ty demanded it, but always full
of good feeling and humanity to those under his command. He had formerly
commanded a privateer in the Mediterranean, and had taken many rich
prizes, and his owner, who thought very highly of him, had fitted out
the _Port-au-Prince_, specially for him to command.

"In about a month I was looked upon as being quite a smart boy, and
Captain Duck would often smile encouragingly at me, and to show his
appreciation of my good conduct permitted young Mr. Mariner, who was
a brave and handsome lad, to bring me into his cabin occasionally, and
instruct me in reading and writing.

"We had a very stormy passage to the River Plate, where we began to look
out for prizes, but without success; so, after waiting off the coast
many weeks, and seeing nothing but two large ships of war, which were
too heavily armed for us to engage, we stood southward to double Cape
Horn. This was accomplished on the 18th of June, and three days later we
sailed northward into the Pacific.

"Ten days after doubling the Cape we fell in with a South Sea whaler--I
think her name was the _Vincent_, Captain Patrick Joy--and on that day
there came about a collision between Captain Duck and Mr. Brown, the
whaling-master. 'Twas this quarrel, arising out of the obstinacy and
pride of Mr. Brown, which caused our future dreadful disaster, as will
be seen later on. The _Vincent_ signalled that she wanted us to send
a boat; and highly pleased I was when young Mr. Mariner spoke to the
gunner and asked leave for me to go in the boat with himself and Captain
Duck. As soon as we got on board our captain was taken below by the
master of the ship, but only remained a few minutes. When he returned
on deck he seemed much pleased, and, ordering us back into the boat,
was just about to descend himself when a harpooner belonging to the
_Vincent_ begged permission to speak to him.

"'Why, Turner, is it you, indeed?' and Captain Duck shook the man's hand
warmly, and asked him how he had fared since he had last seen him.

"'Well, sir, I thank you,' answered the harpooner; 'but will you have me
on board your ship, sir? You know me well, sir, and Captain Joy says he
is willing to let me go and serve under my old captain again. Indeed,
sir,' he added, 'I have it set in my mind that I shall again have the
honour to board some more Spanish prizes with you; and I would rather
kill a murdering Spaniard or Portugal than a honest whale. I am with
you, sir,