once they get to
sea, they often have fewer opportunities of learning than have people
living on shore. In southern climates some captains, when it is calm,
allow the men to go overboard; but in northern latitudes they cannot do
this, and many captains do not trouble themselves about the matter. My
advice therefore is, that all boys should team to swim before they come
to sea, and to swim in their clothes.

Next to Grey, I believe Mr Johnson was most satisfied that I was not
drowned.

"I had written an account of what had happened to your disconsolate
parents, and had taken an opportunity of praising you as you deserved;
but as you are alive, I'll put it by, it will serve for another
occasion," he observed.

I thanked him, and begged him to give me the letter, which, after some
persuasion, he did. I enclosed it to my sisters, assuring them that it
was written under an erroneous impression that I was no longer a denizen
of this world, and begged, them not to be at all alarmed, as I was well
and merry as ever:

"Sir,--Your son and I, though he was only a midshipman,--I am
boatswain of this ship--were, I may say, friends and companions; and
therefore I take up my pen to tell you the sad news, that he and boy
Bluff went overboard together this evening, and were lost, though we
didn't fail to look for them. It may be a consolation to you to know
that they always did their duty, which wasn't much, nor very well
done, nor of any use to anybody, but that was no fault of theirs,
seeing that they didn't know better. Then you'll not fail to remember
that there's no longer any chance of your son being hung, which has
been the fate of many a pretty man, either by mistake or because he
deserved it, and that must be a comfort to you. I've nothing more to
say at present.

"From your obedient servant,

"Jonathan Johnson,

"Boatswain of His British Majesty's frigate Doris."

I had hopes that the letter would afford infinite satisfaction to my
home circle.

We ran back to Plymouth with our prisoners, and then receiving sealed
orders, sailed for the westward. On the captain opening his orders we
found that we were bound for the North American and West India Station.

One day, as Mr Johnson seemed in an especially good humour, I got Grey
to come, and we begged hard that he would go on with his history.

"Ah yes, my true and veracious narrative," he answered. "Ho! ho! ho!"

His ogre-like