bred me to it. He came from
Devonshire, near Exmouth. N.B.--He used to say the Coffins were a
great family in Devonshire, and as old as any; but it never did him
no good. He was an only son, and so was I, but I had an older
sister, now dead. She grew up and married a poultryman in Quay
Street, Bristol. I remember the wedding. Died in childbed a year
later, me being at that time on my first voyage.

We lived at Bristol, at the foot of Christmas Stairs, left-hand side
going up, two doors from the bottom. My mother from Stonehouse,
Gloster, where they make cloth, specially red cloth for soldiers'
coats. Her maiden name Daniels. She was a religious woman, and
taught me the Bible. My father was lost at sea, being knocked
overboard by the boom in half a gale, two miles S.W. of Lundy.
I was sixteen at the time, and apprentice as cabin-boy on board the
same ship, the _Caroline_, bound from Hayle to Cardiff with copper
ore. I went home and broke the news to my mother, and she told me
then what I didn't know before, that she was very poorly provided
for. I will say this, that I made her a good son; and likewise, that
I never had no luck till I struck the Treasure.

I was born in the year 1750. My father's death happened 1766.
From that time till my twenty-seventh year, I supported my mother.
She died of a seizure in 1777, and is buried by St. Mary's Redclyf--
we having moved across the water to that parish. Married next year,
Elizabeth Porter, in service with Soames Rennalls, Esquire, Alderman
of the City. She had been brought up an orphan by the Colston
Charity; a good pious woman, and bore me one child, a daughter,
christened Ann--a dear little one. She lived and throve up to the
year 1787, me all the time coming and going on voyages, mostly
coasting, too numerous to mention. Then the small-pox carried her
off with my affectionate wife, the both in one week. At which I
cursed all things, and for several years ran riot, not caring what I
said or did.

Was employed, from 1790 on, in the slave trade, by W. S., merchant of
Bristol. Must have made as many as a dozen passages before leaving
him and shipping on the _Mary Pynsent_, Pink, Bristol-owned by a new
company of adventurers. She was an old boat, and known to me, but
not the whole story of her. I signed as mate. We were bound for the
W. Coast, about 50 leagues E. of Cape Corse Castle, with gunpowder
and old firearms for the natives, that were most al