that only a few years since was well off; many a fellow who has not now a feather to fly with, was then as blithe as a bird in full wing, or as gay as a racer before his "pipe opener." But as to the "picture" which we said just now the repository-yards present, we do not profess to be artists, and so shall not paint it. Any one, however, who likes pen-and-ink sketches, can get Grant's "Great Metropolis," wherein he will see Tattersall's worked up with a kind of red morocco and burnt-cork blundering, in which the melodramatic completely drowns what little of it is really true. All we undertook to do, we do, which is only to have a little familiar conversation about the horse-repositories of London. And we talk about them because we think they suggest some considerations connected with the noblest and decidedly the most useful animal in the world. There is a great deal of prejudice, we must observe, in the middle classes, against all men and all repositories who have anything to do with the horse-trade; but we should have thought that the names of Tattersall and Mattam alone were quite sufficient to redeem the repositories from the reproach of unfairness; while the Andersons, the Bartleys, and a long list of men equally respectable-indeed, as respectable as the most respectable London merchant or Lord Mayor-vindicate the fair dealing of the horse-dealing class. There are scamps in every trade and profession, but an impartial person will refuse to put the men engaged in the horse-trade at the bottom of the industrial scale. We will not stop, however, to notice all the stupid things that either ignorance or prejudice has led persons to say against the horse-trade. But we avow that what we want the public to do is only just to think soberly about it. The one-sided imbecilities given out against it go for nothing; they only show how little consideration the subject has received. We have thought it right to make a remark or two in vindication of the horse-trade and the repositories. To the accuracy of these remarks hundreds of persons, we are sure, will readily bear witness. We beg it to be borne in mind that it is only when the whole case is seen from the proper point of view that the observer is enabled to form just conclusions about it. You will hear one set of persons say one thing about horse-selling, and another set of zanies another; both, however, agreeing in this blunder, that a stable and a cheat are inseparable things. It remains for us now only just to say, with reference to the London horse-repositories, that to comprehend the spirit and appreciate the results of these great metropolitan horse-marts, some practical knowledge and very considerable experience may probably be required.

The morning that succeeded the day upon which my misadventures recorded in the previous chapters took place, broke forth in unusual splendour. A clear blue sky, a light breeze from the southward, and a hot scorching sun pronounced it to be everything that a yachtsman -at least one who confines his sailing inside the island-could wish for; so as the tide in the Southampton Waters favoured me, I ordered the captain to get under weigh the moment after breakfast. My destination was Cowes, than which for amateur sailing no more perfect a spot exists within an easy distance of the metropolis, by which a man may breakfast in St. James's and lunch at the club-house of the Royal Yacht Squadron. It possesses other attractions, the first and foremost of which is a safe anchorage either in the roads or harbour; then the beauty and brilliancy of the scene, combining all that is picturesque by sea and land. The fleet of noble merchantmen from all parts of the habitable globe-the star-and-stripes of America floating proudly from some New York "clipper," the meteor-flag of Old England fluttering gracefully to the breeze, over a magnificent vessel freighted for the East, emblem of the mercantile wealth of our "tight little island"-the heavy-laden timber-ship from Canada, the collier from Newcastle, the Billyboy from the North, the brig from Bremen with its heavy stern, the Dutch galliot so picturesque, though slow of foot, the flat-sided Swedish bark, the bluff-bowed Dane, the "shipshape" Sardinian, the raking schooner from the New World, the fishing-smack from Portland, the oyster-vessel with its Apician luxuries, the lobster-boat from Yarmouth-are all anchored in the roads, awaiting tide or wind, or orders. Then within range of a good telescope may be seen Portsmouth, Spithead crowded with shipping, the New Forest, Calshot Castle, erected towards the latter part of the reign Henry VIII., about the same period that East and West Cowes Castles date their origin; the West Channel, Beulah, and Lymington; while Newtown, Yarmouth, Alum Bay, Needles, Freshwater and Chale Bays, Black-Gang Chine, the rampart-rock of St. Catherine's, the Undercliff, the dark Dunnose, the once-famed haunt of the smuggler; Bembridge Point, St. Helen's Roads, Ryde, King's Key, where tradition places King John among the fishermen, are all within easy distances by sea or land; Appuldurcumbe, also, the residence of the late truly popular commodore of the Royal Yacht Squadron, the lamented Earl of Yarborough (whose ancestor, Sir Richard Worsley, governed the island, and wrote its history, freighted a ship at his own expense, and gathered from Italy, Spain, Greece,

Egypt, Asia Minor, and Tartary an unrivalled collection of articles of vertu and antiquities).

To resume my own adventures. Having invited a party of friends, including some ladies, to sail with me to The Needles and back, Í gave my captain directions to make every preparation for lunch, and to have the after-cabin neatly arranged with flowers, in case any of the fair sex should be driven below by rain, sickness, or any other ills that human flesh is heir to.

"I'll do my best," he responded; "but the painter's boy upset his varnish-pot over the chintz curtains and carpet, and I doubt much whether the stains will ever come out."

"If you can match the pattern in Cowes," I replied, "you had better replace them, and the old ones will do for bad weather."

"A yard or two of silk, to keep out the sun," continued my skipper, "would be an improvement; and four nice brass rods, to hang it on, would complete the job."

"Get the silk-dark blue will suit the crockery; and Atkey can furnish the rods."

"Oh! that reminds me, my Lord, that the caulker who went below to find out the cause of the leak met with a trifling accident, and broke the jug and soap-tray; we've kept the pieces, so perhaps they can be cemented."

"That will never do," I rejoined; "and if I cannot get a pretty set here, I will go over to Southampton this afternoon, and bring them back in the steamer."

"To set out the luncheon handsomely," he proceeded, "we ought to have a new table-cloth and some napkins; the former is a little singed from being held too near the galley-fire, and we used the latter to mop up the claret that was spilt the first day we got under weigh.”

Giving the order for the above requisitions, and fearing that more might be required if I remained, I shortened my visit on board; and getting into the steam-boat, proceeded to Southampton. Just as the captain of the Ruby had from the paddle-wheel ordered the warp to be let go, my gig, my own new gig pulled alongside.

"Stop her," cried the skipper, with that deference which is always paid to yachts' boats.

"Out fenders," shouted the man at the helm; "keep her off, or she'll be stove in."

"Unship your rudder and your port crutches," I exclaimed in a voice of agony; that shore-boat will foul you."

Before the order could be obeyed, a violent crash took place, and I was minus a brass yoke and two crutches.

"One word, my Lord," said my captain, scrambling on the deck: "We shall require two new camp-stools, without you have the table shifted to one side close to the sofa."

"Shift it to the starboard side, and I will get the stools; they will always be useful."

Between these two stools, as will be eventually shown, I realized the truth of the old proverb, and came to the ground.

"One turn astern," said the captain of the steamer, somewhat disap pointed at finding no addition to his passengers, for my "skipper" had dropped down into my gig, and with some difficulty kept her out of the

bubbling caldron caused by the paddle-wheel of the Ruby, now in full play.

Upon reaching Southampton, I sallied forth into the High Street, where I made my purchases, and returned in the afternoon laden with chintz, silk, crockery, napkins, yoke, table-cover, and crutches. "Have everything ready to-morrow morning by eleven o'clock," I said, as I went on board the Highland Lassie; "the tide will suit us admirably, and if this breeze continues, we shall have a soldier's wind, fair to the Nab Light, and back." The captain promised obedience to my orders, and I returned to the Aris's Hotel, where I was in the habit of taking up my quarters.*

The hour had arrived when I was to meet my party in front of the Club-house, to take them on board; my own gig and a shore-boat were in attendance; the ladies were punctual; the sea was without a ripple, the sky cloudless, and we all anticipated an agreeable day: whether such expectations were to be realized remains to be proved.

"What a beautiful gig!" exclaimed one of the fair ones, who was a thorough yachts-woman.

"Yes," I responded, imagining the remark applied to mine; "it pulls light, and does great credit to Payne, the builder, at Northam."

"I thought," she continued, "it had been built at the dock-yard; but wherever it comes from, it is a splendid specimen."

"We had better divide our party," I remarked; "Lady Heston and the young ladies can come in my gig, and Captain Hinchinbroke and Mr. Gladstone can follow in the other."

་

"No, that is not the boat," said Miss Maria Heston, the former speaker, as her servant placed her cloak in the stern sheets of my pet pair-oared. "I should not like to trust myself in such a cockle-shell.' I looked perfectly horrified, and turning round saw the gig that had attracted so much attention; it was one belonging to her Majesty's yacht, beautifully modelled and painted, and manned by six as fine young fellows as ever I cast my eyes upon.

"And will you, too, desert me, Lady Heston?" I imploringly asked.

"Why, to speak candidly, I should prefer going with Joseph Clarke, for your gig is rather small for so large a party."

Somewhat crest-fallen, I handed the ladies in, and placing myself by their side, requested the two gentlemen to pull off in the Highland Lassie's boat. As we got on board, I saw my captain looking anxiously over the rail.

"he'll

"The gentleman is pulling the wrong line," he exclaimed ; run foul of that schooner; and there he goes; the bow stove in, and the oar broke."

A crash and an imprecation proved that my skipper was right, as he muttered to himself, "It's all along with trusting the rudder to a land-lubber."

"What is to be done?" I asked. "We cannot go to sea without a boat, and that is filling fast."

*Since writing the above, the death of Mr. Aris has taken place. His loss will be severely felt at Cowes, where he was highly respected by all classes, as an honest, obliging, civil landlord.

H H

"Clarke had better tow it ashore," chimed in my captain," and hire one from Hanson, while ours is repairing."

To this I agreed; and after an hour's delay, all was ready, and slipping our moorings we got under weigh, and with a light breeze from the southward steered for the Nab. For the first two hours no adventure worth recording occurred, except that, in passing under the stern of a frigate, I shaved one of her boats too closely, and nearly capsized it, much to the astonishment of a weather-beaten tar, who looking aghast at me, exclaimed, "Who the devil taught him to steer!" a remark which caused a smile from the ladies, and a general titter from my men.

The breeze had now freshened a little, and fearing that the bobble we were now in would increase, I proposed luncheon, a measure that was unanimously seconded by all present. Lady Heston and her daughters went below, to take off their bonnets and cloaks, when all of a sudden a loud crash, and a piercing scream told me some mishap had occurred, when upon rushing down the companion ladder to inquire the cause, a scene presented itself that almost baffles description; on one of the sofas Miss Maria was sitting, terrified almost to death, the swing-table actually pinning her down, and the contents of it deposited in her lap-chickens, tongues, lobsters, salad, jellies, fish sauces, crockery, glass, decanters, wine, bottled beer, were all mingled together; while Lady Heston was in vain attempting to pull the table back to its proper equilibrium.

"I hope you are not hurt," said the latter.

"My side pains me a little," replied the young girl, "but it might have been much worse: happily the fall of the table was broken by the camp stools, and if the leaf had not given way I should have been seriously injured."

"I fear your dress is completely spoilt," I said, "but that can easily be replaced: the luncheon, I fear, will prove the most serious loss."

In the meantime the cook, who acted as steward, was busily employed in extricating the young lady from her awkward position, and having accomplished that object, set to work to save the remnant of the feast. The party, after arranging their dresses in the after-cabin, came on deck, and were obliged to content themselves with a few hard biscuits and a bottle of sherry. Not wishing to appear inhospitable, I invited the gentlemen to dine with me, having ascertained that by a little management the luncheon could be made aavilable for dinner. To this proposition they gladly agreed; and, after an agreeable sail back to Cowes Roads, I landed the ladies in safety, having previously assured Miss Maria that in less than eight-and-forty hours a new dress from Hardinge's would reach her, as also a Leghorn bonnet for her sister, her own having suffered severely, the contents of the icepail having completely saturated it.

Anticipating a good dinner, which I had given especial care to order before I went on shore, I returned at seven with my friends, and springing up the side, called my servant to serve.

"Please, my Lord," said he, we no sooner got the boiler to work than it began leaking, and every minute got worse and worse,