pretty competent in those two branches of my art, except that, having practiced the lead mostly in deep water, I had not acquired accuracy and expedition in giving the soundings.  But I learned a great deal more of my profession; Bramble explaining to me the sails, rigging, and names and uses of the ropes, and the various maneuvers practiced, all of which he would catechise me in afterward, to ascertain if I was perfect, and had remembered what he told me.  I was, therefore, under excellent tuition.  Whatever port we entered Bramble would point out the landmarks to me, state the distances from point to point, and the dangers to be avoided.  These I could not so well retain perfectly, and required occasional reminding, but altogether I gave him satisfaction.  It was on New Year’s Day, 1800, that we boarded a large homeward-bound Indiaman, which had just struck soundings.  She was a thousand-ton ship, with a rich cargo of tea on board, and full of passengers, besides more than one hundred invalids from the regiments out there, who had been sent home under the charge of two officers.

What a difference there appeared to me to be between the Indiaman going out and this one coming home! the first so neat and clean in her decks, and this so crowded and so weatherworn by her long voyage.  What with troops in old jackets, which had once been scarlet, Lascars with their curly black hair, and dark handsome features, yellow men, sickly women, and half-caste children, with their Hindoo ayahs, tigers, lions, turtles, cows, sheep, goats, and pigs, on the booms and main deck, the vessel was in a strange motley of confusion.

As soon as we were put on board, the captain, officers, and passengers crowded round to inquire the news.  Bramble, according to pilot custom, had brought off one or two late Plymouth papers (one of which, I recollect, gave the account of the cutting out of the “Hermione” by Captain Hamilton); but the people on board were eight months behindhand at least as regarded what had passed.  They had not even heard of Sir Sydney Smith’s defense of Acre against Bonaparte, or anything else which had subsequently occurred; so that as soon as Bramble had taken charge, and put the ship’s head the right course (for the wind was fair), there was no end to question and answer, And while Bramble was questioned by the captain and passengers, I was attacked by the midshipmen or guinea-pigs, as they are called.  Having a fair wind, we ran right for the Downs, where we arrived on the morning of the second day.  Here the purser of the ship went on shore with his dispatches, and the ship anchored to await orders, by the next post, to go up the river.

[Illustration:  JACK HEAVING THE LEAD.—­Marryat, Vol X., p. 245.]

“Tom,” said Bramble, as the vessel anchored, “I cannot quit the ship, but you may, so just get on shore in one of the boats, and see how little Bessy is, and poor old Mrs. Maddox’s leg; and, Tom, take our dirty linen on shore and bring off clean.”