212 ADVENTURES OF A SAILOTl. 



Island, with sufficient for all his wants, promising to 

 call at a certain time. The ship not making her ap- 

 pearance at the stated period, and being perfectly 

 recovered, he became weary of inactivity, and on the 

 Pacific's touching at the island, he joined her, throw- 

 ing away several hundred dollars which were his 

 proportion of his former ships (the Alexander) earn- 

 in sfs. The Alexander touched at the island a few 

 weeks after, but found the bird flown, to the cap- 

 tain's regret, as the missing individual was one of his 

 most useful men. He continued in the Pacific for 

 five or six months, and on her touching a second 

 time at the island, deserted from her and married the 

 girl whom the cooper was desirous that I should mate 

 with. Thus this youngster, scarce arrived at man- 

 hood, had, in the course of two years, left his home, 

 and been a member of three ships, married twice, 

 and at the last account of him was snugly anchored 

 in an out of the way nook in the South Pacific, 

 thousands of miles from his kindred, who know 

 nothing of his whereabouts, neither are they likely 

 to, without, amongst his other freaks, he should 

 attempt that of returning home. Thus it is, a free 

 life on the salt water certainly engenders this un- 

 settled, roving tendency. A sailor considering him- 

 self at home in every clime ; well-knowing that 

 however little employment there may be for other 

 professions, the ways of commerce wnll always supply 

 him with a berth sufficient to provide for all his 

 wants. The better the seaman, generally, the more 

 wild and reckless are his frolics ; never learning 

 wisdom, or staying his rollicking career, until the 

 blue waves of old ocean close over his sinking form, 



