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190 powder was gone, and my masts, sails, and rigging were shot to pieces. To resist any longer was impossible, so I struck my colours, as many a brave man has had to do before me.

'I was not in England above twenty-four hours when a letter arrived from London, from a gentleman whom I had met in my native city the year before, requesting me to hurry to London on important business. Having my liberty, though not on parole, I lost no time in complying with his request. I soon became known to several high officials of those stirring times, and renewed my acquaintance with Sir Joseph Banks, of whose friendship and good offices I shall feel proud as long as I shall be allowed to remember anything. He was a distinguished naturalist, and an honour to his country; and he had the privilege of sailing with the great Captain Cook, the immortal discoverer of Australia. A great stir was made in London just then about the condition of a certain island belonging to my native country, the name of which I cannot remember, the inhabitants being reduced almost to the horrors of a famine on account of the fierce hostilities carried on between Great Britain and that country. Permission was obtained from the British Government to freight a ship with provisions, and I agreed to take the command of her. We sailed from Liverpool in December—a time when it was considered madness to venture into such a high latitude when there were only two hours of daylight out of the twenty four. But we had plenty of light from the aurora borealis, and arrived in perfect safety, to the great joy of the starving people. Our cargo I foresaw would go but a little way towards supplying their wants, so I hastened back to Liverpool to get another.

'On my return to the island with more flour and other provisions, I discovered that an order had been issued