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on some other parts of the English colonies in America。



He told me he wrote two or three letters to me; directed 

according to my order; but heard nothing from me。  This I 

indeed knew to be true; but the letters coming to my hand in 

the time of my latter husband; I could do nothing in it; and 

therefore chose to give no answer; that so he might rather 

believe they had miscarried。



Being thus disappointed; he said; he carried on the old trade 

ever since; though when he had gotten so much money; he 

said; he did not run such desperate risks as he did before。  

Then he gave me some account of several hard and desperate 

encounters which he had with gentlemen on the road; who 

parted too hardly with their money; and showed me some 

wounds he had received; and he had one or two very terrible 

wounds indeed; as particularly one by a pistol bullet; which 

broke his arm; and another with a sword; which ran him quite 

through the body; but that missing his vitals; he was cured 

again; one of his comrades having kept with him so faithfully; 

and so friendly; as that he assisted him in riding near eighty 

miles before his arm was set; and then got a surgeon in a 

considerable city; remote from that place where it was done; 

pretending they were gentlemen travelling towards Carlisle 

and that they had been attacked on the road by highwaymen; 

and that one of them had shot him into the arm and broke 

the bone。



This; he said; his friend managed so well; that they were not 

suspected at all; but lay still till he was perfectly cured。  He 

gave me so many distinct accounts of his adventures; that it 

is with great reluctance that I decline the relating them; but I 

consider that this is my own story; not his。



I then inquired into the circumstances of his present case at 

that time; and what it was he expected when he came to be 

tried。  He told me that they had no evidence against him; or 

but very little; for that of three robberies; which they were all 

charged with; it was his good fortune that he was but in one 

of them; and that there was but one witness to be had for that 

fact; which was not sufficient; but that it was expected some 

others would come in against him; that he thought indeed; 

when he first saw me; that I had been one that came of that 

errand; but that if somebody came in against him; he hoped 

he should be cleared; that he had had some intimation; that if 

he would submit to transport himself; he might be admitted 

to it without a trial; but that he could not think of it with any 

temper; and thought he could much easier submit to be hanged。



I blamed him for that; and told him I blamed him on two 

accounts; first; because if he was transported; there might be 

a hundred ways for him that was a gentleman; and a bold 

enterprising man; to find his way back again; and perhaps 

some ways and means to come back before he went。  He 

smiled at that part; and said he should like the last the best of 

the two; for he had a kind of horror upon his mind at his being 

sent over to the plantations; as Romans sent condemned 

slaves to work in the mines; that he thought the passage into 

another state; let it be what it would; much more tolerable at 

the gallows; and that this was the general notion of all the 

gentlemen who were driven by the exigence of their fortunes 

to take the road; that at the place of execution there was at 

least an end of all the miseries of the present state; and as for 

what was to follow; a man was; in his opinion; as likely to 

repent sincerely in the last fortnight of his life; under the 

pressures and agonies of a jail and the condemned hole; as he 

would ever be in the woods and wilderness of America; that 

servitude and hard labour were things gentlemen could never 

stoop to; that it was but the way to force them to be their own 

executioners afterwards; which was much worse; and that 

therefore he could not have any patience when he did but 

think of being transported。



I used the utmost of my endeavour to persuade him; and joined 

that known woman's rhetoric to itI mean; that of tears。  I told 

him the infamy of a public execution was certainly a greater 

pressure upon the spirits of a gentleman than any of the 

mortifications that he could meet with abroad could be; that 

he had at least in the other a chance for his life; whereas here 

he had none at all; that it was the easiest thing in the world 

for him to manage the captain of a ship; who were; generally 

speaking; men of good…humour and some gallantry; and a 

small matter of conduct; especially if there was any money 

to be had; would make way for him to buy himself off when 

he came to Virginia。



He looked wistfully at me; and I thought I guessed at what he 

meant; that is to say; that he had no money; but I was mistaken; 

his meaning was another way。  'You hinted just now; my dear;' 

said he; 'that there might be a way of coming back before I 

went; by which I understood you that it might be possible to 

buy it off here。  I had rather give #200 to prevent going; than 

#100 to be set at liberty when I came there。'  'That is; my dear;' 

said I; 'because you do not know the place so well as I do。'  

'That may be;' said he; 'and yet I believe; as well as you know 

it; you would do the same; unless it is because; as you told 

me; you have a mother there。'



I told him; as to my mother; it was next to impossible but 

that she must be dead many years before; and as for any other 

relations that I might have there; I knew them not now; that 

since the misfortunes I had been under had reduced me to the 

condition I had been in for some years; I had not kept up any 

correspondence with them; and that he would easily believe; 

I should find but a cold reception from them if I should be 

put to make my first visit in the condition of a transported 

felon; that therefore; if I went thither; I resolved not to see 

them; but that I had many views in going there; if it should be 

my fate; which took off all the uneasy part of it; and if he 

found himself obliged to go also; I should easily instruct him 

how to manage himself; so as never to go a servant at all; 

especially since I found he was not destitute of money; which 

was the only friend in such a condition。



He smiled; and said he did not tell me he had money。  I took 

him up short; and told him I hoped he did not understand by 

my speaking; that I should expect any supply from him if he 

had money; that; on the other hand; though I had not a great 

deal; yet I did not want; and while I had any I would rather 

add to him than weaken him in that article; seeing; whatever 

he had; I knew in the case of transportation he would have 

occasion of it all。



He expressed himself in a most tender manner upon that head。  

He told me what money he had was not a great deal; but that 

he would never hide any of it from me if I wanted it; and that 

he assured me he did not speak with any such apprehensions; 

that he was only intent upon what I had hinted to him before 

he went; that here he knew what to do with himself; but that 

there he should be the most ignorant; helpless wretch alive。



I told him he frighted and terrified himself with that which 

had no terror in it; that if he had money; as I was glad to hear 

he had; he might not only avoid the servitude supposed to be 

the consequence of transportation; but begin the world upon 

a new foundation; and that such a one as he could not fail of 

success in; with the common application usual in such cases; 

that he could not but call to mind that is was what I had 

recommended to him many years before and had proposed it 

for our mutual subsistence and restoring our fortunes in the 

world; and I would tell him now; that to convince him both 

of the certainty of it and of my being fully acquainted with the 

method; and also fully satisfied in the probability of success; 

he should first see me deliver myself from the necessity of 

going over at all; and then that I would go with him freely; 

and of my own choice; and perhaps carry enough with me to 

satisfy him that I did not offer it for want of being able to live 

without assistance from him; but that I thought our mutual 

misfortunes had been such as were sufficient to reconcile us 

both to quitting this part of the world; and living where 

nobody could upbraid us with what was past; or we be in any 

dread of a prison; and without agonies of a condemned hole 

to drive us to it; this where we should look back on all our 

past disasters with infinite satisfaction; when we should 

consider that our enemies should entirely forget us; and that 

we should live as new people in a new world; nobody having 

anything to say to us; or we to them。



I pressed this home to him with so many arguments; and 

answered all his own passionate objections so effec

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