Page:The Naval Officer (1829), vol. 2.djvu/43

 was broken—it is vain to inquire how, and the consequence was, that the day of my departure to join a frigate on the North American station, was welcomed with joy by me, and seen unregretted by my father.

The ship I was about to join was commanded by a young nobleman, and as patricians were not so plentiful in the service at that time, as they have since become, I was considered fortunate in my appointment. I was ordered, with about thirty more supernumerary midshipmen, to take my passage in a ship-of-the-line, going to Bermuda. The gun-room was given to us as our place of residence, the midshipmen belonging to the sbip occupying the two snug berths in the cockpit.

Among so many young men of different habits and circumstances, ail joining the ship at different periods, no combination could be made for forming a mess. The ship sailed soon after I got on board, and our party, during the voyage, was usually supplied from the purser's