d had been for some time, to become a sailor; and that I
hoped he would be able to see his way to forward my views. Contrary, I
must confess, to my expectations, my father raised no objections,
stipulating only that I should enter the naval service; and he promised
me that he would use his best efforts to secure my nomination as a
midshipman; but he cautioned me that, as he scarcely knew to whom to
apply for this service, I might have to wait some time for the
gratification of my wishes. The conversation which settled this, to me,
important matter took place in the forenoon, the subject being finally
disposed of and dismissed just as we alighted for luncheon. On the
resumption of our journey the conversation was by no means so lively,
and it distressed me much to observe that my father was gradually
sinking back into the same strange moody state of mind which had
possessed him on the previous day. I made several efforts to win him
back to a more cheerful condition, but they were quite ineffectual; and,
after receiving two or three increasingly impatient replies, I was
compelled to abandon the attempt. For several days the same
unsatisfactory state of affairs continued, my father and I only meeting
at breakfast and dinner, and then exchanging scarcely half a dozen words
beyond the ordinary courtesies; I was therefore not only considerably
surprised but much gratified when he one morning informed me that he had
succeeded in securing my appointment as midshipman on board the frigate
_Hermione_, then about to sail for the West Indies. He added that there
was no time to lose if I wished to go out in her; and that it would
consequently be necessary for us to set out for Portsmouth on the
following morning. This promptitude was rather more than I had
bargained for; notwithstanding my father's very peculiar behaviour I was
much attached to him, and had hoped to have enjoyed at least a month or
two of his society; moreover, I felt very anxious as to his peculiar
condition, and would fain have remained with him until I could have seen
some improvement in his mental state; but, on my mentioning this, he
seemed so singularly averse to any delay of my departure that I saw
nothing for it but to acquiesce.

A week later I had joined my ship, and on November 18th, 1796, we were
bowling down channel under double-reefed topsails.

We duly arrived at our destination--Port Royal, Jamaica--after a tedious
passage of over two months'