time of my birth reduced
in means. He was a surgeon in a small country town, skilful and
unwearied in his profession, but unable to realise any considerable
income. My mother died when I was about twelve years old, and as my
father could not afford to keep any assistant, he was obliged to rely a
good deal on my help, as I grew up, in making up his medicines, and
occasionally attending cases of slight illness under his directions.
When I was about seventeen, my father unexpectedly obtained a valuable
appointment in India, in the Company's service, and thither we
accordingly proceeded in the spring of the year 1778.

"But the climate never agreed with him; and after persisting for two or
three years in the vain hope of becoming habituated to it, his health
altogether broke down, and he died, leaving me with a very slender
provision. I resolved at once to return to England, and solicit the
help of my relatives there. Some of them may still be living, and
doubtless believe that I have long been dead. It would only distress
them if they were to learn the real facts, and I therefore shall not
disclose my true name, or those indeed of any of the party.

"I took my passage homeward by the _Grosvenor_, a fine vessel belonging
to the East India Company's service. It carried a great many
passengers, mostly officers returning home, and a few civilians. There
were also several ladies, though none about my own age. I remember,
particularly, Colonel Harrison--so I will name him--an old friend of my
father's, Major Piers, Captains Gilby and Andrewes, Mr Hickson, Mr
Morgan, and Mr Gregg, as well as his sister, Mrs Gilby, Mrs
Wilkinson, and Miss Hordern. It is strange how well I can recall all
their faces and persons at this interval of time.

"The voyage was unusually quick and agreeable until we arrived off the
coast of South Africa. But there we encountered a gale so violent, that
the ship soon became wholly unmanageable. Everybody concurred in
saying, that it was through no fault either of the captain or of the
crew that the vessel was lost. The wind drove her directly ashore, the
anchors that were thrown out parted during the height of the storm, and
there are no harbours anywhere along that coast for which vessels can
run. The end was that she was thrown upon a reef at no great distance
from shore, and entirely broken up.

"By the good management of the officers in command, the whole of the
passengers, and nearly