15
have a supper this night of the best sive-meat that Estramadura can furnish; we are now in a eountry where the scattered flock of Israel fold thick and fare well. He now began to ehaunt the Song of Solomon, and gently ambled on in the joy of his heart.
When Nicolas at length reached the city of Lisbon, he hugged himself in his good fortune; still he recollected that the Inquisition had long arms, and he was yet in a place of no perfect security. Our adventurer had in early life acted as assistant-surgeon in a Spanish frigate bound to Buenos-Ayres, and been captured by a British man-of-war, and earried into Jamaica, had very quietly passed some years in that plaee as journeyman apothecary, in whieh time he had acquired a tolerable acquaintanee with the English languish. No sooner then did he discover the British ensign flying on the poop of an English frigate the lying in the Tagus, than he eagerly caught the opportunity of paying a visit to the surgeon; and finding he was in want of a mate, offered himself, and was entered in that capacity for a cruize against the French and Spaniards, with whom Great Britain was then at war. In this secure asylum Nieolas enjoyed the first happy moments he had experieneed for a long time past, and being a lively good natured little fellow, and one that touched the guitar and sung sequidillas with a tolerable grace, he soon recommended himself to his ship-mates, and grew in favour with every body on board, from the eaptain to the eook’s mate.
When they were out upon their cruize, hovering
