Before leaving the island of Sumatra I paid a second visit to Achin,
where I was given a final audience with King Trinkitat, when I paid him
over the balance of the rubies. I found the king well disposed toward
me, and apparently satisfied with the payment made him in return for
the refitting of our vessel, which indeed was at a princely rate, when
the value of the rubies was considered. He did not attempt to extort
more than was justly due to him according to promise, as is the habit
with these half-savage potentates, when dealing with foreigners, but
this I attributed to the superstition I had so happily aroused in him
that the rubies would bring misfortune if not honestly come by. I
questioned his Majesty more closely with regard to King Luck, and, from
what he told me, I felt convinced that this man, now a chief among the
savages of New Holland, was none other than my old antagonist Van Luck,
though how he came to be rescued from the sea I had no means, at that
time, of knowing. King Trinkitat possessed no chart of the place to
which his ships traded, as the captains of his vessels mostly steered
by the stars. But he promised me that, if ever I should again visit his
island, he would send a pilot with me to conduct me to King Luck.
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