On the 30th, the moment we had cast off the lighters from alongside, we sailed for North America in company with the Chatham, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Shouldham, who was going out to take the chief command on that station. The wind continuing fair and the weather fine, we, on the following day, lost sight of the English shore, which many on board were destined never to see again--none of us, until months and months had passed by. Things had begun to shake a little into their places and the officers and ship's company to know something of each other by the time that we had got about three hundred leagues to the westward of Scilly. Instead, however, of keeping to the southward, where we might have found a continuance of fine weather, our captain, in his anxiety quickly to reach the scene of action, notwithstanding the advanced season of the year, ordered a northerly course to be steered. The consequence was that we had soon work to try the mettle of all hands. By noon on the 6th of November we fell in with a gale of wind which would as effectually have blown up the Houses of Parliament as would Guido Faulks and his barrels of gunpowder, if it could have got under them. Sail was shortened and all was made snug aloft in time, hat below many an article took a voyage which terminated in total shipwreck to itself or neighbours. "Here comes a combing sea in a vengeance!" exclaimed Delisle, seizing hold of little Harry to save him from being by chance washed away. We were standing aft on the quarter-deck. On came the watery mountain with its curling crest of snowy foam, and, striking the ship with terrific force and with a noise like thunder, broke over the starboard chesstree, deluging the decks forward and carrying away a fine cutter off the larboard skidds, with some of the rails and carlings of the head. "Where are we going to, Mr Delisle?" exclaimed little Harry, as he clung to his arm with a look of very natural terror in his countenance. "To Halifax, in Nova Scotia, I hope," answered Gerrard, laughing. "Where else should you think?" "I thought we might be going to the bottom," answered the poor boy with perfect simplicity; "but I'm not afraid, you know." "No reason why you should be, Harry," answered Delisle. "The old barkie will have to swim through many a worse sea than this, let me tell you-- so remember, my boy, you are never in future to begin to be afraid till you see the rest of us turn pale." Little Harry promised obedience, and he had before long ample opportunities of proving his nerves. The seamen, as they hurried about the decks, shook the water in showers, like Newfoundland dogs from their shaggy coats; and in a short time we had things put as much to rights as circumstances would allow.