ht to beggary. The captain told him not to be cast
down; that he would employ him as a pilot, and give him back his vessel
at the end of the time. He was as good as his word, and I never saw a
poor fellow so happy and grateful as the fisherman was when he was put
on shore. Some time after, when we were all suffering from scurvy, not
having had a fresh piece of meat or vegetables for many months, the same
man came off to us with a full supply for several days, which I believe
saved the lives of many poor fellows on board.

"Soon after this, while cruising off Boston, a squadron of four French
line-of-battle ships and a frigate were seen from the masthead. They
made sail in chase, but the captain knew well all the shoals and
quicksands in those parts, and soon got into channels where the big
ships were afraid to follow. The frigate, however, kept on her course,
and when we saw this we hove to, to wait for her. We all looked forward
with joy to a brush, but she did not like our appearance, and much to
out disappointment, about she went and rejoined her consorts.

"I can't tell you all the things we did in the West Indies. At last we
went home, and were paid off; and I remained on shore with my widowed
mother till I heard that Captain Nelson had commissioned the `Boreas.'
I went and joined him. He received me heartily, and away we sailed for
the West Indies.

"Young as was our captain, he found himself senior officer on the
station--that is to say, second in command under the admiral; for in
those days we had old heads on young shoulders; so we should now, if
boys would try to imitate the example of wise and noble men, not to ape
the folly of foolish ones. We were chiefly among the Leeward Islands.

"While visiting the island of Nevis, the captain fell in love with a
lady, a Mrs Nisbet, and they married: a very good, kind young lady she
was, that I remember; but after we returned home I saw no more of her.
The `Boreas' was paid off in 1787. Thus I have told you most of what I
remember about Nelson's early days. He was soon to be known to the
world as the greatest naval captain of his time."

II.

"You have heard speak of the `Agamemnon' of 64 guns. I was one of the
old Agamemnons, as we called ourselves. We, all her crew, were proud of
her, and good reason we had to be so. Captain Nelson commissioned her
on the 26th of January, 1793, and it wasn't many days after this that I
joined her. You see I kept m