I was born in Nottinghamshire and was the third of five sons. My father was not a rich man, but he was able to send me to Cambridge University, where I studied for three years. When I left college. I continued my studies and became a doctor. But I always wanted to travel enoug and so I made several voyages as a ship's doctor. When I married my wife Mary. however I planned to stay at I home for a while. But after a few years I discovered was not earning enough money from my patients. I decided to go to sea again, and this time I joined a ship started our journey from Bristol on May 4th. 1699 At first our voyage went we