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were obliged to take in old ? in the East Indies, which were very bad &
mostly thro' & thro'. But after 2 years & 3 months we arrived at Splithead?. I
then made myself sick to save myself from the Pross. When the people were
all pressed, I got on there & came to London. I lived there with my Friends
till the Ship was paid off; then according to my Resolution of going to Sin?
no more, I began to look for a Place, where I could earn my Bread, & by
the Help of a Friend I got a good one in Shepside? where I lived very
agreeably ^ months, & I found, they had great Confidence towards me.
But the ship beginning to be filled out again, where which I had been with
before; it made me very unsettled in my Mind, & I got a Desire to go to
Sea again. But I did not know, what Excuse to make to get away
from the Place, as I had no fault to find with any Thing. I had Re-
course to a Strategena?, I ordered one of my Companions, that he should come
dressed like an officer of a Man of War, & inquire for me, that it
might appear, as if he had an Intention to press me. I ordered if so,
that he should comeat an exact Hour, in Order that I might be out
of the Way. Accordingly he came . As soon as he was gone, then my
Master called me & told me, that he was afraid, the Officer would re
turn again. I told him, I was under some Apprehension of being
pressed. He desired that I would get ready, & should go away &
not be pressed, if possible. When he settled with one about my
Wages, he gave me 1/2 a Guinea more than was due to one. So I came
by which ??? away that Evening with many good Wishes. Yet I was condemned
for acting so unuprightly; besides that, I had left my Plave & did
not Know, whether I could get Voyage or not to the East Indies
I went to the India- House & spoke to Captain Wilson, with whom
I had been before & desired him to recommend me as Mid-Shipman
to Captain Jackson, that was to succeed him. He was as good as his Words.
& promised that he would do it; & he was as good as his Words.
I then began to get ready suitable for that Station, as well as I
could. And when I had got my Necessaries, I had not much Money
to spare, to trade with. A gentle Woman, that wanted some Things
from the East-Indies, advanced me 6 guineas in hand, which I
laid out in such. Merchandises, as I thought, would suit the best
in India. We soon got ready & had a very prosperous Voyage
from England to Madras in 4 Months, where I disposed of my
Effects to good Advantage. I then bought such Commodities, which
I thought, would suit for China, which likewise turned out so
good Advantage; & that Money I had, I laid not in China goods &
brought them home. Offer 13 Months we arrived again at Plymouth,
where I escaped the blessing? & came by land to London. When the
Ship got round to London, I found, that I had 10 ? to receive for goods,
that a Person had disposed of in the Passage. I afterwards went on
Board from Day to day, & some Times sold from Board & brought on
Shore, till I got off all my Effects. I found myself with? a consider.
able Sum of Money. That made me think of no other Way of Life, than
seasoning Life, and I had such a good Success ?????????After I had settled all my affairs with the
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ship for that Voyage, I paid a Visit to Yorkshire, to see my Mother.
where I went on Sunday to Fulneck, & was so laid hold of in the Preach.
ing, that I had gladly staid, if I had known, how I should get my Living.
In about 5 Weeks I returned to London, where I want to see about the
Ship, & found, it would be some Months, before she would be fitted out
again. I waited the Time; but then some objections arose between
the Captain & me, & resolved positively, that I would go to see no more.
I acquainted my Friends with my Resolution & advised with them, what
I should take to? I had then spent all my Money. They agread to advance
me 30 Ls, that I could procure me a little shop, for which I had to
give them Bond & judgement. We soon met with a little ship, in which
I entered. Soon afterwards I was arrested by a Person, that I owed
40? to, & went to the Sponging- House, where I wrote a letter to
my Friend & told him my Circumstances, He went directly & put
the Bond & judgement in Foree, & took all I had, & came to me next
morning & paid the Money, for which I was arrested, & set me at
Liberty. I had now no Home, but went some Times to one Friends'
House, & some Times to another, where I had been formerly acquainted.
But this I could not do very long, & if came so far, that I suffered
till to the Bareness of Life. One Day I met in the Street one of
the Family, that I had the Money from he invited me to go their
House, & they were hearty & friendly with me & seemed to pity my
Circumstances. I served in their ship a few Weeks, & then they
hired me as a yearly servant. I lived there very agreably, & some
years ago, they did write to one to Fulneck, that I should come ^ again & live
with them. After some Time I called ?? a Barber's Shop to get
shaved pretty late in the Evening; while I sat there, I thought, I