volunteered. We got twenty-four hours' liberty, with a few dollars in
money, and when this scrape was over every man returned, and we embarked
in a sloop for Albany. Our draft contained near 140 men, and was commanded
by Mr. Mix, then a sailing-master, but who died a commander a few years
since. Messrs. Osgood and Mallaby were also with us, and two midshipmen,
viz: Messrs. Sands and Livingston. The former of these young gentlemen is
now a commander, but I do not know what became of Mr. Livingston. We had
also two master's-mates, Messrs. Bogardus and Emory.

On reaching Albany, we paid a visit to the Governor, gave him three
cheers, got some good cheer in return, and were all stowed in wagons, a
mess in each, before his door. We now took to our land tacks, and a merry
time we had of it. Our first day's run was to a place called Schenectady,
and here the officers found an empty house, and berthed us all together,
fastening the doors. This did not suit our notions of a land cruise, and
we began to grumble. There was a regular hard horse of a boatswain's-mate
with us, of the name of McNally. This man had been in the service a long
time, and was a thorough man-of-war's man. Fie had collected twenty-four
of us, whom he called his 'disciples,' and shamed am I to say, I was one.
McNally called all hands on the upper deck, as he called it, that is to
say, in the garret, and made us a speech. He said this was no way to treat
volunteers, and proposed that we should "unship the awning." We rigged
pries, and, first singing out, "stand from under," hove one half of the
roof into the street, and the other into the garden. We then gave three
cheers at our success. The officers now came down, and gave us a lecture.
But we made out so good a case, that they let us run till morning, when
every soul was back and mustered in the wagons. In this way we went
through the country, cracking our jokes, laughing, and noting all
oddities that crossed our course. I believe we were ten or twelve days
working our way through the state, to Oswego. At Onondago Lake we got into