ng left on my mind but to
get another ship; so I went to the port-admiral, and told him how it was
that I left my last; and he said, that being dead and buried was quite
sufficient reason for any one leaving his ship, and that he would
procure me another, now that I had come to life again. I was sent on
board of the guardship, where I remained about ten days, and then was
sent round to join this frigate--and so my story's ended; and there's
eight bells striking--so the watch is ended too."

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

THE FIRST LIEUTENANT HAS MORE PATIENTS--MR. CHUCKS THE BOATSWAIN LETS ME
INTO THE SECRET OF HIS GENTILITY.

Before I proceed with my narrative, I wish to explain to the reader that
my history was not written in after-life, when I had obtained a greater
knowledge of the world. When I first went to sea, I promised my mother
that I would keep a journal of what passed, with my reflections upon it.
To this promise I rigidly adhered, and since I have been my own master,
these journals have remained in my possession. In writing, therefore,
the early part of my adventures, everything is stated as it was
impressed on my mind at the time.

We had now been cruising for six weeks, and I found that my profession
was much more agreeable than I had anticipated. My desire to please was
taken for the deed; and, although I occasionally made a blunder, yet the
captain and first lieutenant seemed to think that I was attentive to my
duty to the best of my ability, and only smiled at my mistakes.

The first lieutenant was one of the most amusing men I ever knew, yet he
never relaxed from the discipline of the service, or took the least
liberty with either his superiors or inferiors. His humour was
principally shown in his various modes of punishment; and, however
severe the punishment was to the party, the manner of inflicting it was
invariably a source of amusement to the remainder of the ship's company.
I often thought, that although no individual liked being punished, yet,
that all the ship's company were quite pleased when a punishment took
place. He was very particular about his decks; they were always as
white as snow, and nothing displeased him so much as their being soiled.
It was for that reason that he had such an objection to the use of
tobacco. There were spitting-pans placed in different parts of the
decks for the use of the men, that they might not dirty the planks with
the tobacco juice. Sometimes a man i