CHAPTER V.

MY VOYAGE TO CHINA.

N our return from the Continent, we found a letter from the captain, which informed us that in a fortnight he should be at home. We had scarcely congratulated ourselves, however, on the pleasure we should expe

rience in seeing him, when Captain Billingsley himself made his appearance. I need hardly say that we welcomed him warmly, nor that for a month at least our evenings were occupied in mutual relations of what we had severally seen and heard during our absence from England.

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I was now grown-at least, so everybody said, and what everybody said I was bound to believe-quite a young man, so that all thoughts of school were now abandoned, and my father began to look out for a profession for me. Meanwhile, I was the captain's constant companion, and was never so delighted as when I accompanied him to the docks, wharves, and other places to which his business carried him. The "North Star was now out of commission, and laid up for repairs. The captain was anxious to obtain another command, and was constantly in and out of the captains'-room at

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Lloyd's, Garraway's, and the Baltic, these being the regular "houses of call" in the city for shipowners, underwriters, and the superior class of mariners. To these coffee-houses, as they are called, I generally accompanied the captain, so that in a little while I became familiar with several of my cousin's seafaring friends and acquaintance. One day, as we were walking through Cornhill, just opposite the Royal Exchange, an old gentleman met us, exchanged nods with the captain, and passed on.

"That," said my cousin, "is Mr. Brown, of Limehouse, one of the largest shipowners in the world."

I looked after the gentleman, and at that same moment he turned back and came towards us.

"Captain Billingsley," said he, holding out his hand, which my cousin took and shook, "I have been thinking that you are just the man I want."

"For what purpose?" inquired the captain.

"Why," said Mr. Brown, "I am just fitting out a firstclass sailing vessel for China. She will be ready in a month. If you like, you shall have the command of her. Don't say yes or no at once: come down and see her, and you'll say she's the prettiest thing that was ever rated at twelve hundred tons."

"Where does she lie, Mr. Brown?"

"In the river, just outside the East India Dock entrance at Blackwall."

"I'll come down and see her," said the captain. "Allow me to introduce my young friend, my cousin's son, Mr. Brown. He has been with me up the Baltic and the Mediterranean, and if I take command of your ship-what's her name?"

"The Saucy Annie.""

“Well, if I command the 'Saucy Annie,' I should like to take Ernest Langley with me as clerk."

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Very well," replied Mr. Brown, "its a bargain. But go down, both of you, and see the ship. Good-by. Call on me in Billiter Square as you come back. You can go down by the Blackwall Railway, and be back in a couple of hours." Captain Billingsley was a man of action, so that we lost no time in getting to the station. When we arrived at Blackwall, we jumped out of the carriage and ran on to the pier; and there, just outside the Dock entrance, lay the " Saucy Annie."

"She's a beauty, Ernest," said the captain, when we got alongside. "Let's go on board."

I made no objection, so we took boat, and soon stood on her deck.

"Well, what do you think of her?" asked the captain, after we had made a thorough inspection of the vessel "aloft and alow," as the sailors say.

"She's a model of a ship," I replied. "I think we'd better take her, captain."

"Think so, my lad? Well, then, we'll strike the bargain, and then go home and tell your mother."

I rather winced at the notion, but said nothing. We were quickly back again to the station, and in less time than Mr. Brown had given us we were at Mr. Brown's offices in Billiter Square, and signed articles, Captain Billingsley to take the command of, and Ernest Langley to act as clerk in, the good ship "Saucy Annie," appointed "to sail punctually on the 12th of October, with passengers and an assorted cargo, for

the Cape and China, as well as such other places as the owners shall desire." These were, as nearly as I can recollect, the very words with which the articles concluded.

We rather astonished my mother and father with the news when we got home, but they neither of them expressed the objection I had feared to my taking so long a voyage.

"I think, Rosa," said my father, "it will do Ernest no harm to make this voyage, for he appears to like the sea.” "And,” replied my mother, putting the best face she could on the matter," he will be with my cousin the Captain."

"Besides, mother dear," said I, going up to her and kissing her, “I am quite a young man now, you know."

And so it was settled that I was to make another voyage with Captain Billingsley.

I pass over the preparations made during the ensuing month, the parting with my parents, who accompanied us in the "Saucy Annie" as far as Gravesend, and the first few days' events after leaving England. When we got into blue water, the captain opened his instructions, and found that the first place at which we were to touch was Funchal, the principal town in the Island of Madeira. We had fine weather in passing through the Bay of Biscay, and in due time arrived safely off Madeira. Here we bade farewell to several of our passengers, and took in fresh meat, fruit, and wine, for the voyage to the Cape.

As soon as we came into the Bay of Funchal, we were surrounded by boats full of natives, dressed in all manner of fantastic ways. The town lay before us in all its beauty of architecture, narrow streets, and picturesque situation on the side of a hill. Presently the officer of health came on board,

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and examined our papers. Finding these all correct, we had permission to land. This, however, is no easy matter, from the roughness of the surf. The captain, four of the passengers, and I, formed the first boatload. The boatmen pulled hard up to the shore, as soon as we neared which, out they jumped into the boiling surf, and literally dragged us up the beach.

We were delighted with the luxuriance of the foliage, the softness of the air, and the cleanliness of the place; and, for the three days we remained here, enjoyed ourselves very much indeed.

Let me tell you something of the history of this island. In the days of Augustus Cæsar, the existence of the group of islands of which Madeira forms one was known to the Romans. They were discovered, so Pliny tells, by one Juba, but after the fall of Carthage all intercourse between them and Rome was neglected. In 1419, Prince Henry, son of John, King of Portugal, sent out ships to double Cape Bojador, and the captains were driven so far from shore that they fell in with an island, which they called Porto Santo. Henry sent out a colony to this island, and the inhabitants soon noticed a dark spot still westward, and Zarco, the commander of one of Henry's ships, sailing west, discovered an island, 1420, to which he gave the name of Madeira, because it was covered with trees.

The Portuguese determined to colonize the island, and made Zarco and his fellow-navigator Teixeira captains of the place. Zarco ruled forty-seven years, and is buried in St. Clara convent. In 1508 Funchal was made a city. In 1580 Madeira passed into the hands of Spain, and continued in her possession till 1640. From 1801 until 1807 it was under English