The World of Waters | Page 3

if you please, commence our voyage, and (wind and weather

permitting) travel on regularly and perseveringly until we have
circumnavigated the globe."
"Agreed! agreed!" merrily shouted the children.
"I know which of my friends I shall ask," said George; "and I fancy I
can guess who will be Emma's new member."
"I fancy you cannot," returned Emma: "I do not intend to tell any one,
either, until I hear whether or not she can come; therefore check your
inquisitiveness, Master George, and wait patiently, for you will not
know before the 7th, when I will introduce my friend."
"Now," said Grandy, "having settled the most important part of the
business, I have a few words to say. You must all be aware, that in the
accounts of seas and oceans, there cannot possibly be so much time
disposed of in descriptive facts as there was in our former
conversations concerning the rivers of the world, which are so
numerous, and require so many minute particulars in tracing their
courses, that they positively (although occupying a smaller portion of
the globe,) take more time to sail over in our ship 'The Research,' than
the boundless ocean, which occupies two thirds of our world; it will,
under these circumstances, be advisable to illustrate our subject largely,
and to lose no opportunity of extending it for our benefit. We need not
fear to exhaust the topic; for do not the vast waters encompass the
globe; and can we contemplate these great works of our Creator,
without having our hearts filled with wonder and admiration? This, my
children, will lead us to the right source; to the Author of all the
wonders contained in 'heaven and earth, and in the waters under the
earth;' and, if we possess any gratitude, our hearts will be raised in
thankfulness to Him who 'hath done all things well;' and we shall bless
him for giving us powers of discernment and reasoning faculties, which
not only enable us to see and appreciate the goodness of God, but also,
by his grace assisting us, to turn our knowledge to advantage for our
temporal and eternal good."
"We may now," said Mr. Wilton, "leave these resolutions to be acted
upon at a proper time; and, as we have two hours' leisure before supper,

if you, dear mother, will tell us one of your sweet stories of real life, it
will be both a pleasant and profitable way of passing the evening. We
have all employment for our fingers, and can work while we listen;
George and I with our pencils, and you ladies with your sewing and
knitting."
GRANDY. "Well, what must it be? Something nautical, I suppose; for
as we are about to set sail in a few days, it will be appropriate, will it
not?"
GEORGE. "Oh yes! dear Grandy, a nautical story, if you please."
#Story of Frederic Hamilton#
"The first time I saw Frederic Hamilton was on board the 'Neptune,'
outward bound for Jamaica: he was then a lad of twelve or fourteen
years: I cannot be sure which; but I remember he was tall for his age,
and extremely good looking.
"There were so many circumstances during the voyage, which brought
me in contact with this boy, and so many occasions to arouse my
sympathies in his behalf, (for he was evidently in delicate health, and
unfit for laborious work.) that in a short time I became deeply
interested concerning him, and I determined as soon as I had recovered
from sea-sickness, to watch for an opportunity of inquiring into the
particulars of his earlier history.
"I must first tell you, before proceeding with the story of my hero, that
the captain of the 'Neptune' was a very harsh, cruel man, and made
every one on board his vessel as uncomfortable as he could by his
violent temper, and ungentlemanly conduct. I was the only
lady-passenger; and had it not been for the kindness of my
fellow-travellers, I scarcely think I could have survived all the terrors
of that dreadful voyage. The sailors, without one dissentient voice,
declared they had never sailed with such a master, and wished they had
known a trifle of the rough side of his character before they engaged
with him, and then he would have had to seek long enough to make up
a crew, for not one of them would have shipped with him.' They even

went so far as to say, that if at any time they could escape from the
vessel, they would not hesitate a moment, but would get away, and
leave the captain to work the ship by himself. I could not take part with
the captain, because I saw too much of his tyranny to entertain a
particle of respect for him, and I confess I was