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CHAPTER VII.

My rapid progress in Navigation,—Become a good Sailor in Theory,—The Approach of a severe Winter somewhat damps my Pleasure.—Begin to repent my Bargain,—Duty excessively fatiguing, and Situation uncomfortable,—Advised to alter my Course,—Appointed Captain's Clerks and find myself at home to a Peg,—The Frigate ordered up the River Thames,—I visit London.—Become enamoured of a fair Cyprian,—Desert my Ship on her account.

IN a few days, the frigate being completely equipped, was cast off from alongside the Carolina, and all hands being on board, we dropped down to the Nore, from whence we sailed for Yarmouth Roads, where the admiral of the North Sea fleet was then lying; soon after which we put to sea, on a cruise off the coast of Holland. I immediately applied myself assiduously to the study of navigation, in which I was so successful, that I was in a few weeks capable of keeping a dead reckoning. It was required of the midshipmen to deliver in daily at noon, an account of the ships course, distance, &c., performed in the last 24 hours. These different calculations, deduced from the remarks on the log-board, were presented to the captain, who, on a comparison