Richard Ramsay Armstrong's Book Of His Adventures

"Being a bit of a pickle at home, I am sent into the navy at the age of thirteen years.

I was one of a family of thirteen, a mysterious number that may account for my wandering and adventures in the distant parts of the earth. My elder brothers had received their Commissions in the Army, and I, as 'the fool of the family' (the title generally given to the son who selects the sea) bestowed my abilities on the Navy.

My choice was fixed in the following manner - my brother Fred, only one year my junior, and myself were caught red-handed helping ourselves to some choice wall fruit (especially marked for the table) when to our horror we heard the loud voice of our father calling us in the garden. Our consciences of course condemned us and we endeavoured to hide. This was not the first time we had been caught taking a deep interest in fruit raising and our state of mind when called before the bar, can be well imagined.

To our great astonishment and bewilderment however, my father was in great grim humour, and received us in a more friendly manner than we had anticipated. After recovering from rather a sudden shock we were questioned as to who would like to join the Navy. As I was the elder of the two I had the preference of choice. As one of my elder brothers, who had done much travelling, often captivated us by the stories of his travels in what to us was a great wonderland, I did not hesitate in giving my answer, and so the die was cast."