LABRADOR JOURNAL 315 



2d. If they would allow me live years free of 

 interest, I would return to Labrador, in expec- 

 tation of being able, now that peace was restored, 

 to pay the whole of my debts in that period. 



3d. If neither the above offers w^ere satisfac- 

 tory, I requested of them to make a bankrupt of 

 me. 



But, strange as it appeared to me, and must do 

 so to others, ni}^ principal creditors absolutely re- 

 fused to accede to any of these proposals. How^- 

 ever. Peregrine Cust, Esq. to w^hom I owed a 

 hundred pounds, taking compassion on me, imme- 

 diately struck the disgraceful Docket.^ 



During all these transactions and until I had 

 received my certificate, it was necessary for me 

 to keep close in my lodgings, w^here I amused 

 myself with transcribing my journal, and in wri- 

 ting a poem, which, bad as it is, I will take the 

 liberty of laying before the public, at the end of 

 my next voyage, in hopes that it may afford some 

 little amusement: at the same time, assuring the 

 gentle reader that, if I am so fortunate as to ob- 

 tain his pardon for this presumption, I will never 

 more be guilty of the like offence. Tho' T have 

 often slept whole nights on mountains as high as 

 that of famed Parnassus, yet, never having taken 

 a naj) in its sacred summit, it cannot be expected, 

 that I should have awoke a Poet. 



' To Hlrike n fforket, is to pivo ii honfl to tbo lord cliann-Ilor, onRuping 

 to provr- thf debtor to b'- a bankrupt, whereupon a fiat of bankruptcy 

 ia issued against the debtor. 



END OF THE FII'I'II \T)YAGE. 



