I don't think that there is any chance of his keeping us on at full pay.

If he intended to do so, it would have been cheaper for him to give us our pay here, in which case he would save our passages back to England and out again.

I think we could not reckon on getting anything like full pay, while we were in England, and you know I have lost faith in my literary powers.

I think I have improved, but I certainly should not like, after our last experience, to trust to that for keeping us, in England.
"The question is, what should I do here?
There will be plenty of openings, for men who can speak the native language, as labour overseers.

The contractors for food for the army will want men of that sort; and as I know several of them, through my work in the port and being in Partridge's house, I have no doubt I could get employment that way, and carry on very well till trade is open again, and obtain then a good deal better berth than they would offer me.