sion of my
cabin in the gun-room, and was warmly received by my new messmates; but
I did not return to my duty for nearly a month, on account of a little
lameness still remaining, and which the surgeon declared was often the
case after the yellow fever!!

I ought to have observed, that when my mother was so indulgent as to
commit suicide for my sake, she had taken every precaution, and the
letter of my grandmother informed Captain Delmar that my mother had
bequeathed me 12,000 pounds in the three per cents, which she had laid
by from her business, and that therefore there was no longer any
occasion that I should be an expense to Captain Delmar. It must not,
however, be supposed, from my grandmother stating this, that Captain
Delmar was at all mercenary or stingy; on the contrary, considering
that, as the second son of a nobleman, he had only 1,000 pounds per
annum besides his pay, he was exceedingly liberal (although not
extravagant) in all money matters.

At last I was well enough to return to my duty; and glad I was to be
once more walking the quarter-deck, not as before, on the lee, but on
the weather side, with an epaulet on my shoulder. Strange to say, there
was not a midshipman in the ship (although there were so many) who had
served so long as I had, and in consequence there was not any
heart-burning or jealousy at my promotion, and I continued on the best
terms with my old mess-mates, although gradually lessening the intimacy
which existed between us. But that was not intentional on my part; it
was the effect of my promotion, and removal from the berth of a set of
lads to the company of the senior and older officers. I was now a man,
and had the feelings and thoughts of a man. My frolics and tricks were
discarded with the midshipman's coat; and in respecting my new rank I
respected myself.

Now that I walked on the same side of the deck, Captain Delmar very
often entered into conversation with me; and although at first it was
with caution on his part, yet, when he found that I never presumed, and
was, invariably, most respectful, he became on much more intimate terms
with me.

During three months we continued cruising about without falling in with
or having received any intelligence of the French frigate which we were
sent in quest of; at last Captain Delmar resolved to change the cruising
ground, and we ran up to ten degrees of latitude further north.

As we were running up, we fell in with an Americ