different knights who distinguished themselves in fighting and in falling in defence of Christianity, against the infidels. On every side there is a latin inscription, describing his death. The walls are hung with the most superbly embroidered tapestry, representing the birth, crucifixion, and ascension of our Saviour. The death of the saints is likewise represented in the same manner, and they appear like the most beautiful paintings. The wings are divided into chapels, and here they show us crosses and saints in abundance, and the rich attire of the bishops and clergy embroidered with gold. In an inner chapel we were shown a number of relics, one of which they declared was a fragment of the cross on which our Saviour was crucified; another was the palm of the hand of St. John. The body of St. Clement was exposed, lying in state-This was a room that the French soldiers did not penetrate: it is said that they robbed this church of half a million."

During this voyage, he was informed, by his correspondent, of a report, which afterwards proved unfounded, that a young officer was advanced over his head. This was the manly reply of a boy of seventeen: "I am too well grounded in old principles to mind such assaults now. If the government decide thus, I can say amen, with all my heart."

Commodore Rodgers returned from his cruise in December, 1803.

Early in the year 1804, Allen was ordered on board the frigate Congress, lying at Washington, of which he was appointed sailing-master. This frigate sailed on the first of July, under the command of Captain Rodgers, for the Mediterranean. On the outward bound passage, while the ship

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was lying to, in a violent gale, Allen on the foreyard assisted the sailors in taking in a reef. Letting fall that part of the sail on which he had hold, he was precipitated headlong into the sea, to the depth of twenty feet, passing in his fall very near the anchor on the bow. Fortunately he arose near the mizen chains, and by taking hold of them, narrowly escaped inevitable death, as the ship was then drifting very fast. While cruising off the coast of Tripoli, Captain Rodgers in tended, if the command should have devolved on him, in consequence of the illness of Commodore Barron, an attack on that place. He took Allen with him in the schooner to take the soundings, preparatory to the anticipated assault. They entered the harbour with muffled oars; and, after taking a sounding, and making a complete survey, they passed so near the Tripoline gun-boats, that they distinctly heard the men conversing below. They also heard the sentinels on the wall of the battery conversing together. As they were returning from the harbour, a heavy gale sprang up, and they had a narrow escape to the Nautilus, which vessel was then in the very act of leaving her position. During this cruise, which extended from 1804 to 1806, Allen thus writes to his correspondent :

"I was, while at Lisbon, witness to a very ludicrous ceremony. My ears were saluted by the hoarse chaunting of some Portuguese sailors, and I perceived about twenty in number approaching, bearing a large topsail, barefoot, with their hats in their hands, into which the multitude would, now and then, drop a six-pence, to save their souls from purgatory. On enquiry, I was informed, that it was a custom amongst them, when overtaken by a violent gale at sea, instead of trusting

to their own exertions, to offer up their prayers to their guardian saint, and to promise him the best sail in the ship, if he would condescend to protect them from the dangers of the element. The topsail was then taken to the church, in the manner described, laid at the foot of the altar, and dedicated to the saint. It was then appraised by an old friar, who, unwilling to distress the votaries of old mother Church, accepted, as an equivalent, in money, one half of its nominal value. The saint has, by this time, become perfectly well acquainted with the value of sail cloth.".

In the month of October, 1805, Captain Rodgers removed to the frigate Constitution, and assumed the command of the squadron, in consequence of the return of Captain Barron to the United States. Mr. Allen also removed to the Constitution, and was promoted to a Lieutenancy, In a cruise off Capanea, he, in company with Commodore Rodgers, visited Mount Etna. Ascending the south side of the mountain, the wind, while blowing from the north, covered that side of their bodies exposed to its violence, with frost, while the other remained perfectly free. Descending, they lost their way amongst fields of lava, but were found by the monks in the convents below. He likewise visited Mount Vesuvius, and the cities of Herculaneum and Pompeia. He served as third Lieutenant on board the Constitution, and returned in that frigate to the United States, in the year 1806.

During these several cruises to the Mediterranean, although nothing transpired on board the frigates where he was stationed, that might fairly be denominated naval glory, still a peculiarity of circumstances gave a lofty and elevated tone to the feelings of all the officers. An American

squadron in the waters of the Mediterranean, was itself a novelty. That squadron was small and it was destined to pass under the review and strict scrutiny of English ships of war, occasionally stationed in those seas, and passing the straits of Gibraltar. Personal courage, skill and correctness of discipline, could alone, ensure them respect in a company so illustrious; and to these points all their efforts were directed. They felt the high responsibility attached to their station; and knowing how important the first impression of a national character was, they acted up to that dignity which the occasion required.

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After this long and fatiguing cruise, he was permitted, for a short time, to visit his friends and relations in Providence. In February, 1807, he received orders from government to join the frigate Chesapeake, commanded by Captain Barron, then fitting out for the straits. He remained at Philadelphia while the ship was preparing for sea, during which time he was busily employed in recruiting men for the service, and then entered as third Lieutenant.

The circumstances preceding and succeeding the attack on the Chesapeake, by the Leopard, he handsomely delineated, in a letter to a correspondent. Therein he expressed his abhorrence at the conduct of the officer having command of the Chesapeake, in tamely submitting to the indignities offered by the Leopard. His letter to the Secretary of the Navy, demanding a court of inquiry to be called upon the Captain, was signed by four Lieutenants and the sailing-master. The Secretary replied, “that their communication did them honour, and their request should be properly attended to." It is difficult to conceive of the excoriated state of Lieutenant

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Allen's mind at this time. Words seemed hardly adequate to express the indignation he felt at the scenes he had witnessed. To have the flag of his nation disgraced; and to suffer the wrongs of his bleeding countrymen to go unavenged, was too humiliating for his noble spirit to brook. In a letter to his father, he says, "If I am acquitted honourably, (in other words, if Commodore Barron is condemned,) you may see me again; if not, never. "We lay here," says he, in another letter, "ready, at a moment's warning, to wipe from our flag that disgrace that has been detailed upon it by our blood. When I suffer

my memory to dwell on this, I feel that I can trifle with my existence at pleasure." At length this question was put to the rest by the condemnation of Barron, on which Lieutenant Allen makes this dry remark: "How the court can reconcile some of the passages of their opinion with others, I know not, unless cowardice can be divided into two kinds, personal and official."

Intrepidity, however, exposes only a part of the character of Lieutenant Allen; his, private affections were as warm as his public. While his mind was inflamed by a sense of indignant. sensibility, he was pouring into the ear of masculine confidence the complaints of his lacerated mind; letters of the same date, to a female friend, are replete with domestic tenderness and affection. With this correspondence all is quiet and serenity; he enters into all the levity of ordinary -converse, and seems as anxious to veil his heroic and indignant passions, as if this indulgence was, criminal in such intercourse.

Not one of the subordinate officers was more. decidedly opposed to the conduct of Commodore Barron, than Lieutenant Allen; yet such was,