Mand and Shore around reverberated back the Sound, which was continued by fuch an Infinity of Echoes, that my Hair ftood upright on my Head: He made a fecond Spring, and, more lucky than the first Time, I clove him down the Skull, and he fell, the black, inflamed Gore running from him in purple Streams. Immediately fnatching up my Mufquet, I made all the Hafte my Legs would permit me to the Place I landed at; and, waving my Handkerchief, the People took Notice of the Signal, and the Canoe came just Time enough to fave me from a fresh Attack,, Numbers of Tygers following us even into the Water, two of the foremost of which we difpatched with our Fire-Arms. I looked upon what I had undergone, as a juft Punishment for my Rashness, and determined, for the future, never to hazard myself in fo idle and ridiculous a Manner. As foon as we got on Board, where they never expected to fee me again, we ftood into the Bay; and, after touching at Balla. fore, Vifagipatan, and fome other Factories, where I left fome Difpatches that were given me from Fort William, fafely landed with my Goods at Fort St. George, whence I had been longer abfent than it was fuppofed I should be. My Friend Saris now advised that we should leave our prefent Lodg ing, and therefore, with the Governor's Leave, with whom I ftood in high Favour, we took an House in the white Town, and hired proper Ser

vants, refolving to live together as long as we staid

in the Country.

CHA P. XLIX.

They receive certain Advices from Truman, who defires to be recalled. He arrives with great Gains from the Mines.-Gives his Mafter a very valuable Stone.--Method he takes to conceal it. He receives more Letters from England. Their Contents.-Writes to Mr. Goodwill for a particular Reafon.

E had heard but once from Truman fince he

WE

left us, which gave us fome Pain, as fearing fome Accident might have happened to him; but, just as we were going to dispatch an Express to fee what was become of him, one of his Slaves arrived with the following Letter:

I

Honoured SIR,

HAVE been employed for you very much to

the Purpose, and, tho' I have had my Health but badly, yet I need not be ashamed of the Acquifitions I have made; and therefore, if you think I have been long enough employed here, should be glad of your Orders to return to Fort St. George. I have inclosed a Lift of the most valuable Stones I

met

met with, which are clear from all Deductions or Charges to the King or his Officers. I am at prefent at Golconda, where I have alfo purchased fome Stones; but I have a very particular Reason to defire my Recall, which I cannot truft to this Letter, and am, after Compliments to Mr. Saris,

Honoured SIR,

Your obliged, affectionate, and faithful Servant,

WILL TRUMAN,

By his fubjoined Lift and Account, we had indeed great Reason to be fatisfied with his Pains, computing that he had gained on my Account to the Value of near Four thousand Pounds, and above One Thousand for Mr. Saris; fo that, eager to fee the honeft Creature, I fent him Orders to fet out, as foon as they came to hand, fending them by a trufty Servant of my own, who went along with his Meffenger, and in about three Weeks afterwards he arrived; but fo altered by his Fatigues, and the Heats he had endured, that we hardly knew him. I careffed him with the utmost Affection, for I really began to esteem him rather as a Brother than any Thing elfe. He delivered to us our refpective Quota's, mine amounting to feveral Pounds Weight of fmall Stones, of divers Sizes, which I knew would turn to an extreme good Account, either here or in Europe. He had also made a con

fiderable

fiderable deal of Profit himself, fo that he might now be faid to be poffeffed in his own Right of little less than a Thoufand Pounds; and I obliged him to accept of Two hundred Pounds, as Mr. Saris did of Fifty, in Recompence for his unwearied Pains and Diligence. The firft Opportunity we had to be alone, we fettled our particular Accounts, which I found juftly and fairly stated and balanced; and then, fmiling, he told me, that he had fomewhat ftill that was my Property, that he hoped would foon, with other Things, conduce to carry me from thefe uncomfortable Parts of the World; for, dear Sir, I can't help longing to fee my old Mafter and Mistress, and our Friends in Yorkshire, who, no doubt, are already impatient enough of your Abfence; and, fo faying, he pulled out of a leathern Purfe, which was fewed to the Waiftband of his Breeches, a Diamond of a Size and Luftre, that amazed me fo much with its Brightnefs, as for fome Time robbed me of Speech; and at length, when I hugged him in my Arms, and afked him by what good Fortune he got fo valuable a Prize, he gave me the following Account: I was more than ordinary attentive, Sir, to infpect all the Soil my Labourers removed, and for that Purpose hardly gave myfelf even Time for Reft; and being pretty generous of my Money, and what Provifions and Refreshments I had about

me,,

me, to the King's Overfeers, as well as my own People; they did not fo ftrictly watch my Actions, as they did thofe of other Undertakers: One Day I thought I perceived fomewhat of a larger Bulk than ordinary fhine thro' the Sand: but took no Notice, and, when all Eyes were employed another Way, F ftooped, and put what I fufpected to be fo valuable into my Pocket, and retiring to a Stream at a Diftance, which was fhaded by fome Trees, and where I generally retired in the Heat of the Day, I examined, and found, amongst a Cluster of fmall Stones, this very Diamond; I was fearful of a Difcovery, as it was of a Size far fuperior to those we were allowed to take away, and therefore immediately fewed it up again in my Breeches, in the Man-' ner you have feen; and, thank God, brought it fafely away with me; and wifh it was more valuable than it is, that, by presenting it to you, it might be a greater Inftance of my Gratitude to your Family, and my Zeal and Affection in your Service. I made him a noble Prefent, and took it into my Cuftody, we both, according to the best of our Skill, imagining it to be worth above 20,000 fo that with what I had acquired otherwife, I might be deemed a sudden very rich Man. Our next Care was to contrive how to fecure and conceal it from all Eyes till the Time when we could return to Europe arrived, and, at laft, I hit upon a Project of hollowing the Heels of an ordinary Pair of Shoes, in

fuch