On the land, by virtue of my English training and my strength, I could throw any of them.

Also, I taught them quarter-staff, until the game became a very contagion and broken heads anything but novelties.
Brought up from the wreck was a journal, so torn and mushed and pulped by the sea-water, with ink so run about, that scarcely any of it was decipherable.

However, in the hope that some antiquarian scholar may be able to place more definitely the date of the events I shall describe, I here give an extract.

The peculiar spelling may give the clue.

Note that while the letter _s_ is used, it more commonly is replaced by the letter _f_.
The wind being favourable, gave us an opportunity of examining and drying some of our provifion, particularly, fome Chinefe hams and dry filh, which conftituted part of our victualling.