king myself acquainted with every manoeuvre
performed, and learning the arts of knotting and splicing, reefing and
steering, as well as studying navigation. The captain told me that he
was well pleased with my progress, and this encouraged me to persevere.
My great ambition was to learn a profession, and thus to be independent.
It is what all boys should aim at. I had originally no particular
taste for the sea; but having chosen it, I was determined to be a
thorough sailor. How many among my schoolfellows could not make up
their minds what to be, or did not seem to think that it was necessary
to be something or other. Now my idea was, and is stronger now, that
every person ought to possess some especial knowledge of a profession,
calling, or trade, by the practice of which he can maintain himself. If
all boys and lads were impressed with this important practical truth,
how many might be saved from ruin, from "going to the dogs," as the
phrase is, simply because they have no honest means of supporting
themselves. I say this here, because I may otherwise forget to say it
elsewhere, and I am very anxious to impress it on the minds of my
readers. We had two men on board the _Bussorah Merchant_ who had been
at good schools, and at a university, but had failed to benefit by their
advantages. They had had money--one, indeed, several hundreds a year--
but they had dissipated the whole of it, and had been wandering about
the streets of London for several months utterly penniless, till they
shipped as seaman before the mast on board a ship bound round Cape Horn.
After knocking about in the Pacific for some years, they had returned
home no richer than when they went out, and were glad immediately to
ship aboard us. From their appearance and manners I should not have
suspected what they had been, till one day I heard one of them quoting
"Horace" to the other. He was rather surprised when I capped the verse;
and by degrees, having gained their confidence, they gave me the account
I now repeat, with a great many more circumstances which I do not
consider it necessary to narrate. Poor fellows, they had been so
thoroughly accustomed to the rough ways of the roughest of seamen, that
I suspect they had lost all taste for a more refined style of life. So
I say to my young readers, whatever you do, fix upon a profession, and
try to make yourself thoroughly competent to fill it. Do not rest or
flag till you have done so; and neve