THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
47 
on the 27th of October, 1728; and, at an early age, was put , 779 . 
apprentice to a fhopkeeper in a neighbouring village. His t Februar r- 
natural inclination not having been confulted on this occa- 
fion, he foon quitted the counter from difgulf, and bound 
himfelf, for nine years, to the matter of a velfel in the coal 
trade. At the breaking out of the war in 1755, he entered 
into the king’s lervice, on board the Eagle, at that time 
commanded by Captain Hamer, and afterward by Sir Hugh 
Pallifer, who foon difcovered his merit, and introduced him 
on the quarter-deck. 
In the year 1758, we find him matter of the Northum¬ 
berland, the flag fhip of Lord Colville, who had then the 
command of the fquadron Rationed on the coaft of America. 
It was here, as I have often heard him fay, that, during a 
hard winter, he firlf read Euclid, and applied himfelf to the 
ftudy of mathematics and aftronomy, without any other 
afliftaiice, than what a few books, and his own induftry, 
afforded him. At the fame time, that he thus found means 
to cultivate and improve his mind, and to fupply the defi¬ 
ciencies of an early education, he was engaged in moft of 
the bufy and aCtive fcenes of the war in America. At the 
flege of Quebec, Sir Charles Saunders committed to his 
charge the execution of fervices, of the firft importance in 
the naval department. He piloted the boats to the attack of 
Montmorency; conducted the embarkation to the Heights 
of Abraham ; examined the paffage, and laid buoys for the 
fecurity of the large fhips in proceeding up the river. The 
courage and addrefs with which he acquitted himfelf in 
thefe fervices, gained him the warm friendfhip of Sir Charles 
Saunders and Lord Colville, who continued to patronize him, 
during the reft of their lives, with the greateft zeal and af¬ 
fection. At the conclufion of the war, he was appointed, 
through 
