and, as it was, I believe I shall never care to cross those
mountains again: I think I would much rather go a thousand leagues by
sea, though I was sure to meet with a storm once a-week.

I have nothing uncommon to take notice of in my passage through
France--nothing but what other travellers have given an account of with
much more advantage than I can. I travelled from Toulouse to Paris, and
without any considerable stay came to Calais, and landed safe at Dover
the 14th of January, after having had a severe cold season to travel in.

I was now come to the centre of my travels, and had in a little time all
my new-discovered estate safe about me, the bills of exchange which I
brought with me having been currently paid.

My principal guide and privy-counsellor was my good ancient widow, who,
in gratitude for the money I had sent her, thought no pains too much nor
care too great to employ for me; and I trusted her so entirely that I was
perfectly easy as to the security of my effects; and, indeed, I was very
happy from the beginning, and now to the end, in the unspotted integrity
of this good gentlewoman.

And now, having resolved to dispose of my plantation in the Brazils, I
wrote to my old friend at Lisbon, who, having offered it to the two
merchants, the survivors of my trustees, who lived in the Brazils, they
accepted the offer, and remitted thirty-three thousand pieces of eight to
a correspondent of theirs at Lisbon to pay for it.

In return, I signed the instrument of sale in the form which they sent
from Lisbon, and sent it to my old man, who sent me the bills of exchange
for thirty-two thousand eight hundred pieces of eight for the estate,
reserving the payment of one hundred moidores a year to him (the old man)
during his life, and fifty moidores afterwards to his son for his life,
which I had promised them, and which the plantation was to make good as a
rent-charge. And thus I have given the first part of a life of fortune
and adventure--a life of Providence's chequer-work, and of a variety
which the world will seldom be able to show the like of; beginning
foolishly, but closing much more happily than any part of it ever gave me
leave so much as to hope for.

Any one would think that in this state of complicated good fortune I was
past running any more hazards--and so, indeed, I had been, if other
circumstances had concurred; but I was inured to a wandering life, had no
family, nor many relations; nor, ho