He is made acquainted with the Characters of Commodore Trunnion
and his Adherents--Meets with them by Accident, and contracts an
Intimacy with that Commander.


This loquacious publican soon gave him sketches of all the
characters in the county; and, among others, described that of his
next neighbour, Commodore Trunnion, which was altogether singular
and odd. "The commodore and your worship," said he, "will in a
short time be hand and glove, he has a power of money, and spends
it like a prince--that is, in his own way--for to be sure he is
a little humorsome, as the saying is, and swears woundily; though
I'll be sworn he means no more harm than a sucking babe. Lord help
us! it will do your honour's heart good to hear him tell a story,
as how he lay alongside of the French, yard-arm and yard-arm, board
and board, and of heaving grapplings, and stink-pots, and grapes,
and round and double-headed partridges, crows and carters. Lord
have mercy upon us! he has been a great warrior in his time, and
lost an eye and a heel in the service. Then he does not live like
any other Christian land-man; but keeps garrison in his house, as
if he were in the midst of his enemies, and makes his servants turn
out in the night, watch and watch as he calls it, all the year
round. His habitation is defended by a ditch, over which he has
laid a draw-bridge, and planted his court-yard with patereroes
continually loaded with shot, under the direction of one Mr. Hatchway,
who had one of his legs shot away while he acted as lieutenant on
board the commodore's ship; and now, being on half-pay, lives with