by Daniel Defoe
I left them my fire arms, viz. five musquets, three fowling pieces, and three swords. I had above a barrel and half of powder left; for after the first year or two, I used but little, and wasted none. I gave them a description of the way I manag’d the goats, and directions to milk and fatten them, and to make both butter and cheese.
In a word, I gave them every part of my own story; and I told them, I would prevail with the Captain to leave them two barrels of gun-powder more, and some garden-seeds, which I told them I would have been very glad of; also I gave them the bag of pease which the Captain had brought me to eat, and bade them be sure to sow and encrease them.
Having done all this, I left them the next day, and went on board the ship: We prepared immediately to sail, but did not weigh that night: The next morning early, two of the five men came swimming to the ship’s side, and making a most lamentable complaint of the other three, begged to be taken into the ship, for God’s sake, for they should be murthered, and begg’d the Captain to take them on board, tho’ he hang’d them immediately.
Upon this the Captain pretended to have no power without me; but after some difficulty, and after their solemn promises of amendment, they were taken on board, and were some time after soundly whipp’d and pickl’d;69 after which, they prov’d very honest and quiet fellows.
Some time after this, the boat was order’d on shore, the tide being up, with the things promised to the men, to which the Captain, at my intercession, caused their chests and clothes to be added, which they took, and were very thankful for; I also encourag’d them, by telling them, that if it lay in my way to send any vessel to take them in, I would not forget them.
When I took leave of this island, I carry’d on board for reliques the great goat’s-skin-cap I had made, my umbrella, and my parrot; also I forgot not to take the money I formerly mention’d, which had lain by me so long useless, that it was grown rusty, or tarnish’d, and could hardly pass for silver, till it had been a little rubb’d, and handled; as also the money I found in the wreck of the Spanish ship.
And thus I left the island, the nineteenth of December, as I found by the ship’s account, in the year 1686, after I had been upon it eight and twenty years, two months, and 19 days; being deliver’d from this second captivity, the same day of the month that I first made my escape in the barco-longo, from among the Moors of Sallee.
In this vessel, after a long voyage, I arriv’d in England the eleventh of June, in the year 1687, having been thirty and five years absent.
When I came to England, I was as perfect a stranger to all the world, as if I had never been known there. My benefactor and faithful steward, who I had left in trust with my money, was alive; but had had great misfortunes in the world; was become a widow the second time, and very low in the world: I made her easy as to what she ow’d me, assuring her, I would give her no trouble; but on the contrary, in gratitude to her former care and faithfulness to me, I reliev’d her, as my little stock would afford, which at that time would indeed allow me to do but little for her; but I assur’d her, I would never forget her former kindness to me; nor did I forget her, when I had sufficient to help her, as shall be observ’d in its place.
I went down afterwards into Yorkshire; but my father was dead, and my mother, and all the family extinct, except that I found two sisters, and two of the children of one of my brothers, and as I had been long ago given over for dead, there had been no provision made for me; so that in a word, I found nothing to relieve, or assist me; and that little money I had, would not do much for me, as to settling in the world.
I met with one piece of gratitude indeed, which I did not expect; and this was, that the Master of the ship, who I had so happily deliver’d, and by the same means sav’d the ship and cargo, having given a very handsome account to the owners, of the manner how I had sav’d the lives of the men, and the ship, they invited me to meet them, and some other merchants concern’d, and all together made me a very handsome compliment upon the subject, and a present of almost two hundred pounds sterling.
But after making several reflections upon the circumstances of my life, and how little way this would go towards settling me in the world, I resolv’d to go to Lisbon, and see if I might not come by some information of the state of my plantation in the Brasils, and of what was become of my partner, who I had reason to suppose had some years now given me over for dead.
With this view I took shipping for Lisbon, where I arriv’d in April following; my man Friday accompanying me very honestly in all these ramblings, and proving a most faithful servant upon all occasions.
When I came to Lisbon, I found out by enquiry, and to my particular satisfaction, my old friend the Captain of the ship, who first took me up at sea, off of the shore of Africk: He was now grown old, and had left off the sea, having put his son, who was far from a young man, into his ship; and who still used the Brasil trade. The old man did not know me, and indeed I hardly knew him; but I soon brought him to my remembrance, and as soon brought my self to his remembrance, when I told him who I was.
After some passionate expressions of the old acquaintance, I enquir’d, you may be sure, after my plantation and my partner: The old man told me he had not been in the Brasils for about nine years; but that he could assure me, that when he came away my partner was living, but the trustees, who I had join’d with him to take cognizance of my part, were both dead; that however, he believ’d that I would have a very good account of the improvement of the plantation; for that upon the general belief of my being cast away, and drown’d, my trustees had given in the account of the produce of my part of the plantation, to the Procurator Fiscal, who had appropriated it, in case I never came to claim it; one third to the King, and two thirds to the monastery of St. Augustine, to be expended for the benefit of the poor, and for the conversion of the Indians to the Catholick faith; but that if I appear’d, or any one for me, to claim the inheritance, it should be restor’d; only that the improvement, or annual production, being distributed to charitable uses, could not be restor’d; but he assur’d me, that the steward of the King’s revenue (from lands) and the Proviedore, or Steward of the monastery, had taken great care all along, that the incumbent, that is to say, my partner, gave every year a faithful account of the produce, of which they receiv’d duly my moiety.
I ask’d him if he knew to what height of improvement he had brought the plantation? And, whether he thought it might be worth looking after? Or, whether on my going thither, I should meet with no obstruction to my possessing my just right in the moiety?
He told me, he could not tell exactly to what degree the plantation was improv’d; but this he knew, that my partner was grown exceeding rich upon the enjoying but one half of it; and that to the best of his remembrance, he had heard, that the King’s third of my part, which was it seems granted away to some other monastery, or religious house, amounted to above two hundred Moidores a year; that as to my being restor’d to a quiet possession of it, there was no question to be made of that, my partner being alive to witness my title, and my name being also enrolled in the register of the country; also he told me, that the survivors of my two trustees were very fair honest people, and very wealthy; and he believ’d I would not only have their assistance for putting me in possession, but would find a very considerable sum of money in their hands, for my account; being the produce of the farm while their fathers held the trust, and before it was given up as above, which as he remember’d, was for about twelve years.
I shew’d my self a little concern’d, and uneasy at this account, and enquir’d of the old Captain, how it came to pass, that the trustees should thus dispose my effects, when he knew that I had made my will, and had made him, the Portuguese Captain, my universal heir, &c.
He told me, that was true; but that as there was no proof of my being dead, he could not act as executor, until some certain account should come of my death, and that besides, he was not willing to intermeddle with a thing so remote; that it was true he had reg
ister’d my will, and put in his claim; and could he have given any account of my being dead or alive, he would have acted by procuration, and taken possession of the Ingenio, so they call’d the sugar-house, and had given his son, who was now at the Brasils, order to do it.
But, says the old man, I have one piece of news to tell you, which perhaps may not be so acceptable to you as the rest, and that is, that believing you were lost, and all the world believing so also, your partner and trustees did offer to accompt to me in your name, for six or eight of the first years of profits, which I receiv’d; but there being at that time, says he, great disbursements for encreasing the works, building an Ingenio, and buying slaves, it did not amount to near so much as afterwards it produced: However, says the old man, I shall give you a true account of what I have received in all, and how I have disposed of it.
After a few days farther conference with this ancient friend, he brought me an account of the six first years income of my plantation, sign’d by my partner and the merchants trustees, being always deliver’d in goods, viz. tobacco in roll, and sugar in chests, besides rum, molossus, &c. which is the consequence of a sugar work; and I found by this account, that every year the income considerably encreased; but as above, the disbursement being large, the sum at first was small: However, the old man let me see, that he was debtor to me 470 Moidores of gold, besides 60 chests of sugar, and 15 double rolls of tobacco which were lost in his ship; he having been ship-wreck’d coming home to Lisbon about 11 years after my leaving the place.
The good man then began to complain of his misfortunes, and how he had been oblig’d to make use of my money to recover his losses, and buy him a share in a new ship: However, my old friend, says he, you shall not want a supply in your necessity; and as soon as my son returns, you shall be fully satisfy’d.
Upon this, he pulls out an old pouch, and gives me 160 Portugal Moidores in gold; and giving me the writing of his title to the ship, which his son was gone to the Brasils in, of which he was a quarter part owner, and his son another, he puts them both into my hands for security of the rest.
I was too much mov’d with the honesty and kindness of the poor man, to be able to bear this; and remembring what he had done for me, how he had taken me up at sea, and how generously he had used me on all occasions, and particularly, how sincere a friend he was now to me, I could hardly refrain weeping at what he said to me: Therefore first I asked him, if his circumstances admitted him to spare so much money at that time, and if it would not straiten him? He told me, he could not say but it might straiten him a little; but however it was my money, and I might want it more than he.
Every thing the good man said was full of affection, and I could hardly refrain from tears while he spoke: In short, I took 100 of the Moidores, and call’d for a pen and ink to give him a receipt for them; then I returned him the rest, and told him, If ever I had possession of the plantation, I would return the other to him also, as indeed I afterwards did; and that as to the bill of sale of his part in his son’s ship, I would not take it by any means; but that if I wanted the money, I found he was honest enough to pay me; and if I did not, but came to receive what he gave me reason to expect, I would never have a penny more from him.
When this was pass’d, the old man began to ask me, If he should put me into a method to make my claim to my plantation? I told him, I thought to go over to it my self: He said, I might do so if I pleas’d; but that if I did not, there were ways enough to secure my right, and immediately to appropriate the profits to my use; and as there were ships in the River of Lisbon,70 just ready to go away to Brasil, he made me enter my name in a publick register, with his affidavit, affirming upon oath that I was alive, and that I was the same person who took up the land for the planting the said plantation at first.
This being regularly attested by a notary, and a procuration affix’d, he directed me to send it with a letter of his writing, to a merchant of his acquaintance at the place, and then propos’d my staying with him till an account came of the return.
Never any thing was more honourable, than the proceedings upon this procuration; for in less than seven months I receiv’d a large packet from the survivors of my trustees the merchants, for whose account I went to sea, in which were the following particular letters and papers enclos’d.
First, there was the account current of the produce of my farm, or plantation, from the year when their fathers had ballanc’d with my old Portugal Captain, being for six years; the ballance appear’d to be 1174 Moidores in my favour.
Secondly, there was the account of four years more while they kept the effects in their hands, before the government claim’d the administration, as being the effects of a person not to be found, which they call civil death; and the ballance of this, the value of the plantation encreasing, amounted to 38892 Cruisadoes,71 which made 3241 Moidores.
Thirdly, there was the Prior of the Augustin’s account, who had receiv’d the profits for above fourteen years; but not being to account for what was dispos’d to the hospital, very honestly declar’d he had 872 Moidores not distributed, which he acknowledged to my account; as to the King’s part, that refunded nothing.
There was a letter of my partner’s, congratulating me very affectionately upon my being alive, giving me an account how the estate was improv’d, and what it produced a year, with a particular of the number of squares or acres that it contain’d; how planted, how many slaves there were upon it, and making two and twenty crosses for blessings, told me he had said so many Ave Marias to thank the Blessed Virgin that I was alive; inviting me very passionately to come over and take possession of my own; and in the mean time to give him orders to whom he should deliver my effects, if I did not come my self; concluding with a hearty tender of his friendship, and that of his family, and sent me, as a present, seven fine leopard’s skins, which he had it seems received from Africa, by some other ship which he had sent thither, and who it seems had made a better voyage than I: He sent me also five chests of excellent sweet-meats, and an hundred pieces of gold uncoin’d, not quite so large as Moidores.
By the same fleet, my two merchant trustees shipp’d me 1200 chests of sugar, 800 rolls of tobacco, and the rest of the whole accompt in gold.
I might well say, now indeed, that the latter end of Job was better than the beginning.72 It is impossible to express here the flutterings of my very heart, when I look’d over these letters, and especially when I found all my wealth about me; for as the Brasil ships come all in fleets, the same ships which brought my letters, brought my goods; and the effects were safe in the river before the letters came to my hand. In a word, I turned pale, and grew sick; and had not the old man run and fetch’d me a cordial, I believe the sudden surprise of joy had overset Nature, and I had dy’d upon the spot.
Nay after that, I continu’d very ill, and was so some hours, till a physician being sent for, and something of the real cause of my illness being known, he order’d me to be let blood; after which, I had relief, and grew well: But I verily believe, if it had not been eas’d by a vent given in that manner to the spirits, I should have dy’d.
I was now master, all on a sudden, of above 5000 l. Sterling in money, and had an estate, as I might well call it, in the Brasils, of above a thousand pounds a year, as sure as an estate of lands in England:73 And in a word, I was in a condition which I scarce knew how to understand, or how to compose my self, for the enjoyment of it.
The first thing I did, was to recompense my original benefactor, my good old Captain, who had been first charitable to me in my distress, kind to me in my beginning, and honest to me at the end: I shew’d him all that was sent me, I told him, that next to the Providence of Heaven, which disposes all things, it was owing to him; and that it now lay on me to reward him, which I would do a hundred fold: So I first return’d to him the hundred Moidores I had receiv’d of him, then I sent for a notary, and caused him to draw up a general release or discharge for the 470 Moidores, which he had acknowledg’d he ow’
d me in the fullest and firmest manner possible; after which, I caused a procuration to be drawn, impowering him to be my receiver of the annual profits of my plantation, and appointing my partner to accompt to him, and make the returns by the usual fleets to him in my name; and a clause in the end, being a grant of 100 Moidores a year to him, during his life, out of the effects, and 50 Moidores a year to his son after him, for his life: And thus I requited my old man.
I was now to consider which way to steer my course next, and what to do with the estate that Providence had thus put into my hands; and indeed I had more care upon my head now, than I had in my silent state of life in the island, where I wanted nothing but what I had, and had nothing but what I wanted: Whereas I had now a great charge upon me, and my business was how to secure it. I had ne’er a cave now to hide my money in, or a place where it might lye without lock or key, till it grew mouldy and tarnish’d before any body would meddle with it: On the contrary, I knew not where to put it, or who to trust with it. My old patron, the Captain, indeed was honest, and that was the only refuge I had.
In the next place, my interest in the Brasils seem’d to summon me thither, but now I could not tell how to think of going thither, till I had settled my affairs, and left my effects in some safe hands behind me. At first I thought of my old friend the widow, who I knew was honest, and would be just to me; but then she was in years, and but poor, and for ought I knew, might be in debt; so that in a word, I had no way but to go back to England my self, and take my effects with me.