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r I soon recovered again; and by this
time my master having been promoted to be first lieutenant of the
Preston man of war of fifty guns, then new at Deptford, Dick and I
were sent on board her, and soon after we went to Holland to bring
over the late Duke of ---- to England.--While I was in this ship an
incident happened, which, though trifling, I beg leave to relate, as I
could not help taking particular notice of it, and considering it then
as a judgment of God. One morning a young man was looking up to the
fore-top, and in a wicked tone, common on shipboard, d----d his eyes
about something. Just at the moment some small particles of dirt fell
into his left eye, and by the evening it was very much inflamed. The
next day it grew worse; and within six or seven days he lost it. From
this ship my master was appointed a lieutenant on board the Royal
George. When he was going he wished me to stay on board the Preston,
to learn the French horn; but the ship being ordered for Turkey I
could not think of leaving my master, to whom I was very warmly
attached; and I told him if he left me behind it would break my heart.
This prevailed on him to take me with him; but he left Dick on board
the Preston, whom I embraced at parting for the last time. The Royal
George was the largest ship I had ever seen; so that when I came on
board of her I was surprised at the number of people, men, women, and
children, of every denomination; and the largeness of the guns, many
of them also of brass, which I had never seen before. Here were also
shops or stalls of every kind of goods, and people crying their
different commodities about the ship as in a town. To me it appeared a
little world, into which I was again cast without a friend, for I had
no longer my dear companion Dick. We did not stay long here. My master
was not many weeks on board before he got an appointment to be sixth
lieutenant of the Namur, which was then at Spithead, fitting up for
Vice-admiral Boscawen, who was going with a large fleet on an
expedition against Louisburgh. The crew of the Royal George were
turned over to her, and the flag of that gallant admiral was hoisted
on board, the blue at the maintop-gallant mast head. There was a very
great fleet of men of war of every description assembled together for
this expedition, and I was in hopes soon to have an opportunity of
being gratified with a sea-fight. All things being now in readiness,
this mighty fleet (for there was also Admiral Cornish's fleet in
company, destined for the East Indies) at last weighed anchor, and
sailed. The two fleets continued in company for several days, and then
parted; Admiral Cornish, in the Lenox, having first saluted our
admiral in the Namur, which he returned. We then steered for America;
but, by contrary winds, we were driven to Teneriffe, where I was
struck with its noted peak. Its prodigious height, and its form,
resembling a sugar-loaf, filled me with wonder. We remained in sight
of this island some days, and then proceeded for America, which we
soon made, and got into a very commodious harbour called St. George,
in Halifax, where we had fish in great plenty, and all other fresh
provisions. We were here joined by different men of war and transport
ships with soldiers; after which, our fleet being increased to a
prodigious number of ships of all kinds, we sailed for Cape Breton in
Nova Scotia. We had the good and gallant General Wolfe on board our
ship, whose affability made him highly esteemed and beloved by all the
men. He often honoured me, as well as other boys, with marks of his
notice; and saved me once a flogging for fighting with a young
gentleman. We arrived at Cape Breton in the summer of 1758: and here
the soldiers were to be landed, in order to make an attack upon
Louisbourgh. My master had some part in superintending the landing;
and here I was in a small measure gratified in seeing an encounter
between our men and the enemy. The French were posted on the shore to
receive us, and disputed our landing for a long time; but at last they
were driven from their trenches, and a complete landing was effected.
Our troops pursued them as far as the town of Louisbourgh. In this
action many were killed on both sides. One thing remarkable I saw this
day:--A lieutenant of the Princess Amelia, who, as well as my master,
superintended the landing, was giving the word of command, and while
his mouth was open a musquet ball went through it, and passed out at
his cheek. I had that day in my hand the scalp of an indian king, who
was killed in the engagement: the scalp had been taken off by an
Highlander. I saw this king's ornaments too, which were very curious,
and made of feathers.

Our land forces laid siege to the town of Louisbourgh, while the
French men of war were blocked up in the harbour by the fleet, the
batteries at the same time playing upon them from the land. This they
did with such effect, that one day I saw some of the ships set on fire
by the shells from the batteries, and I believe two or three of them
were quite burnt. At another time, about fifty boats belonging to the
English men of war, commanded by Captain George Balfour of the Ætna
fire-ship, and another junior captain, Laforey, attacked and boarded
the only two remaining French men of war in the harbour. They also set
fire to a seventy-gun ship, but a sixty-four, called the Bienfaisant,
they brought off. During my stay here I had often an opportunity of
being near Captain Balfour, who was pleased to notice me, and liked me
so much that he often asked my master to let him have me, but he would
not part with me; and no consideration could have induced me to leave
him. At last Louisbourgh was taken, and the English men of war came
into the harbour before it, to my very great joy; for I had now more
liberty of indulging myself, and I went often on shore. When the ships
were in the harbour we had the most beautiful procession on the water
I ever saw. All the admirals and captains of the men of war, full
dressed, and in their barges, well ornamented with pendants, came
alongside of the Namur. The vice-admiral then went on shore in his
barge, followed by the other officers in order of seniority, to take
possession, as I suppose, of the town and fort. Some time after this
the French governor and his lady, and other persons of note, came on
board our ship to dine. On this occasion our ships were dressed with
colours of all kinds, from the topgallant-mast head to the deck; and
this, with the firing of guns, formed a most grand and magnificent
spectacle.

As soon as every thing here was settled Admiral Boscawen sailed with
part of the fleet for England, leaving some ships behind with
Rear-admirals Sir Charles Hardy and Durell. It was now winter; and one
evening, during our passage home, about dusk, when we were in the
channel, or near soundings, and were beginning to look for land, we
descried seven sail of large men of war, which stood off shore.
Several people on board of our s

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