gave him a most circumstantial and graphic description of the manner in which this promotion took place. And as it is in keeping with the rest of the romantic and eventful life of our hero, and, above all, as it is his own account, we hasten to lay it before our readers. When he was apprehended as a deserter, and brought back to his old birth on board the Renommée, his captain, Sir Thomas Livingstone, having previously observed that he possessed a strength of body, a robustness of constitution, and a fearless daringness of spirit, which might be turned to good account in the naval service, which, at that time required to be sustained and strengthened by attaching to it men of such mental and bodily qualities as these, asked the deserter, if he should pardon his delinquency, and raise him to the rank of a midshipman, would he give him his solemn pledge, that he would no more desert, but do his duty faithfully? Clapperton, with the bold and dauntless air and bearing of the captive British prince, who “had been the admiration, the terror of the Romans,” when led in triumph through the streets of the mighty capital, still “walked the warrior, majestic in his chains,” replied that he was not yet prepared to give a final and decisive answer to such a question, and therefore asked time to consider on what he should determine. “Are you not aware, Sir,” rejoined the captain, “that I can order you to be flogged as a deserter?” “That I know you can do, and I expect no less,” was our hero’s reply, “but still I am unprepared at present to decide on your proposal.” The result, however, of this extraordinary conversation was, that the captain ordered him into solitary confinement, with an admonition to lose no time in coming to a speedy determination as to the course which he should adopt. In this situation his reflections took a wise and a prudent turn, and led him quickly to resolve to give his generous captain the assurance of fidelity which he required of him; and, on doing so, he was promoted to the rank of a midshipman on board the Renommée frigate, where he had first served as an impressed sailor boy, and on the deck of which he had stood in the capacity of an apprehended deserter. Afterwards, on his own request, he was allowed to go on shore during a specified period of time, on his _parole_ of honour. It is very true the account of his promotion through his uncle’s interference in his behalf accords better with the ordinary course of things in such proceedings than that stated above. But we think, that if Clapperton had been aware that he was indebted to his uncle on this occasion he would not have concealed the fact from his friends; and likewise we think, that the disparity of his condition as a common sailor, and that of his uncle as a captain of marines, would have been sufficient to deter him from making himself known to his uncle, or asking any thing from him. For though his feelings of honour sometimes rested on mistaken principles, they were