On once more arriving among houses, streets, and marts for business, after a two-years’ exile from them, thoughts of my own happy home rushed up in my memory, and bitterly did I deplore my foolishness in having left it; but soon, in the contemplation of new objects, I cheered up, and began my peregrinations through the city, with a determination to criticize everything impartially, whether English or colonial. The most prominent objects, were the very conspicuous signs of the different groggeries, among which I noticed one, on the corner of two streets, with large letters, to the effect that it was the General Washington House; and a few steps further on was the Virginia House: fully attesting that some wandering Yankee, who still retained his American bias, (and where is there a son of our native land--no matter how long he has been absent--that does not retain it?) had squatted here, and christened these two sinks. Amongst other names, I also noticed, the Marquis of Waterford, the Garrick’s Head, Handsome Bar-Maid, White Swan, Inkermann Arms, &c. Many of these were houses of ill-fame or assignation. Before going ashore, our captain, in a short, but pithy address, strongly recommended to us the necessity of avoiding the allurements of the various shipping-agents located here. Seamen were scarce, and these harpies, ever on the look-out for American seamen--more particularly whalemen, to whom, in order to secure them, they will at any time give the post of boatsteerer--made many offers to induce our men to desert. The captain mentioned the fact, that no American whaler had ever made this port without losing a part of her crew, and urged us to be an exception to the rule. He then stated, that there was not a man or boy in his ship, whom he wanted to part with; and wound up his address by warning us particularly against a worthy, whose sobriquet was Peg-legged Johnson. What his real name was, I do not know. He had a wooden leg, and a brilliant reputation, all over the Indian and South Pacific oceans, for stowing away seamen who deserted from their vessels; and then, on the offer of a reward by their captains, returning them. The captain’s advice was well timed, and had a good effect. It was otherwise with the James Allen’s crew, as will be disclosed as I proceed. Some six months previous a number of our ship’s company had instituted a temperance pledge, which had ten signers, none of whom deviated from it, and, indeed, I did not see a single case of inebriety amongst our crew during our stay in Hobartown. I mention this as a sort of salvo to the general intemperate reputation of seafaring men.