DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70302#0115
SINGULAR HISTORY OF AN IMPOSTOR.
95
youth to go on board, the woman at whose house he
lodged, asked him what he intended to do with his fur-
niture, to which he replied, “ Keep it to remember me
by.” His conductor, though a witness to this generous
proceeding, scarcely appeared to take notice of it. This
present might be estimated at about 500 livres ; but what
was most extraordinary, the donor did not take with him
money and effects to a much greater amount, and from
his conduct on his first arrival at Martinico, it could not
be presumed that he possessed any certain resources there.
Nothing, however, seemed to give him any uneasiness
during the passage. His manners had been constantly
noble, without prodigality. The crew being reduced to
great extremity by hunger, at the time when, to avoid
the English cruisers, they were obliged to keep close
along the coast, in the shallop, in which they had not
time to take provisions with them, he bought of one of
the natives who was passing in his canoe, the refresh-
ments which he was conveying to his habitation, and dis-
tributed them among the sailors. The latter, as may
easily be conceived, were inspired with increased respect
for the young passenger, whom they had before concluded
to be a person of distinction, from the mysterious recom-
mendations to the captain.
These particulars were soon reported in the island, and
the crew added, that the young passenger had been taken
ill on board the ship; that he was treated with the utmost
care and attention, which he received with great benig-
nity, but mixed with a certain degree of haughtiness.
During this indisposition, Rhodez, by the captain’s di-
rections, never quitted the patient, and it was on this oc-
casion that the confidence of the one, and the extraor-
dinary attachment of the other seemed to have com-
menced.
These circumstances were more than sufficient to at-
tract
95
youth to go on board, the woman at whose house he
lodged, asked him what he intended to do with his fur-
niture, to which he replied, “ Keep it to remember me
by.” His conductor, though a witness to this generous
proceeding, scarcely appeared to take notice of it. This
present might be estimated at about 500 livres ; but what
was most extraordinary, the donor did not take with him
money and effects to a much greater amount, and from
his conduct on his first arrival at Martinico, it could not
be presumed that he possessed any certain resources there.
Nothing, however, seemed to give him any uneasiness
during the passage. His manners had been constantly
noble, without prodigality. The crew being reduced to
great extremity by hunger, at the time when, to avoid
the English cruisers, they were obliged to keep close
along the coast, in the shallop, in which they had not
time to take provisions with them, he bought of one of
the natives who was passing in his canoe, the refresh-
ments which he was conveying to his habitation, and dis-
tributed them among the sailors. The latter, as may
easily be conceived, were inspired with increased respect
for the young passenger, whom they had before concluded
to be a person of distinction, from the mysterious recom-
mendations to the captain.
These particulars were soon reported in the island, and
the crew added, that the young passenger had been taken
ill on board the ship; that he was treated with the utmost
care and attention, which he received with great benig-
nity, but mixed with a certain degree of haughtiness.
During this indisposition, Rhodez, by the captain’s di-
rections, never quitted the patient, and it was on this oc-
casion that the confidence of the one, and the extraor-
dinary attachment of the other seemed to have com-
menced.
These circumstances were more than sufficient to at-
tract