42 



December 22. 



About three years ago the Captain had the ill 

 luck to be captured by a French frigate. As she 

 had already made prizes of two other merchant- 

 men, it was determined to sink his ship ; which, 

 after removing the crew and every thing in her 

 that was valuable, was effected by firing her own 

 guns down the hatchways. It was near three 

 hours before she filled, then down she went with a 

 single plunge, head foremost, with all her sails set 

 and colours flying. This display of the ship's 

 magnificence in her last moments reminded me of 

 Mary Queen of Scots, arraying herself in her 

 richest robes that she might go to the scaffold. If 

 Yorick had fallen in with this anecdote in the 

 course of his journey, the situation of the Captain, 

 standing on the enemy's deck, and seeing his 

 " brave vessel " in full and gallant trim, possessing 

 all the abilities for a long existence, yet abandoned 

 by every one, and sinking from the effect of her 

 own shot, might have furnished him with a com- 

 panion for his old commercial Marquis, lamenting 

 over the rust of his newly recovered sword. 



