to the
Long Wharf, where, to my horror, I could see no signs of the vessel or
captain. Neither have I ever set eyes on them from that time to this.
I thought of lodging information with the police as to the unpatriotic
design of the rascal who swindled me, but on the whole concluded that it
was best to hold my tongue.

It was, as I perceived, such utterly spilt milk as to be little worth
lamenting, and I therefore set to work, with my accustomed energy, to
utilize on my own behalf the resources of my medical education, which so
often before had saved me from want. The war, then raging at its height,
appeared to offer numerous opportunities to men of talent. The path
which I chose was apparently a humble one, but it enabled me to make
very practical use of my professional knowledge, and afforded for a time
rapid and secure returns, without any other investment than a little
knowledge cautiously employed. In the first place, I deposited my small
remnant of property in a safe bank. Then I went to Providence, where, as
I had heard, patriotic persons were giving very large bounties in order,
I suppose, to insure the government the services of better men than
themselves. On my arrival I lost no time in offering myself as a
substitute, and was readily accepted, and very soon mustered into the
Twentieth Rhode Island. Three months were passed in camp, during which
period I received bounty to the extent of six hundred and fifty dollars,
with which I tranquilly deserted about two hours before the regiment
left for the field. With the product of my industry I returned to
Boston, and deposited all but enough to carry me to New York, where
within a month I enlisted twice, earning on each occasion four hundred
dollars.

After this I thought it wise to try the same game in some of the smaller
towns near to Philadelphia. I approached my birthplace with a good deal
of doubt; but I selected a regiment in camp at Norristown, which is
eighteen miles away. Here I got nearly seven hundred dollars by entering
the service as a substitute for an editor, whose pen, I presume, was
mightier than his sword. I was, however, disagreeably surprised by
being hastily forwarded to the front under a foxy young lieutenant,
who brutally shot down a poor devil in the streets of Baltimore for
attempting to desert. At this point I began to make use of my medical
skill, for I did not in the least degree fancy being shot, either
because of deserting or of not d