Part 19 (1/2)

In this mean figure the sloop returned; she had a new man put into her for captain, one we knew how to trust; and the old pilot appearing only as a pa.s.senger, the doctor and William acting as the supercargoes, by a formal procuration from one Captain Singleton, and all things ordered in form.

We had a complete loading for the sloop; for, besides a very great quant.i.ty of nutmegs and cloves, mace, and some cinnamon, she had on board some goods which we took in as we lay about the Philippine Islands, while we waited as looking for purchase.

William made no difficulty of selling this cargo also, and in about twenty days returned again, freighted with all necessary provisions for our voyage, and for a long time; and, as I say, we had a great deal of other goods: he brought us back about three-and-thirty thousand pieces of eight, and some diamonds, which, though William did not pretend to much skill in, yet he made s.h.i.+ft to act so as not to be imposed upon, the merchants he had to deal with, too, being very fair men.

They had no difficulty at all with these merchants, for the prospect they had of gain made them not at all inquisitive, nor did they make the least discovery of the sloop; and as to the selling them spices which were fetched so far from thence, it seems it was not so much a novelty there as we believed, for the Portuguese had frequently vessels which came from Macao in China, who brought spices, which they bought of the Chinese traders, who again frequently dealt among the Dutch Spice Islands, and received spices in exchange for such goods as they carried from China.

This might be called, indeed, the only trading voyage we had made; and now we were really very rich, and it came now naturally before us to consider whither we should go next. Our proper delivery port, as we ought to have called it, was at Madagascar, in the Bay of Mangah.e.l.ly; but William took me by myself into the cabin of the sloop one day, and told me he wanted to talk seriously with me a little; so we shut ourselves in, and William began with me.

”Wilt thou give me leave,” says William, ”to talk plainly with thee upon thy present circ.u.mstances, and thy future prospect of living? and wilt thou promise, on thy word, to take nothing ill of me?”

”With all my heart,” said I. ”William, I have always found your advice good, and your designs have not only been well laid, but your counsel has been very lucky to us; and, therefore, say what you will, I promise you I will not take it ill.”

”But that is not all my demand,” says William; ”if thou dost not like what I am going to propose to thee, thou shalt promise me not to make it public among the men.”

”I will not, William,” says I, ”upon my word;” and swore to him, too, very heartily.

”Why, then,” says William, ”I have but one thing more to article with thee about, and that is, that thou wilt consent that if thou dost not approve of it for thyself, thou wilt yet consent that I shall put so much of it in practice as relates to myself and my new comrade doctor, so that it be nothing to thy detriment and loss.”

”In anything,” says I, ”William, but leaving me, I will; but I cannot part with you upon any terms whatever.”

”Well,” says William, ”I am not designing to part from thee, unless it is thy own doing. But a.s.sure me in all these points, and I will tell my mind freely.”

So I promised him everything he desired of me in the solemnest manner possible, and so seriously and frankly withal, that William made no scruple to open his mind to me.

”Why, then, in the first place,” says William, ”shall I ask thee if thou dost not think thou and all thy men are rich enough, and have really gotten as much wealth together (by whatsoever way it has been gotten, that is not the question) as we all know what to do with?”

”Why, truly, William,” said I, ”thou art pretty right; I think we have had pretty good luck.”

”Well, then,” says William, ”I would ask whether, if thou hast gotten enough, thou hast any thought of leaving off this trade; for most people leave off trading when they are satisfied of getting, and are rich enough; for n.o.body trades for the sake of trading; much less do men rob for the sake of thieving.”

”Well, William,” says I, ”now I perceive what it is thou art driving at. I warrant you,” says I, ”you begin to hanker after home.”

”Why, truly,” says William, ”thou hast said it, and so I hope thou dost too. It is natural for most men that are abroad to desire to come home again at last, especially when they are grown rich, and when they are (as thou ownest thyself to be) rich enough, and so rich as they know not what to do with more if they had it.”

”Well, William,” said I, ”but now you think you have laid your preliminary at first so home that I should have nothing to say; that is, that when I had got money enough, it would be natural to think of going home. But you have not explained what you mean by home, and there you and I shall differ.

Why, man, I am at home; here is my habitation; I never had any other in my lifetime; I was a kind of charity school boy; so that I can have no desire of going anywhere for being rich or poor, for I have nowhere to go.”

”Why,” says William, looking a little confused, ”art not thou an Englishman?”

”Yes,” says I, ”I think so: you see I speak English; but I came out of England a child, and never was in it but once since I was a man; and then I was cheated and imposed upon, and used so ill that I care not if I never see it more.”

”Why, hast thou no relations or friends there?” says he; ”no acquaintance-- none that thou hast any kindness or any remains of respect for?”

”Not I, William,” said I; ”no more than I have in the court of the Geat Mogul.”

”Nor any kindness for the country where thou wast born?” says William.

”Not I, any more than for the island of Madagascar, nor so much neither; for that has been a fortunate island to me more than once, as thou knowest, William,” said I.