CHAPTER II. SERVICE IN THE SYBIL.—STORY OF THE CORFIELDS.—SEVERE WINTER AT SEA.—STORY OF JOHN ICEBERG.—INVALIDED AND COMES ASHORE.—APPLIES FOR EMPLOYMENT, AND APPOINTED TO THE ALLIANCE.—FEELINGS ON THE SUBJECT.—GOES OUT TO THE MEDITERRANEAN.—MADE KNOWN TO SIR JOHN JERVIS, AND APPOINTED TO THE GIBRALTAR.—STORM AND EXTREME DANGER OF THE SHIP.—MADE FIRST LIEUTENANT OF THE AIGLE.—BUT THE AIGLE BEING LOST, HE REMAINS FIRST LIEUTENANT OF THE BARFLEUR.—INTERVIEW WITH LORD ST. VINCENT AND THE SUBSEQUENT DECISION. Soon after his arrival in England, Mr. Brenton was appointed Second Lieutenant to the Sybil; and while the ship was lying at Gravesend, and previous to her quitting the river, an interesting little event occurred, which is so descriptive of the warm-hearted and affectionate character of the Irish, that it seems due to our countrymen of the sister isle to mention it, as related in the journal. “A boat full of men was seen proceeding to an East Indiaman, and I, who was at the time walking the deck with the captain, was ordered to take a boat and examine them. I found them sheltered under a regular protection signed by the Lords of the Admiralty, and stated to be in force for three days from its date. The date had been omitted, perhaps purposely; and the paper had probably been procured by a crimp, in order to cover the men he was in the habit of sending down to the ships at Gravesend. The boat therefore was brought alongside the Sybil; and the captain, not finding any prime seamen amongst them, was satisfied with taking two healthy looking Irish lads, Mike and Pat Corfield by name, one about twenty years old, and the other under nineteen. The lads were greatly distressed at being put on board a man of war, of which they had undoubtedly heard many terrible things. It was however past twelve o’clock when they arrived, and the pipe had been just given for dinner. The young Irishmen were accordingly supplied with their portion of bread, soup, and meat; when Pat smiling through his tears said, “Mike, let us send for mother.”