a flight Wound in my left Thigh, which I immediately returned, by cleaving him, at one Blow, aimed with all the Strength I was Mafter of, down the Skull; and, feconding it, he fell, and rose no more. Fanny had just recovered, and seen the latter Part of the Fight; and now, like a Guy of Warwick, or a valiant Moor of Moor-Hall, I cut off his Head, and laid it bleeding at my Miftrefs's Feet. The first Thing fhe did, was to lend me her Handkerchief to bind up my Wounds; and, whilft fhe was doing that, obferved what a Scoundrel, and Coward, her other Lover was; adding at the fame Time, giving me her Hand, Generously you have saved my Life, and therefore it is but Juftice to devote it, for the future, to your Happiness and Satisfaction. I embraced the grateful Fairone with Tranfport, and carried her to the Houfe, where Hoe was fufficiently roafted by all present, and I was as much applauded; fo that in about fix Months after this, with the Confent of both Father and Mother, I married my amiable Fanny, and partook of Delights in that tender Union, that are far too great for the Power of Eloquence to defcribe. My Father-in-Law and Mother furrendered a large Plantation to our Use, and, to our inexpreffible Grief, both of them deceafed about half a Year ago, leaving us in actual Poffeffion of near 30,0col. My Love to this dear Creature has been conftantly increasing, and she has blessed me with a lovely Boy, that is just the Picture of his

Mother.

Mother. If any Thing at firft gave me Uneafinefs, it was the obferving a Coldness in my Wife's Difpofition, which did not fuit with the Warmth and Fervour of my fanguine and amorous Temper, and which I often reproached her with; but I foon got her lovely Perfon, in as full Perfection, as I knew before I had her Soul.

I parted with her to come this Voyage to fettle fome Affairs in England, with the utmost Regret; and indeed she would have been my Comrade in it, if she was not big with Child, which would not permit me to truft her to the uncertain Dangers of the Sea; and the Event has proved the Juftnefs of my Judgment; tho' nothing gives me Pain in the Accident that has happened to me, fince it has procured me the Pleasure of feeing Mr. Thompson, fave that it will make my Voyage fomewhat longer, and thereby detain me, more than I proposed, from the Arms of my dear Wife, to whofe Labour I am under folemn Promise to return, if Providence permits me. I hope the Friends I have wrote to have infured my Cargo; but if not, the Lofs, at prefent, won't be much to me; and I have Bills about me, to the Value of 2000l. upon fome of the best Merchants in London. And thus you fee, my Friend, that I am a very happy Man; and I do affure you, I ftrive, by doing all the Good in my Power to my Fellow-creatures, to return Thanks to Providence for its Bleffings, and to atone for

the

the former Irregularity of my Conduct. But now I should be glad to hear how Speculift, Prig, and the rest of our old Acquaintance do; and whether in Purfe or Perfon I can ferve my old Friend, and prove to him, that I am ftill the difinterested Will Prim he formerly knew me to be.

CHAP. XLV.

He fatisfies Prim in his Enquiries.-The mutual Civilities that pass between them.They touch at one of the Cape de Verde Inlands.-A Vessel puts in there also, bound to Glasgow in Scotland. - Proves to be freighted by Prim's Overfeer. He goes on Board ber.-Entertains the Gentlemen from the Haftings. They take Leave of each other, and proceed on their respective Voyages..

I

WAS charmed with the frank and open Air, with which Mr. Prim related his Adventures, and the various Difficulties and Diftreffes he had encountered before his fortunate and happy Settlement, and congratulated him with the utmoft Sincerity; and we both observed that many young Fellows of natural good Difpofitions, and whofe Minds were of a generous Caft, tho' they might be somewhat rakish, and pursue bad Courses; yet, one

1

Time or other, their good Senfe will get the better of their Follies, and they will return to thofe Maxims of Virtue and Honour which they had forfaken. He was forry for my worthy Master's Misfortunes,. and was surprised at what I told him of my Friend Diaper's being gone to the Indies, faying, I think we are all turned Adventurers for my Part, but Prig, who holds his own Ground, and thrives in his native Country, which I am very much rejoiced at, and will call to fee him. I told him, if he had any Luck in getting to England, that Prig would be in Yorkshire; then, Faith, fays Prim, if you will give me a Direction, I will go and pay him a Vifit there. I answered, I fhould do that with great Pleasure, and would recommend him to my Father's Acquaintance, and some other worthy People, to whom I would take an Opportunity to write by him, if he'd take the Trouble to carry the Letters, which, he faid, he would make it his Care and Study to do, and informed me, that if his Wife would confent, he intended in a few Years to fettle in his native Country, there to spend the Remainder of his Days, and hoped he fhould fee me there too by that Time. He was very forry for poor Speculift, tho', he faid, he had not behaved to him very handsomely; and, being very curious to know my real Motives for going to the EastIndies, I related all my Misfortunes to him, at which he very tenderly sympathised with me; and

attempted

attempted to speak fome encouraging Words of Comfort. Let me affure you, my Friend, fays he, if ever you have any Occafion, if you'il draw Bills on me, I'll pay them at Sight, for any Sum of Money you may want, and here is my Direction:To Col. Prim upon James River in Virginia,for you must know I am a military Man too, and command in our Virginia Militia, and am alfo in the Commiffion of the Peace for James, York, and Gloucester Counties. I thanked him for his Civility, and then opened my Wardrobe, defiring him to fit himself with what Cloaths he liked best amongst them: He chose a Suit of blue Cloth with a gold Lace, and took three of my Shirts, and fome other Neceffaries of that Kind, having loft all, but what he had on his Back, in the late Conflagration of his Ship. He offered to give me a Bill to the Amount, but I refufed it with Anger, and told him I'd truft till we saw each other in England. The Winds not hanging very favourably for us, Captain Social resolved to touch at St. Vincent, one of the Cape de Verde Islands, which we fafely reached; and in a very commodious Bay came to Anchor, intending to purchase fome additional live Stock, and get a Recruit of fresh Water to fill our empty Cafks. Here I took an Opportunity of writing to my Father and Mother, and all my good Friends in Yorkshire, and alfo to Mr. and Mrs. Bellair and Miss Sukey; all which, with proper Directions and

Instructions,