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great　boxes；　I　had　them　shipped　on　board；　not　as　my　goods；　

but　as　consigned　to　my　real　name　in　Virginia；　and　had　the　

bills　of　loading　signed　by　a　captain　in　my　pocket；　and　in　these　

boxes　was　my　plate　and　watches；　and　everything　of　value　

except　my　money；　which　I　kept　by　itself　in　a　private　drawer　

in　my　chest；　which　could　not　be　found；　or　opened；　if　found；　

with　splitting　the　chest　to　pieces。



In　this　condition　I　lay　for　three　weeks　in　the　ship；　not　knowing　

whether　I　should　have　my　husband　with　me　or　no；　and　therefore　

not　resolving　how　or　in　what　manner　to　receive　the　honest　

boatswain's　proposal；　which　indeed　he　thought　a　little　strange　

at　first。



At　the　end　of　this　time；　behold　my　husband　came　on　board。　　

He　looked　with　a　dejected；　angry　countenance；　his　great　heart　

was　swelled　with　rage　and　disdain；　to　be　dragged　along　with　

three　keepers　of　Newgate；　and　put　on　board　like　a　convict；　

when　he　had　not　so　much　as　been　brought　to　a　trial。　　He　made　

loud　complaints　of　it　by　his　friends；　for　it　seems　he　had　some　

interest；　but　his　friends　got　some　check　in　their　application；　

and　were　told　he　had　had　favour　enough；　and　that　they　had　

received　such　an　account　of　him；　since　the　last　grant　of　his　

transportation；　that　he　ought　to　think　himself　very　well　treated　

that　he　was　not　prosecuted　anew。　　This　answer　quieted　him　at　

once；　for　he　knew　too　much　what　might　have　happened；　and　

what　he　had　room　to　expect；　and　now　he　saw　the　goodness　of　

the　advice　to　him；　which　prevailed　with　him　to　accept　of　the　

offer　of　a　voluntary　transportation。　　And　after　this　his　chagrin　

at　these　hell…hounds；　as　he　called　them；　was　a　little　over；　he　

looked　a　little　composed；　began　to　be　cheerful；　and　as　I　was　

telling　him　how　glad　I　was　to　have　him　once　more　out　of　their　

hands；　he　took　me　in　his　arms；　and　acknowledged　with　great　

tenderness　that　I　had　given　him　the　best　advice　possible。　　'My　

dear；'　says　he；　'thou　has　twice　saved　my　life；　from　henceforward　

it　shall　be　all　employed　for　you；　and　I'll　always　take　your　advice。'



The　ship　began　now　to　fill；　several　passengers　came　on　board；　

who　were　embarked　on　no　criminal　account；　and　these　had　

accommodations　assigned　them　in　the　great　cabin；　and　other　

parts　of　the　ship；　whereas　we；　as　convicts；　were　thrust　down　

below；　I　know　not　where。　　But　when　my　husband　came　on　

board；　I　spoke　to　the　boatswain；　who　had　so　early　given　me　

hints　of　his　friendship　in　carrying　my　letter。　　I　told　him　he　had　

befriended　me　in　many　things；　and　I　had　not　made　any　suitable　

return　to　him；　and　with　that　I　put　a　guinea　into　his　hand。　　I　told　

him　that　my　husband　was　now　come　on　board；　that　though　

we　were　both　under　the　present　misfortune；　yet　we　had　been　

persons　of　a　different　character　from　the　wretched　crew　that　

we　came　with；　and　desired　to　know　of　him；　whether　the　captain　

might　not　be　moved　to　admit　us　to　some　conveniences　in　the　

ship；　for　which　we　would　make　him　what　satisfaction　he　

pleased；　and　that　we　would　gratify　him　for　his　pains　in　procuring　

this　for　us。　　He　took　the　guinea；　as　I　could　see；　with　great　

satisfaction；　and　assured　me　of　his　assistance。



Then　he　told　us　he　did　not　doubt　but　that　the　captain；　who　was　

one　of　the　best…humoured　gentlemen　in　the　world；　would　be　

easily　brought　to　accommodate　us　as　well　as　we　could　desire；　

and；　to　make　me　easy；　told　me　he　would　go　up　the　next　tide　

on　purpose　to　speak　to　the　captain　about　it。　　The　next　morning；　

happening　to　sleep　a　little　longer　than　ordinary；　when　I　got　up；　

and　began　to　look　abroad；　I　saw　the　boatswain　among　the　men　

in　his　ordinary　business。　　I　was　a　little　melancholy　at　seeing　

him　there；　and　going　forward　to　speak　to　him；　he　saw　me；　and　

came　towards　me；　but　not　giving　him　time　to　speak　first；　I　said；　

smiling；　'I　doubt；　sir；　you　have　forgot　us；　for　I　see　you　are　very　

busy。'　　He　returned　presently；　'Come　along　with　me；　and　you　

shall　see。'　　So　he　took　me　into　the　great　cabin；　and　there　sat　

a　good　sort　of　a　gentlemanly　man　for　a　seaman；　writing；　and　

with　a　great　many　papers　before　him。



'Here；'　says　the　boatswain　to　him　that　was　a…writing；　'is　the　

gentlewoman　that　the　captain　spoke　to　you　of'；　and　turning　to　

me；　he　said；　'I　have　been　so　far　from　forgetting　your　business；　

that　I　have　been　up　at　the　captain's　house；　and　have　represented　

faithfully　to　the　captain　what　you　said；　relating　to　you　being　

furnished　with　better　conveniences　for　yourself　and　your　

husband；　and　the　captain　has　sent　this　gentleman；　who　is　made　

of　the　ship；　down　with　me；　on　purpose　to　show　you　everything；　

and　to　accommodate　you　fully　to　your　content；　and　bid　me　

assure　you　that　you　shall　not　be　treated　like　what　you　were　at　

first　expected　to　be；　but　with　the　same　respect　as　other　passengers　

are　treated。'



The　mate　then　spoke　to　me；　and；　not　giving　me　time　to　thank　

the　boatswain　for　his　kindness；　confirmed　what　the　boatswain　

had　said；　and　added　that　it　was　the　captain's　delight　to　show　

himself　kind　and　charitable；　especially　to　those　that　were　

under　any　misfortunes；　and　with　that　he　showed　me　several　

cabins　built　up；　some　in　the　great　cabin；　and　some　partitioned　

off；　out　of　the　steerage；　but　opening　into　the　great　cabin　on　

purpose　for　the　accommodation　of　passengers；　and　gave　me　

leave　to　choose　where　I　would。　　However；　I　chose　a　cabin　

which　opened　into　the　steerage；　in　which　was　very　good　

conveniences　to　set　our　chest　and　boxes；　and　a　table　to　eat　on。



The　mate　then　told　me　that　the　boatswain　had　given　so　good　

a　character　of　me　and　my　husband；　as　to　our　civil　behaviour；　

that　he　had　orders　to　tell　me　we　should　eat　with　him；　if　we　

thought　fit；　during　the　whole　voyage；　on　the　common　terms　

of　passengers；　that　we　might　lay　in　some　fresh　provisions；　if　

we　pleased；　or　if　not；　he　should　lay　in　his　usual　store；　and　we　

should　have　share　with　him。　　This　was　very　reviving　news　to　

me；　after　so　many　hardships　and　afflictions　as　I　had　gone　

through　of　late。　　I　thanked　him；　and　told　him　the　captain　should　

make　his　own　terms　with　us；　and　asked　him　leave　to　go　and　

tell　my　husband　of　it；　who　was　not　very　well；　and　was　not　yet　

out　of　his　cabin。　　Accordingly　I　went；　and　my　husband；　whose　

spirits　were　still　so　much　sunk　with　the　indignity　（as　he　

understood　it）　offered　him；　that　he　was　scare　yet　himself；　was　

so　revived　with　the　account　that　I　gave　him　of　the　reception　

we　were　like　to　have　in　the　ship；　that　he　was　quite　another　man；　

and　new　vigour　and　courage　appeared　in　his　very　countenance。　　

So　true　is　it；　that　the　greatest　of　spirits；　when　overwhelmed　

by　their　afflictions；　are　subject　to　the　greatest　dejections；　and　

are　the　most　apt　to　despair　and　give　themselves　up。



After　some　little　pause　to　recover　himself；　my　husband　came　

up　with　me；　and　gave　the　mate　thanks　for　the　kindness；　which　

he　had　expressed　to　us；　and　sent　suitable　acknowledgment　by　

him　to　the　captain；　offering　to　pay　him　by　advance；　whatever　

he　demanded　for　our　passage；　and　for　the　conveniences　he　had　

helped　us　to。　　The　mate　told　him　that　the　captain　would　be　on　

board　in　the　afternoon；　and　that　he　would　leave　all　that　till　he　

came。　　Accordingly；　in　the　afternoon　the　captain　came；　and　we　

found　him　the　same　courteous；　obliging　man　that　the　boatswain　

had　represented　him　to　be；　and　he　was　so　well　pleased　with　

my　husband's　conversation；　that；　in　short；　he　would　not　let　us　

keep　the　cabin　we　had　chosen；　but　gave　us　one　that；　as　I　said　

before；　opened　into　the　great　cabin。



Nor　were　his　conditions　exorbitant；　or　the　man　craving　and　

eager　to　make　a　prey　of　us；　but　for　fifteen　guineas　we　had　our　

whole　passage　and　provisions　and　cabin；　ate　at　the　captain's　

table；　and　were　very　handsomely　entertained。



The　captain　lay　himself　in　the　other　part　of　the　great　cabin；　

having　let　his　round　house；　as　they　call　it；　to　a　rich　planter　

who　went　over　with　his　wife　and　three　children；　who　ate　by　

themselves。　　He　had　some　other　ordinary　passengers；　who　

quartered　in　the　steerage；　and　as　for　our　old　fraternity；　they　

were　kept　under　the　hatches　while　the　ship　lay　there；　and　came　

very　little　on　the　deck。



I　could　not　refrain　acquainting　my　governess　with　what　had　

happened；　it　was　but　just　that　she；　who　was　so　really　concerned　

for　me；　should　have　part　in　my　good　fortune。　　Besides；　I　wanted　

her　assistance　to　supply　me　with　several　necessaries；　which　

before　I　was　shy　of　letting　anybody　see　me　have；　that　it　might　

not　be　public；　but　now　I　had　a　cabin　and　room　to　set　things　in；　

I　ordered　abundance　of　good　things　for　our　comfort　in　the　

voyage；　as　brandy；　sugar；　lemons；　etc。；　to　make　punch；　and　

treat　our　benefactor；　the　captain；　and　abundance　of　things　for　

eating　and　drinking　in　the　voyage；　also　a　larger　bed；　and　bedding　

proportioned　to　it；　so　that；　in　a　word；　we　resolved　to　want　for　

nothing　in　the　voyage。



All　this　while　I　had　provided　noth