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5

lasted longer when I was a boy, hedges and ditches to be
repaired, whilst if time could be spared a day was
allowed for rabbit hunting, and wildfowl shooting,
and oh! when the 'Broad' was frozen over, the pleasure
of flying over the ice with my old skates. And thus
the seasons went and came, bringing toil but many,
many pleasures with them, and all was bright and
prosperous, but a change was coming. My uncle returned
from sea and commenced practice of his profession as a
surgeon in the little town of Beccles, about seven miles from
where we lived, from him I heard about the sea and the
sailors, ships, and foreign countries, and I longed to be a
sailor. My old boat although not at all adapted or built
for the purpose, I tried to bring into sailing trim,
one of the sheets of my bed I fixed up in her for
a sail which took her across the 'Broad' in a strong
wind to my great satisfaction, and great fright of
a neighbor who stood looking on, with threats to
acquaint my father with my daring, believing the
boat would capsize, but I never heard that he
put his threat in execution, if he had I well knew
a flogging would be my lot. My sisters' shawls
also, whenever they accompanied me in my boating
excursions, were sure to be hoisted off their shoulders
on to a jury mast rigged on to the boat for that
purpose, causing much wonder to dear mother as
to how the garment got into the damaged state, which
was sure to be the result. However 'go to sea' I
would and got my fill of the hardships to be
met with on board the collier trading from the
northern ponds with coals from Yarmouth +c, and
cargoes of flour for London.

One morning at my request my father