even the worm could find no place to live. They advised, therefore, that all the men should set to work, and try to cut a passage for the ships. But this was very slow, and very hard work; so that after labouring for a whole day they had only moved two or three hundred yards.

10. I must here tell you an anecdote of Nelson, as, now that he is really a sailor, we must begin to call him. One night he and one of his companions, who was not older, or, at all events, who was not any wiser than himself, seeing a bear at some distance determined to set off in pursuit of him. It was some time before they were missed, and when, at last, they were discovered, they were in the very act of attacking the enormous creature.

II. Captain Lutwidge, under whose care Nelson had been placed, saw the danger into which the two boys had thrown themselves, and immediately ordered a signal to be made for their return. Nelson observed it, but could not bring himself to resign the bear without one effort to make it his own property; and when his companion called him to obey, reminding him, at the same time, that they had nothing to reload their guns with, he only answered, 'Never mind; do but let me only get one good blow at his head with the butt-end of my musket, and we shall have him.'

12. Fortunately for Nelson, just at this moment Captain Lutwidge fired a gun in order to frighten the bear, which it did, for he scampered off in great haste, leaving the boy in safety, but very much disappointed at having lost the opportunity of carrying, as he said, the skin home to his father.

13. Now this may have been very brave, but I do not think that it was very wise. Had he struck the bear, all the force he could have used would not have killed it; the blow would have enraged the animal, and Nelson would probably not only have lost his own life, but endangered that of his companion.

14. During six weeks the ships remained fast in the ice, unable to make any progress. At last, by degrees, when the wind rose in their favour, they succeeded in moving slowly on, and the ice itself was now drifted before the breeze, till once more they rejoiced in finding themselves in the open sea, and on their way back to England.

15. Nelson rose very quickly in his profession, and at twenty-one was captain of a ship called the 'Hinchinbroock.' After this he made two or three voyages, but I do not find much in any of them to tell you. Ten years later he was appointed to the ship Agamemnon,' and was sent to the Mediterranean in pursuit of the French fleet; for

F

France, at this time at war with herself, was also at war with almost all the surrounding countries.

16. On his way to Tunis, a large city in Africa, where he was going to join the Commodore Linzee,

Nelson met with five French ships. He pursued them, and came sufficiently near to one of the frigates to engage it in a running-fight which lasted

for three hours.

The other four were still at some distance, but made all sail to come up to the assistance of their companion, when the 'Agamemnon' would have been attacked by all five at

once.

17. A few minutes longer, and Nelson thought that the frigate would have been obliged to strike, that is, to resign herself prisoner to England, when a favourable wind sprang up, and carried her far out of reach; for the 'Agamemnon' was not so quick a sailer, and had had her masts much injured in the contest.

18. Nelson was disappointed of his prize, but he still looked to engaging with the other ships of the enemy, who were making towards him. He therefore called his officers together, and asked them if they considered the vessel in a fit state to engage with a force so much larger than their own without refitting. They agreed that she was not, and he immediately set every hand to work to repair the damage she had received. But just then the frigate with which Nelson had been engaged made signals of distress. She was already sinking ; and the other ships, hastening to her assistance, left the Agamemnon' to pursue her own way, and to refit at leisure.

19. From this time forward Nelson's career was one of almost uninterrupted success. He fought

many times by sea and shore, and always highly distinguished himself by valour and capacity. But the greatest deeds of his life were still to come.

20. I must copy here part of a letter, written by his father, after one of the numerous victories gained by his brave son, who was now Admiral Nelson. The good old man says: 'I thank my God, my dear son, with all the power of a grateful soul, for preserving you to me amidst all the dangers which have surrounded you. All I meet, even those who are strangers to me, speak to me in your praise, till I have been obliged to turn away to conceal the tears of joy that trickled down my furrowed cheeks. Your name, coupled with victory, is heard on every side. Alas! how few fathers live to see their children reach the height of glory which you have attained.'

1. How grand, oh sea, thou lonely sea,

Is all thy wandering water;

But yet thou bearest far from me

My boy of song and laughter.