earlier. When the Iphigenia and Magicienne forsook the blockade of Port Louis to reinforce Captain Pym, they seem to have been the only ships employed on that service; and their departure set free the French vessels hitherto locked up in the harbour. At midnight of the same day, the 21st, Commodore Hameln led out the 40-gun frigates Vénus, Astrée, and Manche in hot pursuit. Being only a few hours behind Lambert, he should have arrived at Grand Port in the middle of the battle of the 23rd, in which event the British squadron would have been caught between two fires. But the wind which blew Lambert rapidly round the southern point of the Isle of France, suddenly veered after dark, and came in strong gusts from the opposite quarter; and the French, after vainly endeavouring to make head against it, were forced to put about and take the longer northern passage. Further variations of wind continued to retard their progress; and they actually took five days to circumnavigate the island.

Yet towards the unfortunate Iphigenia the elements had proved even more unkind. She had taken no less than three days to warp herself up the five or six miles of harbour at Grand Port; and the morning of the 27th found her still at work against a stiff tide and breeze, near Willoughby's original position behind the Isle de la Passe. Down in the harbour all the French had left the ground and were nearly ready for action.

At

eight o'clock the Entreprenante in the offing was seen to be signalling; and shortly after three sail were sighted coming up rapidly from the N.E. These were the long-delayed Vénus, Astrée, and Manche.

Nothing could now have saved Lambert, but he made such dispositions as he could with a view to possible fighting. About 500 men were sent on to the Isle de la Passe; and with nearly 400 left on board, the Iphigenia cleared for action. But half an hour's fighting would have exhausted her supply of round-shot for the main battery; she had scarcely any provisions left, and she had no water at all. Under these circumstances, upon the French frigates arriving outside and anchoring with the Entreprenante, Lambert opened negotiations with Commodore Hameln. These could only have one end: and from stipulations that he and his frigate should be allowed to sail away in exchange for the surrender of the Isle de la Passe, the former was beaten down to a complete capitulation conditional on the release of his men within a month. It may be added that this condition was not complied with.

And so the prolonged agony had come to an end. All was over: and three more British captains and more than 800 seamen and soldiers went to join Willoughby and his remnant in the prisons of Port Louis. Two British frigates had been destroyed by their own crews; two others had been captured by the enemy. In the Iphigenia the French

secured an excellent new ship, as sound and ready for immediate employment as when she had sailed into the harbour; and within a month, under her new flag, she assisted the Astrée to capture the British frigate Africaine in sad and disgraceful circumstances. But the Néréide, although she once more hoisted for a few weeks the colours under which she had been launched, had been shattered beyond repair; and upon the occupation of the Isle of France by the British it was decided that she was not fit to endure the voyage home. She was accordingly broken up and sold on the spot; but her imperishable name was transferred to the captured French frigate Vénus.

A few remarks may wind up this little detail of noteworthy but forgotten events. The rock upon which the British split from first to last was undoubtedly precipitation. There was, in the first place, no reason whatsoever why the ships in Grand Port should have been attacked. The Néréide and Sirius, in conjunction with the battery on the islet, could easily have held them in the harbour for an indefinite time, provided a similarly stringent blockade was maintained off Port Louis; and Captain Pym must have known that within 8 few months at the longest the preparations for the invasion of the Isle of France would be completed, when the whole French squadron must of necessity fall into our hands. However, he would not wait; and not only was an unnecessary and dangerous enterprise embarked upon,

but further reckless precipitation was displayed in the method of attack. Whoever was responsible for the withdrawal of Lambert's two ships from the blockade of Port Louis was guilty of a grave error: for he simply provided an opportunity for Commodore Hameln to escape and pursue him; when, by the delay of a day or two, other ships to take over the blockade could have been obtained from Commodore Rowley at Bourbon. The fact that Pym intended to attack without him, and was only prevented by the first grounding of his ship, in no way affects the argument. Once, however, the four frigates were together at Grand Port, a prompt onslaught was forced upon them: because they knew that Hameln must by that time be after them, and they could not expect him to take five days to sail round a small island. Of the

operations within the harbour nothing remains to be said. The precipitate attack down an unknown and peculiarly difficult entrance resulted, as might have been expected, in disaster; but one is inclined, reluctantly, to think that this disaster might have been mitigated, or even retrieved, had all the opportunities offered been promptly accepted. But while there is much to deplore, one feature raises this defeat above a hundred victories: and the last fight of the Néréide, although utterly neglected and cast away upon the scrapheap of history, is worthy of a place beside that of Grenville's Revenge.

DOUGLAS G. BROWNE.

As they departed and went their way down the coombe, a constrained silence fell between the two friends. Nor did either break it until they came again in sight of the railway station.

"I don't altogether like the air in this valley," announced 'Bias.

"It is a trifle close, now you mention it," Cai agreed.

"Nor I don't altogether cotton to the valley, neither. Pretty enough, you may say; but it gives you a feelin'-like as if you didn't know what was goin' to happen next."

"Places do have that effect with some," Cai assented again, but more dejectedly. Horrid apprehension-if 'Bias should extend his dislike to Troy itself!

"I'm feeling better already," 'Bias continued, answering and allaying this unspoken fear. "Is that the gasworks yonder?"

"Yes. The real scenery's at the other end o' the town."

"The smell's healthy, they tell me." 'Bias halted in the roadway, and casting back his head took a long stare up at the gasometer. "You mustn' hurry me," he said, "I've got to enjoy everything."

"No hurry at all," said Cai,

from whose heart the words lifted a burden at least as heavy as the musical-box under his arm. "Hullo! here's Bill Tregaskis with his missus!... Evenin', William-good evenin', ma'am!" Captain Cai pulled off his hat. "I hope you find your husband none the worse for the voyage?-though, to be sure, 'tisn' fair on him nor on any seamen, the way some folks reproaches us when we get back home."

Mrs Tregaskis dropped a curtsey. "But be sure, sirwhat reproaches?"

"Your looks, ma'am-your looks, if I may say so... William married you soon as he could, I'll wager; but, to be fair, that should ha' been ten years afore you married him."

"La, sir!" answered Mrs Tregaskis blushing. "I wonder you never married, yourselfyou talk such nonsense! But you're in spirits to-day, as any one can see." She glanced at the broad back of Captain Tobias, who stood a few paces away, with legs planted wide and gaze still wrapped in contemplation of the gasometer. "Makin' so bold, sir, is that your friend we've heard tell so much about?"

F

"It is, ma'am," Captain Cai turned about to call up 'Bias to be introduced, when Mr Tregaskis gently checked him, laying a hand on the musical-box.

"I didn' think it worth mentionin' at the time, sir; but these instruments aren't intended for carryin' about."

"No, no," Captain Cai agreed hastily. "Here, 'Bias! Look around an' see who's the first to welcome ye! Tregaskis, of all men! And this here's his missus."

"How d'e do, Mr Tregaskis," said Captain Tobias, shaking hands. He knew the mate of the Hannah Hoo, and respected him for a capable seaman. hope I see you well, ma'am?" "Nicely, sir, thank you!" Mrs Tregaskis curtseyed and beamed.

"I

But Captain Tobias, though with her, too, he shook hands politely enough, was plainly preoccupied. "Tis a wonderful invention," said he. "You just let the gas run in, an' then it is ready for use at any time. I hadn't a notion you was so up-to-date here."

Mr Tregaskis looked puzzled. "It don't work by gas. You wind it up with a cog arrangement, which acts on a spring coil, I'm told-just like the inside of a watch. But we can see by liftin' up the lid."

"Eh?" Captain Tobias glanced back over his shoulder. "But as I was tellin' the boss, 'twas never intended for a country walk. You sets it down at home and calls for a tune-as it might be drinks," continued Mr Tregaskis lucidly.

"You don't say that's the musical - box!" cried Mrs Tregaskis. "Now, don't you agree, sir"-she appealed to Captain Tobias-"with what I said to William at dinnertime, when he told me about the presentation, and the speeches? [Here Captain Cai shot a look at his mate, who flushed but kept his eyes averted, pretending carelessness.] I said that for a lot of ignorant seamen 'twas quite a happy thought, thought, an' nobody could say as Captain Hocken didn' deserve it; but, the thing bein' bought in such a hurry— an' knowin' William as I doten to one he'd been taken in an' the thing wouldn't work when it came to be tried."

"I told you," put in her spouse, "as the salesman had shown us how to work it, an' it played the most life-like tunes, 'Home Sweet Home' inclooded."

"The salesman!" said Mrs Tregaskis scornfully. "Along way you'll go in the world if you trust a salesman! Why, there was a young man once in Harris's Drapery showed me a bonnet-with hummingbirds-perfectly outrageous; I wouldn' ha' been seen in it;