e rather
thick about the trotters, and their heels are to be compared to their red
potatoes, but the upper part of their figures--say no more. Come, messmate,
let's drink a speedy passage and soon, as a worthy alderman did at a
Guildhall dinner." "You mistake, doctor," said the second lieutenant, "he
gave for a toast, a speedy peace and soon." "Never mind," said the doctor,
"it will be all the same a hundred years hence; an Irishman is always
allowed to speak twice." Our parting with our washerwomen and other
friends was pathetic in the extreme; their precious tears were sufficient
to fill several (but as I did not measure them I cannot say how many)
monkeys.

"Oh, Gramercy, my lob!" said my lady to me, "I neber shall see you no
more; but I hope dat you member dat Julia lob you more den he can tell.
No," said she, turning aside, "nobody can lob like poor me one, Julia."
She appeared overwhelmed with grief, and I felt my situation awkward and
pathetically silly, as she had followed me down to the boat, and the eyes
of several boats' crews with their young, laughing wicked mids, were on
us. I shook hands for the last time and jumped into the boat with a tear
rolling down my cheek from my starboard eye. Reader, I beg you will not
pity me, for I was not in love. I was what an old maiden cousin would have
called imprudent.

CHAPTER XIII.

HOME AGAIN.

Ordered to the Black River--Meet the magistrate there, and "bow to
his bishop"--Sail with a convoy of thirty ships--Arrive at Deal--A
cruise on horseback on a baker's nag, which conscientiously goes
the bread round--The Author's brother comes on board, but he fails
to recognise him--Paid off at Deptford.

At daylight next morning we catted the anchors, made all sail, and were
the next day reposing like a swan in a lake at Black River. As notices
from the merchants at Kingston had been sent to the different ports round
the island that two men-of-war were going to take convoy to England, we
were soon joined by several West Indiamen. This place can scarcely be
called even a village, there being so few houses, and those straggling.
The first time I went on shore I was called to by a stout man wearing a
linen jacket and trousers, with an immense broad-brimmed straw hat on his
head, and his address was abrupt and by no means polished. "What ship,"
said he, "officer?" "T