Suddenly the idea seized me, should I stow myself away on board, and not
appear until the ship had sailed out to sea? I had a notion,
notwithstanding, that this would not be a wise proceeding. I should
certainly not be treated as an officer, and should very probably be sent
forward to become a drudge to the crew. Still, what other chance had I
to get to sea? I thought and thought.

Well, I'll go on board at all events. The blue Peter was flying at the
masthead, besides which there was a board announcing that she would sail
with the morning's tide. It was the custom, in those days especially,
for merchantmen to sail on a Sunday. The stages leading on board had
been removed, with the exception of a single plank to the gangway. My
longing to go on board increasing, I indulged it. None of the crew were
moving about aft. The officers, if any were on board, were, I supposed,
in their cabins. I looked forward, where I saw a few of the crew, who
were preparing for their supper. The cook just then made his appearance
from the caboose with a large bowl containing a smoking mess of some
sort. I had never been below on board ship. I thought I should like to
look round and see what sort of place the hold was. The tackle which
had been used for lowering the cargo was not yet unrove, and hung over
the main hatchway, which had been left open for stowing some goods
which, as it turned out, had not yet arrived. Seeing that no one was
observing me, I seized the rope, and swung myself down till my head
disappeared below the coamings of the hatchway.

Now at this place space had been left to permit of the lower hold being
reached. The rope I grasped was not as long as I thought it was, and
suddenly the end slipped through my fingers, and down I fell, hurting
myself so much that I was unable to rise. Afraid of calling out for
assistance, I lay there for some time, till the pain increased so much
that I fainted away. When I came to my senses, what was my horror to
find myself in total darkness, and on lifting up my hand as high as I
could reach I discovered that some planks had been placed across the
aperture through which I had fallen, and I was shut in. Though I had
been doubtful about acting the stowaway, here I was, shut up against my
will. Had I carried out the idea which occurred to me, I intended to
have done it in a very different fashion, as I expected to find some
comfortable place where I might obtain air, if