OLD IRONSIDES. 
19 
eyes, and the delicate form of the negro’s wife, and felt 
an involuntary prayer rise to my lips: — ^Lord, that such a 
revolting relationship may never exist in the great world 
that lies over the Western waters,’ She was the first 
white woman I had ever seen who had placed her hand 
in that of a thick-lipped, long-heeled negro. 
“We soon concluded our business and again continued 
our walk. We saw nothing more than has been written 
of by dozens of previous writers, and I will therefore step 
at once upon the beach on our return to the boat. We 
experienced a sense of indescribable relief as we left the 
dirty streets and thin half-clad occupants behind us, and 
drew long breaths of the freshening sea-breeze before it 
had been contaminated by their ever-exhaling miasma. 
“ That night I kept the mid-watch ; and, while it was 
rolling slowly by, a ship’s light made its appearance 
around the point to seaward, and shortly after the dark 
hull, lofty spars, and white sails of a frigate loomed 
through the surrounding gloom, holding her steady way 
across our stern. 
“ ^ Ship ahoy!’ hailed a hoarse voice. 
“ ^ Hillo !’ I answered. 
“ ^ What ship’s that?’ 
“I gave our name, and the hoarse voice returned 
theirs. 
“ She proved to be the United States frigate Constitu- 
tion; old Charles Stewart’s bridge to his Nelson-like 
reputation, — ^Old Ironsides,’ as she was affectionately 
called by those who had sailed in her over that glorious 
path. As she crossed our stern and rounded to on our 
quarter, she burnt a blue-light to satisfy herself as to the 
