Jjgi. Zi'meo, a (ale. 109 



prove effectual ; I was determined to rid myself of life 5 

 but how to leave in this dreadful world my dear EUaroe I L 

 was about to lose her for ever •, I had every thing to 

 dread ; I had notliing to hope ; my imaginations were des- 

 perate ; the tears ran in streams over my face ; I uttered 

 nothing but frantic exclamations, or groans of despair, like 

 the roaring of a lion, exhausted in unequal combat. My 

 hands gradually loosened from the body of Ellaroe, and be- 

 gan to approach her neck. Merciful Orifsa 1 the whites 

 extricated my wife from my furious embrace. She gave a 

 loud (hriek of despair, as we were separated ; I saw her 

 attempt to carry her hands towards her neck, to accomplil'i 

 my fatal design ; flie was prevented ; ihe took her last look 

 • of me. Her eyes, her whole countenance, her altitude, the 

 inarticulate accents that escaped her, all bespoke the ex- 

 tremities of grief and of love, 



" I was dragged on board the vefsel of your nation ; I 

 was pinioned, and placed in snch a mamier as to make any 

 attempt upon my life impofsible •, but they could not force 

 mc to take any sustenance.. My new tyrants at fust em- 

 ployed threats, at last they made me suffer torments, whicti 

 wiiites alone can invent ; ^but I resisted all. 



*' A negro, born at Benin, who had been a slave for two 

 years with my new master, had compafsion on me. He 

 told me that we were going to Jamaica, were I might ea- 

 sily recover my liberty j he talked to me of the wild ne- 

 groes, and of the commonwealth they had formed in the cen- 

 ter of tlic island j he told me that tliese negroes sometimes 

 ▼.•ent ou board Lnglilh Ihips, to make depredations on tliC 

 Spanidi i:.lar.ds ; he made me understand, that in one of 

 those cruises, Ellaroe and her father might be rescued. 

 He awakened in my heart the ideas of vengeance and the 

 hopes of love. I cor.senled to lire j but you now see for what, 

 1 am already revenged, but I am not satisfied tlU I regain 

 the idols of my h€u,r». If that cannot be, 1 icnouncc the 



