l62 



fecial protedion ; but henceforth I fhall feel 

 no defire to move in crowded fociety on the 

 ocean. Being alone, we now fuffer the rifk of 

 falling into the hands of the enemy ; but, com- 

 pared to our late fuffering, even the vileft of 

 French prifons lofes its horrors ; for, to a man 

 of any fenfibility, what can be fo truly afilid:- 

 ing as to fee a number of his fellow-crea- 

 tures plunged in the deepeft diftrefs, and 

 to feel himfelf withheld from tendering them 

 relief I Our folitary fituatlon muft prevent a 

 repetition of fuch a fcene : it alfo removes 

 the peril of our being injured or deftroyed, 

 by other (hips, of which we had much dread, 

 while we were amid ft the fleet : for it is not 

 only during a florm that there is danger of 

 one fhip running foul of another: it is 

 equally, and perhaps, even, more likely to 

 happen when the wind abates,— more par- 

 ticularly if this occurs, fuddenly, for then : 

 the fhip, not being fupported by the refift- 

 ance of the gale, gives way to the heavy feas, 

 and, from difobeying the helm, is liable to 

 be driven aboard other velTels. Often, at this 

 moment, as well as during the ftorm, the ' 

 fliips appear to have no weight, or depth of- 



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