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a live cargo, as we call a cargo of slaves.
Here I sold my goods tolerably well; but, not being able to lay out
all my money in this small island to as much advantage as in many
other places, I laid out only part, and the remainder I brought away
with me neat. We sailed from hence for Georgia, and I was glad when we
got there, though I had not much reason to like the place from my last
adventure in Savannah; but I longed to get back to Montserrat and
procure my freedom, which I expected to be able to purchase when I
returned. As soon as we arrived here I waited on my careful doctor,
Mr. Brady, to whom I made the most grateful acknowledgments in my
power for his former kindness and attention during my illness. While
we were here an odd circumstance happened to the Captain and me, which
disappointed us both a good deal. A silversmith, whom we had brought
to this place some voyages before, agreed with the Captain to return
with us to the West Indies, and promised at the same time to give the
Captain a great deal of money, having pretended to take a liking to
him, and being, as we thought, very rich. But while we stayed to load
our vessel this man was taken ill in a house where he worked, and in a
week's time became very bad. The worse he grew the more he used to
speak of giving the Captain what he had promised him, so that he
expected something considerable from the death of this man, who had no
wife or child, and he attended him day and night. I used also to go
with the Captain, at his own desire, to attend him; especially when we
saw there was no appearance of his recovery: and, in order to
recompense me for my trouble, the Captain promised me ten pounds, when
he should get the man's property. I thought this would be of great
service to me, although I had nearly money enough to purchase my
freedom, if I should get safe this voyage to Montserrat. In this
expectation I laid out above eight pounds of my money for a suit of
superfine clothes to dance with at my freedom, which I hoped was then
at hand. We still continued to attend this man, and were with him even
on the last day he lived, till very late at night, when we went on
board. After we were got to bed, about one or two o'clock in the
morning, the Captain was sent for, and informed the man was dead. On
this he came to my bed, and, waking me, informed me of it, and desired
me to get up and procure a light, and immediately go to him. I told
him I was very sleepy, and wished he would take somebody else with
him; or else, as the man was dead, and could want no farther
attendance, to let all things remain as they were till the next
morning. 'No, no,' said he, 'we will have the money to-night, I cannot
wait till to-morrow; so let us go.' Accordingly I got up and struck a
light, and away we both went and saw the man as dead as we could wish.
The Captain said he would give him a grand burial, in gratitude for
the promised treasure; and desired that all the things belonging to
the deceased might be brought forth. Among others, there was a nest of
trunks of which he had kept the keys whilst the man was ill, and when
they were produced we opened them with no small eagerness and
expectation; and as there were a great number within one another, with
much impatience we took them one out of the other. At last, when we
came to the smallest, and had opened it, we saw it was full of papers,
which we supposed to be notes; at the sight of which our hearts leapt
for joy; and that instant the Captain, clapping his hands, cried out,
'Thank God, here it is.' But when we took up the trunk, and began to
examine the supposed treasure and long-looked-for bounty, (alas! alas!
how uncertain and deceitful are all human affairs!) what had we found!
While we thought we were embracing a substance we grasped an empty
nothing. The whole amount that was in the nest of trunks was only one
dollar and a half; and all that the man possessed would not pay for
his coffin. Our sudden and exquisite joy was now succeeded by a sudden
and exquisite pain; and my Captain and I exhibited, for some time,
most ridiculous figures--pictures of chagrin and disappointment! We
went away greatly mortified, and left the deceased to do as well as he
could for himself, as we had taken so good care of him when alive for
nothing. We set sail once more for Montserrat, and arrived there safe;
but much out of humour with our friend the silversmith. When we had
unladen the vessel, and I had sold my venture, finding myself master
of about forty-seven pounds, I consulted my true friend, the Captain,
how I should proceed in offering my master the money for my freedom.
He told me to come on a certain morning, when he and my master would
be at breakfast together. Accordingly, on that morning I went, and met
the Captain there, as he had appointed. When I went in I made my
obeisance to my master, and with my money in my hand, and many fears
in my heart, I prayed him to be as good as his offer to me, when he
was pleased to promise me my freedom as soon as I could purchase it.
This speech seemed to confound him; he began to recoil: and my heart
that instant sunk within me. 'What,' said he, 'give you your freedom?
Why, where did you get the money? Have you got forty pounds sterling?'
'Yes, sir,' I answered. 'How did you get it?' replied he. I told him,
very honestly. The Captain then said he knew I got the money very
honestly and with much industry, and that I was particularly careful.
On which my master replied, I got money much faster than he did; and
said he would not have made me the promise he did if he had thought I
should have got money so soon. 'Come, come,' said my worthy Captain,
clapping my master on the back, 'Come, Robert, (which was his name) I
think you must let him have his freedom; you have laid your money out
very well; you have received good interest for it all this time, and
here is now the principal at last. I know Gustavus has earned you more
than an hundred a-year, and he will still save you money, as he will
not leave you:--Come, Robert, take the money.' My master then said, he
would not be worse than his promise; and, taking the money, told me to
go to the Secretary at the Register Office, and get my manumission
drawn up. These words of my master were like a voice from heaven to
me: in an instant all my trepidation was turned into unutterable
bliss; and I most reverently bowed myself with gratitude, unable to
express my feelings, but by the overflowing of my eyes, while my true
and worthy friend, the Captain, congratulated us both with a peculiar
degree of heartfelt pleasure. As soon as the first transports of my
joy were over, and that I had expressed my thanks to these my worthy
friends in the best manner I was able, I rose with a heart full of
affection and reverence, and left the room, in order to obey my
master's joyful mandate of going to the Register Office. As I was
leaving the house I called to mind the words of the Psalmist, in the
126th Psalm, and like him,

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