The Adventures of Roderick Random

Less than a fortnight later, the ship makes landfall near the mouth of the River Gambia on the Guinea coast, and over six months trades south as far as Angola and Bengula, purchasing 400 enslaved people, with Roderick’s invested trade goods converted to gold dust. The ship departs Cape Negro, and six weeks later arrives in the Rio de la Plata, suffering only an epidemic fever among the enslaved people that kills several crew members, including one of Roderick’s mates, and leaves Strap near death. They present their official passports to the Spanish governor of Buenos Ayres, are welcomed courteously, sell all 400 enslaved people in a matter of days, and could have sold five times as many at their asking price; they also smuggle and sell their remaining European bale goods at great profit.

CHAPTER LXVII

After arriving in Jamaica, Roderick Random immediately seeks out his old friend Mr. Thompson, learning he now lives comfortably on his late father-in-law’s estate, is married with two young children, and initially offers Roderick financial support before learning of his improved circumstances. Thompson hosts Roderick and his newly discovered father Don Rodrigo for a week; at their departure, Don Rodrigo gifts Thompson’s wife a valuable diamond ring as a token of esteem. During their stay, Thompson shares news of former antagonists: Captain Oakum died months prior, and a posthumous search found he had stolen prize goods with Dr. Mackshane’s help; Mackshane is now in prison, destitute, and surviving only on Thompson’s charity. Moved by Thompson’s generosity toward the man who once tormented him, Roderick sends Mackshane 10 pistoles anonymously so his benefactor can never be identified. With Captain Bowling’s return voyage preparations complete, Thompson helps Don Rodrigo secure bills of exchange for his gold and silver to avoid sea or enemy risk, and stocks the ship so the crew eats sumptuously for the crossing. They set sail from Port Royal on June 1. During the windward passage, a sailor drunk on new rum falls overboard and drowns; two hours later, the crew hears a call from the sea and rescues Jack Marlinspike, a sailor from the Vesuvio man-of-war who fell overboard 24 hours earlier, was given a hencoop to cling to, and is reunited with his ship two days later. After eight weeks at sea they reach English waters, to the joy of Roderick and Don Rodrigo and the tears of Strap, but a wind shift forces them to dock at Spithead near Portsmouth instead of the Downs, and 30 crew members are pressed into Royal Navy service. Eager to reunite with Narcissa after 18 months apart, Roderick rides across the country to Sussex while Don Rodrigo hires a post-chaise for London to wait for him. He stops at an inn three miles from the squire’s house, waits till morning to avoid alarming the household, then goes to Mrs. Sagely’s cottage, who reassures him Narcissa is alive, faithful, and living in London with Miss Williams. She explains that after Roderick’s departure, Narcissa was neglected by her brother the squire, who married Melinda; the squire is comforted by a clause in their father’s will that would make Narcissa forfeit her fortune if she marries without his consent, so he pays her little mind, leading her to move to London to avoid maltreatment. She also shares that Narcissa fended off Lord Quiverwit’s advances—he spread false rumors that Roderick was dead before marrying another woman who soon left him—and remains determined to wait for him. Roderick had feared she might have died, married a rival, or grown indifferent, so Mrs. Sagely shares a letter from Narcissa confirming her unwavering devotion, and Roderick promises to support her in her old age, gives her 30 guineas upfront, and vows to send her the same sum annually. Roderick rides through the night to Canterbury, where he reunites with his old messmate Morgan, now a married apothecary with £3,000 from his wife’s late husband; he finds Morgan behind the counter preparing a clyster, who at first does not recognize him, then throws down his pestle, oversets his mortar, and hugs Roderick so tightly he gets covered in turpentine and egg yolk. Morgan recognizes their old exchanged sleeve-buttons, forgives Mackshane, and rejoices to hear Thompson is alive. Roderick continues to London, where he tells Don Rodrigo of Narcissa; his father approves the match even if Narcissa’s brother refuses consent, and gives Roderick a deed settling £15,000 on him, in addition to the £3,000 he earned from his own merchandise. Roderick visits Narcissa at Miss Williams’s lodgings, and their reunion is ecstatic: overcome with emotion after their long separation, Roderick struggles to contain his passion, and Narcissa redirects the conversation to ask eagerly about his voyage, and is moved to tears by the surprising news of his found father, expressing a desperate longing to meet the generous Don Rodrigo. He gives her the diamond and amethyst necklace given to him by a Spanish lady in Paraguay, and they agree to marry as soon as Don Rodrigo deems appropriate. Don Rodrigo meets Narcissa soon after and is struck by her beauty, reminded of his lost daughter Charlotte, and charmed by her good sense. He resolves to write to the squire to ask for his consent and offer a generous settlement; if the squire refuses, Roderick and Narcissa will marry without his approval.