Accotmt of Henry Moss, &?c. 5 



markable change that Moss has done, he would disco- 

 ver that his mind was more frequently tlian formerly 

 propense to calm and serious reflections, perhaps to in- 

 dulgencies in superstitious notions. 



None of all Moss's relatives, whom I have mentioned, 

 were in the least affected as he is. He has three brothers 

 now living, but they are not spotted, or changed at all. 



He says, he himself was originally very black : that is, 

 as black as the unmixed negroes of this country com- 

 monly are. Upon his body at present (August 19th, 

 1796) the dai-kest spots that I saw are somewhat darker 

 tlian what w^e call a chesnut-colour. I think the greater 

 part of the dark ground is of a chesnut-colour, but some 

 of the dark parts, especially upon his fingers, are much 

 lighter. He assures me, that the darkest parts of his 

 body, at present, are not near so dark as they were be- 

 fore the change of his body first began to take place. 



Moss was bom free. For rnany years, that is, from 

 the time he was able to the present time, he has princi- 

 pally followed farming. When he is at home, he still 

 follows it. His occupation has been clearing of ground, 

 and similar hard work. But there has not been any thing 

 peculiarly hard in his laborious occupation. 



I must not omit to mention, that Moss lias been a 

 soldier. In the month of August, 1777, he enlisted as 

 a private in the American army, in which he continued 

 almost six years. He was present at the batde of Mon- 

 mouth, in New- Jersey, in June, 1778 ; at the taking of 



