year or two past on a secluded point of the coast, making a map,
minutely finished, on a very extensive scale, of country and coast near
Portsmouth; he is red-nosed, and has the aspect of a free liver; his
companion, a civil engineer, with much more appearance of intellectual
activity. Their map is spread out in a room that looks forth upon the
sea and islands, and has all the advantages of sea-air,--very desirable
for summer, but gloomy as a winter residence.

At Fort Constitution are many officers,--a major and two lieutenants,
the former living in a house within the walls of the fort, the latter
occupying small residences outside. They are coarse men, apparently of
few ideas, and not what one can call gentlemen. They are likewise less
frank and hospitable than the navy officers. Their quarters have not the
aspect of homes, although they continue for a term of years, five or
more, on one station, whereas the navy officers are limited to two or
three. But then the former migrate with their families to new stations,
whereas the wives of the naval officers, though ejected from the
navy-yard houses, yet, not accompanying their husbands on service,
remain to form a nucleus of home.

Two or three miles from the Navy Yard, on Kittery Point, stands the
former residence of Sir William Pepperell. It is a gambrel-roofed house,
very long and spacious, and looks venerable and imposing from its
dimensions. A decent, respectable, intelligent woman admitted us, and
showed us from bottom to top of her part of the house; she being a
tenant of one half. The rooms were not remarkable for size, but were
panelled on every side. The staircase is the best feature, ascending
gradually, broad and square, and with an elaborate balustrade; and over
the front door there is a wide window and a spacious breadth, where the
old baronet and his guests, after dinner, might sit and look out upon