William Moraley’s failure in the American colonies was not due to laziness but being at the wrong place at the wrong time. His hard work and motivation to better his life just didn’t work in his favor.
Even before his journey to America, Moraley had a string of bad luck. After his father’s death, he quarreled with his mother for his rightful fortune. But unable to acquire these funds he was reduced to poverty. “…so, had rather leave a Place where I have no Prospect of advancing myself, than to continue here where I have not Friends to relive me.” (16) His only solution was to sell himself as an indentured servant in the American colonies in hopes of creating a new and better life for himself.
His first of many misfortunes happened even before he set sail for America. His occupation as a watch-maker would be little service in America; those more labor-intensive occupations such as tanners, bricklayers, carpenters etc. were more useful for success.
Upon arrival in Pennsylvania, Moraley was sold to a Mr. Isaac Pearson of Burlington, a Quaker, clock-maker and goldsmith.
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As a farewell present from the colonies Moraley didn’t have an easy sail. Sailing down the Delaware, the ship “was overtaken by my old Master Edmund Lewis, who demanded me of the captain, on account of an indenture between myself and him” but on a tight schedule the captain told the former master that if stayed on the ship he would surly have gone to sea along with the boat. (93) The next day the ship strung a leak, requiring both himself and the crew to pump continually. Finally, hoping to (finally) be dismissed, in Ireland the captain proclaimed that as soon as he had sold all his cargo would he would carry Moraley to the port of Whitehaven where his mother and sisters were residing. But unable to sell all of his goods, the captain sailed in the opposite direction leaving Moraley to find a new form of passage