on particular occasions--such
as a new coat, which, like his birth-day, occurred but once a year,--he
never applied to the banker's for assistance. Newton, as soon as his
father was settled and his own affairs arranged, called upon his uncle
previous to his embarkation. Old Forster gave a satisfactory "humph!"
to his communication: and Newton, who had tact enough to make his visit
short, received a cordial shake of the hand when he quitted the room.

VOLUME TWO, CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

Poor short-lived things! what plane we lay!
Ah! why forsake our native home,
To distant climates speed away.
For self sticks close, where'er we roam.

Care follows hard, and soon o'ertakes
The well-rigg'd ship; the warlike steed
Her destin'd quarry ne'er forsakes:
Nor the wind flees with half the speed.
COWPER.

Newton, who had made every preparation, as soon as he had taken leave of
his uncle, hastened to join his ship, which still remained at Gravesend,
waiting for the despatches to be closed by the twenty-four leaden heads,
presiding at Leadenhall Street. The passengers, with the exception of
two, a Scotch presbyterian divine and his wife, were still on shore,
divided amongst the inns of the town, unwilling until the last moment to
quit terra firma for so many months of sky and water, daily receiving a
visit from the captain of the ship, who paid his respects to them all
round, imparting any little intelligence he might have received as to
the probable time of his departure.

When Newton arrived on board, he was received by the first-mate, a
rough, good-humoured, and intelligent man, about forty years of age, to
whom he had already been introduced by the captain, on his previous
appearance with the letter from the director.

"Well, Mr Forster, you're in very good time. As in all probability we
shall be shipmates for a voyage or two, I trust that we shall be good
friends. Now for your _traps_:" then turning round, he addressed, in
the Hindostanee language, two or three Lascars (fine olive-coloured men,
with black curling bushy hair), who immediately proceeded to hoist in
the luggage.

The first-mate, with an "excuse me a moment" went forward to give some
directions to the English seamen, leaving Forster to look about him.
What he observed, we shall describe for the benefit of our readers.

The Indiaman was a twelve hundred ton ship, as large as one of the small
class seventy-four in the king's service,