The Fortunes and Misfortunes of the Famous Moll Flanders

My governess was with us all this while, and went with us round into

the Downs, as did also the captain's wife, with whom she went back. I

was never so sorrowful at parting with my own mother as I was at

parting with her, and I never saw her more. We had a fair easterly

wind sprung up the third day after we came to the Downs, and we sailed

from thence the 10th of April. Nor did we touch any more at any place,

till, being driven on the coast of Ireland by a very hard gale of wind,

the ship came to an anchor in a little bay, near the mouth of a river,

whose name I remember not, but they said the river came down from

Limerick, and that it was the largest river in Ireland.

Here, being detained by bad weather for some time, the captain, who

continued the same kind, good-humoured man as at first, took us two on

shore with him again. He did it now in kindness to my husband indeed,

who bore the sea very ill, and was very sick, especially when it blew

so hard. Here we bought in again a store of fresh provisions,

especially beef, pork, mutton, and fowls, and the captain stayed to

pickle up five or six barrels of beef to lengthen out the ship's store.

We were here not above five days, when the weather turning mild, and a

fair wind, we set sail again, and in two-and-forty days came safe to

the coast of Virginia.

When we drew near to the shore, the captain called me to him, and told

me that he found by my discourse I had some relations in the place, and

that I had been there before, and so he supposed I understood the

custom in their disposing the convict prisoners when they arrived. I

told him I did not, and that as to what relations I had in the place,

he might be sure I would make myself known to none of them while I was

in the circumstances of a prisoner, and that as to the rest, we left

ourselves entirely to him to assist us, as he was pleased to promise us

he would do. He told me I must get somebody in the place to come and

buy us as servants, and who must answer for us to the governor of the

country, if he demanded us. I told him we should do as he should

direct; so he brought a planter to treat with him, as it were, for the

purchase of these two servants, my husband and me, and there we were

formally sold to him, and went ashore with him. The captain went with

us, and carried us to a certain house, whether it was to be called a

tavern or not I know not, but we had a bowl of punch there made of rum,

etc., and were very merry. After some time the planter gave us a

certificate of discharge, and an acknowledgment of having served him

faithfully, and we were free from him the next morning, to go wither we

would.