down. The thoughts of my wife still kept
me up, and made me resolve to struggle to the last for life, but I was
growing weaker and weaker. At length I fell off into a kind of stupor,
though I still retained sufficient sense to cling to the rail.

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE.

AT THE LAST GASP--TAKEN ON BOARD THE SOLWAY CASTLE INDIAMAN--
HOMEWARD-BOUND--HOPES OF FREEDOM AT LAST--WE ENTER THE THAMES--SHIP
BRINGS UP AT THE MOUTH OF THE MEDWAY--VISITED BY A PRESSGANG--CARRIED ON
BOARD THE GLATTON, 56 GUNS, CAPTAIN HENRY TROLLOPE--SAIL TO JOIN THE
NORTHERN FLEET UNDER ADMIRAL DUNCAN--REACH YARMOUTH ROADS--SENT TO JOIN
A SQUADRON OFF HELVOETSLUIS--THE GLATTON ENCOUNTERS A FRENCH SQUADRON OF
FOUR FRIGATES, TWO CORVETTES, A BRIG, AND CUTTER--WE ENGAGE THEM, AND
OUR HEAVY CARRONADES FEARFULLY CUT THEM UP--THEY TAKE TO FLIGHT AND
ESCAPE--WHILE RETURNING TO YARMOUTH I FALL OVERBOARD--FIND A BOAT--
PICKED UP BY A CUTTER BOUND TO PLYMOUTH--BECALMED OFF THE EDDYSTONE--AM
AGAIN SEIZED BY A PRESSGANG AND TAKEN ON BOARD THE CLEOPATRA--MY
DESPAIR--SAIL FOR THE WEST INDIES--A DESPERATE BATTLE--OVERPOWERED BY
NUMBERS--WE STRIKE OUR FLAG--MISERABLE CONTEMPLATIONS.

How long I had remained thus I could not tell, when I was aroused by
hearing a man's voice, and looking up, saw a boat close to me, beyond
her a ship hove-to. One of the crew sprang on to the raft, and casting
off the lashings, he and others leaning over the bow of the boat,
dragged me on board. After this I knew nothing until I found myself in
a hammock on board a large merchantman. A surgeon soon afterwards came
to me.

"You will do well enough now, my man," he said to me in a kind voice;
"but you were almost gone when we picked you up."

I inquired what ship I was on board.

"The _Solway Castle_, homeward-bound East Indiaman," he answered.

This was indeed satisfactory news, as I should now, I trusted, be able
to get back to my dear wife without the necessity of asking leave. I
might indeed almost consider myself a free man, for I did not feel that
it would be my duty to return to the _Galatea_, considering that the
prize I had been put on board had gone down. After the doctor had left
me, the sick bay attendant brought me a basin of soup which wonderfully
revived me, and in shorter time than the doctor said he expected I could
not help acknowledging that I was almost myself again.

I felt very sad as I thought of the loss of young Mr Harvey and my old
friend Dick