Skirting the village, the two young men soon came in upon the desert track, and commenced traversing those singular mountains of sand, many of them above one hundred feet in height, and covered with a wild and curious species of vegetation, peculiar to them and their soil. These sand hills were three miles in breadth, and terminated at the eastern extremity by a rocky shore. Long before they reached Lyon Head they obtained a clear view of the sea to the westward; but the entrance to Havre was shut out from their sight by the cliffs of Caux. They could see many vessels, making evidently for the mouth of the Seine, but no vessel of war met their anxious gaze. On gaining the Head, they commanded a view to the eastward. Julian carried a pocket telescope, but nothing in the shape of a cruiser met their gaze. “I am not at all disheartened,” said Lieutenant Thornton; “it may be several days before we see the Onyx.” “Neither am I,” said Julian; “so let us, as there is nothing in sight, cross this headland, and get a sight of the creek where the Vengeance lies.” In half an hour they had gained a part of the coast that commanded a view of the creek and its mouth. It was a very singular inlet; extremely narrow at the mouth, and from the sea exceedingly difficult to be discovered, and dangerous to enter, on account of rocks crossing its mouth; for the tide being low, they could see that the rocks they were then looking at would be covered at high water. A quarter of a mile inside, the inlet opened into a fine pool of water, never entirely dry, in which they could see not only that the Vengeance lay afloat, but that there was a very handsome brig, a cutter, and half-a-dozen large lugger boats, fishing crafts, also afloat; part of the creek ran towards Coulancourt, which was perfectly dry at low water. The other branch led away to the eastward, and seemed to be the run of a large river. Descending the hill, they made their way over the rocks till they gained a spot where they could obtain a near view of the celebrated privateer that caused Sir Sidney Smith two years of miserable imprisonment. From where they were concealed, they had a clear view, between the rocks, of the Vengeance, which appeared almost ready for sea, not having suffered in her hull so much by the fire as was supposed, for on running ashore, the ground swell rising in upon her flaming deck, immediately extinguished the fire. She was a remarkably handsome craft, very long, and with a graceful sheer and elongated bow; with masts much tauter than her previous ones, and her yards proportionably square, so that her lug-sails were greatly increased. Several men were employed setting up the rigging; the mizen-mast was yet unshipped. On the opposite side of the creek was a long wooden shed containing stores, and several other sheds, and a very long stone building showed that vessels were built and repaired there; for a large collection of spars and timber lay along the shore and in the water.