outward bound for Jamaica: he was then a lad of twelve or fourteen
years: I cannot be sure which; but I remember he was tall for his
age, and extremely good looking.

"There were so many circumstances during the voyage, which brought
me in contact with this boy, and so many occasions to arouse my
sympathies in his behalf, (for he was evidently in delicate health,
and unfit for laborious work.) that in a short time I became deeply
interested concerning him, and I determined as soon as I had
recovered from sea-sickness, to watch for an opportunity of
inquiring into the particulars of his earlier history.

"I must first tell you, before proceeding with the story of my hero,
that the captain of the 'Neptune' was a very harsh, cruel man, and
made every one on board his vessel as uncomfortable as he could by
his violent temper, and ungentlemanly conduct. I was the only
lady-passenger; and had it not been for the kindness of my
fellow-travellers, I scarcely think I could have survived all the
terrors of that dreadful voyage. The sailors, without one
dissentient voice, declared they had never sailed with such a
master, and wished they had known a trifle of the rough side of his
character before they engaged with him, and then he would have had
to seek long enough to make up a crew, for not one of them would
have shipped with him.' They even went so far as to say, that if at
any time they could escape from the vessel, they would not hesitate
a moment, but would get away, and leave the captain to work the ship
by himself. I could not take part with the captain, because I saw
too much of his tyranny to entertain a particle of respect for him,
and I confess I was not in the least surprised at the language of
the ill-used sailors. He had no good feature in his character that I