must be asking now, with some astonishment, where is

that pirate?

The practical Christian virtues, too, seem to be pres- ent, in desire at least, as well as Christian aspiration. Some of Semmes's reported utterances might make one think he lacked patience. He thinks so himself: I am not discouraged, but I have had an excellent opportu- nity to practice the Christian virtue of patience, which virtue, I think, I am a little deficient in." so Humility, also, he endeavors to cultivate, when winds and seas tempt an angry criticism of the order of nature. *' One of the most temper-trying of the contretemps of a seaman's life is, when your position is such as to render your lati- tude very important to you, to have a squall come up, just before it is time to look out for the sun, and to rain and obscure everything until it is a very [few] minutes too late for you, and then to have the sun shine out brightly, as if in mockery of your baffled desire. Such was the case to-day, this being the second day that we are without an observation for latitude. But I endeavor to profit by these trials, as they teach me a lesson of humility. What is man, that the sun should shine for him ? And then, in our stupidity, we fail to see things in their true light ; all the occurrences of nature, being in obedience to wise laws, must of course, be the best." ^i

With the insight into Semmes's inner life and private character thus acquired we are better able to appreciate the really lofty motives that animated him in his public

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