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unhappy companions, I never knew; it was my (illegible text) to be sold to one of my countrymen, whose ⟨name⟩ was Hugh Wilson, a North Britain, who ⟨had in⟩ his youth undergone the same fate as ⟨myself⟩ having been kidnapped from St. Johnstown, Scotland.
Happy was my lot in falling into my countryman's power, as he was, eontrary to many ⟨others⟩ of his calling, a humane, worthy, honest ⟨man.⟩ Having no children of his own, and commiserating my unhappy condition, he took great ⟨care⟩ of mc until I was fit for business, and, about ⟨the⟩ 12th year of my age, set me about little ⟨trifles⟩ in which state I continued until my 14th ⟨year⟩ when I was more fit for harder work. ⟨During⟩ sueh my idle state, seeing my fellow-servants ⟨often⟩ reading and writing, it ineited in me an inelination to learn, which I intimated to my master, telling him I should be very willing to ⟨serve⟩ a year longer than the contract by which I ⟨was⟩ sold, if he would indulge me in going to ⟨school;⟩ this he readily agreed to, saying that winter ⟨would⟩ be the best time. It being then summer ⟨I⟩ waited with impatience for the other season; b(illegible text) to make some progress in my design, I ⟨got a⟩ Primer, and learned as much from my ⟨fellow⟩ servants as I could. At school, where I ⟨went⟩ every winter for five years, I made a ⟨tolerable⟩ proficiency, and have ever since been ⟨improving⟩
