xxxii 



AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF 



stepped into the inn for my umbrella, as the 

 weather threatened rain, I went down the 

 street in quest of my old commander. I found 

 him sitting on a bench facing the south, with a 

 pipe in his mouth, and I recognised him at first 

 sight, although disappointment, time, and po- 

 verty, had made deep furrows in his face. On 

 asking him if he remembered the interesting 

 affair he had with a brig bound to Vigo, about 

 forty years ago ; his eye brightened up, and he 

 went through the whole story with wonderful 

 minuteness. I then gave him a brief account 

 of the many gales I had weathered since I 

 bade him farewell at the sally-port in Cadiz ; 

 and he, on his part, told me that our mate, 

 Mr. Davis, had got drowned in the Baltic; and 

 that he himself had continued to buffet the 

 waves for a mere livelihood, till at last, old age 

 and poverty had dismasted him ; but that he was 

 now safe in dock, thanks to the generous peo- 

 ple of Hull ; and that he would be comfortable 

 there, in a good snug berth, with plenty of 

 excellent food, till death should break his crazy 

 vessel into pieces. 



Having settled the little demands against us 

 at the Victoria Hotel, we went on board the 

 Seahorse, and steamed for Rotterdam. 



