12 NORTH SEA FISHERS AND FIGHTERS 



four and a half centuries ago. Although a youth of 

 robust constitution, yet his mother designed him for the 

 gentle craft of clerking. Perhaps she was fortified in 

 this determination by the standing of his uncle, who was 

 a monk. The cleric was a late seafaring man who had 

 entered the Church in accordance, it was supposed, with 

 a vow he had made to the Virgin when he was in 

 peril off the north-west coast of Africa. William was 

 apprenticed by the monk to Thomas Kingsley, a master 

 mariner sailing from Hull, and owning the Speedy, a craft 

 described as a " schooner-brig." The Speedy was em- 

 ployed in the coasting trade, and Cummins was acting 

 mate of her when she foundered off Heligoland in a 

 heavy gale. All hands were drowned except Cummins 

 and an old sailor named Shepherd. By clinging to a 

 floating spar these two kept themselves afloat until they 

 were picked up by the Tyger, a well-found ship com- 

 manded by Captain Jinks, a rover of evil reputation. 

 For many years Jinks had scoured the seas and captured 

 any vessel he could overpower. 



Cummins and Shepherd had been rescued, but their 

 case was not very hopeful, for the Swallow and the 

 Garland, a couple of fast sailers, as swiftness went in 

 those days, were dispatched by the King for the express 

 purpose of ridding the seas of Jinks. The Tyger was 

 overtaken off Land's End, and she made a fight with 

 His Majesty's ships that was worthy of her name. 

 The combat was brought to a dramatic close by the 

 pirate, who, soon after nightfall, blew up his ship, after 

 her crew had abandoned her. This they did on finding 

 that escape from the warships was hopeless, but they did 

 not go until they had burst open the spirit-room and got 



