The officer in charge was Mr. M'Kenny, my old first-lieutenant
in the Brandywine, and, before I quitted the house, my name was down,
again, for one of Uncle Sam's sailor-men. In this accidental manner have I
floated about the world, most of my life--not dreaming in the morning,
what would fetch me up before night.
When it was time to go off, I was ready, and was sent on board the Hudson,
which vessel Captain Mix then commanded. I have the consolation of knowing
that I never ran, or thought of running, from either of the eleven
men-of-war on board of which I have served, counting big and little,
service of days and service of years. I had so long a pull in the
receiving-ship, as to get heartily tired of her; and, when an opportunity
offered, I put my name down for the Constellation 38, which was then
fitting out for the West India station, in Norfolk. A draft of us was sent
round to that ship accordingly, and we found she had hauled off from the
yard, and was lying between the forts. When I got on board, I ascertained
that something like fifty of my old liners were in this very ship, some
common motive inducing them to take service in the navy, all at the same
time. As for myself, it happened just as I have related, though I always
liked the navy, and was ever ready to join a ship of war, for a
pleasant cruise.
Commodore Dallas's pennant was flying in the Constellation when I joined
her.
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