I can't pretend to say anything about it, but this I do say, Mr Simple--and many will blame me for it, but I can't help my natural feelings--that I had rather be the bye-blow of a gentleman, than the 'gitimate offspring of a boatswain and his wife.

There's no chance of good blood in your veins in the latter instance, whereas, in the former you may have stolen a drop or two.

It so happened, that after I had served the first lieutenant for about a year, a young lord (I must not mention his name, Mr Simple) was sent to sea by his friends, or by his own choice, I don't know which, but I was told that his uncle, who was 'zeckative, and had an interest in his death, persuaded him to go.

A lord at that period, some twenty-five years ago, was a rarity in the service, and they used to salute him when he came on board.

The consequence was, that the young lord must have a servant to himself, although all the rest of the midshipmen had but one servant between them.