"Children's Books - Defoe, Daniel - Robinson Crusoe" - читать интересную книгу автора (Children's Books)

well as among the merchants at St. Salvador, which was our port, and
that in my discourses among them I had frequently given them an
account of my two voyages to the coast of Guinea, the manner of
trading with the negroes there, and how easy it was to purchase upon
the coast for trifles - such as beads, toys, knives, scissors,
hatchets, bits of glass, and the like - not only gold-dust, Guinea
grains, elephants' teeth, etc. but negroes, for the service of the
Brazils in great numbers.
They listened always very attentively to my discourses on these
heads, but especially to that part which related to the buying
negroes; which was a trade, at that time, not only not far entered
into, but, as far as it was, had been carried on by the assiento, or
permission, of the Kings of Spain and Portugal, and engrossed in the
public, so that few negroes were brought, and those excessive dear.
It happened, being in company with some merchants and planters of my
acquaintance, and talking of those things very earnestly, three of
them came to ne the next morning, and told me they had been musing
very much upon what I had discoursed with them of, the last night, and
they came to make a secret proposal to me. And after enjoining me
secrecy, they told me that they had a mind to fit out a ship to go
to Guinea; that they had all plantations as well as I, and were
straitened for nothing so much as servants; that as it was a trade
that could not be carried on because they could not publicly sell
the negroes when they came home, so they desired to make but one
voyage, to bring the negroes on shore privately, and divide them among
their own plantations; and, in a word, the question was, whether I
would go their supercargo in the ship, to manage the trading part upon
the coast of Guinea; and they offered me that I should have my equal
share of the negroes without providing any part of the stock.
This was a fair proposal, it must be confessed, had it been made
to any one that had not a settlement and plantation of his own to look
after, which was in a fair way of coming to be very considerable,
and with a good stock upon it. But for me, that was thus entered and
established, and had nothing to do but go on as I had begun, for three
or four years more, and to have sent for the other hundred pounds from
England; and who, in that time, and with that little addition, could
scarce have failed of being worth three or four thousand pounds
sterling, and that increasing too - for me to think of such a
voyage, was the most preposterous thing that ever man, in such
circumstances, could be guilty of.
But I, that was born to be my own destroyer, could no more resist
the offer than I could restrain my first rambling designs, when my
father's good counsel was lost upon me. In a word, I told them I would
go with all my heart, if they would undertake to look after my
plantation in my absence, and would dispose of it to such as I
should direct if I miscarried. This they all engaged to do, and
entered into writings or covenants to do so; and I made a formal
will disposing of my plantation and effect, in case of my death;
making the captain of the ship that had saved my life, as before, my
universal heir, but obliging him to dispose of my effects as I had