I quickly disposed of my goods to advantage; and, as I originally intended, I bought here some very good diamonds, which, of all other things, were the most proper for me in my present circumstances, because I could always carry my whole estate about me.
During my stay here many proposals were made for my return to England, but none falling out to my mind, the English merchant who lodged with me, and whom I had contracted an intimate acquaintance with, came to me one morning, saying: "Countryman, I have a project to communicate, which, as it suits with my thoughts, may, for aught I know, suit with yours also, when you shall have thoroughly considered it.

Here we are posted, you by accident and I by my own choice, in a part of the world very remote from our own country; but it is in a country where, by us who understand trade and business, a great deal of money is to be got.

If you will put one thousand pounds to my one thousand pounds, we will hire a ship here, the first we can get to our minds.

You shall be captain, I'll be merchant, and we'll go a trading voyage to China; for what should we stand still for?
The whole world is in motion; why should we be idle ?" I liked this proposal very well; and the more so because it seemed to be expressed with so much goodwill.

In my loose, unhinged circumstances, I was the fitter to embrace a proposal for trade, or indeed anything else.
I might perhaps say with some truth, that if trade was not my element, rambling was; and no proposal for seeing any part of the world which I had never seen before could possibly come amiss to me.