Робінзон Крузо
Return to England
ThenIreturnedhimtherest,andtoldhimifeverIhadpossessionoftheplantation,Iwouldreturntheothertohimalso,as,indeed,Iafterwardsdid; andthatastothebillofsaleofhispartinhisson’sship,Iwouldnottakeitbyanymeans; butthatifIwantedthemoney,Ifoundhewashonestenoughtopayme; andifIdidnot,butcametoreceivewhathegavemereasontoexpect,Iwouldneverhaveapennymorefromhim.
Whenthiswaspassed,theoldmanbegantoaskmeifheshouldputmeintoamethodtomakemyclaimtomyplantation. ItoldhimIthoughttogooveritmyself. HesaidImightdosoifIpleased; butthatifIdidnot,therewerewaysenoughtosecuremyright,andimmediatelytoappropriatetheprofitstomyuse; andastherewereshipsintheriverofLisbonjustreadytogoawaytoBrazil,hemademeentermynameinapublicregister,withhisaffidavit,affirming,uponoath,thatIwasalive,andthatIwasthesamepersonwhotookupthelandfortheplantingthesaidplantationatfirst.
Thisbeingregularlyattestedbyanotary,andaprocurationaffixed,hedirectedmetosendit,withaletterofhiswriting,toamerchantofhisacquaintanceattheplace,andthenproposedmystayingwithhimtillanaccountcameofthereturn.
Neveranythingwasmorehonorablethantheproceedingsuponthisprocuration; forinlessthansevenmonthsIreceivedalargepacketfromthesurvivorsofmytrustees,themerchants,forwhoseaccountIwenttosea,inwhichwerethefollowingparticularlettersandpapersenclosed.
First,therewastheaccount-currentoftheproduceofmyfarmorplantationfromtheyearwhentheirfathershadbalancedwithmyoldPortugalcaptain,beingforsixyears; thebalanceappearedtobe1,174moidoresinmyfavor.
