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THE BLACK CARIBS. A TALE. 



44 Fierce wars and faithful loves shall moralize my song." 



SPENSER'S Fairy Queen. 



" AND so, Mustapha, you are to be sold to-morrow ?" said a plan- 

 ter named Belgrave, to a handsome tall Mahometan negro of the 

 Mandingo tribe. This man, like most of his nation, seemed, and was 

 far more intelligent than the mean savage of the Coromanti, Moco, 

 Eboe, Congo, and other tribes that were imported from Guinea. 

 ff And so, Mustapha, you are to be sold to-morrow ?" 



" Yes, master ; the provost-marshal has seized me in the name of 

 the king, for taxes that my late mistress owed at her death." 



" In your occupation of fisherman at Calliagua you must, I take it, 

 have saved money ; I suppose you intend purchasing your manu- 

 mission ?" 



"How much, think you, will be offered for me ?" 



" You are an intelligent and well-behaved man ; you will not be 

 sold for less that 400 dollars." 



" I have," said Mustapha, with a sigh, " not above 350. May I 

 ask a favour of you ? That you will attend the sale to-morrow, and 

 offer all I possess for my purchase ; should I be sold at a higher 

 price than I can pay, yet not above what you conceive is my value, 

 be pleased to buy me yourself, and I will give you no cause to re- 

 pent it." 



" I at present want no negroes, but such as are fitted for field- 

 labour ; for this your tribe in general, and you in particular, are little 

 adapted ; however, I will be in Kingston to-morrow, and do what 

 I can for you/' 



With this assurance Mustapha departed. 



The next day Belgrave was at the vendue (auction), attending the 

 sale of the Mandingo. The first offer for his purchase was 300 dollars, 

 by the marshal (a kind of sheriff), in whose house Mustapha resided 

 since he was seized at the king's suit for taxes. Another person op- 

 posed the officer's bidding ; and amongst the rest Belgrave offered 

 350 dollars. The marshal then offered 360, for he had resolved to 

 pay as high as 500 dollars for him, so greatly did he esteem the good 

 qualities of the Mahometan. Belgrave now offered 23 doubloons ; 

 and perceiving the marshal about to make another bid, he whispered 

 in his ear "that he was trying to purchase the slave's manumission 

 with money that he (Mustapha) had saved." 



" Why did you not give me the hint sooner, and I would not 

 have run up the poor devil's price ?" said the marshal in a, low tone ; 

 and he circulated what Belgrave had informed him amongst those in 

 the auction-room; who, on receiving the intimation, would not oppose 

 the slave's offer for his freedom ; so that Mustapha was adjudged to 

 Belgrave at 23 doubloons, or 368 dollars. The latter informed the 



