256 ADVENTURES OF A NAVAL OFFICER 



casion to mention it hereafter, I shall leave it at present unnoticed, 

 and hurry over that part of my life, which, though as happy as any, is 

 the least interesting from my having my brother-in-law for a captain. 

 I mentioned in a former part of this, that my father's intention in 

 sending me to sea in this vessel was not only to make me sea-sick, but 

 sick of the sea ; to this end he wished me to be treated exactly as 

 a midshipman, or even with a little more severity ; hoping that 

 the change from the uniform kindness and affection that I had always 

 received at home, would effectually cure me of any predilection for 

 the stormy life of a sailor, and induce me to consent to embrace some 

 profession on shore, and " scorn the white lapelle." My brother-in- 

 law defeated this desirable object, by taking me to mess in his own 

 cabin, allow me to do exactly what I liked, was afraid I was too 

 young to keep any watch, and as to night-watch it was quite impos- 

 sible ; I should either catch cold or be knocked up by not having re- 

 gular rest. This was pleasant enough ; and soon reconciled me. to 

 leaving home. I now felt confident a sea life was the most pleasant 

 under the sun ; but I was as yet but a young bear, all my troubles 

 were to come. I now found myself nothing but a passenger went 

 to bed when I liked, slept when I pleased, and plenty of attendance. 

 How different this was from a midshipman's life I discovered in a 

 few years. The mails were at last made up ; we were all ready for 

 sea, and a good strong north-easter coming on, our signal was made 

 to proceed to sea. A most delightful wind that north-easter to a 

 good sailor, who always feels better when it is blowing a gale of 

 wind than when it is smooth water. But such was riot I. Never 

 having seen salt water till I arrived at Falmouth, I was soon on my 

 beam-ends. When we cleared the Lizard I began to feel it. I was 

 soon in bed ; and I truly thought I never should rise from it again. 

 Of all the miseries man meets with in this miserable life, sea-sickness 

 is the worst, Entirely deprived of any power of exertion by an ex- 

 cessive langour that is always the forerunner of sea-sickness, you 

 feel that love of life so inherent in man depart from you altogether, 

 and death appears to be the only doctor that can afford you the 

 slightest relief; added to this, sea-sickness never receives the 

 slightest commiseration ; every body laughs at you ; knowing it is 

 not dangerous. It becomes an excellent joke to all but the party con- 

 cerned., who, with a very long face wonders how any one can be so 

 totally devoid of all feeling as to laugh at so serious an illness, and 

 should the sufferer express his feelings, which is not at all unlikely 

 in the irritation of the moment, it produces not repentance, but re- 

 doubled laughter. At last down came my brother-in-law. 



"Well, George, how do you do?" 



" Oh ! oh ! for God's sake put me on shore what a fool I was to 

 come to sea. Oh ! I wish I was at school ! If ever I get home, I'll 

 never come to sea again ; but I'm sure I shall never return again. 

 I'm sure I shall die. Oh ! do pray throw me overboard." All this 

 was interrupted at intervals by the most violent fits of retching, that 

 made me feel sure my inside would come up. 



" Now," said my brother-in-law, " if I put you on shore, will 

 you never come to sea again." 



