ABSTRACT
Like some country swain, who at a ball is charm'd by the musick chearfull sound, fain would shew the meaning of his mind by the moveing of his limbs, but fears the censure of the croud and pines his loss of time and Stars in laveing him so bare without, when the powerfull pashon haves for vent within and longs to shew by nature what by art he never learn'd, so as it has pleased the Great Disposer of all things to convay me safe in all my undertakings both by sea and land, I should think my time lost in obsecurity if I sh'd neglect giveing a short discriptian of my past life and lay open to the world the many dangers atending a seafareing life; and it's with great difficulty that I prevail'd upon my self to lay my wakeness to the world, or now I should not, only for the sake of some perticular axcedents that does not often hapen in the life of others.
