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    quarter-deck , seeing the accident , called out , * Bring that book here !' I stood in the top shivering with fear , while he examined the leaves , read , and then walked over to a gentleman on the other side , to whom he showed it ; as they spoke , both occasionally cast their regards up to my perch ; then the authoritative , and , as I thought , angry voice of the lieutenant hailed me with ' Come down , youngster / As I

    descended I scanned the matter of the writing in my memory , supposing he had discovered something offensive , and anticipated a taste of man-of-war discipline . ' Is this your writing , youngster V he asked , as I stood pale before him . ' Yes , sir . ' Some undertoned talk then passed between the two gentlemen , as they moved away a few steps—then , the lieutenant , turning quickly round , exclaimed , * What

    the do you do here V I stammered out something in reply . 4 Have you any friends V said the gentleman : by friends I understood relatives , and readily answered * Yes , sir . ' ' A father ? ' ' Yes . * ' Who is he V I told him . ' Can he or they assist you V I did not know the meaning of this * assist , ' and replied ' I do not know . ' Your name is not ? ' * No , sir . ' 4 This is your proper name V said

    ray querist , pointing to * Peregrine Verjuice * on the page . I shook all over as I faltered out * Yes , sir / * Well , I shall want you , by and by ; and , hark ye , mind what you are about—don ' t take a fancy to grog , d ' ye hear ? and you won ' t remain long as you are . You may go now—here is your book : scramble up to the foretop again , if you like . ' Now , reader , do but fancy a wretch whose terror has left him only a

    fraction of life , as he stands shivering on the new drop , and the word ' pardon ' rings in his ear at the moment the rope is round his neckdo fancy this , paint it all in imagination , and gaze at it with your mind ' s eye , and you , belike , may understand my condition . And I repented having written to my father . The same day I was set to write up the lieutenant ' s arrears of log , and to do other matters of penmanship ; and the hard-visaged sailors were glad of it ; for they said * such a skilligolee fellow was not fit to man-handle the signal halliards . '

    No intelligence of George—and eleven days had elapsed since his escape : a boat came along side , bringing a note to the lieutenant ; and a whispering between the people on board and the men in the boat , accompanied by glances towards me , somewhat alarmed me , hut I had not the least suspicion of the cause of their so glancing ; the lieutenant went on shore immediately , he was required to give his evidence at a coroner ' s inquest . My friend ' s body , mangled by fishes , had that 1

    morningbeen found clinging with one arm round a brig's cable , and drawn up as she was heaving anchor ; a weight of copper pence in his coatskirt pocket—a few shillings and his watch in his trowsers—his not having even taken off his coat , together with the distance between the ship and shore , precluded the possibility of the design to attempt escape : a verdict was driven accordinsrlv . There was no need of escape ; a verdict was given accordingly . There was no need of

    affectation now : I had as much difficulty in enduring- my grief as I formerl y had in pretending it , and all the kindly nature of that good old mother poured upon me a consciousness of its beauty and worth . Her tears of sympathy and her tones of consolation were now true blessings : and , reader , I took to liking apples and pears again . Next day the wind chopped round to the northward , and the ship put to sea .

    Untitled Article

    Autobiography of Pel . Verjuice . 705

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Oct. 2, 1833, page 705, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2624/page/45/