My mercantile inexperience made me distrust the clearness of my own discernment, and I could not but remember that my utter and irretrievable destruction was connected with the failure of my scheme.
Time added to my distrust and apprehensions.

The time at which tidings of the ship were to be expected elapsed without affording any information of her destiny.

My anxieties, however, were to be carefully hidden from the world.

I had taught mankind to believe that this project had been adopted more for amusement than gain; and the debts which I had contracted seemed to arise from willingness to adhere to established maxims, more than from the pressure of necessity.
"Month succeeded month, and intelligence was still withheld.

The notes which I had given for one-third of the cargo, and for the premium of insurance, would shortly become due.