Before I begin my story, I would like to tell you a little about my early life, I was born on a large farm in the middle of England, the third of five sons, and my father called me. After I finished school. I studied in Cambridge for three years and then became an apprentice to a surgeon in London. The surgeon, Mr. Bates was a very good one, and I worked with him for four years. I always wanted to travel. So in my free I learned how to sail so that one day I could leave England and explore the world. I quickly found another job as a ship's surgeon, and for six years I traveled around the world. I earned good money, and as a surge not always needed on a ship, I also had plenty of time to myself. I did not waste his time but used it well: I read books and taught myself to speak several languages. I met a king woman called Mary Burton and we soon got married, I decided to stay in London with my new wife for a few years. But although Bates did all he could to help me, work was not easy to find. A year later, Mr. Bates sadly died and I knew that my life would only become more difficult; we had only just enough money to live on. There's little work for a surgeon in London, but my friends tell me I should be able to find work on a ship, I said to Mary one day. She thought long and hard before saying, I don't want you to go, but if that's the only way we can earn enough to live well, then so be it. My friends were right, because