In the month of February, 1826, returning from Church, after divine service, on Sunday, I was addressed by a boy in a sailor's dress, with a request, that I would beg his master, (the Captain of a vessel then in Port,) to allow him to return to his place as cabin boy. He confessed that he had been persuaded to desert by some bad companions, who had left him without a friend, at a distance from home. The boy, who told me that his name was Robert Tudor, seemed to be simple and very destitute. I promised him that I would enquire into the particu

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lars of his case, and if I found his statement correct, and his behaviour while on shore, such as I could approve, that I would endeavour to influence his master in his behalf.

As soon as I had leisure, I proceeded to the quay where the vessel was lying, and found Captain Glanville, the master, walking on deck. I requested to know if little Bob, his late cabin boy, had stated matters correctly in his story to me, upon which he gave me at once a detail of the whole as follows; that his last voyage had been from New-York, in America, in the course of which his late crew had behaved in so disorderly a manner, and shewn such mutinous dispositions, that he counted himself for tunate, in having brought his vessel safe to port-that he had determined to dismiss his men as soon as he could, but they had got the start, by departing in a body the moment they arrived at this port, where they knew it was impossible for him to procure a crew; and with a view to inconvenience him the more, they persuaded his cabin boy, who had been articled to him as an apprentice, to leave the vessel. "And thus, Sir, (con

tinued he,) I have been, since my arrival, without a cabin boy, until yesterday, with only one sailor who never joined the others, left to do the whole business of my ship; and at the same time, he pointed to the

stern of the vessel, where John Talguist was busily engaged for him.

I found upon further enquiring, that when Robert Tudor had been thus seduced to leave his duty, he went with his shipmates to a public house in the village, where they remained some weeks, promising each and all that they would procure him an opportunity of returning to Liverpool, his native place; however as occasion offered, they dropped off one by one, each took his different course, and at length he was left alone, and the vessel filled by another.

For aught I know, little Robert Tudor may now be wandering an outcast through the world-he left ny village with the intention of making his way to Cork, in the hope of procuring employment there; and he has doubtless before this experienced many of the hardships which follow disobedience; and it will be a singular mark of God's mercy, if his early rashness does not continue to affect his history through life.

But to return to John Talguist. The esteem and affection with which his master spoke fhim, induced me to enquire further into h circumstances. I found that he was a Dane by birth, and spoke English but imperfectly-that in the performance of all his duties as a seainan, he was most regular and active-that though his shipmates

had often pressed him to join in their wick ed ways, he had always been firm in his refusal; and that latterly, he had suffered much reproach, and even personal ill treatment, as a consequence of his strictness. Conduct so exemplary, struck me as remark. able, in a person in his station of life, and exposed to such trials; but it was not until further acquaintance, that I found in him a strength "which the world knows not of."

The weather at this season had been very severe; the oldest persons could not remem. ber such storms, and the accommodation for vessels at our port being very bad, it required all the exertions of their crews to secure them from running foul of each other. This severe duty fell heavily upon the poor faithful fellow, of whom I write; the labour and watching proved too much for his strength, and when I visited the vessel a few days afterwards, I heard that he had been sent ashore, dangerously ill.

I found poor John Talguist lying at a public house in the village; and, at the very moment I arrived, the landlord was debating with his wife, how they might best get rid of their lodger. They were acting wisely in their generation, as children of this world -they saw little prospect of profit in attending him, and the moment they discovered the nature of his disorder, expressed the utmost

terror at the idea of catching the infection. Under these circumstances, there was nothing to be done, but to prepare for his removal, and in the course of the evening, I was enabled, by the kindness of one of the physicians, to see him comfortably settled in one of the wards of the ferver hospital, in the neighbouring town of T——.

Though he understood English very well, he was but ill able to express himself in that language. To use his own words "his heart had a good deal which his flesh could not get out."

When I entered his room, and sat by his bed side, he began to express his gratitude for the care and good accommodation he received, and I made use of this to direct his thoughts and his thankfulness to that God who had raised him up friends in his necessity, in a strange land. Encouraged by his reception of what I said upon this subject, I put to him the Scripture question, "what think you of Christ," and truly, I may say, that the answer of this poor foreigner, and the animation with which he talked of his knowledge of Christ, would shame the ignorance of too many in this land of Gospel light and privileges. "Yes, Sir," said he 66 me know him, him poor and abused, him poorer than me lying on this bed-him suffer shame and death to save the world, to