[He might, perhaps, have lived and died in the barracks where he was born,
had it not been for his miraculous escape from a _hunt_ by the officers
of the dragoons. A few nights afterwards a large band of R*ts made an
excursion of several miles, and in returning, remained for a day or two
at Leith. "It being a sea-port, they met with some of their own species
from all parts of the world, the language of most of whom they could not
understand."--He travels in the pocket of a captain to Edinburgh. His
adventures in this city are very amusing. He next sails for Holland.]
We set sail in a few days with a fair wind down the Frith, and soon left
the Bass and the May behind us. I must confess, I was a little afraid,
when, for the first time, I was out of sight of land. It is a dismal
thought to have nothing but sea and sky around, and only a frail plank
between us and the fathomless depths of ocean. This was my first voyage;
but many a day and month and year have I spent on the water since that
time.
I was a little squeamish or so for the first day, but nothing like some
of our passengers. The great secret I have always found, is to eat plenty,
and drink a little brandy; that is much better than all your quack
receipts.
We had a dog on board, but he was a lazy, mangy fellow, and gave us
little trouble. The wind continued favourable, and on the sixth evening,
the lights of Goeree and Helvoetsluis were visible. Some of the
passengers left us at the latter town; but I merely went ashore and took
a rapid look of the streets, and of the guard-ship, which was in the Dock
in the centre of the town, and returned to the smack by the captain's
boat.
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