obtain leave. These singular
regulations did not prepossess the ship's company in his favour: but,
on the contrary, gave scandal an opportunity to be very busy with his
character, and accuse him of maintaining a correspondence with his
surgeon not fit to be named.

In a few weeks, our ship being under sailing orders, I was in hope of
revisiting my native country, in a very short time, when the
admiral's surgeon came on board, and, sending for Morgan and me to
the quarter-deck, gave us to understand there was a great scarcity of
surgeons in the West Indies; that he was commanded to detain one mate
out of every great ship that was bound for England; and desired us to
agree between ourselves, before the next day at that hour, which of us
should stay behind. We were thunderstruck at this proposal, and stared
at one another some time without speaking; at length the Welshman broke
silence, and offered to remain in the West Indies, provided the admiral
would give him a surgeon's warrant immediately; but he was told there
was no want of chief surgeons, and that he must be contented with the
station of mate, till he should be further provided for in due
course. Whereupon Morgan flatly refused to quit the ship for which the
commissioners of the navy had appointed him; and the other told him as
plainly, that if we could not determine the affair by ourselves before
to-morrow morning, he must cast lots, and abide by his chance.

When I recalled to my remembrance the miseries I had undergone in
England, where I had not one friend to promote my interest, or favour
my advancement in the navy, and the same time reflected on the present
dearth of surgeons in the West Indies, and the unhealthiness of the
climate, which every day almost reduced the number, I could not help
thinking my success would be much more certain and expeditious by my
staying where I was, than by returning to Europe. I therefore resolved
to comply with a good grace, and next day, when we were ordered to throw
dice, told Morgan he needed not trouble himself, for I would voluntarily
submit to the admiral's pleasure. This frank declaration was commended
by the gentleman, who assured me, it should not fare the worse with me
for my resignation. Indeed he was as good as his word, and that very
afternoon procured a warrant, appointing me surgeon's mate of the Lizard
sloop-of-war, which put me on a footing with every first mate in the
service.

My ticket being made out, I