our spirits—and water, a fresh stock of which
we shipped. It was not, therefore, without
some of the lightness of heart, which had
characterised our first start, that, on the morning
of the third day, we made way again for
the New World. But it seemed as if we were
never to get rid of the coast, for we were
overtaken by a dead calm off Ailsa, causing
delay for ten days more sweltering under a
hot sun, within half a mile of that lonely and
stupendous rock. On the evening of the
second day a gentle breeze from the north-
east carried us out of the Channel, and next
morning found us with all sail set, speeding
westward, with the Irish coast on our lee.

We were a very mixed company in the
steerage. Some had been farmers, and were
going out to try their hands at agriculture in
the wilds of Canada. Others had been
servants, predial and domestic, and were on their
way in search of better fortunes in the New
World, although they had not yet made up their
minds as to the precise manner in which they
were to woo the fickle dame. We had a brace
of wives on board who were proceeding to
join their husbands in Canada, who had
prudently preceded their families, and prepared
for their advent, by constructing a home for
them in the woods. There was an old man
with a slender capital, who was emigrating at
an advanced period of life, that he might
make a better provision for his grandson, a
lusty youth of about seventeen, of whom he
seemed doatingly fond. We had also amongst
us a large family from Edinburgh, of that
class of people who have "seen better days,"
who were hurrying across the Atlantic in the
hope of at least catching a glimpse of them
again. Besides the father and mother, there
were several sons and two daughters, the
eldest son having duly qualified himself for
the honour of writing W.S. after his name—
a nominal appendage which he would find of
far less value to him than a good axe in the
woods. We had a clergyman, too, of the
poorer class, in worldly circumstances, who
had been accredited as a missionary to the
Canadian wilds. I must not overlook four or
five infants, the precise ownership of which
I never thoroughly traced, they were so
tumbled about from one to another; and
which generally of nights favoured us with
prolonged choruses of the most enlivening
description.

Thus mixed and assorted, the first few days
passed off agreeably enough to such as were
proof against a relapse of sea-sickness. When
it was not blowing too strong, the deck was
a pleasant place for exercise, which is necessary
to comfort, as it is generally cold and
disagreeable at sea, except when calm, and
then one is annoyed, whilst being broiled, at
the thought of making no progress. The chief
occupation on board, seemed to be that of
cooking and eating. The cooking apparatus
for the steerage was on deck; each family, and
each individual who had no family, was
continually cooking for themselves. As the
accommodation for cooking was not very ample for
upwards of a hundred passengers, there was
scarcely an hour of the day between sunrise
and sunset, that was not witness to the progress
of some culinary operations—men, women,
and children were constantly appearing and
disappearing at the hatchways with pots,
saucepans, kettles, and other utensils; and
it was not long ere some began to fear,
having made but little account of the
voracity of appetite engendered by convalescence
after sea-sickness, that their stock of
provisions would prove rather scanty for the
voyage.

Perhaps the greatest privation to which the
poor steerage passenger is subjected, is in
connection with the water which he uses for
drinking and in some of his cooking processes.
As the voyage may be protracted beyond
reasonable calculation, an extra supply of
fresh water is or should be laid in to meet
such an emergency. To preserve this extra
stock from becoming impure, different devices
are resorted to,—such as impregnating it with
lime, large quantities of which are thrown
into each cask. Were this the case only with
the extra stock, the comfort of the passenger
might, for a time at least, be unimpaired in
this respect; but the misfortune is, that all the
water for steerage consumption, immediate
and contingent, is treated in the same way;
so that the emigrant is scarcely out of
harbour, when he finds the water of which he
makes use not only extremely unpalatable to
drink, but in such a state as to spoil every
decoction into which it enters. Fancy a cup
of tea without cream, but with sugar and
coarse lime, in about equal proportions, to
flavour it. The most unquestionable sloe
leaves might, under such circumstances, pass
for young hyson, and the worst of chicory
for the best of coffee. This sorely discomfited
the more elderly of the females on board,
whose cup of life was poisoned by very thin
mortar.

On the fifth day out, after gaining the open
sea, we were overtaken by a tremendous gale,
which did us considerable damage. I was
standing near the forecastle, when a heavy
block dropped from aloft with terrific force at
my feet. I had scarcely recovered from my
fright, when crash after crash over head,
making me run under the jolly boat in terror.
For a moment afterwards all was still, and then
arose a tremendous uproar on board, officers
giving all sorts of directions at once, and sailors
running about, and jumping over each other to
obey them. When I ventured to peep out from
my place of safety, a sad spectacle of wreck and
ruin presented itself to me. On our lee, masts,
ropes, spars, and sails were floating alongside
on the uneasy waters. Our fore-top-mast
had given way, and in falling overboard,
had dragged the maintop-gallant mast and
the greater part of our bowsprit along
with it. Sails and rigging went of course