Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library Gift of Seymour B. Durst Old York Library OFF LONG ISLAND, NEAR NEW YORK, ere we liung from Friday night till Saturday afternoon, clinging to the ropes aad rigging, when a ship hove in sight P. 68. « Would yoa beiiold the works of God, His wonders in the world abroad, Come with us mariners and trace The unknowu regions of the seas." Watts. THE ADVENTURES OF BY A CLERGYMAN. / LONDON: PRINTED BY R. GRAY, WlNE-OFFICE-COtTRT, FLEET-STREET. PUBLISHED BY J. HATCHARD AND SON, PICCADILLY; And Sold by Seeley, Fleet-street; G. Greenland, Finsbury-ulacc ; Westley, Stationers'-court; "Wilson, Royal Exchange; and all other Booksellers. 18-20. 0 5S0 [From The Times Newspaper.] REMARKABLE DELIVERANCE EROM SHIPWRECK. In the year 1809, on the 18ith of January, the American merchant-vessel, the Trials was wrecked off Long Island, on the coast of North America, when all the crew perished, except three, who hung to the ropes and rig- ging, for seventeen hours, in a cold, frosty night, when they were rescued from their peril- ous situation by a vessel, which came by, and conveyed them to New York, where their limbs were amputated, and they all recovered. One of them w as formerly a British tar, Tho- mas Eustace, a native of Chinnor, a village in Oxfordshire, near Thame. Having been fetched from Liverpool to Warrington, by a Clergyman, he was sent safe home to his friends. He has since married, and has two children. Last year he was entrusted with the management of the Workhouse at Amer- sham, Bucks, till a proper master was ap- pointed. He now lives at Woodrow, near Amersham. All his fingers are amputated, and both his legs below the knee. — Times, March 16, 1820. \ 2 Thomas Eustace's Adventures are just published, by Hatchard, Piccadilly ; Seelei/, Fleet-street; Westleij, and Marshal, Sta- tioners'-court ; and Wilson, Royal Exchange ; and may be had of all Booksellers, adorned with Copper-plates of himself and of his Shipwreck, and with Wood-cuts, price 5s. Radicals and True Patriots ; or, Thomas Eustace's Evidence, from New York, of Paine contrasted with the Duke of Kent and George the Third, may be obtained separately, price X*. 6d. and 2s. SUBSCRIBERS ABMfRAL LORD GAMBIER. A Ladies^ Academy, 2 Copies. Amersham Friends, 50 Copies. Mr. Birkbeck, Jun. Cateaton Street. Master Brock, Redman's Row Academy, Stepney. Mr. Carr, Throgmorton-street, 2 Copies. John Carter, Esq., Mayor of Wycombe. . Chesham Friends, 10 Copies. Mr. L. Childers, Fhiiberts, Bucks. . Chinnor Friends, 20 Copies. Mr. Cooper, Islington Green. Rev. C. O'Donnaghue, A.M., Redman's Row Academy, Stepney. Thomas Tyrwhit Drake, Esq., M. P. for Amersham, 4 Copies. Rev. Dr. Drake, Amersham. Rev. Mr. Duncan, A. M., Hampstead Heath Academy. Mr. Ford, Academy, Brixton, 3 Copies. George Caviller, Esq., Upper Clapton, 6 Cop. Haddenham Friends, 10 Copies. Rev. R. Hewet, A. M., Chesh am. Mr. Lee, Redman's Row Academy, Stepney, 2 Copies. Rev. Wm. Mann, A.M., Chaplain of St. Saviour's, Southwark. Mr. M'Donald, Surgeon, Newington Road. Mr. Noeth, Mile End. Northampton Square Academy, Islington, Pupils of the Rev. S. Piggott, A. M., 24 Copies. 4 D'Arcy Preston, Esq., India House. Mr. RadclifF, Coppice Row, Clerkenwell. Mr. Rawlins, Queen's Row, Penton\ ille. Mr. Rumsey, Surgeon, Chesham. Mr. Saunders, Wanstead. Rev. J. S. Sergrove, L.L.B., Rector of Cool- ing, 3 Copies. Thomas Sergrove, Esq., Hoxton Square. Mrs. Sergrove, ditto. Mr. Shevill, Providence Cottage, Bethnal Green. Mrs. Smart, Free School, Rose-street, Soho. Ed. Smith, Esq., Penton Place, Pentonville. Mr. Smith, Optician, Royal Exchange. Mr. Spencer, Surgeon, Islington Road, 2 Cop. Thame Friends, 10 Copies. Two Friends at the Temple, 2 Copies. James Usher, Esq., Buckley Mews, 2 Copies. Mr. Valentine, Northampton Square. Vale of Aylesbury Friends, 50 Copies. Mr. Wales, Betf s Street. Whitechapel Book Society. Mr. Wicke, Church Lane, Whitechapel , 2 Cop. Miss Wickham, Thame Park. Kev. W. B. Williams, A. B., Homerton. Mr. J. Williams, Clapton. Wycombe Friends, 10 Copies. CONTENTS. I Dedication » . . Preface CHAPTER I. Birth at Chiiinor — School — Hair-breadth Escape — Ap- prenticeship at Aniersham — Remarks on Masters and Apprentices — Runs away to London — Enters the Ship Coibury — Compunction at Sea— Storms — St. Tho- mas' Island — Culture of Land by Teams of Slaves — Savage Treatment of them CHAPTER n. Meets with a British Man-of-War and pressed — A Sailors' Life — His Character— Opinion of Religion — Chaplain — Divine Service on Deck — Late Improve- ments in the Navy — Discipline — A Man flogged — Tra- vels to Boston — American Hospitality — Clumsiness of the Wheelwrights — Advantages of speaking the Truth — Dearness of Clothes — Of Provisions — Condition of Emigrants — Opinion respecting Emigration — The Haddeubam Emigrants . CHAPTER HL Enters the Ship Eliza, on a Sealing Voyage — Arrives at the Cape of Good Hope — York Island — Made a Car- tel to St. Helena — Descriplioa of St. Helena — Buo- CONTENTS, Page naparte— Return to the Cape— Storm — Providential Escape — Madagascar — Prepare for Action with Ma- lay Pirates — Escape — Canton — River Ta —Floating Vessels-Tonituck — Slianischoo — Superstitions — The Idol Josh burnt in Effigy— Roasted Pig before Josh Dangerous Experin)ent — Josh Houses — Chinese Arlitices — Anecdotes — Return by the Cape to Anie- CHAPTER IV. Division of Ship-money — Squanders it away — Anec- dotes of Sharpers — Goes to New Bedford — Enters on board the Polly — Storm — Wonderful Escape — Ship foundering — Rescued by a Schooner — Goes to Boston — Enters on board the Trial 48 CHAPTER V. Tremendous Storm — Shipwrecked off Long Island — Sus- pended Eighteen Hours, by grasping the Ropes, Rig- ging, and Hull— Arrives at North Port — His Limbs and Fiui^ers amputated— Sketch of Tom Paine, and his Death at New Yoik— Sketch of the Dnke of Kent and of our Patriot Monarch King George the Third contrasted with intidel Paine 66 CHAPTER VI. Returns to England — Arrives at Liverpool — Fetched to Warrington by a Clergyman, and sent Home — Dan- gerous Accident near Thame — Arrival at Chinnor — Recej)tion by his Father — Settlement and Marriage . 12/ CHAPTER VIL Concluding Remarks — Good Wishes for Thomas — Sug- gestions to Parents and Masters — To young Persons —Exhortation to Contentment — Dissuasion from Despondence — ^A Lesson of Humility — Conclusion . 140 DEDICATION. TO THOMAS TYRWHITT DRAKE, Esq., M.P. F'OR AMERSHAM. SIR, . I, AM fully sensible that no work more needs the Patronage of a Gentle- man of jp:pur local rank and influence than this little Narrative, which I have the honour, by your permission, Sir, to dedicate to you. The value of your support is evident, whether we consider the necessities of Thomas Eustace and his Family, or the imperfections of the composition, which render the account of H DEDICATION. events, surprising in themselres, less interest- ing than they might have been, if described by an abler pen. Your Patronage is only one of those acts of benevolence for which your name is distinguished; and I am persuaded many vrill be induced to countenance a Work to which the Member for Amersham has given, the sanction of his name. 1 beg to acknow- ledge the personal honour which you have shewn me, by so readily acceding to my re- quest to dedicate the Work to yourself, and I hope you will not find cause to regret the favour you have conferred in the perusal of it. If the Narrative should attract little at- tention by its mevity I trust it will be consi- dered well meant y as to it;s object an'3'tehden- ey. And as it professes to relate only what the Author believes to be true, as his remarks are designed to' promote the love o'f virtue an3>' religion— of attachment to our ancient and unequalled Canstitution and of respect for the Laws— as he aims to instil a disposition of obedienee to superiors in the domestice circle DEDICATION, g and in all the relations of social life, aad to diffuse a spirit of subordination in these days of licentious usurpation— and as he desires to pronwjte contentment in the stati=on in which Providence has placed us, in the hope of at- taining, thimigh patience and well-doing, to honour, glory, and immortality, in a world to come, I trust the Work will^hare a portion of jour approbation and tliat of your Fj iends, which will impart much pleasure to SIR, Your most obedient and Obliged Servant, THE AUTHOR. January 1, 1820. PREFACE. The Compiler of the . foUmving Narrative being well acquainted with the Family of Thomas Eustace, and having :been instrumen- tal to his return to his Friends, is persuaded of the truth and authenticity of the circum- stances related, which he took down in short, hand from the lips of the Narrator. To ren- der it more interesting he has allowed Thomas to relate his own tale, and, in many parts, in his own way. He thinks the account may be read with interest, and he hopes with profit. He will rejoice if the Narrative should im- press young persons with a conviction that danger and misery are likely to result from disobedience to parental authority, that evds 6 PREFACE. and calamities of no common kind attend a wandering life, and that nothing will so much contribute to their prosperity and happiness as industry and contentment in the station in which it has pleased God to place them* Hie young long for independence, espe^ cially in this age of insubordination; and what miseries are they brought into by at- tempting it ! It is of great importance to persuade our youth that modesty, docility, a reverence to superiors, and to Parents espe- cially, are virtues which peculiarly belong to youth, which are its best ornaments, and the surest safeguards against the evils of inexpe. rience. The present loose staite of society, owing to the ravages of atheism and infidelity, loudly call upon those in authority to instruct and guard the rising generation. It was much owing to the Christian principles instilled by education, that Thomas Eustac? was PREFACE. 7 preserved from the profaneness and atroci- ties of which most of his companions were guilty. The Narrative of his Adventures and Pro- vidential Deliverances will tend, I trust, to impress the Reader with a sense of the Provi- dence of God, with a reverence of his name^ and with the value of morality and piety, as- laying the firmest foundation of peace, respec- tability, and happiness in this world, and of glory and honour in the w orld to come. Every effort made in the present day tof induce young persons to remember their Crea- ator in the days of their youth, and to guard against the snares and temptations of th#* w orldy should be welcomed. If Christian sen- timents be but thinly scattered amongst j» volume of facts^ yet if the general bearing be to give a favourable impression of Chris- tianity, to denounce infidelity, and to excite an abhorrence of sin, the effort will be of use;. 8 PREFACE. Infidelity has lately poured in upon us lik(? a flood. The enemy has come up upon our walls — he has climbed our battlements — he has been attacking the very citadel of truth. We ought to awake to a sense of our danger. Who is on the Lord's side? Let him stand forth ; and though his arm be feeble, yet, if it be firm, he may hurl down the enemy, and help to deliver our Zion. The account of the life and last hours of this arch-atheist, Thomas Paine, whose death hap- pened at New York at the time Thomas Eustace lay there under the amputation of his limbs, may be interesting at this period, when Paine's blasphemies have been revived, and his bones are brought across the Atlantic Ocean, to at- tract the wild admiration of his deluded fol- lowers. That infidelity and anarchy may spee- dily and for ever flee before the rising beams of Christian truth and the growing piety of our youth and our countrymen is the earnest wish and prayer of the Author. THE THOMAS EUSTACE. . ' — CHAPTER I. Birth at Chitmor — School— Halr-breadfh Escape— Appren- ticeship at A mersham— Remarks on Masters and Appren- tices—Runs away to London— Enters the Ship Colbury Compunction at Sea— Storms— St. Thomas' Island— Cul- ture of Land by Teams of Slaves— Savage Treatment of them. I WAS born in the year 1784, at Chinnor,* a small village in Oxfordshire, and am the se- cond son of Thomas and Catharine Eustace. My father occupied a snug little farm, his own * Chinnor, the birth-place of Thomas Eustace, the subject of the above narrative, is a village in Oxfordshire, situated at the north-western foot of the long range of Chiltern Hills, di- B 10 TKE ADVENTURES OF property, and also kept a village school, in wliicli I was instructed ill reading, writing, and arithmetic. I grew op a sprightly, careless lad, and at about tlie age of 10 years, when playing about near the Chioiior windmill, one of the sails struck me across my temples, and inflicted a wound, the scar of which now remains. Had the blow pierced but a few hair-breadths deeper, according to the Doctors opinion of the wound, there would have been no opportu- nity for the events which are to fill up this viding the county of Bucks, and stretching across the county from Bedfordshire to Oxfordshire, forming a part of that great chain which extends from Norfolk to Dorsetshire. The village of Chinnor, the birth-place of Thomas Ensface, I may be allowed to praise, for its beautiful site, although my- self a native of tlie rich Vale below it. Ciiiunor Hill, crowned tvith beachen woods, shelters it on the south. This beautiful Hill commands in front an extensive view of the Vale of Aylesbury, stretching before it to the north and east. Here, in an expanse of twenty miles, to the right and left, and twelve in front, I have seen in a summer's day a clear pros- pect, undefaced by a single column of smoke, since not a fac- tory nor limekiln disturbs the noiseless serenity, or defaces the dear atmosphere of this truly agticnltnral Vale— this real Arcadia. From Stoken Church Hill, wbich is about two miles further west, the traveller from Loiidoa to Oxford may fciaiseif enjoy the same prc^pect. THOMAS EUSTACE. 11 book. But this earlj escape from imminent danger was the commencement of a long- train of disastei-s, and, I must gratefully addy of providential deliverances, which have marked niy life for 30 years, and the thankful remem- brance of which will, I trust, compel me to devote the remainder of my days to a coui*se of pious obedience and contentment. In 1799 I was bound apprentice to Mr. Wil- liam Cox, a wheelwright, of Amersham, in Buckinghamshire. I think I behaved, for some time, pretty well in my master's house and at his business ; but, like other neglected youths, too much avoided church and chapel. My father, hearing of my conduct, wrote in very severe terms to my master, complaining of his neglect and breach of trust and duty, which induced him to become more strict with me ; but as I did not like the change in his conduct, and pre- ferred liberty to severity, I determined to run away ! I may here suggest that masters should be strict with their apprentices at first ; for it is difficult, after yielding to them on the first acquaintance, to bring them into order by any sudden severity. Restraint, though unpleasant at first, would have been of great use to me, THE ADVENTURES OF and I might soon have found the yoke easy, and never attempted to break it ; and though I lay the blame principally on myself, yet, had I been properly governed from the first, I might never have run away, and, in conse- quence, never have encountered all the hard- ships and unhappiness which have since signa- lized my life, and made me, at this moment, an object of pity and charity, and sometimes, I fear, of disgust. But let me not repine ; my calamities have been lighter punishments than my follies and sins have deserved. A gracious Providence has preserved me through all ; and my friends have kindly welcomed home the returning prodigal, and put me in the wa}^ of gaining a respectable support. I pray that these temporal misfortunes may be over-ruled to my preservation from greater spiritual evils, and that I may even find cause to be thankful for them, as blessings in disguise ! Having, then, determined to quit my master, 1 set out from Amersham with one single guinea in my pocket, which my Father had given me for a very different purpose, — to pay for my washing. London, that place of attraction for so many adventurers, was strange to me ; but I soon found my way to the Thames-side, and THOMAS EUSTACB. 13 applying* to some sailors for information as to what steps I should take to become a sailor on board a merchant-vessel, they advised me to go to a coffee-house in the Citj, to which they directed me, where I might meet with some captains. Thither I repaired accordingly, and, finding several gentlemen in that line, I in- quired if any of them wanted a cabin-boy. Several of them were soon ready to bespeak my services ; indeed, they all seemed inclined to engagx3 me, but Captain Dollings declared, that as he had made the first proposal, he had the best claim, and would not yield his rig-lit. Soon afterwards I went with him on board the Colbury, a merchantman, bound for the West Indies. For about two daj s I was pleased enough with my new situation, yet now and then I felt a sense of remoi'se for deserting my friends. But no sooner was the ship at sea^ on the wid€ oc€an, than my heart quite sunk within me ; and, as is the ease, I suppose, with other runaway boys, I began to be very so^rry. A st^rm overtook us, mKl the sea-sickness har- rassed-and frightened me. Then I would have given all the world to bave been -at hotee again ; but «ow it was too late, the slVip was ikst sail- 14 THE ADVENTURES OF ing, thewiod rising, and, as we approached St. Thomas's, the storm had tossed the sea into mountainous liillows, which appeared to me as high as Chinnor Hills. ** The mountain billows, to the clouds In dreadful tumult swell'd, surge above surge, Burst into chaos with tremendous roar." Sometimes we appeared to be thrown up to heaven upon the lofty wave, and then again to sink into the deep as into a pit. I was " at my wits ejid" and my soul almost " melted away with fear and trouble." Ah ! what would I have given to have been standing on firm land, in Mr. Cox's shop, at Amershara, hammering at his wheels and waggons ! Mj wishes were all in vain ; for the storm must be weathered : but at length we were safely brought through into a quiet haven at St. Tho- mas's, where I was glad once more to jump on firm land, and assist in collecting fresh provi- sions and vegetables, and rolling casks of fresh water to the ship. After lying at anchor twenty-four hours, we got under weigh, and steered for Jamaica. We had a tolerably quick passage : we reached it in safety in about six weeks, without any other THOMAS EUSTArE. 15 occurrence deserving record. We anchored ia Nearo Bav, and continued there six weeks. Here I was distressed tosee human beings bought and sold, and tlie purchasers handling and exa- mining them, like cattle ! Some planters have a very large number of slaves. I saw on Mr. ^ Fletcher's estate five hundred slaves, male and female, working together in the fields. . Many of the women had their children tied at their backs, while they were at work. The ne- groes had no clothing, except a cloth round the waist. Tiiey worked in companies of about twenty, each company governed by a driver, with a whip, who appeared to manage them like a team of horses. Every one had a hoe, with whicii he furrowed up the ground, as he stepped along, and if any of them did not keep pace with the rest, the driver snapped his whip at them as unfeelingly as a waggoner drives on his lagging horses in England. The nature of the soil will not allow them to work oxen here, the ground being so uneven and steep that the oxen would often be in danger of failing headlong down the precipices. The condition of the slaves must have been very hard ; for I understood that if a slave struck a white man, he was liable to lose his right-hand. 16 THE ADVENTURES OP and tllat his master had the power of punish- ing him severely, without being called to ac- count ; and it was at that time said, that if a slave even lost his life under the lash, the matter was not strictly inquired into. Thq punishment of the slave is very arbitrary, se- vere, and cruel. Whatever falsehood is sworn to by a white man against him is taken as evidence ; but the poor black is never admit- ted to bear testimony in his own behalf or for another. Compulsion and the lash are the only stimulus to labour. The overseer may flog him at discretion ; and any white man may insult a black with impunity. Monday is always a general flogging day for them, when they are brought down to the beach to undergo the punishment of their offences. They give them what they term Moses' law ; that is, thirty-nine lashes. The whip used is about ten feet from the handle to the point of the lash : the lash is three feet. I have been shocked to hear their screams to their pitiless masters for mercy. The manner of inflicting the punishment is this other slaves throw the poor culprits on their faces, men and wo- men, without distinction, and, stripping off the cloth from round their waist, tliey apply THOMAS EUSTACE. 17 the whip in the most fleshy part. Hence, however severely a slave has been flogged, there seldom appear any wounds in sight ; and thus many Europeans are deceived by appear- ances. Some say it is all a tale about flogging the negroes so severely, because they do not see them at work with ghastly wounds. As a slave, however, is as valuable to a planter as a good beast is to his owner, many planters take as much care of them as any good farmer does of his horses and cows. Self-interest, there- fore, often pleads for the poor slave, where no other motive does. I am happy, however, to learn, that religious instruction is now afforded the slaves, and that their condition, through the interference of Government, is much ame- liorated and improved : and I also hear, that the Americans have lately withstood the temp- tation, when slaves were offered them for sale, and refused to buy them at any price. May the period soon arrive, when all the human race shall abhor the thought of buying and selling their brethren ! c IS THE ADVENTURES OF CHAPTER IJ. Meets with a British Man of War and pressed — A Sailor's Life — His Character — Opinion of Religion — Chaplain — Divine Service on Deck — Late Improvements in the Navy ■ — Discipline — A IJklan flogged — Travels to Boston— Ame- rican Hospitality — Clumsiness of the Wheelwrights — Ad- vantages of speaking the Trutli — Dearness of Clothes — Of Provisions — Condition of Emigrants — Opinion respecting Emigration — The Haddenham Emigrants. Having got our cargoe on board, and being ready for sea, as soon as a fair wind sprung up, we set sail., The weather proved fair only two days, when there came on a very severe storm, which drove us on the coast of America, and there we were obliged to lay under bare poles for three days. By this time I was very sick of the sea, and wished to be settled on land, but my wishes were now too late ; for, on returning home, we fell in with a man-of-war, some of the crew of which boarded our vessel, to over- haul us for men. Having nothing to shew for my defence against the press-gang, the lieute- THOMAS EUSTACE. 19 iiant ordered me, with others, to get into liis boat, an order which I dared not disobe3^' And now behold me a seaman of a Britisli man-of-war, in training to fight for my King and country, which I loved as cordially as any man, yet it grieved me to be pressed to figlit for them. I already hated a seafaring-] ifp, and now I was obliged to continue on the sea^ and might be soon called into active service. The ship was bound back for America, whi- ' ther we steered our course ; but the wind falling a-head, the ship bore away for Jamaica, and, after a few days, came to anchor at Port Royal in that island. Here we lay for a few days, and then were ordered out to cruise off the coast, during which time we weathered many a frightful storm. At length, meeting with the fleet, I had an opportunity of knowing better what was a sailor's life ; and, as my neighbours may wish for some information on that subject, I will make such plain remarks as my recollec- tion may enable me. The sailors were a set of men as jovial, care- less, and happy, as the strictness of our disci- pline would allow ; and every comfort and in- dulgence, compaiible with this, is allowed by the officers to all brave tars. As for danger, 20 THE ADVENTURES OF we felt a pride m shewing our contempt of it ; but I always observed, that when real danger occurred, the most sober and moral men were the most courageous. As sailors on board a man-of-war, we were, of course, continually reckoning on dangers, difficulties, and even death ; but these seemed to be the last things to disturb us, and I believe that few of the sailors ever think of another world till they imagine themselves about to enter it. For my part, I confess, I scarcely thought of any reli- gious subject, or of a future state once a month, except when called on deck to attend divine service. Since my return home, I have seen and heard more of the business of reli- gion than ever before. Now, indeed,^ I know but little, and am too careless of my duty to God, and of my destiny in that future state to which we are all hastening ; but I am often seriously reminded of them,>and feel occasion- ally the importance of being prepared accord- ingly. 1 am persuaded there is a Heaven to gain and a Hell to shun, and that it is the highest wisdom of a human being to provide for his eternal welfare. In the merchant's vessel we had no Chap- lain, but on board the man-of-war we had one THOMAS EUSTACE. who regularly performed divine service ; and, indeed, we much needed a Clergyman, to in- struct us and pray with us ; for our crew was very depraved: yet, notwithstanding the wicked character of many of the ship's com- pany, it was an interesting spectacle to see the sailors assembled on deck to worship the God of Heaven ! The vast concave of the sky touching the distant horizon seemed to form sea and sky into one great temple, in which we worshipped the Almighty Author of Na- ture, and implored his protection. I cannot speak highly either of the manner in which our Chaplain performed the duty, or of his general character. But as he was considered, at least at that time, only equal in rank to a lieutenant, and the officers were men of no great morality, I used to think, that if he had not resembled them in his conduct, he would have had a most uncomfortable life. I would not speak a word against his Majesty's Navy, except with the hope that such evils will, ere long, be remedied ; and I am glad to be informed, that since that time the sea-ser- vice has been much improved by many salu- tary regulations, that chaplains have been ap- pointed of great moral worth and with more 22 THE ADTENTURES OF respectable salaries, thai many officers are be- come trulj pious men, and have made it their pleasure and business to improve the moral and religious condition of the seamen. But in my time it was common among sailors, when speaking of a man-of-war, to say — «' Do jou belong to that hell upon earth ?" Or, if the ship was better than others, they would say—" That is a tolerable hell upon earth !" As the discipline maintained in the navy is necessarily strict and severe, the men being collected from all countries, there are among-st them some that are more brutish, ignorant, and depraved, than ever I could have con- ceived. It is impossible to keep men, so un- tutored, self-willed, rough, and wicked, as many of them are, in subordination, without great severity. Uninformed, however, as many of us were, we could not plead ignorance of the laws of the British Navy ; for the articles of war were publicly read to all the crew once a month, for general information. Officers and men, therefore, were all acquainted with the laws, and were fully apprised of the seve- rity with which the transgression of them was visited. If, therefore, we infringed them, we transgressed with our eyes open to the dread- « THOMAS EUSTACE. 23 fill consequences. When offences were com- mitted, the punishment must follow. In many cases, indeed, it would have been a pleasure to the officers to exercise mercy ; but it would have been neither policy nor justice to spare the criminal contrary to the law. Hence the severest punishments have been inflicted upon individuals as examples to the rest. I have witnessed the full execution of a cul- prit^s sentence in all its horrors. Whilst I was on board the King's sliip, a man was sentenced to be flogged through the fleet, consisting of twenty sail. He had been tried for his life, and was sentenced to receive , a dozen lashes in each ship. This punishment, ' if inflicted to the full extent, might have proved fatal. The surgeon, therefore, at- tended, and suspended the flogging before the criminal had endured as much as he could bear. The common sailor, however, is no more subject to the law than his officer. The captain is subject to martial law equally with the lowest seaman. Nor can he inflict an un- just punishment without being subject to trial by a court-martial. After some time had elapsed, by a concur- rence of favourable circumstances which I 24 THE ADVENTURES OF need not trouble my readers by relating, I was disengaged from the sea-service, and set olf with a companion or two for Boston, proposing there to pursue my trade as a wheelwright. We had little money, but called at the farm- houses in our road, related our difficulties, and solicited food and lodging. And here I must do the Americans the justice of stating, with grateful acknowledgments, that in all places they treated us with hospitality and kindness. Indeed, I had a very favourable impression of their benevolence. An anecdote, related by a soldier, who came from Nottingham, illus- trates it aiso. A townsman went over to America as a soldier, and in the neighbour- hood where they were quartered, they met with an opulent farmer, who recognised him by his dialect as a native of Nottingham. He told them that he came from the same place, and that he had left it thirty years, yet its dialect struck his ear immediately; and he and his companions were lodged and treated with the utmost hospitality, free of all expence, as long as they remained there. The old man was then about se- venty years of age; and one evening he told them his tale ! Thirty years ago," THOMAS EUSTACE. ^5 he said, " I was a bold depredator of game, with other companions, in Lord Middleton's Park; and, upon conviction of the offence, was transported into this country: but my banishment has proved^ not my marring, but my making. I have lived to despise my past conduct, and to obliterate it. I am now a magistrate in the country, and all the fields and cattle you see are my own." At length we safely arrived at Boston on foot, through the bounty of the country-peo- plcj who kindly assisted and relieved us in our journey. I inquired for a wheelwright, and was directed to one Mr. Hopestilhallj who at once engaged me as a workman. I was sur- prised at the clumsiness of his workmen, and, indeed^ at that of all the American wheel- w^rights. I thought them all bunglers, and the master, in his turn, was surprised at the dexterity with which I could turn a wheel, and execute every part of a wheelwright's business. He thought I was a journeyman, and asked me how long I had been an apprentice. A fair op- portunity was now offered me of passing for a journeyman, and of receiving the full wages ; but I thought it was best to speak truth ; for nothing is got by a lie. I therefore candidly D THE ADVENTURES OF told liim, that I had been an apprentice only two years and three quarters. He was so pleased, however, with my skill, that he agreed to give rae twelve dollars a month, and board and lodging. These may appear great wages, their dollars being at that time equal to six shillings; but for the purchase of clothes, which, at that period, and in that part of Ame- rica, were excessively dear, the wages were but moderate, as six shillings would purchase no more apparel in America than three shillings in England. Every article of apparel was so dear, that I can buy more clothes in England for ten shillings than I could in America for twenty. Boston, in the winter, is so extremely cold, that good warm clothing is absolutely requisite. I was, therefore, obliged to spend all my money in the purchase of needful ap- parel. Provisions, however, at this time, were very cheap ; but they are not always so. Con- sidering the high price of clothes, and other necessary articles, the high wages in America are by no means a counterbalance. I saw many English people, who declared that they had been no gainers by emigration, and that had they staid in their own country, they should have been just as rich, and have shared THOMAS EUSTACE. 27 double the comforts : and many said, that they would return back to old England and their old neighbours ; but they must expend all their hard earnings to make the voyage. I would, therefore, from my own experience and observations, never advise emigration. Hun- dreds have been obliged to work like slaves on an unprofitable soil, the best part of their lives, before their farms have repaid them, and lived, like savages, in the depths of woods and deserts. If I could have seen my neigh- bours of Haddenham, in the Vale of Ajdes- bury, before they had sold all up and gone to America, I could have predicted their late dis- tressing return, with the loss of all, to subsist, for a time, on parish bounty ^ In the commencement of this jear, 18ip, there was a great desire excited in the Vale of Aylesbury to emigrate to America. From the populous parish of Haddenham, Collet, the shoemaker, and Oliver, the weaver, sold off all they had, and set otF with their families to America, in May, I8I9. Collet went off with ISO/, in his pocket. In the beginning of October, this same year, he and his family came back to London, and returned by Welford's waggon, from the Green Dragon, Gillspur-street, to their old village of Haddenham. But in what stale? Without money — without a bed to' sleep upon or clothes to cover them ! Weiford made them a bed of straw in his hay loft, and covered them with the wrapper of his 28 rHE ADVENTURES OF waggon. They acknowledged that tliis was a far better lodgmg than they had had in America. The account they gave of provisions was, that they could not buy even a cabbage under the enormous price of eighteen-pence ; and the mutton and veal was so very bad, that if they did not dress it almost im- mediately, it became tainted ; and that the potatoes were so bad, that when they had boiled ihem seven hours, they were too tough to be eaten! Oliver is expected to return also with his family every day. The parish have had a meet- ing to relieve these impoverished enjigrants. Their account, it is possible, may be a little exaggerated, to excite the greater . compassion, and the more strongly to justify their return ; but it is a little corroborated by Birbeck's Notes on a Journey to America, page 11, who relates that the worst meat in Eng- land is sold far cheaper than the best in America ; and gives immerous instances of the extreme dearness of every thing. The Editor thinks these facts at Haddenham deserving the attention of people disposed to emigrate ; and if any persons want confirmation of the facts, they may inquire of Welford, the Haddenham waggoner, at tlie Green Dragon, Giltspur- street, every Thursday. THOMAS EUSTACE. 529 CHAPTER HI. Enters the Ship Eliza, on a Sealing Voyage— Arrives at the Cape of Good Hope— York Island— Made a Cartel to St. Helena— Description of St. Helena— Buonaparte— Return to the Cape-^Storm— Providential Escape— Madagascar— . Prepare for Action with Malay Pirates— Escape— Canton —River Ta— Floatiag Vessels— Tomtuck— Shamschoo— Superstitions— The Idol Josh burnt in Effigy— Roasted Pig before Josh— Dangerous Experiment— Josh Houses— Chi- nese ArliBces— Anecdotes— Return by the Cape to Ame- rica. At Boston I staid nearly two years; but thinking I could get more by sailing on the sea than by working on the land, and being now rather of a rambling disposition, I deter- mined to try the sea agai^i. An opportunity soon offering, I went on board the Eliza, of Nantucket Isle, on the coast of America, a very rich island, particularly as to its fishery. The island, as I understood, is composed prin- cipally of merchants, who are Quakers, and who appear to hold a sort of neutral govern- ment, without intermeddling with the politics 30 THE ADVENTURES OF of Other coimtiies. The island seems defence, less, but the Quaker-merchants fit out vessels with tomkins, or sham guns ; but now thej are so well known, that the enemy is seldom de. ceived by them. The Eliza, on board of which I had entered, set out on a sealing voyage ; that is, she was to sail for the South Seas, for the purpose of catching seals, which are valuable for their skins, and conveying them to Canton, for the purpose of exchanging them for tea, tutenague, and other merchandise. My wages were to be one sealskin in every seventy caught. I was out, therefore, it was supposed, upon a good lay, as every sealskin would fetch six shillings. Our hopes were more than realized, as we suc- ceeded in catching three thousand seals, as will be related in its place, which produced so good a return by the exchanges we made at Canton, that when I came back to America, my share of the profits amounted to so large a sum, that wlien the money was told down, I had more tiian my Iiatful of dollars. The seal is an amphibious animal, living in the sea, and dwelling principally upon the land. It contains a great deal of blubber, and the flesh is suitable for food. The skin, which tllOMAS EUSTACEi. 81 is hairy, is a considerable article of commerce. The seals dwell in herds together, and if one is wounded the rest hasten to his assistance. Hiey use their fins as feet to walk and run on shore. Our sailors knocked them down with long clubs ; but the other seals came most courage- ously, in droves, to their help, and then all hands were eno-ao-ed to knock them down. o o But it is time to take my reader on the voyage with me. We proceeded, therefore, towards the South Sea Islands. On our arrival at the Cape of Good Hope, we stayed a few days^ It was then in possession of the Dutch. From thence we made an excursion to York or Grozat Island. It is called Grozat Island after a French frigate, which discovered it. We stayed a few day>»» only ; for the island was barren and desolate, and destitute of inhabitants. We left, there- fore only seven men on the island to catch seals, and the ship returned back to the Cape to win- ter, in the hope of taking up anchorage for six months. But during our absence, the English had taken possession of the Cape. Upon our return to the Cape, therefore, the Governor was inclined to make use of our ship as a cartel, to convey wines and prisoners from the Cape to St, Helena ; and for this purpose an embargo 32 THE ADVENTURES OF was laic^iipon us for forty-eight days, during" which time we dared not move from our an- chorage( But the captain pleading that we left sev^i men at York or Grozat Island, in a destitute condition, he at length succeeded in obtaining leave for us to set out, without de- lay, as ^cartel, to St. Helena. Thitabr we conveyed prisoners and refresh- ments. II was particularly struck with the vast^ ana^ impregnable rocks of St. Helena, wellVcalc^ulated, indeed, to be the prison of Bflo^^ipar^e, and to keep this disturber of the work^ocked up by the barriers of nature^ de- prived df the power of doing further mischief in the earthk m It has b^ oftei| said, that St. Helena is a barren, rocl^ island. Its rocks are, indeed, vast and sterile, and it'j^ipeared to us, at a dis- tance, nothing but a rug'e^jd, bare rock ; but, upon entering the bay, v\t"ound thousands of acres covered with a deep antl^ich soil. San- dy Bay is most beautiful, romantil^ad fertile. Long spiral masses of rock on one side, hills, covered with verdant trees, which soar up- wards, hill upon hill on the other, and a valley between, interspersed with meadows, spotted with grazing cattle, gardens, plantations, and THOMAS EUSTACE. 33 the houses of jjlanters, present a jyjture of beauty, majesty, and terror, contrasted with each other, which delij^hted the beholder. I have since thought that our generous Go- vernment, instead of immuring Buonaparte in a prison, as his crimes so richly merited, have placed him in a paradise, in the bosoiMef the ocean, containing all the beautiful andAiblime objects of creation. 1 he island is twAty-nine miles in circumference, and is washed bj^the expansive ocean, which bears a tree^e of health to the retired Usurper on ever^ sid^. 'It is well illustrated in a late Epistle,; in rliyme, from St. Helena : — i f " From hence retiring, verging towards tie town. Appears the seat where Buo|aparte s«/down, oice, for several weeks, when flfst he came. * * ♦ . * * • Oh! had you witness^ every beauteous scene, In which ti^nsported I have often been, With hill and daj^with mountains rising high Above^ie cyRds, which seem to pierce the sky, With rocJJTon rocks, so singularly hung. With vales as rich as ever poets sung ! * * • * * # But how can Buonaparte these charms descry — Disfigured objects to the jaundic'd eye! Complain he will, wherever he may live. His restless spirit ever crying • Give !' 34 THE ADVENTURES OF 'The empire wide of Fiaace for him too small, He would have grasp'd the whole terrestrial bail. With what propriety can we believe The man who thinks it lauful to deceive? To tniniber half tfie proofs our time would fail Of violali'd law — then cast a veil. Enough discover'd caution to inspire To guard our country from destructive fire. ****** Napoleon, the terror of the world, By favour'd Biitons front his throne is hurl'd. He catp.e, he boasted, and in haste iie fled, Ttain presently called all on board, and said, " Come, my boys, get ready for action ; for these chaps are going to attack us." Im- mediately all was bustle and activity. Not a heart seemed daunted. Encouraged bv the THOMAS EUSTACE. 39 commiinder, and aware tliat tlie Malays would shew us no mercy, we resoh ed to fight as long^ as the ship would bear us above water. We liad only two swivels and two four-pounders on board; but we began to prepare for action with all alacrity. The enemy was bearing down upon us with a fair wind; and through the telescope we could see them ready for ac- tion. We distinctly saw one large gun, about the centre of the ship, turning upon a swivel, and discerned their large lances and muskets. In a siiort space we expected to be in close ac- tion; but, if I may judge from myself, none of us apprehended danger or death. I have kept my readers, however, too long in suspense, whilst preparing to meet the enemy, w ho was bearing down upon us. Behold, then, our guns loaded and primed, and a slow match, made of pitch, already kindled. As soon as the command is given, the man who holds the match swings it swiftly round, touches the powder, and off goes the cannon with its ap- pointed ball of death. Every minute a blow was expected — the enemy came nearer and nearer — when, lo ! a Spanish ship appeared in sight, advancing towards us ; and our enemies, the Malays, taking the Spaniards for a man- 40 THE ADVENTURES OF of-war, sheered off, and we escaped the battle. And now, unobstructed, the Eliza, of Nan- tucket, steered her course to Canton, the se- cond city in the rich and populous empire of China. We now entered the Bay of Macao, or Can- ton, and as we sailed up the River Ta, which flows into it, the water seemed almost covered with floating vessels, in which live whole fa- milies, who never walk on land all their days. They say there are five thousand trading ves- sels sometimes lying in the River Ta before Canton. I think I saw no less than two thou- sand people upon the river. All seemed dressed alike, both women and men. They call many of them latheroons, or thieves. They are outlawed; and it maybe said they were outlanded, and doomed, for their crimes, to continue on water all their days. They have their heads shaved, as a mark of their disgraceful character. The girls uj)on the river applied to us to wash our clothes. They agreed with them for three months for three dollars. They washed them clean enough, but as for ironing, they only laid them in a heap together, and beat them with flat boards till they had smoothed them. THOMAS EUSTACE. 4l As soon as we came off Canton, Tomtuck, the Governor, visited us in his junk, and came on board our ship. His vessel was built very much like a house, divided into various rooms, with brass knockers to the doorfe. We gave liim three cheers when he left, and the next morning he sent us five or six gallons of shamchsoo, a very hot spirit, strongly burning the stomach. One of our black men drank a considerable quantity of it, and it so dread- fully affected him, that the next day he died raving mad. The captain told us that there was an order of government not to suffer the smallest quantity of shamchsoo to come on board ships of war. " It is poison,^' he said, *' to the human frame he therefore ordered it all to be brought to him, and he poured it out into the sea. These river dwellers, as well, indeed, as all the Chinese, are very superstitious^ While ly- ing in the River Ta, we were much diverted with their superstitious acts of revenge which they executed on their unpropitious deities. They always place at the head of their boat their god, whom they call Josh, and near it a fire of wood, to light this petty divinity to sup- per ; but when their god happens to displease 42 THE ADVENTURES OF- them, either by refusing their requests, or by not warding some misfortune, they set fire to himj and burn him in effigy, and send him down the river, all in a blaze, with the tide. This, they say, is to let the god know what punishment himself may expect from them, if he does not treat them better ; for by this they assure him, his own image shall itself be burnt, as well as his effigy, if he continues to displease them. For the execution of this terrifying act of vengeance, they form an image from a bundle of straw and old clothes, grease, and wax, as our countrymen, in times of greater patriotism and piety, made up their represen- tation of that vile blasphemer, Tom Paine, to burn him in effigy, instead of, like their dege- nerate sons, reprinting and buying his infa- mous scribblings. This they call their Josh. His head being composed of these combusti- bles, they set it on fire, and thus they send the mimic body, supported by the spreading gar- mentsat the shoulders, down the stream, blazing away, as large as a man, to the danger of every ship and boat which lies in its course. Wliile we were at Wampoa there were many idol gods treated thus cavalierly by their proud and mas- terful devotees ; and, on one occasion, our ship THOMAS EUSTACE. 43 was in great danger of being set on fire by the multitude of their blazing mock water-gods gliding by us with the tide. Every night we saw a slow fire kindled up, and burning before their idol Josh, to light his majesty to supper ; and every night we expected, if his worshippers should happen to be in ill humour with him, to see him treated with the same flaming earn- est of their vengeance. It never struck me at that period of my life how thankful Christians ought to be for the Bible, which tells us of the true God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, and teaches us to reverence, and worship, and serve our Creator aright, according to the light of the glorious Gospel. The Chinese on land are as superstitious as those on the water. We saw an image of Josh at the corner of every street in the suburbs of Canton : and as 1 and my companions were rambling out on a day of liberty, which was granted upon our arrival, we saw, at the corner of a street, a very nice pig roasting before Josh for his supper. It looked very tempting, and we began to long for it ; at all events, we thought we would have a little fun, by trying the temper of the Chinese ; so we pulled out our knives, and threatened to cut off a piece 44 THE ADVENTURES OF to eat, and told them we would sieze the pig and run off with it. Instantly the Chinese assumed a very angry and hostile appearance, and, raising their bamboos in a most threaten- ing manner, they would the next minute have fallen upon us, had we not fled from their fuiy. They seemed to consider us as blasphe- mers, and would most probably have killed some of us, had we waited for their attack. Though more than half the crew, therefore, were out, we thought it best to desist from the sport of trying their tempers, and we gave up the capture of their pig, since it was to be had only at the price of a bloody fray. We amused ourselves in walking about the suburbs of Canton. Some of the buildings Were v^ery magnificent, and the country de- lightful. We found no difficulty in getting quit of many of our dollars, which they en- ticed from us in every way they could, but gave us nothing in exchange but copper, as they receive all the silver they can get of fo- reigners to work up into silver idols. We saw many of these costly idols erected in the streets ; but each god had a guard over him ; for they seemed well aware that avarice might make many sacrilegious enough to steal the THOMAS EUSTACE. 45 idols, and that the god was not strong enough to take care of himself. There were two verj large gilt statues at the gate of the suburbs, on each side, in a niche in the wall ; one looks very horrid, and represents War; the other seems to beiJelivering laws, and stands as the effigy of Peace. Here begins a very extended wall, surrounding many Josh houses, or tem- ples, in one of which they keep sacred pigs, that have priests to attend upon them and keep them clean, as if they were deities. They worship, however, one supreme God, whom they also call Josh. The Chinese generally reap a good harvest from the British sailors during the three days* liberty which is generally allowed them ; and, ha viug learnt a little English, they know how to hear and accost the sailors in their own lan- guage : at least well enough to make them spend their money with them. They would call out — " Shack, vat fare ? Vat vant buy ?" Some streets are called by names that may please the fancy of sailors ; as Hog-lane, Chi-, na-street, Grog-court; and every Chinaman who keeps a public-house goes by a name equally pleasing to the jolly tar ; such as Jolly Jack, Tom Bowling, Bob Tiller ; and here and 46 THE ADTENTURES OF there you may see an advertisement upon a door that some sailor has given them in the true sea-faring style, which may inform every future Jack who may arrive, where he may buy his grog and his tobacco. Sometimes a battle-royal ensues, and the tipsy crew drive all before them up Hog-lane, and China-vases, cups, and glasses, are all shivered to pieces in the scuffle, and skull after skull is broken by Jack's oaken club, or Tukki's bamboo stick ; but, generally, the tars, if they are not very inferior in numbers, give the Minheers a sound drubbing, and steer their course, unmolested, to the ship. Among the curiosi ties in China I particularly admired the tallow-tree, in size like a cherry- tree, with red leaves, in form like a heart. It produces a fruit which, when manufactured with oil, very nearly resembles our tallow, and serves the natives for candles. I was also struck with the custom of having their coffins made and their tombs built during their life-time. I admired the wall surrounding Canton, %vhich was five miles in circumference, from which there is a fine prospect of a country, as beautiful as the eye ever beheld, of green hills THOMAS EUSTACE, 47 and vallies, seats of rich mandarins, or nobles, villages and lakes, and the River Ta^ covered with boats and junks. The streets of Canton are straight but nar- row ; but they look dull, as very few windows look to the street, except shop-windows, as if the Chinese were afraid their neishbours should see into their houses, and invade their domestic privacy. Some streets, however, are very pleasant, from the curious arrangement of shops of one kind all in one street; so that one was very shewy with silk, another with China and porcelain, and another was the delight of our tars, for the tobacco to be sold there. The streets are very much crowded, as well they may be; for it is supposed to contain not much less than a million and a quarter of in- habitants. Having bartered all our seals, and laid in a full cargoe of teas and nankeens, we sailed back to the Cape, where we found a ready sale for the greater part of them. We loaded our ship, in return, with a large quantity of spe- cie and some ballast, with which we steered our course back for America. 48 THE ADTEJfTURES OF CHAPTER IV. Division of Ship-money — Squanders it away — Anecdotes of Sharpers — Goes to New Bedford — Enters on board the Polly — Slorm — Wonderful Escape — Ship foundering — Rescued by a Schooner — Goes to Boston — Enters on board the Trial — Tremendoua Storm — Shipwrecked off Long Island — Sus- pended Eighteen Hours, by grasping the Ropes, Rigging', and Hull — Arrives at North Port — His Limbs and Fingers amputated. We reached New York, in North America, af- ter a long, but successful, voyage of three years : the cargo was discharged, and the crew received their three years' visages ! My pay- ment, I remember, was so large as to fill my hat with dollars. THOMAS EUSTACE. 49 Having been so long strangers to land, with all its comforts, we celebrated our return to it, \ from tiie ocean on which we had so lonjj: roamed, by squandering away our money, as fast as possible, in ail kinds of sports and fol- lies. Chaises, horses, carts, and almost every other land accommodation Were all pressed into the service ; and the wages we hjad earned in seven long years were scjuandered away in as few months, in a variety of amusements, verifying the old proverb — " Sailors generally earn their money like horses, and spend it like asses ! ! !" At this time I think I told down my dollars to the amount of £50 ; and for six months I and my comrades lived, as we termed it, like gentlemen. The days flowed away in festive jollity, and we never thought of the future till we arrived at nearly our last dollar. How many ways can I now think of in which I might have disposed of this money to advan- tage! I might have set myself up in my trade of wheelwright, or purchased me a comfort- able passage back to my native country in credit, to the comfort of my friends and my own future welfare. But at this time I had little thought and no religious principle; and G 50 THE ADVENTURES OF it was. not till I had spent all, and began to be ifts want, (like the Prodigal in the parable,) that I looked out for employment. When our money was nearly exhausted, we set olF and travelled to New Bedford, where we enlisted on board the Polly, a schooner, bound for Baltimore for flour and tobacco. I have ^ince thought it a mercy that it was not in London where 1 had to receive so rich a payment after so long a voyage ; for with the same dispositions and the like abundance of cash, and surrounded by companions ripe for any excesses, who knows into what snares and perils I might have been led ! And as this history is compiled partly with a view to cau- tion young men against folly, precipitance, and danger, I think it not irrelevant to relate an anecdote received from a Friend, respecting the perils from which an acquaintance of his escaped, who resided in London ; and it may be relied upon as authentic. He was returning at a late hour from supper, with three young men as giddy and guilty as himself, and either ashamed to go home so late, or afraid they could not gain admittance at their own homes, they agreed to roam the City all night. At length, excessively tired with their THOMAS EUSTACE. 51 perambulations, they arrived at St. Paul's Church-jard, where tliej inquired of a watch- man if he could direct them to any one of those places of nightly resort called Niglit Houses. He immediately directed them to a place of that description, at the corner of Newgate Market. The four friends repaired thither, and met at the door two very ill-looking fellows, who, upon the door being opened, attempted to enter with them. They informed the landlord that these men were not of their party, and wished them not to be admitted. Upon which an opposition was made to their entrance, but it proved only pretended, for the men were vic- torious in the struggle, and rushed in with them. They were now conducted down a long passage into a large dark room at the back of the house, so removed from the street, that it was impossible to be heard, whatever outcry they might have made. To use the words of the narrator—-" Here we ordered some coffee. An elderly man soon after entered, his hair powdered and tied, dressed in shabby black, and sat down at the centre of the table. He began apologizing for his intrusion, but still continued to keep his place. He pretended to be intoxicated : it was a good imitation, but 52 TUB ADVENTUilES OF i>6 real iatoxicatioo. He called for some gin and water, and wiieii it was brought lie pressed us yei'Y much to drink with him. I perempto- rily refused, and winked at my companions to follow . my example. He pressed lis to par-* take, but I steadily^rejected his offers, and my companions did tiie same. When the waiter came for payment, he objected to receive a six- pence, the currency of that coin being just stopped, He then tendered a one-pound-note for change. Upon the change being brought, the old fellow pretended to be drunk, and declared he had not received the whole of his change. To end the dispute, I intimated that I had counted the money as the waiter told it down, and knew it was right. This was the signal for a quarrel, and he improved the occasion. My poor limbs and,eyes were immediately the subject of exe- cration; but my silence terminated the fray. " He then attempted to commence a conver- fciatioo w ith us, and proposed a subject ; but I told him we were tired, and did not wish to enter into any conversation. ' Do not be offended,' he replied ; ' for, as I am sure you intend to spend the time here till the morn- ingj w e might as well pass the hours as plea- santly as w e can.' , ' 1 shall not pass it long THOMAS EUSTACE. 53 liere,' said I. 1 began to be in some suspicion; but my companions, not suspecting any ill in- tent, favoured his purpose, by commencing a dispute on politics. Yf tiiie tliey were arguing,, two fellows came, one after the other, during an interval of a few minutes, and softly opened the door to peep at us. I providentially saw them, and so did one of my 'friends, and' then I said, disguising my fears as well as 1 could, ' It is my intention to go.' ' What is the use of going home ?' said the other two. ' We must walk the street.' ' Never mind that,' said I ; ' 1 shall go, and I hope you will go too.' The old man, perceiving me de- termined to go, and likely to prevail with my companions to accompany me, pretended to be very earnest in conversation, and struck the ta- ble prodigiously hard with his list. The vio- lence of the blow proved the signal for the at- tack I apprehended. Instantly rushed in upon us the whole gang of thieves, fourteen in number, in appearance very desj^erate and wicked fel- lows. One was dressed as a dragoon ; but I believe no soldier. Now, thought I, we are all lost ! He came straight up to me, and, accost- ing me with an oath and offering his hand, said, ' Brown, how are you V ' That, my friend,' said ly ' is uot my name^ and I never give my hand V 54 THE ADTENTURES OF to a stranger, and you and your associates are altogether unknown to me !* This, they pretended was an insult. « Not a greater insult,* I said, ' than your intrusion into this room without our desire or concurrence: but it does not signify, as I shall not be long in your company ; for I am going/ Upon this they all gathered close round the door, and obstructed our passage. ' Make way,' said I, ' for I will pass ! I do not wish to push you ; but I am determined to make my way out, through you, and so shall my friends !' They stared at each other with sur- prise, as well they might ; for what chance had I, who was small in stature, and not the strongest person, to force my way through such a host of ruffians ? ' Make way," said I, * I will pajjs: I will thrust my way by you.' I forthwith made the attempt. After strug- gling and pushing, they gave a little way, and at length I forced my way into the passage. There I saw the man at the bar. ' I will thank you,' said I, ' to let me out.' ' Let yourself out,' said the pretended landlord, with an oath. 1 tried, but could not. Thinks I to myself, they have done for us now ! But made another and another effort, and at length the door flew open ; upon which 1 eagerly THOMAS EUSTACE. 55 sprang into the street, and exclairnqd— ' You worthless villains! 1 do not care a rush for your whole gang, now I am out, and be- yond your power. If you do not let my friends out, I will raise the whole street against you upon which they were all permitted to come out ; but one of them lost a gold snuff- box in the struggle. ' Thank you,* said my compafiione ; ' but for your decision and spi- rit we should have been robbed, if not mur- dered !' A few weeks after, we learned that a man was actually murdered in that house, in consequence of which the licence was taken away, and the house shut up ! ! We would have lodged an information against the house ourselves, but, as we had been guilty of gross misconduct, unknown to our friends, in thus wandering about the whole night, we were ashamed of exposing our names to the eye of the public." These facts may be relied upon, as related by persons of credit well known ; and I men- tion them here to caution young men against the dangers to be apprehended from late hours, and to warn them, on no account, to venture into strange houses, which may prove a den of thieves and murderers ! Let me also 56 THE ADYENTURES OF caution young men against excesses when tliey have a little cash, and guard them against ail disobedience to parental authority., To this I would add, that the young man who told this tale has, through the mercy of God, become fully acquainted with his folly, has deeply re- pented of it, and turned from the paths of the destroyer; and, grateful to his Saviour for his deliverance, is pursuing the narrow path of active piety, to the Kingdom of Heaven ! One of the party, however, more ardent and active than the rest, in the fulness of health and strength, was cut down, after three days* illness ! To use the narrator's words — " 1 lodged in the same house with him, and saw him die. He had imbibed the loose opinions of infidels and atheists. Even in the midst of my career of folly we often disputed for hours on the truth of religion, and the inspiration of the Holy Scriptures ; and now a fatal sickness appeared upon him I pressed all my arguments ; but so strongly was his heart hardened by prejudice and sin, that he would not hear me, but be^ gan to speak of former scenes of folJy and wickedness, with a seeming regret that they were all passed away, and never likely to re- turn ! I reminded him of his impending dan- THOMAS EUSTACE. 57 ger, I called upon him to prepare to meet his God, but all in vain ; he said he must run his chance and hope for tlie best ; upon which lie took up his slipper, and, playfully striking me upon the head witli it, said, ' Ah ! I shall see you out now/ Soon after this, he evidently grew worse. When he found himself, how- ever, so far gone that his hands became com- pletely black, and his lower extremities dead as higli as his knees, he said, ' I know, if there is not an alteration very soon, it is all over with , me ; but never mind, I have never done any one any harm, and if I liave been misled, I cannot help it/ Then, faulteri ng in his voice, I thought he said—' I hope God w ill forgive me'/ ' You may depend upon it, then, my friend,' I said, 'you have, indeed, been misled, and let me beg of you, convinced, as 1 am, that you are now on your death-bed, to be persuaded you have been misled, and act upon the conviction. I would advise you to say your prayers, and if you cannot, I w ill say them for you/ He made no reply, but wished to evade the conversation, and continued, during several hours, apparently in a state of perfect indifference and thoughtlessness ; but some- times his conduct was bordering upon levity. H 58 THE ADTENTURES OF He made several allusions, with apparent satig- faction, to former scenes of pleasure, which greatly affected me, and to which I replied in a manner not pleasing to him. He even at- tempted to sing several loose airs ; but I thought it was more assumed than real, in order to disguise his feelings, and to calm the agitations of his Mother, who was greatly affected. He exhorted her not to mind limiy and said he had no doubt all would be well. 1 could plainly perceive that he was convinced he was wrong, but I fear, without any profit from that conviction. He soon after seemed agitated in mind, and tossed about in his bed as if very uneasy. At this time my feelings were too painful to be described. I was over- whelmed in grief and distress. I loved, and pitied, and exhorted him ; and at length had the unhappiaess to hear him send forth two deep sighs, when I hastily rose up to run for "the Physician. His friends, however, stopped me ; and looking back on him, behold ! my friend Robert was no more ! ! " { fainted away on this heart-rending oc- casion, overcome with the solemn thought that my poor and beloved companion was now gone to the w orld of eternal realities, to meet a THOMA» JtUSTACE. ^9 God who is terrible in justice, and will by no means clear the guilty. I hoped against hope, that he might find favour before that God, w ith whom is mercy and plenteous redemp- tion/' I reflected much on my own state. I often visited the corpse. I stood mourning over it for hours ; and, in my sympathy and grief, I kneeled down and prayed over his corpse for my own soul, which I had never done for months before. The impression of his death, and his unprepared state for it, never wholly subsided ; and I hope the im- pression w ill be as lasting as it was deep, till my final hour, and then may I be ready to enter into the presence of my Judge and Sa- viour." How bitter are thfe fruits of sin and infideli- ty ! How important is religion to reclaim from vice and w retcliedness, and to make men respected and happy ! The young all long for independence, and what miseries they are plunged into if they affect it ! Wliereas, mo- desty, docility, and reverence to superiors, and to parents above all, are the virtues peculiarly belonging to the young, and which adorn and render it lovely: and they seem assigned by the laws of God and nature to be the guard of 60 THE ADYENTUKES OF inexperienced youth. The 3 oimg are carried away by the love of pleasure ; and " CKris" tianity forbids no pleasures that are innocent, lays no restraints that are capricious the very sobriety and purity which it enjoins, lay the surest foundation of present peace and future eminence, inasmuch as they strengthen the powers of the mind, and preserve the faculties of the body in full vigour : and this we know is the path of safety. But what prostration of mental energy — what ill health and misery does vice occasion !^ and what perils do her votaries risk ! To yield to vice is like crossing a plank over a yawning precipice, where the least stumble maj^ precipitate us into the abyss from which there is no deliverance. Let us now return to my liistory. When our money was exhausted, we set off and travelled to New Bedford, here we enlisted on board the Polly, a schooner, bound for Baltimore, to take in a cargo of flour and tobacco. We had a favourable passage, and were re-r turning to New Bedford, heavily laden, when we were overtaken by a tremendous storm ! This was in the month of November, 1808. As the storm raged the gib became loose, the stops slipped, and let fly the rope, and the THOMAS EUSTACE. 61 sail floated in the wind. A heavy sea tossed the -vessel and broke over the ship, and, for a time, overwhelmed us all. I ventured to do what no one else would, viz. to slide along the rope and fasten the stops to prevent the gib flying. In this perilous situation, while climbing along the rope over the roaring deep, I was shaken from my hold by the violence of the wind and waves, and fell into the tumul- tuous sea. I heard the alarming outcry of my comrades — " He is drowned!" But what a providence ! At this instant, a heavy swell of the sea drove me in upon deck. The force with which I was thrown in upon my side, bruised me to such a degree that I feel the pain of the contusion to this day. My companions took me down, stunned and breathless with the blow, into the cabin. At that instant the bowsprit, from which I was suspended on the rope attached to it, while fastening the gib, was broken by the violence of the sea, tlie ' shock of which split the vessel ! The water rushed into the breacli, thus made, with such fury as to drive me headlong against the side of the ship. We were instantly obliged to cut up bed and bedding, for the purpose of 62 THE APVENTURES OF staving tliem into the aperture to exclude tUe water. A young man ran upon deck to cut the broken bowsprit entirely away, in order to let it go ; and the foretopmast-stay being severed off, the main-mast went and started the after-part of the vessel, so that she leaked in a most alarm- ing manner. The Captain, in the mean time, had thrown himself down in his cabin, and there lay some time in despair. Now, how- ever, we came down to rouse him, and seized his bed and bedding to stop the leaks. " All hands to the pumps !" was the cry, and to work we went. But there stood by the pumps twenty or thirtj^ casks of Indian corn. These being thrown about in the storm, the heads were broken, and the corn, all pouring out, tilled the well and choaked the pump. What was to be done ! The pump, now rendered use- less, some of us ran down into the cabin and fetched up the run-skuttle, and baled out the water : we continued baling from Thursday night till day-light on Sunday morning. ^\ hat a scene of confusion, dismay, and vio- lence, was there ! We knew not but we must soon tiud a watery grave in our sinking vessel ; arHOMAS EUBTACE 63 never did I hear the crew swear in a more impious and shocking manner! At times it lightened and thundered enough to make the boldest shudder ; yet our hardy tars would run up the rigging and climb the masts with the most determined fearlessness. I had never contracted the habit of swearing ; there was a secret check of conscience which deterred me from this sin ; and I often observed that the boastful swearer was a coward in real danger, and that tlie most moral and considerate of our men were the bravest. What a proof is this that infidels are not satisfied with the truth of their own system, that they are con- scious they have more to fear than to hope, and that they cannot contemplate a future world without terror ! What an evidence is here, also, that the religion of Jesus Christ is the only source of unshaken fortitude, amidst the changes and perturbations of human life, and that religion alone can bring us to a state of mind undisturbed by the dread of disso- lution! On Monday morning, another schooner came near; and now the prospect of deliverance dawned upon us ! The poor Captain, who had been almost dead with alarm, revived. 64 THE ADVENTURES OF and regained his usual spirits as lie belield the scliooner at hand. The storm subsided into a calm, the leak became less, and the men, almost overcome with fatigue, were allowed a respite from their toils. We got out a boat, and I and four more rowed off with the Captain to the schooner. She, also, had been much shattered with the storm; but was still in a condition to be manageable. Our Captain went on board, having somewhat recovered from his late fright, and persuaded the Captain of the schooner to take our men on board to assist in working his vessel, to which he kindly con- sented. Our Captain then returned with us to his shattered ship ; and having taken out con- siderable stores of beef, pork, tobacco, &c. aban- doned the ship, and we supposed it must soon after have gone to the bottom. Having rescued part of our cargo from the wreck, andbeinghap- pily received on board the friendly schooner, we sailed in safety to Newport, in North Ame- rica, where I and my comrades were paid off. From thence I walked to Boston, and en- tered again, as seaman, on board the Trial, Captain William Trash, which proved, in- deed, a trial to me of no common kind 1 THOMAS EUSTACE. 63 But for the surprising providence wliicli interposed in my voyage in the Trial, I should have now been in the regions of the dead ! How little are we aware what troubles may betide us when, full of spirits, we commence our voyage with a smiling sky and prosperous gales ! How quickly may the calmest sea be ruffled with storms, and a day of joy be turned into shadowy darkness, tempest, and death! " We know not what a day may bring forth." How important to possess a clear conscience, a calm reliance on the providence of God, a trust in his help, and a hope of his favour, through our blessed Saviour ! *' He that bafh made his refuge God, Shall find a most secure abwde — Shall walk all day beneath his shade, And there at uight shall rest his head.'V *' If burning beams of hoou conspire To dart a pestilential fire, God is his life, his arms are spread To shield him with a healthful shade. If vapours, with malignant breath. Rise thick and hasten midnight death, Israel is safe ; the poison'd air Grows pure, if Israel's God be there." I 65 THE ADVENTURES OF CHAPTER V. TremendoHS Storm— Shipwreclted off Long Island—Sus- pended Eighteen Hours, by grasping the Ropes, Rigging, and Hull— Arrives at North Port— His Limbs and Fingers amputated— Sketch of Tom Paine, and his Death at New York. The Trial, the significant and prophetic name of our vessel, now prepared for the vovage which proved her last, and which be- came a scene of such trial, hardship, and iaiminent danger to myself! THOMAS EUSTACE. 67 Ilaviiitr laid in })rovisions and ballast, we ])roceeded to the North-East Coast of Ameri- ca, to load with spars for ship-buildiiig. WJien we had got all our cargo on board, we sailed out from North Port, bound for Charlestown, in South Carolina. We touched at Belfast, and cleared out at the Custom House there, as there was no Custom House at North Cape. Afterwards, returning to North Cape, we laid to, ready for sailing the next morning ; but never more was that ship to sail ! — that night most of our crew were doomed to end their voyages in a watery grave ! This fatal night was the 18th of Jar nuary, 1809. Would you belinld the works of God, His wonders in the world abroad. Come with us manners and trace Th' unknown regions of the seas. We leave our native shores behind. And seize the favour of the wind, Till God commands, and tempests rise. That heave the ocean to the skies. Now to the heavens we mount amain. Now sink to dreadful deeps again ; 68 THE ADVENTURES OF What strange affright we sailors feel. And like a staggVing drunkard reel !* At 9 o^clock at night came on a most tre- mendous storm, which soon caused the ship to part with both iter strong cables, with which she was at anchor at this time. In conse- quence of this terrible accident, having no anchor to stay her course, the vessel drove for nine miles upon a ledge of rocks, stretching into the sea from Long Island. After several very heavy seas had broken over her, she bilged, filled with water, and upset ! I and most of my comrades got outside of the ship, and hung by our hands on her sides, by grasping the ropes and rigging. For a time we were thus borne up in safety above the destructive billows. But what a dreadful situation ! To be rescued from instant death only by such a painful exertion of strength, suspended by our outstretched arms and grasping lingers over the yawning and roaring- deep ! Yet in this fearful situation we hung by our hands and fingers, over a watery grave, for eighteen hours ! ! And what a night iu which to be so exposed to the pitiless storm * Watts* lorth Psalm, THOMAS EUSTACE. 69 — a nljilit in which the cold was so intense that cattle on land were frozen to death even in their stalls ! sO that ever since they have in those parts remembered the days, by calling them " Cold Friday and Cold Saturday." Some of our comrades became exhausted, and could retain their hold no longer, but fell, one after another, into the raging deep, to rise no more ; and two or three were frozen to death with their hands clenched in the rigging. Our feelings were too painful and full of hor- ror to be described on this dreadful occasion. ** Then rose, from sea to sky, the wild farewell ; Then shriek'd the timid and stood still the brave; Then some leap'd overboard, with dreadful yell. As eager to anticipate their grave. And the sea yawn'd around her like a hell. And down she suck'd with her the whirling wave. Like one who grapples with his enemy. And strives to strangle him before he die. *' And first one universal shriek there rush'd^ Louder than the loud ocean, like a crash Of echoing thunder; and when all was hush'd. Save the wild wind, and the remorseless dash Of billows ; but at intervals there gush'd. Accompanied! with a convulsive splash, A solitary siiriek — the bubbling cry Of some strong swimmer in his agony." 70 THE ADVENTURES OF We saw our comrades fall, and heard their fruitless cries for help ! When they sunk, and their cries had cea.^ed, our Mate exclaimed " I wish it were so with us all ; for they have gone through it, and we have all soon to go through the same." I cannot express my feel- ings—" Here," I thought, " 1 hang by my hands sooner or later most inevitably to fall into the deep too," as there could not be conceived any human help at hand to rescue me from this horrible death ! I seemed to die a thousand deaths in fearing one. Here we hung from Friday night till Saturday afternoon, in hope- less, mournful dtt;pondence, clinging to the ropes and rigging, till our hands were be- numbed and had lost all feeling. When land was far, and death was nigh, Lost to all hope, lo God we cry ; His mercy lieard our loud address, And sent salvation in distress. Just as we were ready to give up all for lost, at 3 or 4 o'clock in the afternoon, a ship hove in sight, and, most providentially, she came by ! Oh! with what joy we hailed her with all the little strength remaining ! Nor w ere our cries in rain. She approached, and took our THOMAS EUSTACE. n wretched crew on board ; but we had hung so long in so cold an atmospliere that our hands were clenched and frozen to the rigging and ressel, so that had they not pulled us away, we should never have let go our hold alive ! They were obliged to unclench our hands by force, and drag us away, as we had no power to unclasp them ourselves. Thus most won- drouslv rescued from imminent death, by the providential arrival of this unexpected vessel, we were taken on board, and conveyed by them to Long Island, w hich was not far dis;- tant, and immediately messengers were dis- patched by boat to Belfast for a surgeon to attend us. As the storm had now ceased, the surgeon arrived in a sliort space of time, lie w as struck with surprise at beholding us alive, after hearing the narrative of our suiFerings, and much pitied us. He ordered us in- stantly to be put into cold water, to take the frost, by degrees, out of our limbs ; and im- mediately after poultices were applied to the parts affected. We staid on this island about a week, till we were a little refreshed and able to be moved, and then were placed on board a small packet, which conveyed us to North Fort. 72 THE ADVENTURES OF Having once again arrived alive at North Port, I anri my two companions, whose limbs had been frozen, were taken to the house of Captain Brown^ who hospitably received us. For seven weeks every means were used to save my limbs ; but, at length, apprehending a mortification, they decided upon the neces- sity of an amputation without delay. The consultation on my case was held by fourteen surgeons, not one of ivhom had ever cut off a limb before 1 ! It was a dreadful necessity ! They gave me the clioice of the surgeon who was to perform the operation. I chose Dr. Thuston, a young man of Casteen. I sujj- pose, from what I have heard of amputations in this country, that it will be scarcely cre- dited by my skilful countrymen that my sur- geon was a full hour and a quarter in cutting, or rather hewing^ off my limb, reckoning from the time I w as stretched on the table to the moment when he had hacked off the limb, taken up the arteries, dressed the wound, and put me to bed ! ! ! My leg was taken off be- low the knee ; and, surely, such a cruel piece of butchery was never before performed upon one human being by another in the character of a surgeon ! They all thought I should THOMAS EUSTACE. 75 liave died under the operation. Colonel Knovvlton, who was present, swore, that if I survived this cruel hacking, he would himself pay the expense of having an experienced surgeon to take off my other limb, sooner than I should again be thus butchered alive ! ! He performed his promise five weeks after. As soon as I was able to undergo the amputa- tion of another limb, he engaged an expe- rienced, skilful surgeon — one (to use his own expression) hard-hearted enough not to mind cutting a man to pieces, so that he could ren- der him a real service ! The surgeon was Dr. Doge, of Thomas Town. He was only one quarter of an hour in i^erforming the operation, from the time I was laid on the table till I was put in bed again. I was to all appearance dead. I fainted away for so long a time that they were preparing to lay me out ; but I was, by God's providence, restored to life. One of my com- panions was also obliged to have both his limbs amputated and the largest part of his hands. The other lost his feet. After my limbs were taken off, I had to go through eight more ordeals, each of which endangered my life. My eight fingers were cut off, one by one, a week K 1 74 TJIE ADVENTURES OF after each other, and in the amputation of each finger I understood that I sustained as great a risk of a lock-jaw as in the amputation of a limb ! After each operation I felt consider- able pain till the fifth day. The frequent twitching of the nerves, also, made me appre- hensive of a lock-jaw ; but, upon the appear- ance of matter in the wound, the danger, they said, was over : but, through the whole period of this dreadful trial, I was in conti- nual apprehension of death. It was an as- tonishing deliverance, that I should undergo the imminent danger of losing my life ten times successively, soon after each other, in the amputation of my two limbs and eight fingers, and should yet survive all these perils and sufferings! May gratitude be ever in- scribed on my heart, and may my legthened life be employed to the honour of that gra- cious Providence which preserved me I . It was a great alleviation, also, of my troubles, and conduced much to my comfort and recovery, that I was in the house of Cap- tain Brown, whose kind conduct, throughout the whole, I shall ever remember with atfec- tion. The Hospital, which is supported by a THOiMAS EUSTACE. penny per week, stopped out of the irages of all American seamen, defrayed my ex- pences. Every support and comfort, there- fore, which I needed was amply supplied. It was full six months before I could attempt to go out of doors ; and I shall never forget the sensations of distress that I experienced, when I first stumped out upon my knees, and had to look up to others walking upon their legs ! O ! how keenly 1 then felt the loss of my own ! Captain Brown made me his book-keeper, a» soon as I was able to undertake the office, for whicli he gave me board and lodging, and suf. ficient wages to purchase clothes. He wished me to remain with him and look after his busi- ness, but I now felt a desire to return to my native country, and was anxious once more to see my friends. I wrote, therefore, to my Father, and received a kind invitation from him to return immediately, accompanied with an offer to pay all expences. Captain James Trott, by whom I sent the letter, brought me, on his return, the invitation to return to Eng- land in the Minerva, from Boston. At the time I was at New York, the notori- ous Thomas Paine died at that place ; and, as his conduct and end occasioned much conver- 76 TIfE ADVENTURES OF sation, t will endeavour to give a faithful account of him, especially since his name and writiniys have excited such attention in our own country at the present crisis. In the year 1802 he came from Paris, — where he had sat in the Council which murdered the Sovereign, — to New York. His crimes having deprived him of the power of returning to his own country, which was then up in arms against his blasphemies, he was glad to come to America. The Americans were, unhappi* ly, his admirers ; but his dirty appearance and his drunken habits excited the astonish- ment and disgust of all. They had been, however, in 1777, so infatuated by his Af^e of Meason^ and especially his Common Sense and his Crisis, political pamphlets, that they supported him by a pension of £1000 per annum, and presented him with a good house for his residence. It may be easily con- ceived, from this, that the Americans, as a body, had not much regard for religion. In- fidelity and atheism were, indeed, very com- mon ; but abandoned and irreligious as many of the Americans were, Paine's conduct be- came so contemptible and profligate, that he was generally detested ! It was a notorious THOaAIAS EUSTACE. 77 fact, which brought him into great disgrace, that lie treated with great cruelty a French lady and her children, whom he had seduced from her husband, and who had followed him to America with her three sons. They would all have perished but for the kindness of the Americans, who patronized her when she was obliged to teach the French language to gain a pitiful support. He attempted, also, to cheat his servant-girl of her wages. Not a day past but he was intoxicated ; and he was so filthy in his person, and horrible in his ap- pearance, that scarcely a beggar would keep him company ! He often tippled till he fell into fits : he frequently drank a quart of brandy in a day. He destroyed the comfort of every family in which he resided ; for though he had a house of his own, he pre- ferred living in pot-houses, and boarding in families. At length every one grew tired of him, and no one would lodge him. At length a Mr. Jarvis, a portrait-painter, took him in. Here he often drank to a late hour, till he fell from his chair. Mr. Jarvis once sat up, from curiosity, to keep him com- pany, and to hear his conversation, but in vain he attempted to preserve him from intoxi- 78 THE ADVENTURES Ol* cation. He left him drinking at three o'clock, but returned at four to see what was become of him, and, behold ! this great and conceited philosopher lay dead drunk on the floor ! ! " Mr. Paine," said he, " let me raise you up." ** No, no," said Paine, " let me lie still, I feel a dizziness." " Yes," said Mr. Jarvis, taking mp the empty bottle, drained to the last drop, " your head must, indeed, swim !" Yet even in this state he reasoned about the soul. *' My soul," said he, " must be immortal ; for though my body has scarcely the power of moving a limb, my mind is as strong as ever !" One day Mr. Jarvis's servant took up Paine's Af/e of Reason to read. Mr. J. took it from her, saying, " You shall not open it for the world." " Why not," said Paine, rising up with anger. " Because," said he " she is a ffood ffirl, fearing God, and doing her duty ; but if she reads your Jlge of Reason, it will destroy all restraint upon her conduct, and she may cheat, rob, or murder me ;" and then calling Paine to the window, he said, " Look at that black man coming out of church — three years ago he was a very wicked, abandoned cha- racter ; he is now converted from his evil ways, and regularly attends church ! Observe how THOMAS EUSTACR. 7© well he is dressed, and how respectable his ap- pearance ! Formerly his neighbours avoided him as a pest ; but now thej shake hands with liim as friends. You see what a chanue relijxioa has produced in him." To this appeal Paine could make no answer, except by a sneer of contempt : he must, however, have keenly felt the contrast. After this he resided at a little mean pot-liouse, where he amused him- self with observing the people who daily came to see a sixpenny show, which was there exhi- bited. His sceptical friends, however, were ashamed of his conduct, and put to the blush on account of the miserable hovel where he had taken up his abode, and, for their credit- sake they dragged him away from a place so mean, and lodged him in the house of Mr. Ryder, whose situation in life was more re- spectable. As the history of Paine now be- came notorious, and much talked of, I will just give the Reader a sketch of his previous life to the period of 1802, when he came to America the second time. Thomas Paine was born at Thetford, in Nor- folk. His father was a staymaker, in poor cir- cumstances, but an honest Quaker. At the age of fifteen, contrary to all his father's remon- strances, he ran away, and entered as a sailor 80 THE ADVENTURES OP on board the King of Prussia, privateer. Re- turning, quite wearied of a seafaring life, lie commenced staymaker at Sandwich, where he married. Thence he removed to Margate, and, losing his wife, lie returned to Thetford to his Father, whose interest gained him a place in the Excise, and he became stationed at Lewes, in Hampshire. Here he prevailed on Miss Olive, a grocer's daughter, to marry him, and com- menced grocer. But he used this amiable young woman with such monstrous barbarity, that she was obliged to obtain a legal separa- tion from such a wretch. Soon after this he was convicted of defrauds upon the revenue, in consequence of which he was speedily dis- missed from the service. Thomas Paine was now so thoroughly detested in all this neigh- bourhood, that he was glad to slink away and hide himself from the eye of the world in Lon- don, where he contrived to earn a miserable subsistence in a garret, by scribbling some pestilential pamphlet, or copying out some manuscripts. Here, however, his evil genius did not forsake him ; for he contrived to scrape an acquaintance with Dr. Franklin, who, aware of his talents, but ignorant of his depravity of heart to pervert them to bad purposes, advised him to go to America. Here THOMAS EUSTACE. 81 he found a wide field for mischief! He saw the spirit of revolt rising in the Americans against the Mother Country—that country where he had already so disgraced himself; and he soon blew the spark of rebellion into a flame. Unhappily, England would not sooth the Americans, and, therefore, it was no diffi- cult matter to kindle their increasing dissatis- faction into ungovernable fury. Paine set his pen to work, and out came a publication, en^ titled Commo?i Seiise. The style was loose and vulgar, just adapted to the taste of the ^ mob, and it breathed a spirit of revenge exacts ly suiting their irritated feelings. The pamA phlet spread, like wildfire, through all Ame* rica. The Americans idolized the writer, and forthwith, at his advice, drew their swOrds against Old England. Paine followed up the attack he had made upon their old principles i of allegiance, by a series of papers called The iJrisis, equally vulgar, violent, and inflamma- tory. The Congress of America were caught by the cry in his favour, and elected him, in 1777, Secretary to the Committee for Foreign Affairs. They soon, however, discovered that he was destitute of every principle of trust and confidence, as every man must be who 82 THE ADTENTURES OF has not the fear of God before his eyes." What oath could bind a Paine or a Buona- parte, when all religious restraint was re- nounced ? Atheists and sceptics are not fit to be members of any society, for the Holy Book on which they take their oaths they revile as a fable ; and these oaths they will break, with- out ceremony, when it favours their interest or suits their pleasure. Paine, upon becoming Secretary to the Congress, took the usual OATH of SECRECY ; but the short-sighted Con- gress, who so rashly trusted an infidel with their secrets, soon found that Paine, notwith- standing all his oaths, was guilty of discover- ing them ! At once, therefore, they expelled the traitor from their assembly ! Having lost his credit and reputation in the New World, he now looked back upon the Old. Having done all the mischief he could in America, by kindling the American war against this coun- try, he now plotted, as if goaded by the De- mon of revenge, to destroy his own countrj^ by deluging it with civil war and bloody revolu- tion. Full of this mad and desperate scheme against England, flushed with the late success of his writings in America, " to cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war," this disturber THOMAS EUSTACE. 83 of the earth sailed back to England : but here the mad iiicendiarj found a people, at this period, too virtuous, and too attached to their good old King and Constitution, to listen to his lies ! ! ! His character was too well known and detested to gain admirers. He sunk into obscurity and contempt, and was thrown into a prison for debt ! ! In these forlorn circumstances, however, the sjiirit of evil did not fail him. While in poverty and rags he set his wicked wits to work, and conceived his book called The Jlge of Reason, that egg of mischief, which, as soon as it was fostered and hatched, burst and filled the world with the plagues which lay within it in embryo. The poison, contained in this book of ribaldry and blasphemy, would not, at this time, take in England. The taste of the people was too good — they nauseated it. The soil of England was too well filled with the good plants of virtue and religion, to allow room for these rank weeds to grow there ! The Governors in Church and State, at that memorable period, were too vigilant over the Throne and the Altar to allow them to be sapped by the mining influence of daring blasphemers or wily demagogues. The pam- S4 THE ADVENTURES OF phlet was soon arrested; and such measures were taken to notify the abominable nature of the publication, and to exhibit the character of the vile author to public odium, that not only was the book suppressed by public proclar motion, but the very populace, to their eter? nal renown, shewed such a veneration for the Pible, the Prayer Book, the Church, and tlia Constitution of their ancestors, that they gih-'. bitedthe blasphemer, and burnt him in effigy^ from one end of the kingdom to another ! | May every blasphemer, every vile enemy of pur unequialled Constitution, whether a Paine, 9. Carlile, a Hunt, or any other radical, who openly assaults them, or a C—- b — t, or a H— ne, who holds them up to sneer or ridicule, meet with similar proofs of public reprobation. Though Paine*s infamous Age of Reason was cried down in good old England, it was Tiiuch admired in wild, atheistic, republican France ! It just suited the mad schemes of those who wished to have no king to govern, no law to restrain, and no God to punish them ! And Paine, the daring author, having, by this book, made himself notorious as a fellow with no creed, no conscience, and no character, was jiist the bold and clever mis- THOMAS EUSTACE. 85 creant, the French wanted, to help them to bring their King to a scaffold, and reduce all ranks to one level ! The French Conven- tion, therefore, unanimously elected him a member of their body. Paine no sooner re- ceived intelligence of the high honour they bad conferred upon him, than he set off, with- out a moment's loss, for Paris, to take his seat in this King-killing assembly : and, unfortu* nately for the world, he was so precipitate in his flight, that the officers, sent to Dover to seize him, arrived just an hour too late ! The vessel was set off, or else Paine, with all his pestilential plots, would have been safely lodged in a British prison, instead of " going to and fro through the earth," like the arch- enemy of man, " as a roaring lion, seeking whom he could devour !'* Arrived at Paris, Paine had the malevojient satisfaction of putting in practice his own schemes of radical reform ! He took his seat in the Council of Five Hundred, and abetted them in their hard-hearted, bloody resolves to condemn and murder their Sovereign ! Ca- ressed and caressing, delighting and delighted, he triumphantly joined them in the mad na- tional chorus — 86 THE ADVENTURES OF ** Down with all kings. And millions be fiee." But " the triumphing of the wicked is short !" There is no friendship, no stability in those who delight in blood. In a short time the hand of the God of justice turned the current of affairs against these regicide conspirators ! — Paine and his impious crew were thrown into prison ! ! How he contrived to escape, when so many of them re-paid with their heads, at the guillotine, their crime of mur- dering their King, I cannot explain. His evil genius helped him to escape in order to attempt more mischief, or Providence perr mitted it, that we might learn an impressive lesson of wisdom from his awful end ! Safe out of prison, he resolved to quit France as soon as possible. But where should he go ? England, his native country, had out- lawed him ! America had disgraced him ! He dared not set foot in England ! He re- solved, therefore, again to try America, to see if he could not again acquire popularity, by in- flaming the passions of the people to mischief and wickedness, or to attempt, by cringing to the Congress, to gain support : and here he ar- rived again in 1802, in the dirty dress and dis- THOMAS EUSTACE. 87 graceful lial3its which I have related. At the time I was there, when residing at Mr. Ryder's, age and infirmities came upon him, and, sink- ing in gloom and melancholy, the bold blas- jDhemer began to shudder at his approaching end ! Feeble and almost helpless, and rapidly hastening to the grave, this renowned philoso- pher felt the weakness of his principles, and was seen and heard to cry like a child ! His mind seemed violently agitated with strange fears and wishes. Sometimes he earnestly wished to die — perhaps to know the worst of his apprehensions ! At other times he seemed very anxious as to what would become of his body after death ; and actually made appli- cation to the Quakers to suffer his remains to be interred in their burying-ground ! But this considerate people conceived too great an abhorrence of this arch-enemy of God^ and this disturber of man, to allow the bones of the blasphemer to pollute their soil ! It would be well if Englishmen would take an example from this simple and virtuous people. It would be well if, instead of disgracing them- selves by joining with a turn-coat Cobbett in depositing the pretended bones of Tom Paine in British ground, witli funeral honours, 88 THE ADVENTURES OF under a marble monument, they would throw them in a hole in the king's highway, where every loyal and Christian member of society might tread this wretch, this disgrace of hu- man nature, under foot, with the contempt and execration which his crimes and his infa^ my so pre-eminently merit! At least they would do well to allow this his posthumous friend and compunctious admirer the exclu- sive privilege of atoning for his former abuse of Tom Paine, by making him deposit his horrible bones in his own tomb ! ! But to return to Paine living with Mr. Ry- der. When his illness so increased as to por- tend the approach of death, his friend, Mr. - Ryder dismissed Iiim to a little house in the neighbourhood, so little do infidels like to be troubled with dying friends! But still an example was given of forgiveness by the poor French lady, whom he had deserted, Madame Bonneville. She, at her own expence, pro^ vided for him this cottage : perhaps the reason was, she had a little Christian principle left ! So ungrateful was Paine, however, so deficient in principle, notwithstanding all her perse- vering kindness and generosity, that whenever this forgiving French lady came to see him, he THOMAS EUSTACE. abused lier. Still she provided a nurse to at- tend the hardened wretch. The name of this woman was Hedden. She was a good woman, advanced in life; but he treated her so ill, and his language was so shocking, that, after she had endured, with patience, five uncomfortable, miserable days, she threatened to leave him ! Afraid, however, of losing so good a nurse, he apologized to her, and she was prevailed upon to remain. His pains, at times, were very great ; and now, what did all his former scep- ticism and blasphemies profit him ! Over- come w ith anguish, and full of fears, he cried out most loudly and passionately, for a long- time " O Lord, help me ! O Christ, help me ! O Lord, help me ! O Christ, help me ! &c. Dr. Manly, who attended him as his physi- cian, w as particularly struck with this evident want of confidence in his infidel principles. He exhorted him to repent, and to look to God's mercies, through Christ ; but his pride caused him to retain a profound silence. Af- terwards he proudly exclaimed, with an as- sumed voice and air of confidence, " I am not afraid to die." This was only bravado ; for, a night or two after, when death seemed to stare him in the face, he cried out, " I must say M 90 THE ADVENTURES OF what they make Jesus Christ to say upon the cross — ' My God ! my God ! why ? hast thou forsaken me.' " It was evident, after this, that his terrors were great and insupportable ; he was afraid to be left alone night or day, he in- sisted that some one should always be in the room, and he always had the curtains of his bed drawn back, that, by his own eyes, he might be convinced that they were there ; and, if ever he was alone, he would scream and shout until some person came. The infidel seemed to stand shivering- on the brink of a dark and boundless ocean, fearing to launch away I His feelings of horror increased as he ap- proached nearer the period of answering for his crimes and blasphemies before that God who will by no means clear the guilty ! Pride prevented his repentance and confession, or else it was plain he was no longer an atheist. His exclamations were the outcries of a sinner to a God and a Saviour whom he had afiVonted. It was said; they sometimes found him in the attitude of prayer. The thought of his wicked writings, and the mischief occasioned by him, seemed, at times, to oppress his spirits, A young Lady occasionally visited him, and brought him refreshments. He asked her one THOMAS EUSTACE. 91 day if she ever read his Age of Reason, " No," said she ; " I read a part, and I soon found it was a book so very bad in its ten- dency, that I burnt it." " You acted pru- dently," he replied ; " I wish all who had read my books had been as ^vise as you, and had consigned them to the flames ; for if ever the Devil had an agent upon earth, I am one." In this state of uneasiness, when the trem- bling blasphemer seemed standing, with dis- jway, *' on tlie solemn, silent shore Of that vast ocean he must pass so soon," one of his old brother infidels came to see him. Seeing his distraction and terror, he exhorted him to die, as he had lived, like a man : and then, evidently disappointed and vexed, he hastily quitted the room. " You «ee," said Paine to his Doctor, " what miserable comforters 1 have !" Dr. Manly was informed, in one of his visits, tliat he often exclaimed, in agony, " O Lord, help me ! God, help me ! Jesus Christ, help me !" repeating the expres- sions in a tone loud and terrible enough to alarm the house. He therefore visited him on 92 THE ADVENTURES OF the night? of the 5th and 6th of June, on pur- pose, he said, to test the truth of his opinions. And he gives the following account, in a Letter to Mr. Cheetham, which was generally ru- moured at New York : — " I purposely made him a late visit — it was midnight; he was in great distress — constantly exclaiming in the words above mentioned, when, after a considerable preface, I ad- dressed him ill the following manner, the nurse being pre- sent:— *« • Mr. Paine, your opinions, by a large portion of the community, have been treated with deference : you have never been in the habit of mixing in your conversation words of course; you have never indulged ia the practice of pro- fane swearing ; you must be sensible that we are acquainted with your religious opinions, as they are given to the world. What must we think of your present conduct? Why do you call upon Jesus Christ to help you ? Do you believe that he can help you ] Do you believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ? Come, now, answer me honestly : I want an answer as from the lips of a dying man, for I verily believe that you will not live twenty-four hours.' " I waited some time at the end of every question ; he did not answer, but ceased to exclaim in the above manner. Again I addressed him. " * Mr. Paine, you have not answered my questions ; will you answer them '? Allow me to ask you again — do you be- lieve, or, let me qualify the question, do you wish to believe that Jesus Christ is the Sou of God ]' After a pause of THOMAS EUSTACE. 93 some minutes, he answered, * I have no wish to believe on that subject.' " I thejj left him, and know not whether he afterwards spoke to any person on any subject, although he lived, as I have before observed, till the morning of the 8th. " Such conduct, under usual circumstances, I conceive ab- solutely unaccountable, though, with diffidence, I would re- mark, not so much so in the present instance ; for though the first necessary and general result of conviction be a sincere wish to atone for evil committed, yet it may be a question worthy of able consideration, whether excessive pride of opinion, consummate vanity, and inordinate self-love, might not prevent or retard that otherwise natural consequence? ♦« For my own part, 1 believe, that had not Thomas Paine been such a distinguished infidel, he would have left less equi- vocal evidences of a change of opinion." It is evident, from the terrors he felt, and from his doubts and fears, that, like all other infidels, he had no confidence in his principles, he had a strong suspicion there was a life to come, and he knew that that life to him would be eternal death ! He suspected that the Na- ZARENE, whom he had vilified, had almighty POWER to punish him: he seemed to appre- hend that he was approaching the bar of that Judge who would say, " Bring these mine enemies who would not that I should reign over them, and slay them before me !" Thus, THE ADVENTURES OF at ihe ^MlranGedage of seventy-two, this miser- Jtfele wretch ^' was driven away in his wicked- ness, without any liope in his death/* He died a victim to diseases brought on by vice and dvtmkenness, a loathsome spectacle, his vitals consumed with brandy^ and was buried, like a IjTTite, without any rights of sepulture, or any friend to shed over him a tear of regret. An end so isjiserable, marked by cowardice so ab- Jeety by forebodings so fearful, in a condition KO filthy and disgusting, w ith a mind so de- praved and demoniacal, befitted a life so abo- iiiinable and principles so base !^ A better commeut could not be made by the pen of man, than was made by the finj2rer of Death, upon the nature, tendency, and effects of those princi])les, by which Paine and his infi- del crew w ould enlighten the world, and cheer and benefit mankind I Paine*s notorious and flagitious conduct, and his awful, dastardly, and dreadful death preached a lesson at New York which I hope may reach Old England, IVlany who once admired his principles learned to detest and dread them, burned his writings, and execrated his name ; and, whatever moral injuries were, for a time, felt by society, from the execrable eilbrts of this blasphemer to THOMAS EUSTACE. m vilify Iiis God and to brutalize his species, mankind are more than ever convinced, by his final fate, that " verily tliere is a reward for the rigliteous, doubtless there is a God tiiat judgeth in the earth," that though men may live atheists, atheists they cannot die." hat a contrast with his end is that of the Christian ! Paine had to gro|>e his way into a dark eternity, through the dismal grave, amid, horrors and clouds of blackness and des])air ! The Christian can calmly approach the tomb, and say, with triumpli, Though I walktlirougk the valley and shadow of death, 1 will fear no evil, for thou, my God, art with me, thy rod and thy staff they shall comfort meT'^'^- * 23d Psalm. 96 THE ADTENTURES OF PAlNE's CHARACTER CONTRASTED WITH THOSE OF THE PATRIOTIC DUKE OF KENT AND OUR LATE GREAT AND GOOD KING, GEORGE THE THIRD. It now remains to deduce a few practical in- ferences from tlie above sketch of Thomas Paine, which may bring to a focus all the dark shades of his character, and then to con- trast it with the radiant excellences in the characters of the Duke of Kent, who was well known in North America at the same pe- riod, and of our late great and good King, George the Third. Let the despicable chief of infidel radicals be placed beside the Royal and venerated Patron of Piety and the intrepid Defender of the Faith and Constitution, and we shall soon see whom most to admire. THOMAS EUSTACE. 97 Of Paine, who can forbear saying, " His life was one continued scene Of all that's infamous and mean." But, looking' back upon his infamous career, there are some features which deserve our es- pecial notice, especially at this peculiar crisis. 1. He seems, in all his writings, to feel an unconquerable hatred to Law, Judge, and Jury, I would ask — For what reason ? An examination of his life will bring before us a few facts which will explain this. It appears that he had a talent for trick and chicanery, which some may think proper to dignify with the terms cheating and thieving. Why did he rail at a Judge and a Jury, but because he knew his villany deserved their sentence of condemnation } Why did he ex- claim so loudly against a jail and a gallows, but because he knew he was in danger of them ? 2. But it may be said, surely we must allow him the praise of a benevolent heart, which extended its sympathies to the whole world. When he gave, for a toast, at a dinner-meet- ing of radical Reformists, " Reformation to the whole world 1" he stretched his arms as N 98 THE ADVENTURES OF tliougli to clasp the four quarters of the globe in his fraternal embrace ! Well, let us exa- mine the 7iature of this benevolence. He set out with his first wife, on the tramp, from Margate to London. What became of her? No one can tell. But report, which was ge- nerally credited, informs us, that he suffered her to perish on ike road, in childbirth, or that he killed her by his hard usage and cruel- ty ! The truth was, Tom Paine's benevo- lence, like that of other radicals, consisted in lofti/ speculation alone : he could talk of " the abolition of promigeniture in France as re- storing parents to their children and children to their parents, and man to society." " But this benevolence" to use the words of liis panegyrist and friend Cobbett, " never de- scended so low as into action. In private life he was a brutal, savage husband, and an un- natural father !" Bis humanity was vastly too extensive to touch those around him : he felt too extremely for himself to feel for others. In short, he made so bad a husband that his second wife. Miss Olive^ w as glad to bnjj him off at the price of all she was worth, which was 85l. ! I am afraid that radical husbands could not now be bought off so THOMAS EUSTACE. 99 easily, however desirous tlieir wives might be to imitate Mrs. Paine. These bold champions lor liberty are generally tyrants in their fami- lies, and, therefore, " the worth of a demo- cratic spouse," to use the words of the noto- rious Cobbett, " even supposing him to be as valuable as his great leader, is just 55/. worse than nothing ! !" 3. But it may be asserted Paine was a man of great mind, superior to worldly titles and DISTINCTIONS. It is truc, indeed, he railed against kings, and wished to reduce all men to one level ; but he was glad to accept of any office, when it was within his reach. He abused the government, but he was glad to get into the office of exciseman; and for what purpose is evident. While an exciseman lie set up grocer, dealt in exciseahle articles, bought smuggled tobacco, as a grinder of snuff, and connived at others who did the same ; in consequence of which he was turned . out of the excise in disgrace ! He petitioned to be restored, but Government would not listen to him. This refused was the cause of all Tom's pretended patriotisin ! He imme- diately wrote against taxation, and called the Excise " a Hell-born monster." V/hen he 100 THE ADVENTURES OF could DO longer share the profits, he said the King and his JW.inisters plundered the people ! It is true, also, that Paine railed aginst the Clergy and tithes^ and that with all his might in his Rights of Man. But why ? Because Paine himself actually attempted to steal into the Church, by applying for Holy Orders^ after holding forth, for some time, as an itine- rant preacher! But because he could not obtain a Rectory for himself, he forthwith abused the Church for oppression, and tried another path to preferment — by entering the BROAD ROAD of OPEN BLASPHEMY! We haVe seen what honours he attained — a seat among; the King-kiUing assembly at Paris, and a place under the Jlmerican Congress I It should seem the Congress made him Secretary of the Committee for Foreign i^ffairs, (not a very honourable post,) from which, we are informed, he was dismissed, that is, he was turned out, for a scandalous breach of trust ! Now let us see Tom's magnanimous contempt of titles and offices I He tells his followers, as loftily as he could, that " the Congress of America made him their Secretary of State." And what is his account of his disgraceful dismis- sal? He tells his admJrers, with an air of THOMAS EUSTACE. 101 great importance, " A misunderstanding arose between Congress and ME!" Observe his modesty — " between Congress and ME!" What a great man he must have appeared to his shallow devotees ! 1 o use Mr. Cobbett's excellent comment, " as well mii>ht the cri- minal say he has had a misunderstanding with the judge who condemns him !" But Faine proceeds with admirable humility — " and so I resigned the office 1 1" How like a courtier is this raiier against courts and kings in his attempts to soften the disgrace with w hich he was turned out of this office of Se- cretary to the Committee ! Tom, like all other radicals, ivould he great if he could, and, if disappointed, rail at his betters ! 4. But Mr. Cariile tells us that he admired Paine's writings because they contained the best system of rational religion, and were most calculated to promote the honour of the Divine Being, and the good of mankind ! Now we find that, when it suits his purpose, Tom makes some fine hypocritical professions of reverence for " the word of God." In his Common Sense, when he raves against the Go- vernment that had disgraced and outlawed him, he exhorts them to rebel against it " be- 102 THE ADVENTURES OF cause the word of God bears testimony against it;" and he proposes to them " to promulgate a new charter, by solemnly setting apart a day for bringing it forth, placed on the dwine law — the word of God. Shew your faith" he says, " bij your ivorks, that God may bless you. We claim brotherhood with every European Christian, and glory in the generosity of the sentiment!'* Yet be who, at one time, called the Holy Scriptures the word of God, and quotes them, as an in- fallible guide, at another time, to use the words of Mr. Cobbett, " ridicules them as a series of fictions, contrived by artful priests to amuse, delude, and cheat mankind!" " Surely," says an American writer, " we cannot sufficiently reprobate the baseness of Paine in attacking Christianity. While ex- periencing in prison the fruits of his visionary theories of government, he undertakes to dis- turb the world by his anti-religious opinions. No language can describe the wickedness of the man who will attempt to subvert a reli- gion which is a source of comfort and conso- lation to all its votaries, merely for the sake of eradicating all sense of religion i" We may now look with interest at a picture i THOMAS EUSTACE. 103 of his character which Mr. Cobbett once drew with accuracy and truth. — " Every effort should be exerted to convince the world that all men of sense and worth agree in their ab- horrence of the work and its malignant au- / thor. He has done all the mischief he can in the world, and whether his carcase be now suffered to rot in the earth, or to be dried in the air, is of very little consequence. When- ever or wherever he breathes his last, he will excite neither sorrow nor compassion ; no friendly hand will close his eyes, not a groan will be uttered, not a tear will be shed. Like Judas, he will be remembered by posterity ; men ivill learn to express all that is base, ma- lignant, treacherous, unnatural, and blasphe- mons, hy the single monosyllable — Paine'' Mr. Cobbett has completed this faithful picture in the following EPITAPH ON THOMAS PAINE. " When the wight who here lies beneath the cold earth, First quitted the land that had given him hirth, I4e cnnifuenc'd the apostle of bloodshed and strife, And praclis'd the trade to the end of his life. Sedition and nonsense and lies lo dispense. He took up the title of Old Common Sense; 104 THE ADVENTURES OF Taught poor honest men how rich rogues to keep under. Excited to pillage, and sliar'd in the plunder; But when there no longer was plunder to share, His " common sense" led him to seek it elsewhere. To his countrymen now he return'd back again. The wronger of rights and the right er of men; He told them they still were a nation of slaves. That their king was a fool and his ministers knaves ; And the only sure way for the people to thrive Was to leave neither one nor the other alive. But Thomas, who never knew when he should stop, Went a little too far, and was catch'd on the hop. In short, 'twas determined that poor Tom should lose His ears at a post, or his life in a noose. " Old Common Sense" boggles, then skulks out of sight, - I'hen packs up his rags, and decamps in the night. His arrival at Paris occasions a fete. And he finds in the den of assassins a seat. Here he murders and thieves, and makes latvs for a season; Is cramm'd in a dungeon, and preaches up — * Reason;' Blasphemes the Almighty, lives in filth like a hog. Is abandon'd in death, and interr'd like a dog. " Tom Paine for the Devil is surely a match: In Old England at hanging he cheated Jack Catch ; In France (the first time such a thing had been seen) He cheated the watchful and sharp Guillotine; And at last, to the sorrow of all the beholders. He march'd out of life with his head on his shoulders." • This, then, my countrjmen, is the giaiid apostle of iiifideiity, and the leader of aJl the THOMAS EUSTACE. 105 radicals in the world. It is no disgrace to light to compare it with darkness, nor does it diminish the glory of an angel to contrast with him a demon. Let me, then, now con- trast with this despicable wretch, the truly WORTHY AND PATRIOTIC DuKE of KeNT, wllQ resided in Canada, in North America, about the same time — the Patron of piety and order. Let me, also, contrast with this refuse of mankind the illustrious FATHER of his People, the Friend of Europe and the World, the strenuous Defender of the Christian Faith, the Patriot King^ the great and good George the Third, whom Providence has lately called from admiring Britain to a world of peace and joy. The worthy Duke of Kent was educated by his Royal Father in Christian princi- ples. The seeds of virtue sown in him ex- panded, as he grew up, into blossoms and fruit, resembling those which adorned the youth, the manhood, and the old age of our late VENERATED SOVEREIGN. He had rank and affluence. There was no need for him to practice hypocrisy to serve his interests ; he loved religion for its own sake; he practised virtue from choice; he venerated the Bible, o 106 THE ADVENTURES OF because he was coiiyinced it was tbie inspired word of God; he performed his duty as a SOLDIER, as a HUSBAND aiid a FATHER, aiid as a MEMBER OF SOCIETY, fVoiii a principle of re- gard to the divine authority, and from a bene- volent wish to serve his country and his fel- low-creatures. To do his DUTY, not to push his fame or his fortune, seemed to be the governing principle of his life. After servin*^ under General Ci'Harris, at Gibralter, he went to the wilds of Canada, where he remained with his regiment six tedious years. The order and discipline which he established in his regiment proclaimed his attention to his dutv and his contentment in that long exile from the more civilized world. The high respect in which his name is held, and the warmth with which his virtues are spoken of, to this day, by the Canadians, are strong testimonies how much he endeared himself amongst them. In truth, his justice, his firmness, his benevolence, his urbanity and condescension were celebrated throughout all that country, as far as New York, where his name was often mentioned with high delight. During his residence as Governor of Hali- fax, he attracted the love and respect of th© THOMAS EUSTACE. 107 whole country. The inhabitants unanimously voted him five hundred guineas, to purchase a diamond star, which they presented to him as a token of their high admiration and respect. They much admired his character and exam- ple. While resident there, he was known only by the title " Prince Edward," not having been raised to the Peerage till a little before he left America. Prince Edwasd was much ad- mired for his personal dignity. It was said his manners were so elegant, and his address so pleasing, that every one who had the honour of being in his company, was highly gratified. His conversation was spoken of as peculiarly excellent, surpassing that of man- kind in general ; and he was listened to with the highest delight, as one of the most correct and powerful speakers in the country. His understanding was considered strong, his com- prehension quick, and his memory so reten- tive, that he never forgot a face that he had once seen, or a circumstance that he ever heard which deserved remembrance. Having travelled much, he was possessed of general information on every subject. At that early age his habits were peculiarly regular and methodic. Summer and winter he always 108 THE ADVENTURES OF rose before day-ligiit ; immediately after which lie took coffee, prepared over night ; and, at- tended bj the hair-dresser of the regiment the lirst of any of the officers, he was always pre- pared to be in the field at an early hour. Af- ter dressino-, he first settled the accounts of his household for the preceding day, and then ex- ercised his regiment, if in the summer-season, for two or three hours. His table was elegantly and plentifully supplied, and enlivened with company three or four times a week; but no excess was allowed. His own habits were most temperate ; he seldom took more than two irlassesof wine at dinner, atid never was known to drink to excess. No less did he signalize himself in the post of danger than by his virtues in retirement. In the attack upon the French islands, under Sir Charles Grey, this princely Duke exposed his person to the most imminent peril, and to his courage and intrepidity it was owing that the victory was ours. The important services thus rendered to his country gained him, upon his return to Eng- land, an appointment as Governor of Gib- RALTER. And^ here again we recognize the principle of active virtue exerting itself in THOMAS EUSTACE. 109 the discharge of his duty to his troops and lo the inhabitants. Undismayed by evil and by good report, he used his authority for the re- straint and expulsion of immorality and vice from the fortress. He introduced such a strict discipline among the soldiery, as prevented their improper resort to the tcine-Jiotises. These had been for a long time scenes of abo- minable profligacj^ in Gibralter, in which the soldiers were too commonly guilty of intoxi- cation and riot, to the great annoyance and terror of the peaceable inhabitants. The well-meant and benevolent attempts of the illustrious Prince were much opposed and misrepresented by the wine and spirit mer- chants, whose interest it was to keep up these excesses, and by the soldiers, who disliked to ,be abridged of them; but, undismayed by threats and insults, the illustrious Commander persevered till he had either lessened and re- stricted the practice, or closed the wine-houses. The industrious inhabitants, who felt the be- nelit of these regulations, in the peace and comfort: now enjoyed in the fortress, hailed and celebrated him as their best benefactor. But what reward did the Princely Governor meet with? The tongue of slander and ca- 110 THE ADVENTURES OF lumiiy had been moved against him too strongly and too successfuilj ; he was recalled from his post. But though he thus lost military rank, and never took the command of a fort or an army again, he lost not an atom of his aciive virtues and his deep rooted principles. He employed those energies in peaceful life, both in public > and private, for the good of his fellow-men and the whole world, which might have been confined to a barren, half-peopled rock in the ocean, w asted as a guardian of desolate wilds, or might have borne him to the mouth of a destructive battery. The hand of a gracious Providence ovsr-ruled the whole for the great benefit of himself and the nation. The principle of duty and benevolence led him to become the Patron, the President, or Vice-President of almost every Charity for which the British metro>t]olis is celebrated throughout the world. That blessed Book which he studied, and which appeared to be the guide of his life, taught him to be a phi- lanthropist without regard to name, sect, or party. He united with all Christians in coun- tenancing and supporting and heading with his name, his purse, and his prayers, a Hospi- THOMAS EUSTACE. Ill tal, a Dispeiisaiy, an Asylum, a Penitentiary, a Society to send the Word of God unto all nations, in their own tongues, or Missionaries to preach that Word. This active and patriotic Prince, of manly virtues so resembling those of our late vene- rated Sovereign, was ever ready, at the call, to give his presence and support to every plan of benevolence, every act of mercy and piety. On one day we see him laying the foundation of a church, on another of a hospital. One day he excites the pious plaudits of thousands, as a Patron of the Bible Society, to give that blessed Book to our naval or military heroes, or to send it to the farthest shores of the earth. At another he attracts the admiration of a Charity School, or an Orphan Establish- ment, by his presence. His private acts of benevolence were very numerous, and to these, with his public chari- ties, is greatly to be attributed that accumu- lation of debt by w hich he was oppressed ; but for the discharge of which he has am- ply provided by life-insurances, which will now liquidate the whole. The writer of this may be here allowed to speak warmly, having received an especial favour from the Royal / 113 THE ADVENTURES OF Duke. The manner and the motive of his granting permission to dedicate a work to him were as gratifjing as the favour itself. In due time, this noble Prince, with the united wish and applause of the nation, chooses the Sister of our admired Prince Leo- pold, the distinguished husband of our be- loved and never-to-be-forgotten Princess Char- lotte, for his Royal Partner! And now we behold him a husband and a father. What af- fection and kindness reign in his domestic circle, and are reciprocally returned from the Partner of his life and his princely widowed Brother. Claremont and Kensinoton can bear witness to scenes of endearment, satis- faction, and happiness, which could flow from no ot>ier source but from minds rightly con- stituted, enlarged by knowledge, puriiied by religious principle, and stored with virtuous sentiments. Let the radical reformist, let the drunken blasphemer look at these pious and happy retreats, and, from the shades of the virtuous and princely dead, and from the bright example of the illustrious living inha- bitants, let them learn to reform themselves, as the chief road to prosperity and peace ; let them learn " to fear God with all their heart, THOMAS EUSTACE. 113 and to love their neighbour as themselves then will they " honour the King, love mercy, do justly, and walk humbly with God" and peaceably with their fellow-men. But " the righteous are often taken away early from the evil to come," while the sinner, though " he come to multitude of years, and see many days, — yea, though he be an hun- dred years old shall perish." The arch incendiary and blasphemer, Paine, was allowed to drag on a wretched existence to old age ; but he had his portion, poor as it was, in this life. The pious and patriotic Prince, whom we have been contemplating, was cut down in his full strength, " his bones moistened with marrow," his stem vigorous in manhood, ail his faculties in perfection, and his branches bending with matured virtues and buds of future promise. He was retired with his Royal Consort to Sidmouth, in Devon- shire, to gain a milder atmosphere for the Partner of his bosom and their beloved offspring. But how soon may our brightest prospects be all beclouded! Here, while gratefully enjoying the comforts of domestic life and the blessings of a gracious Provi- dence, and caressing the infant of so many 114 THE ADVENTURES OF hqpes, who might possibly become the future Hei ress of the British Realms, he was seized with an inflammation on the lungs ; but con- ceiving his indisposition not deserving of any serious attention, he unhappily neglected it, till remedies were of no avail, and he sunk to the grave like the sun going down at noon I amid the tears of an affectionate Family, and the blessings of thousands, who will ever cherish his memory, and connect every thing that is good, generous, princely, and patriotic, with the single monosyllable— Kent.. Behold the contrast ! He died with humble resignation to the will of God, and with hope of his favour ! - The righteous hath hope in his death \" His life evidenced the power of religious principle; it was a beautiful illustra- tion of the Christian religion, of which he was a firm believer and strenuous supporter; it taught him that charity which suffereth long and is kind, that gentleness, and meekness, and good- ness, which are its distinguishing features, that virtue, patience, temperance, and brotherly kindness, which are its garments of beauty. We may say of him and of his Royal Niece, the Consort of his illustrious brother Leopold, who. THOMAS EUSTACE. 115 in her noble, princely character and disting-uish- :mg virtues, so resembled him, and to whom he was particularly atti>ched — They were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their deaths they were not divided." His death, so patient and resigned, mysterious as it was, well became a life distinguished by a long line of admirable virtues. When suddenly called to leave the world, to bid farewell to a beloved Princess, the partner of bis life, and to close his eyes on his beloved infant, heart-rending as it was, we hear no murmurs, no exclamations of woe, no fore- bodings, as in the miserable end of the proud infidel. No, all is Christian composure, solemn reflection, pious submission to the will of the Supreme Being, accompanied with a humble resignation of his soul into the hands of his God and Saviour ! Come, ye infidels, and see with what peace a Christian can die. Then look back upon the dying horrors of Voltaire, the agonies of Diderot and Condorcet, the execra- tions and outcries of Paine, and form your judgment. What is the best system for a dying hour? The light of the righteous rejoiceth, but the lamp of the wicked is put out." The wicked are driven away in their wickedness, but the righteous hath hope in his death.'' Let 116 THE ADVENTURES OF me die the death of the righteous^ and let my last end be like his." But for the life that now isj Christianity and virtue are preferable to infidelity and vice. They ensure often a more prosperous life^ and always a life more happy. ^'^ Godliness hath the promise of the life that now isj as well as of that which is to come. Godliness with contentment is great gain." It now makes our peace flow as a river^ and that peace tends upwards^, till it reach the fountain of all joy and felicity. Though sudden illness obstructed the current of the noble Prince's life^ its course was direct to the ocean of blessedness^ and thither lie isj doubtless, wafted. While, therefore, we drop the tears of affection and pungent sorrow into his grave, and say, Alas ! the beauty of Israel is slain on the high places," we lift up our dewy eyes, in joyful hope, to that crown of glory which is, we trust, presented to him, and which Christ shall give to all them that love his appearing. How more signally still does the contrast ap- pear .between the Royal Father and this black Prince of the Radicals and Blasphe- mers — those giants in wickedness in our days." Here was a Monarch who came to the throne under the most prosperous circumstances. THOMAS EI3STACE. 117 with the love and admiration of the nation, sur- rounded with all the means of gratification which power and wealth could give him, and of sufficient discretion to make the choice of his principles and his conduct; and whatever he might do, the law of the land maintained " The King can do no wrong." But never was a de- claration so truly applicable, in very deed, to our late departed virtuous and pious King. Two ages flowed away under his sceptre, during all which time he appeared the disinterested Father of his people, the bright example of virtue, the firm Defender of the Christian Faith, the advocate and maintainer of Christian prac- tice, the assertor of the liberties of Europe and the world. The address of the Quakers to him, on his coronation, seemed prophetic— May sacred and unerring Wisdom be thy guide, adorn thee with every virtue, and crown thee with every blessing, that future ages may com- memorate the happiness of thy reign with grateful admiration."— What a contrast to the parricide Paine ! His Majesty gloried to have been born and bred a Briton. He declared this in his first speech from the throne. A real friend to true and rational liberty, he 118 THE ADVENTURES OF avow^ed that the civil and religious liberties of his loving subjects were equally dear to him with the most valuable prerogatives of his crown. And what did he conceive was best cal- culated to promote the rights of mankind ? Was it to abohsh the Sabbath, and discard the Bible, as Paine and his host of radicals would propose as the best expedient ? No. He tells his Par- liament in his first speech — " As the surest foundation of the civil and religious rights of my loving people, and the best means to draw down the Divine Favour on my reign, it is my fixed purpose to countenance and encourage the practice of true religion and virtue." His con- duct was ever in uniformity with these profes- sions. He maintained a full, free, and inviolable liberty of conscience ; and he made the Judges independent of the crown. Our late excellent Sovereign was a Christian, not only from early education, and as a native of England, but from conviction and choice. A pious Mother had anxiously instructed him, and wished his tutors to imbue his mind with religi- ous sentiments, and to train him to virtuo^us habits. But his tutor, the Earl of Bute, was tinctured with objectionable principles, and one THOMAS EUSTACE. 119 of his tutors had been recommended by the in- fidel Lord Bolingbroke. But notwithstanding the attempts made by his governor. Lord Bute, to mislead his Royal Pupil, such was the vigour of the young King's mind and the correctness of his judgment, that he preferred the religion and laws of his country to all innovations and pre- tended improvements. As a good King, he guarded, with equal firmness, his own preroga- tives as the Monarch — the Constitution in Church and State, and the proper rights of the people. He would live on bread and water," said Lord North, " to save the Constitution from in- jury: he would at anytime suffer martyrdom for the laws of England." And as King William would have perished on the last Dyke to save the independence of his native country, so our late excellent Sovereign would sooner have fer- tilized the soil of his native island with his bloody than have surrendered a particle of her rights, a foot of her empire, or an atom of her ma- jesty. Yet, with all this, such was his integrity, that soon after his accession, when, upon a dissolu- tion of Parliament, it was proposed to make interest in order to obtain a return of minis- terial members, his Majesty made this ever- 120 THE ADVENTURES OF memorable reply — No money shall be ex- pended on elections. I will give no bribe^ and use no interest : I will be tried by my country/' This beautiful trait of moral worth and inde- pendence^ in his late Majesty, is Avell drawn in the following lines : — ** Tried by your Country, to your People's love, Amiable Prince, so soon appeal ! Stay till the tender sentiments improve, Kipeiiing to gratitude and zeal. " Years hence, ah ! too, too soon, shall Britain see The trial of thy virtue past. Who could foretel that your first wish vvould be What we believe will be your last." With this firmness of principle^ it is a pecu- liar testimony in favour of Christianity, that our late great and good King was equally distin- guishable for his adherence to religion, and for zeal in its defence and establishment. The piety of the King was a source of great encouragement to all the loyal and Christian subjects of the realiu. " How did every heart in every eye appear! While rapture beam'd, aflection dropp'd a tear." THOMAS EUSTACE. 12% Yet he bore his high qualities so meekly, that he attracted the admiration of all. The practi- cal illustration he gave of his Christian princi- ples crowned the whole. Every one knew his justice and mercy, and benevolence of charac- ter ; his faithful discharge of every social duty, as a husband and father ; his unwearied attention to his high functions of royalty as King of the British Isles ; his active zeal for religion, and his cordial piety to God. Every one knew that, while infidelity was spreading a moral plague upon the Continent, and some of its sovereigns favoured its progress, that our good King was a firm, a consistent Christian. While a spirit of irreligion had gone forth, and the habits of carelessness and immorality had become too general in this Kingdom, the Sovereign set an example of moral dignity which commanded ge- neral respect. While from the nobleman to his tenant, and from the farm-house to the cot- tage of the poor man, family-devotion and fa- mily-piety had declined, England's firm, pious Monarch kept up the good old Christian prac- tices of our ancestors, and walked in the good old paths of primitive piety and domestic virtue. He rose early and with the rising of the sun, Q 122 THE ADVENTtiRES OF at six o'clock attended prayers in his own chapel, and then, like David, the pious and be- loved monarch of Judah, " returned'' from the public services at the temple " to bless his house.'' There, in the midst of his family, he taught his subjects by example how to instruct their families, and bring them up in the nur- ture and admonition of the Lord." I: fully believe, myself, that, under Provi- dence, the firmness and piety of the King were the salvation of the country. He joined with his patriotic, sagacious Minister, the immortal Pit, in suppressing infidelity, and in expelling the French infidels from our shores ; and, by the prompt measures then adopted, Paine's works were suppressed, and himself outlawed. And God so prospered the pious labours of the Monarch, for the peace and welfare of his people, who, as a father, cared for them as his children, watched over their prosperity, and encouraged their virtue, that though he took the crown in war, he laid it down in profound peace, a peace which, under his counsels, guided by the blessing of Almighty God, is established throughout the world ! The reign of our great and pious Monarch has been eventful and glorious to Britain indeed ! THOMAS EUSTACE. 123 It commenced over a population of twenty millions of subjects ; it has terminated in a sway over one hundred and twenty tnillions!! with an extent in territory not much inferior to the whole expanse of Europe. What a blessing to England, to Europe, and the world, had Providence in store, when he prepared for the throne of Britain our late Sovereign ! He gave the world this righteous King in mercy. And his purposes for the illumination and salvation of nations appear unfolding them- selves in giving to a British King and British laws so large a portion of the earth. When God is about to do some great good in the earth, he generally raises up the spirit of Princes to co-operate with him in his de- signs. God evidently raised up George the Third to stem the tide of profligacy, atheism, and anarchy, which would have over-run and overwhelmed this kingdom. He has raised up the good and great Alexander to co-operate with him, at the other extremity of the Euro- pean Continent, in the godlike compact and endeavour to diffuse Christianity over the world, and to settle all its inhabitants under its peaceful sceptre, linked together in the -bonds of Christian fellowship! Oi com® 124 THE ADVENTURES OF that happy, glorious reformation, when the warriors of the earth shall all " beat their swords into ploughshares!" O! for a com- plete eradication of selfishness, vice, profane- ness, and wickedness, and the implantation of every virtue that ennobles man, sweetens hu- man society, and dignifies our condition ! May the power of divine truth, proceeding from the sanctuary, and strengthened by the arm of law, and seconded by royal autho- rity and example, go forth, till the world sub- mit to its sceptre, and become willing prose- lytes to its cause ! May the empire of righte- ousness and happiness extend, till it embrace the limits of the earth, and all the ends of the earth see the salvation of God, and enjoy a jnillenium of harmony and love. This is the reform we anticipate from the combined en- deavours of righteous Kings and Queens, who shall still be nursing fathers and nursing mo- thers to the Church, and to every plan and efFort-of benevolence, of instruction, of relief, and consolation ! To such a reform, such an amelioration of human sufferings, such a sup- ply of human wants, to such a relief to human wretchedness, and such cordials of comfort to his pepple,George the Third, by pr€cept,encourag€- THOMAS EUSTACE. 125 ment, and example, greatly contributed. God also imparted, during a long Regency, his judg- ments and liis righteousness to the King's Son. " He has judged the people with righteousness and the poor with judgment, so that the mountains have brought peace to the people, and the little hills righteousness." From a sense of the benefits experienced, for more than half a century, under our late beloved and pious Monarch, and those perpetuated by his present Majesty, who, for so long a season, was the able representative of his Royal Fa- ther's wisdom and firmness, and the faithful executor of his plans and wishes, let us say with cordial affection and sincerity, and with devout prayer — " God save the King,'' and may all orders resolve to " fear God a;id ho- nour the King." Compare all this prosperity and happiness with the reform that our modern pretended illuminators and hollow reformists would give us.. Yes, they would reform us ! How ? Not by making improvements, first, in themselvesy. and then circulating that improved example among their followers, but by ruining them- selves, the Church, and the State ! They would form a government by rebellion, esla- 1-36 THE ADTENTUilES OF blish law by anarchy, and dispense justice by the hands of a vindictive rabble. From such reform may a gracious Providence still deliver us, and extend over us the banner of a pro- tecting Sovereign and the aegis of unaltered laws, may strengthen the edifice of our une- qualled Constitution, and settle it immove- able upon the basis of a people's love. May He by whom Kings reign and Princes dispense justice be pleased to bless us, to the remotest times, with pious Sovereigns, by whose exam- ple and influence upon the populace a general disposition to peace and good-will, to morality and order, may be promoted through all ranks and classes of the community ; and may Britons, perceiving, as by demonstration, the superk>r blessings of law and religion to revo- lution and impiety, thankfully receive the benefits of a good and beneficial government, under mild and benign princes, and continue, to the latest ages, to fear God and honour THE King. THOMAS EUSTACE. 127 CHAPTER VI. Returns to England — Arrives at Liverpool— Fetched to War- rington by a Clergyman, and sent Home — Dangerous Acci- dent near Thame — Arrival at Chinnor — Reception by his Father— Settlement and Marriage. I HAD now completely recovered from the ef- fects of my shipwreck, with the loss of my limbs and fingers, instead of my life, and, cheered with a pressing invitation from my Father, I was now, also, desirous of returning to England. I determined, therefore, woeful as my plight was, once again to revisit my Country and 128 THE ADVENTURES OF my Friends. Without loss of time, I con- trived to get myself conveyed to Boston, where I went on board the Minerva. The thoughts of Old England, " and the land of my fathers,'* rushed upon my mind, mixed with feelings of desire, shame, and regret. " On the broad ocean, where the moonlight slept. Thoughtful, I turn'd my waking eyes, and wept; And whilst the thronging forms of mem'ry start. Thus held communion with my lonely heart: * Land of my Fathers,' may I tread your shore, Tho' mourned the shade of hours that are no more! Wiiilst night-airs, like remember'd voices, sweep. And murmur from the undulating deep, Whate'er the struggles of this heart may be, * Land of ray Fathers,' it shall beat for thee!" We had a pleasant voyage to Liverpool, in which nothing occurred particularly worthy of notice, except my own feelings respecting my sorry condition, of which 1 was ashamed, and my desire of seeing my friends, which nearly got the better of my distressing appre- hensions. I had arrived many days before I saw or heard of any one belonging to me ; and I seemed to myself ** A homeless stranger in my native land." THOMAS EUSTACE. 129 The Captain had but a short time to remain, and he declared that, if no one came to meet me, he would not leave me on shore, but carry me back to America. There was, indeed a reason, for his own interest, why he should not leave me without the payment of my fare ; for the Americans would have discharged the ex- pence of my passage and return, had he con- veyed me back, agreeable to their general custom with respect to all seamen who come into distress by shipwreck and suffering in their service. They would, also, have allowed me a pension, on my return to settle there. Just before the ship sailed, however, I was pleasingly gratified by the arrival of a friend. The fact was, as I found afterwards, that my Brother had come down to Liverpool the year before, and, in his way, stopped at Warring- ton, a market-town, twenty miles from Liver- pool, to lay my case before a clergyman who resided there, whom he knew, as he was a native of a village not far from Chinnor; viz., the Rev.. S. Piggott, Minister of Latchford. He requested him to take the charge of me, when the ship should arrive. This friendly office he most readily engaged to undertake; but, through the delay of the R 1.30 THE ADVENTURES OF post, in consequence of my having to write to my Brother, upon my arrival at Liverpool, and of his writing back to Warrington, the informa- tion was not received by Mr. Piggott till some time after the ship had entered port. As soon as the information reached him, this Clergy- man sent off to me a suit of clothes, and other necessaries ; and, soon after, Mr. Messenger, of Warrington, came over, commissioned by that Gentleman, and, by his kind interference and that of his friends, the Captain at length consented to my discharge, upon payment of all expences, which they immediately dis- charged. The next day they put me in the coach which brought me to Warrington. I shall not forget the kindness of Mr. Messen- ger, whose commiseration, benevolence, and attention, were so conspicuously shewn, in obtaining my discharge and bringing me to Warrington, and afterwards in forwarding me to London. He is now dead, but I hope every blessing may rest on his worthy widow, for all this kindness of her benevolent husband. The Clergyman being apprised by Mr. Mes- senger of my arrival, lost no time in coming to meet me, soon after nine on the Sunday. He was as much surprised as I was mortified, THOMAS EilSTACE. 131 in beholding me stumping upon mj knees; for he had sent me a suit of clothes, supposing that I might have lost the use of my limbs, but not at all conceiving that I was deprived of them. I thanked him for his kindness, and informed him, that as the stockings and shoes were of no use to me who had no legs, I had parted with them to help to purchase some suitable apparel. His church-duties requiring his departure, I promised to go down, in the course of the day, to Mersey Mills, near War- rington, where he then resided ; but, reflect- ing, after his departure, on my sorry appear- ance and disabled condition, I was too ashamed to go. Some sailors, or rather flat- men, who accompany the boats in the River Mersey, of which there are a great many in the town, and some rather respectable in their circumstances, found me out, and they con- veyed me through the town with much pride and glee, boasting of my adventures, and ex- hibiting me as an object of wonder, and a miracle of providential preservation. I found myself so happy at that time amongst these friendly sailors, and was so ashamed to enter the company of those who knew me, or my friends, that I believe 1 should never have 132 THE ADVENTURES OF summoned up sufficient resolution to go down to Mersey Mills at all ; but the Clergyman, hearing of my conduct, sent a child's gig for me at noon, and they put me in it, with a little gentle violence, and drew me down. Arrived at the house, I was ready to creep be- hind the door, ashamed that Mrs. Piggott and her family should be spectators of my degraded and miserable condition. At length, when I entered the parlour, I felt so abashed and con- fused, that I wished myself back in America a hundred times ; and, had 1 been left to myself, I should have stumped back to Warrington, She perceived my uneasiness, and soothed my agitated spirits ; and, at length, inspired me with some encouragement, and remained at home to take care of me, instead of going to church. I much entreated her to allow me to go back to Warrington, promising to return; but my entreaties were useless, as she thought I should be in danger of being led astray. She kept me in the parlour with her little family, talking to me respecting my past con- duct, and encouraging me to bear up under my calamities, persuading me that I should meet with a welcome reception on my return home, and be cheered with the friendly com- THOMAS EUSTACE. 133 miseration of all my countrymen. I appre- hended, however, so much mortification in re- turning home in so crippled a condition, and so much dreaded to meet the eyes of others, that I told her I only wished just to go to the top of Chinnor Hill, and see the village and my own friends, a hundred yards off, without being seen by them, and then I would gladly return to America to end my days, far from the sight of them all. By degrees, however, she soothed me into hope and resignation, and the instructive observations she made to me, respecting my past conduct, the providence of God in preserving me, and the obligations which I ought to feel to serve Him faithfully in my future life, made an impression on my mind which, I trust, will never be erased, and, I hope, will be remembered, to my benefit, throughout my remaining days, and dispose me to prepare for a better state of existence, in the eternal world to come. That evening Mr. Piggott had me con- veyed back again to Warrington in the same small gig, and he and Mr. Messenger repre- sented my unfortunate and distressed case to Mr. Hughes, the master of the Nag s Head inn, in consequence of which he humanely 134 THE ADVENTURES OF permitted me to go in the coach as an inside passenger for outside fare. i^nd now, snugly seated within the Heavy Liverpool Coach, I rode comfortably to Ox. ford. Here I hired a gig and horse, to take me to Chinnor ; but in this ride I was, in a moment, exposed to that death which I had hitherto escaped through perils by sea and land. When arrived opposite to The Three Pigeons public-house, near Tetsworth Com- mon, the horse stumbled, and precipitated the driver under his feet. I was providentially clinging to the gig, with my arms stretched behind me, or I must have fallen too; and, having no legs to assist me in such an acci- dent, 1 most probably should have broken my neck! The driver, by his fall, received a ter- rible gash in his head ; but, having bound it up with my handkerchief, we proceeded on to Thame. There, having applied some rum to the wound, and bound it up afresh, he was enabled to drive me on to Chinnor. And now I drew near my native village. With what thoughts I viewed Chinnor Hill and the chim- neys of those houses where lived friends whom I wished, but dreaded, to see ! THOMAS EUSTACE. 135 *' 'Tis sweet to hear tlie watcli-dog's honest bark Bay deep-niouth'd welcome, as we draw near home, Tis sweet to know there is an eye will mark Our coming, and look brighter when we come." But this sweetness was minofled with bitter feelings of shame and repentance. At length I arrived at the end of my jour- ney. I alighted at the door of my aunt Little's ; for I still felt a shame and reluctance to go to my Father's. She was overcome with joy and regret in beholding me. My Father soon came down to embrace his prodigal son, and welcome him home. He received me back, crippled as I was, with convulsive sobs of joy and grief. It was some time before he could utter any expression but " Ah ! Tho- mas !'* I had been absent from them eleven years. The mind may conceive, but words cannot express, what was felt by us all, upon my return home, after so long a time, and in such an altered state ! My Father, wishing to do all he could to comfort me under my calamity, gave me a share in his village-school, which he has kept for more than a quarter of a century, and presented me, also, with a little snug cot- tage. 156 THE ADYENTURE8 OF Thus, having some prospect of a livelihood, after a short time, I married a young notable woman, to whom I became attached, with whom I sat down in thankful contentment. But my means, though sufficient for a single man, proved too contracted for a family, and I felt myself burthen some to my aged Father. My family, also, increased, by the birth of two children, which made me still more anxious to look out for more employment and a better provision. My conduct, I must confess, at my first re- turn, was improper ; it was negligent and dis- orderly. My old acquaintances were glad to see me, and hear my tale, and i was led to spend whole days in their company, and was too often drawn into excesses. Happily, I was brought to think more seriously, and regularly to attend church, or Lady Huntingdon's Cha, pel, at Chinnor, of which Mr. Paul has been for many years the worthy and useful minis- ter, as well as of that at Thame, three miles distant. Finding the school insufficient to support my Father, myself, and my increasing family, I determined again to look out for myself. I therefore look a journey to Amersham, w here THOMAS EUSTACE. 137 I had been apprenticed, to apply for the mas- tership of the workhouse, which had become vacant; and the overseers, having lately parted with the master, finding that I could still handle the pen and keep accounts, and that I had considerable muscular strength and courage, were benevolently pleased to appoint me to the office, till they should meet with a person to undertake the expence and manage- ment of it. Here I have had for the last year many new duties and various kinds of cha- racters to manage ; but I have had sufficient muscular energy to subdue some refractory members six feet high, notwithstanding I had to grapple with them on my stumps, and have thrown them, by main force, into the lock-up- room to imprison them. Here I should still have remained, as I have met with much kindness from the overseers, who have amply demonstrated their confi- dence in me, by entrusting me with large sums of money to expend for the poor ; but at length, unfortunately for me, they resolved to get quit of the trouble of management, by letting out the workhouse to farm. I would have taken it myself, but my father was too timid to undertake the responsibility, by be- 138 THE ADVENTURES OF coming- my bondsman. In consequence, it was let last Michaelmas, in the year 1819, to Mr. Saunders, the late manager of the workhouse at Wycombe Marsh, and I am once more thrown upon the wide world for the support of my- self and wife and two children. I shall be glad if this work should introduce me to an employer ; and should the sale of it contri- bute to my assistance, I shall be thankful ; and I am encouraged by the assurance of the Committee for managing the poor at Amer- sham that they will give me their recommen- dation to any other situation; and I hope, also, to be favoured with their patronage in the work which is now presented to them. I shall be particularly gratified, if my example and my punishment should warn the young apprentice to remain quiet at home, and to pursue the honest path of industry and mo- rality, as the only sure road to respect and prosperity. I am persuaded, from my own experience, as well as from the late convulsions which have agitated the world since the spread of atheism and infidelity, that " the love and fear of the Supreme Being, the sacred obser- vation of promises and oaths, reverence to magistrates, obedience to parents, gratitude THOMAS EUSTACE. 139 to benefactors, conjugal fidelity, and parental tenderness, are primary virtues, and the chief support of every commonwealth." Religion, we may rest assured, and the events of Europe amply prove it. Religion is " the pillar of loyalty, the safeguard of nations, the parent of social order, which alone has power to curb the fury of the passions and secure to every one his rights — to the labourer the reward of ' their industry, to the rich the enjoyment of their wealth, to the nobles the preservation of their honours, and to princes the stability of their thrones.^ * Hall's Sermon. 140 THE ADVENTURES OF CHAPTER VII. Concluding Remarks — Good Wishes for Thomas—Sugges- tions to Parents and Masters — To young Persons — Exhor- tation to Contentment — Dissuasion from Despondence— A Lesson of Humility — Conclusion. Thomas having told his tale, the Reader may not be surprised to find the Compiler coming forward to close the narrative with a few re- flections. 1. In the first place, then, I would express my cordial wishes for Thomas himself May he become an instrument of serving and ho- nouring that God whose gracious providence has preserved him, and brought him home to his country and friends ! May he occasion- THOMAS EUSTACE. 141 ally reflect upon the almost incredible dan- gers from which he has been so wonderously rescued, and upon the thoughtless and incon- siderate state of his mind and conduct at those periods ; and how fearful his condition miirht have been had he been cut off in the midst of his carelessness and his transgres- sions ! May he be perpetually thankful for the mercy which has spared him ! May he use the means of working out his salvation, securing the Divine Favour, and of becoming more and more diligent to know the will of God respecting his duty, and to exercise re- pentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ ! As Providence has at length planted him in a house and family of his own, may he, by the help of God, attend to every domestic and relative duty, and take care to bring up his children in the fear of God, in dutiful sub- mission to their parents, and in thankful con- tentment with their lot and station. 2. In the next place I would take the liberty of addressing a few parting lessons to all who may peruse these pages, but espe- cially to parents and guardians, and to the young, from the experience of Thomas Eus- 142 THE ADVENTURES OF tace, in the various events of his wandering life. The history of Thomas Eustace and the present loose state of society, owing to the ravages of atheism and infidelitj, loudly call upon those in authority to instruct and guard the rising generation. We have been accus- tomed to dread the army and the navy as re- ceptacles for the outcasts of society, who de- light in vulgar merriment, senseless riot, ob- scenity, and blasphemy ; we have seen how these prevailed among those with whom Thomas was a comrade. We have noticed, however, that his conviction of sin, his fears of conscience, and apprehensions of a future world, were not silenced and removed by all the ridicule and contempt of his comrades; for education had deeply rooted in him a re- verence for sacred things. But in the present eventful crisis the principles of infidelity are every where diffused ; there is a wide-spread- ing defiance of religious restraints, a system of atheism and wickedness which would de- throne God and destroy man, which would leave us no Supreme Being to excite awe, and no social tie to awaken tenderness. The world is every where, in the present day, the THOMAS EUSTACE. 143 dwelling of scoffers, walking after their own lusts, who would allure, through the lasts of the flesh, the young and the unwary. At such a season as this, how strongly are we called upon to teach them the way wherein they should go, and furnish their minds with Chris- tian principles ! " It becomes an urgent duty on parents and tutors to .watch not only over the morals, but the principles, of those committed to their care ; to make it appear that a care for their eternal welfare is their chief concern, and to imbue them early with that knowledge of the evidences of Christi- anity, and that profound reverence for the Holy Scriptures that, with the blessing of God, (which, with submission, they may then expect,) may keep them from this hour of temptation that has come upon all the world, to try them that dwell on the earth.^^ Let parents and masters take care to re- strain and rule well their children and depen- dants in time, lest they early break the yoke and burst the bond, as Eustace did. Let not young men strive to be unseasonably indepen- dent of their parents, let them never foolishly * Robert Hall's Sermon on Infidelity. 144 THE ADVENTURES OF avenge themselves, by vexing their friends, io running away, and going abroad ; for, by such wild schemes, they may be made to punish themselves the most, as Thomas has done. Those, also, who thus leave their parents, may see the day when they will be glad to share their pity, under the calamities caused by their own obstinacy and disobedience. Let young persons be content with their home, with their friends, and their country, lest in their wanderings abroad after something better and happier, they should meet with woeful disappointment, and become subject to loss of property, of health, of limbs, or of life. But, after all, should young people not lis- ten to the voice of admonition and experi- ence, should they be carried away by novelty, and by their heedlessness and folly, into scenes which involve them in great difficulties and distresses, let them not abandon themselves to a sullen, hopeless despondence and shame, as Thomas was inclined to do, but return, like the Prodigal, and as Thomas also did, at length, to their offended friends, and seek their favour, and they may haply meet with as hearty a welcome as he received. THOMAS EUSTACE. 145 and be provided for to the utmost of their power. Lastlj^ — Let us never forget that we are all, more or less, transgressors, and disobedi- ent to our Heavenly Father and Righteous Governor; and, under the sense of this, may we all seek pardon from his mercy, through his Son, our adorable Saviour; and may we all be disposed to pity the infirmities of each other, and to forgive eacli other's offences. Thus may we hope to obtain mercy ourselves, at the last, for our various offences, from our Gracious Judge. The following particulars may, perhaps, be acceptable to the reader. Since I wrote the above, Thomas Eustace took a journey to visit me, to inquire after the Narrative^ which, for a long time, he had been soliciting me to pub- lish, and remained at my house till he could take a few copies of the work to sell to his friends. He informed me that he had left the workhouse, and had taken a lode- ing at Woodrow, within a mile and a half of Amersham ; that he was at a loss for support at present, but he hoped that, through the be- 146 THE ADVENTURES OF nevolence of the inhabitants, he should be enabled to set up a school, to teach plain read- ing, writing, and accounts ; for Thomas, though so disabled, can still handle the pen and the ym^/«, and he still retains some rem- nants of arithmetical knowledge, after all the varied adventures he has met with in the dif- ferent scenes through which he has passed in tlie four quarters of the globe. Thomas speaks with gratitude, in homely, but honest warmth, like a true British tar, of the kindness she^^n him by the Ladies and Gentlemen at Amer- sham and in its vicinity, to whom he has told his tale. He begged me, if I had opportunity, particularly to record the benevolence of Mr. Drake, who has so generously patronised the work and assured him of his countenance ; and, with high delight, told me of the sums con- tributed by that Gentleman to the poor of Amersham this winter. With triumphant pleasure he detailed the gracious and conde- scending attention which had been shewn him, by the Ladies and Gentlemen, in his little ex- cursions to deliver the prospectus of the work. As for the present, his principal dependance for support is upon the sale of it, he is much cheered by the prospect of success in his tra- THOMAS EUSTACE, 147 Tels, on his donkej^, from village to village. He is sure that no one who beholds him will consider him an impostor, as the remarkable defects in his limbs will identify him to be the very man himself ; and, indeed, no one that looks upon the frontispiece and the living orioinal can, for one mom«ent, doubt the simi- litude. With these observations I take my leave of the Reader, who will, I trust, unite with me in wishing success to Thomas in his perambulations ; and that he may find Prior's picture, in his " Wandering Pilgrim," true in his own case: — , «* At his faiu'd gate stood Charity, In lovely, sweet array ; Ceres and Hospitality Dwelt there both night and day. There is but one, and one alone. Can set the Pilgrim free. And make him cease to pine and moan— O ! Buyer, it is thee !" THE END. Printed by R. Gray, 7, Wine-office-court, FleetrStrcet. I i 4 1) I UVERY cjcses