Ir is an instructive fact that the men who of late years have been chiefly distinguished, in New England, for elevation of character, and who have acquired the largest fortunes and exerted the greatest influence upon commercial and manufacturing interests, were men of no early advantages; with no means of providing their daily bread but their own industry; no better education than our public schools afforded; and no patrons but such as faithful service in humble stations had acquired for them. SAMUEL APPLETON, NATHAN APPLETON, AMOS LAWRENCE, ABBOTT LAWRENCE, and WILLIAM APPLETON, are names familiar among us as household words, in their suggestion of ability, wealth, influence, and intellectual and moral pre-eminence. And to the same list may be added the Dames of FRANCIS C. LOWELL and PATRICK T. JACKSON, who, under some few circumstances usually esteemed more advantageous, rose, independently of them, to be the architects of their own fortunes, and the founders of the vast manufacturing interests of the Eastern States.

The energy, self-devotion, personal independence, moral purity, and earnestness, ever exhibited by these eminently and truly successful men, find a new and wonderful illustration in the subject of this Memoir; who, entering life upon a little farm on the sands of Cape Cod, began his career of self-reliance when sixteen years old, as a sailor-boy before the mast, on wages of seven dollars a month, and has recently closed his days on earth at the ripe age of eighty-one years,-possessed of a most ample estate, standing with his family in the foremost rank of American society, and distinguished for a highly cultivated intellect, and for remarkably extensive knowledge, that embraced not only the commerce of the globe, but a wide field of historical and literary information. Nor was be less con

spicuous for firm and liberal principles, for a clear perception of justice, for a high sense of honor, for generous sentiments and tender affections; and he died surrounded by numerous and ardent friends of all ages-from gray-haired contemporaries, to the little children who loved to gather around him to listen to his tale of marvels and adventures among the Indians of the North-west Coast.

WILLIAM STURGIS was born on the twenty-fifth day of February, 1782, in the town of Barnstable, on Cape Cod, in Massachusetts, near to Plymouth, the landing-place of the Pilgrims of the "Mayflower." His father, of the same name, was a highly respectable shipmaster of Barnstable, who for many years sailed in command of various vessels from Boston. He was a lineal descendant of EDWARD STURGIS, the first of the name in this country, who came over from England in 1630, and, having first settled at Charlestown, afterwards removed to Yarmouth, where, in 1638, he is recorded as one of the "first planters" of that town.

His mother was HANNAH MILLS, the youngest daughter of the Rev. JONATHAN MILLS, a graduate of Harvard University, who was settled in the ministry at Harwich, where he died.

His earliest introduction into life was to a sphere of usefulness and responsibility. His father's nautical pursuits kept him from home for the greater portion of his time, leaving to his wife the care of the young family (of which WILLIAM was the eldest child and the only son), and of the few acres of land that constituted what was then called a Cape-Cod farm. She was a capable and energetic woman, with a large share of sound common sense; but she found it indispensable to avail herself of the aid of her son, as soon as he was old enough to afford any, in the management of their domestic affairs. She was, however, too judicious to suffer her requirements to interfere with his regular attendance at school, whenever one, public or private, was within reach.

At the age of thirteen, she sent him to a private school at Hingham, kept by Mr. JAMES WARREN, Son of General WARREN of Plymouth, a prominent patriot of Revolutionary times. Here he passed a year; and in a memorandum made by him, from which this brief account of his life is chiefly taken, he testifies to his teacher's fidelity by saying, "If I did not make sufficient progress, it was not the fault of the instructor, who was attentive and efficient." As to the faithfulness with which this brief opportunity for gaining the rudiments of an education was improved, his subsequent life furnishes decided and satisfactory testimony. These, however, were the last of his school days. In the year 1796 he came to Boston, and entered the counting-house of his kinsman, the late Mr. RUSSELL STURGIS, at that time largely engaged in the purchase and exportation of what were denominated shipping furs."

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It must be remembered that Mr. STURGIS was then only fourteen years age, and yet, during the eighteen months he remained in this situation, he so faithfully improved his time and means for acquiring knowledge, as to familiarize himself with the business of his employer, and thereby in a peculiar manner became prepared for taking advantage of the contingencies which soon unexpectedly presented themselves. We well know that there is a divinity that shapes our ends: still we also know that if we do not use the means Providence is wont to bless, neither circumstances will help us nor divinity aid us. Success is within the reach of every

man who improves his every advantage. What are called fortuitous circumstances happen to all. Some, however, have fitted themselves, by previous study, for taking advantage of them, while others have not. Thus was it in the case of Mr. STURGIS. When he entered that countinghouse he had no idea the information he might acquire would ever be of any particular use to him. His taste was rather for the sea. Still he went to work earnestly and faithfully, thoroughly acquainting himself with the details of the business, so that when the occasion to use this knowledge arose he was fuily prepared.

After remaining in the service of Mr. RUSSELL STURGIS nearly eighteen months, he entered the counting room of Messrs. JAMES and THOMAS H. PERKINS, merchants of great eminence and extensive commercial relations, and at that time much engaged in trade with the North-west Coast and China.

About this time, and in the year 1797, his father died abroad, his ves sel having been captured and plundered by piratical privateers in the West Indies. His family were left in straitened circumstances; and WILLIAM, being now thrown wholly upon his own resources, and compelled to adopt some occupation that might not only secure his present support, but give promise of future success in life, did that "which was most natural for a young Cape-Cod boy to do" under such circumstances,―he decided "to follow the sea."

The rudiments of navigation had been taught at the school he attended. But now he set earnestly to work, devoting all the time that could be spared from his duties in the counting-room to the acquisition of such further knowledge of the theory and practice of the art as would qualify him for office on board of a ship; and after a few months of diligent study under the instruction of Mr. OSGOOD CARLTON, a well known and highly respected teacher of mathematics and navigation in those days, he was pronounced competent to navigate a ship to any part of the world.

In the summer of the year 1798, his employers, the Messrs. PERKINS, were fitting out a small vessel, the "Eliza," of one hundred and thirtysix tons (below the average in size of those now employed in the coasting trade), for a voyage to the North-west Coast, San Blas on the western coast of Mexico, and China, under the command of Captain JAMES ROWAN. This officer was a good practical seaman, without education or much theorectical knowledge of navigation; but, having been several times on the North-west Coast, he was well qualified to carry on a trade with the Indians, which was conducted wholly by barter. The large number of the crew for a vessel so small, amounting to one hundred and thirty-six men, but necessary for defence against the Indians, rendered the passage one of great discomfort to those before the mast, and exposed the "green hand" to a somewhat severe experience of the hardships of a sailor's life. They sailed from Boston early in August; and, after touching at the Falkland and the Sandwich Islands, they reached the Northwest Coast in the latter part of the month of December. Captain ROWAN soon perceived the peculiar qualifications and efficiency of young STURgis, and selected him as his assistant in the management of the trade. early in life he was able to turn the information obtained in the countinghouse to a good account. With his usual faithfulness and thoroughness e now devoted himself not only to the mastery of the business in all its

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details, but also to a laborious study of the Indian languages, and to the cultivation of friendly relations with the natives by kind words and courteous manners, as well as by the most scrupulous truthfulness and honor in his dealings with them. By such means he soon succeeded in securing a degree of affection, respect and influence among these natives of the forest, to which no other white man had ever attained. Indeed, his name has ever since been cherished by these untutored savages with singular affection and reverence, in sad contrast with their recollections of the vices and barbarities of others, whose superiority in civilization, if such it can be called, served only as the means of brutal excesses, frauds and cruel ties, of which the former experience of the poor Indian afforded no parallel. Among the latest tidings from that decaying race came affectionate inquiries from an aged chief concerning his old friend, "the good Mr. STURGIS,"-the dying echo of the influences of a noble character upon the children of the forest, still reverberating, after more than sixty years, from the shore of the Pacific Ocean to his grave on the shore of the Atlantic.

After visiting numerous tribes, and disposing of the portion of the cargo destined for that coast in exchange for sea-otter skins and other furs, they anchored in the port of Caiganee, in latitude 55° north, much frequented by trading vessels. Here they found two Boston ships-the "Despatch," commanded by Captain BRECK; and the "Ulysses," by Captain LAMB. The crew of the latter ship were in a state of mutiny. They and the officers having revolted a few days before, had seized the captain, put him in irons, and confined him to a state-room, with an armed sentry at the door. This was alleged to have been done in consequence of the cruel treatment by LAMB of those under his command. Captains ROWAN and BRECK interfered, obtained his release, and took him on board of the "Eliza." After negotiations with the mutineers, occupying several days, and a promise by LAMB to pardon all that had been done, and to treat them better in future, the crew, with the exception of the officers and two seamen, consented that he should resume the command of his ship. This was done; the second and third mates, with the two unwilling seamen, being taken on board the other vessels, and the chief mate being confined in irons on board of the "Ulysses." This arrangement left that ship with no officer excepting the boatswain, who was illiterate, and without a knowledge of navigation. Captain LAMB made very liberal proposals to induce some officer from the "Eliza" or the "Despatch" to take the situation of chief mate on board of his ship, but unsuccessfully; his reputation for ill treating his officers as well as his men was so bad that no one was willing to go with him. It was indispensable, however, that there should be some officer on board capable of navigating the ship, and of managing the trade with the Indians, to take the place of Captain LAMB, in the event of his death, or his inability to continue in command.

Young STURGIS being competent for both of those duties, although deficient in practical seamanship, Captain LAMB proposed that he should take the place of chief mate of the "Ulysses," with liberal wages; and should also act as his assistant in trading with the Indians, and for his services should receive a small commission upon all furs collected on the Coast. Such an offer to a lad of seventeen, then a boy in the forecastle, doing duty as a common sailor, but eager for advancement in the profession he had chosen, was too tempting, in regard both to station and