of getting
my livelihood, and I narrated how unfortunate I had been. 'One good turn
deserves another,' replied the sailor; 'and now I'll set you up in
trade. Can you sing? Have you anything of a voice?' 'I can't say that I
have,' replied I. 'I don't mean whether you can sing in tune, or have a
good voice, that's no consequence; all I want to know is, have you a
good loud one?'

'Loud enough, if that's all.' 'That's all that's requisite; so long as
you can make yourself heard--you may then howl like a jackal, or bellow
like a mad buffalo, no matter which--as many pay us for to get rid of us,
as out of charity; and so long as the money comes, what's the odds? Why,
I once knew an old chap, who could only play one tune on the clarionet,
and that tune out of all tune, who made his fortune in six or seven
streets, for every one gave him money, and told him to go away. When
he found out that, he came every morning as regular as clock-work. Now
there was one of the streets which was chiefly occupied by music-sellers
and Italian singers--for them foreigners always herd together--and this
tune, 'which the old cow died of,' as the saying is, used to be their
horror, and out came the halfpence to send him away. There was a sort
of club also in that street, of larking sort of young men, and when
they perceived that the others gave the old man money to get rid of his
squeaking, they sent him out money, with orders to stay and play to them,
so then the others sent out more for him to go away, and between the two,
the old fellow brought home more money than all the cadgers and mumpers
in the district. Now if you have a loud voice, I can provide you with all
the rest.'--'Do you gain your livelihood by that?'--' To be sure I do;
and I can tell you, that of all the trades going, there is none equal to
it. You see, my hearty, I have been on board of a man-of-war--not that
I'm a sailor, or was ever bred to the sea--but I was shipped as a
landsman, and did duty in the waist and afterguard. I know little or
nothing of my duty as a seaman, nor was it required in the station I was
in, so I never learnt, although I was four years on board; all I learnt
was the lingo and slang--and that you must contrive to learn from me. I
bolted, and made my way good to Lunnun, but I should soon have been
picked up and put on board the Tender again, if I hadn't got this wooden
stump made, which I now carry in my hand. I had plenty of songs, and I
commenced my p