836 HONESTY AND ITS REWARD.

see that he was debtor to me 470 moidores of gold, besides 60
chests of sugar, and 15 double rolls of tobacco, which were lost in
his ship; he having been shipwrecked coming home to Lisbon
about eleven years after my leaving the place.

The good man then began to complain of his misfortunes, and
how he had been obliged to make use of my money to recover his
losses, and buy him a share in a new ship. ‘‘ However, my old
friend,” says he, “ you shall not want a supply in your necessity;
and as soon as my son returns, you shall be fully satisfied.”

Upon this he pulls out an old pouch, and gives me 160 Portugal
moidores in gold; and giving me the writing of his title to the
ship which his son was gone to the Brazils in, of which he was a
quarter part owner and his son another, he puts them both into
my hands for security of the rest.

Iwas too much moved with the honesty and kindness of the
poor man to be able to bear this; and remembering what he had
done for me, how he had taken me up at sea, and how generously he
had used me on all occasions, and particularly how sincere a friend
he was now to me, I could hardly refrain weeping at what he said
tome. Therefore first I asked him if his circumstances admitted
him to spare so much money at that time, and if it would not
straiten him? He told me he could not say but it might straiten
him a little; but, however, it was my money, and I might want
it more than he.

Everything the good man said was full of affection, and I could
hardly refrain from tears while he spoke. In short, I took an hundred
of the moidores, and called for a pen and ink to give him a receipt
for them; then I returned him the rest, and told him if ever I had
possession of the plantation, I would return the other to him also,
as indeed I afterwards did: and that as to the bill of sale of his
part in his son’s ship, I would not take it by any means; but that if
I wanted the money, I found he was honest enough to pay me; and
if I'did not, but came to receive what he gave me reason to expect,
I would never have a penny more from him.

When this was past, the old man began to ask me if he should
put me into a method to make my claim to my plantation? I
told him 1 thought to go over to it myself. He said I might do