MY FIRST VOYAGE. 



10^ 



tain for lagging behind, which put the worthy skipper in no small 

 rage, as well it might, for we had every stitch we could set crowded 

 on her, and he vowed to serve the commodore out. And so he did, 

 for when we anived at Quebec, which we did without further adventure 

 the captains of all the merchantmen which came in with the convoy 

 (very few compared with the immber which left England) had one by 

 one to go before Sir Thomas Maitland, who was admiral of the 

 station. When it came to our skipper's turn, " Well, Mr. Turner," 

 said Sir Thomas, " I hear you have had a brush|with a Frenchman." 



" Yes, Sir Thomas, and had we not taken a devilish deal better 

 care of ourselves, than our convoy took of us, I and my crew would 

 have been in a French prison just now." 



" Ha ! how was that ; where was the frigate ?" 



'* About eight miles a-head." 



•' You should have made more sail." 



" We had all our studding sails set." 



*' Is this tnie ?" turning to Captain Wilson of the Asia. That 

 oflScer acknowledged that it was, adding that the Sisters was an exces- 

 sively slow sailer. ** That is no matter, sir," said Sir Thomas, ** it is 

 your duty to accommodate your sailing to that of the slowest vessel 

 in your fleet, and if necessary take her in tow ; had Mr. Turner's 

 gallantry not saved his vessel I should have held you responsible for 

 her loss." 



In a few days we had got quit of our government stores, and shaken 

 our worthy shipmates of the red jacket by the hand, (they were good 

 fellows, tho' I doubt but few, alas ! very few, would tread back the 

 path from those dreary, greedy forests, into which they plunged to 

 fight, and perhaps to die for honour and Old England. Requiescant 

 in pace. 



As the Sisters had, previous to the last voyage, always proved her- 

 self a remarkably fast sailer for a merchantman. Captain Turner 

 thought that her late slowness must proceed from her bottom being 

 foul, especially as she had lain a long time in dock before we left 

 England. He therefore had her hove down, and his supposition 

 proving correct, well cleaned. We then took in a cargo for our owner 

 and were ready for sea, waiting the congregation of the convoy which 

 was to rendezvous at Quebec. Our old acquaintance, the Asia, was to 

 see us safe across the Atlantic, but under a fresh commander, several 



