It is a grand sight—­that vast, and apparently interminable ocean—­

  .... maria undique et undique coelum!

We darted from Beechy Head upon a long tack for the French coast:  and as the sun declined, we found it most prudent to put the Captain’s advice, of going below, into execution.  Then commenced all the miseries of the voyage.  The moon had begun to assert her ascendancy, when, racked with torture and pain in our respective berths, a tremendous surge washed completely over the deck, sky-light, and binnacle:  and down came, in consequence, drenched with the briny wave, the hardiest of our crew, who, till then, had ventured to linger upon deck.  That crew was various; and not without a few of the natives of those shores which we were about to visit.

To cut short my ship-narrative, suffice it only farther to say, that, towards midnight, we heard our Captain exclaim that he saw “the lights of Dieppe”—­a joyful sound to us miserable wretches below.  I well remember, at this moment, looking up towards the deck with a cheerless eye, and perceiving the light of the moon still lingering upon the main-sail,—­but I shall never forget how much more powerfully my sensations were excited, when, as the dawn of day made objects visible, I looked up, and saw an old wrinkle-visaged sailor, with a red night cap on begirt with large blue, puckered, short petticoats—­in possession of the helm—­about to steer the vessel into harbour![19]

About seven we were all upon deck.  The sea was yet swoln and agitated, and of a dingy colour:  while

    .... heavily with clouds came on the day,

as we slowly approached the outward harbour of DIEPPE.  A grey morning with drizzling rain, is not the best accompaniment of a first visit to a foreign shore.  Nevertheless every thing was new, and strange, and striking; and the huge crucifix, to the right, did not fail to make a very forcible impression.  As we approached the, inner harbour, the shipping and the buildings more distinctly presented themselves.  The harbour is large, and the vessels are entirely mercantile, with a plentiful sprinkling of fishing smacks:  but the manner in which the latter harmonized with the tint and structure of the houses—­the bustle upon shore—­the casks, deal planks, ropes, and goods of every description upon the quays,—­all formed a most animated and interesting scene.  The population seemed countless, and chiefly females; whose high caps and enormous ear-rings, with the rest of their paraphernalia, half persuaded me that instead of being some few twenty-five leagues only from our own white cliffs, I had in fact dropt upon the Antipodes!  What a scene (said I to my companion) for our CALCOTT to depict![20] It was a full hour before we landed—­saluted, and even assailed on all sides, with entreaties to come to certain hotels.  We were not long however in fixing our residence at the Hotel d’Angleterre, of which the worthy Mons. De La Rue[21] is the landlord.