Greathead to apply the faculties of his mind and body to attain practical knowledge in the science of constructing vessels. "I went from inclination," says he, in a manuscript account of his life entrusted to, and now before the writer of this article, " rather early to business, from which cause I preferred that of a boat-builder to a ship-builder merely from the lightness of the work after the expiration of my apprenticeship, in the course of which I had been made foreman." His indentures having been then delivered up and cancelled, and a laborious and faithful servitude concluded, it remained only, it may be supposed, to place him in a situation to earn bread for himself, and, should he be disposed to marry, afford a sufficiency for the maintenance of a wife and children. But insurmountable barriers appear to have intervened. In the first place, his family had no interest in the shipping trade; and without patronage of this kind, industry and talents would have proved alike ineffectual. In the second, perhaps the narrowness of his finances might have prevented the advance of a sufficient capital to trade on speculation, in opposition to what is termed bespoke work, And in the third, that ardent desire so conspicuous in the breasts of young men, of "seeing the world." The sea, flowing constantly before his eyes, presented at once a fair field for support as well as for adventure; and in 1778, when the age of twenty-one had been just obtained, he was employed in the situation of a ship's carpenter, on board an East countryman. In this vessel he made a voyage to Dantzig and the Baltick, and sailed so early in the season, that his proved to be one of the first ships that passed the Sound in the course of that year. But although upon this occasion he obtained some nautical knowledge, he soon began to conceive the scene too narrow for him. To an ardent mind, his present situation afforded but little prospect of obtaining either wealth or advancement; his faculties could reap but little instruction or advantage from the details of a vessel alternately laden with coals. and hemp; and the short transit across the North Sea to the ports of Russia and Sweden presented but a scanty field of action. He appears at this period to have been eager after the acquisition of knowledge, to have panted for adventure, and to have been extremely desirous to see distant countries. All this was natural, nay, perhaps laudable, but it will be seen in the sequel that this love of incident, as it is generally usual in those cases, led him into danger and difficulty, and had nearly cost him his life. "In 1779," adds he, "I was stationed on board of a vessel out of the port of Shields, bound for the island of Grenada. We sailed on the 17th of March the same year, to join convoy, the ship being commanded by a West India captain, sent from Lon. don, who engaged a person as coasting pilot to take her to Portsmouth, but we could not find our way thither. "I must acknowledge, that we rode out a very heavy gale of wind in Yarmouth Roads, but after that had moderated, while making for the channel, during the night, and with one watch below, she run upon the Flemish Banks. On this all was confusion, for the people did whatsoever they pleased. The ship, from from the violence of the sea, struck very heavy, and being coal laden and old, it was found she would soon go to pieces. In getting the boats out, the long-boat was stove, which proved a fortunate circumstance, for had the crew left the ship, not know. ing which way to steer, there was the most imminent danger of perishing immediately. "In the mean time, the captain and coasting pilot were consult ing the chart, and concluded that we were cast away upon the Goodwin Sands. As for myself, it was not my turn to be on deck at the time the accident occurred, but I knew that the ship was to have been tacked by order at ten o'clock at night; it being then a little past one in the morning, I was clear, from our reckoning, that we must be on the French coast; I therefore supposed that as it was after the time of high water, if the vessel held out but a little time longer, the tide would leave her, and we might obtain assistance. "Iaccordingly requested the captain to order a few signal guns to be fired, and prevailed upon the men who had stopped the hole in the long-boat by means of some bags, and seemed determined to put off, to defer their departure for some time. I enforced my proposition by observing, that if they remained with the ship but an hour or two longer, they would then enjoy the benefit of daylight; that in the mean time she did not beat so heavy as she had done, and that some good might be effected by the signals of distress we were then about to recur to. "The result was exactly as I had prognosticated; for after a few guns had been fired lights were displayed on the shore; the vessel as the tide receded became stationary, and by break of day the sea was about half a mile distant from us, and the town of Calais not more than a couple of miles. In the course of two hours more, boats came off with a company of French soldiers, who immediately took possession of every thing, and we were conducted ashore under an escort, the two nations being then at war. "I have been rather minute in the description of these particulars," continues Mr. Greathead, as I had not then been two years at sea, in consequence of the strong impression made upon me. In addition to this, I was not a little confounded at the great neglect of running upon a weather-shore; for if we had tacked tacked at the time the pilot ordered, this could not possibly have occurred. "On the other hand, if any species of fraud was designed, with a view of cheating the underwriters, those privy to it might of course make themselves easy, knowing precisely where they were, and what was intended. On my return, at the end of five years, I inquired into the circumstances of the case, but am stilt unable to decide positively. I however learned that the pilot had been killed on board his majesty's ship Serapis ; and the owner himself told me that he did not recover the insurance; but for what particular cause I cannot say. "After about two months residence at Calais an incident oc. curred the idea of which gives me great pleasure, although I am unluckily unable to recollect the name of my benefactor. Two or three of us happening one day to walk near the place where we had got on shore, a French gentleman, who was then at his farm, close to the spot, addressed us in English, which he spoke very fluently, and invited us into his house, where he treated us with the greatest hospitality and attention. I afterwards dined with. him several times by appointment, and before he set ont for Paris, as well as on the day of his departure, he requested me to receive such supplies of eggs, butter, and poultry, as I might stand in need of during my stay. I call on heaven to reward him for his goodness, and most sincerely hope he has escaped the troubles that have lately ravaged his distracted country. "I at length left France in the brig Aldie, Captain Brown, from Scotland, which like our own vessel had been stranded on the coast, and like her too was bound to the Grenades. It may appear extraordinary, as the two countries were still engaged in hostilities, how she got away, and how I, a prisoner of war, al though not in confinement, also obtained leave to depart. But the truth is, that the expences incurred by recovering the Aldie in the first instance, and unloading her cargo in the second, added to the sum due for her repairs, and the amount of the customary duties, warehouse-room, &c. far exceeded the real value of the ship to the captors, and Captain Brown's total abandonment would therefore have been a loss instead of a gain to the French. "On an application, therefore, to the governor,a court of admi ralty . ralty was held, and it was there resolved that, on condition the master would pay all charges, he was to be allowed to leave the port. The Duchess of Kingston was at that period in the town, and the chief mate having mentioned the circumstance to her Grace one day that he happened to meet her on the ramparts, I have reason to believe that the influence of this lady contributed also something to the above event. "It may not be altogether improper in this place to mention a little circumstance respecting myself, as it will explain perhaps the cause of my own liberation. It became necessary, as I was told, that I should attend a court of admiralty, on purpose to join in a protest relative to the loss of the ship I myself had belonged to, in which it was affirmed that she was driven on shore by stress of weather, with a view of recovering the amount of the policy of insurance. "I was then extremely ignorant of those matters; but when the process was explained to me, I, neither in justice to my own conscience,nor the interests of the unknown insurers, could swear to such a narrative, or even sign it. This occasioned several meet. ings, when my reasons proved so satisfactory to some French gentlemen, that they became my friends, and the papers were altered so as to remove my scruples before I would affix my name. But even then, I did not take an oath to the truth of the statement, pleading that I had not sufficient experience in these matters. "In the course of time I found much kindness to result from this. I was almost admitted to my liberty, with certain restrictions, on giving my parole; and it was even hinted, that when any op portunity suitable to my wishes occurred, I should be indulged with leave to depart. "Accordingly, on an application for that purpose, I was per mitted to accompany Captain Brown, and leave was at the same time granted to take all my clothes, chests, &c. along with me. "Soon after our departure from the French coast, we arrived at Spithead, where it was my intention to have quitted the vessel; but as the fleet under Admiral Kempenfelt,who I believe was at that time commander in chief on this station, happened to be lying there, one of the launches from his ship was immediately sent to us, and an officer took our master back with him. Nearly at the same |