University of Virginia Library

MASTER ROBERT JUET.

As chief mate and favourite companion, the commodore
chose Master Robert Juet, of Limehouse, in England.
By some his name has been spelled Chewit, and
ascribed to the circumstance of his having been the first
man that ever chewed tobacco; but this I believe to be a
mere flippancy; more especially as certain of his progeny
are living at this day, who write their names Juet. He
was an old comrade and early school-mate of the great
Hudson, with whom he had often played truant and
sailed chip boats in a neighbouring pond, when they were
little boys; from whence it is said the commodore first
derived his bias towards a seafaring life. Certain it is,
that the old people about Limehouse declared Robert Juet
to be an unlucky urchin, prone to mischief, that would
one day or other come to the gallows.

He grew up as boys of that kind often grow up, a rambling

heedless varlet, tossed about in all quarters of the
world—meeting with more perils and wonders than did
Sinbad the sailor, without growing a whit more wise,
prudent, or ill-natured. Under every misfortune he comforted
himself with a quid of tobacco, and the true philosophic
maxim, that “it will be all the same thing a hundred
years hence.” He was skilled in the art of carving
anchors and true lovers' knots on the bulk-heads and
quarter-railings, and was considered a great wit on board
ship, in consequence of his playing pranks on every
body around, and now and then even making a wry
face at old Hendrick, when his back was turned.

To this universal genius we are indebted for many particulars
concerning this voyage, of which he wrote a
history, at the request of the commodore, who had an
unconquerable aversion to writing hinself, from having
received so many floggings about it when at school. To
supply the deficiencies of Master Juet's Journal which
is written with true log book brevity, I have availed myself
of divers family traditions, handed down from my
great great grandfather, who accompanied the expedition
in the capacity of cabin boy.