OF KOBINSON CRUSOE. 407

 

 

being mel incholy and disconsolate enough, and he was very glad to hear
that Ihe some thoughts of putting them in a way to see their own
country again; and that nothing should have set him upon staying
there, bat that the voyage I was going was so exceeding long and ha-
zardon*, and would carry him quite out of the reach of all his friends ;
and that he had nothing to desire of me, but that I would settle him
in some little property of the island where he was; give him a ser-
vant or two, and some few necessaries, and he would settle himself
here like a planter, waiting the good time when, if ever I returned to
England, I would redeem him, and hoped I would not be unmindful of
him when I came to England; that hé would give me some letters to
his frionds in London, to let them know how good I had been to him,
and what part of the world, and what circumstances I had left him in;
and he promised me, that whenever I redeemed him, the plantation,
and all the improvements he had made upon it, let the value be what
it wer ld, should be wholly mine.

H.3 discourse was very prettily delivered, considering his youth, and
was the more agreeable to me, because he told me positively the match
was not for himself. I gave him all possible assurances, that, if I
lived to come safe to England, I would deliver his letters, and do his
business effectually, and that he might depend I would never forget
the circumstances I left him in. But still I was impatient to know

[| ote

who was the person to be married; upon which he told me it was my -

Jack of all trades, and his maid Susan.

I was most agreeably surprised when he named the match; for in-
deed I had thought it very suitable. The character of that man I
have given already; and as for the maid, she was a very honest,
modest, sober, and religious woman; had a very good share of sense ;
was agreeable enough in her person; spoke very handsomely, and to
the purpose; always with decency and good manners, and not back-
ward to speak when any thing required it, or impertinently forward to
speak when it was not her business; very handy and housewifely in
any thing that was before her; an excellent manager, and fit indeed

to have been governess to the whole island; she knew very well how -

to behave herself to all kind of folks she had about her, and to better
if she had found any there.

The match being proposed in this manner, we married them the same
day; and as I was father at the altar, as I may say, and gave her
away, so I gave her a portion ; for I appointed her and her husband a
handsome large space of ground for their plantation; and indeedithia
match, and the proposal the young gentleman made to’ me, to:give

him a small property in the island, put me upon parcelling it out