470 THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES

 

I was really loth to part with him; but considering the prospect
of advantage, which was really considerable, and that he was a young
fellow, as likely to do well in it as any I knew, I inclined to let him
go; but first I told him, I would consult my partner, and give him an
answer the next day. My partner and I discoursed about it, and my
partner made a most generous offer: he told me, ‘ You know it has
been an unlucky ship, and we both resolved not to go to sea in it
again; if your steward (so he called my man) will venture the voyage,
I'll leave my share of the vessel to him, and let him make the best of
it; and if we live to meet in England, and he meets with success
abroad, he shall account for one half of the profits of the ship’s freight
to us, the other shall be his own.

If my partner, who was no way concerned with my young man,
made him such an offer, I could do no less than offer him the same;
and all the ship’s company being willing to go with him, we made over
half the ship to him in property, and took a writing from him oblig-
ing him to account for the other; and away he went to Japan. The
Japan merchant proved a very punctual honest man to him, protected
him at Japan, and got him a license to come on shore, which the
Europeans in general have not lately obtained, paid him his freight
very punctually, sent him to the Philippines, loaded with Japan and
China wares, and a supercargo of their own, who, trafficking with the
Spaniards, brought back European goods again, and a great quantity
of cloves and other spice; and there he was not only paid his freight
very well, and at a very good price, but being not willing to sell the
ship then, the merchant furnished him with goods on his own account;
that for some money and some spices of his own, which he brought
with him, he went back to the Manillas, to the Spaniards, where he
sold his cargo very well. Here, having gotten a good acquaintance
at Manilla, he got his ship made a free ship; and the governor of
Manilla hired him to go to Acapulco, in America, on the coast of
Mexico; and gave him a license to land there, and travel to Mexico ;
and to pass in any Spanish ship to Europe, with all his men.

IIe made the voyage to Acapuleo very happily, and there he sold
his ship; and having there also obtained allowance to travel by
land to Porto Bello, he found means, some how or sther, to go to
Jainaica with all his treasure; and about eight years after came tc
England, exceeding rich, of which I shall take notice in its place; in
the mean time, I return to our particular affairs.

Being now to part with the ship and ship’s company, it came before
us, of course, to consider what recompense we should give to the two
men that gave us such timely notice of the design against us in the