Determined to go to Sea, — Prospect of a voyage, — Severely injured and could not go, — Obtained another, — First attempt at cooking, — Severity of the Captain, — Arrival at Rotterdam, — Occurrence, — Sail for home, — Boarded by English Cruisers, — Severe gale on George's bank, —Captain intoxicated, — Captured and carried to Halifax, _ Insults, —Arrival of the English fleet, — Affair of the Chesapeake—Whipping through the fleet,— And execution of the deserter,— Occurrences at Halifax, — Description of the Execution, — And previous behavior of Sam Jackson, — Execution on board the St. Mary's at Vera Cruz. For some years previous, and up to tins time, I had been much inclined to read voyages, and travels, which created a strong desire for going to sea.
And as I was then about fourteen years of age, the usual time for boys to choose their future profession, was determined on going to sea, although my friends were much opposed to it at first. They at length yielded to what they saw was my fixed determination. I was acquainted with a Mr. Wilson, who was also intimate in our family, he was then mate of the brig Sally belonging to Nehcmiah Parsons, Esq. She was then under repairs receiving new rigging, &c, and when ready for sea was bound to the Mediterranean. Mr. Wilson procured a chance for me as cabin-boy. I went on board and was set at work with the riggers. On the third day after I had joined her, a man in the maintop having a seven pound maul in his hand, driving the eye of a shroud down over the mast head, let the maul slip while making a blow with it, his hand being greasy, it came down and struck on the top of my head, knocking me senseless for a few moments.
They took me up, dressed the wound and carried me home. This accident prevented me from going the voyage in her. But when I had recovered from the wound I commenced again searching for a voyage. It was not an easy matter then for a hoy to get a voyage, as most shipmasters had their apprentices; and besides, it was not then as it is now with respect to ships; then, there were comparatively few to what we see now. Scarcely could a ship be found over three hundred tons, and it was also very rare to see a coppered vessel. At length after much searching obtained a chance on board a small barque of one hundred and sixty tons, bound to Rotterdam in Holland.
When I went on board to enquire for a situation I was directed to the Skipper, who was seated on a hen-coop on the quarter-deck; he looked at me rather quzziingly when I asked him if he wanted a boy, and then began to enquire if I was not some runaway, and whether my parents were willing that I should go to sea, and various other questions of this sort which led me to think he had taken a nipper. I soon satisfied him who I was and invited him up to my grandfather's house. As all my uncles were at sea, had no one to arrange for me. It was settled, however, that I was to go this voyage, and if I still persisted in going to sea then, he was to take me as an apprentice.
The captain took me to a sailor's clothing store and rigged me out in a sailor's dress, with which I was much pleased. I now went on board for duty and my master informed me that he always made his boys cook on their first voyage. So my first business was to go into the galley and put everything to rights in the cooking department. He at the same time told me that in the mate's state-room there was a beef bone hanging up, with which I must make some soup for the people's dinner. The crew being shipped were now to live on board. So I took the bone on deck and with an axe smashed it up, and threw it into the copper.
Now I was in a quandary what kind of water to use for the soup, having the impression that sailors made soup with salt water. I "did not like to ask for information, and as the fresh water pump was some distance up the wharf I decided on using salt water drawing it from along-side. There were plenty of vegetables of which 1 was no way sparing, but 1 don't think that a lady with a delicate stomach, on seeing my modus opperandi of preparing this savory dish, would have eaten much of it; 1 forgot to rinse the potatoes and turnips before putting them in, and washing the beef bone slipped my mind also, for as in the case of the salt water, some how or other I got the impression that sailors must eat dirt anyhow.