We had a good ship, but she was deep loaden, and wallowed in the fea, that the feamen every now and then cried out, fhe would founder. It was my advantage in one respect, that I did not know what they meant by founder, till I enquired. However, the ftorm was fo violent, that I faw what is not often feen, the mafter, the boatswain, and fome others, more fenfible than the reft, at their prayers, and expecting every moment that the fhip would go to the bottom. In the middle of the night, and under all the rest of our distresses, one of the men that had been down on purpose to fee, cried out we had fprung a leak; another said, there was four feet water in the hold. Then all hands were called to the pump. At that very word, my heart, as I thought, died within me; and I fell backwards upon the fide of my bed where I fat, into the cabin. However, the men roused me, and told me, that I that was able to do nothing before, was as well able to pump as another; at which I stirred up, and went to the pump, and worked very heartily. While this was doing, the master seeing fome light colliers, who, not able to ride out the storm, were obliged to flip and run away to the fea, and would come near us, ordered to fire a gun as a signal of distress. I, who knew nothing what they meant, was so surprised, that I thought the fhip had. broke, or fome dreadful thing happened. In a word, I was fo furprised, that I fell down in a fwoon. As this was a time when every body had his own life to think of, nobody minded me, or what was become of me; but another man stept up to the pump, and, thrufting me afide with his fcot, let me lie, thinking I had been dead; and it was a great while before I came to myself.

We worked on, but the water increafing in the hold, it was apparent, that the fhip would founder; and tho' the ftorm began to abate a little, yet as it was not poffible fhe could fwim till we might run into any port, fo the mafter continued firing guns for help; and a light fhip, who had rid it out just a head of us, ventured a boat out to help us. It was with the utmost hazard the boat came near us; but it was impoffible for us to get on board, or for the boat to lie near the ship's fide, till at laft the men rowing very heartily, and venturing their lives to fave ours, our men caft them a rope over

the

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again for a thousand pounds: this indeed was, as I faid, an excurfion of his fpirits, which were yet agitated by the sense of his lofs, and was further than he could have authority to go: however, he afterwards talked very gravely to me, exhorting me to go back to my father, and not tempt Providence to my ruin? told me, I might fee a vifible hand of heaven against me: and young man, faid he, depend upon it, if you do not go back, where ever you go, you will meet with nothing but difafters and disappointments, till your father's words are fulfilled upon you.

We parted foon after; for I made him little anfwer, and I faw him no more; which way he went, I know not. As for me, having fome money in my pocket, I travelled to London by land, and there, as well as on the road, had many struggles with myfelf what courfe of life I should take, and whether I fhould go home, or go to fea.

As to going home, fhame opposed the best motions that offered to my thoughts; and it immediately occur red to me how I fhould be laughed at among the neighbours, and fhould be afhamed to fee, not my father and mother only, but even every body elfe; from whence I have fince often obferved, how incongruous and irrational the common temper of mankind is, efpecially of youth, to that reason that ought to guide them in fuch cafes; viz. That they are not ashamed to fin, and yet are afhamed to repent: not ashamed of the action, for which they ought justly to be esteemed fools; but are afhamed of the returning, which only can make them esteemed wife men.

In this state of life, however, I remained foine time, uncertain what measures to take, and what courfe of life to lead. An irrefiftible reluctance continued to going home and as I ftaid awhile, the remembrance of the diftrefs I had been in wore off; and as that abated, the little motion I had in my defires to return, wore off with it, till at laft I quite laid afide the thoughts of it, and looked out for a voyage.

That evil influence, which carried me firft away from my father's houfe, which hurried me into the wild and indigested notion of raifing my fortune, and that imprefied those conceits fo forcibly upon me, as to make me deaf to all good advice, and to the intreaties, and

even

even the commands, of my father: I fay, the fame influence, whatever it was, prefented the most unfortunate of all enterprises to my view; and I went on board a veffel bound to the coaft of Africa, or, as our failors vulgarly call it, a voyage to Guinea.

It was my great misfortune, that in all these adventures I did not ship myself as a failor; whereby though I might indeed have worked a little harder than ordinary, yet at the fame time I had learned the duty and office of a foremaftman; and in time might have qualified myself for a mate or lieutenant, if not for a master. But as it was always my fate to chufe for the worse, so I did here; for having money in my pocket, and good clothes on my back, I would always go on board in the habit of a gentleman; and fo I neither had any bufiness in the ship, nor learned to do any.

It was my lot firft of all to fall into pretty good company in London, which does not always happen to fuch loose and unguided young fellows as I then was;, the devil generally not omitting to lay fome fnare for them very early; but it was not fo with me: I first fell, acquainted with the mafter of a fhip who had been on the coaft of Guinea, and who, having had very good fuccefs there, was refolved to go again; this captain, taking a fancy to my converfation, which was not difagreeable at that time, hearing me fay I had a mind to fee the world, told me, if I would go the voyage with him, I should be at no expence; I fhould be his meffinate, and his companion; and if I could carry any thing with me, I should have all the advantage of it that the trade would admit; and perhaps I might meet with fome encouragement.

I embraced the offer, and, entering into a ftrict friendship with this captain, who was an honest plain dealing man, went the voyage with him, and carried a small adventure with me, which, by the difinterested honesty of my friend, the captain, I increafed very confiderably; for I carried about 40l. in fuch toys and trifles as the captain directed me to buy. This 40l. I had mustered together by the affiftance of fome of my relations, whom I correfponded with, and who, I believe, got my father, or at least, my mother, to contribute fo much as that, to my firft adventure.