Being asked if he knew William Thompson, he said, "Yes, perfectly.
He was a foretopman on board the _Agra,_ and rather a smart hand. The
ship was aground and breaking up: he went out to sea on a piano: but we
cut the hawser as he drifted under, and he got safe ashore." David's
recovered reason rejected with contempt as an idle dream all that had
happened while that reason was in defect The last phenomena I have to
record were bodily: one was noted by Mr. Georgie White in these terms:
"Billy's eyes used to be like a seal's: but, now he is a great gentleman,
they are like yours and mine." The other was more singular: with his
recovered reason came his first grey hair, and in one fortnight it was
all as white as snow.
He remained a fortnight on board the _Vulture,_ beloved by high and low.
He walked the quarter-deck in the dress of a private gentleman, but
looking like an admiral. The sailors touched their hats to him with a
strange mixture of veneration and jocoseness. They called him among
themselves Commodore Billy. He was supplied with funds by Reginald, and
put on board a merchant ship bound for England.
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