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PREFACE.
The following "Narrative" was written in the West Indies, in 1810, at the previous suggestion, and for the sole amusement, of my own family; since which, it has undergone occasional revision, both with a view of leaving to my children a memento of their father's juvenile adventures, and also of committing it to press, should more competent judges deem such a course not to savour of presumption.
The reader, who may run through this little volume, will not fail to observe, that it could not have been published at the time it was written, without risk of injury to those to whom I was indebted for protection; and when this cause ceased to operate, in consequence of the number of years which
