chiefly of taree long streets converging to one point; the upper part called the town, and the lower the pier. It is defended by a strong and spacious castle, including an area of about thirtyfive acres; and all the neighboring heights are fortified. It oc cupies a lofty eminence, steep and rugged towards the town and harbor, and presents a precipitous cliff three hundred and twenty feet higher than the sea. Some antiquaries have ascribed its origin to the Romans under Julius; and it is certain that a Roman pharos, or watch-tower, whose site exhibits a modern redoubt, stood in the neighborhood It consists of numerous edifices, among which are many towers, erected at different times, and al. designated by particular names. The keep, which stands in the upper court is ninety-two feet high, is in good preservation, and is used as a magazine. Water is drawn from wells three hundred and seventy feet deep to supply the garrison. The castle makes a distinguished figure in history, and was once deemed impregnable; but it was surprised and taken by a very small party of the parliamentary forces in the ign of Charles I. Near the edge of the cliff there is a beautiful piece of brass ordnance, twenty-four feet long, and carrying a twelve pound ball: it is finely ornamented by figures in baş relief, and was made at Utrecht in 1544. Among the recent improvements, and fortifications resulting from the apprehension of invasion by the French, are subterraneous works and casemates capable of accommodating two thousand men. Dover is one of the Cinque Ports. The harbor can receive vessels of four hundred or five hundred tons, and is defended by strong batterics. It is the principal place of embarkation to France, and employs twenty-seven packets for that purpose. The channel is about twenty-two miles wide. There are hot and cold baths here, and the town is much resorted to in summer for seabathing. Samphire is still gathered from the cliffs as in the days of Shakspeare, and employed in making a fine flavored pickle. About six miles from Dover, between Bologne and Folkstone is a narrow submarine hill, called the Rip-raps, about a quarter of a mile broad, and ten miles long, extending eastward, towards the Goodwin sands. Its materials are boulder-stones, adventitious to many strata. The depth of water on it, 'n very low spring tides, is only fourteen feet. The fishermen from Folkstone have often touched it with a fifteen feet oar: so that it is justly the dread of navigators. Many a tall ship has struck on it, and sunk instantly into twenty-one fathoms of water. In July, 1782, the Belleisle, of sixty-four guns, struck and lay on it during three hours; but, by starting her beer and water, got clear off. It is said that the breadth of the straits between Dover and Calais, is diminishing; and that they are two miles narrower than they were in ancient times. An accurate observer for fifty years remarks that the increased height of water, from a decrease of breadth, has been apparent, even in that space. THE MARINER'S HYMN. Launch thy bark, Mariner! Look to the weather-bow, What of the night, watchmen! "Cloudy-all quiet No land yet—all's right' Be wakeful-be vigilant- At an hour when all seemest How gains the leak so fast? Lo! the red lights! Slacken not sail yet Straight for the beacon steer, Christian! Cast anchor now- AN ACCOUNT OF THE WHALE-FISHERY; WITH ANECDOTES OF THE DANGERS &C. ATtending it. Historians, in general, have given to the Bis-cayans the credit of having first practised the fishery for the whale; the English, and afterwards the Dutch are supposed to have followed in the pursuit. It was prosecuted by the Norwegians so early as the ninth century, and by the Icelanders about the eleventh. It was not till the seventeenth century, however, that the whale fishery was engaged in by the maritime nations of Europe as an important branch of commerce. The crew of a whale-ship usually consists of forty to fifty men, comprising several classes of officers, such as harpooners, boatsteerers, line-managers, &c., together with fore-mast-men, landmen, and apprentices. As a stimulus to the crew in the fishery, every individual, from the master down to the boys, besides his monthly pay, receives either a gratuity for every size fish caught during the voyage, or a certain sum for every ton of oil which the cargo produces. Masters and harpooners receive a small sum before sailing, in place of monthly wages; and if they procure no cargo whatever, they receive nothing more for their voyage; but in the event of a successful fishing, their advantages are considerable. The crow's nest is an apparatus placed on the main-top-mast, or top-gallant-mast head, as a watch tower for the officer on the look out. It is closely defended from the wind and cold, and is furnished with a speaking-trumpet, a telescope, and rifle. The most favorable opportunity for prosecuting the fishery in the Greenland seas, commonly occurs with north, north-west or west winds. At such times the sea is smooth, and the atmosphere, though cloudy and dark, is generally free from fog and snow. The fishers prefer a cloudy to a clear sky; because in very bright weather, the sea becomes illuminated, and the shadows of the whale-boats are so deeply impressed in the water by the beams of the sun that the whales are apt to take the alarm. Fogs are only so far unfavorable as being liable to endanger the boats by shutting out the sight of the ship. A well constructed whale-boat floats lightly and safely on the water,-is capable of being rowed with great speed, and readily turned round, it is of such capacity that it carries six or seven men, seven or eight hundred weight of whale-lines, and various other materials, and yet retains the necessary properties of safety and speed. Whale-boats being very liable to receive damage, both from whales and ice, are always carverbuilt, a structure which is easily repaired. The instruments of general use in the capture of the whale, are the harpoon and lance. There is, moreover, a kind of harpoon which is shot from a gun, but being difficult to adjust, it is seldom used. Each boat is likewise furnished with a "jack" or flag fastened to a pole, intended to be displayed as a signal whenever a whale is harpooned. The crew of a whale-ship are separated into divisions, equal in number to the number of the boats. Each division, consisting of a harpooner, a boat-steerer, and a line manager, together with three or four rowers, constitutes a boat's crew. On fishing stations, when the weather is such as to render the fishery practicable, the boats are always ready for instant service. The crow's nest is generally occupied by one of the officers, who keeps an anxious watch for the appearance of a whale. The moment that a fish is seen, he gives notice to the "watch upon deck,' part of whom leap into a boat, are lowered down, and push off towards the place. If the fish be large, a second boat is despatched to the support of the other; and when the whole of the boats are sent out, the ship is said to have "a loose fall." There are several rules observed in approaching a whale to prevent the animal from taking the alarm. As the whale is dull of hearing, but quick of sight, the boat-steerer always endeavors to get behind it; and, in accomplishing this, he is sometimes justified in taking a circuitous rout. In calm weather, where guns are not used, the greatest caution is necessary before a whale can be reached; smooth careful rowing is always requisite, and sometimes sculling is practised. It is a primary consideration with the harpooner, always to place his boat as near as possible to the spot in which he expects the fish to rise, and he conceives himself suc cessful in the attempt when the fish "comes up within a start,' that is, within the distance of about two hundred yards. Whenever a whale lies on the surface of the water, unconcious of the approach of its enemies, the hardy fisher rows directly upon it; and an instant before the boat touches it, buries his harpoon in its back. The wounded whale, in the surprise and agony of the moment, makes a convulsive effort to escape. Then is the moment of danger. The boat is subjected to the most violent blows from its head, or its fins, but particularly from its ponderous tail, which sometimes sweeps the air with such tremendous fury, that both boat and men are exposed to one common destruction. The head of the whale is avoided, because it cannot be penetrated with the harpoon; but any part of the body, between the head and the tail, will admit of the full length of the instrument, without danger of obstruction. The moment that the wounded whale disappears, a flag is displayed; on sight of which, those on watch in the ship, give the alarm, by stamping on the deck, accompanied by shouts of " a fall." At the sound of this, the sleeping crew are roused, jump from their beds, rush upon deck, and crowd into the boats. The alarm of "a fall," has a singular effect on the feelings of a sleeping person, unaccustomed to hearing it. It has often been mistaken as a cry of distress. A landsman, seeing the crew, on an occasion of a fall, leap into the boats in their shirts, imagined that the ship was sinking. He therefore tried to get into a boat himself, but every one of them being fully manned, he was refused. After several fruitless endeavors to gain a place among his comrades, he cried out, in evident distress, "What shall I do?-Will none of you take me in?" The first effort of a "fast-fish," or whale that bas been struck, is to escape from the boat by sinking under water. After this, it pursues its course directly downward, or reappears at a little distance, and swims with great celerity, near the surface of the water. It sometimes returns instantly to the surface, and gives evidence of its agony by the most convulsive throes. The downward course of a whale is, however, the most common. A whale, struck near the edge of any large sheet of ice, and passing underneath it, will sometimes run the whole of the lines out of one boat. The approaching distress of a boat, for want of line, is indicated by the elevation of an oar, to which is added a second, a third, or even a fourth, in proportion to the nature of the exigence. The utmost care and attention are requisite, on the part of every person in the boat, when the lines are running out; fatal consequences having been sometimes produced by the most trifling neglect When the line happens to "run foul," and cannot be cleared on the instant, it sometimes draws the boat under water; on which, if no auxiliary boat, or convenient piece of ice, be at hand, the crew are plunged into the sea, and are obliged to trust to their oars of their skill in swimming. for supporting themselves on the surface |