forgiveness and friendship; adding, that
he was assured I had been deluded away by the Dutchman and his family.
This I never would acknowledge, until some months afterward, when,
knowing that they must be far out of our reach, I related the whole
transaction.

Some of the Dutch troops, to whom we were to resign the Cape, had
already arrived from Java and Batavia, and other Dutch settlements, many
of whom flocked to the wharf to see us embark, and, where they dared, to
offer insults. A huge brute sidled up to me, with his greasy mustaches,
which he began to curl and twist between his forefinger and thumb, at
the same time chucking me under the chin, and calling me a pretty boy.
For this I took the liberty of saluting him with a kick on the shins,
for which he attempted to seize my ears; but I fixed my bayonet--a
weapon the Dutch have a great aversion to; so he marched off. The
following morning we embarked for India, on board a small American
vessel that had been lying a considerable time at the Cape.

When the land was buried in distance, I could not help reviewing the
many providential escapes I had already experienced during my short
career, and the mercies that had been extended to me in the most
perilous situations. Did men but oftener attribute them to that great
source from whence all our mercies are derived, we should think less of
our often fancied hardships, and feel grateful for the blessings we
enjoy. In my case, it was impossible to look back upon the last four
years of my life, without trembling at the scenes I had been carried
through in safety, and addressing a prayer of thanksgiving to the
fountain of all love, for the unmerited protection that had been
extended towards me.

We had scarcely got to sea a day, when we found that it was a difficult
matter to determine which was the more cranky, the vessel or the
captain. She took in water in large quantities--he grog; she would not
go steady--neither would he; she rolled and pitched--so did he; she
shook her head--so did he; she was often sea-sick--so was he: in fact,
they were a cranky pair. She had lain so long at the Cape, that her
bottom had become foul, and she would not go more than four knots an
hour, if it blew a hurricane, and then she seemed to tear the very water
asunder. We prowled about the deep like the wandering Jew on earth,
until at last our water began to evince symptoms of decline, and it was
justly feared we should soon suffer much u