第 12 节
作者:中国必胜      更新:2021-02-20 05:34      字数:9322
  without any possibility of a discovery of our circumstances。
  I told him in general; too; that as I had several relations in the
  place where we was; and that I durst not now let myself be
  known to them; because they would soon come into a knowledge
  of the occasion and reason of my coming over; which would be
  to expose myself to the last degree; so I had reason to believe
  that my mother; who dies here; had left me something; and
  perhaps considerable; which it might be very well worth my
  while to inquire after; but that this too could not be done
  without exposing us publicly; unless we went from hence; and
  then; wherever we settled; I might come; as it were; to visit
  and to see my brother and nephews; make myself known to
  them; claim and inquire after what was my due; be received
  with respect; and at the same time have justice done me with
  cheerfulness and good will; whereas; if I did it now; I could
  expect nothing but with trouble; such as exacting it by force;
  receiving it with curses and reluctance; and with all kinds of
  affronts; which he would not perhaps bear to see; that in case
  of being obliged to legal proofs of being really her daughter;
  I might be at loss; be obliged to have recourse to England; and
  it may be to fail at last; and so lose it; whatever it might be。
  With these arguments; and having thus acquainted my husband
  with the whole secret so far as was needful of him; we resolved
  to go and seek a settlement in some other colony; and at first
  thoughts; Caroline was the place we pitched upon。
  In order to this we began to make inquiry for vessels going to
  Carolina; and in a very little while got information; that on the
  other side the bay; as they call it; namely; in Maryland; there
  was a ship which came from Carolina; laden with rice and
  other goods; and was going back again thither; and from
  thence to Jamaica; with provisions。  On this news we hired a
  sloop to take in our goods; and taking; as it were; a final
  farewell of Potomac River; we went with all our cargo over
  to Maryland。
  This was a long and unpleasant voyage; and my spouse said
  it was worse to him than all the voyage from England; because
  the weather was but indifferent; the water rough; and the
  vessel small and inconvenient。  In the next place; we were full
  a hundred miles up Potomac River; in a part which they call
  Westmoreland County; and as that river is by far the greatest
  in Virginia; and I have heard say it is the greatest river in the
  world that falls into another river; and not directly into the sea;
  so we had base weather in it; and were frequently in great
  danger; for though we were in the middle; we could not see
  land on either side for many leagues together。  Then we had
  the great river or bay of Chesapeake to cross; which is where
  the river Potomac falls intoit; near thirty miles broad; and we
  entered more great vast waters whose names I know not; so
  that our voyage was full two hundred miles; in a poor; sorry
  sloop; with all our treasure; and if any accident had happened
  to us; we might at last have been very miserable; supposing
  we had lost our goods and saved our lives only; and had then
  been left naked and destitute; and in a wild; strange place not
  having one friend or acquaintance in all that part of the world。
  The very thought of it gives me some horror; even since the
  danger is past。
  Well; we came to the place in five days' sailing; I think they
  call it Philip's Point; and behold; when we came thither; the
  ship bound to Carolina was loaded and gone away but three
  days before。  This was a disappointment;; but; however; I;
  that was to be discouraged with nothing; told my husband
  that since we could not get passage to Caroline; and that the
  country we was in was very fertile and good; we would; if he
  liked of it; see if we could find out anything for our tune where
  we was; and that if he liked things we would settle here。
  We immediately went on shore; but found no conveniences
  just at that place; either for our being on shore or preserving
  our goods on shore; but was directed by a very honest Quaker;
  whom we found there; to go to a place about sixty miles east;
  that is to say; nearer the mouth of the bay; where he said he
  lived; and where we should be accommodated; either to plant;
  or to wait for any other place to plant in that might be more
  convenient; and he invited us with so much kindness and
  simply honesty; that we agreed to go; and the Quaker himself
  went with us。
  Here we bought us two servants; viz。 an English woman…servant
  just come on shore from a ship of Liverpool; and a Negro
  man…servant; things absolutely necessary for all people that
  pretended to settle in that country。  This honest Quaker was
  very helpful to us; and when we came to the place that he
  proposed to us; found us out a convenient storehouse for our
  goods; and lodging for ourselves and our servants; and about
  two months or thereabouts afterwards; by his direction; we
  took up a large piece of land from the governor of that country;
  in order to form our plantation; and so we laid the thoughts
  of going to Caroline wholly aside; having been very well
  received here; and accommodated with a convenient lodging
  till we could prepare things; and have land enough cleared;
  and timber and materials provided for building us a house; all
  which we managed by the direction of the Quaker; so that in
  one year's time we had nearly fifty acres of land cleared; part
  of it enclosed; and some of it planted with tabacco; though
  not much; besides; we had garden ground and corn sufficient
  to help supply our servants with roots and herbs and bread。
  And now I persuaded my husband to let me go over the bay
  again; and inquire after my friends。  He was the willinger to
  consent to it now; because he had business upon his hands
  sufficient to employ him; besides his gun to divert him; which
  they call hunting there; and which he greatly delighted in; and
  indeed we used to look at one another; sometimes with a great
  deal of pleasure; reflecting how much better that was; not than
  Newgate only; but than the most prosperous of our circumstances
  in the wicked trade that we had been both carrying on。
  Our affair was in a very good posture; we purchased of the
  proprietors of the colony as much land for #35; paid in ready
  money; as would make a sufficient plantation to employ
  between fifty and sixty servants; and which; being well
  improved; would be sufficient to us as long as we could either
  of us live; and as for children; I was past the prospect of
  anything of that kind。
  But out good fortune did not end here。  I went; as I have said;
  over the bay; to the place where my brother; once a husband;
  lived; but I did not go to the same village where I was before;
  but went up another great river; on the east side of the river
  Potomac; called Rappahannock River; and by this means
  came on the back of his plantation; which was large; and by
  the help of a navigable creek; or little river; that ran into the
  Rappahannock; I came very near it。
  I was now fully resolved to go up point…blank to my brother
  (husband); and to tell him who I was; but not knowing what
  temper I might find him in; or how much out of temper rather;
  I might make him by such a rash visit; I resolved to write a
  letter to him first; to let him know who I was; and that I was
  come not to give him any trouble upon the old relation; which
  I hoped was entirely forgot; but that I applied to him as a sister
  to a brother; desiring his assistance in the case of that provision
  which our mother; at her decease; had left for my support; and
  which I did not doubt but he would do me justice in; especially
  considering that I was come thus far to look after it。
  I said some very tender; kind things in the letter about his
  son; which I told him he knew to be my own child; and that
  as I was guilty of nothing in marrying him; any more than he
  was in marrying me; neither of us having then known our
  being at all related to one another; so I hoped he would allow
  me the most passionate desire of once seeing my one and only
  child; and of showing something of the infirmities of a mother
  in preserving a violent affect for him; who had never been
  able to retain any thought of me one way or other。
  I did believe that; having received this letter; he would
  immediately give it to his son to read; I having understood
  his eyesbeing so dim; that he could not see to read it; but it
  fell out better than so; for as his sight was dim; so he had
  allowed his son to open all letters that came to his hand for
  him; and the old gentleman being from home; or out of the
  way when my messenger came; my letter came directly to my
  son's hand; and he opened and read it。
  He called the messenger in