Symzonia: Voyage of Discovery

CHAPTER XX. The Author arrives in the United States--Consigns his cargo to Mr. Slippery--Is reduced to poverty by the failure of Mr. Slippery.--His great distress.--Inducement to publish this brief account of his discoveries.--Conclusion. On my arrival in port, I felt the importance which an ample fortune gives a man in this external world. The arrival of a South Sea ship from Canton, with a valuable China cargo, was no unusual occurrence, and excited no extraordinary interest; but it was speedily rumoured that the Explorer had made a splendid voyage, and that Capt. Seaborn was as rich as a nabob. Abundant civilities were proffered to me, and numberless invitations to dinner were politely given. I had now to select some merchant to assist in disposing of my cargo, my long absence, and consequent ignorance of dealers, rendering it imprudent for me to transact my own business; besides which, I found that, notwithstanding the whole of my merchandise was as much the product of American industry, as though I and my people had dug it out of the soil, (for instead of obtaining it with specie, we had procured it by our own manual labour,) I was required to pay or secure the enormous sum of one hundred and ninety thousand dollars duties to government. A strange thing surely, that the same tax should be levied on the privilege of bringing the fruits of our own industry into the country, as on cargoes bought with silver dollars, the carrying away of which impoverishes the nation. This did not seem altogether right either for individuals or the country; but there was no use in reasoning about it--it was required by law.