the life of one who had saved his.' He expressed a great desire to
accompany me to my native country, from the moment that I told him we
had no slaves there; and that as soon as any slave touched the English
shore, by our laws, he obtained his freedom. He pressed me so earnestly
to take him along with me as my servant, that I could not refuse; so he
sailed with me for Europe. As the wind filled the sails of our vessel,
much did I rejoice that the gales which blew me from the shores of India
were not tainted with the curses of any of my fellow-creatures. Here
I am, thank Heaven! once more in free and happy England, with a good
fortune, clean hands, and a pure conscience, not unworthy to present
myself to my first good master, to him whose humanity and generosity
were the cause of--"

Here Mr. R---- interrupted his own praises, by saying to those of the
miners who had not fallen fast asleep, "My good friends, you now know
the meaning of the toast which you all drank after dinner; let us drink
it again before we part 'Welcome home to our friend, Mr. Jervas, and may
good faith always meet with good fortune!'"

_October_, 1799.



THE WILL




CHAPTER I.