216 FROM THE HELLESPONT 
CHAP, came at last, so deeply laden with stores, for the 
vir. ^ "L 
V -v-i-/ supply of our army m Egypt, that we were almost 
tionslTthe afraid to venture on board She had the name 
neufs'!' of Tauricia, and was literally nothing more than 
a covered boat. Mercantile speculations make 
bold adventurers. Few persons would have 
volunteered in an expedition across the Mediter- 
ranean in such a bark; but our good captain com- 
forted us with the assurance, that Columbus sailed 
across an unknown ocean in a skiff of less pro- 
mise. He had cast anchor higher up the Straits, 
towards the Sea of Marmora, where vessels from 
Constantinople lie secure from all winds, and find 
better ground. There is no good anchorage at 
the Dardanelles. Captain Castle had fitted up a 
small apartment in the stern, to serve as a cabin; 
and had placed one enormous gun in the prow, 
to intimidate pirates; observing dryly to us, as 
we surveyed it, that we should be lucky if it did 
not carry the gib-boom under water, in rough 
weather. It was amusing to notice the sort of 
speculation, which occupied not only the hold, 
but every part of the vessel, where it had been 
possible to cram any article of food or of mer- 
chandise. Barrels o{ Jdrianople tongues, candles, 
tea, sugar, cheese ; butter of the Ukraine, already 
in an oily state, and oozing through the sides of 
the casks; wine, onions, cordage, iron, biscuit, 
cloth, pens, paper, hard-ware, hats, shoes, tobacco. 
