part of the gale, was as close as might be the course in which the wind blew.  At the moment we brought up, the wind had hauled a little further to the northward, giving us a better lee; but, to my great regret, Michael had scarcely left us, when it shifted to due north-east, making a fair rake of the channel.  This left us very little of a lee—­the point ahead of us being no great matter, and we barely within it.  I consulted such maps as I had, and came to the conclusion that we were off the county Down, a part of the kingdom that was at least civilized, and where we should be apt to receive good treatment, in the event of being wrecked.  Our fishermen told us that they belonged to a Bally-something; but what the something was I have forgotten, if I ever understood them. “Told us,” I say out of complaisance, but “tould” would be the better word, as all they uttered savoured so much of the brogue, that it was not always easy to get at their meaning.

It was past noon when the Dawn anchored; and the wind got more to the eastward, about half an hour afterwards.  It was out of the question to think of getting under way again, with so strong a wind, and with our feeble crew.  Had it been perfectly smooth water, and had there been neither tide, nor air, it would have taken us half a day, at least, to get out two bowers.  It was folly, therefore, to think of it, situated as we were.  It only remained, to ride out the gale in the best manner we could.

Nothing occurred, for several hours, except that the gale increased sensibly in violence.  Like an active disease, it was fast coming to a crisis.  Towards sunset, however, a little incident took place, that gave me great uneasiness of itself, though I had forebodings of evil from the commencement of that tempest.  Two sail appeared in sight, to windward, being quite near us, close in with the Irish coast before either was observed on board the Dawn.  The leading vessel of the two was a man-of-war cutter, running nearly before it, under a close-reefed square-sail,—­canvass so low that it might easily be confounded with the foam of the sea, at a little distance.  She rounded the head-land, and was edging away from the coast, apparently for sea-room, when she took a sudden sheer in our direction.  As if curious to ascertain what could have taken so large a square-rigged vessel as the Dawn, into her present berth, this cutter actually ran athwart our hawse, passing inside of us, at a distance of some fifty yards.  We were examined; but no attempt was made to speak us.  I felt no uneasiness at the proximity of these two cruisers, for I knew a boat could not live,—­our ship fairly pitching her martingale into the water at her anchors.