ABOUT three weeks after I left the "Dublin" a letter came on from Capt. Streeter, saying that the ship was going to load a cargo of tobacco and staves at Baltimore for Amsterdam, and asking me to go with him as second mate. I had almost hoped the offer would not come, for whenever the scenes of the last voyage had been recalled to my mind, in the midst of the delightful and elevated associations of home, I had shuddered as though the veil of a lower world had been drawn aside, and its enormities and fiendish spirit had been disclosed to me. I could scarcely summon courage to return to it, and I also felt that it might be my duty to avoid a sphere of such temptation and bad influences. On the other hand, I had scarcely enough confidence in my abilities to ship as second mate with a stranger, and felt from what I had seen and heard of other ships that there was a great uncertainty as to whether a change would be for the better, and this could only be proved by experience. With some misgivings I decided to go. I liked the owner so much, and was so pleased by the interest which he showed toward me, that I thought it desirable to keep in his employ, even though I found things were not just to my mind on board ship; and the owner's assurances that the captain would improve, relieved my apprehension a little, though I knew Capt. Streeter's smooth way of talking too well to place much dependence upon it. Still the captain was shrewd enough to know on which side his bread was buttered, and if the owner had told him as he said, that his remaining in the ship was dependent upon his good behavior, it was reasonable to suppose that his conduct might be influenced somewhat by this motive. A week later witnessed my arrival on board the "Dublin." The captain seemed glad to see me, but Mr. Howard was not so cordial, and appeared very much under the weather.