inually Marrying while we were at Cork, to the
great Merriment of Self and Captain Blokes, who had seen enough and to
spare of that Game; but they _would_ be Spliced, although they expected
to sail immediately; among others, there was a Danish man coupled by a
Romish Priest to an Irish woman, without understanding a word of each
other's language, so that they were forced to use an Interpreter; yet I
perceived this pair seemed more afflicted at separation than any of the
rest. The Fellow continued melancholy for many days after we were at
Sea. The rest, understanding each other and the world better, drank
their cans of Flip till the very last Minute, concluded with a health to
our good voyage and their next Happy Meeting, and then Departed, quite
unconcerned.

We took sailing orders on the 1st of September; and then Captain Blokes
discovered to the crew whither we were bound,--that is to say, on a four
years' voyage,--in order that, if any Disorders should arise among us,
we might exchange our Malcontents while in company with one of His
Majesty's ships. But no complaint was found on board the _Marquis_,
except from one fellow who was expected to have been Tithing man that
year in his Parish, and said his wife would be obliged to pay Forty
shillings in his absence; but seeing all hands satisfied, he was easily
quieted, and drank with the rest to a prosperous voyage. On the 2nd
September we, having cleaned and tallowed our ship's five streaks below
the Water-line, the fiddler struck up "Lumps o' Pudding," and to follow
that "Cold and Raw," the Ship's company joining chorus with a will, and
so fell down to the Spit End by the _Culloden_ Man of War, as our two
Consorts had done the Night before. When we came to the Spit End,
Captain Blokes saluted the _Culloden_ with seven Guns, to which they
returned Five in courtesy, and then we again Three for thanks. And so
commenced my Journey round the World.

CHAPTER THE SECOND.

MERCATOR HIS PROJECTION, AND WHAT CAME OF IT.

MEANING simply this, that I have often and often, as a little Lad, gazed
upon the Great Map--very yellow, and shiny, and cracked on its canvas
mounting it was--of the World, upon Mercator's Projection, and devoutly
longed for the day to arrive when it might be my fortune to make a
Voyage of Circumnavigation. Such a Map, I remember, hung in the
Schoolroom at Gnawbit's; and I have often been cruelly beaten for gazing
at it and pondering over it, instea