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.
Avea poi fatte ventidue croci su la carta, quali indizi delle avemmarie recitate alla santissima Vergine in ringraziamento del prospero mio ritorno. Dopo avermi eccitato di tutto cuore a recarmi sul luogo e a riprendere in persona il possesso de’ miei beni, mi chiedeva in quali mani, s’io non fossi andato, io volea che fossero passate le mie rendite.