[Astweb-users] Ey tell, though, that they were not to meet with the fate from

[Bollis <ga...@pu...>]

 religious and other books for his crew, and among them a Bible, which
he confessed that he had not before got on board. "What!" exclaimed Ben,
when he heard this from Mr Martin; "a ship go to sea without a Bible!
How can the people get on? how can they do their duty? I am afraid they
must forget to say their prayers." "You are right, Ben," observed Mr
Martin; "there are very many ships that go to sea without Bibles, and
the crews very often forget their duty to God and man. In my younger
days, indeed, there were very few which took Bibles, and the exception
was to find one. A praying, Bible-reading captain and ship's company was
a thing almost unknown." Ben, who had carefully preserved his Bible,
prized it sincerely, and read it every day, was surprised to hear this.
There were a good many men also on board the Ajax who had Bibles, and
read them frequently. Sometimes some of the other boys had laughed at
Ben when they found him reading his Bible, but he did not mind them, and
went on reading steadily as before. The account of the cruel way in
which the natives had been kidnapped by the Peruvian slavers made
everybody on board the Ajax eager to catch some of them. Night and day
bright eyes were ever on the watch in different parts of the ship. This
was especially necessary in those seas, where rocks and reefs abound;
and though they are far better known than in Lord Anson's days, yet
there are many parts but imperfectly explored. Wherever the ship
touched, Ben made his usual anxious inquiries for Ned. He, as before,
frequently heard of Englishmen living with the savages; but they did not
answer to the description of his brother. Still he had hopes that he
should find him. Ben remembered his father's advice, and acted up to it:
"Do right, whatever comes of it." By so doing he had gained the favour
of his captain and all the officers of the ship. Everybody said, "Ben
Hadden is a trustworthy fellow; whatever he undertakes to do he does
with all his heart, as well as he possibly can." Ben had consequently
plenty to do; but then he reaped the reward of his doing. Sailors are
often paid in a glass of grog for any work they do, and they are
satisfied; but it was generally known that Ben had a widowed mother, to
whom he wished to send home money; and therefore Ben was always paid in
coin, and no one grudged it to him, knowing how well it would be
employed. A sailor's life is often a very rough one; but when