Hood, then commander-in-chief in India, and the newly-promoted boatswain of a sloop-of-war, belonging to the squadron. The admiral, who was one of the bravest, and kindest, and truest-hearted seamen that ever trod a ship's decks, was a sworn foe to all trickery in dress-work. The eye of the veteran officer was directed earnestly towards the yeast of waves, which, in immense double rows of surf, fringe and guard the whole of that flat shore. He felt more anxious than usual about the fate of this particular boat, from having ordered on shore the person alluded to, with whom he wished to have some conversation previously to their parting company. This boatswain was a young man, who had been for some years a follower of the admiral, in different ships, and to whom he had just given a warrant. The poor fellow, unexpectedly promoted from before the mast to the rank of an officer, was trigged up in his newly bought but marvellously ill-cut uniform, shining like a dollar, and making its wearer, who, for the first time in his life, had put on a long coat, feel not a little awkward.

"As soon as the boat was partly driven up the beach by the surf, and partly dragged beyond the dash of the breakers by the crowd on shore, this happiest of warrant-officers leaped out on the sand, and seeing the admiral above him, standing on the crest of the natural glacis, which lines the shore, he took off his hat, smoothed down the hair on his

forehead, sailor-fashion, and stood uncovered, in spite of the roasting sun flaming in the zenith.

"The admiral, of course, made a motion with his hand for the boatswain to put his hat on, but the other, not perceiving the signal, stood stock still.

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"I say, put on your hat!' called the commander-in-chief, in a tone which made the newlycreated warrant start. In his agitation he shook a bunch of well trimmed ringlets a little on one side, and betrayed, to the flashing eyes of the admiral, a pair of small, round, silver ear-rings, the parting gift, doubtless, of some favoured and favouring Poll' or 'Bess,' of dear, old blackguard Point Beach, the very ninth heaven of all lighthearted sailors. Be this as it may, the admiral, first stepping on one side, and then holding his head forward, as if to re-establish the doubting evidence of his horrified senses, and forcibly keeping down the astonished seaman's hat with his hand, roared out,

"Who are you?'

"John Marline, sir!' replied the bewildered boatswain, beginning to suspect the scrape he had got himself into.

“Oh!' cried the flag-officer, with a scornful laugh. Oh! I beg your pardon; I took you for a Portuguese.'

"No, sir!' instinctively faltered out the other, seeing the admiral expected some reply.

"No? Then if you are not a foreigner, why do you hoist false colours? What business has an English sailor with these trumpery machines in his ears?'

"I don't know, sir,' said poor Marline. 'I put them in only this morning, when I rigged myself in my new togs, to answer the signal on shore."

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Then,' said Sir Samuel, softened by the contrite look of his old shipmate, and having got rid of the greater portion of his bile by the first explosion, you will now proceed to unrig yourself of this top hamper as fast as you can; pitch them into the surf, if you like, but never, as you respect the warrant in your pocket, let me see you in that disguise again.'

Weapons of war.

CHAPTER VII.

- Artillery. Train of artillery.- Chevaux-deThe old archer. The musket.-The

frise. Bows and arrows.

bayonet. Captain Von Selmnitz.-Broad-swords. - Highlanders. -Artillery and stores sent to Spain. James II. of Scotland. -Brass twenty

Buonaparte and Colonel Evain. Wooden cannon.

four-pounder from the wreck of the Royal George. - The brass sixty-eight-pounder in the Tower, called the Great Harry,' a beautiful mortar.-The new destructive power.

"CAN you tell us something about the artillery, uncle. There must be a great many pieces of cannon used in an army?"

"There are; and if you never know more about

them than the information you get from me, so much the better; better to hear of them than to be among them. I will say a little about the weapons of war generally, but can only glance at the subject: it would take me a week to tell you everything, if I had it all at the tip of my tongue."

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Well, so that your account is not too short, we must be satisfied."

in use

"As the world turns round, the weapons among soldiers and sailors and the customs of warfare change.

"When the twang of the bow is heard no more,

Then muskets rattle and cannons roar.

I need not dwell on the clubs, the spears, the bills, and battle-axes of former times; the slings, the bows and arrows, the cross-bows and the maces, that were accustomed to deal death around, are unknown to modern warfare, nor are the scythearmed chariot, the battering-ram, the balista, or the catapulta, now ever used in the sea or land service of Old England."

"Ay! gunpowder has put them all aside."

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Artillery does not mean cannon only, but all the huge weapons, apparatus, and stores used in the field, or in garrisons and sieges. A train of artillery comprehends cannon, mortars, and howitzers of all kinds, properly mounted; with horses, carriages, mortar-beds, block-carriages, ammunition-waggons, stores, shells, shot, bullets, powder, and cartridges."

G