out of it. It is
these fellows that raise such reports against the English navy, that
frighten the poor fellows so; they hear of men being flogged until they
die under the lash, and all the lies that can be invented. Not that the
masters of the merchant vessels are at all backward in disparaging the
service, but threaten to send a man on board a man-of-war for a
punishment, if he behaves ill--that itself is enough to raise a
prejudice against the service. Now, sir, I can safely swear that there
is more cruelty and oppression--more ill-treatment and more hard work--
on board of a merchantman, than on board any man-of-war. Why so?
Because there is no control over the master of a merchant vessel, while
the captain of a man-of-war is bound down by strict regulations, which
he dare not disobey. We see many reports in the newspapers of the
ill-treatment on of merchant vessels; but for one that is made known,
ninety-nine are passed over; for a seaman has something else to do than
to be kicking his heels at a magistrate's office; and when he gets clear
of his vessel, with his pay in his pocket, he prefers to make merry and
forget his treatment, to seeking revenge. I say again, sarve that crimp
right, and I hope that he'll get a lash for every pound which he has
robbed from the poor seamen."

I may as well inform the reader that, as it is mostly the case after the
men have been impressed, nearly the whole of them entered the service;
and when, some time afterwards, they ascertained that it was I that had
tricked them, so far from feeling the ill-will towards me that they had
on their first coming on board, they laughed very much at my successful
plan, and were more partial to me than to any other of the officers.

Our frigate was now well manned, and nearly ready for sea. I wrote to
my mother, enclosing the heads of a letter to her which she should send
to Captain Delmar, and in a day or two I received an answer, with a copy
of what she had sent. It was to the effect that I was now going away
for the second time, and that it was possible she might never see me or
Captain Delmar again; that she wished him success and happiness, and
begged him, in case she should be called away, not to forget his
promises to her, or what she had undergone for his sake; but she trusted
entirely to him, and that he would watch over me and my interests, even
more out of regard to her memory, than if she were alive to support my
claims upon