the proceedings upon this
procuration; for in less than seven months I received a large packet from
the survivors of my trustees, the merchants, for whose account I went 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 appeared to be one
thousand one hundred and seventy-four moidores in my favour.

Secondly, there was the account of four years more, while they kept the
effects in their hands, before the government claimed the administration,
as being the effects of a person not to be found, which they called civil
death; and the balance of this, the value of the plantation increasing,
amounted to nineteen thousand four hundred and forty-six crusadoes, being
about three thousand two hundred and forty moidores.

Thirdly, there was the Prior of St. Augustine's account, who had received
the profits for above fourteen years; but not being able to account for
what was disposed of by the hospital, very honestly declared he had eight
hundred and seventy-two moidores not distributed, which he acknowledged
to my account: as to the king's part, that refunded nothing.

There was a letter of my partner's, congratulating me very affectionately
upon my being alive, giving me an account how the estate was improved,
and what it produced a year; with the particulars 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 thank the Blessed Virgin that I was
alive; inviting me very passionately to come over and take possession of
my own, and in the meantime to give him orders to whom he should deliver
my effects if I did not come myself; concluding with a hearty tender of
his friendship, and that of his family; and sent me as a present seven
fine leopards' skins, which he had, it seems, received from Africa, by
some other ship that he had sent thither, and which, it seems, had made a
better voyage than I. He sent me also five chests of excellent
sweetmeats, and a hundred pieces of gold uncoined, not quite so large as
moidores. By the same fleet my two merchant-trustees shipped me one
thousand two hundred chests of sugar, eight hundred rolls of tobacco, and
the rest of the whole acco