338 Notice of SJicfches of Naval Lfe. 



carried liim forward vvilh a power which he seems to have 

 been as little disposed as able to resist. We do not wonder 

 at it, for who could speak of, much more who could see and 

 tread the ground of Salamis, and Argos, and Athens, and 

 Corinth, and Constantinople, and old Rome, without having 

 a strong impulse imparted to his feelings. 



If this Journal were exclusively literary, we should intro- 

 duce various passages illustrating the author''s manner of 

 writing on the principal subjects that came under his obser- 

 vation. We shall however, limit our additional quotations 

 to a few scenes, relating principally to the manoeuvres, that in- 

 volve movements depending on the principles of mechanics. 



The following passage describes the unfurling of the sails. 



"We will suppose, then, a fine morning, after a wet clay ; 

 and there are many such days here, I find. Suppose yourself 

 looking at the ships, black, silent masses, without signs of life 

 about them, except a sentinel or two pacing to and fro. All at 

 once, a few little flags are run up at the stern of the Commo- 

 dore's ship, as if b}' magic ; for no one is seen to produce this 

 effect. Soon after, a single one ascends, in like manner, to the 

 mast head of each of the other ships; and then all pass down again. 

 A shrill whistle and a cr}'^ are now heard ; but still there is no 

 motion ; and no sign of any; fxcept a hat, here and there, ap- 

 pearing just above the buhva. .vS. So it remains a few minutes; 

 and then, as the trumpets sound, the shroufls become in a mo- 

 ment alive with men. They pass rapidly to the tops ; and 

 all is silence again. Another sound ; and the rigging is again 

 darkened with men, new sets passing up, and those in the tops 

 ascending to the highest spars : they throw themselves out upon 

 the yards, and a busy scene ensues ; but all settles again into in- 

 activity. And then, at the words " let fall," the ships simultane- 

 ously, and in a moment, drop their thousand folds of canvass ; 

 the ensign is run up, and the pendant throws itself open to the 

 breeze. What 1 have described, is loosing sails to dry, an opera- 

 tion we frequently have, and alway? a beautiful one." — Fol. I. 

 p. 62. 



The sailing of the squadron from the port of Mahon, is 

 thus described : 



'^' Spring has considerably advanced, in these countries ; and 

 this morning rose clear and bright, with balmy air, and a gentle 

 breeze from the North. Our ship had been well stored ; her 

 boats were all stowed away ; every rope was in its place, and 



