DISGUISE THEIR SLOOP AND SELL ANOTHER CARGO. 231

selves, which by the way, was from the good frugal merchant like temper of the man, who was for the best of everything; but here I overruled William, which I very seldom took upon me to do; but I told him, that, considering our circumstances, it was much better for us to sell all our cargoes here, though we made but half price of them, than to go with them to the gulf of Persia, where we should run a greater risk, and where people would be much more curious and inquisitive into things than they were here, and where it would not be so easy to manage them, seeing they traded freely and openly there, not by stealth, as those men seemed to do; and besides, if they suspected anything, it would be much more difficult for us to retreat, except by mere force, than here, where we were upon the high sea, as it were, and could be gone whenever we pleased, without any disguise, or indeed without the least appearance of being pursued, none knowing where to look for us.

My apprehensions prevailed with William, whether my reasons did or no, and he submitted; and we resolved to try another ship's loading to the same merchants. The mair business was to consider how to get off of that circumstance that had exposed them to the English merchants; namely, that it was our other sloop; but this the old quaker pilot undertook; for being, as I said, an excellent mimic himself, it was the easier for him to dress up the sloop in new clothes; and first, he put on all the carved work he had taken off before; her stern, which was painted of a dumb white, or dun colour, before all flat, was now all lackered, and blue, and I know not how many gay figures in it; as to her quarter, the carpenters made her a neat little gallery on either side; she had twelve guns put into her, and some patereroes upon her gunnel, none of which were there before; and, to finish her new habit, or appearance, and make her change complete, he ordered her sails to be altered; and as she sailed before with a half-sprit, like a yacht, she sailed now with square sail and mizen-mast, like a ketch; so that, in a word, she was a perfect cheat, disguised in everything that a stranger could be supposed to take any notice of, that had never had but one view; for they had been but once on board.

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 passenger, 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 quantity 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 shift 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 Mangahelly; 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.

WILLIAM CONVERSES WITH THE CAPTAIN.

233

CHAPTER XIX.

WILLIAM'S CONVERSATION WITH ME-HIS CONTRIVANCES TO GET OFF, ALONG WITH ME, FROM THE REST, AT THE SAME TIME SECURING OUR PROPERTY-THEIR SUCCESSFUL ISSUE-WE STAY TWO MONTHS AT BASSORA-MY TROUBLE OF MIND.

WILT thou give me leave, says William, to talk plainly with thee upon thy present circumstances, 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 in 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 assure me in all these points, and I will tell my mind freely.

So I promised him everything he desired of me, in the most solemn 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 ye 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 with getting, and are rich enough; for nobody trades for the sake of trading; much less do any 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 a 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 re mains of respect for?

Not 1, William, said I; not one, more than I have in the court of the Great Mogul.

CONVERSATION CONTINUED.

235

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.

William was quite stunned at my discourse, and held his peace; and I said to him, Go on, William; what hast thou to say farther? for I hear you have some project in your head, says I; come, let's have it out.

Nay, says William, thou hast put me to silence, and all I had to say is overthrown; all my projects are come to nothing, and gone.

Well, but, William, said I, let me hear what they were; for though it is so that what I have to aim at does not look your way, and though I have no relation, no friend, no acquaintance in England, yet I do not say I like this roving, cruising life so well as never to give it over: let me hear if thou canst propose to me anything beyond it.

Certainly, friend, says William, very gravely, there is something beyond it; and lifting up his hands, he seemed very much affected, and I thought I saw tears standing in his eyes; but I, that was too hardened a wretch to be moved with these things, laughed at him. What! says I, you mean death, I warrant you; don't you? that is beyond this trade. Why, when it comes, it comes; then we are all provided for.

Aye, says William, that is true; but it would be better that some things were thought on before that came.

Thought on! says I; what signifies thinking of it? To think of death, is to die; and to be always thinking of it, is to be all one's life long a-dying: it is time enough to think of it when it comes.

You will easily believe I was well qualified for a pirate, that could talk thus; but let me leave it upon record, for the remark of other hardened rogues like myself. My conscience gave me a pang that I had never felt before, when I saidWhat signifies thinking of it? and told me, I should one day think of these words with a sad heart; but the time of my reflection was not yet come; so I went on.

Says William, very seriously, I must tell thee, friend, I am sorry to hear thee talk so: they that never think of dying, often die without thinking of it.