mymindaboutdiscoveringmyselftomybrother，formerly
　　myhusband，thatIcouldnotwithstandthem；andtherather，
　　becauseitranconstantlyinmythoughts，thatifIdidnotdo
　　itwhilehelived，Imightinvainendeavourtoconvincemy
　　sonafterwardthatIwasreallythesameperson，andthatIwas
　　hismother，andsomightbothlosetheassistanceandcomfort
　　oftherelation，andthebenefitofwhateveritwasmymother
　　hadleftme；andyet，ontheotherhand，Icouldneverthinkit
　　propertodiscovermyselftotheminthecircumstancesIwas
　　in，aswellrelatingtothehavingahusbandwithmeastomy
　　beingbroughtoverbyalegaltransportationasacriminal；on
　　bothwhichaccountsitwasabsolutelynecessarytometo
　　removefromtheplacewhereIwas，andcomeagaintohim，
　　asfromanotherplaceandinanotherfigure。
　　Uponthoseconsiderations，
　　Iwentonwithtellingmyhusband
　　theabsolutenecessitytherewasofournotsettlinginPotomac
　　River，atleastthatweshouldbepresentlymadepublicthere；
　　whereasifwewenttoanyotherplaceintheworld，weshould
　　comeinwithasmuchreputationasanyfamilythatcameto
　　plant；that，asitwasalwaysagreeabletotheinhabitantsto
　　havefamiliescomeamongthemtoplant，whobroughtsubstance
　　withthem，eithertopurchaseplantationsorbeginnewones，
　　soweshouldbesureofakind，agreeablereception，andthat
　　withoutanypossibilityofadiscoveryofourcircumstances。
　　Itoldhimingeneral，too，thatasIhadseveralrelationsinthe
　　placewherewewas，andthatIdurstnotnowletmyselfbe
　　knowntothem，becausetheywouldsooncomeintoaknowledge
　　oftheoccasionandreasonofmycomingover，whichwouldbe
　　toexposemyselftothelastdegree，soIhadreasontobelieve
　　thatmymother，whodieshere，hadleftmesomething，and
　　perhapsconsiderable，whichitmightbeverywellworthmy
　　whiletoinquireafter；butthatthistoocouldnotbedone
　　withoutexposinguspublicly，unlesswewentfromhence；and
　　then，whereverwesettled，Imightcome，asitwere，tovisit
　　andtoseemybrotherandnephews，makemyselfknownto
　　them，claimandinquireafterwhatwasmydue，bereceived
　　withrespect，andatthesametimehavejusticedonemewith
　　cheerfulnessandgoodwill；whereas，ifIdiditnow，Icould
　　expectnothingbutwithtrouble，suchasexactingitbyforce，
　　receivingitwithcursesandreluctance，andwithallkindsof
　　affronts，whichhewouldnotperhapsbeartosee；thatincase
　　ofbeingobligedtolegalproofsofbeingreallyherdaughter，
　　Imightbeatloss，beobligedtohaverecoursetoEngland，and
　　itmaybetofailatlast，andsoloseit，whateveritmightbe。
　　Withthesearguments，andhavingthusacquaintedmyhusband
　　withthewholesecretsofaraswasneedfulofhim，weresolved
　　togoandseekasettlementinsomeothercolony，andatfirst
　　thoughts，Carolinewastheplacewepitchedupon。
　　Inordertothiswebegantomakeinquiryforvesselsgoingto
　　Carolina，andinaverylittlewhilegotinformation，thatonthe
　　othersidethebay，astheycallit，namely，inMaryland，there
　　wasashipwhichcamefromCarolina，ladenwithriceand
　　othergoods，andwasgoingbackagainthither，andfrom
　　thencetoJamaica，withprovisions。
　　Onthisnewswehireda
　　slooptotakeinourgoods，andtaking，asitwere，afinal
　　farewellofPotomacRiver，wewentwithallourcargoover
　　toMaryland。
　　Thiswasalongandunpleasantvoyage，andmyspousesaid
　　itwasworsetohimthanallthevoyagefromEngland，because
　　theweatherwasbutindifferent，thewaterrough，andthe
　　vesselsmallandinconvenient。
　　Inthenextplace，wewerefull
　　ahundredmilesupPotomacRiver，inapartwhichtheycall
　　WestmorelandCounty，andasthatriverisbyfarthegreatest
　　inVirginia，andIhaveheardsayitisthegreatestriverinthe
　　worldthatfallsintoanotherriver，andnotdirectlyintothesea，
　　sowehadbaseweatherinit，andwerefrequentlyingreat
　　danger；forthoughwewereinthemiddle，wecouldnotsee
　　landoneithersideformanyleaguestogether。
　　Thenwehad
　　thegreatriverorbayofChesapeaketocross，whichiswhere
　　theriverPotomacfallsintoit，nearthirtymilesbroad，andwe
　　enteredmoregreatvastwaterswhosenamesIknownot，so
　　thatourvoyagewasfulltwohundredmiles，inapoor，sorry
　　sloop，withallourtreasure，andifanyaccidenthadhappened
　　tous，wemightatlasthavebeenverymiserable；supposing
　　wehadlostourgoodsandsavedourlivesonly，andhadthen
　　beenleftnakedanddestitute，andinawild，strangeplacenot
　　havingonefriendoracquaintanceinallthatpartoftheworld。
　　Theverythoughtofitgivesmesomehorror，evensincethe
　　dangerispast。
　　Well，wecametotheplaceinfivedays’sailing；Ithinkthey
　　callitPhilip’sPoint；andbehold，whenwecamethither，the
　　shipboundtoCarolinawasloadedandgoneawaybutthree
　　daysbefore。
　　Thiswasadisappointment；；but，however，I，
　　thatwastobediscouragedwithnothing，toldmyhusband
　　thatsincewecouldnotgetpassagetoCaroline，andthatthe
　　countrywewasinwasveryfertileandgood，wewould，ifhe
　　likedofit，seeifwecouldfindoutanythingforourtunewhere
　　wewas，andthatifhelikedthingswewouldsettlehere。
　　Weimmediatelywentonshore，butfoundnoconveniences
　　justatthatplace，eitherforourbeingonshoreorpreserving
　　ourgoodsonshore，butwasdirectedbyaveryhonestQuaker，
　　whomwefoundthere，togotoaplaceaboutsixtymileseast；
　　thatistosay，nearerthemouthofthebay，wherehesaidhe
　　lived，andwhereweshouldbeaccommodated，eithertoplant，
　　ortowaitforanyotherplacetoplantinthatmightbemore
　　convenient；andheinviteduswithsomuchkindnessand
　　simplyhonesty，thatweagreedtogo，andtheQuakerhimself
　　wentwithus。
　　Hereweboughtustwoservants，viz。anEnglishwoman-servant
　　justcomeonshorefromashipofLiverpool，andaNegro
　　man-servant，thingsabsolutelynecessaryforallpeoplethat
　　pretendedtosettleinthatcountry。
　　ThishonestQuakerwas
　　veryhelpfultous，andwhenwecametotheplacethathe
　　proposedtous，foundusoutaconvenientstorehouseforour
　　goods，andlodgingforourselvesandourservants；andabout
　　twomonthsorthereaboutsafterwards，byhisdirection，we
　　tookupalargepieceoflandfromthegovernorofthatcountry，
　　inordertoformourplantation，andsowelaidthethoughts
　　ofgoingtoCarolinewhollyaside，havingbeenverywell
　　receivedhere，andaccommodatedwithaconvenientlodging
　　tillwecouldpreparethings，andhavelandenoughcleared，
　　andtimberandmaterialsprovidedforbuildingusahouse，all
　　whichwemanagedbythedirectionoftheQuaker；sothatin
　　oneyear’stimewehadnearlyfiftyacresoflandcleared，part
　　ofitenclosed，andsomeofitplantedwithtabacco，though
　　notmuch；besides，wehadgardengroundandcornsufficient
　　tohelpsupplyourservantswithrootsandherbsandbread。
　　AndnowIpersuadedmyhusbandtoletmegooverthebay
　　again，andinquireaftermyfriends。
　　Hewasthewillingerto
　　consenttoitnow，becausehehadbusinessuponhishands
　　sufficienttoemployhim，besideshisguntodiverthim，which
　　theycallhuntingthere，andwhichhegreatlydelightedin；and
　　indeedweusedtolookatoneanother，sometimeswithagreat
　　dealofpleasure，reflectinghowmuchbetterthatwas，notthan
　　Newgateonly，butthanthemostprosperousofourcircumstances
　　inthewickedtradethatwehadbeenbothcarryingon。
　　Ouraffairwasinaverygoodposture；wepurchasedofthe
　　proprietorsofthecolonyasmuchlandfor#35，paidinready
　　money，aswouldmakeasufficientplantationtoemploy
　　betweenfiftyandsixtyservants，andwhich，beingwell
　　improved，wouldbesufficienttousaslongaswecouldeither
　　ofuslive；andasforchildren，Iwaspasttheprospectof
　　anythingofthatkind。
　　Butoutgoodfortunedidnotendhere。
　　Iwent，asIhavesaid，
　　overthebay，totheplacewheremybrother，onceahusband，
　　lived；butIdidnotgotothesamevillagewhereIwasbefore，
　　butwentupanothergreatriver，ontheeastsideoftheriver
　　Potomac，calledRappahannockRiver，andbythismeans
　　cameonthebackofhisplantation，whichwaslarge，andby
　　thehelpofanavigablecreek，orlittleriver，thatranintothe
　　Rappahannock，Icameverynearit。
　　Iwasnowfullyresolvedtogouppoint-blanktomybrother
　　husband，andtotellhimwhoIwas；butnotknowingwhat
　　temperImightfindhimin，orhowmuchoutoftemperrather，
　　Imightmakehimbysucharashvisit，Iresolvedtowritea
　　lettertohimfirst，tolethimknowwhoIwas，andthatIwas
　　comenottogivehimanytroubleupontheoldrelation，which
　　Ihopedwasentirelyforgot，butthatIappliedtohimasasister
　　toabrother，desiringhisassistanceinthecaseofthatprovision
　　whichourmother，atherdecease，hadleftformysupport，and
　　whichIdidnotdoubtbuthewoulddomejusticein，especially
　　consideringthatIwascomethusfartolookafterit。
　　Isaidsomeverytender，kindthingsintheletterabouthis
　　son，whichItoldhimheknewtobemyownchild，andthat
　　asIwasguiltyofnothinginmarryinghim，anymorethanhe
　　wasinmarryingme，neitherofushavingthenknownour
　　beingatallrelatedtooneanother，soIhopedhewouldallow
　　methemostpassionatedesireofonceseeingmyoneandonly
　　child，andofshowingsomethingoftheinfirmitiesofamother
　　inpreservingaviolentaffectforhim，whohadneverbeen
　　abletoretainanythoughtofmeonewayorother。
　　Ididbelievethat，havingreceivedthisletter，hewould
　　immediatelygiveittohissontoread，Ihavingunderstood
　　hiseyesbeingsodim，thathecouldnotseetoreadit；butit
　　felloutbetterthanso，forashissightwasdim，sohehad
　　allowedhissontoopenalllettersthatcametohishandfor
　　him，andtheoldgentlemanbeingfromhome，oroutofthe
　　waywhenmymessengercame，mylettercamedirectlytomy
　　son’shand，andheopenedandreadit。
　　Hecalledthemessengerin，aftersomelittlestay，andasked
　　himwherethepersonwaswhogavehimtheletter。
　　The
　　messengertoldhimtheplace，whichwasaboutsevenmiles
　　off，sohebidhimstay，andorderingahorsetobegotready，
　　andtwoservants，awayhecametomewiththemessenger。
　　LetanyonejudgetheconsternationIwasinwhenmy
　　messengercameback，andtoldmetheoldgentlemanwasnot
　　athome，buthissonwascomealongwithhim，andwasjust
　　cominguptome。
　　Iwasperfectlyconfounded，forIknewnot
　　whetheritwaspeaceorwar，norcouldItellhowtobehave；
　　however，Ihadbutaveryfewmomentstothink，formyson
　　wasattheheelsofthemessenger，andcomingupintomy
　　lodgings，askedthefellowatthedoorsomething。