344 MEMOIR OF JOHN WILSON. 



fied, and you see her hull, only she is sharper. She is very wide 

 in proportion to her length, and also deep ; so the devil himself 

 will not be able to upset or sink her. She has the masts and spars 

 of a 74, and yet they seem light as lady-fern. I am sorry, however, 

 to say, that there have been twelve cases of cholera on board, and 

 three deaths. The disease, however, is now over, and I have no 

 doubt arose from the dreadful heat of the weather acting on the 

 new paint. She is now dry as a whistle, and the crew is the finest 

 ever seen. I hope you will get up a long letter among you in reply 

 to this, and I shall be expecting it anxiously, as the last I can re- 

 ceive for some time. I will write again before one o'clock, sending 

 you my direction, and also a receipt, which will enable you to get 

 some money, I think, on the 6th of August. Be sure to tell me of 

 Johnny, and when he returns I hope he will write me an account 

 of his route and his exploits. Blair, too, might write me a letter, I 

 think. Kindest love to them all. Keep Maggie at her music, and 

 tell me how Molly is getting on with Miss Paton. Perhaps Urnbs 

 has a voice ! Tell her to try. Compliments to Rover.* God bless 

 you all, and believe me, dearest Jane, yours ever most affectionately, 



" John Wilson." 



"Sheerness, August 4, 1832. 



" My dearest Jane : — I have delayed writing to you from day 

 to day, in hourly expectation of being able to tell you something 

 decisive of our mysterious motions, but am still in ignorance. In a 

 few days you may expect another and very long epistle ; but I 

 write now just to say that we are weighing anchor from Sheerness 

 for the Nore, and that to-morrow we set sail down the Channel, 

 either for Cork or Madeira, or somewhere else, for nobody knows 

 where. I never knew what noise was, till I got on board the 'Ver- 

 non.' But all goes on well ; the particulars in my next. I enclose 

 you a five-pound note just to pay the postage. I cannot get on 

 shore, else I would send a stamp for some money due to me on the 

 6th. But I will send it first port we touch on. Meanwhile Maggy 

 must, when necessary, get a small supply from Bob. 



" You will not think this short letter unkind, for we are ordered 

 off in half an hour. You may depend on my next being rather 



amusing. 



* Oue of the Jogs. 



