34 THE STORM. 



" The night looks dirty enough, sir ; shall we run the 

 hooker round to Tallaghon, and get the rowing-boats drawn 

 up ?" His master assented, and ordered him the customary- 

 glass of poteen, Pattigo received it graciously in the fingers 

 of his right hand for he has lost his thumb by the bursting 

 of a blunderbuss in one of his skirmishes with the Revenue 

 made his ship-shape bow, clapped his sow-wester on, and 

 vanished. 



The storm came on apace ; large and heavy drops struck 

 heavily against the windows ; the blast moaned round the 

 house ; I heard the boats' keels grate upon the gravel, as 

 the fishermen hauled them up the beach ; I saw Pattigo slip 

 his moorings, and, under the skirt of his main-sail, run for a 

 safer anchorage. The rain now fell in torrents ; the sea rose, 

 and broke upon the rocks in thunder ; mine host directed the 

 storm- shutters to be put up, ordered in candles, with a fresh 

 supply of billets for the fire, and we made final preparations 

 to be comfortable for the night. 



Were I required to name the most recherche of my kins- 

 man's luxuries. I should specify his unrivalled " canastre." An 

 ample quantity of this precious tabac, (brought from Holland 

 by a smuggler), with excellent Dutch pipes, was produced by 

 honest John, who rises hourly in my estimation. There was 

 also an addendum in the shape of a foreign-looking bottle, which 

 the ancient servitor averred to have been deposited in the 

 cellar since the time of "the master's father/* If it were so, 

 the thing is a marvel ; for such liquor is rarely vouchsafed to 

 mortals. Alas ! George, while my aching head testifies a too 

 devoted attachment to that misshapen flask, the unequalled 

 flavour of the exquisite schiedam it contained will ever haunt 

 my memory. 



" I remarked/' said my kinsman, as he struck the ashes 

 from his meerschaum, " that you appeared amused with old 

 John's history of Shawn a tra buoy. Although, in its wild state, 

 the seal is always shy, and sometimes dangerous, yet when 

 taken young it is easily domesticated, and susceptible of strong 

 attachment to its keepers.* There is a curious story told of 



* In January, 1819, in the neighbourhood of Burnt Island, a gentle- 

 man completely succeeded in taming a seal : its singularities attracted the 

 curiosity of strangers daily. It appeared to possess all the sagacity of 

 the dog, and lived in its master's house, and ate from his hand. la his 

 fishing excursions, this gentleman generally took it with him; upon 



