The Adventures of Roderick Random
of a grating got ashore on the coast of Normandy. I went directly to
Caen, where I was so lucky as to meet with a count, whom I had formerly
known in my travels; with this gentleman I set out for Paris, where I
was recommended by him and other friends, as tutor to a young nobleman,
whom I accompanied to the court of Spain. There we remained a whole
year, at the end of which my pupil being recalled by his father, I
quitted my office, and stayed behind, by the advice of a certain
Spanish grandee, who took me into his protection, and introduced me to
another nobleman, who was afterwards created viceroy of Peru. He
insisted on my attending, him to his government of the Indies, where,
however, by reason of my religion, it was not in his power to make my
fortune any other way than by encouraging me to trade, which I had not
long prosecuted when my patron died, and I found myself in the midst of
strangers, without one friend to support or protect me. Urged by this
consideration, I sold my effects, and removed to this country, the
governor of which, having been appointed by the viceroy, was my
intimate acquaintance. Here has heaven prospered my endeavours, during
a residence of sixteen years, in which my tranquillity was never
invaded but by the remembrance of your mother, whose death I have in
secret mourned without ceasing, and the reflection of you, whose fate I
could never learn notwithstanding all my inquiries by means of my
friends in France, who, after the most strict examination, could give
me no other account than that you went abroad six years ago, and was
never after heard of. I could not rest satisfied with this imperfect
information, and, though my hope of finding you was but languid,
resolved to go in quest of you in person; for which purpose, I have
remitted to Holland the value of twenty thousand pounds, and am in
possession of fifteen thousand more, with which I intended to embark
myself on board of Captain Bowling, before I discovered this amazing
stroke of Providence, which, you may be sure, has not altered my
intention.”
My father, having entertained us with this agreeable sketch of his
life, withdrew, in order to relieve Don Antonio, who, in his absence,
had done the honours of his house; and I was just dressed for my
appearance among the guests, when Strap arrived from the ship.
He no sooner entered the grand apartment in which I was, and saw the
magnificence of my apparel, than his speech was lost in amazement, and
he gaped in silence at the objects that surrounded him. I took him by
the hand, observed that I had sent for him to be a witness and sharer
of my happiness, and told him I had found a father. At these words he
started, and, after having continued some minutes with his mouth and
eyes wide open, cried, “Ah!—odd, I know what! go thy ways, poor
Narcissa, and go thy ways somebody else—well—Lord, what a thing is
love! God help us! are all our mad pranks and protestations come to
this? And have you fixed your habitation in this distant land? God
prosper you—I find we must part at last—for I would not leave my poor
carcase so far from my native home, for all the wealth of the
universe!” With these ejaculations, he began to sob and make wry faces;
upon which I assured him of his mistake, both in regard to my staying
in Paraguay, and informed him, as briefly as I could, of the great
event that had happened. Never was rapture more ludicrously expressed
than in the behaviour of this worthy creature, who cried, laughed,
whistled, sung, and danced, all in a breath. His transport was scarce
over, when my father entered, who no sooner understood that this was
Strap, than he took him by the hand, saying, “Is this the honest man
who befriended you so much in your distress? You are welcome to my
house, and I will soon put it in the power of my son to reward you for
your good offices in his behalf; in the meantime go with us and partake
of the repast that is provided.” Strap, wild as he was with joy, would
by no means accept of the proffered honour, crying, “God forbid! I know
my distance—your worship shall excuse me.” And Don Rodrigo, finding his
modesty invincible, recommended him to his major-domo, to be treated
with the utmost respect; while he carried me in a large saloon, where I
was presented to a numerous company, who loaded me with compliments and
caresses, and congratulated my father in terms not proper for me to
repeat.
Without specifying the particulars of our entertainment, let it suffice
to say, it was at the same time elegant and sumptuous, and the
rejoicings lasted two days; after which, Don Rodrigo settled his
affairs, converted his effects into silver and gold, visited and took
leave of all his friends, who were grieved at his departure, and
honoured me with considerable presents; and, coming on board of my
uncle’s ship, with the first fair wind we sailed from the Rio de la
Plata, and in two months came safe to an anchor in the harbour of
Kingston, in the Island of Jamaica.
CHAPTER LXVII
I visit my old Friend Thompson—we set sail for Europe—meet with an odd
Adventure—arrive in England—I ride across the Country from Portsmouth
to Sussex—converse with Mrs. Sagely, who informs me of Narcissa’s being
in London—in consequence of this Intelligence, I proceed to
Canterbury—meet with my old friend Morgan—arrive in London—visit
Narcissa—introduce my Father to her—he is charmed with her good sense
and beauty—we come to a Determination of demanding her Brother’s
Consent to our Marriage
I inquired, as soon as I got ashore, about my generous companion, Mr.
Thompson, and hearing that he lived in a flourishing condition upon the
estate left him by his wife’s father, who had been dead some years, I
took horse immediately, with the consent of Don Rodrigo, who had heard
me mention him with great regard, and in a few hours reached the place
of his habitation.
I should much wrong the delicacy of Mr. Thompson’s sentiments to say
barely he was glad to see me: he felt all that the most sensible and
disinterested friendship could feel on this occasion, introduced me to
his wife, a very amiable young lady, who had already blessed him with
two fine children, and being as yet ignorant of my circumstances,
frankly offered me the assistance of his purse and interest. I thanked
him for his generous intention, and made him acquainted with my
situation, on which he congratulated me with great joy, and, after I
had stayed with him a whole day and night, accompanied me back to
Kingston, to wait upon my father, whom he invited to his house. Don
Rodrigo complied with his request, and, having been handsomely
entertained during the space of a week, returned extremely well
satisfied with the behaviour of my friend and his lady, to whom, at
parting, he presented a very valuable diamond ring, as a token of his
esteem. During the course of my conversation with Mr. Thompson, he gave
me to understand, that his old commander Captain Oakum was dead some
months, and that, immediately after his death, a discovery had been
made of some valuable effects that he had feloniously secreted out of a
prize by the assistance of Dr. Mackshane, who was now actually in
prison on that account, and, being destitute of friends, subsisted
solely on the charity of my friend, whose bounty he had implored in the
most abject manner, after having been the barbarous occasion of driving
him to that terrible extremity on board of The Thunder, which we have
formerly related. Whatsoever this wretch had been guilty of, I
applauded Mr. Thompson’s generosity towards him in his distress, which
wrought so much upon me also, that I sent him ten pistoles, in such a
private manner that he could never know his benefactor.
While my father and I were caressed among the gentlemen on shore,
Captain Bowling had written to his owners, by the packet, which sailed
a few days after our arrival, signifying his prosperous voyage
hitherto, and desiring them to insure his ship and cargo homeward
bound: after which precaution he applied himself so heartily to the
task of loading his ship that, with the assistance of Mr. Thompson, she
was full in less than six weeks. This kind gentleman likewise procured
for Don Rodrigo bills upon London for the greatest part of his gold and
silver, by which means it was secured against the risk of the seas and
the enemy; and, before we sailed, supplied us with such large
quantities of all kinds of stock, that not only we, but the ship’s
company, fared sumptuously during the voyage.
Everything being ready, we took our leave of our kind entertainers,
and, going on board at Port Royal, set sail for England on the first
day of June. We beat up to windward, with fine easy weather, and one
night believing ourselves near Cape Tiberon, lay to, with an intention
to wood and water next morning in the bay. While we remained in this
situation, a sailor, having drunk more new rum than he could carry,
staggered over board, and, notwithstanding all the means that could be
used to preserve him, went to the bottom, and disappeared. About two
hours after this melancholy accident happened, as I enjoyed the cool
air on the quarter-deck, I heard a voice rising, as it were, out of the
sea and calling, “Ho, the ship ahoy!” Upon which one of the men upon
the forecastle cried, “I’ll be d—n’d if that an’t Jack Marlinspike, who
went overboard!” Not a little surprised at this event, I jumped into
the boat that lay alongside, with the second mate and four men, and
rowing towards the place from whence the voice (which repeated the
hail) seemed to proceed, we perceived something floating upon the
water. When we had rowed a little further, we discerned it to be a man
riding upon a hencoop, who, seeing us approach, pronounced with a
hoarse voice, “D—n your bloods! why did you not answer when I hailed?”
Our mate, who was a veritable seaman, hearing his salute, said, “By G—,
my lads, this is none of our man. This is the devil—pull away for the
ship.” The fellows obeyed his command without question, and were
already some fathoms on our return, when I insisted on their taking up
the poor creature, and prevailed upon them to go back to the wreck,
which when we came near the second time, and signified our intention,
we received an answer of “Avast, avast—what ship, brother?” Being
satisfied in this particular, he cried, “D—n the ship, I was in hopes
it had been my own—where are you bound?” We satisfied his curiosity in
this particular too; upon which he suffered himself to be taken on
board, and, after having been comforted with a dram, told us, he
belonged to the Vesuvio man-of-war, upon a cruise off the island of
Hispaniola; that he had fallen overboard four-and-twenty hours ago, and
the ship being under sail, they did not choose to bring to, but tossed
a hencoop overboard for his convenience, upon which he was in good
hopes of reaching the Cape next morning: howsomever, he was as well
content to be aboard of us because he did not doubt that we should meet
his ship, and if he had gone ashore in the bay, he might have been
taken prisoner by the French. My uncle and father were very much
diverted with the account of this fellow’s unconcerned behaviour; and
in two days, meeting with the Vesuvio, as he expected, sent him on
board of her, according to his desire.
Having beat up successfully the windward passage, we stretched to the
northward, and falling in with a westerly wind, in eight weeks arrived
in the soundings, and in two days after made for the Lizard. It is
impossible to express the joy I felt at the sight of English ground!
Don Rodrigo was not unmoved, and Strap shed tears of gladness. The
sailors profited by our satisfaction, the shoe that was nailed to the
mast being quite filled with our liberality. My uncle resolved to run