'
"I fared well in the service of this merchant, who was a man of a mild
disposition, and who was so rich that he could afford to be generous to
all his dependants. It was my business to see his camels loaded and
unloaded at proper places, to count his bales of merchandise, and to take
care that they were not mixed with those of his companions. This I
carefully did till the day we arrived at Alexandria; when, unluckily, I
neglected to count the bales, taking it for granted that they were all
right, as I had found them so the preceding day. However, when we were
to go on board the vessel that was to take us to Cairo, I perceived that
three bales of cotton were missing.
"I ran to inform my master, who, though a good deal provoked at my
negligence, did not reproach me as I deserved. The public crier was
immediately sent round the city, to offer a reward for the recovery of
the merchandise; and it was restored by one of the merchants' slaves with
whom we had travelled. The vessel was now under sail; my master and I
and the bales of cotton were obliged to follow in a boat; and when we
were taken on board, the captain declared he was so loaded, that he could
not tell where to stow the bales of cotton. After much difficulty, he
consented to let them remain upon deck; and I promised my master to watch
them night and day.
"We had a prosperous voyage, and were actually in sight of shore, which
the captain said we could not fail to reach early the next morning.
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