The second providential deliverance I shall now refer to, was an hair-breadth escape from being shot. This occurred about two years before I went to sea. As guns and gunpowder, and every thing connected with them, had, as before observed, from my earliest days, been ranked by me among the most desirable acquisitions on earth, I could not rest satisfied until I was possessed of a fowling-piece, and all the materials necessary to kill whatever I considered lawful to destroy, as often as such should come in my way. All this I was, however, obliged to keep secret from those who held authority and controul over me, because none of them would consent to my using, much less possessing a gun. I knew their feelings too well on this subject to make the request, and I disregarded them sufficiently to set every wish and command at defiance, provided I could but disobey with impunity. Hence, when I could make the purchase without detection, I did so, and proceeded in the clandestine use of it. Perhaps, at that time, there were few creatures more reckless of danger, or more thoughtless of the consequences of actions, than myself. As one proof, I almost always kept my gun loaded with a frightful overcharge, and hid away in the spare stall in the stable among the dry straw, from whence I removed it by stealth, as often as the temptation to fire, and some game came in my way. On one of these occasions, I had sharply pecked the flint, reprimed the piece, and was hastening out to delight my "foolish heart," at the expense of the sufferings and death of some poor little innocent birds in the adjoining meadow, when my gun went off of itself. By way of getting

out of the stable without the piece being observed, I had placed it under my coat, and strange to say, with the butt end downwards, and the muzzle a little above the grasp of the shoulder joint of the left arm; in this way I had nearly got out, when the discharge took place. Whether I had left the piece cocked, or whether I struck the lock against the door or door-post, I know not; but one thing I did then know, and do now most distinctly remember, that the violence of the explosion, and the nearness of it to my head, both stunned and greatly alarmed me; while it inflicted an injury on the organs of the left ear, from which they have never wholly recovered. I had no hat on at that time, or a portion of it must have been shot away; as it was, the contents of the piece cut a four inch square rafter nearly in two directly over my head, while these missiles of death were in mercy carried a very, very little way from the side of the head itself. This event had the momentary effect of inducing me to sell my gun, and to make a resolution to have no more to do with fire-arms. And so had my narrow escape from being drowned produced, at that time, a like momentary resolution to avoid the water in future; but so far from my "foolish heart" being bound and stayed to these purposes by such self-formed determinations, I broke through them all as far as possible; and soon after this last providential escape, I began to take greater delight than ever in hearing and reading of storms, of shipwrecks, and battles; and the more I heard and read of these things, the more I longed to become experimentally acquainted with them. Added to this, the same foolish heart had formed

and fondly cherished the wildest ideas of happiness at sea! Many were the ruffs, and buffs, and corrections, which my wayward conduct procured me; and under the smart of these I generally consoled myself with the thought, that if I should not find myself, by and by, as happy as heart could wish on the land, I had nothing to do but to embark on the wide ocean, and there, as a matter of course, I should find all that I longed for, but had not found on shore! With such visionary expectations my deceived heart turned me aside from the comforts and quietude of home, to embark in the navy, where I traversed that ocean of supposed enjoyment far and wide, but not far enough to find the happiness I once dreamt of as being its every day's production, at all seasons, and in all portions of the globe.

CHAPTER II.

BLESS THE LORD, O MY SOUL, AND FORGET NOT ALL HIS BENEFITS."-PSALM ciii. 2.

THERE are few, perhaps none, of the followers of Christ, who may not find numerous occasions of lifting up their eyes and hearts to heaven, and saying, from time to time, "Hitherto the Lord hath helped." Indeed we may confidently ask, Who is there among the sons and daughters of Adam, that hath travelled the journey of life for twenty or thirty years, but may look back and remember numerous instances of divine goodness, manifesting itself in a way of providence and grace? And are our days, as it were, but a span long?" Surely, then, it is our duty and privilege to improve them, and call in every auxiliary circumstance to help us to apply them to spiritual wisdom. To this end I would recommend my fellow Christians to make a point of recording in their minds such principal events as have marked, and still may mark, their course, while travellers and sojourners on earth; that so they may be able to say, it was on this day the Lord delivered me from such a danger, from such a snare, from such a threatening storm-this was the day when the Almighty proved better to me than all my fears-that was the day

whereon he stretched forth his hand and saved me, and set my feet upon a rock, and ordered my goings, and put a new song in my mouth. Thus every month may be registered, and a sort of calendar made out, to which the soul may occasionally refer, and find sweet matter of thanksgiving and praise. Some men's lives, it is true, are chequered with more extraordinary events and changes than those of others; yet the most tranqui course of the most retired Christian will not be without its interesting events and its memorable days; interesting and memorable at least to themselves, although the circumstances which made them so may not furnish any new or striking matter for the consideration of others. But when the reverse has been the case; when the Almighty has appeared for us in any peculiar way of providence or grace, then it becomes a positive duty not only to record his dealings on the tablet of our memory, and be thankful, but on all proper occasions to imitate the pious king of Israel, who exclaimed, "Come hither, all ye that fear the Lord, and I will tell you what he hath done for my soul." This I think may often be done in our own families, and among our more intimate christian friends, to the edification of all present.

The return of the second of February has led me to these observations, because it was on this day the tender mercies of God were greatly extended towards me. It is now sixteen years past, when posting down the broad road of destruction, loud in blasphemy, and ever ready' to burlesque and condemn the Holy Scriptures, that my life was spared, while several of my companions in sin