THE STOBY OF MARTIN'. 140 



" When I was a lad of about seventeen years of age, I was 

 very frequently on a sugar estate belonging to a relation of 

 mine ; and during crop-time particularly I took good care to 

 be there. 



" Owing to my connection wdth the owner of the estate, 

 I naturally had some authority with the people ; and I did 

 my best to preserve order amongst them, particularly in the 

 boiling-house, where there used to be a good deal of petty 

 theft, especially at night; for we had not then the power- 

 ful machinery which enables the planter to commence his 

 grinding late and finish it early. 



" There was one African on the estate who was the terror 

 of the Negros, ow^ng to his reputed supernatural powers as 

 an Obeah-man. 



" This man, whom I will call Martin, was a tall powerful 

 Negro, who, even apart from the mysterious powers with 

 which he was supposed to be invested, was a formidable 

 opponent from his mere size and strength, 



" I very soon found that Martin was determined to try hi? 

 authority and influence against mine ; and I resolved to give 

 him the earliest possible opportunity for doing so. 



" I remember the occasion when we first came into contact 

 perfectly well. It was a Saturday night, and we were boiling 

 off. The boiling-house was but very dimly lighted by two 

 murky oil-lamps, the rays from which could scarcely pene- 



