CHAP. XLIII. He opens his Mother's Letter, and finds a Pieture of his Louifa.-They meet with a ter rible Storm. Discover a Veffel on Fire, which blows up. They receive the Crew M Y new Way of Life agreed with me exceedingly well, and I felt myfelf fo brifk and lively, that I thought I was perfectly infpired by every Breeze that breathed thro' our Sails. Befide the Officers of the Ship, we had several other Gentlemen on Board, fome, like myfelf, going in the Company's Service, others to fettle for the Sake of improving their Fortunes, at their Factories in the East Indies, by Trafficking on their own Bottoms; and we were in general a very fociable and friendly Set of People, who having feen the World, and being intelligent and improved in their Minds, formed an entertaining and agreeable Society. We had laid in fuch a Stock of Provifions and Liquors. of all Kinds, that we had little to fear of wanting any of the Conveniences of Life, in so long a Voyage, if we were favoured with a tolerable Pasfage. The Captain relinquished much, of the ufu al al Ceremony practifed by Gentlemen of his Rank, and we formed a Mefs together, that made every Thing fatisfactory about us, and in all our Actions we fhewed an Inclination to please each other. My Cabbin was large and commodious, and fufficient for me and a faithful Domeftic, Will Truman, who had long lived with my Father, and, out of pure Affection, refolved to follow the Fortunes of his Son. We had no fooner got out to Sea, than I opened my Mother's Letter, and oh! what was my Joy, what my Sorrow, to behold, in a Gold-cafe, fet with fmall Brilliants, the Picture, in Miniature, of my dear, my lovely Louifa? Wonder feized me at viewing the unexpected Image of that eternally adored Fair-one, and all my Regret for her Lofs revived afresh, and kindled up Remembrances in my Soul, which Time and my prefent Views had fomewhat ftifled. I kiffed the fweet Refemblance, over and over, and hung it by a Ribbon to my Bofom, refolving to keep it there till the Hour of my Death. In the Hurry of my Spirits, I forgot for fome Time to look at the Letter that conveyed this estimable Prefent; but, when I became calmer, I found it to the following Effect: My dearest, much loved Son, HO' I blame myfelf for renewing your Trou ble, at the Sight of this Jewel, yet I cannot keep it longer from you, as it is your undoubted Property. Some Time before our dear Louifa's Aunt fet out for France, after her Niece's Death, a Footman came from her with a Letter, and this precious Relic. If the Sight of it surprised me greatly, the Contents of the Letter gave me ftill more Aftonishment: She faid, her Niece, on her Death-bed, had defired it might be fent to me, ás a Token of the Refpect and Love fhe bore to the Mother of a Gentleman, who was infinitely dear to her, and for whom it was originally intended, if Fate had not deprived her of him in fo cruel a Manner. By Fidele, I afterwards understood the Meaning of thefe Expreffions, which were then quite dark to me, and that the News of your Death had given her the fatal Stroke, that loft her to us for ever. But, my Son, you live, thank God, and may you live long and happy! Whenever you look at that sweet Face, confider my Lofs in our Louisa, and preserve yourself, to make me Amends for my Affection to both of you. Oh! my Dear, my Heart is too full, at this Separation, to fay more! Heavens guard, protect and keep you, make you happy where you are going, and return you fafe, to blefs the fondly longing Sight of Your most tenderly affectionate Mother, ELIZABETH THOMPSON. 3 Propitious Gales carried us, without any remarkable Occurrence, to the Height of Cape Cantin, to the North-weft of which, we were by our Reckonings diftant about 120 Leagues, when we began to apprehend a gathering Storm. The Clouds on the Western Board began to blacken the Skies, and a few melancholy Drops wept a Farewel to one of the finest Days I had ever methought experienced And now the Lightnings flashed, and the hoarfe Thunder growled over the concave Vault with deafening Roar, as if whole Nature was meeting with a general Diffolution, and prefenty the impetuous Weft Wind raised the irritated Billows Mountains high. Our Commander had given his Orders, with fuch just Discernment, that we were prepared we thought to meet its worst Efforts; but the redoubled Fary of the Storm foon rendered our Situation very dangerous, and, before we could hand our Mainfail, it was fplit into twenty Pieces, and kept flapping against the Maft for fome Time, before a fhort Lull of the Wind would permit it to be run up to the Yard. If I had ever had advantageous Notions of our British Seamen, I now more than ever found them just, and their Diligence and Bravery, on fuch Occafions, furely dignifies them before those of any Country I ever knew. Not an Hand but was employed in executing fome Order or other for the Safety of the Veffel; and to see them, like Swarms of Bees, hang F 5 hanging on the Yards, was a Sight equally pleafing and dreadful. The Tempeft increased with greater Violence, and the Waves toffed us aloft, and then funk us alow, with such fudden Shocks, that my Brains were perfectly addled; and, notwithstanding all the Force I used with myfelf, I could stand the Deck no longer, but followed the Example of the rest of the Paffengers, and committed myself to the safe Custody of my Cabbin. The horrid Tumult upon Deck, the Piping of the Boatfwain and his Mates, mingling with the Howling of the Winds, and the continual Dashing of the foaming Waves, made fuch a Confufion, as was sufficient to ftun the Head of any Stranger to these uncouth and terrifying Scenes. For near four and twenty Hours we lay to; but, tho' to us all this gave exceffive Pain, when it was in the Height, Captain Social told me, it was nothing at all but good Seaman's Weather, and fwore he was tired of the little Action he had had fo long before. About Noon, the next Day, the Skies began to clear, the Wind feemed to die away in gentle Sobbings, and foon the Heavens were ferene; the Sun darted his brightening Rays upon us, and we felt no Incommodity but the Ship's rolling Motion, occafioned by the great tumbling Sea the Storm had left behind it, and which put the Seamen into more Apprehenfion than the foregoing Blafts had occafioned; but in the Evening a ftark Calm fucceeded, and the I Surface |