152 ACCESSIBLE FIELD SPORTS. 



made me second mate, and the former first mate took 

 charge. Our voyage was prosperous, and we dropped 

 anchor off Demerara in near the shortest time that then 

 ever had been made. One thing only disturbed the har- 

 mony of the passage, viz., the acting first officer was so 

 puffed up with his new post that he neither performed 

 his duty or would let others do theirs. The temporary 

 captain was, after a deal of forbearance, compelled to 

 place him under arrest, and prefer charges against 

 him on dropping anchor. The result was, he was 

 discharged, and as the bark was to go to sea imme- 

 diately, and a first mate could not be procured, I was 

 advanced to act in that capacity, 



"When we got back to Clyde, the very day we sighted 

 old Ailsa Craig, my time was out, and as we ran up 

 the river with a fair wind astern, and all our stunsails 

 set, I would have given most aught if my mither and 

 father who lived at Saltcoats, close by could have 

 seen their boy, in his new and advanced berth. The 

 owners of the old I&lmore launched a new ship next 

 year, and, much to my unexpected satisfaction, I got 

 the berth of first officer in her. A year or two after, 

 when at Jamaica, I was offered the command of a brig 

 in the Honduras trade, and here I saved some money ; 

 in three years I purchased a share, and in two years 

 more was half owner. The world prospered wi' me, and 



