-n.

On entering the engine-room, I was filled with amazement, not wholly unmingled with consternation. On every side, as far as the eye could reach, I beheld metallic evidences of the ingenuity of DWith a slight effort of fancy, I might have believed myself in a museum of mechanical curiosities. The cloud of witnesses, spoken of in Holy Writ, would be as mere vapor to the dense cloud of wheels which I then beheld. In fact, the very air was black with cogs.

Cogs to the right of me,

Cogs to the left of me,
Handles and monkey-tails,
Bristled and bothered.

One wheel, in particular, presently fixed my attention. "That," said my companion, "is the reversing wheel. It adjusts the link, for going ahead, stopping, or backing. Those only can work it, however, who understand how to manipulate the cut-off implements. You will see presently. It isn't every body that's up to science, in these days."

At this moment the Captain's bell signalled to start the engine. Simultaneously twelve men joined us on the platform. The area of this latter being about two square yards, we were conscious of being crowded.

"These hands will help us," said the Engineer.

"It appears," said I, "that science still has a few representatives extant."

"A select few," he answered; "they have received instructions from Dn himself. Now, boys, start her."

The boys distributed themselves among the cogs, and resolutely commenced operations. I silently admired their resolution.

"Take it easy, boys," said a Lieutenant, looking in at this juncture. "The Captain's gone ashore, to buy a photograph of D

-n; he'll be on board again in half-an-hour. If you begin now, you'll get started by the time he gets back."

They began.

Two men stationed themselves at the water-valves; two went to the injection-valves; six assumed charge of the link; one fixed his eyes on the thermometer; one, in a corner, drank something out of a black bottle. The Engineer himself wound up the clock. I helped him. Six more men then came in, variously armed with handspikes, beetles, hydraulic jacks, oil cans, and wrenches. A number of small boys, all in uniform, also made their appearance, bearing buckets of water, more oil cans, and several crow-bars. They stationed themselves at the dashpots.

"I think she will start," said I to the Engineer. "Probably," said the Engineer to me.

Starting the Engine-and the Engineers.

So saying, he pushed with tremendous strength upon a monkey-tail. This latter, I noticed, was connected by rods and bell-crank levers with

the valve spindle. Being pushed, it had, in course of time, the effect of opening a passover-valve-an auxiliary arrangement for working the engine by hand.

ant.

"All right," said the Engineer. "Lend me that black bottle," he added, addressing the man in the corner. Receiving the bottle, he drank from it for five minutes.

By this time the small boys had poured several gallons of oil into the dash-pots, and had gone out for more. The men with bars and beetles had also made a vigorous attack on the valves. Several wheels were observed to be in motion. So was the man in the corner. He reeled from side to side, as if with excessive delight at the busy scene before him. Then he suddenly fell backwards down a neighboring hatch-way. "He has forgotten his bottle," said the Engineer.

A terrific crash was now heard. The link was down-the water valves were in operation—the engine had started.

"I think they'll cast off the lines in ten minutes," remarked a small boy near me, at the same time oversetting a bucket of water. "We shant move much at first," he added. "Taint science to move."

I now understood the crash. The piston-rod of one cylinder had reached its dead centre, making an awful noise. The men at the water-valves redoubled their exertions. The piston-rod of the other cylinder met its centre with a yet louder bang. Boys returned, with oil for the dash pots. The Engineer tugged at his monkey-tail. The injection-valves were knocked open with handspikes. The Lieutenant re-appeared, and announced the return of the Captain. "He's got a capital picture of D— -n," said this officer. along with a sketch of the wings of Icarus." "I'll go and see it," remarked the Engineer. wait some time, for a vacuum. pots."

"It's

"We shall have to

Boys, put lots of oil in those dash

He went away, leaving the black bottle. I took charge of it. Also I wound up the clock, which, by this time, had run down. The man with the thermometer announced that instrument as marking 154°. "It's warm," he said.

In ten minutes the Engineer came back. There was, as he had predicted, a vacuum, and we were in motion. The men seemed weary, but they were certainly determined. I encouraged them by circulating the black bottle.

Thus we started, and thus we were propelled. During the entire watch, the workers in the engine-room never flagged. Regularly, as did the angels upon Jacob's ladder, the boys, with their oil cans, ascended and descended. Regularly the link-men tugged at their wheel. Regularly the hammers rose and fell. Never were heroic exertions attended with more amazing results. On every side cogs grated and monkey-tail frisked in air. Crash! went the engine: bang! bang! zip!

zip! crash! bang! bang! zip! zip! And faintly through the din, I heard the voices of dash-pot men, crying for monkey-wrenches.

"Hurrah!" roared a small boy, from a neighboring dash-pot: "it's as good as fire-works on the Fourth of July-aint it, Mister?" I did not hesitate to endorse the opinion of the small boy.

At this moment, the Captain rang "two bells." There was an immediate sensation in the engine-room.

"Cut off steam to the ninety-nine hundredth part of the stroke," roared the Engineer. "Stand by there, with sledge-hammers over the dash-pots! Put steam on the reversing-cylinder!"

But the link would not budge; and, in spite of closed throttle, the mill went tearing on. It is not easy to stay the march of science! "Heave away on that wheel!" cried the Engineer. "Send all the firemen here, and call the other divisions! Heave with those crowbars, and trip the valves!"

This time success. The link arose, with unearthly shrieks and groans; and the engine was stopped, as if never to move again.

Going on Watch.

Coming off.