第 12 节
作者:
中国必胜 更新:2021-02-20 05:34 字数:9322
without any possibility of a discovery of our circumstances。
I told him in general; too; that as I had several relations in the
place where we was; and that I durst not now let myself be
known to them; because they would soon come into a knowledge
of the occasion and reason of my coming over; which would be
to expose myself to the last degree; so I had reason to believe
that my mother; who dies here; had left me something; and
perhaps considerable; which it might be very well worth my
while to inquire after; but that this too could not be done
without exposing us publicly; unless we went from hence; and
then; wherever we settled; I might come; as it were; to visit
and to see my brother and nephews; make myself known to
them; claim and inquire after what was my due; be received
with respect; and at the same time have justice done me with
cheerfulness and good will; whereas; if I did it now; I could
expect nothing but with trouble; such as exacting it by force;
receiving it with curses and reluctance; and with all kinds of
affronts; which he would not perhaps bear to see; that in case
of being obliged to legal proofs of being really her daughter;
I might be at loss; be obliged to have recourse to England; and
it may be to fail at last; and so lose it; whatever it might be。
With these arguments; and having thus acquainted my husband
with the whole secret so far as was needful of him; we resolved
to go and seek a settlement in some other colony; and at first
thoughts; Caroline was the place we pitched upon。
In order to this we began to make inquiry for vessels going to
Carolina; and in a very little while got information; that on the
other side the bay; as they call it; namely; in Maryland; there
was a ship which came from Carolina; laden with rice and
other goods; and was going back again thither; and from
thence to Jamaica; with provisions。 On this news we hired a
sloop to take in our goods; and taking; as it were; a final
farewell of Potomac River; we went with all our cargo over
to Maryland。
This was a long and unpleasant voyage; and my spouse said
it was worse to him than all the voyage from England; because
the weather was but indifferent; the water rough; and the
vessel small and inconvenient。 In the next place; we were full
a hundred miles up Potomac River; in a part which they call
Westmoreland County; and as that river is by far the greatest
in Virginia; and I have heard say it is the greatest river in the
world that falls into another river; and not directly into the sea;
so we had base weather in it; and were frequently in great
danger; for though we were in the middle; we could not see
land on either side for many leagues together。 Then we had
the great river or bay of Chesapeake to cross; which is where
the river Potomac falls intoit; near thirty miles broad; and we
entered more great vast waters whose names I know not; so
that our voyage was full two hundred miles; in a poor; sorry
sloop; with all our treasure; and if any accident had happened
to us; we might at last have been very miserable; supposing
we had lost our goods and saved our lives only; and had then
been left naked and destitute; and in a wild; strange place not
having one friend or acquaintance in all that part of the world。
The very thought of it gives me some horror; even since the
danger is past。
Well; we came to the place in five days' sailing; I think they
call it Philip's Point; and behold; when we came thither; the
ship bound to Carolina was loaded and gone away but three
days before。 This was a disappointment;; but; however; I;
that was to be discouraged with nothing; told my husband
that since we could not get passage to Caroline; and that the
country we was in was very fertile and good; we would; if he
liked of it; see if we could find out anything for our tune where
we was; and that if he liked things we would settle here。
We immediately went on shore; but found no conveniences
just at that place; either for our being on shore or preserving
our goods on shore; but was directed by a very honest Quaker;
whom we found there; to go to a place about sixty miles east;
that is to say; nearer the mouth of the bay; where he said he
lived; and where we should be accommodated; either to plant;
or to wait for any other place to plant in that might be more
convenient; and he invited us with so much kindness and
simply honesty; that we agreed to go; and the Quaker himself
went with us。
Here we bought us two servants; viz。 an English woman…servant
just come on shore from a ship of Liverpool; and a Negro
man…servant; things absolutely necessary for all people that
pretended to settle in that country。 This honest Quaker was
very helpful to us; and when we came to the place that he
proposed to us; found us out a convenient storehouse for our
goods; and lodging for ourselves and our servants; and about
two months or thereabouts afterwards; by his direction; we
took up a large piece of land from the governor of that country;
in order to form our plantation; and so we laid the thoughts
of going to Caroline wholly aside; having been very well
received here; and accommodated with a convenient lodging
till we could prepare things; and have land enough cleared;
and timber and materials provided for building us a house; all
which we managed by the direction of the Quaker; so that in
one year's time we had nearly fifty acres of land cleared; part
of it enclosed; and some of it planted with tabacco; though
not much; besides; we had garden ground and corn sufficient
to help supply our servants with roots and herbs and bread。
And now I persuaded my husband to let me go over the bay
again; and inquire after my friends。 He was the willinger to
consent to it now; because he had business upon his hands
sufficient to employ him; besides his gun to divert him; which
they call hunting there; and which he greatly delighted in; and
indeed we used to look at one another; sometimes with a great
deal of pleasure; reflecting how much better that was; not than
Newgate only; but than the most prosperous of our circumstances
in the wicked trade that we had been both carrying on。
Our affair was in a very good posture; we purchased of the
proprietors of the colony as much land for #35; paid in ready
money; as would make a sufficient plantation to employ
between fifty and sixty servants; and which; being well
improved; would be sufficient to us as long as we could either
of us live; and as for children; I was past the prospect of
anything of that kind。
But out good fortune did not end here。 I went; as I have said;
over the bay; to the place where my brother; once a husband;
lived; but I did not go to the same village where I was before;
but went up another great river; on the east side of the river
Potomac; called Rappahannock River; and by this means
came on the back of his plantation; which was large; and by
the help of a navigable creek; or little river; that ran into the
Rappahannock; I came very near it。
I was now fully resolved to go up point…blank to my brother
(husband); and to tell him who I was; but not knowing what
temper I might find him in; or how much out of temper rather;
I might make him by such a rash visit; I resolved to write a
letter to him first; to let him know who I was; and that I was
come not to give him any trouble upon the old relation; which
I hoped was entirely forgot; but that I applied to him as a sister
to a brother; desiring his assistance in the case of that provision
which our mother; at her decease; had left for my support; and
which I did not doubt but he would do me justice in; especially
considering that I was come thus far to look after it。
I said some very tender; kind things in the letter about his
son; which I told him he knew to be my own child; and that
as I was guilty of nothing in marrying him; any more than he
was in marrying me; neither of us having then known our
being at all related to one another; so I hoped he would allow
me the most passionate desire of once seeing my one and only
child; and of showing something of the infirmities of a mother
in preserving a violent affect for him; who had never been
able to retain any thought of me one way or other。
I did believe that; having received this letter; he would
immediately give it to his son to read; I having understood
his eyesbeing so dim; that he could not see to read it; but it
fell out better than so; for as his sight was dim; so he had
allowed his son to open all letters that came to his hand for
him; and the old gentleman being from home; or out of the
way when my messenger came; my letter came directly to my
son's hand; and he opened and read it。
He called the messenger in