A sailor's letter. 141 



the following letter from a little volume, entitled 

 Nicotiana, 1884 : — 



" Gravesexd, March 24, 1813. 



" Dear Brother Tom ; 



" This comes hopein to find you in good 

 health as it leaves me safe anckor'd here yesterday at 

 4 P.M. arter a pleasant voyage tolerable short and a 

 few squalls. — Dear Tom — hopes to find poor old father 

 stout, and am quite out of pig-tail. — Sights of pig-tail 

 at Gravesend, hut unfortinly not fit for a dog to chor. 

 Dear Tom, Captain's boy will bring you this, and put 

 pig-tail in his pocket when bort. Best in London at 

 the Black Boy in 7 diles, where go acks for best 

 pig-tail — pound a pig-tail will do, and am short of 

 shirts. Dear Tom, as for shirts ony took 2 whereof 

 one is quite wored out and tuther most, but don't 

 forget the pig-tail, as I a'n't had a quid to chor never 

 since Thursday. Dear Tom, as for the shirts, your 

 size will do, only longer. I liks um long — get one at 

 present; best at Tower-hill, and cheap, but be par- 

 ticler to go to 7 diles for the pig-tail at the Black Boy, 

 and Dear Tom, acks for pound best pig-tail, and let it 

 be good. Captain's boy will put the pig-tail in his 

 pocket, he likes pig-tail, so ty it up. Dear Tom, shall 

 be up about Monday there or thereabouts, Not so per- 

 ticuler for the shirt, as the present can be washed, but 

 don't forget the pig-tail without fail, so am your loving 

 brother." 



"T. P." 



11 P. S. — Don't forget the pig-tail." 



