BROKEN HEART. 209 



out seeing her, and for some time corres- 

 ponded with her on this melancholy sub- 

 ject. When the " Hannibal " arrived 

 from the station to be paid off, I went on 

 board, and took down the deposition* of 

 one of the men, who declared he had 

 seen the Lieutenant alive in the mines; 

 but this, like other reports, could never 

 be substantiated; and not long after, this 

 accomplished lady went to her grave, a 

 sorrowful and broken-hearted mother. 



Thus, then, reader, did my life pass 

 from youth to manhood my time 

 partly occupied in attending to a busi- 

 ness that not having any appear- 

 ance of business, or requiring confine- 

 ment, was itself a pleasure and partly on 

 those exciting and not irrational enjoy- 

 ments that circumstances justified and 

 indulgent parents did not disapprove. 

 Although I had no establishment of my 



* This deposition, attested by the senior officer of the 

 " Hannibal," is still in my possession, 



VOL. I. P 



