name was Thomas Cook, was a six-footer, and had the air of a thorough
sea-dog. He filled the lieutenant's eye mightily, and Cook was very coolly
told to gather his dunnage, as he was wanted. Cook pointed to his
protection, but the lieutenant answered--"Oh! these things are
nothing--anybody can have one for two dollars, in New York. You are an
Englishman, and the King has need of your services." Cook now took out of
his pocket a certificate, that was signed by Sir John Beresford, stating
that Thomas Cook had been discharged from His Maj. Ship Cambrian, after a
pretty long service in her, because he had satisfactorily proved that he
was a native-born American. The lieutenant could not very well dishonour
this document, and he reluctantly let Cook go, keeping his protection,
however. He next selected Isaac Gaines, a native New Yorker, a man whose
father and friends were known to the captain. But Gaines had no discharge
like that of Cook's, and the poor fellow was obliged to rowse up his chest
and get into the cutter. This he did with tears in his eyes, and to the
regret of all on board, he being one of the best men in the ship. We asked
the boat's crew to what vessel they belonged, and they gave us the name of
a sixty-four in the offing, but we observed, as they pulled away from us,
that they took the direction of another ship. This was the last I ever
saw, or heard, of Isaac Gaines. Cook went on with us, and one day, while
in London, he went with Cooper to Somerset House to get an order for some
prize-money, to which he was entitled for his service in the Cambrian, as
was shown by his discharge. The clerk asked him to leave the certificate,
and call a day or two later, when he would have searched out the amount.
This was done, and Cook, being now without certificate or protection, was
pressed on his way back to the ship. We never heard of him, either. Such
was often the fate of sailors, in that day, who were with you one day, and
lost for ever the next.

Captain Johnston did not get back to the ship for four-and-twenty hours.