Page:The Naval Officer (1829), vol. 3.djvu/178

 The indignation I felt against this barbarous and ignorant negro, was not unmingled with some painful recollections of my own younger days, when, in a christian and protestant country, the bible and prayer-book had been made objects of terror to my mind; tasks, greater than my capacity could compass, and floggings in proportion, were not calculated to forward the cause of religious instruction in the mind of an obstinate boy.

Reaching the water-side, I embarked on board of my slaver; and the next day sailed for England. We had a favourable passage until we reached the chops of the channel, when a gale of wind from the north-east caught us, and drove us down so far to the southward that the prize master found himself under the necessity of putting into Bordeaux to refit,and to replenish his water.

I was not sorry for this, as I was tired of the company of this officer, who was both illiterate and illnatured, neither a sailor nor a gentleman.