Chinese Junk at Singapore ... ... ... 149 Singapore, looking Seawards ... ... ... 152 Instruction on Board a Man-of-war ... ... 49 The Captain in the Bay cf Biscay... ... ... 56 Looking down on Singapore ... ... ... 153 The Wreck of the Royal George ... ... ... 61 A Timber Wharf at San Francisco ... ... 156 The Loss of the Vanguard ... ...

To face page 63 The Bay of San Francisco ... ... ... ... 160 The Loss of the Kent ... ... ... ... 64 The British Camp : San Juan ... ... ... 165 The Vanguard as she appeared at Low Water ... 65 The Port of Valparaiso 173 Falmouth Harbour ... ... ... ... ... 72 Cape Horn ... ... ... ... ... ... 176 The Loss of the Birkenhead ... ... ... 73 The Landing of Columbus at Trinidad ... ... 177 The Raft of the Medusa ... ... ... ... 76 View in Jamaica ... ... ... ... ... 180 On the Raft of the Medusa — a Sail in sight ... 81 Kingston Harbour, Jamaica ... ... ... 181 Section of a First-class Man-of-war ... ... 84 Havana ... ... ... ... ... ... 184 The Warrior 85 The Centaur at the Diamond Rock, Martinique The Rock of Gibraltar from the Mainland To face page ' 187 To face page 87 Bermuda, from Gibbs Hills ... ... ... 188 Gibraltar : the Neutral Ground ... ... ... 89 The North Rock, Bermuda 189 Moorish Tower at Gibraltar ... ... ... 93 The Bermuda Floating Dock 192 Malta 96 Voyage of the Bermuda ... ... ... ... 193 The Defence of Malta by the Knights of St. John against the Turks in 1565 ... ... ... 100 Map of New York Harbour ... ... ... 195 Brooklyn Bridge ... ... ... ... ... 196 Catacombs at Citta Vecchia, Malta ... ... 101 Ferry Boat, New York Harbour ... ... ... 197 M. Lesseps 105 The Island of Ascension ... ... ... ... 200 Bird's-eye View of Suez Canal ... ... ... 109 Tristan D'Acunha 201 Map of tbe Suez Canal ... ... ... ..

Ill Sierra Leone ... ... ... ... ... ... 204 Opening of the Suez Canal (Procession of Ships) Cape Town ... ... ... ... ... ... 205 To face page 113 The Gal at ea passing Knysna Heads ... ... LIST OF .ILLUSTRATIONS. VIII PAGE PAGE Ships of William the Conqueror ... 268 213 St. Helena Crusaders and Saracens ... ... ■■■ ■■■ 269 On Deck a Man-of-war, Eighteenth Century Duel between French and English Ships 272 To face page 214 Reverse of the Seal of Sandwich 274 Between Decks of a Man-of-war, Eighteenth Sir Andrew Wood's Victory 277 Century ... ... ... ... ••- •■• -1' Old Deptford Dockyard ... 280 Naval Officers and Seamen, Eighteenth Century ... 221 Engine Room of H.M.S. Warrior 225 The Defeat of Sir A. Barton ... To face page 280 The First Shot against the Armada ... ... 285 Fight between the Courageux and the Bellona 229 The Great Harry and Great Eastern in contrast... 233 The Fire-ships attacking the Armada ... ... 288 The Crew of H.M.S. Bounty landing at Otaheite... 236 Drake's First View of the Pacific ...

To face page 289 Queen Elizabeth on her way to St. Paul's... ... 289 The Mutineers seizing Captain Bligh ... ... 237 Bligh cast adrift 240 The Earl of Cumberland and the Madre de Dios... 293 Map of the Islands of the Pacific ... ... ... 245 On the Coast of Cornwall 297 H.M.S. Briton at Pitcairn Island 248 Sir John Hawkins 300 The Mutiny at Portsmouth ... To face page 251 Hawkins at St. Juan de Ulloa ... ... ... 301 Admiral Duncan addressing his Crew ... ... 253 Oxenham embarking on the Pacific ... ... 304 Lord St. Vincent 257 Sir F. Drake 309 Fleet of Roman Galleys ... ... ... ... 261 Drake's Arrival at Ternate... ... ... ... 312 Approach of the Danish Fleet ... ... ... 265 The Death of Sir Humphrey Gilbert THE SEA f:NE can hardly gaze upon the great ocean without feelings akin to awe and reverence.

"Whether viewed from some promontory where the eye seeks in vain another resting-place, or when sailing over the deep, one looks around on the unbounded expanse of waters, the sea must always give rise to ideas of infinite space and indefinable mystery hardly paralleled by anything of the earth itself. Beneficent in its calmer aspect, when the silvery moon lights up the ripples and the good ship scuds along before a favouring breeze; terrible in its might, when its merciless breakers dash upen some rock-girt coast, carrying the gallant bark to destruction, or when, rising mountains high, the spars quiver and snap before the tempest's power, it is always grand, sublime, irresistible. The great highway of commerce and source of boundless supplies, it is, notwithstanding its terrors, infinitely more man's friend than his enemy.

In how great a variety of aspects may it not be viewed ! The poets have seen in it a " type of the Infinite, j THE SEA. and one of the greatest * has taken us back to those early days of earth's history wheu God said — " ' Let there be firmament Amid the waters, and let it divide The waters from tho -waters.' . . . So Ho the world Built on circumfluous waters calm, in wide Crystalline ocean." " Water," said the great Greek lyric poet,f " is the chief of all." The ocean covers nearly three-fourths of the surface of our globe. Earth is its mere offspring. The continents aud islands have been and still are being elaborated from its depths. All in all, it has not, however, been treated fairly at the hands of the poets, too many of whom could only see it in. its sterner lights. Young speaks of it as merely a '• Dreadful and tumultuous home Of dangers, at eternal war with man, Wide opening and loud roaring still for more," ignoring the blessings and benefits it has bestowed so freely, forgetting that man is daily becoming more and more its master, and that his own country in particular has most success fully conquered the seemingly unconquerable.

Byron, again, says : — Roll on, thou dark and deep blue ocean — roll ! Ten thousand fleets sweep over thee in vain ; Man marks the earth with ruin — his control Stops with the shore ; upon the watery plain The wrecks are all thy deeds." And though this is but the exaggerated and not strictly accurate language of poetry,, we n.ay, with Pollok, fairly address the great sea as " strongest of creation's sons." The first impressions produced on most animals — not excluding altogether man — by the aspect of the ocean, are of terror in greater or lesser degree. Livingstone tells us that he had intended to bring to England from Africa a friendly native, a man courageous as the lion he had often braved. He had never voyaged upon nor even beheld the sea, and on board the ship which would have safely borne him to a friendly shore he became delirious and insane.

Though assured of safety and carefully watched, he escaped one day, and blindly threw himself headlong into the waves. The sea terrified him, and yet held and drew him, fascinated as under a spell. " Even at ebb-tide," says Michelet,| " when, placid and weary, the wave crawls softly on the sand, the horse does not recover his courage. He trembles, and frequently refuses to pass the languishing ripple. The dog barks and recoils, and, according to his manner, insults the billows which he fears. ... We are told by a traveller that the dogs of Kamtschatka, though accustomed to the spectacle, are not the less terrified and irritated by it. In numerous troops, they howl through the protracted night against the howling waves, and endeavour to outvie in fury the Ocean of the North." * Miltont Pindar. % " La Ker."

There is much truth in Michclct's charming work, but often, as above, presented in an exaggerated form. Animals, in reality, soon become accustomed to the sea. They show generally, however, a considerable amount of indisposition to go on board a vessel. ITS HISTORY. The civilised man's fear is founded, it must be admitted, on a reasonable knowledge of the ocean, so much his friend and yet so often his foe. _Mau is not independent of his fellow-man in distant countries, nor is it desirable that he should be. No land produces all the necessaries, and the luxuries which have begun to be considered necessaries, sufficient for itself. Transpor tation by land is often impracticable, or too costly, and the ocean thus becomes the great highway of nations. A^essel after vessel, fleet after fleet, arrive safely and speedily.

But as there is danger for man lurking everywhere on land, so also is there on the sea. The world's wreck-chart for one year must, as we shall see hereafter, be something appalling. That for the British Empire alone in one year has often exceeded 1,000 vessels, great and small ! Averaging three years, we find that there was an annual loss during that period of 1,095 vessels and 1,952 lives.* Nor are the ravages of ocean confined to the engulf ment of vessels, from rotten " coffin-ships " to splendid ironclads. The coasts often bear witness of her fury. The history of the sea virtually comprises the history of adventure, conquest, and commerce, in all times, and might almost be said to be that of the world itself. We cannot think of it without remembering the great voyagers and sea-captains, the brave naval commanders, the pirates, rovers, and buccaneers of bygone days.

Great sea-fights and notable shipwrecks recur to our memory — the progress of naval supremacy, and the means by which millions of people and countless millions of wealth have been transferred from one part of the earth to another. We cannot help thinking, too, of "Poor Jack" and life before the mast, whether on the finest vessel of the Royal Navy, or in the worst form of trading ship. We recall the famous ships themselves, and their careers. We remember, too, the "toilers of the sea" — the fishermen, whalers, pearl-divers, and coral-gatherers; the noble men of the lighthouse, lifeboat, and coastguard services. The horrors of the sea — its storms, hurricanes, whirlpools, waterspouts, impetuous and treacherous currents — rise vividly before our mental vision. Then there are the inhabitants of the sea to be considered — from the tiniest germ of life to the great leviathan, or even the doubtful sea-serpent.

And even the lowest depths of ocean, with their mountains, valleys, plains, and luxurious marine vegetation, are full of interest; while at the same time we irresistibly think of the submerged treasure-ships of days gone by, and the submarine cables of to-day. Such are among the subjects we propose to lay before our readers. The Sea, as one great topic, must comprise descriptions of life on, around, and in the ocean — the perils, mysteries, pheno mena, and poetry of the great deep. The subject is too vast for superfluous detail : it would require as many volumes as a grand encyclopædia to do it justice; whilst a formal and chronological history would weary the reader. At all events, the present writer purposes to occasionally gossip and digress, and to arrange facts in groups, not always following the strict sequence of events.

The voyage of to-day may recall that of long ago : the discovery made long ago may be traced, by successive leaps, as it were, to its results in the present epoch. We can hardly be wrong in believing that this grand subject has an especial interest for the English reader everywhere ; for the spirit of enterprise, enthusiasm, and darino1 which has carried our flag to the uttermost parts of the earth, aud has made the proud words " Britannia rules the waves " no idle vaunt, is shared by a very large # W. S. Lindsay, " History of Merchant Shipping," &c. TEE SEA 4 proportion of her sons and daughters, at home and abroad. Britain's part in the exploration and settlement of the whole world has been so pre-eminent that there can be no wonder if, among the English-speaking races everywhere, a peculiar fascination attaches to the sea and all concerning it.

Countless thousands of books have been devoted to the land, not a tithe of the number to the ocean. Yet the subject is one of almost boundless interest, and has a special importance at the present time, when England's Royal Navy is rapidly regaining the prestige which some croakers thought she had lost, while her mercantile marine was never more prosperous.

Chapter I

Men-of-War. Our -v/ooden Walls— The Victory— Siege of Toulon— Battle of St. Vincent— Nelson's Bridge-Trafalgar's glorious Day— The Day for such Battles gone— Iron ». Wood— Lessons of the Crimean War— Moral Effect of the Presence of our Fleets— Bombardment of Sebastopol— Bed-hot Shot and Gibraltar— The Ironclad Movement— The Tf'arrioi — Experiences with Ironclads— The Merrimac in Hampton Boads— A speedily decided Action— The Cumberland sunk and Congress burned— The first Monitor— Engagement with the Merrimac— Notes on recent Actions— The Shah and Huascar— Bombardment of Alexandria. the reader should at any time find himself a visitor to the first naval port of Great Britain — which he need not be told is Portsmouth — he will find, lying placidly in the noble harbour, which is large enough to accommodate a whole fleet, a vessel of modern antique appearance, and evidently very carefully preserved.

Should he happen to be there on October '1 1st, he would find the ship gaily decorated with wreaths of evergreen and flags, her appearance attracting to her side an unusual number of visitors in small boats from the shore. Nor will he be surprised at this when he learns that it is none other than the famous Victor]/, that carried Nelson's flag on the sad but glorious day of Trafalgar, and went bravely through so many a storm of war and weather. Very little of the oft-shattered hulk of the original vessel remains, it is true — she has been so often renewed and patched and painted; yet the lines and form V of the old three-decker remain to show us what the flag-ship of Hood, and Jervis, and Nelson was in general appearance. She towers grandly out of the water, making the few sailors and loiterers on deck look like marionettes — mere miniature men ; and as our wherry approaches the entrance-port, we admire the really graceful lines of the planks, diminishing in perspective.

The triple battery of formidable guns, peeping from under the stout old ports which overshadowed them, the enormous cables and spare anchors, and the immensely thick masts, heavy shrouds and rigging, which she had in old times, must have given an impression of solidity in this good old "heart of oak" which is wanting even in THE "VICTORY." 5 the strongest-built iron vessel. Many a brave tar has lost his life on her, but yet she is no coffin-ship. On board, one notes the scrupulous order, the absolute perfection of cleanliness and trimness; the large guns and carriages alternating with the mess tables of the crew. And we should not think much of the man who could stand emotionless and unmoved over the spots — still pointed out on the upper deck and cockpit below — where Nelson fell and Nelson died, on that memorable 21st, off Trafalgar Bay.

THE '- victory" AT P0KT8M0T/TH He had embarked, only five weeks before, from the present resting-place of his brave old ship, when enthusiastic crowds had pressed forward to bless and take one last look at England's preserver. " I had their hurrahs before," said the poor shattered hero; "now I have their hearts!" And when, three months later, his body was brought home, the sailors divided the leaden coffin into fragments, as relics of " Saint Nelson," as his gunner had termed him. The Victor)/ was one of the largest ships of war of her day and generation. She was. rated for 100 guns, but really carried 102, and was classed first-rate with such ships as the Royal Sovereign and Britannia, both of 100, carrying only two in excess of the "brave old Tcmcraxre " — made still more famous by Turner's great picture — and the Dreadnought, which THE SEA, 6 but a few years back was such a familiar feature of the reach of the Thames in front of Greenwich.