ll likely to disastrously affect them. The result of my self-communing
was so far satisfactory as to confirm my resolution to become the owner
of the _Esmeralda_; and, having conclusively arrived at this
determination, I sauntered quietly eastward through the summer night to
my lodgings, and turned in.

The following morning saw me once more wending my way Cityward, this
time to the office of Messrs. Musgrave and Company, where the
preliminaries of the purchase of the _Esmeralda_ were speedily
accomplished, and a cheque for five hundred pounds given to seal the
bargain. This done, I spent the remainder of the morning in seeking a
freight; and was at length fortunate enough to secure one on
advantageous terms for China. My next business was to run down on board
my new purchase and take a careful inventory of her stores, with the
object of estimating the probable amount of outlay necessary to fit her
for the contemplated voyage; and while I was thus engaged a telegram was
despatched to Thomson's friend and late chief mate, Roberts, who, in
response, promptly presented himself on board. I liked the appearance
of this man from the moment that I first set eyes upon him. He was
evidently somewhat more highly educated than the generality of his
class; without being in the least dandified, he possessed an ease and
polish of manner at that time quite exceptional in the mates of such
small craft as the _Esmeralda_. He was very quiet and unassuming in his
behaviour; and altogether he produced so favourable an impression upon
me that I unhesitatingly shipped him on the spot, arranging with him to
bring his dunnage on board and assume duty on the following day. My
overhaul of the stores on board the barque resulted in the satisfactory
discovery that the expenditure necessary to complete her for the voyage
would be considerably less than I had dared to hope; and, this fact
established, I left the ship in Roberts's charge, and ran down home upon
a flying visit to my mother, to fully acquaint her with all that I had
done, and to make the arrangements necessary for her comfort and
maintenance during my contemplated absence. This involved another visit
to my friend, Mr Richards, with whose assistance I made a careful yet
generous computation of every expense to which I should be in the least
likely to be put before drawing any profit from my adventure; the
difference between this sum and the amount of my available assets
represen