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joyfulness of his consent, and the smile of pleasure that lighted up his dark yet tranquil face; nor that he and all the officers, and C. Webster too, added all they could to mitigate the dreary blow so soon to fall on the widow's life.

The ship's number was shown, sails taken in and furled, anchor let go, and the L. swung to the tide at Spithead, and Captain D. had gone on shore, when C. Webster stepped into the boat with his brother and others, to land at Sallyport again. He had made many friends; and as he reached the gangway, saying, "Good-bye, good-bye, shipmates," to all his gun-room comrades, a mass of the seamen were there.

"No offence, we hope, your honour, but you'll give us your fist in parting, we hope. Fair wind, and no banyan days to your honour, and plenty of prize money. We hope you'll come again next cruise."

Many hearty shakes were interchanged.

The boatswain's mate piped. The side boys held out their ropes; he ran down, jumped in with a heavy heart, and as the last pipe was blown, clearly and lengthily, there was a cheer and waving of hats; and his heart sank within him, as he again, and for the last time, spoke to himself, saying,

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-Life is not an idle ore,

But iron dug from central gloom,
And heated hot with burning fears
And dipt in baths of hissing tears,

And battered with the shocks of doom."

THE BIVOUAC.

AMONG the most sanguinary actions fought during the Peninsular war were those named in the history of the past as the Battles of the Pyrenees,―valorous and bloody struggles, in which as much depended on the enduring courage of the men as on the high and brilliant capacities of their commanders.

These combats were fierce and desultory, and while the whole extent of the allied position was frequently and bravely attacked, the failure of one division could not have been compensated for by the success of the rest, nor was a disaster reconcileable, as the loss of a pass would have compromised the security of the whole. In the mean time

The hostile forces, though each within their own frontier, were not seldom within cannon shot of one another on opposite heights; indeed, their advanced sentries were frequently within a hundred yards of each other. Hitherto, the Spanish and Portuguese troops, according to the memorable phrase of Palafox, had declared war to the knife's edge against the invaders of their territories. But now the chief contest was between the soldiery of France and England-truly a military contest, not one of savage barbarians; and thus the two noble armies offered no molestation to each other in the intervals of the game of war. As an honourable duke gracefully and truthfully observed, when generously advocating the cause of the widows and orphans of our Crimean heroes, the French picquets, as also their sentries, which lined the opposite side of a narrow stream or river, changed courtesies and even acts of kindness with their equally noble enemy, the English; kind words, jokes,

even favours; a gift of tobacco, a loaf of bread was frequently passed across from the soldiers of one nation to those of the other; and when the bugle's blast or the rolling drum called to arms, ere the deadly strife began, many a goodhumoured sally was exchanged. This may appear ridiculous; it is nevertheless true. And it is glorious to think, while I relate it, that we are now in such close amity with so fine a race. But hark! the bugle calls, the drum rolls along the lines from division to division. The picquets are called in or retire-knapsacks are helped on the backs of French soldiers by English hands, while the French with the true spirit of their nation exclaim, "Adieu, messieurs, nous allons combattre. Au revoir!"

These were rare enemies to meet,-men who when thrashed, were not disgraced,-soldiers such as those of which Soult's forces were composed would as soon have thought of murdering a fallen foe, or firing on a flag of

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