CRUSOF’S ITEMS OF PROPERTY, 83)

so if 1 pleased, but that if I did not, there were ways enough to
secure my right, and immediately to appropriate the profits to my
use, And as there were ships in the river of Lisbon just ready to
go away to Brazil, he made me enter my name in a public register
with his affidavit, affirming upon oath that I was alive, and that I
was the same person who took up the land for the planting the
said plantation at first.

This being regularly attested by a notary, and a procuration
aflixed, he directed me to send it with a letter of his writing to a
merchant of his acquaintance at the place, and then proposed imy
staying with him till an account came of the return,

Never anything was more honourable than the proceedings
upon this procuration ; for in less than seven months L received a
large packet from the survivors of my trustees the merchants, for
whose account Lwent to sea, in which were the following particular
letters and papers enclosed.

first, There was the account current of the produce of my farm
or plantation from the year when their fathers had balanced with
my old Portugal captain, being for six years. ‘The balance ap-
peared to be 1174 moidores in my favour.

Secondly, There was the account of four years more while they
kept the etfects in their hands, before the Government claimed the
administration, as being the effects of a person not to be found,
which they call civil death; and the balance of this, the value of
the plantation increasing, amounted to 88,892 cruisadoes, which
made 8241 moidores.

Lhirdly, There was the Prior of the Augustine’s account, who
had received the profits for above fourteen years; but not being to
account for what was disposed to the hospital, very honestly de-
clared he had 872 moidores not distributed, which he acknowledged
to my aecount; as to the King’s part, that refunded nothing.

There was a letter of my partner’s, congratulating me very affec-
tionately upon my being alive; giving me an account how the
estate was improved, and what it produced a year, with a particular
of the number of squares or acres that it contained, how planted,
how many slaves there were upon it; and making two and twenty
crosses for blessings, told me he had said so many Ave Marias to