Page:The History and Travels of Hector Maclean, Late Sailor.pdf/21

 turn to the Pumps, but the Water till encreaed till the next Morning, when providentially we found the Leak at the Stern, near as low as the Keil, where no Carpenter could go out to repair it. Upon which the Carpenter with Cniels cut a PeicePiece [sic] of the Ceiling and found it out, and applied the following Remedy to it, viz. He took a Piece of Beef and topped the Leak, by nailing a Board above to keep it fat. The Beef being always wahed away in twenty-four Hours, he continued to repeat the Doe, till eleven Tierces of our Beef was pent before we came to Land; nor durt we eat any Beef ourelves, as it was exhauted for the Safety of our Lives in this Manner, and we were obliged to live on Bread and Water for the ret of our Paage, which was about four weeks.

How little do thoe who never was at Sea know the Hardhips that Mariners are often reduce to! They are even apt to beleivebelieve [sic] Sailors gain their Money without Danger or Toil, when they ee them pend it o lavihly on hore in quet of their Pleaures. What Pity it is that Sailors, thoe valuable members of Commerce, hould judge o ill, in pending what they gain thus at the peril of their Lives, perhaps all in one Night's Debauch with a Woman, abandoned to every Vice and lot to all Sene of Honour and Virtue.

''Being freighted by Mers. Jameon and Ogilby, Merchants in Charles-town, and loaded with Rice, for Lisbon, we arrived at that Port, and for a Caution to others who may go there, to avoid the like Danger, I imprudently fell into, even after I was warned againt it; know that it is againt the Laws of Portugal (as it is a Roman Catholic Country) for a Britih Subject to carry a harp-pointed Knife ahore''.