But it is now time to return to my own misfortunes. After paying the debts I had contracted, my finances were, as I have already hinted, so low, that I had not wherewith to defray my passage. I made no doubt of getting credit for a part till my arrival. At the Virginia Coffee-house I found a Captain of my acquaintance, bound to Virginia, into whose hands I deposited ten guineas to secure my passage; but the ship, thro’ some unaccountable delays, did not quit her moorings till December, when the Captain told me she would go round to Portsmouth, which place he thought would be more convenient for me to embark at. I readily acquiesced with this, as I thought my passage would be long enough without any addition. But before I arrived at Portsmouth, my money ran so short, that I was forced to borrow of the landlord, to pay the last stage. I had staid here nine or ten days, in expectation of the ship, when a letter arrived from the Captain, to define me to return immediately to London, or repair to Deal, as his employers had sent him orders not to touch at Portsmouth, but to proceed immediately to sea. I was thunderstruck. The tavern-keeper had just sent in his bill for payment, the instant I received this letter. I was obliged to deposit cloaths and other effects to the amount of forty pounds, and borrow ten guineas to return. As soon as I arrived at London, I sent my servant to enquire if the ship had fallen down the river, who shortly after returned with information that she had. I then went to Gravesend, where my money running short again, I had recourse to the landlady. I sent to the office, to know if such a ship had cleared, and was agreeably informed there had not. After expecting the ship four or five days, I sent my servant to London, to procure some money on my watch, with orders to inquire after the ship at every place between London and Gravesend. On his return the next day he informed me the ship, with several more, were frozen up at Deptford. I now began to be under the greatest uneasiness about my return to Virginia, fate seeming determined to detain me where misfortunes daily increased. I sent to the Captain for the ten guineas I had advanced for my passage, since I found it impossible to go with him, and returned to London, where my first concern was, to enquire at the war-office whether there had lately arrived any returns from Sir Jeffery Amherst? I was informed there had, and, on turning over the books, found myself appointed Lieutenant in the forty-second or Royal Highland regiment of foot, with several months subsistence due to me, which I received soon after from Mr. Drummond, the agent, to whom I made known my circumstances, intreating him to lend me fifty pounds more, without which I found it impossible to get out of England. He obligingly told me, that if I could get any gentleman to accept a bill payable in four months, he would willingly advance that sum. I applied to a gentleman in