ers on shipboard, and is
made captain's steward

I seemed to be very well satisfied whilst my master was speaking; but
though I thought he talked like an angel, my former uneasiness seized me
at parting with him. In short, without more consideration, I rose in
the morning early and marched off, having first wrote to my wife at her
aunt's, relating the state of the case to her, with my resolution to
leave England the first opportunity, giving her what comfort I could,
assuring her if I ever was a gainer in life she should not fail to be a
partaker, and promising also to let her know where I settled. I walked
at a great rate, for fear my master's kindness should prompt him to
send after me; and taking the bye-ways, I reached by dark night a
little village, where I resolved to halt. Upon inquiry I found myself
thirty-five miles from my master's. I had eaten nothing all day, and was
very hungry and weary, but my crown-piece was as yet whole; however I
fed very sparingly, being over-pressed with the distress of my affairs
and the confusion of my thoughts. I slept that night tolerably, but the
morning brought its face of horror with it. I had inquired over-night
where I was, and been informed that I was not above sixteen miles from
Bristol, for which place I then resolved.

At my setting out in the morning, after I had walked about three miles,
and had recollected a little my master's last discourse, I found by
degrees my spirit grew calmer than it had been since I left Mr. G. at my
house (as I shall ever call it), and looking into myself for the cause,
found another set of thoughts were preparing a passage into my mind,
which did not carry half the dread and terror with them that their
predecessors had; for I began to cast aside the difficulties and
apprehensions I before felt in my way, and encouraging the present
motions, soon became sensible of the benefit of a virtuous education;
and though what I had hitherto done in the immediate service of God, I
must own had been performed from force, custom, and habit, and without
the least attention to the object of the duty; yet, as under my mother
at home, and my master at the academy, I had been always used to say my
prayers, as they called it, morning and night: I began, with a sort of
superstitious reflection, to accuse myself of having omitted that duty
the night before, and also at my setting out in the morning, and very
much to blame myself for it, and, at the same in