apprenticeship was out, he found himself one fine morning on board of a
man-of-war, having been picked up in a state of unconsciousness, and
hoisted up the side without his knowledge or consent. Some people may
infer from this that he was at the time tipsy; he never told me so; all
he said was, "Why, Jack, the fact is when they picked me up I was quite
altogether _non pompus_." I also collected at various times the
following facts--that he was put into the mizzentop, and served three
years in the West Indies; that he was transferred to the maintop, and
served five years in the Mediterranean; that he was made captain of the
foretop, and sailed six years in the East Indies; and, at last, was
rated captain's coxswain in the "Druid" frigate, attached to the Channel
fleet cruising during the peace. Having thus condensed the genealogical
and chronological part of this history, I now come to a portion of it in
which it will be necessary that I should enter more into detail.

The frigate in which my father eventually served as captain's coxswain
was commanded by a Sir Hercules Hawkingtrefylyan, Baronet. He was very
poor and very proud, for baronets were not so common in those days. He
was a very large man, standing six feet high, and with what is termed a
considerable _bow-window_ in front; but at the same time portly in his
carriage. He wore his hair well powdered, exacted the utmost degree of
ceremony and respect, and considered that even speaking to one of his
officers was paying them a very high compliment: as for being asked to
his table, there were but few who could boast of having had that honor,
and even those few perhaps not more than once in the year. But he was,
as I have said, very poor; and moreover he was a married man, which
reminds me that I must introduce his lady, who, as the ship was on
Channel service, had lodgings at the port near to which the frigate was
stationed, and occasionally came on board to take a passage when the
frigate changed her station to the eastward or to the westward. Lady