Name the best use we can make of our eyes and

ears.

What does David say of his body ?
By whom?

SHIPS.

Do, dear papa, put on your hat, and come with me down to the pier; the tide is in, and I see a fine large ship, steering for the harbour as fast as possible!" George's request was quickly granted; and away he went with his father. It was a bright, sunny day, with just breeze enough to fill the sails of a noble vessel, now advancing towards them. The blue waves were tipped with a sparkling, white foam; and over them the ship bounded gaily, as if pleased to get into port again.

"I am glad you admire the scene, George; but let me hear if you understand what you are gazing on. What kind of a vessel is the one approaching?"

"A ship, papa."

"How do you know it is a ship?"

"Because it has three masts."

"What would it be if it had only two masts?"

"A brig, or a schooner, according to the rigging."

And what is a vessel with one mast called?" "A sloop, papa."

"Quite right, my boy; now tell me what the masts are."

"The bodies of large trees; but I have often wished to ask you where these trees grow. There are many large ones in the park; but none of them seem to be such a size as the masts of the ships I see lying in the harbour."

"Trees do not grow so large near the sea, as they do further inland, George; but the largest timber comes from Africa and America, where there are immense forests."

"Where are the best ships built, papa?"

"That question is not easily answered, George; for many towns in England are famous for building ships: such as Hull, Whitby, Newcastle, and others in the south of England. The large vessels used in the navy, called 'men-of-war,' are built at Woolwich, Portsmouth, and Plymouth. Now, let me see if you know what the sails of vessels are made of?" "Canvass."

"And the ropes?

George did not know; and his kind father went on to explain to him, that both ropes and canvass are made of hemp. "Who would think, when looking at those stout ropes, and that white canvass, that they once grew in the fields! Yet so it is. Hemp is a plant, about the height of a tall man. It will grow in almost any country; but the greatest quantity comes from Russia. Try to imagine how much is used in England alone, when I tell you that it takes one hundred and eighty thousand pounds weight of rough hemp, to make the sails and ropes of one ship of war. For ropes, the hemp is twisted round and round in so many strings; then dipped into hot tar, to help to make it

strong. When hemp is to be made into canvass, it is spun into threads, and then woven.'

"Thank you, papa, for telling me all this. Is it not wonderful that so large a thing as a ship can be made to go whichever way the captain chooses? What power there must be in the helm that turns it!"

"So there is; and do you recollect what St. James compares to the helm of a ship?" "Yes, I read it this morning. He says, 'Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things,' "" James iii. 5.

"What else do ships require besides masts, sails, cables, and a helm?"

"They require an anchor, father, to keep them fast when they come into port.'

"Of what are anchors made?"

“Of iron, a metal dug out of the earth.” "When iron," observed Mr. B.," is red-hot, it can be beaten or bent into any shape. It is curious to see men drag large lumps of redhot iron from the mouth of a tremendous furnace, and beat it with huge hammers into the shape of an anchor. The cables which hold the anchor, are now often made of iron; and the making of chain cables, as they are called, is another interesting sight. When speaking of the masts of a ship, George, we ought to have mentioned her planks also; of course you know what they are.'

"Oh, yes."

"Well, now just one thing more; and that is, the means by which seamen steer their vessels from one country to another. Picture to yourself a ship, in the middle of a wide ocean;

no land to be seen on any side; the sun set; night coming fast on, and a cloudy sky hiding the stars from view. Under these circumstances, nothing could be done but to let the ship go wherever the wind would take her. By means of the mariner's compass, however, such an evil is prevented. By the aid of a compass, sailors can now find their way to any part of the world. It was first used in Europe little more than five hundred years ago, when Henry III. was king of England. Before that time, navigators could not take the long voyages they do now; and since then, that large part of the globe, called America, was discovered; besides many other places."

"I know that north, south, east, and west, are called the points of the compass; but still, papa, I do not understand how the compass helps men to steer."

"In order quite to understand this, George, it would be necessary to have a few lessons in navigation, from good Mr. Plane, our village schoolmaster; which you may have, if you wish. I will, at present, only tell you, that the mariner's compass is a small bit of iron, called a needle, drawn several times across a piece of loadstone, which converts it into a magnet. This magnetized needle, is then carefully balanced in the centre of a circular box. side of this box is a round card, with north, south, east, and west, printed upon it. The card is loose, so as to move round along with the needle, one end of which always points to the north. Thus, whether it is dark or light at sea, the man at the helm knows how to steer his

In

vessel. He finds out where he is, by his map, or chart; he sees in what direction the country lies that he wishes to reach: if it be north of where he is, he steers to that point; if south, he turns the stem of the ship to it; and in this way, the wide ocean, without roads, or way marks, is crossed and recrossed in every direction, with very little difficulty."

Just as Mr. B. had uttered the last sentence, the noble bark upon which they had so long been gazing, reached her mooring in the harbour. Down went the sails, flapping for a minute or two, like the wings of some large bird, glad to settle in its nest. The anchor was loosed; the vessel made fast, that she should not move from her place; and then the looks of the busy sailors were turned to the shore, to catch a glance from the many merry faces looking out to welcome them.'

"Let us go now, George," said his father, we have seen enough."

"Dear papa, you look sad; why is it, in the midst of so many happy faces?"

"Not sad, my boy; but thoughtful. I was thinking at that moment of old Andrew, the gardener; you know he lies at the point of death. He has gone through many a trial; passed many a night of pain and suffering. As this vessel has, doubtless, weathered many a storm, but is now safe in our little harbour: so will old Andrew, I trust, soon leave the storms of life, and be for ever at rest in an eternal haven. Many eyes were watching for the return of this vessel, and many hearts were glad when they saw its approach. As there is joy