39 



pounce upon their prey ; and each unhappy 

 tar, who has the misfortune to fall under their 

 talons, has no hope of efcape till plucked of 

 every feather. The inftant he fets foot on 

 dry land he is embraced by the neck, hugged 

 round the walft, or hooked in the arm by 

 one or more of thefe tender Dulcineas ; and, 

 thus, poor Jack with pockets full of prize- 

 money, or rich with, the wages of a long 

 and dangerous cruize, is, inltantly, dragged 

 (thoughjit muft be confeffed, not always againft 

 his confent) to a bagnio^ or fome hlthy 

 pot-houfe, where he is kept drinking, fmok- 

 ing, fmging, dancing, fwearing, and rioting, 

 amidft one continued fcene of debauchery, all ^ 

 day and all night, and all night and all day, 

 until his every farthing is gone. He is, then, 

 left to fleep till he is fober, and awakes to 

 return, pennylefs, to his fhip — with much 

 caufe to think himfelf fortunate, if an empty 

 purfe be the worfe confequence of his, long 

 wiflied for, ramble aihore. 



My vlfit to the dock-yard was of a nature 

 highly gratifying. I contemplated this vaft 

 aepot of ftores — this great w oikihop of our 



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