292 CAPTAIN CART WEIGHT'S 



THE FIFTH VOYAGE 



Soon after my arrival in England in the year 

 1779, I found npon settling my accompts, that the 

 various and great misfortunes which I had met 

 with had involved me in a much larger debt than 

 I was able to pay. Interest then suggested to me, 

 that an immediate bankruptcy would be the most 

 advantageous step I could take ; but honor forbade 

 it; because, I knew that my father had by his will, 

 made me his sole heir and executor, after paying 

 his debts and such legacies as were contained in 

 his will: and by my calculations, I judged there 

 w^ould be a sufficiency, not only to pay them, but 

 also both principal and interest of my own debts, 

 and leave a competent maintenance for me into the 

 bargain when ever his exit should happen, which, 

 from his age and infirmities, I had reason to sup- 

 pose could not be at any distant period: besides 

 which, I had other expectations. I therefore laid 

 those things before my principal creditors, and 

 gave them their choice whether they would im- 

 mediately proceed to extremities, or give me time 

 and wait for that event. They chose the latter, 

 but required me to give bonds and such other 

 securities as were in my power; and as I had no 

 intention of doing any thing but what was strictly 



