pedition was to sail without further delay; those of the Leeward island division for Barbadoes, and those of the St. Domingo division for Cork. The transports, with troops from Southampton, happening to drop down the river at the same time, to rendezvous at the Motherbank and Spithead, seemed to confirm the report; and suddenly, all was converted into extreme hurry and activity. Multitudes, both from the newly arrived ships, and those which had been long waiting, thronged on shore to purchase provisions and stores, to complete their stock for the voyage. Many, who had passed their hours of suspense in the town, had also their marketings to make; and hence the demand becoming suddenly greater than the supply, it introduced all the confusion of a general scramble. Each seized upon whatever provisions he could find, asking no ques tions, but paying any money that was demanded.

• Not aware of the tumultuous pressure of such a moment, and considering ours to be only a short passage, we had pur posely delayed purchasing our meat, bread, and other fresh provisions, until we should be certain that the ship, in which we were to make the voyage, was arrived. But should we proceed to sea immediately, and the voyage be at all protracted, we shall be reduced by this neglect to salt food, and the ship's allowance; for in the general scramble we were unable to obtain what we wished, and were compelled to repair on board with a very deficient supply.

All the butchers' and bakers' shops were quickly emptied. Not a loaf, not a bit of meat, not even a carrot, nor a cabbage remained, and many went empty away. Neither porters nor servants were required, but every one, who was successful enough to put his hand upon his provisions, gladly became the bearer of his own load. To shew you the extremity to which we were reduced, I may tell you that our party stopped a man upon the street who was carrying home a large giblet pie, hot from the oven, which we tempted him to let us take on board, by offering for the pie and the dish more than dou ble their value-or indeed any money he might demand.

To an unconcerned spectator it must have been a most ludicrous and diverting scene, and such as might have afforded

full scope to the all-animating pencil of Hogarth. We were too intimately associated in what was passing, to view it only with an eye of amusement. Still I could not but remark the oddity of the assemblage, and the varied expression of countenance, as actuated by hope, joy, disappointment, hurry, and anxiety. Military and naval officers, passengers, servants, soldiers, sailors, boys, women, and negroes, all crowded together upon the streets, formed one heterogeneous mass one great and motley groupe, of which every part was in busy motion-each person feeling the apprehension of being left behind...

From the multitudes of anxious heavy-laden individuals who were seen running with their burdens down to the boats, and scrambling to embark, it might have appeared to a stranger, that the inhabitants of Portsmouth were making one great effort to carry off all the provisions, stores, and furniture of the town, previous to evacuating it to the possession of an enemy. One hurried off with legs and shoulders of mutton, another with half a sheep, a third with a huge piece of beef, and others with different joints of veal and pork. Here was a man running with a cheese, there one with a sugar-loaf. Others were scampering away loaded with rice, or papers of groceries. Some ran off with bags of bread, some with baskets of greens, potatoes, carrots, turnips, and the like. Many were seen bending under heavy bundles of clothes, wet from the wash; others loaded with camp-stools, deal boxes, sea-coffers, pewter utensils, and various other kind of stores; and, amidst the throng, ourselves with the smoking giblet pie, and such other provisions as we had been able to procure. Every one was upon the alert. Necessity made all industrious, and, without any idle or scrupulous objections, each was glad to minister to his own wants.

1's Intermixed with the business of this anxious scene, were many other circumstances which increased the general crowd and confusion of the picture; such as multitudes pressing into, and overflowing the shops-people running against, or tumbling over each other upon the streets-loud disputes and quarrelling--the sadness of parting--greeting of friends, un

expectedly met, and as suddenly about to separate--sailors quitting their trulls----drunkards reeling---boatmen wrangling boats overloaded or upset--the tide beating in heavy spraysupon the shore--persons running and hurrying in every direction, for something new, or something forgot--some cursing the boatmen for not pushing off with more speed, and others beseeching and imploring them to stop a minute longer,

Such was the state in which we left Portsmouth, after á residence of three weeks, during which we had regarded it as a dull inanimate place; but the change is sudden, and will be only transient; the hurry and tumult will vanish with the sailing of the fleet, and the town will relapse into its tranquil sameness, until the recurrence of a similar occurrence.

Upon reaching the ship we had so anxiously looked for, we were received as people unknown and unregarded-conducted into a large ward-room, strewed with various kinds of lumber, and there left, as in a wilderness. No births had been prepared, nor any kind of arrangement made for our accommodation. Not a cot was slung; nor any sleeping place allotted. The ward-room was open to all, and was to serve for the whole of the passengers. We were turned in loose, with six or eight other persons, and soon found ourselves to be only individuals of the general herd---the whole flock being left at large, like sheep in a common fold.

The vessel is commanded by an officer of the navy, and it was no part of his duty to prepare accommodations for passengers he neither knew nor expected. She is one of the old 44 gun frigates, and carries some of her guns as an armed transport. Had our ship been a common transport, or a merchantman, I should have felt enough at home to have demanded all we required, but from not having before been passengers on board a ship of war, Cleghorn, Master, and myself were quite at a loss how to proceed. Fortunately, Henderson is more au fait to these subjects, and from understanding the necessary etiquette, kindly took upon himself the task of meliorating our condition. Having applied, with all due ceremony, to the governor of our occan-castle, he soon succeeded in bringing one of the lieutenants to our aid, who very

obligingly gave directions for bettering our situation, and it was gratifying, beyond all the advantages of personal accommodation, to observe with what promptitude his orders were put into execution. The packages, and other incommoding lumber, were quickly removed; and a canvass partition was put up to divide the ward-room into two separate apartments; allotting to us that on the starboard side. Four cots were slung in a row over the cannon, and inclosed with another canvass running, parallel with the former, throughout the whole length of the ward-room. This formed a general sleeping birth for our mess, allowing to each his appropriate dressing room between the several guns: and, thus, were we speedily accommodated with five distinct apartments, consisting of a long narrow dining room, and, as we were assured, four excellent bed-rooms.

We were both amused and gratified in observing the expertness of the ship's carpenters, and all the men employed upon this occasion; and it afforded us great pleasure to remark how prompt and obedient they were in executing the commands of their officers. On board a transport, or a merchantman, several days would have been expended, in preparing what was here completed in a single hour.

As we are only fresh-water sailors, it was hinted for our information, that the aft, or sternmost cot, being the upper birth on the star-board side, was deemed the place of honour, and hence appropriated to the use of the captain, always, when the officers sleep in the ward-room. My ambition did not lead to contend for this sickening post of honour, therefore, in obedience to my poor nauseated stomach, I very humbly required to be allowed to take the lowest cot of the four, and am accordingly indulged with the birth nearest the centre of the ship, where I lie with my three comrades kicking, in a head.

row, at my

"Our first night has been restless and disturbed--the unpleasant heaving of the ship-the creaking of bulk-heads, and other noises the uneasy motion of the cot, and a whole host of annoyances, prevented me from sleeping. At each motion of the ship, or the cot, my feet were struck against the bulk

head at the bottom of the ward-room; or I was bumped upon the huge cannon standing under me; or had Cleghorn's feet roughly presented to my head. Some of these evils arose from the cot being badly slung, and will be removed; and a few days, I trust, will reconcile me to those which cannot be remedied.

• H. M. S. Ulysses, November 15.

THE long expected day is at length arrived, when our proud fleet swells its lofty sails to seek the enemy. The loud signal of departure being given, all the ships of the Leeisland division weighed anchor this morning, and put to sea under a most favourable breeze. The Ulysses being left to wait the sailing of the convoy at Cork, we remained tranquil spectators, and had every convenience of enjoying the scene; which was great, and splendid, and led me strongly to wish that you had been here to witness it, with us. The day being fine, and the wind from a friendly quarter, the picture was beautiful, as it was grand and animated. On passing round, or, to use the sailors' term, on doubling the point of the isle of Wight, all the ships seemed to fall into regular succession, forming a line of numberless extent-each elevating her sails into view, over the territory of the island, as though they were contending which should be longest seen; or, as if striving to rival the clouds, in their travels through the skies, conscious that they too bore with them their thunder and their lightning.

It was a pleasing spectacle to every beholder, and those who felt as Englishmen ought, derived from it sensations peculiarly grateful. To witness such a fleet full-swelling from our little island into the ocean, to fight our battles in a far distant country, conveyed ideas of greatness and power, which were calculated to raise a just ambition in every British bosom. The ships of war and transports exceeded 200 sail. The im mense ship, the Commerce de Marseilles, captured at Toulon, is at the head of the convoy, with the admiral, the commander-in-chief of the army, and nearly 1,000 troops on board. It is currently reported here that the whole of these, together