ent, which I find recorded in my journal, I most
unexpectedly received a box containing linen and clothes, sent me by a
friend at Jamaica. In the pockets of some of the clothes I discovered a
packet of letters. Two of them were from home. What a thousand
thoughts and feelings and regrets did their contents conjure up! Many,
many months had passed away since I had heard from any of my relations
and friends in Old England, and I had begun almost to fancy that I was
forgotten, and should never receive any more letters. I read these over
and over again, and then I went in search of Delisle, that I might have
the pleasure of reading them to him. He and I were like brothers, and
like a brother he entered into all my feelings, and was almost as much
interested in the contents of my letters as I was myself. One of them
was from my sister Lucy--a sweet, good, pretty girl. I described her to
him, and, poor fellow, from my portrait, (I am sure it was not
overdrawn, though), he fell in love with her. He was ever afterwards
talking of her, and constantly asking to see her letters, and I agreed
to introduce him when we got home, whenever that might be, and he
promised, if she would have him, to marry her. So it was settled
between us. No one will find fault with him or me for what we did.

I must not forget another important letter from the friend who sent the
box. In it he told me that the admiral had most kindly kept a vacancy
open for me as a lieutenant on board the Ostrich, but at last, when he
could not arrange my exchange, he had been reluctantly compelled to fill
it up. This, of course, added to my annoyance at having been made
prisoner. The parcel of clothes was very valuable, for I found that
they would fetch a high price in the place, and as in that warm climate
a very small supply was sufficient, I resolved on selling the greater
portion of them. This I forthwith did, at a price which enabled me to
pay all my debts at the hucksters' shops, and gave me a good sum
besides. I thought that it would have been inexhaustible, and
accordingly feasted sumptuously for several weeks, and entertained my
friends freely in my stable, or rather in front of it, where, under the
shade of a grove of cocoa-nut trees, I used to spread my board.

On the 2nd of December, Mr Camel, who had been purser of the Active,
and the son of Captain Williams, were sent to Jamaica on their parole in
a cartel, but no one else of our party was