|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 5
_Cuffey_, at his Entrance, threw himself on his Face, and clapp'd
his Hands over his Head; then rising, he, with a visible Awe in
his Countenance, drew nearer, and address'd the Captain in the
_Cholomant�an_ Language, in which he gave an Account, as I suppose, of
his Expedition; for when he had done speaking, my Comrades Heads were
brought in, and thrown at the Captain's Feet, who returned but a short
Answer to _Cuffey_, tho' he presented him with a Segar, made him sit
down, and drank to him in a Calabash of Rum.
After this Ceremony, Captain _Thomas_ address'd himself to me in perfect
good _English_.
Young Man, _said he,_ I would have you banish all Fear; you are not
fallen into the Hands of barbarous Christians, whose Practice and
Profession are as distant as the Country they came from, is from
this Island, which they have usurp'd from the original Natives.
Capt. _Cuffey_'s returning the Service you once did him, by saving
your Life, which we shall not, after the Example of your Country,
take in cold Blood, may give you a Specimen of our Morals. We
believe in, and fear a God, and whatever you may conclude from the
Slaughter of your Companions, yet we are far from thirsting after
the Blood of the Whites; and it's Necessity alone which obliges us
to what bears the face of Cruelty. Nothing is so dear to Man as
Liberty, and we have no way of avoiding Slavery, of which our Bodies
wear the inhuman Marks, but by a War, in which, if we give no
Quarter, the _English_ must blame themselves; since even, with a
shew of Justice, they put to the most cruel Deaths those among us,
who have the Misfortune to fall into their Hands; and make that a
Crime in us (the Desire of Liberty, I mean) which they look upon
as the distinguishing Mark of a great Soul. Your Wound shall be
dress'd; you shall want nothing necessary we have; and we will see
you safe to some Plantation the first Opportunity. All the Return we
expect, is, that you will not discover to the Whites our Place of
Retreat: I don't exact from you an Oath to keep the Secret; for who
will violate his Word, will not be bound down, by calling God for a
Witness. If you betray us, he will punish you; and the Fear of your
being a Villain shall not engage me to put it out of your Power to
hurt us, by taking the Life of one to whom any of us has promised
Security. Go and repose your self, Captain _Cuffey_ will shew you
his House.
I made an Answer full of Acknowledgments, and _Cuffey_ carried me home,
where my Hurt, which was a Flesh Wound, was dress'd: He saw me laid on a
Matrass, and left me. About Eight, a Negro Wench brought me some Kid
very well drest, and leaving me, bid me good Night. Notwithstanding my
Hurt, I slept tolerably well, being heartily fatigued with the Day's
Walk.
Next Morning, _Cuffey_ saw my Wound drest by a Negro sent for from
another Village, who had been Slave to a Surgeon several Years, and was
very expert in his Business. The Village where I was contained about Two
and Fifty Houses, made of wild Canes and Cabbage Trees; it was the
Residence of Captain _Thomas_. Here were all sorts of Handicrafts, as,
Joyners, Smiths, Gunsmiths, Taylors, _&c._ for in _Jamaica_ the Whites
teach their Slaves the Arts they severally exercise. The Houses were
furnished with all Necessaries, which they had plundered from the
Plantations; and they had great Quantities of Corn and Dunghill
Fowl.
Captain _Thomas_ sometimes sent for me, and endeavour'd, by his
Kindness, to make my Stay among 'em as little irksome as possible. He
often entertain'd me with the Cruelty of the _English_ to their Slaves,
and the Injustice of depriving Men of that Liberty they were born
to.
In about a Fortnight, my Wound was thoroughly cured, and I begg'd of
Captain _Thomas_ to let me be directed to the next Plantation. He
promis'd I shou'd, as, soon as he could do it with Safety. I waited with
Patience, for I did not think it just he should, for my sake, hazard his
own, and the Lives of his Followers.
About a Week after this Promise, I reminded him of it, and he told me,
that a Party from a Neighbour Village being out, he could not send me
away: For shou'd those Men miscarry, he might be suspected of having, by
my Means, betray'd 'em to make his own Peace with the Whites; for (said
he) the Treachery our People have observed among those of your Colour,
has made 'em extreamly suspicious. I was obliged to seem contented with
his Reason, and waited the Return of this Party, which in about ten Days
after, came back, laden with Provisions, Kitchen Furniture and Bedding;
but the most acceptable part of their Booty, was Two small Caggs of
Powder, of Eight Pound Weight each, and near Two Hundred of Lead. They
also brought with 'em the Heads of the Overseer, and the Distiller
belonging to _Littleton_'s Plantation, both white Men, whom they met
separately in the Woods.
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|