As we lay at our anchors off Salee, we had a view from the mast-head of
the open sea, over a point of land which ran out below the town. Snug
as we were, it was one day blowing a heavy gale outside from the
northward. Dark clouds chased each other across the sky, and the
ocean--black and gloomy--was sprinkled over with white-topped seas. I
was engaged aloft about the rigging, when I observed a sail to the
north-west staggering along with as much canvas as she could carry. So
rapidly did she make her way through the water, that I soon perceived
that she was a brig, and that she was standing towards the harbour. The
reason of her carrying so much sail, with so heavy a gale blowing, was
soon explained. Two or three miles astern of her came a large ship,
with all her topsails set, evidently in chase. The latter, better able
from her size to bear a heavy press of sail, was coming up with her
rapidly. On seeing this I hailed the deck, and the captain, and Mr
Carr, and Peter, and others, soon came aloft to watch the progress of
the chase.
"I make it all out clearly," exclaimed the captain, after watching the
state of affairs through his glass. "That craft is the very rover which
plundered this vessel, or exactly like her; and the ship is a British
man-of-war corvette, which is in chase of her. I can make out the
English ensign clearly. The rover hopes to get into port before the
guns of the corvette can be brought to bear on her; and that's just what
I hope the rascal won't be able to do."
"But that's the very craft Stenning is said to be on board," observed
Mr Carr. "Poor fellow, it will go hard with him when the corvette's
guns begin to play on the brig."
"I wish that we could run out and bring her to action, so as to give the
corvette time to come up and take possession," said I to Peter, who was
near me.
"If the weather were moderate we might do it; but, with this gale
blowing, I doubt if even our captain would run the risk," he answered.
"Besides you see, Jack, all the people we have had anything to do with
here would get into a great scrape if we played such a trick to one of
their vessels. Yet I tell you, lad, I would like the fun amazingly.
The villains don't deserve any mercy at our hands."
While Peter and I were discussing the subject, so were the captain and
Mr Carr. They gave up the idea of running out to meet the rover, as
thereby they would have but little chance of saving the life of Walter
Stenning, if he was still on board. By this time, both the brig and
ship had drawn close in-shore, and every movement could clearly be
observed with the naked eye. Poor Jacob Lyal had come aloft; and as
soon as he recognised the brig, he was nearly falling on deck,
overpowered with all the dreadful recollections her appearance conjured
up.
No vessel, unless one well acquainted with the coast, could have
ventured to stand in as close as the brig had done. She was now about a
mile from the entrance of the harbour; and the corvette, outside of her,
had just begun to fire a bow-gun now and then, to try its range. At
last a shot went through one of the brig's topsails. She, in return,
fired, endeavouring to cripple her pursuer, thus to have time to run
under the shelter which was so near. Never have I witnessed a more
exciting scene. Our mast-heads were soon crowded with spectators. Even
the sluggish Moors rushed out of their houses, and went to the
neighbouring heights to watch what was going forward. Their interest
was, however, on the other side of the question. Many of them must have
had relatives and friends on board the rover, and they were as anxious
for her escape as we were to see her captured. The action now became
warm--both corvette and brig were firing away as fast as they could
load.
"Hurrah! the pirate seems to be getting the worst of it," said I to
Peter. "The rovers will meet with their deserts before long, I hope."
"So do I," he answered. "But do you know, Jack, I'm more anxious about
the corvette. If she were to receive any damage, and not be able to
haul off-shore, she is, do you see, on an enemy's coast, and all her
people would be made prisoners, if not murdered; while the brig has a
port under her lee, and can run in even if she gets a good deal of
knocking about."
While we were thus talking, the corvette had drawn still nearer to the
brig, and her shot began to tell with considerable effect. Down came
the brig's maintop-gallant-mast, the spars hanging by the rigging. We
next saw several hands going aloft to clear it away, when another shot
struck the maintop-mast. The Moors attempted in haste to slide down the
stays and shrouds, but scarcely had they begun their descent when the
mast bent over to leeward, and down it came with a crash, jerking off
many of them into the sea. There in vain they struggled for life; the
combatants flew on, leaving them to their fate. Still the brig had her
mainsail set, and with the gale there was blowing, that was sufficient
after-canvas for her to carry with advantage. She ceased firing.
"Hurrah! she is going to strike," we exclaimed; but the wreck of the
maintop-mast was quickly cleared away, and she commenced again with
greater briskness than ever. In return, the corvette plied her fast and
furiously with shot, which must have told pretty severely among her
people on deck, though, of course, we could not see the damage which was
done. The brig was within a quarter of a mile of the mouth of the
harbour. It was high-tide, but we well knew that there was not water
sufficient on the bar to allow the corvette to enter. Still, on she
boldly came in hot chase.
"She cannot surely fancy that she can venture in," exclaimed Captain
Gale. "She'll be lost to a certainty if she does. Poor fellows! not
one will escape with their lives should she strike. Carr, we must run
out, and try and pick some of them up, at all hazards. The wind is
sufficiently to the northward to carry us clear, and the people on shore
are so engaged in watching the chase, that they will not observe us
getting under way till we are clear from the guns of the castle."
"Ay, ay, sir, with all my heart," answered the mate. "I'm not quite
certain that the brig will get scot-free either."
As he spoke, I saw a thick smoke ascending from the deck of the rover.
"She's on fire! she's on fire!" shouted several of us. But then we
thought of poor Stenning, and what would become of him.
"All hands make sail," cried the captain, descending on deck. "We must
slip, Mr Carr. There's no time for heaving up the anchor."
The crew could scarcely refrain from giving vent to their feelings of
excitement in a shout.
"Silence, my lads; we must not let the Moors know what we are about."
Never did a crew let fall the topsails with greater good-will than we
did. We had kept two reefs in them for an emergency. I now saw the
wisdom of the captain's forethought when he gave the order, as some time
before we had loosed sails.
We were riding with the ship's head towards the mouth of the river, the
tide still running in. Thus, being strongly manned with willing hearts,
we were soon under way. No one from the shore observed us, or, at all
events, came off to stop us. Sidy, the interpreter, was fortunately on
shore, so that we had no trouble about him, and the captain knew that he
could easily pay him through the consignee of the ship. Captain Gale's
intention was, I learned, to run down to the mouth of the harbour, and
to anchor if necessary. We got a cable ranged accordingly, with an
anchor ready to let go. The brig quickly felt the force of the wind,
and, happily canting the right way, and her sails filling, away she
flew, heeling over to the gale towards the open sea. The captain, or
one of the mates, or Peter, had been constantly sailing about the
harbour, as if to amuse themselves, or to catch fish, but in reality to
sound the depth of the water, and to make themselves thoroughly
acquainted with the harbour. We thus required no pilot to carry us out.
As we rounded the point I have described, the mouth of the river lay
before us--a long line of surf, with heavy breakers rolling and roaring
in from the sea, apparently barring our exit. Outside of it was the
corvette, close-hauled with three reefs in her topsail, standing
off-shore, and, as far as we could see, uninjured. But the pirate brig,
where was she?
A dark mass of rocks lay at the northern part of the entrance to the
harbour. Over them the sea broke furiously; and amid the masses of foam
which flew high into the air was the black hull of a vessel, with
shattered masts and spars heaving up amid the breakers; while from the
centre of it, as if striving with the waves which should most speedily
destroy it, bright flames were bursting forth and raging furiously. As
we gazed with horror at the dreadful spectacle, feeling our compassion
excited rather for our hapless countryman, whom we believed to be on
board, than for the ruthless wretches who formed her crew, there was a
loud explosion, and fragments of wreck, and what had once been human
beings, were thrown up into the air; and by the time they had again
fallen into the foaming water, no portion of the rover remained to show
where she just had been.
We were now about a quarter of a mile from the bar, and not a moment was
to be lost in deciding what was to be done, whether we were to bring-up
or to attempt to cross. In the line of breakers which rolled over the
bar, a spot was observed where the water was smoother, and which the
captain knew to be the deepest channel.
"We may run out there without fear, light as we are; and if we remain,
these Mohammedan fanatics will certainly revenge themselves on us for
the destruction of their friends," he observed to Mr Carr, who agreed
with him that the attempt should be made, though far from free of risk.
And most people, indeed, would have agreed that the passage was
hazardous in the extreme, but yet no one on board doubted that it was
the right thing to do.
The second mate, who was at the helm with another steady hand, was
ordered to steer towards the opening. The tide was still running in
strong, which gave us greater command over the vessel than would have
otherwise been the case. All hands were at their stations, and every
one of us knew the position we were in. A shift of wind, the least
carelessness, the carrying away a spar or rope, might bring upon us the
same fate which had destroyed the rover. Scarcely had the determination
I have mentioned been arrived at, when, as I was looking out ahead, I
saw on the starboard-bow a spar floating in the water. I looked again;
a man was holding on to it, and drifting up towards us. I was certain I
saw him lift up his hand and wave it. I immediately reported the
circumstance to the captain.
"Although he is probably one of those wretched Moors, he is a
fellow-creature, and it is our duty to try and save him," he observed.
"About-ship! helm a-lee!" he sung out.
The brig, under her topsails, worked like a top, and we had ample room
to put her about and heave her to. Just as we had done so, the spar
came drifting up close to us. Again the man clinging to it waved his
hand. His unshorn head of light curling hair showed that he was no
Moor.
"Here, mates, just pay out this line as I want it!" sung out Peter,
passing the bight of a rope under his arms and leaping overboard. "I'll
tackle him to, I warrant."
In an instant he was in the water, and a few strokes bringing him up to
the spar as it floated by, he grasped hold of the person hanging to it,
and then sung out, "Haul away, my lads; it's all right!"
The whole incident took place, it seemed, in a few seconds. Once more
he was on the deck, and there could be no doubt of it, with no other
than Walter Stenning in his arms! The poor fellow breathed, but the
dangers he had gone through, and the sudden restoration to safety, had
overcome him, and he lay almost unconscious on the deck.
"Now, sir, the sooner we fill and stand out of this the better," said
Peter, turning to the captain, after he had placed Stenning on the deck.
"I did not speak of it before, but just now I saw another of those
piratical fellows getting under way just from opposite where we lay,
doubtless to be after us."
Peter's remark was found to be true; and up the harbour another brig was
seen making sail, of course with the hope of overtaking us. I, with
another man, received orders to carry Captain Stenning below, which we
did, placing him on a mattress on the floor of the cabin, and then
hurried up again to attend to our duty.
Once more the brig was put about, and head up towards the passage. On
we rushed, the foam flying over us as we approached the spot. She
lifted to the first rolling sea, and then down she came, as if she must
strike the sand below; but another roller came tumbling in, and mounting
like a sea-bird on its summit, she descended on the other side amid
clouds of spray, again to mount another huge wave, and then to rush on
with impetuous force as she felt the blast which laid her over almost on
her beam-ends towards the open ocean. Still, on either hand, wild
foaming water broke in mountain masses around us; but on we sped. "Hold
on! hold on for your lives!" shouted the captain, as yet another
mountain sea came thundering on towards us, close upon a previous one
over which we had ridden in safety. The brig seemed to spring at it, as
if able to dash it aside; but vain indeed was the attempt. High above
us it rose. Right into it we went, and for a moment I thought all was
over. Along our decks it found its way, and fell in torrents below,
sweeping everything before it; but still buoyantly our brave vessel flew
on, and wave after wave being surmounted, a loud shout burst from all
hands as once more we found ourselves in the open sea, following in the
wake of the British corvette.
As soon as we were in safety, the captain called me below to attend to
Captain Stenning. We found him sitting up on the mattress, and, as he
held on by the leg of the table, looking somewhat wildly around him.
"Where am I? what is all this that has happened?" he exclaimed, as we
appeared.
"That you are safe aboard the _Dolphin_, my friend, and that you have
escaped from the wreck of a Moorish pirate," answered the captain. "But
before I answer more questions, we'll just get off your wet clothes, and
clap you into bed with a glass of hot grog."
This we accordingly did, and the result was that the poor fellow very
soon fell fast asleep--the best thing he could do under the
circumstances.
When I went on deck, I found that the Moorish brig which had pursued us,
seeing the fate which had befallen her companion, and that we had got
safe over the bar, had put about, and stood back again to her anchorage.
"I should have begrudged the rascals our anchor and cable," said Peter.
"But as we have got Mr Stenning back safe, they are welcome to them,
though I would rather see the honest hemp used to hang some of the
knaves."
The gale, which truly seemed to have effected its purpose in the
destruction of the miscreant rovers, now began to abate its fury, and
before dark we came up with the corvette, which had hove-to in order to
speak us. We found that she was His Britannic Majesty's sloop-of-war
_Syren_, of eighteen guns; and the captain directed us to lay by him
till the morning, when he would send on board to hear all the
particulars of what had occurred.
Meantime I had been sent to sit by Captain Stenning, to be ready to
attend to him when he awoke. When he did so, I called Captain Gale to
him. The account I then heard of his adventures was very short. We
had, indeed, guessed very nearly the truth. The _Dolphin_ had been
surprised by the pirates, and while he, with some of his crew, were in
vain attempting to defend her deck, he had been struck down. When he
returned to consciousness, he found himself on board the pirate, with
two or three others, of whom Lyal alone survived. The pirates had been
driven from their prey by the appearance of a large ship, which they
took to be a man-of-war; and in revenge, he concluded, they murdered all
who then remained on board. He and Lyal would have been killed also;
but their lives were saved by a Moor, whom he once saved at Gibraltar
from ill-treatment by some English seamen, with whom he had quarrelled.
Though the Moor had saved his life, he had not interest to do more for
him at that time.
When the pirates again fell in with the _Dolphin_, and were frightened
from attacking her by the trick Peter invented, thinking some evil
spirits possessed the vessel, they made all sail to return to port. He
confessed that he was himself very much astonished, and could in no way
account for what he had witnessed. Had he not received the explanation
we gave him, he should all his life have believed that the appearance he
had beheld was produced by supernatural agency.
When carried into port, he, with Lyal, was sold to the old Moor, as we
knew; but his friend had not forgotten him. The rover much wanted a
skilful navigator, and thinking that he would prefer a life of
comparative freedom at sea to slavery on shore, he repurchased him, and
carried him on board the brig. He was rather disappointed, however, to
find that, without a quadrant or nautical almanac, the captain could be
of very little use to them in that way. He told us, indeed, that the
pirates were very nearly killing him for his supposed obstinacy, because
he could not tell them one day whereabouts they were, when they put
their own rough instruments into his hands. He had great difficulty in
explaining that, without his own books and charts, he could be of little
help to them. However, they promised to attack an English vessel before
long, that they might supply him.
With this object in view, they made sail towards the corvette, which
they took for a merchantman, and thus very nearly caught a Tartar. They
discovered their mistake only when within six miles or so of her; and by
then suddenly altering their course, and standing away from her under
all sail, her suspicions were excited, and she made chase after them.
In such terror were the pirates, when they found themselves so hard
pressed, that they seemed to forget him, or his life would probably have
been sacrificed; but as he was left himself, he was allowed to consider
the best means of preserving it. When, therefore, he saw that the brig
must inevitably strike the rocks, he seized a loose spar on the deck and
sprang overboard, trusting that the current would carry him through the
breakers into smooth water. He had seen us coming out, and guessing
that the brig was an English trader, hoped to be picked up by her. His
surprise and pleasure at meeting with Lyal was very great.
"It would have been a great to damper my own satisfaction, if I thought
that you had still been left in slavery," he remarked, as he wrung the
seaman's hand.
"Well, sir, I can only say that I would go back and be chained up like a
dog, as I was before, for the sake of seeing you free, and sent safe
home to your wife and family," returned the honest fellow, passing the
cuff of his jacket across his eyes, to brush away a tear which his
feelings had brought them.
Yes; the rough sailor has got just the same sort of feelings inside his
bosom which dwells within the silken vest of any young lady or gentleman
who can weep over a novel, or better, sometimes, a deed of heroism; and
right honest, genuine feelings, they are too--which is more than can be
said for those hackneyed sentiments possessed by people who have lived
all their lives in what they choose to call the great world.
Altogether, never was an enterprise more successful than ours had
hitherto been. We had not only succeeded in recovering both the
survivors of the _Dolphin's_ crew at small cost, but, from the high
prices we had obtained for our merchandise, we had paid all the probable
expenses of the voyage, and left a handsome profit for our owners.
The next morning we were close up with the corvette, when a lieutenant
from her boarded us to learn all the particulars we had to describe.
The two masters, with Lyal and I, were then requested by the lieutenant
to accompany him aboard the ship-of-war, to give a further account to
the captain himself of what had occurred. Captain Hudson received us
very kindly; and while our two captains sat down, we stood with our hats
in our hands behind their chairs. I remember that he laughed very
heartily at my idea of rigging up Lyal as a madman, and at the way he
put my advice in practice, by pulling the old Moor's nose.
"Well, gentlemen," said Captain Hudson, "from the account you have given
me, I think we have ample grounds to enable the British Government to
make a demand on that of Morocco for compensation; so that if you will
accompany me to England, I hope to obtain ample satisfaction for you."
Neither Lyal nor I exactly understood what all this meant; but Captain
Gale had an inkling that very little satisfaction would result either to
him or Captain Stenning.
"Thank you, sir," he answered; "but I can't accept your offer, for my
brother-master wants to return to his wife and family, and my owners
directed me to make the best of my way back to Halifax."
"Of course these are strong arguments against the execution of my
wishes," returned Captain Hudson. "You will, I conclude, therefore
proceed on your voyage, and give your evidence when you return to
England. But I find, Captain Gale, that you are more strongly manned
than is necessary for a merchantman. These two young men will remain on
board the _Syren_, and one of my lieutenants will accompany you to your
brig, and select a few more. However, we will not leave you
short-handed; but His Majesty's ships must be manned, do you see?"
"It is very hard, sir. All my people are volunteers on what appeared a
somewhat hazardous expedition, and are anxious to return to their
families," replied Captain Gale. "You will allow me, without offence,
to observe, that one of these young men has only just been released from
slavery, and that the other is an apprentice."
"The first does not belong to your crew, so it is my duty to take care
of him; and if the other is still an apprentice, I cannot keep him, but
I shall like to see his papers. Mistakes in these matters sometimes
occur. We do everything according to law, do you see, Mr Gale."
Captain Hudson spoke very mildly and blandly, but there was something in
his eye which showed that he was not to be trifled with.
"You will understand, sir," he continued, turning to Captain Stenning,
"I have the power to press you. Under the circumstances of the case, I
will not, unless I am forced to do it; but your friend will throw no
impediment in the way of my getting any of the hands I may require. I
will not detain you, gentlemen, and I wish you a prosperous voyage and a
happy termination to your enterprise."
This, then, was the object for which the naval captain wished to
communicate with the _Dolphin_. It was not with the best possible grace
that the two masters got up to take their leave; and yet Captain
Stenning well knew that he was completely in the power of the commander
of the sloop-of-war, and that there was no law to prevent him from being
sent to do duty before the mast on board of her.
They both shook hands warmly and kindly with Lyal, and promised to send
him a spare chest, with such things as could be collected; for of course
he had but a scanty outfit. As they were going, I put out my hand also.
"You'll let me shake hands, sir, won't you?" said I. "There's many a
kind act you've done me, Captain Gale, from the time I was a little
helpless lad till now; and I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and
may Heaven bless you, sir."
"Why, what's all this about?" exclaimed my kind captain, "You have your
papers, Jack, and you cannot, as an apprentice, be touched."
"But the papers won't protect me, sir; I am no longer an apprentice," I
answered. "Not long ago, I got a mate to look over them for me, and I
was, I find, out of my apprenticeship a month ago."
"There is no use giving in without an attempt to escape; I'll see what
can be done," he answered. "May I not take this man with me, sir?" he
asked, turning to Captain Hudson, who stood on the quarter-deck, and of
course had not heard this part of our conversation.
"Send his papers and his chest likewise," was the only answer the
captain of the _Syren_ deigned to give.
Before the brig's boat shoved off, I went over the side, and sent many a
message to Peter Poplar and the rest of my shipmates. I regretted
leaving the brig, but I was more sorry at the thought of parting from
Peter than for any other reason.
As I looked at the _Dolphin_ with the eye of that affection which a
seaman soon gains for a vessel in which he is tolerably happy, I
observed that the man-of-war's boat was already alongside. In a short
time she shoved off, and pulled back to the corvette. There were
several chests, and five people besides her crew in her. I rubbed my
eyes. Could I believe them? Among the people sat Peter Poplar! He
sprung up the side, and was soon engaged in shaking hands with several
of the _Syren's_ crew.
"What! are you pressed, Peter?" said I to him; and in my heart I could
not be very sorry to have him with me.
"Not exactly that either," he answered. "You see, Jack, I found that
you were pressed, or would be to a certainty, and I did not like to have
one whom I had nursed up almost from a baby on the salt waters, so to
speak, altogether out of my sight, though you are big enough now to take
care of yourself; so, says I to myself, Well, if they take me, I'll go
with a free will--I don't mind. However, when the lieutenant picked out
the men he would like to have, and who have no protection, he passed me
over, thinking that, on account of my age, he could not touch me. But
among the men he chose was poor Bill Jackson, who has a wife and small
family at Halifax, and who only came the voyage from his love for
Captain Stenning, and was going to give up the sea and live on shore
with his wife's relations up the country. I never saw a poor fellow so
cut up and broken-hearted when he saw all his hopes blown to the winds,
and knew that, for many a long year, he might not see his wife or little
ones. He knows well the ups and downs of a sailor's life, and that very
likely he might never see them again. I know that I could not stand his
grief. Captain Gale did all he could to get the lieutenant to let him
off, but nothing would do. The only answer was, `His Majesty wants
seamen, and seamen he must have.'
"`So he shall!' said I, walking up to the officer. `Now, sir, if you
will let that man go, you may have me in his stead; and I'll make bold
to say, that there isn't a man aboard this brig but will acknowledge
that, blow high or blow low, I'm his equal, either aloft or at the helm,
or in handling the lead. What say you, mates? Who'll speak for me? It
isn't because I want to boast, you know; but I do want to save poor Bill
Jackson from being pressed aboard a man-of-war!'
"`He speaks the truth, that he does!' exclaimed all the crew, who were
mustered on deck. `There are few of us can come up to him.'
"`I tell you, sir,' said Captain Gale, `I should be very sorry to lose
either Jackson or Poplar; but if you ask me which is the best seaman of
the two, I am bound to say that Poplar is; and besides, in him you get a
willing hand, who loves the sea, which I am sure poor Jackson does not.'
"`Then Poplar let us have, by all means,' answered the lieutenant,
telling Jackson that he was free, and ordering us all to be smart in
getting our traps ready to take with us.
"The captain, meantime, told me to bring him your papers, which I did,
though I well knew that they were no protection to you, and so he
discovered, and so I got your chest ready with the rest: and so you see,
Jack, you and I are man-of-war's men, and so, lad, let's do our duty
like men, and stand up boldly for our king and country."
Peter's hearty way of talking gave me spirits which I should not
otherwise have felt. I never had before stood on the deck of a
man-of-war, but I had heard a good deal about the cruelty and injustice
practised on board them, from some of my shipmates; and I had, with the
great mass of merchant-seamen in those days, and for many years
afterwards, formed a strong prejudice against them. From the system
which was practised in some ships, I naturally, with others, formed an
opinion of the whole navy; and when I first found myself a pressed-man
on board the _Syren_, I looked forward to a life of ill-treatment and
wretchedness till I could again obtain my freedom. I truly believe,
indeed, that had I not had Peter again as my counsellor, I should have
yielded to the force of my impression, and have been guilty of the very
conduct which would have brought me into trouble. I found a number of
pressed-men and discontented men, and not a few bad characters in the
ship, who were always ready to grumble at what was done, and whose great
aim seemed to be how they could oftenest shirk duty, most speedily get
drunk, and most readily break the rules and regulations of the service.
At first I was inclined to think them somewhat fine fellows, lads of
spirit, whose example was worthy of imitation; but Peter observing my
tendency, very soon put their conduct in its true light.
"You see, Jack," said he, "those fellows are, in the first place, acting
a sneaking, unfair part, to their shipmates. The duty has to be got
through, and so the willing, good men, have to do the work which those
knaves neglect. Then they benefit by the laws of the country; and the
country would go to ruin if it was without a navy, and the navy could
not be kept up without the rules and regulations which they are always
trying to break through. As to their drunkenness, it unfits them for
duty. No man knows what he may do when he is drunk; and besides making
him ill at the time, he who drinks to excess is guilty of suicide, as so
doing will most certainly shorten his life. Just think what excuse will
a man have to offer when he has thus hurried himself into the presence
of his Maker! How awful will be the doom he cannot fail to receive!
Then, again, those idle fellows who try to avoid work, are always
getting into trouble, for no officer will find any excuse for them, or
attempt to shield them; and they thus spend a much longer time than they
idle away in the black list, or with the tingling of the cat on their
backs. But, Jack, I don't want any of these to be your motives for
acting rightly. One motive should be sufficient for us all--and that
is, the wish to do our duty to our God."
I repeat here my kind friend's advice, but it was long, very long,
before it seemed to sink into the sandy soil of my heart, and to bring
forth fruit. I am very glad that the press-gang system no longer
exists. No man can any longer be forced to serve on board a man-of-war.
The case, such as I have described, may appear hard when the master of
a merchantman was deprived of a considerable portion of his crew--hard
to him, and hard to the pressed-men, and harder in a pecuniary point of
view to the underwriters, the property they had insured being thereby
made much more liable to shipwreck; but still it was not one-tenth part
as hard as numberless cases which I have known during my career afloat.
Little did I think when, from the mast-head of the _Dolphin_, I first
saw the _Syren_ heave in sight, that before that time on the following
day I should form one of her crew. Such is the ever-changing scene of a
sailor's life!