BOOK III. CHAP. III. 467 



caution, to the ftable, where, finding a horfe, he fixed on n pillion, 

 and, coming to his iniftrefs, carried her through bye-ways to another 

 eftate, and brought to the white people there the firft intelligence of 

 what had happened. Confidering the great danger to which that lady 

 was expofed, and that the moft trifling nolle, at the time when the 

 rebels pafled her retreat, might have betrayed it, her efcape appears 

 almofl: miraculous ; and it feems as if the hand of Providence had in- 

 terpofed, to protect her life, and make her two fervants the inftruments 

 of prefervation, whofe fidelity and addrefs cannot be too highly ex- 

 tolled. The rebels, being arriyed at the valley, laid cloie fiege to the 

 overfeer's houfe, which was garrifoned with about ten white men-. 

 This houfe was ei'etSed upon a ftone foundation, raifed fome height 

 from the ground, and furnifhed with loop-holes. The little garrilbn 

 made proper difpofitions for defence, and placed fome of their party at 

 the loop-holes below. The rebels were joined by feveral of their 

 countrymen on this eftate ; and, furrounding the houfe, began to ufe 

 the moft infulting language in their power, to provoke the Whites to 

 come forth, that they might enjoy the fatisfadion of killing them j but 

 finding this inefFedual, they prepared for burning the houfe about their 

 ears ; for this purpofe they collcded a parcel of dry trafh, which they 

 fattened to the extremity of a long pole, and one of their leaders fet- 

 ting his back to a loop-hole, kindled the tradi, and applied it to the 

 wood-work of the roof. At that inftant he was perceived by one of 

 the centries pofted below, who difcharged his piece at him ; the ball 

 ftruck againft the lock of a gun, which the rebel had in his hand, and 

 recoiling into his body, killed him upon the fpot. His fall threw the 

 reft of the confpirators into difmay, for he was one of their chiefs ; 

 upon which the garrifon, taking advantage of their fufpence, fallied 

 out with great fpirit, killed two or three, and difperfed the reft, who 

 immediately fled into the woods. Blackwall, the principal of the 

 gang, finding how matters were likely to end, detached himfelf from 

 his brethren, and a few hours afterwards prefented himfelf before his 

 overfeer in feeming terror, pretending he had narrowly efcaped being 

 put to death by his countrymen ; to avoid whofe fury, he had crawled 

 into a cane-piece, and there hid himfelf till that inftant. Parties were 

 Ipeedily colleded, who purfued the rebels into the woods, and reduced 

 them with but little difficulty. 



O o o 2 Sufpicioa 



