father; how easy and comfortable was a middle state of life; and I
firmly resolved, if it pleased God to set me on dry land once more, I
would return to my parents, implore their forgiveness, and bid a final
adieu to my wandering inclinations.

Such were my thoughts while the storm continued: but these good
resolutions decreased with the danger; more especially when my companion
came to me, clapping me on the shoulder: "What, Bob!" said he, "sure you
was not frightened last night with scarce a capful of wind?"--"And do
you" cried I, "call such a violent storm a capful of wind?"--"A storm,
you fool you," said he, "this is nothing; a good ship and sea-room
always baffles such a foolish squall of wind as that: But you're a fresh
water sailor: Come boy, turn out, see what fine weather we have now, and
a good bowl of punch will drown all your past sorrows." In short, the
punch was made, I was drunk and in one night's time drowned both my
repentance and my good resolutions, forgetting entirely the vows and
promises I made in my distress: and whenever any reflections would
return on me, what by company, and what by drinking, I soon mastered
those fits, as I deridingly called them. But this only made way for
another trial, whereby I could not but see how much I was beholden to
kind Providence.

Upon the sixth day we came to an anchor in Harwich road, where we lay
wind bound with some Newcastle ships; and there being good anchorage,
and our cables found, the seamen forgot their late toil and danger, and
spent the time as merry as if they had been on shore. But on the eight
day there arose a brisk gale of wind, which prevented our tiding it up
the river; and still increasing, our ship rode forecastle in, and
shipped several large seas.