There was a letter of my partner’s, congratulating me very affectionately upon my being alive, giving me an account how the estate was improved, and what it produced a year; with the particulars of the number of squares, or acres that it contained, how planted, how many slaves there were upon it: and making two-and-twenty crosses for blessings, told me he had said so many _Ave Marias_ to thank the Blessed Virgin that I was alive; inviting me very passionately to come over and take possession of my own, and in the meantime to give him orders to whom he should deliver my effects if I did not come myself; concluding with a hearty tender of his friendship, and that of his family; and sent me as a present seven fine leopards’ skins, which he had, it seems, received from Africa, by some other ship that he had sent thither, and which, it seems, had made a better voyage than I. He sent me also five chests of excellent sweetmeats, and a hundred pieces of gold uncoined, not quite so large as moidores.
Il y avait aussi une lettre de mon partner me félicitant très-affectueusement de ce que j'étais encore de ce monde, et me donnant des détails sur l'amélioration de ma plantation, sur ce qu'elle produisait par an, sur la quantité d'acres qu'elle contenait, sur sa culture et sur le nombre d'esclaves qui l'exploitaient. Puis, faisant vingt-deux Croix en signe de bénédiction, il m'assurait qu'il avait dit autant d'AVE MARIA pour remercier la très-SAINTE-VIERGE de ce que je jouissais encore de la vie; et m'engageait fortement à venir moi-même prendre possession de ma propriété, ou à lui faire savoir en quelles mains il devait remettre mes biens, si je ne venais pas moi-même.